Chapter 63: Overnight in the Mountains, Feelings Find Their Own Way
The fierce wind raised goosebumps all over his skin. Linglong, full of excitement, dashed out, chirping, “Let me tell you, today Aifei did something absolutely beastly!”
Aifei saw Linglong frolicking and, annoyed, struck her neck with a karate chop. Linglong went limp, collapsing into her arms.
Aifei calmly remarked, “Much quieter now.”
Hua’er gave Aifei a thumbs up.
Then she left with Fang Qing, arm in arm. “Why don’t you do something about this murderer?”
Linglong’s wails brought no sympathy from Hua’er and Fang Qing. Aifei simply pushed Linglong out of her embrace, letting her fall to the ground, and said coldly, “Lock her mouth, or kill her outright!”
“Oh!” Linglong cried, rubbing her head.
Qin Daofei came out from the house, picked Linglong up into his arms, and said in a mild tone, “If you’ve got the guts, go ahead and try.”
The air was thick with tension.
Linglong looked at Qin Daofei and Aifei in bewilderment. “When did you two start having feelings for each other?”
With a crack, the tension dispersed like dust—gone in an instant.
“Beast!” Aifei spat two words at Linglong and flew away.
Linglong grinned. “Master Qin, did you know Aifei before?”
Qin Daofei, walking back inside, asked, “Why do you say that?”
Linglong explained, “If you think about it, you two barely know each other, only met a handful of times. But I always see intense emotion in your eyes when you look at each other. So I’m convinced you were lovers before, and since you couldn’t be together, you became enemies, wishing each other dead but unable to let go. How touching… Ah!”
Linglong’s final scream was courtesy of an enraged someone—she was tossed out like a sandbag, with no mercy.
She lay on the bed, not at all dignified, rubbing her bruised backside, and snapped, “Qin Daofei, did I hit a nerve?”
“Hey, you up there on the beam—I don’t mind if you cripple her, just leave her alive!” Qin Daofei said as he strode toward the study.
A cold snort came from above.
In the study, Qin Daofei had just sat down when the sound of Tang Li and Qin Wang Xiangyu arguing outside reached him. He pressed his brow and said to Tang Li, “Let her in.”
Bang!
The door, already open, was shoved harder by Qin Wang Xiangyu, expressing her fury.
Qin Daofei lifted his gaze indifferently, just as if nothing had happened.
“What brings such anger, Mother?” he asked.
Qin Wang Xiangyu sat opposite him, her hair ornaments trembling from her forceful movements. Qin Daofei watched the dangling pendants, refusing to look at his mother.
“Were those precious chrysanthemums in my room ruined by your orders?” Qin Wang Xiangyu asked, full of indignation. She knew she was in the wrong, but still demanded answers.
Chrysanthemums?
Qin Daofei frowned, recalling that there were indeed several elegant pots of chrysanthemums when he left.
But… they were perfectly fine when he departed.
“A wild cat broke in and wrecked them. If Mother has time, she should have someone chase the wild cats away—they roam in packs, and if they harm your flower beds, that would be unfortunate,” Qin Daofei replied with an utterly straight face.
Hearing this, Qin Wang Xiangyu immediately suspected Feng Linglong’s involvement.
“Fine, if you won’t handle this, I’ll go find Feng Linglong!” she declared, rising angrily.
“Take your time, Mother, but remember to bring a physician!” Qin Daofei made no attempt to stop her, adopting a posture of ‘see yourself out.’
Qin Wang Xiangyu pounded her chest in frustration, unwilling to give up. “I don’t believe she can eat me alive!”
Qin Daofei simply smiled, lips curled, watching his mother leave.
In the main house, Linglong held her face, gazing at the bare branches outside, thinking, “I returned in spring, and now it’s nearly winter, yet I haven’t accomplished anything. How vexing!”
Hua’er and Fang Qing sat at the table tailoring clothes for Linglong. Seeing her gloomy expression, they exchanged knowing smiles.
Feng Linglong truly was a peculiar one—if she had no one to spar with, she seemed sickly and listless; but as soon as someone challenged her, she became lively.
This penchant for stirring trouble—except for a calm man like Qin Daofei, ordinary men couldn’t possibly handle her.
“Feng Linglong, come out here!” From afar, they heard Qin Wang Xiangyu’s furious voice.
Linglong perked up like a pup dozing on the floor, ears alert, eyes darting. “Oh, sounds like Lady Qin is here!”
She rubbed her hands in anticipation, staring intently at the door.
Hua’er and Fang Qing couldn’t help but laugh at her sudden vigor.
Bang! Thud!
The door was battered open by two loud impacts, raising a cloud of dust. Linglong waved her hand to clear the air.
“Well, Lady Qin, your temper is something else!” Linglong toyed with her fingers, smiling slyly at Qin Wang Xiangyu.
Qin Wang Xiangyu glared coldly. “Tell me, was that Miss Zhang knocked out and brought here by you?”
“Lady Qin, you must speak in good conscience. I never go to your Pine and Cypress Residence, nor have I ever met this Miss Zhang. I just happened to find her fainted in the privy and kindly brought her back.” Whether Linglong’s conscience hurt when she said ‘speak in good conscience’ was anyone’s guess.
Qin Wang Xiangyu narrowed her eyes. “If you found her unconscious, why didn’t you return her to me?”
“How was I to know she was your guest? Besides, a noble lady covered in filth—if you saw her, would she survive the shame?” Linglong replied coolly.
Qin Wang Xiangyu gasped, pointing at Linglong, “Don’t think I don’t know—it’s your doing!”
“Then Lady, go tell Master Qin and have him throw me out!” There was no bed here, or Linglong would have thrown herself onto it in a tantrum.
Qin Wang Xiangyu’s eyes sparkled with frustration. She calmed herself, then asked coldly, “Who ruined the chrysanthemums in my room?”
Chrysanthemums?
“What chrysanthemums? Can they be used for tea?” Linglong asked.
Qin Wang Xiangyu said angrily, “Those precious pots of chrysanthemums in my room were ruined by some wretch. If I find out who did it, I’ll throw her out without hesitation—no one can stop me.”
“Tch! If it were me, I’d have picked up the petals to make tea,” Linglong joked.
Infuriated, Qin Wang Xiangyu slapped the table. “Feng Linglong, you’re too much! Don’t force me to deal with you!”
“What does Lady intend?” Linglong stood and slapped the table too.
“Someone, drag this woman out and beat her! She disrespects her mother-in-law, and I, as her mother-in-law, have every right to discipline her. She lacks a mother, so I’ll act as one for her!” Qin Wang Xiangyu, enraged, lost all restraint.
Linglong hated most when others brought up her parents.
Linglong laughed bitterly, staring coldly at Qin Wang Xiangyu. “You want to be my mother? Are you even qualified? A foolish woman played by her concubines—if you were my mother, my father’s coffin would barely stay shut.”
“You… you… you…” You’re so shameless!
“And what of it?” Linglong, furious and irrational, retorted.
Qin Wang Xiangyu, unable to respond, tried to slap Linglong, who didn’t dodge but even leaned in. “Go ahead! If you admit I’m the lady of Xiaoyao Manor, your son’s wife, then hit me. Like you said, it’s normal for a mother-in-law to discipline her daughter-in-law. But if you slap me, I’ll never leave Xiaoyao Manor for the rest of my life!”
Despite the tense atmosphere, Hua’er and Fang Qing couldn’t help but laugh.
Qin Wang Xiangyu’s hand, raised high, fell powerless. She covered her face with a handkerchief. “Oh, what sin have I committed to bring such a shameless woman into my home?”
“I’d like to know—when you used me before, weren’t you quite content? Why do you despise me now?” Linglong, poisonous as ever, left Qin Daofei in the dust.
Qin Wang Xiangyu, lips trembling and purple, rolled her eyes and fainted.
“Nanny Xiahe, are you waiting for me to help?” Linglong clapped her hands, utterly disdainful.
After Xiahe fetched help and took Qin Wang Xiangyu away, Linglong shouted at the beam, “Hey, woman, want to come down and hash things out?”
“Hash out what?” Aifei descended and sat across from Linglong, icy as frost.
Linglong pointed at Aifei with trembling fingers, righteous and indignant. “How could you treat Lady Qin’s chrysanthemums so?”
“And what do you want?” Aifei calmly poured herself tea.
Linglong put her hands on her hips. “Do you know how much those chrysanthemums are worth? If you were going to ruin them, why not be smart and take them to sell? We could use the money to build charity halls for orphaned children out west—what a good deed!”
“You’re sure your intention in selling the flowers is to build charity halls?” Aifei exposed Linglong without mercy.
Linglong, full of conviction, declared, “Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. If all the chrysanthemums were sold, we could build fifty charity halls—fifty!”
“And you build one, pocket the rest of the money?” Aifei continued bluntly.
Linglong shamelessly patted her chest. “Impossible! You stole the flowers; I would only help sell them. How could I take your loot? That would be immoral.”
“Well, Linglong, talking morality with me? You must be dreaming,” Aifei sneered.
Linglong bristled. “Do you take me for that sort of person?”
“That time Wang Shun was captured by me, you sold him to Qin Daofei and made a hundred thousand taels…”
“Oh, Hua’er, I’m hungry, I’m too weak to stand. Take me to my room, and bring me some food, or I’ll die soon!” Linglong cut Aifei off, beginning her act.
Aifei remained unmoved, as did Fang Qing, already used to her antics.
Only Hua’er, with a look of extreme disdain, had to help Linglong into the room.
Linglong thought that after making Lady Qin faint with rage, she would have a few days of peace.
But she didn’t expect Qin Wang Xiangyu’s love for those chrysanthemums to rival Qin Daofei’s. After resting, she returned to confront Linglong.
Linglong rubbed her temples, exasperated. “Lady, your precious chrysanthemums—let Qin Daofei investigate. I can’t answer for things I didn’t do.”
Qin Wang Xiangyu stared coldly. “Then tell me, why did Miss Zhang appear in your room? I clearly arranged…”
She stopped, unwilling to finish.
Linglong mocked her. “What exactly did you arrange, Lady?”
“In any case, her presence in your room is suspicious. Those chrysanthemums cost me dearly—priceless!” Qin Wang Xiangyu was determined to make Linglong responsible.
Linglong had never imagined she’d one day be blamed by Qin Wang Xiangyu!
“So Lady plans to pin this on me?” Linglong asked back.
She made up her mind—if Qin Wang Xiangyu insisted, she would destroy her flower garden without mercy.
Just then, the boy who tended the garden came running, pale-faced, “Lady, you’d better come have a look—the garden’s in trouble!”
Qin Wang Xiangyu hurriedly had Xiahe help her over.
Linglong, always one for drama, insisted on following.
Fang Qing and Hua’er tried to hold her back.
“Miss, can’t you stay out of trouble?”
“No way, I have to see!” Linglong dragged both of them along.
In the garden, each chrysanthemum had a note attached: “If you scheme against Miss Zhang again, these chrysanthemums will meet the same fate as those in the room!”
Linglong slapped her thigh, laughing heartily.
“Lady, what did you do to Miss Zhang to provoke such revenge? Poor flowers!”
Qin Wang Xiangyu, guilty, dared not argue and could only swallow her anger.
She later fell ill from rage.
Returning to the main house, Linglong called out cheerfully to Aifei, “Feifei, come down!”
“Are you courting death?” Aifei sat across from Linglong, staring coldly.
Linglong poured tea for her, eager. “Feifei, that move was brilliant. Otherwise, I’d have smashed her garden to shut her up.”
“It wasn’t me,” Aifei replied coolly.
Linglong snatched at Aifei’s teacup, but Aifei slapped the table, sending herself and her chair flying. After finishing her tea, she returned, tossing the cup to Linglong.
“You’re saying you didn’t do it?” Linglong asked again, incredulous.
Aifei nodded. “It really wasn’t me. Such devious tricks—only your man could have thought of it. Ask him!”
Linglong headed to the study.
Qin Daofei and Gale were discussing matters. Seeing Linglong, Gale stood and bowed, “Greetings, Lady. Master, I’ll take my leave.”
“Gale, you leave as soon as I arrive? Don’t be shy!” Linglong called as Gale flew out, stumbling and crashing onto the roof, but quickly scrambling away.
Lady of the manor—truly terrifying!
Linglong laughed at Gale’s mishap.
Qin Daofei pressed his brow. “Will you ever stop teasing like a cat with a mouse?”
“Oh, probably not in this lifetime. Maybe next life?” Linglong joked.
Qin Daofei raised an eyebrow, half-smiling at her.
Linglong felt uneasy under his gaze, stammering, “What are you doing?”
“Linglong,” Qin Daofei murmured, voice low. Linglong’s heart trembled, instinctively wanting to flee.
But before she could, Qin Daofei grabbed her, holding her close, nose to nose, caressing her as he asked, “So, you want to be with me in the next life?”
“Nonsense!” Linglong shoved his face away, “I can barely get through this life—who’d make a deal for the next? You’re overthinking!”
“So who said they’d reform in the next life—human or dog?” Qin Daofei’s tone was gentle, but Linglong sensed his anger.
Linglong dodged, “Then treat me as a dog!”
Qin Daofei gripped her waist. “You came just to argue?”
“No, no! I’m here on behalf of your mother to question you, you beast—using Miss Zhang as an excuse to drive your mother to rage. How unfilial!”
Qin Daofei stared coldly. “So helping you escape trouble is my fault?”
He admitted it!
Linglong was delighted, wrapping her arms around his neck. “No, no, keep doing such things!”
Qin Daofei rolled his eyes skyward.
Linglong poked his chest. “You solved your mother’s problem because you knew I’d destroy her garden, right? You dealt with her to save yourself trouble—not for my sake.”
The more she thought, the more convinced she was.
Qin Daofei said nothing, though he wondered if her cleverness was more trouble than it was worth.
Linglong glanced askance at him, he glanced back.
After a while, Linglong shifted and muttered, “I haven’t eaten all day—I’m starving!”
“You sure?” Qin Daofei asked, skeptical.
Linglong pondered, “I haven’t eaten, right?”
“Breakfast, fish at noon, beef noodles before your nap—did you give it all to the dog?” Qin Daofei, furious, smacked her backside.
Linglong scratched her head, “I ate too fast—forgot what it felt like!”
“Anything you want?”
Linglong smacked her lips, “Let’s have drunken crab?”
“Ye Lishang says your health isn’t good—crab’s not for you,” Qin Daofei refused.
Linglong protested, “Ye Lishang can’t get crab himself, so he won’t let me have any. What else is there to eat this season?”
“Don’t be foolish—crab is cold, not good for women.” On this, Qin Daofei wouldn’t budge.
But…
“I could take you to Silk and Bamboo Tavern’s mountain for barbecue. There are bamboo huts and cool springs.”
Linglong considered, “Barbecue—then I’ll call people!”
“Go ahead, but keep it quiet—Mother’s still ill.” Qin Daofei knew Qin Wang Xiangyu was playing the victim, but she was his mother—what could he do?
Linglong scoffed, “Your concubine and your mother—other than fainting, what else can they do?”
“And you—besides throwing tantrums, what else can you do?” Qin Daofei retorted.
Linglong thought, then declared, “I can intimidate people!”
“You’re truly talented!” Qin Daofei praised, insincere.
Linglong grinned, accepting the compliment, “Master Qin is too kind!”
Thus, Qin Daofei swallowed his irritation, watching her run off gleefully.
Linglong invited Aifei, Hua’er, and Fang Qing, and even sent a note to Lord Zheyan Murong Xiao at the inn, asking him to pretend to meet them by accident on the mountain.
But she wouldn’t tell Fang Qing—if Fang Qing knew, she’d kill her. What a terrifying woman!
Silk and Bamboo Tavern’s mountain bamboo grove.
When Linglong and her group arrived, Sister Si had everything ready.
Seeing the barbecue grill by the stream, Linglong immediately dashed to look for crabs.
“In streams like this, there are bound to be crabs. Come on, everyone, let’s look for crabs!”
Qin Daofei, grinding his teeth, realized he’d brought her out to forget about crabs, but she was determined to find them anyway.
Linglong sensed Qin Daofei’s cold stare, but what could it matter? She remained focused on her quest for big crabs.
Hua’er and Fang Qing kept busy, Gale and Tang Li gathered wood and built the fire. Aifei sat alone on a boulder, watching Linglong’s antics with icy disdain.
Qin Daofei and Aifei both watched Linglong from a distance, their expressions similar.
Fang Qing, from Jiangnan, saw the dense bamboo and thought of bamboo shoots from home. She told Hua’er, “Since everything’s ready, I’ll look in the grove for shoots.”
“Sister Fang Qing, it’s not the season for shoots,” Hua’er laughed.
Fang Qing replied, “I saw red bamboo—at this time in Jiangnan, red bamboo sprouts shoots.”
“Be careful!” Hua’er said, returning to scrub the grill.
Linglong, holding up her skirt, searched for crabs by the stream.
Once Tang Li had the fire going and Hua’er had washed the grill, the two worked together, but never spoke. Hua’er always avoided Tang Li, who frowned silently.
“Miss, the barbecue’s ready—come sit. Master says you can’t eat crabs, so why are you looking for them?” Only Linglong’s own maid dared scold her.
“Fine!” Linglong patted the water off her hands, walked over, and kicked Qin Daofei. “There are plenty of fish in the stream—I want fish!”
Qin Daofei grabbed a handful of stones, stood, and walked to the stream. With each stone, he stunned a fish—soon, several big fish lay at Linglong’s feet. “Enough?”
“Brutal!” Linglong handed the fish to Hua’er. “Clean them well—we’ll grill fish!”
As Hua’er cleaned the fish, Fang Qing’s scream echoed from the mountain.
Tang Li and Gale immediately dashed toward her.
Linglong instinctively edged closer to Qin Daofei. “What’s happening?”
Neither Qin Daofei nor Aifei reacted, especially Aifei, who said coldly, “I look forward to seeing the righteous beauty of the martial world turn into a demon.”
For some reason, Linglong felt a chill down her spine.
“Murong Xiao, you beast, how dare you assault my Fang Qing!” Before Linglong finished, Qin Daofei scolded her.
“Feng Linglong, you… You dare bully the most gentle and the most formidable women in the world. If they truly got angry, you wouldn’t know how you died!”
“I only hope lovers will become couples,” Linglong muttered, looking toward the mountain.
Soon, Murong Xiao, clad in white, emerged from the woods carrying Fang Qing, who clutched several bamboo shoots.
Linglong clicked her tongue. “I thought Murong Xiao would truly act—turns out, not so bold. How disappointing!”
But…
She quickly adopted a concerned look. “Fang Qing, are you hurt?”
“How is Murong Xiao here?” Fang Qing asked Linglong softly.
Linglong glanced at Murong Xiao. “How are you here?”
“I heard there were lush bamboo groves, so I came to explore. Seeing bamboo shoots, I thought to gather some for Fang Qing’s wine snacks. Unexpectedly, she appeared and I mistook her for a shoot,” Murong Xiao grinned.
Linglong scoffed. “What eyesight, Murong Lord—such a large person, mistaken for a bamboo shoot!”
“Sorry, my eyesight is poor—mistaking a beautiful lady for a shoot is unforgivable!” Murong Xiao kept smiling.
Linglong kicked him. “Now you know she’s not a shoot, why keep holding her? Reluctant to let go?”
“How does Lady Qin know so much?” Murong Xiao was shameless indeed.
Fang Qing pushed Murong Xiao away. “Since Lord Murong is here to enjoy himself, we won’t disturb you.”
Chasing him off?
Not so easy.
Murong Xiao bowed to Qin Daofei. “It’s better to meet by chance than by invitation. Master Qin won’t mind one more, I hope?”
“Lord Zheyan, please yourself!” Qin Daofei, grateful for past assistance, couldn’t object. Thick-skinned guests weren’t uncommon.
Fang Qing pinched Linglong’s arm, offering her a chance to refuse.
Linglong pitifully pleaded with Qin Daofei, “Master Qin, I want to sit with you. Fang Qing pinched me—it’s all red!”
Fang Qing blushed bright red.
She released Linglong, who immediately took her place beside Qin Daofei, while Lord Zheyan shamelessly replaced Linglong, fawning over Fang Qing.
Linglong tore into her barbecue, sighing, “Now I see why Murong Xiao is called Lord Zheyan.”
Everyone looked at her.
Linglong pointed at Murong Xiao. “No one’s more shameless. Zheyan—face-thick!”
Fang Qing, annoyed, retorted, “You can’t find a better comparison? You’re thicker-skinned than Lord Murong!”
She regretted it instantly, as everyone stared at her.
Murong Xiao covered his face with a fan, grinning like a madam.
“If I’d known Fang Qing would defend me so, I’d visit Xiaoyao Manor more often. Master Qin, you won’t mind?”
Murong Xiao’s ability to ride the wave was unrivaled.
Qin Daofei replied, “If Fang Qing doesn’t mind, neither do I.”
Who says I don’t mind?
Fang Qing screamed inwardly, but couldn’t bring herself to say so.
Linglong stifled her laughter.
Her conclusion: thick skin is invaluable.
That day, they didn’t return, but stayed overnight on the mountain.
Tang Li, in a foul mood, drank heavily with Lord Zheyan. Hua’er and Fang Qing could only help them to rest.
Gale, watching Qin Daofei and Linglong together, felt superfluous.
Looking over, he saw Aifei drinking alone under the moon, cold and solitary.
Seeing her, Gale felt a pang—how lonely she must be.
He shook his head fiercely to banish the thought.
“Gale, what are you thinking?” To calm himself, Gale slapped his own face.
Hearing the noise, Aifei glanced over, saw Gale slapping himself, and smiled, “Want me to help?”
Gale looked up and saw a beauty smiling under the moon, and his heart was lost forever.
“Woman, I challenge you to a duel!” Gale drew his sword.
Aifei replied coldly, “If you can take my sword in thirty moves, I’ll teach you.”
“Deal!” Gale hurried to Qin Daofei. “Master, any advice for taking her sword?”
“Advice?” Qin Daofei beckoned him over, whispered a few words.
Gale hesitated. “Is Master joking?”
“Believe it or not,” Qin Daofei said, carrying the tipsy Linglong away.
Gale thought, “Well, may as well risk it!”
He attacked Aifei.
What happened that night, no one knew. Gale returned with a handprint on his cheek, but afterwards, Aifei often trained him in the courtyard.
But that’s another story.
Now, Tang Li and Hua’er.
Tang Li, feeling down, drank with Murong Xiao, and Hua’er gently helped him to bed. She removed his shoes and robe, wrung a towel to wipe his face.
Tang Li, half-awake, grabbed Hua’er’s hand, pressing it to his face. “I just want to forget everything—I like you!”
Hua’er’s expression grew bitter. She gently withdrew her hand. “Brother Tang, you’re drunk.”
“Hua’er, I…” Tang Li’s words were silenced as Hua’er covered his lips with her hand.
She laid the towel aside, sat on the small table by the bed, and smiled sadly. “Brother Tang, you’ll meet someone you love. Don’t dwell on the past—it’s not yours to worry about.”
Tang Li looked at Hua’er, then suddenly hugged her tightly.
“Hua’er, I don’t care about anything—I just want you!” He bent to kiss her.
Hua’er resisted, pushing him onto the bed, and he passed out from drink.
She pressed her trembling hands to her lips, holding back tears. After calling his name softly and getting no response, she moved him to the center of the bed and covered him.
For reasons unknown, she softly kissed his lips, then quickly withdrew.
“Brother Tang, I’ll count it as having loved you, and thank you for loving me,” she whispered, then closed the door and left.
The lonely moon shone. Hua’er wondered if she would one day be like the solitary moon, waiting to descend upon the vast earth.
Now, Murong Xiao and Fang Qing.
Fang Qing, out of courtesy, escorted Murong Xiao back, always maintaining distance.
Murong Xiao, though drunk, held his liquor better than Tang Li. At the door, Fang Qing said, “You’ll have to make do here tonight, Lord.”
As she turned to leave, Murong Xiao, emboldened by drink, grabbed her hand seriously. “I know you’re waiting for someone, but don’t forget—I’m waiting for you, too!”
Fang Qing, frightened, tried to pull away.
They say alcohol gives courage to cowards.
Murong Xiao suddenly pulled her close and kissed her deeply. After a long moment, he released her, breathless. “That kiss wasn’t an accident. Many years ago, when my elders told me you’d be my wife, I wanted to do this.”
“Shameless scoundrel!” Fang Qing shoved him and fled.
Murong Xiao leaned against the door, touching his lips. “I’m telling you—you’re my wife, and no one can stop it!”
Back to Linglong and Qin Daofei.
Returning to their room, Linglong complained, “I’m dizzy and miserable!”
“Serves you right for overindulging,” Qin Daofei replied, but instinctively massaged her temples to ease her pain.
Linglong whimpered under his hands. “Ah, Master Qin, your little hands are truly enchanting!”
“I have even more enchanting skills—you’ve experienced them,” Qin Daofei teased.
Linglong burst out laughing, then mournfully complained, “You’re a rogue. We never properly married—we’re not truly husband and wife.”
“No wedding?” Qin Daofei pinched her nose.
Drunk, Linglong was timid, eyes shining with tears. “That was a three-person ceremony—it doesn’t count!”
They say a true wedding is one couple alone.
“Fine, it doesn’t count,” Qin Daofei kissed her forehead. “I’ll give you a proper wedding.”
Linglong didn’t hear, only accused him tearfully. “You scoundrel, doesn’t your conscience hurt treating me like this?”
“Alright, alright, I’m wrong—I’ll change,” Qin Daofei soothed her.
Linglong grumbled, “Those three years, if I’d turned to prostitution, who knows how much silver I’d have made?”
“Feng Linglong!” Qin Daofei ground his teeth.
Linglong sat up, staring at him. “Why so formal—scary!”
“I’ll use my flesh to compensate your three years’ loss for the rest of my life!” Qin Daofei said fiercely, but his words were full of devotion.
Linglong giggled foolishly. “No way—I’d still lose. If you want anything in future, pay me silver; at least I won’t end up penniless.”
Qin Daofei stopped her with action.
In the end, Linglong was kissed breathless and slept till dawn.
Someone, meanwhile, had to soak in the icy lake all night to ease a certain unspeakable swelling.
The next day.
Hua’er packed up to leave. Linglong clung to a boulder, refusing. “I really don’t want to go back—I like it here, not all that scheming with those women!”
Aifei mercilessly exposed her. “If you stayed here, there’d be no one to tease—are you sure you like such a life?”
“I could tease you!” Linglong looked up hopefully.
Aifei glanced at her, coldly, “Seeking death!”
Qin Daofei came over, scooped Linglong into his arms. “I’m meeting Lord Xiang soon—want to join?”
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