Chapter 421: Chapter 420: Cui Yun, Don’t Forget, You’re About to Have a Family
Once they left the He Residence, the sound of the watchman’s clapper echoed through the streets again.
The night was thick and the moon shone brightly.
Shen Hua walked with her head down, carrying an exquisite lantern and stepping on Cui Yun’s shadow, while humming an off-tune little song.
Suddenly, Shen Hua turned her head to the side.
"Where are we going?"
"To the Hengzhou Night Market, I’ll take you for a stroll."
His sleeve was tugged. Cui Yun couldn’t help but look at the person beside him.
"The night market is nothing special."
The girl gave her a sweet smile and tugged again: "I want to go—"
Before she could finish, Cui Yun interrupted.
"You don’t want to."
"But I haven’t said it yet!"
"I don’t want to hear it, better not say it."
The girl puffed up her cheeks.
Without hesitation, she tiptoed, her soft lips drawing near, kissing his cheek.
Cui Yun’s Adam’s apple moved abruptly, and as he lowered his head, he saw the girl’s clear eyes blinking up at him. He knitted his brows together and gave a long sigh.
Fifteen minutes later.
Shen Hua, getting her wish, sat on a round stool in a private room at Qin Chu Pavilion, looking around eagerly.
Nanxiang, trembling with fear, brought in the drinks, not daring to look at the indifferent Princely Heir, and even less at the heir’s wife causing mischief above Young Master Heir’s head.
"About that clean official last time..."
Shen Hua had just started to speak when Nanxiang set down the drinks and scampered away, not forgetting to close the door tightly behind her.
The girl fell silent.
"Was it because you did not give enough silver?"
Cui Yun poured wine with a cool tone, showing neither happiness nor anger: "Using my silver to indulge in pleasures of the brothel, do you also dare to blame me for being stingy?"
Of course she dared!
Out and about, she is the girl. Should she actually be the one to shell out money?
Yet her purpose here was to hear the gossip of that clean official. Isn’t it a waste if she couldn’t meet the person now?
Shen Hua felt disheartened, and suddenly there was a cup of wine before her eyes.
She looked at the person holding the wine.
If Cui Yun were to play the clean official, he would surely be the star attraction. In that case, she would come here every day, taking care of his business.
As she was pondering, a dangerous voice came from beside her ear:
"What are you thinking about?"
Composed and elegant, Cui Yun set down the wine and gently looked down at her with a gaze that seemed to smile yet not smile, his lips lifting slightly.
"If you have the guts, let me hear it."
Shen Hua lifted the cup to her lips, brought it close to her nose and sniffed, the aroma of the alcohol rich.
She immediately replied:
"It’s naturally because when I return to Fengzhou, I will miss you."
Seeing Cui Yun did not believe her, she did not forget to add:
"The kind where even when the wind wishes to be still, my thoughts cannot rest."
"Hmm."
Cui Yun hummed through his nose lightly in response, then asked:
"Then why did you not reply to my letters?"
Of course, it’s because you haven’t gathered four! But the proud Shen Hua felt it improper to remind him.
She hesitated and stammered, while Cui Yun, with half-closed eyelids, intently watched the expressions on her face: "Your way of missing someone is indeed unique."
Shen Hua had never thought that she would one day play chess with Cui Yun in a brothel.
After five rounds, she lost all five.
The girl’s expression became even more serious.
"I—"
"Are you preparing to concede defeat?"
"How could that be possible."
Shen Hua, persisting with the black pieces, carefully placed one on the board.
Suddenly, she heard the man opposite her sneer. Shen Hua’s heart tightened, and she quickly picked it up again. Seriously placing it elsewhere, she still did not forget to watch Cui Yun’s expression, contemplating that something was amiss, and soon picked it up again.
And so it went on repeatedly.
Cui Yun’s voice was as indifferent as water: "You might as well try placing a piece on every empty space."
Isn’t that the same as mocking me?
Yangyang was too proud and arrogant to endure this.
However, the white pieces had the upper hand, and with every move she made, she was bound to lose a piece, already in an unwinnable situation. Just when she was about to flip the chessboard in frustration, Cui Yun spoke unaffectedly: "If you really want to win, I would be happy to let you."
If you’re going to let me win, just do it. Why say it out loud?
Just let me win! Let me win! Let me win!
She screamed internally.
But on the surface, she was as calm as a breeze: "No need!"
However, Shen Hua had not expected that Cui Yun would believe her.
The black Go stone in her hand felt like a hot potato.
She swiftly took action, picking up the white stones on the board and rapidly replacing them with black ones.
Having done all this, Shen Hua felt relieved. She cocked her little finger and gestured to Cui Yun, inviting him to make a move.
"Your turn."
Cui Yun remained composed, showing no surprise as he placed his stones unhurriedly.
Shen Hua, unabashedly enjoying herself, continued to cheat, picking up white stones, and exchanging them for black.
Soon, the game had completely turned around.
The girl held her chin up with affected charm.
Cui Yun’s eyes were deep and after a moment, he chuckled softly.
"I lost."
"Fair and square."
The girl swung her leg with pride.
By the time she returned to Cheng Garden, the sky was pale with the light of dawn.
Even though she was extremely tired, she did not forget to bathe.
As she clattered out of the washroom, she climbed onto the bed to sleep. She had apparently found a way to share a bed with Cui Yun, as if performing some sort of ritual, the girl, her eyelids heavy, still waited for Cui Yun to return. She propped herself up, half-climbing into his arms, and perfunctorily kissed his lips.
A rub, a bite—
Moist and soft.
Cui Yun breathed rapidly, the corners of his eyes slightly red. After Shen Hua did all this, she heartlessly lay back down.
Cui Yun let out a deep breath, preparing to rest in the next room.
More noise came from beside his ear.
"I..."
She spoke softly, yawning: "I want to eat dumplings with fresh bamboo shoots and shrimp tomorrow morning."
She was very tired, yet she remembered something else.
The matter with the mine still required Cui Yun’s gentle persuasion to gain the He Family’s trust.
The real challenge was probably still to come.
Like Cui Yun’s visit to the He Residence. And...
Shen Hua rubbed her eyes, hurriedly informing him of the issues concerning the female guests.
"The Military Governor has close dealings with the He Family, it’s likely they are involved too."
The Military Governor was at the top of the list in Cui Yun’s hand. That was the biggest fish in Hengzhou. What was He Zhizhou, but a puppet who took orders.
He chuckled: "Your trip wasn’t in vain, after all."
"Of course, don’t underestimate me."
After a moment’s thought, she added: "Although the Qiu Family was also present this time, their heart might be with the Han despite serving the court. If you want to find out, you might be able to pry some information from him."
Cui Yun spoke warmly: "Okay."
He did not say that the first thing he did when he arrived in Hengzhou was to bind Mr. Qiu.
Seeing his concern, Shen Hua felt quite relieved.
She had seen the wound on Cui Yun, snaking up from his forearm. A minor injury? If it had been any deeper, it could have severed the tendons and rendered the entire hand useless.
She had so much she wanted to say, but it was like a fishbone stuck in her throat.
The girl was all too aware.
Human hearts are unpredictable, worldly affairs are as cold as frost. With an incompetent emperor and treacherous officials, someone must stand up to bring order to chaos.
What Cui Yun was doing, was it not out of necessity?
With duty before her, could she stop him?
No, she could not.
The girl could only hint subtly.
"Zhou Zhangping has been defeated; you should know what happened to his wife."
She spoke very, very softly.
"Cui Yun, when you are away from home, don’t forget, you’re about to have your own family."
His eyelids twitched, unwilling to hold back any longer.
"Shen Hua."
He hovered near her ear, his voice trailing and changing to a different address as he spoke softly.
"Yangyang."
Shen Hua propped herself up, her eyes dazedly opening, the mist in them spreading. She joyfully pinched Cui Yun’s thin collar, her eyes expressing both charm and innocence.
"Call me that again."
The wind rose outside, blowing out the lamp in the room.
With a ’puff,’ the room plunged into darkness.
He didn’t call out again; instead, he said.
"Shall we take off our clothes, all right?"
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