Chapter 62:
From the first meeting, he had always let her tease and mock him, only knowing to respond awkwardly and at a loss; his rare dominance at this moment made Xie Wanning somewhat dazed.
By the time she reacted, her back was already against the tree trunk, her jaw held by him, her lips sucked numb by him.
Xie Wanning’s eyes suddenly widened, somewhat panicked.
But the touch on her lips was gentle and lingering, tenderly to death, gradually soothing her panic bit by bit.
Until the panting breath so close at hand gradually grew heavier, Xie Wanning could no longer hold back and pushed the person away with one hand.
“Pei Changqing!”
Pei Yuqing hummed, taking a shallow breath, lightly kissing her lips, while lifting his eyelid to look at her, murmuring in a low voice.
“My heart load can handle it, don’t worry.”
As he spoke, his lips that hadn’t left desired to delve deeper again, but were immediately pushed away some by Xie Wanning holding his face.
“Stop kissing…”
Finally given some room to breathe, Xie Wanning hurriedly turned her head to dodge his approach, saying quickly: “Let go of me quickly.”
Pei Yuqing was stunned, the hand gripping her jaw slowly loosening, pursing his lips, lowering his eyes and saying: “Didn’t you say my heart load can handle it, so can you let me kiss you?”
“…” Xie Wanning was choked by his question, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the water stains on her lip, saying irritably: “I just said that casually, who told you to actually kiss!”
And he kissed so intently and seriously, making her inexplicably panicked.
She did like him a bit, but…
Her unspoken meaning, Pei Yuqing understood almost instantly, his tightly pursed lips slowly turning pale.
She was just seeing something novel and teasing him for fun, without really meaning to be affectionate with him; marrying him was also to get rid of another man, and divorce could happen anytime.
But he took it seriously.
Without name or status, she had just casually said she hadn’t intertwined fingers like this with anyone else, and he couldn’t hold back, hugging the young lady and kissing her passionately.
The scorching hot atmosphere just now suddenly became quiet.
After a long time, Pei Yuqing said: “Sorry, I was too reckless.”
His voice steady, without waves.
Xie Wanning’s ear tips twitched slightly, sensing something off; when she lifted her eyes to look at him again after catching her breath, she saw him back to that clear and gentle demeanor from before.
As if the person who had just lost control and wanted to devour her whole wasn’t him.
She thought for a moment and said: “You kiss young ladies quite skillfully.”
Look, in just a moment, he kissed her breathless, yet he still claimed to have a heart condition.
Pei Yuqing: “…”
He was silent for a few breaths, seeming extremely helpless, sighing and asking softly in return: “Skilled?”
It was all just acting on instinct.
Xie Wanning had no one to compare with; Lu Ziyan in the dream…
She blinked, no longer thinking about those unlucky things.
She reached her hand into the palm of the man before her, tilting her head up to ask: “You’ve only kissed me, right?”
He closed his palm, gripping her soft boneless little hand tightly, lowering his head to look into her eyes, humming and saying faintly: “In the future, only you.”
Even if she had no intention of being serious with him, even if she had prepared for divorce before even marrying.
He would only want this one.
Xie Wanning smiled upon hearing this, nodding contentedly, no longer speaking, directly pulling him toward her courtyard.
Pei Yuqing looked at their clasped hands, gripping tighter with a slight force.
…………
Inviting an unrelated man into her courtyard late at night was a first for Xie Wanning in her sixteen years of life.
She hadn’t thought much when nodding in agreement, but when he actually entered, she felt a rare unease.
Fortunately, compared to the side room where Lu Ziyan had barged in that she had slept in for over a decade, this room now, she herself hadn’t slept in even one night, so it wasn’t too private.
After Pei Yuqing carefully checked around, his gaze inadvertently fell on the vanity.
In the open vanity case, there was exactly the jade pendant he had given her at their first meeting.
……Even coming to the farmhouse for a short stay, she brought it with her.
At this thought, Pei Yuqing’s eyes unconsciously softened, his originally aching heart gradually easing.
He secretly sighed that he was truly much older than her for nothing; his usually stable emotions completely couldn’t withstand this young lady once encountered, joy and anger changing with her every move.
This feeling was very uncomfortable, and he didn’t want her to feel it either.
His gaze lingered too long, Xie Wanning also saw the jade pendant in the vanity case, not embarrassed at all; she stepped forward to pick up the jade pendant, looking at the carved pattern on it, smiling and asking him: “Is the Jewelry Pavilion also Duke Pei’s industry?”
“No.” Pei Yuqing said: “It’s my private property.”
Xie Wanning’s eyebrows raised slightly, surprised: “You do business too?”
Pei Yuqing didn’t want to say more, only: “For intelligence needs.”
As the capital city and hub of the empire, every decree and imperial edict issued from here, spreading to every state and county.
Officials and nobles from all over the country, as long as they had strength, all wanted to find connections and backers in the capital city, crowding into the capital city single-mindedly.
As the emperor’s eyes, the Qing Tian Guard’s intelligence channels, besides secret informants and spies, also indispensably included industries in places teeming with fish and dragons.
From teahouses and book houses favored by aristocratic officials, to Jewelry Pavilions where noble ladies gathered, all were involved.
On the surface, these were Pei Yuqing’s private properties; in reality, they were still for gathering intelligence.
Xie Wanning half understood, but didn’t ask more, only sincerely saying: “You’re amazing.”
Really amazing, with so many capital city prominent families and nobles, each with stronger backing than the last, yet he managed to develop the industries to fame and renown, his ability evidently extraordinary.
Pei Yuqing smiled at her and said: “Night is deep, you rest; I’ll go back.”
As he spoke, he looked at the jade bottle he had given on the table, not wanting to touch things in a young lady’s room, only instructing: “Remember to take the pill, keep your mind calm, don’t stay up late all the time affecting your health.”
Xie Wanning opened the jade bottle herself, poured a brown pill into her palm, ate it in front of him, then waved him off: “You go back; remember to pick me up tomorrow.”
Pick me up…
Pei Yuqing savored these three words, smiling warmly, said okay, then turned to leave.
Xie Wanning watched his departing back, closed the door and hummed happily.
Looking like an unattainable lingxiao flower, yet she still plucked it.
Less than a day at the farmhouse, and she had him sorted.
Finally settling one worry; she could get rid of Lu Ziyan, and the one she married was her own choice; Xie Wanning contentedly climbed into bed, hugging the thin quilt into peaceful sleep.
Here, after leaving Xie Wanning’s boudoir, Pei Yuqing still felt a floating sensation like his feet weren’t touching the ground.
He walked to the tree where they had kissed, calling: “Pei Er.”
Pei Er emerged from the shadows, respectfully saying: “Subordinate is here.”
“You tell me…” Pei Yuqing’s voice carried some doubt, “Did you see it?”
