Chapter 106 -
Wenzhe didn’t wait for her to answer. He saw the fire in her eyes and felt her body shiver against his.
His hand started to move higher under her soft clothes, his hot palm pressing right against her skin.
That was the exact moment Sue Yueqing snapped out of her daze.
WHAT AM I DOING?! her inner voice shrieked, waking her brain up completely.
With a burst of sudden strength, Yueqing put both hands against Wenzhe’s broad chest and pushed him back hard against the carriage wall.
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" Yueqing shouted out loud, her voice ringing sharp and angry through the heavy sound of the rain.
She grabbed the small dry towel off the seat next to her and smacked it right into his face.
THWACK!
Wenzhe caught the towel in his hand, his dark eyes wide in total shock as he looked up at her.
Yueqing scrambled out of his grip, swinging her legs off his lap and retreating all the way back to her own side of the carriage. She pressed her back against the wooden wall, pulling her messy robes tightly around her body. Her face was bright red, her breathing coming in fast, sharp gasps.
"Do you think I’m that easy?!" Yueqing yelled at him, pointing a shaking finger straight at his chest. "You can kiss me, but don’t you dare go beyond that! We are in a moving carriage, in the middle of a storm, on a dirt road! Have some respect, General!"
[MMP! I am a villainess, not some easy prize!] her inner voice roared like thunder straight into his head. [He thinks just because he has nice muscles he can do whatever he wants?! Dream on, block of wood!]
Wenzhe sat perfectly still on his bench, the dry towel held loosely in his hand. The sudden slap of the cloth and her furious yelling had completely cooled the hot tension in the air.
He looked at her small, angry figure huddled across from him. Her lips were still slightly swollen from their kiss, but her eyes were ablaze with pure, unbroken fire.
Wenzhe couldn’t help it. Seeing her look like a tiny, wild cat puffing up its fur after starting the whole fight herself was just too amusing. A low, soft chuckle broke from his chest, his dark eyes dancing with genuine humor.
DING!
[System Announcement: Xi Wenzhe Favorability +5!]
Yueqing froze, her jaw dropping open.
[WAIT, WHAT?!] her mind shrieked, totally thrown off balance. [FAVORABILITY POINTS?! Why is his favorability going UP right now?! I just hit him in the face with a towel and yelled at him! Is this man a masochist?! NINE, THE SYSTEM IS GLITCHING!]
Hearing her chaotic confusion echo inside his head, Wenzhe’s smile grew a tiny bit wider. He brought the towel up and calmly wiped the rain from his face and neck.
"Point taken, Wife," Wenzhe said, his voice quiet, deep, and surprisingly warm. He folded the towel neatly and set it beside him. "You have set your boundaries."
Yueqing crossed her arms tightly over her chest and turned her head toward the closed window, her face still burning hot.
[Unbelievable,] she huffed inside her mind, though her heart was still hammering against her ribs. [I am trying to be a ruthless villainess, and he’s out here treating me like a comedy show!]
In the second carriage trailing closely behind, Lanyin was leaning her head near the small window gap, having heard the muffled commotion and her sister-in-law’s loud inner screaming earlier.
Lanyin pressed a silk handkerchief to her mouth, letting out a sweet, merry giggle.
DING!
[System Announcement: Xi Lanyin Favorability +5!]
Sitting across from her, Zi Han blinked in confusion. "Lady Lanyin? Did something happen?"
"Nothing at all, Zi Han," Lanyin replied softly, her eyes bright with laughter. "My sister-in-law is just keeping my brother on his toes. I don’t think I have ever seen him so lively."
Back in the main carriage, Yueqing stared at the floating system notifications in disbelief.
[Great. Wonderful. The whole Xi family thinks I’m hilarious,] Yueqing groaned silently to Nine, burying her face in her hands. [How am I supposed to get killed by this man if I keep making him like me?!]
The ride took quite longer because of the rain had blocked the shorter path so they had to use the long way back home.
...
The heavy wheels finally groaned to a stop against the paved stone courtyard of the Xi Estate. The long, exhausting journey from the governor’s banquet was over, and the rain outside had quieted down to a soft, misting drizzle.
The carriage door opened, and a row of estate guards immediately stepped forward. Carrying lanterns and holding large oilskin umbrellas, they carefully began unloading the heavy wooden traveling bags from the back of the carriage. Two attendants quickly placed a wooden stepping stool by the wheel and offered their hands to help Sue Yueqing down.
Yueqing practically launched herself out of the carriage door before the stool was even properly set.
Her silk skirts swished loudly as her feet hit the firm, familiar ground of the courtyard. She didn’t look left, she didn’t look right, and she definitely didn’t look back at the giant, smug general who was stepping down right behind her.
Wenzhe had already thrown his heavy, dry outer cloak back over his shoulders, his clothes no longer dripping, his dark hair neatly tied. He looked completely composed, as if he hadn’t spent the last hour being slapped in the face with a towel and screamed at inside his own head.
Wenzhe opened his mouth, stepping forward to speak. "Yueqing, wait—"
[NOPE! NOT TODAY, BLOCK OF WOOD!] Yueqing’s inner mind shrieked at maximum volume, her thoughts blasting straight into his skull like a war horn. [I AM OUT OF HERE! ACCESS DENIED! OPERATION: HIDE IN MY ROOM FOR THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE BUSINESS DAYS IS A GO!]
Wenzhe looked at her as he shaked his head.. she has totally ran mad before.. sigh.