“It’s done, don’t worry.” Shao Mingyuan gently caressed Qiao Zhao’s wrist. “Does it still hurt?”
Qiao Zhao shook her head: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
She looked up at the dust-covered man and smiled with curved lips: “Apart from suffering a little at the time, I ate well and slept well, and even had crab dumplings and ham with fresh bamboo shoot soup—”
Shao Mingyuan directly pulled Qiao Zhao into his embrace: “I saw the corpse on the tree.”
That single sentence left Qiao Zhao stunned.
The man’s burning lips fell on the young woman’s smooth forehead, dense as falling rain: “At that moment I felt my heart would stop beating…”
Qiao Zhao looked up at the man whose eyes were full of self-blame and couldn’t help but laugh: “I wondered why your face was swollen—did you hit yourself?”
Shao Mingyuan’s ears reddened with embarrassment as he stammered: “I accidentally ran into a tree.”
Ran into a tree and swollen his face?
Miss Qiao didn’t expose him, leaning in Shao Mingyuan’s embrace, feeling deeply relieved.
No matter what, they were all fine. As long as they returned to the capital smoothly, this trip wouldn’t have been in vain.
Shao Mingyuan held Qiao Zhao, his heart equally filled with relief. His chin rested against her beautiful hair as he murmured: “Zhaozhao, I’ll never let you leave my side again.”
Qiao Zhao remained motionless in his embrace, saying softly: “I don’t want to be separated again either.”
She bit her lip, finally showing some vulnerability before the man she favored: “Tingquan, I was so scared at the time…”
Shao Mingyuan’s heart ached terribly as he repeatedly said: “It’s my fault, it’s my fault…”
He couldn’t help but go to kiss the lips of the young woman in his arms, only to be pushed away by her.
Qiao Zhao blushed and glanced at him sideways: “Hurry up and remove your disguise, get some sleep first before anything else.”
Being kissed by a strange face was too awkward.
Shao Mingyuan realized the reason for Qiao Zhao’s refusal and chuckled softly: “I’ll go wash my face right now.”
A moment later, hearing movement, Qiao Zhao quickly turned around. The smile at the corner of her mouth involuntarily faded when she saw who it was, and she said indifferently: “Lord Jiang.”
Jiang Yuanchao stood at the doorway, gazing at the young woman’s face.
Not long ago, the girl before him had been pale as snow, but now she seemed to have rouge applied, beautiful enough to intoxicate.
Was it because of Marquis Guanjun?
“Does Lord Jiang have business?” Qiao Zhao very much disliked this person looking at her with such dark, indecipherable eyes, and asked with a frown.
“You and Marquis Guanjun—”
Qiao Zhao’s expression darkened slightly: “That shouldn’t concern Lord Jiang.”
“He killed his wife with his own hands!” Jiang Yuanchao blurted out.
“That also doesn’t concern Lord Jiang.” Qiao Zhao said coldly.
“Aren’t you afraid?”
“Afraid of what?” Shao Mingyuan walked in, his face covered with frost.
He had just gone to wash his face, and this brat had run over to talk with Zhaozhao?
Toward Shao Mingyuan, Jiang Yuanchao was not so polite, saying with a half-smile: “Afraid that the marquis doesn’t know how to cherish tender beauty.”
Shao Mingyuan chuckled lightly: “That needn’t trouble Lord Jiang to worry about. Or is Lord Jiang hoping to learn how to cherish tender beauty?”
Jiang Yuanchao looked at Shao Mingyuan with disdain and said without courtesy: “It’s not that Jiang looks down on the marquis, but in this regard, I could do better than you with my eyes closed!”
Shao Mingyuan remained expressionless, asking calmly: “If that’s the case, why doesn’t Lord Jiang return to the capital earlier to show more attentiveness to his fiancée?”
“You—” Jiang Yuanchao’s face darkened.
Shao Mingyuan looked at him expressionlessly.
Jiang Yuanchao shifted his gaze to look at Qiao Zhao. Seeing the young woman’s indifferent expression, he could only manage a bitter smile.
What did it matter if he went tit for tat with Shao Mingyuan? Just because she didn’t like it, he had already lost.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yuanchao was left with only heartache and frustration and walked away without saying a word.
Shao Mingyuan withdrew his gaze and directly closed the door.
Hearing the sound of the door closing, Jiang Yuanchao stood outside for a moment.
Jiang He approached: “My lord—”
“Get lost!” Jiang Yuanchao strode away.
Jiang He nonchalantly touched his nose.
Having followed his lord for so long, if he didn’t hear his lord tell him to get lost for a day, he wouldn’t be able to sleep.
“Tingquan—”
As soon as Qiao Zhao spoke, the man leaning against the door pulled her over and lowered his head to bite her lips.
Qiao Zhao instinctively struggled twice, but the man’s breath mixed with mint fragrance filled her nostrils, making her forget to resist. She obediently let him conquer territory, finally going soft in his arms, only able to reach out and desperately encircle his waist to avoid sliding down.
“Zhaozhao—” Shao Mingyuan held the young woman’s fragrant lips, licking and nibbling gently, claiming her beauty inch by inch, saying vaguely, “Stay away from that person in the future.”
“Mm?” Surrounded by the man’s unique scent, Qiao Zhao’s reactions were somewhat slow.
Shao Mingyuan released her lips and gently kissed her snow-white neck, where the purple-blue bruises made his heart ache terribly: “I mean Jiang Yuanchao… stay away from him in the future… that person has impure intentions…”
“I understand…” Qiao Zhao blushed and pushed Shao Mingyuan away. “Go rest quickly, your eyes are full of bloodshot veins.”
Shao Mingyuan’s breathing was slightly labored as he quietly calmed his emotions: “Mm, I’ll sleep now. Zhaozhao, stay with me—”
Qiao Zhao directly pinched him and said with annoyance: “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Shao Mingyuan looked innocent after being pinched, blinking as he said: “I meant wait until I’m asleep before you go out. Having you with me gives me peace of mind.”
He couldn’t help but chuckle softly: “Zhaozhao, what were you thinking?”
Qiao Zhao, knowing she had misunderstood, embarrassedly glared at him.
Shao Mingyuan took off his shoes and lay down on the bed: “Zhaozhao, I’ll just sleep for a while. Remember to wake me…”
“I know, go to sleep quickly.” As soon as Qiao Zhao finished speaking, she heard long, steady breathing.
She quietly observed the man who had fallen asleep the moment his head hit the pillow, and couldn’t help but reach out her hand to trace his facial features bit by bit.
The man’s profile had perfect curves, cold and hard as if carved by a knife. His dense, butterfly-wing-like eyelashes cast shadows beneath his eyelids, and his peaceful sleeping expression made his entire being seem gentle.
Qiao Zhao watched him quietly like this, feeling her heart completely soft. She couldn’t help but lower her head to gently kiss his cheek before getting up and walking out.
In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
Chen Guang had long since awakened, but unfortunately, his body was wrapped in bandages, lying pitifully on the bed, unable to move.
Jiang He fed Chen Guang with resentment, muttering while feeding: “Should have just killed you then. Now I have to feed you, and next, will I have to bathe you? Not worth it!”
Chen Guang glared at him and angrily said, “I just can’t move, I’m not deaf!”
Jiang He curled his lips: “So what if you heard? If you have the ability, jump up and bite me.”
“You just wait!” Chen Guang ground his teeth in anger.
At this time, Shao Mingyuan walked in. Chen Guang’s mouth turned down as he complained: “General, Lord Jiang’s subordinate is bullying your subordinate.”
Shao Mingyuan nodded slightly at Jiang He: “Thank you for your trouble.”
“General—” Chen Guang was quite dissatisfied.
Shao Mingyuan glanced at Chen Guang and reached out to pull open his clothes: “Be honest while changing the bandages!”
Chen Guang grimaced in pain: “General, please be gentler.”
Miss Li’s movements had been so gentle, but who knew that after the general saw it, he would take over this task himself.
He wanted to change people!
Dream on. The general gave his young guard a ruthless answer with his eyes.