Even so, he couldn’t find anything to criticize, so no matter how angry he was, he could only keep it bottled up for the time being.
Madam Zhan took Zhan Qingrou to bandage the injured members of the clan. Hongxiu scrubbed out a small earthenware pot and boiled ginger soup for their own people to drink.
Cheng Yao sat down beside Zhan Haoting to rest.
The delicate fragrance of her body lingered beneath his nose.
Zhan Haoting gently took her hand.
“Tired?”
The scorching warmth of his large hand startled Cheng Yao. Instinctively, she reached toward his forehead to see whether he had a fever.
But he tightened his grip and refused to let go. His strength was not great—in fact, it was somewhat weak—but there was a stubbornness to it.
“I’m fine.”
Cheng Yao looked up. His eyes seemed exceptionally dark and bright, deep within them roiling emotions so thick they could not be dispelled, like a bottomless pool that threatened to pull her in.
Dangerous, yet irresistibly alluring.
Her breath caught. She felt her palm burning in his.
Even the air seemed to grow warm and sticky.
His gaze swept over her astonished brows and eyes as though it were tangible, finally settling on her slightly parted red lips.
Then his Adam’s apple bobbed.
Cheng Yao’s face flushed. Her fingertips curled and trembled in his palm, while the little person in her heart couldn’t help shrieking: Damn it, could he stop looking at her with such deep affection?
She was going to be unable to resist kissing him!
Didn’t he know how wild a woman could become once she had gotten a taste of pleasure?
Cheng Yao felt a wave of heat surge from her lower abdomen straight to her cheeks. Her legs went weak, her heart pounded, and her hands trembled. She abruptly pulled free.
“I—I mean, I’m going to dig up some medicinal herbs.”
“Rest for a while first.” Zhan Haoting’s voice was husky. “You’re too tired.”
Hearing the concern in his words, Cheng Yao leaned close to his ear and breathed softly, “I’ll go rest in ‘that place.’ It’s more comfortable in there, isn’t it?”
Now that she was even closer, the fragrance of her body grew stronger as well.
Zhan Haoting’s eyes darkened, and his heartbeat became somewhat uneven.
Cheng Yao secretly curved her lips.
How could she be the only one losing her head over him?
It was only fair that he showed some reaction too!
Zhan Haoting adjusted his breathing and changed the subject—something he had wanted to ask for a long time.
“The noise outside the temple…”
“What noise?” Cheng Yao played dumb. “Oh… You mean the earthquake?”
Although she had taken him into her space before, there were some things she still had to keep hidden.
As for whether he believed her or not, she would leave that to him.
Zhan Haoting stared at her for a long while. “As long as you’re safe.”
Cheng Yao raised a brow. “With one of your men protecting me so closely, what could possibly happen to me?”
Was she blaming him for having Xiao Fu follow her?
Zhan Haoting stroked her pretty cheek. “I was worried about you.”
At the time, wild boars had run rampant inside the ruined temple, and the situation had been critical. How could someone as kind and upright as her simply stand by and do nothing? Going to look for medicinal herbs had merely been an excuse.
“Xiao Fu is my trusted aide.”
Cheng Yao’s eyes lit up. So she didn’t need to be wary around Xiao Fu and could act as boldly as she pleased?
“Is he as tight-lipped as Song Ze?”
A sharp glint flashed in Zhan Haoting’s eyes. “Song Ze?”
Thinking he had forgotten who that was, Cheng Yao helpfully reminded him, “Your chief of the covert guards.”
Zhan Haoting’s expression turned cold and somber.
Cheng Yao was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
His tone grew slightly heavy. “The moment he introduced himself to you, he violated his duty.”
“Huh?”
Cheng Yao asked in surprise, “Are covert guards not even allowed to have their own names?”
Zhan Haoting replied, “They are not permitted to reveal them.”
Cheng Yao curled her lips. “Then I’m not supposed to know either, right?”
She knew that the first rule of being a covert guard was to keep one’s mouth shut. No matter what the matter, not a single word could be spoken—not even one’s own name.
But she wasn’t an outsider. Was it really forbidden for him to tell her?
Zhan Haoting played with the loose strand of hair hanging beside her face, winding it halfway around his finger before saying in a low voice, “I’ll instruct him that he need not hide anything from you, but he must never reveal his identity of his own accord.”
“All right…” Cheng Yao indicated that she understood. “But can’t you show mercy since it was his first offense and not punish him?”
Zhan Haoting was silent for a moment. “Military law is strict. A mistake must be punished.”
Cheng Yao argued on his behalf. “But he just fought a wild boar and protected the entire Zhan family clan. He performed a great service. Can’t he make up for his mistake with that?”
“He can.”
Cheng Yao froze, wondering whether she had heard him correctly. “Really?”
Just a moment ago, he had been so stern and principled. How had he agreed without even thinking it over?
Zhan Haoting asked her, “You don’t want him to be punished?”
Cheng Yao nodded.
She had no doubt about the three covert guards’ loyalty to him. Song Ze had only revealed his name because he had lowered his guard around her.
She felt that he could be forgiven.
Zhan Haoting fell silent for a long while, his eyes dimming slightly before he said, “For your sake, I’m willing to make an exception this once.”
For her sake?
Cheng Yao’s heart clenched, and her old face grew hot. She muttered, “He already made up for it with his achievement. What does that have to do with me?”
Zhan Haoting said very seriously, “They have rendered countless meritorious services and will be rewarded for them, but those rewards cannot erase their mistakes.”
Cheng Yao thought about it and realized he was right.
If anyone could use their achievements to cancel out the mistakes and crimes they had committed, everything would descend into chaos.
“Fine, I’ll accept this favor from you.” Cheng Yao leaned close to his ear, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “Then how would you like me to repay you?”
Zhan Haoting’s gaze was indulgent and affectionate. “The debt of gratitude I owe you is one I could never repay in this lifetime. How could I ask you to repay me? Why don’t I give you back your freedom? That would lessen what I owe you.”
Cheng Yao stroked his finely sculpted, lean jaw. “Would you be willing to?”
“Of course not! I was only testing you.” Zhan Haoting let out a low laugh. “I’ve never thought of letting you go.”
“Only…” He suddenly straightened, his lips nearly brushing the corner of hers. Yet at the final moment, he stopped and merely rubbed the tip of his nose against her flushed lips. “Since a great kindness cannot be repaid, let your husband offer himself to you.”
Cheng Yao had tried to tease him, only to be teased in return. Like the hopeless woman she was, she blushed.
Unwilling to lose, she looked at him playfully. “Then may I ask, dear husband, when will you offer yourself?”
Zhan Haoting felt a rush of heat shoot straight to his head. Ink-dark desire churned instantly in his eyes, and his fists clenched as he struggled to restrain his passion and desire.
Cheng Yao burst out laughing and quickly pecked him on the chin.
Playing with fire was dangerous. She immediately tried to retreat, but he caught her hand and gave it a hard tug. She flew helplessly into his chest.
She clearly struck his wound, yet he showed no sign of pain.
“Cheng Yao, you’re the one who provoked me.” His thumb brushed across the corner of her lips, his tone dangerous. “If you want to beg for mercy later, it won’t be so easy.”
Her mind uncontrollably conjured memories of the nights they had spent tangled together before their exile. Her heart instantly burned, and she hurriedly pushed him away.
He had very little strength to begin with, so she easily broke free with only a slight effort.
“I’m going to dig up some herbs.”
As she fled, she scorned herself for being such a coward and a chicken.
…
For the sake of survival—and to ease the grief in their hearts—everyone forced themselves to rally and went to dig up wild ginger. Fortunately, the soil had been softened into mud by the rain, so they could dig it out with their bare hands.
The women found hollowed-out stones, broken earthenware jars, and other containers, then borrowed fire from the guards and began boiling ginger soup.
The spicy fragrance of ginger spread through the area. Starving and suffering from hunger, everyone endured the temptation to drink and waited expectantly for Cheng Yao to return.
