noffsinger Chapter 145 Stirring Hearts
Chapter 145 Stirring Hearts
After exchanging pleasantries, Chu Qingyin followed Pei Yuanling into Xingyue Palace.
Suddenly, a ball of snow-white fur leaped down from the wall and flew straight into Chu Qingyin's arms.
It's a small snowball.
The little guy ran straight to Chu Qingyin's feet, stretched out his little paws to scratch the hem of her clothes, and blinked his round little eyes, looking adorable.
"Little Snowball!"
Chu Qingyin picked it up and the little guy rubbed against her, as if it were being affectionate or complaining, which melted Chu Qingyin's heart.
"Alright, we'll hold Little Snowball later. Yinyin must be tired from the journey. Go take a bath and change your clothes first, and then I'll have a meal with you."
Seeing her holding the little snowball tightly, unwilling to let go, Pei Yuanling's eyes lit up with a smile.
"Okay." Chu Qingyin nodded and handed the little snowball to Xianglan.
The latter seemed afraid that she would never return, so her little paws clung to her sleeve and wouldn't let go, her round eyes blinking as if they were brimming with tears.
Chu Qingyin sighed helplessly, patted its head, and gently comforted it, "Little Snowball, be good, I'll be right back, I won't leave you behind."
The little guy seemed to understand her words, and then whimpered as he let go of her paws and snuggled into Xianglan's arms.
Willow head on the moon, after dusk.
Amidst the rising steam, Chu Qingyin leaned against the pool wall, her long, flowing black hair cascading over her shoulders, drifting across the water and mingling with rose petals, partially obscuring her fair and delicate body.
Wooden plates filled with fruits floated on the surface of the hot spring, so she could take them and taste them at will. She squinted her eyes, her delicate cheeks flushed red from the steam, like a rosebud about to bloom.
Even now, Chu Qingyin was still somewhat dazed.
Just a few days ago, she was living in a simple, impoverished thatched hut in the mountains, with bare walls and simple meals. Now, she has returned to this magnificent palace, dressed in fine clothes and enjoying delicious food.
The contrast between these two sides is so stark that it leaves one feeling lost and confused.
For some inexplicable reason, Lu Zhiheng's image suddenly flashed through Chu Qingyin's mind.
The man was dressed in coarse linen clothes, his strong waist cinched with a simple belt. He carried several wild rabbits, his dark hair was casually tied on top of his head with a strip of linen, the ends of which fell over his shoulders. He pursed his lips, but there was a clear smile in his eyes, adding a touch of youthful spirit. The afterglow of the sunset fell on him, making it hard to look away.
"Yinyin?"
"Voice..."
A man's voice suddenly rang in her ears, and Chu Qingyin barely came to her senses.
With a glance, Pei Yuanling's magnified handsome face was right in front of her.
She was horrified. "Your Majesty..."
Just as she was about to stand up, her foot slipped and she fell back down, her back hitting the edge of the bathtub, making her wince in pain.
"Careful!" Pei Yuanling rushed forward and pulled her up.
The woman's snow-white skin emerged from the water, adorned with a few rose petals, making her so captivating that one could not look away.
"Your Majesty, what brings you here?"
Chu Qingyin was completely naked at the moment, and blushed instantly. She tried to raise her hand to cover herself, but he held her back.
"What was Yinyin thinking about just now, so lost in thought?"
Pei Yuanling had been there for quite some time, but he saw her sitting motionless in the hot spring. When he got closer, he saw that she was staring at something in a daze.
Recalling the scene that had just appeared in her mind, Chu Qingyin was stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered and snuggled into the man's arms, saying only, "I just felt it was a bit unreal. Falling off a cliff, encountering a black bear, and yet being able to return safely... I got lost in thought."
"I see."
Pei Yuanling's furrowed brows relaxed, and he said slowly, "Yinyin is blessed with great fortune. Her safe return is a sign of Heaven's mercy."
He was originally wearing a black brocade robe embroidered with colorful golden dragons, but it was now mostly soaked. So he simply took off his clothes and soaked in the hot spring with her.
Chu Qingyin blushed and leaned closer to him, her fingers tracing the man's warm skin and teasingly brushing across his chest.
"Your Majesty, I really miss you so much."
Her sweet, delicate voice was like a nightingale singing in a valley, tinged with a hint of longing, making one's whole body feel hot.
Pei Yuanling held Chu Qingyin in his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, and murmured softly, "And what about me?"
As they spoke, the man's large hands roamed over her body, gently caressing the reddened scars.
It seemed like a tease, or perhaps an examination of something inch by inch.
Suddenly, he rubbed her neck hard, rubbing every inch of her skin.
"Your Highness..."
Chu Qingyin was taken aback, then climbed up the man's neck again, her eyes full of seductive charm, looking somewhat aggrieved, "You've hurt me."
The man's deep eyes held a strange emotion. He seemed to have considered it for a long time before speaking in a hoarse voice, "Yinyin, when you were alone in a room with Lu Zhiheng, did you ever...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Chu Qingyin interrupted him, her eyes red: "Did you say anything?"
Tears instantly streamed down her face, her eyes reddening. Her pale arms slid off him as she took a few steps back. "Your Majesty, do you suspect that I had an affair with Lord Lu..."
She bit her lip, unable to say anything more. Her chest heaved, as if a bellyful of grievances was stuck in her heart, impossible to express.
"That's not what I meant."
Seeing her grief-stricken and aggrieved appearance, Pei Yuanling's heart softened immediately, and he wanted to pull her into his arms.
Chu Qingyin took a few steps back, unwilling to get close to him, her eyes filled with hurt and stubbornness.
Seeing her like this, Pei Yuanling felt remorseful and stepped forward urgently, saying, "Yinyin, I misspoke."
"I just... I just care about you too much. The thought of you being with him makes me lose my composure."
Chu Qingyin turned her head away, tears trembling in the corners of her eyes: "Your Majesty, when I was in those mountains, all I could think about was you. I prayed to the heavens day and night, hoping to return to your side as soon as possible."
"Now, thanks to Heaven's mercy, I have managed to save my life and return to Your Majesty's side, but I never expected that Your Majesty would doubt me so much."
She stiffened her neck, refusing to look at Pei Yuanling, her voice choked with sobs: "If I had known it would turn out this way, I would have preferred to have fallen to my death that day, at least I could have left behind a clean reputation..."
Hearing her say that, Pei Yuanling's expression changed slightly. He quickly turned her shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes: "Yinyin, don't say such unlucky things."
"It was my fault. I shouldn't have asked those questions. From this day forward, I will only trust you and will never doubt you again."
Chu Qingyin remained silent, only sobbing, her head bowed so that her expression was obscured.
"Yinyin, look at me."
Pei Yuanling was flustered and confused. He didn't know why he had blurted out those words. He turned the woman's head to face him and made her look directly at him.
Chu Qingyin stiffened her neck, her breath coming in short gasps, her face flushed with tears, and her eyes filled with grievance.
"Alright, alright, I really know I was wrong. Yinyin, you are so magnanimous, please forgive me, okay?" Pei Yuanling embraced the beautiful woman, patting her fair back with his hand, and soothed her softly.
Chu Qingyin also knew that going too far was as bad as not going far enough, so she knew when to stop.
She gave a heavy hum, then raised her delicate, jade-like face, her eyes red and swollen, and looked at him sadly: "Your Majesty, you must keep your word and not doubt me anymore, otherwise I will have no face to live any longer."
Pei Yuanling gently kissed her smooth forehead. "Okay."
As soon as they finished speaking, the two slid into the water along the edge of the pool. The steam rose, and their faces and the peach blossoms reflected each other's redness.
The moon shines brightly in the sky, a cool breeze blows gently, and the water murmurs softly.
After returning to the official residence, Lu Zhiheng left only Ling Xiao by his side and learned that the palace had been very quiet these past few days, and even the Wang family had not made any moves.
However, several high-ranking officials were plotting to put pressure on the emperor to prevent him from favoring one person and causing unrest in the harem and the court.
After hearing Ling Xiao's report, Lu Zhiheng waved for the man to leave.
He was exhausted from traveling these past few days and was truly powerless. He took a bath, changed his clothes, and went to bed early, but once he lay down on the spacious and comfortable bed, he tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep no matter what.
The scene of escaping with Chu Qingyin at the bottom of the cliff kept flashing through his mind like a revolving lantern.
While they were in the mountains, she wiped his body, applied medicine, and even took off her clothes to warm him up...
As the two slept in each other's arms, the woman's soft, sweet fragrance seemed to linger in their nostrils, stirring their hearts.