Chapter 100: Using Her as a Pillow
"We're still in the carriage… no…"
Yu Yeqing's tone was somewhat cautious. After speaking, his body tensed slightly as he quietly awaited her answer.
Song Hemei grew increasingly baffled by him. "What exactly are you thinking? One moment you think I'll abandon you and stay in the Shao residence to continue living my life, the next you think I'll blame you for not wiping him out completely. How is it that in your mind, I'm so capricious and fickle?"
Yu Yeqing fell silent.
Song Hemei couldn't see his expression, but she could feel the strength of his grip on her intensify by a few degrees, inexplicably revealing a trace of helplessness.
She had no choice but to reach up and embrace him, her arms sliding along his narrow waist until they rested on his back, gently patting it. "Alright, you've been busy for so long, aren't you tired? No more talking. Go to sleep."
Yu Yeqing complied with a very obedient hum.
When exactly he fell asleep, Song Hemei didn't know. She, however, had barely closed her eyes before she sank into a deep slumber.
Perhaps it was the sudden release of an obsession that had held for years, or perhaps Yu Yeqing's embrace had healing properties. She slept without a single dream. When she opened her eyes, her spirits were refreshed. Unfortunately, when she woke, the bed held only her. A prepared breakfast was laid out on the table.
She stared at the bed canopy for a long while. Everything before her eyes was strange, yet it all proved she had indeed left the place that had trapped her for three years.
She rose to wash and dress. Even Chunhui had a smile on her face, saying she could tell she was in a good mood.
In truth, if anyone was feeling down, it was only Suhui. She had been the one to spend the most time with Lianzhu, attending to him with meticulous care, pouring so much of her heart into it. When it came to being unable to part with Lianzhu, Suhui surely felt it more than she did.
This kind of farewell was destined to be unavoidable. No one could find a way to ease it. They could only wait as the days passed, allowing the pain to be slowly worn away, bit by bit.
Song Hemei rose and walked around the courtyard several times, taking in every corner. Although there was nothing to do, she didn't step out of the residence. After all, there were still people in Linzhou who recognized her, who linked her to the Shao family. Outsiders didn't know the full story, and it wasn't worth it if they saw her and started gossiping about baseless things.
She kept track of the time, waiting as the sky gradually darkened. Still, Yu Yeqing did not return. There were no other servants in the courtyard either, and the gatekeeper naturally didn't know where he had gone or when he would be back.
This truly made Song Hemei a little annoyed.
How could he be like this? She had only been out with him for a day, and he was already leaving her here, paying her no mind, not even sending someone to let her know when he would return.
As Chunhui fanned her, she tried to persuade her. "Don't be angry with Lord Yu. The accumulated official business must be handled by him personally. If he had any free time, he would surely come back to see you immediately."
Song Hemei certainly wasn't about to get genuinely angry with him over this matter, but she had already decided that when he returned, she would have a proper talk with him, telling him to let her know in advance when he would be coming back.
The residence wasn't lived in regularly, and the kitchen had little food. She ordered someone to give the gatekeeper some silver and tell him to buy ready-made dishes from a restaurant. She had no intention of lighting the kitchen stove.
That evening, just as she was hesitating about whether to buy more food to include Yu Yeqing's portion, someone arrived from outside bearing a message. It said he would be staying at the government office tonight and would return at dawn the next day. The messenger held a food box filled with dishes for her, certainly prepared on Yu Yeqing's orders.
Song Hemei truly didn't know what to say about him. This was only his first day out with her, and he was already not coming home for the night. Why was he so lacking in sensitivity when he needed it most, and why wasn't he afraid that this would make her suspicious and overthink things?
But in the end, she did trust Yu Yeqing. So she put him out of her mind, ate her dinner with nothing else to do, and went back to her room to sleep first.
The next morning, as the sky was just beginning to lighten, she was in a daze between sleep and wakefulness when she felt something warm gently brush against her cheek.
She opened her eyes, startled, and saw Yu Yeqing crouching beside the bed, gazing at her with eyes full of longing. His hand, seemingly caught in the act, paused mid-air.
Seeing her awake, he withdrew his hand, a trace of guilt in his voice. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"
Song Hemei had just woken up. She squinted at him. "It's fine. Losing a little sleep doesn't matter."
She propped her hand under her head to see the person before her more clearly. "But from now on, you must tell me in advance when you're going out and when you're coming back. How can you just throw me into this residence and ignore me?"
Yu Yeqing immediately grew nervous. "It's my fault. It won't happen again, but I never meant to abandon you."
Song Hemei saw how eager he was to explain himself, curled her lips into a smile, and pushed herself up, directly wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him.
"Alright, alright. I'm just negotiating with you. As long as you remember it in your heart, there's no need to be so nervous."
Yu Yeqing's body stiffened. Instinctively, he reached up to encircle her back, lifting her up slightly as he himself rose to sit on the bed, adjusting so she could lean more comfortably against his chest.
Song Hemei was in a reasonably good mood because of his attitude. She spoke to him in a soft, slow, negotiating tone. "From now on, you and I are going to spend our lives together. If we agree on some things in advance, it saves trouble. As long as you can remember everything I say and never repeat the mistake, then none of it counts as a serious matter."
Yu Yeqing nuzzled the top of her head. "Alright."
He said no more, simply holding her in silence. Song Hemei was still a little sleepy at first, but the sun was rising outside, and his arms were very warm. After holding her for a while, she started to feel a bit hot.
She struggled out of his embrace, propping herself up to look at him. "Did you not sleep all night? You're back now, does that mean you have nothing to do during the day? Do you want to rest?"
Yu Yeqing didn't answer her question. Instead, he asked her, "Do you want to go back to sleep?"
Song Hemei was indifferent. "Either way is fine with me. I don't have anything to do anyway. If you want to sleep for a while, I'll stay here with you."
Yu Yeqing nodded, but what he said was, "Then get up and get ready. We'll set out for Changzhou right now."
Song Hemei was truly taken aback.
"Right now?"
Yu Yeqing nodded, his expression utterly serious. Without a hint of a joke, one hand took hers while the other wrapped around her waist, lifting her directly off the bed.
He called for the maids to come in and attend to her washing and dressing, while he went outside to arrange for a horse-drawn carriage from the livery stable. By the time he returned, Song Hemei had already hurriedly washed, changed into clothes suitable for being seen in public.
She watched Yu Yeqing rush back in, carrying a food box filled with breakfast, portions included for both Chunhui and Suhui.
Dispensing with formalities, he allowed Chunhui and Suhui to sit at the round table with them to eat. Song Hemei was still a bit dazed as she drank her congee.
"Do we have to leave so urgently?"
Yu Yeqing looked at her, handing her a handkerchief from his pocket. "In the past day and night, I've finished all the remaining official business in Linzhou. The memorials to be submitted to the court are all written. I've left today and should never have to come here again. So how can you call it fast? I only hope you don't think I'm too slow."
Song Hemei swallowed the congee in her mouth. "You really didn't sleep last night? Then how can you travel like this? Why don't you rest a bit before we go? There's no rush for this one moment."
But Yu Yeqing shook his head firmly. His jet-black eyes, like obsidian, shimmered with light as he fixed his gaze on her. "I am in a hurry. Ever since I arrived in Linzhou, I've been waiting for this day. I can't bear to wait a single moment longer. How could I possibly sleep?"
His words were too direct. Song Hemei felt her earlobes begin to burn. She didn't even dare to look at Chunhui and Suhui to see their reactions to his words.
She cleared her throat twice. "Stop talking nonsense. When you first arrived in Linzhou, you said we weren't familiar with each other. How could you say you were already hoping for this from the start…"
Yu Yeqing inclined his head, his long lashes veiling the light in his eyes. He said nothing.
But in truth, it was almost the same. The only difference was between the more despicable act of taking her by force, and obtaining her permission to take her away.
When they first met again in Linzhou, he had to admit, he had felt the impulse and the obsession to take her by force. But now, he just wanted to leave this place with her, to hurry back to Changzhou, to finalize matters between them completely. From then on, she would have nothing more to do with the Shao family. And when others called her 'Lady,' it should be as his Lady.
The corners of his mouth lifted. The urgency and joy in his heart were undeniable, but he didn't dare tell her directly, afraid she might think he was too impatient. After all, just the act of leaving already made her feel rushed. If she knew he planned to present the marriage certificate as soon as they reached Changzhou, she would probably be even more frightened.
When he lifted his eyes again, their gaze was burning hot. It made Song Hemei feel a little uncomfortable, but it wasn't convenient for her to ask him directly in front of Chunhui and Suhui, for fear he might say something even more embarrassing.
Breakfast finished, the carriage outside had already been brought back from the livery stable. Still two carriages, with her and Yu Yeqing alone in one.
He said he wouldn't stay to sleep, only to have planned to sleep in the carriage. Once the carriage was on the road, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Song Hemei looked at him and suddenly spoke, "Are you being too polite with me?"
Yu Yeqing opened his eyes, a misty look in his dark pupils. "Why do you say that?"
Song Hemei moved closer to him. "You don't want to be a little more intimate with me?"
Yu Yeqing's Adam's apple bobbed. He averted his gaze first, even straightening his posture. "We're still in the carriage… it's not appropriate."
Song Hemei froze for a second before belatedly realizing what his prim and proper demeanor implied.
She laughed in exasperation. "Where did your mind go!"
He was putting on this air of self-restraint, as if it had been someone else who had pinned her down and offended her in a carriage back then.
Back then, Shao Wen'ang was right outside that carriage, and he hadn't said a word about the carriage being an unsuitable place.
Song Hemei steadied her thoughts, refusing to be led astray by him. She simply patted her own leg. "Can it really be comfortable for you to lean against the carriage wall? When I told you not to stand on ceremony with me, I meant for you to come and lean on me."
Yu Yeqing's long lashes trembled. His gaze followed hers down to her lap. A flicker of dark emotion passed through his eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was a little hoarse. "May I?"
"Of course." Song Hemei smoothed her skirts. "Come on, then."
Yu Yeqing swallowed hard. He adjusted his position, inching closer to her, then lay down, resting his head on her lap.
So close to her. Whenever the carriage jostled slightly over a stone, the back of his head would brush gently against her lower stomach. He could clearly smell the clean scent of soap on her, and the fragrance of the bean powder she had carefully selected.
She bathed frequently, and seemed to really like the new bean powder, even taking the trouble to pack it in her luggage despite their rush.
But soon, his thoughts could no longer settle.
His knuckles clenched tightly. Feeling her hand, as if soothing a child, rest gently on his shoulder, he took a deep breath. The thought of just where he was lying was impossible to ignore. His voice hoarse, he spoke again. "I think I should get up."
Get instant access to all chapters now.
Post a Comment