bookcurios Chapter 209 Confirmation (Part )
Chapter 209 Confirmation (Part )
Chu Huanjun finally didn't say the four words "I miss you so much".
The night was dark enough to obscure all boundaries, and Chu Huanjun felt he could do whatever he pleased. His nimble fingers parted the beautiful hem of the fiery red dress, and he crept upwards. Without exerting any effort, he could control the slender waist in his palm with a single slap.
Chu Huanjun couldn't help but sigh and gently pinched her waist.
"Haven't you made a lot of money? Why don't you feed yourself a little fatter?" he asked.
Tao Yao was panting, and her warm breath sprayed all over the side of Chu Huanjun's neck, just like willow catkins scratching his skin, making him feel itchy and making his heart itch as well.
"Watch your words - what do you mean by 'feed'? Do you think I'm a pig?" she replied.
It was too dark, and Chu Huanjun couldn't see Tao Yao's face clearly, so he pressed his face tightly against hers. Perhaps it was because it was too cold, her cheeks and nose were cold, but her lips were warm, perhaps from the residual warmth he left behind.
Chu Huanjun smiled triumphantly, and Tao Yao climbed onto his neck and covered his mouth to stop him from laughing.
"Chu Huanjun, are you very proud?"
After saying that, Chu Huanjun didn't smile anymore, but just kissed her palm again. Tao Yao suddenly remembered that he had bitten her hand with his teeth just now, and she immediately retracted her hand with lingering fear.
The two hugged each other for a long time, and Chu Huanjun suddenly said: "I met Huai Ling when I returned to Beijing this time."
Hearing Huai Ling's name, Tao Yao's heart moved. Yes, she had been away from the capital for a long time, and she didn't know how Huai Ling was doing recently.
"She...how is she?"
Tao Yao felt a little guilty. When she was about to marry Zhou Yan, Huai Ling had said that she would stay with her forever, but during the many days she had fled the capital, she had not written to Huai Ling.
It wasn't that Tao Yao hadn't considered finding a way to bring Huai Ling to her side, but the more she'd wandered the world, the more she'd realized how dangerous the outside world was. She'd already experienced all sorts of dangers out there on her own, and she didn't want Huai Ling to suffer by her side any more.
Chu Huanjun sighed and said, "That sister-in-law is loyal to you. After you left, she was taken back to the mansion by Shi Yiqian. She could no longer be the young lady's personal maid, so she was assigned to do hard work. Sometimes she washed clothes for the servants, and sometimes she had to go to the farm to do some manual labor such as carrying manure and feeding pigs."
Chu Huanjun paused, then continued, "These are not so bad. If you can bear it, you can get over it. After all, it is her responsibility. But the eldest daughter of the Shi Mansion is not a pushover. Now that you are gone, she took out her anger on Huai Ling. A few days ago, when I returned to Beijing, I saw Huai Ling hiding at the side door of my mansion. She was covered in wounds and it was a horrible sight."
Tao Yao's heart tightened, and she asked hurriedly, "Did she say anything to you?"
Chu Huanjun shook his head and said calmly, "She didn't say anything, she just asked if I knew your whereabouts. After you were kidnapped by Lu Che, everyone in the Shi Mansion said you were dead, but Huai Ling was the only one who still firmly believed you were not dead. I think she probably knew that there was something unusual between you and Lu Che, and guessed that Lu Che would not harm you."
Tao Yao bit her lip and asked again, "Then... did you answer her?"
Chu Huanjun chuckled twice: "Do you want her to know that you are still alive?"
Tao Yao lowered her head and sighed, "I...I don't know."
"I didn't tell her. I just said I didn't know." Chu Huanjun said, "At that time, you had already told me very firmly that you didn't want to return to the capital, so I naturally wouldn't reveal your whereabouts."
Tao Yao breathed a sigh of relief and said slowly, "Huai Ling won't have an easy time in the Shi Mansion... I want to ask you for a favor."
Chu Huanjun had long anticipated what Tao Yao was thinking and said calmly, "Don't worry. After meeting Huai Ling that day, I made a special trip to the Shi Mansion and spent a large sum of money to buy her indenture from Shi Yiqian. I then settled her in Fuxiangzhai and made her the manager. Fuxiangzhai has been unused for a long time and is in need of a capable person to run it. This will also help fill the financial gap I've been facing lately."
Tao Yao's heart was moved, and she couldn't help but jump for joy. She hugged Chu Huanjun's neck tightly and gave him a big bear hug.
The surprise came too suddenly, and Chu Huanjun was a little caught off guard, as if he was suddenly stuffed with a handful of candy. Before he could chew it, his mouth was full of sweet and cloying candy crumbs, so sweet that it made him feel uneasy.
"Xiao Chu! Thank you! I knew you were a good person!"
Chu Huanjun hesitantly put his arms around her waist, gradually tightening the embrace, and whispered, "I'm not a good person."
"I know~" Tao Yao was so happy that even her voice was filled with pink bubbles of joy. "You do all this just because you want to, right? You do good things just because you want to be happy, so you're a really good person!"
Chu Huanjun was amused by her and said softly, "Well, thank you for the compliment. Since I'm so kind, do you want to repay me with something? For example..."
As he spoke, his fingers lingering on her waist moved down along the texture of her skirt, but were suddenly held down by Tao Yao, forcing him to stop all movement.
"Good people do good things without expecting anything in return." Tao Yao interrupted him, "Xiao Chu, you have many great ambitions to fulfill. To achieve your wishes, you must learn to accumulate more good deeds for yourself, so that you will be blessed."
Chu Huanjun, however, snorted coldly and said calmly, "Everything depends on human effort. I never believe in such things."
"Oh? Not superstitious?" Tao Yao took out the red cloth from her sleeve, crumpled it into a ball, stuffed it into his palm, and then held hands with him.
"What is this then? Isn't this considered superstition?"
Perhaps because he knew he was in the wrong, or because he was disturbed by her intertwined fingers, Chu Huanjun, who was always eloquent, couldn't utter a word for a moment.
Chu Huanjun simply held her tighter, and pressed down on Tao Yao in an aggressive posture, pressing his lips and teeth against hers, and demanding more from her unscrupulously.
They kissed until they were almost breathless. Tao Yao hooked her arms around Chu Huanjun's back, leaned against his neck, and whispered, "Let's go back..."
Before she could finish her words, a large robe flew down from above her head, completely enveloping her. Chu Huanjun unceremoniously picked her up and carried her sideways, slipping out of the corner and strutting down the street.
Although it was late at night and everyone was asleep, Tao Yao still felt guilty, so she buried her face in Chu Huanjun's chest, listening to the strong heartbeats in his chest.