The journey to the villa was anything but smooth.
Apart from having to hide their tracks so as not to be discovered by the black-clad assassins who were hunting Pei Zhaolin, Cui Jintang noticed that Pei Zhaolin seemed to have a strong aversion to her and would oppose her at every turn.
Sometimes he would stubbornly insist on walking on his own. In the end, his wound would be torn open, and they would have to stop again to re - bandage it.
Other times, he would regard her as a venomous snake. Whenever she took a step towards him, he would dodge dozens of steps away.
“...”
Cui Jintang let out a furious huff.
Fine. Considering he was a patient, she could tolerate him.
When Pei Zhaolin tore his wound open again while trying to avoid her, Cui Jintang finally snapped.
She was like a cat with its fur all fluffed up.
She didn't even bother to maintain her timid and cowardly persona. She was on the verge of grabbing Pei Zhaolin's head and shouting at him.
“I know, Lord Pei, that you have many grievances against me, but we're trying to escape right now!”
“Once we reach a populated area, we'll go our separate ways. I don't expect you to give me a good look. At least don't drag me down with you!”
After saying that, she angrily grabbed his arm. Ignoring his struggles, she supported him and continued walking.
Pei Zhaolin was silent for a moment. The side of his body close to her went numb.
For some reason, seeing her angry but restrained expression made his heart skip a beat.
He whispered, “I'm sorry.”
Cui Jintang glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and scoffed, “Humph.”
After walking for a long time, they stopped to rest by a stream.
Cui Jintang squatted on a rock and scooped up water to wash her face.
She took the water flask from her waist, filled it up, and quickly rushed back to give it to Pei Zhaolin.
Pei Zhaolin was sitting under a tree about ten meters away, looking down and using a dagger to whittle a branch.
He planned to use it as a walking stick later.
Suddenly, a pair of fair hands appeared in front of him.
“You must be thirsty after walking for so long,” she said.
The sunlight filtered through the tree branches and landed on her wrist. A pair of beautiful mandarin duck bracelets on her slender wrist were particularly eye - catching.
His hand slipped, and the blade instantly cut his fingertip.
A drop of blood welled up. He frowned and shook his hand a few times.
Cui Jintang walked over and quickly took out a handkerchief from her bosom.
She couldn't help but scold him, “Are you still a child? When you cut yourself, don't you know to cover the wound first? Why are you shaking it?”
Pei Zhaolin stared at the mandarin duck bracelets on her wrist and suddenly asked, “Is your husband good to you?”
Cui Jintang was taken aback.
She looked up along his line of sight and saw the mandarin duck bracelets on her wrist.
She nervously covered them with her sleeve and forced a smile to try to change the subject, “Of course he is.”
Cui Jintang rolled her eyes and recalled Zhu Er's persona.
She said, “He's afraid I'll be cold, afraid I'll be hungry, and afraid I won't be able to take care of myself. He really cares about me.”
Pei Zhaolin fell silent.
He thought of Cui Jintang.
When he went to Wenling to investigate a case, he was also so worried about Cui Jintang who was alone in the capital.
Thinking that he was now thinking about two women at the same time, the self - loathing that had been suppressed deep in his heart rushed towards him like a flood breaking through a dam, making it difficult for him to breathe evenly.
Pei Zhaolin quickly took the handkerchief and stood up with the help of the branch.
He avoided Cui Jintang's gaze and said in a hurry, “Let's go quickly. We need to arrive before it gets dark.”
“But your wound...” Cui Jintang hesitated.
“Madam Jiang,”
Pei Zhaolin closed his eyes and carefully recalled Cui Jintang's smiling face.
When he opened his eyes again, his attitude became extremely aloof. “You should have returned to the capital for the marriage certificate. I'll settle this matter for you as a repayment for saving me today.”
Cui Jintang opened her mouth, about to explain, but Pei Zhaolin turned around and took the lead to leave.
“...” He was so stubborn!
Would it kill him to let her say one more word?!
---
As the sun was setting, they could faintly see the green tiles of the villa in the distance.
Pei Zhaolin stopped in his tracks.
“Madam Jiang,”
After walking for a whole day with a serious injury, Pei Zhaolin's face was extremely pale.
“I'll walk the rest of the way by myself.”
Cui Jintang saw the determination in his eyes and was stunned. “But your wound...”
“There should be a proper distance between men and women. I don't want people to misunderstand,” he said.
Those words were like a door, instantly blocking all the words she was about to say.
Cui Jintang opened her mouth and finally only said, “It was I who was presumptuous.”
She took a step back and curtsied to him.
Pei Zhaolin lowered his head and gasped for a few breaths.
Then, a sudden sharp pain came from the back of his neck.
Completely off - guard, Pei Zhaolin's vision went black and he fainted.
Cui Jintang quickly supported him and shouted without looking back, “Zhu Er!”
“Creak—”
The door of the villa not far away was suddenly opened.
Zhu Er, who had been watching them, led several strong servants and calmly carried the seriously injured Pei Zhaolin in.
Zhu Er stood beside her. As he passed by, he glanced at the wound on Pei Zhaolin's abdomen and exclaimed in admiration, “This wound is so deep that you can almost see his intestines. Lord Pei is really extraordinary!”
Cui Jintang frowned tightly and stepped over the threshold. “How's that lieutenant? Have you caught the assassin?”
“He's still unconscious, but Zhu San has treated him. His life is out of danger,” Zhu Er replied, following her over the threshold.
“It's really strange,” he continued. “We caught one, but he bit his tongue and committed suicide on the spot. But judging from what the assassin said, it should be the Eastern Manchu language.”
Cui Jintang stopped in her tracks and repeated in disbelief, “Eastern Manchu language?”
Zhu Er nodded. “I heard that three years ago, the current emperor massacred all the small Eastern Manchu countries. The blood flowed like a river that day, and there was no possibility of anyone surviving.”
She sneered, “It seems that our emperor has been hiding quite a few things!”
---
When the moon rose above the willow branches, Pei Zhaolin suddenly opened his eyes and sat up abruptly.
He didn't even have time to think about his wound. His mind was full of the dream he just had, in which he pinned Cui Jintang against a crabapple tree and bit her earlobe.
His fingertips with thin calluses gently brushed across the delicate skin on her waist. The touch was like holding a ball of snow about to melt.
She raised her tear - filled eyes. Her lips, which were kissed red and a bit swollen, let out some broken, out - of - tune moans.
His palm slowly covered the soft part of her body and gently kneaded it.
Their bodies were also very close...
Pei Zhaolin looked down and, sure enough, his undergarments were wet again.
Pei Zhaolin had a splitting headache.
He looked around at the unfamiliar environment, which instantly put him on guard.
“Knock, knock.”
The door was suddenly knocked on, and at the same time, Jiang Wu's voice came, “Lord Pei, are you awake?”
Pei Zhaolin reached out to grab the quilt beside him but accidentally touched a handkerchief placed on the pillow.
It was the handkerchief Jiang Wu had brought to cover his wound!
He didn't know when he had stuffed it into his bosom.
Pei Zhaolin tightly held the handkerchief and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, there was a bit more determination in them.
“Come in.”