Chapter 29 Strange Palpitation
Perhaps it was because she had started menstruating, but Meng Qingci felt that her emotions were not as sensitive and irritable as before, and her body no longer craved touch as if she had skin hunger. She felt that taking cinnabar was a coincidence, as it unexpectedly solved her "inability to leave love", so it was not a loss.
Ever since that night when Meng Qingci admitted that she regretted not choosing Fu Yan'an, Fu Heng was so angry that he looked like he wanted to eat someone alive, and immediately stormed off.
After that, Fu Heng never sought her out during the day, which pleased Meng Qingci. However, every night, when she was sound asleep, Fu Heng, having finished his official duties, would still sleep in the same bed with her. He always habitually wrapped his arms tightly around her waist from behind, which made her waist uncomfortable several times.
The next day, before she could wake up, Fu Heng had already gotten up and left, as if he was competing with her for something, but Meng Qingci pretended not to know anything.
On this day, the treasure ship docked in Minzhou. Xia Guang helped Meng Qingci dress neatly and put a white gauze hat on her head, which was decorated with precious pink pearls.
Seeing that every part of her was precious and exquisite, Xia Guang couldn't help but advise, "Miss, don't be so stubborn. The master is currently very fond of you and treats you very well, which we all see. If it were anyone else, they would have died many times over for saying those things. These past few days, the master hasn't said a single harsh word to you."
As she spoke, Xia Guang smoothed out her clothes: "Now that we're on shore, you should at least give your master a way out. Men are easy to coax. Otherwise, once you're in the manor, being confined to a courtyard will be unbearable. You must also plan for your future. There are countless noble and powerful families in Minzhou who admire your master. Don't let a moment of impulsiveness ruin your life and lead to regret."
Seeing that Meng Qingci remained silent as if she hadn't heard, Xia Guang softened her tone and sighed softly, "This servant knows that you are angry with your master. But he is of noble birth and has held power for a long time, so his actions are inevitably forceful and arbitrary, which has wronged you. It is understandable that you resent and are angry with him. But over this period of time, this servant has seen that your master treats you with unprecedented sincerity. Why do you still hold onto those trivial matters?"
Meng Qingci had lived in the Marquis's mansion for ten years, yet she had always clashed with the values of the people in the garden. Seeing that Xia Guang seemed determined to persuade her further, she reluctantly gave a perfunctory "Mm." Then, without saying another word, she stepped out of the bedroom first.
At this time, Minzhou was still sweltering, with only occasional sea breezes carrying moisture to slightly dispel the heat. Meng Qingci had initially thought Fu Heng was being pretentious by insisting that she cover her face. However, after disembarking from the treasure ship and being confronted by the scorching sun, she realized that the layered gauze hat had actually served as sun protection.
The Fu family residence was in Minzhou. Meng Qingci thought that after leaving two years ago, she would never set foot in this place again. Unexpectedly, in just two short years, she would be locked in this cage again. The feeling of suffocation almost made her unable to breathe.
The carriage curtain fluttered slightly, and Fu Heng leaned in, sitting down opposite her. He saw her gently lift her hat to one side, her eyes half-lowered, her expression one of indescribable sorrow, lost in thought.
Fu Heng was dressed in a silver-gray silk robe embroidered with patterns and hidden designs. His hair was tied up with a jade crown, which made him look elegant, refined, and extraordinary.
Today, he was completely different from his usual somber demeanor, with a hint of leisure and languor in his eyes. He naturally took Meng Qingci's slender hand, as if there had never been any distance between them, and asked in a gentle voice, "Why do you look so sullen?"
Meng Qingci's fingers paused slightly, but she did not withdraw them. She only said in a low voice, "I don't want to live in the old Marquis's mansion."
Fu Heng chuckled lightly: "Who told you that you were going to stay at the old Marquis's mansion?"
Meng Qingci then lifted her eyelids, glanced at him indifferently, and raised her delicate eyebrows as if asking a question.
Fu Heng lightly brushed her cheek with his index finger and said with a smile, "Since I am the Governor of Minzhou, I will naturally stay in the Governor's residence."
Hearing this, Meng Qingci felt a sense of relief and finally had the leisure to look at Fu Heng a few more times. He appeared relaxed and at ease, as if he had entered Minzhou with complete ease and confidence, as if everything was under his control. Still curious, she asked, "Third Master, what has made you so happy?"
Fu Heng raised the corners of his lips slightly and looked at her meaningfully: "I suppose so."
Meng Qingci didn't care about Fu Heng's affairs, so she stopped asking and simply lifted the carriage curtain to look at the scenery along the way.
She used to follow the eldest daughter, Fu Jingyu, and spent her days learning to dance, play the zither, or do embroidery. She also had to learn to read and write, so she didn't have many opportunities to leave the mansion and didn't know much about Fuzhou.
Along the way, the docks were bustling with merchants and their cries of vendors growing louder and louder, revealing the prosperity and thriving commerce of Fuzhou.
She had heard Fu Yan'an mention that Fu Heng had also established a shipyard in Fuzhou, where he had developed large-capacity, sturdy, deep-draft ships capable of ocean voyages.
This shows that Fu Heng was indeed a man of extraordinary talent, not someone who held a position without doing anything, and had done a lot of things that benefited the people, which made Meng Qingci feel quite admiring.
When the carriage arrived at the governor's residence, officials of all ranks had been waiting for a long time.
Fu Heng's return was rushed due to the Minzhou rebellion. To avoid giving others cause for criticism, he made a show of it as soon as he arrived, ordering his carriage to be driven directly to the inner courtyard while he, still covered in dust from his journey, dealt with official business in the front yard.
Although Meng Qingci was unwilling, she had no choice but to enter the Sifang Courtyard of Fu Heng's residence. While taking a bath, she rested her head on the edge of the tub, closed her eyes, and felt the rising steam swirling in her mind as she thought about how to escape.
As dusk settled, Meng Qingci assumed that Fu Heng, burdened with official duties, would be too busy to come over that night. Unexpectedly, at dinner time, he calmly entered the room, not only dining with her but also unusually in high spirits, personally serving her food and soup, his words gentle and his actions attentive. This unusual thoughtfulness, rather than usual, stirred a strange, inexplicable feeling within Meng Qingci.
After dinner, Fu Heng moved the official documents to the bedroom, lit a silver lamp, and focused intently on reviewing them at the table in the outer room. Meng Qingci, on the other hand, leaned lazily against the soft couch by the window, engrossed in reading a travelogue. The two of them, each in their own corner, did not disturb each other. In the flickering lamplight, a sense of tranquility and harmony, like that of an ordinary married couple, subtly arose.
After some time, Meng Qingci felt her mind was slightly hazy and she couldn't remember what she had read on the page she had just turned to.
Just then, Fu Heng's deep voice suddenly rang out, mellow and magnetic, bathed in the night: "Come here."
Meng Qingci's heart skipped a beat, and she nearly dropped the book from her hand. She bit her lip lightly, remaining seated and unmoved, not doing as he wished.
Fu Heng leisurely put down the vermilion brush, leaned back in his armchair, his gaze fixed on her, his expression unchanged, and patiently called to her again, "Come here."
Meng Qingci had an indescribable feeling. She thought Fu Heng's voice was very pleasant to listen to, and every word struck her heart, making her want to respond willingly. When she came to her senses, she had already walked barefoot to him.
Fu Heng wrapped one arm around her, firmly holding her slender waist. Her body trembled slightly, her graceful curves now pressed completely against his chest. With a nimble flip, he had her sit on his lap.
Fu Heng gently lifted her chin with two fingers, his eyes deep and dark, his voice gentle as he asked, "Does it smell good?"
Meng Qingci was stunned and puzzled: "What?"
His smile deepened, and he placed a light kiss on her lips, asking with a hint of smugness, "Do I smell good?"
Only after his mention did Meng Qingci vaguely notice a peculiar fragrance floating in the air. The scent was so faint yet irresistible that she couldn't help but want to draw closer. Earlier, sitting alone on the soft couch, she had felt an emptiness in her heart, but now, nestled beside him, it filled that void. Before she could even fully process what she was thinking, her body had already unconsciously moved closer to him, wanting to absorb more of his intoxicating scent.
"It smells good," Meng Qingci answered honestly, her soft tongue lightly brushing her lips. Her eyes, as clear as autumn water, were almost obsessively fixed on Fu Heng's thin lips, and a strange flutter rose in her heart. From childhood to adulthood, no one other than that person had ever made her heart flutter like this.
Before Meng Qingci even realized it, her body had unconsciously moved closer to Fu Heng. However, Fu Heng gently pressed his long, slender index finger against her pearly lips and chuckled softly, "What? Have you forgotten that you once said you only admired young men?"
Interrupted abruptly by him, Meng Qingci felt a surge of indescribable emotion. Was it disappointment? Was it anxiety? She couldn't tell for a moment. She couldn't say whether, in that instant, she wanted to get closer to him, or... wanted to kiss him.
"It's a matter of mutual consent. If you don't want to, then forget it. Stop playing hard to get." Meng Qingci gritted her teeth, her eyes blazing with anger. She thought to herself: This old jerk is really vengeful.
Her words were frivolous and unrestrained, like a playboy who frequented brothels.
But Fu Heng had already figured out her personality and wouldn't easily let her provoke him. He held her slender waist firmly with one hand, not allowing her to pull away even an inch, while his other hand lightly caressed her lower back. His voice suddenly deepened, revealing a hint of sinister intent:
"You think that once you've resolved your 'inability to leave' me, you can get rid of me?" He chuckled softly, each word clear and distinct. "Let me tell you the truth, don't even think about it."
Meng Qingci frowned slightly, her eyes full of doubt: "What do you mean?"
Fu Heng didn't answer, but pressed his fingertip against her full, cherry-like lips, gently rubbing them repeatedly, and still asked in a low voice, "Does it smell good?"
Hearing Fu Heng repeatedly mention this, Meng Qingci finally vaguely realized something. She should have been filled with shock and anger, but meeting Fu Heng's deep gaze, she strangely felt an involuntary flutter of emotion. The places his fingertips lingered on didn't feel resistant; instead, a secret satisfaction and a sense of fulfillment welled up within her. Even her voice softened unconsciously as she spoke to him: "What did you do?"
Fu Heng pulled her into his arms and whispered in her ear, "Have you ever heard of planting incense?"
Seemingly sensing her fear of the unknown, he gently stroked her back as if she were a child, coaxing her softly, "Don't be afraid, this is a secret medicine for couples to cultivate together, it's only to enhance our relationship and won't harm our bodies."
In that instant, Meng Qingci's arms involuntarily wrapped around his waist. If her "inability to let go of love" could be explained by hormonal imbalance, then this feeling that made her soul tremble was even more terrifying.
"Fu Heng, you are shameless, filthy and despicable. I hate you, I hate you." Her voice trembled slightly with a sob, sounding both fearful and resentful, but she could no longer utter any other words to vent her anger.
Fu Heng seemed not to hear her, comforting her while asking gently and patiently, "Do you miss me? Have you developed a little crush on me?"
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Author's Note: I originally intended to develop a two-part story, but it clearly didn't work out. However, I will continue to try.
Meng Qingci: You really are just as perverted as your mother.
Fu Heng: I understand her a little better now.
Author: Love's Humility and Darkness
Tweet time: "The Locked Golden Branch" 1v2
Wang Yuanzhen saved Xiao Yan's life, but Xiao Yan repaid kindness with enmity, forcibly seizing his property.
As Xiao Yan lay dying from his severe injuries, he saw a woman, her figure shimmering in the light and shadow, wearing a jade lotus ornament on her head.
Two flowing ribbons cascaded down her back, and a single mole between her brows marked her like a celestial maiden descended to earth.
He should have repaid the debt of saving his life, but instead he committed despicable acts.
Mine clearance:
1. Classic melodramatic plot, SC (sexual infidelity), male lead is a stalker, female lead is delicate, size difference, age difference.
2. A fictional, chaotic medley of events, with numerous warlords vying for power.
3. The trope of forcibly taking or seizing property.
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