So sore.
Crystal-clear water droplets clung to the woman's soft, warm jade-like skin.
Lu Hexu licked from her earlobe to the back of Su Zhenzhen's neck, not surprised to hear her soft, delicate moan.
That prolonged lick made Su Zhenzhen's spine stiffen instantly, as if an electric current had run through her.
Her body leaned forward, crashing directly into Lu Hexu's embrace.
The man took the opportunity to hold her even tighter.
Su Zhenzhen was very slim, but her body's curves were well-proportioned.
The bone at the back of her neck protruded slightly, making her neck look even more slender and elegant. Her delicate, porcelain-like skin stretched over the bone, kissed over and over again by the man until it was completely flushed red.
The soft, wet, and burning sensation transmitted through her skin. Su Zhenzhen buried her head deeper and deeper, almost melting half of herself into Lu Hexu's arms.
She felt her legs go weak and her body lose its strength. If Lu Hexu hadn't been supporting her waist, she might have slipped right into the pool.
Lu Hexu held Su Zhenzhen's waist with one hand, while the other traced down her spine.
Through the soaked clothing, the contours of the woman's back were perfectly revealed.
Lu Hexu's breathing grew slightly heavy. He took a step back and sat down in the pool.
Su Zhenzhen's legs were already weak. Without the man's support, she was caught off guard and sat right on his lap.
The man bent his legs, and Su Zhenzhen sat on him, her knees pressing against the bottom of the pool and her back against his kneecaps. She could feel the increasingly tight pressure from behind.
The damp spring water drenched her entire body, and a steady stream of spring water continued to cascade down from behind.
The fine splashes of spring water falling on her body weren't cold, but hot.
They bounced onto her skin like sparks of fire.
Each splash bloomed into a pinpoint of heat on her skin, so hot that it made her tremble all over.
Su Zhenzhen barely managed to reach out her hands and press them against the man's shoulders.
She raised her eyes. Her eyelashes were stained with water, and her pupils were also dyed with the color of the water, looking like agate soaked in warm water, soft and bright.
Su Zhenzhen gazed into Lu Hexu's eyes.
The man's eyes were still somewhat red, like kneaded petals, shrouded in a thin layer of mist.
Su Zhenzhen subconsciously reached out and brushed her fingers over his eyelashes.
Feeling the woman's movement, Lu Hexu's eyes fluttered.
That thick layer of long eyelashes drooped, covering most of the reddened corners of his eyes, leaving only a faint shadow cast by the lashes on the delicate skin underneath.
As Su Zhenzhen stroked his eyelids, a water droplet from her hand accidentally fell into his eye.
Lu Hexu blinked. The water droplet melted into his eye, making it a shade redder.
That layer of mist wrapped the unfaded red as he looked at her wetly. Stripped of his usual gloomy hostility, he looked soft, as if he had been wronged.
Su Zhenzhen couldn't hold back. She leaned over and licked his eyelashes.
She could feel the trembling beneath the man's eyelids, as if he found it incredible.
Su Zhenzhen gave him a kiss and was about to pull away when a pair of arms circled her lower back, crossing to hold her tight.
"That feels so good, can we do it again?"
-
By the time the two of them emerged soaking wet from the spring pool, Su Zhenzhen noticed that Lu Hexu's eyes were even redder.
Su Zhenzhen especially liked kissing the corners of his eyes. The skin there was very thin, and the man's breathing would become very heavy, as if he couldn't take it, yet he couldn't bear to let her go.
She had made that area completely red, like crumpled petals.
At first glance, it looked like the man couldn't handle the stimulation and had cried, leaving behind these traces.
In fact, Su Zhenzhen felt like she had tasted a hint of saltiness just now.
Perhaps she had kissed him a bit too hard, and Lu Hexu couldn't bear it but refused to say so, causing physiological tears to faintly coat his eyelashes and trail down the corners of his eyes.
"Your eyes are swollen."
The two of them were sitting on a cooling couch.
Su Zhenzhen wrapped some ice cubes in a handkerchief and gently pressed it against his eyes. "Does it hurt?"
Lu Hexu lay with his eyes closed on Su Zhenzhen's lap, letting her do as she pleased.
The slightly cold ice touched the soft skin around his eyes, bringing a faint stinging sensation.
Lu Hexu kept his eyes closed, his arms wrapped around her waist. "It doesn't hurt."
[He really knows how to act spoiled.]
As Su Zhenzhen gently helped reduce the swelling, her gaze dropped, and she saw water stains all over the room.
They stretched all the way from the doorway to the cooling couch.
"So many watermarks."
"Will Godfather go mad with anger?"
"Yes." Lu Hexu nodded. "He will."
Su Zhenzhen could almost picture Wei Heng standing at the door, seeing water everywhere inside, and wearing an expression of utter helplessness and resignation.
But what could he do? This man was his Emperor, after all.
"All done."
Su Zhenzhen removed the handkerchief, which was about to melt into water, and gently rubbed Lu Hexu's eyes.
The man's eyes were no longer as red.
Lu Hexu opened his eyes and buried his face in Su Zhenzhen's embrace.
With such a large man hugging her without warning, Su Zhenzhen was caught off guard and was directly pushed down onto the cooling couch by him.
Lu Hexu leaned against her, his long black hair scattered and sticking wetly to both of them.
Su Zhenzhen wasn't much better off.
The two panted softly, lying on the fairly large cooling couch.
Su Zhenzhen tilted her head slightly to look out the window.
The moonlight was a solid white, illuminating half the courtyard.
Su Zhenzhen suddenly remembered when they used to live in that small courtyard of the Qingliang Palace. Their favorite thing to do was lie in rocking chairs and look at the moonlight.
Unfortunately, those peaceful days were shattered not long after.
"Grumble..."
A strange sound rang out.
Su Zhenzhen looked down at her own stomach.
Su Zhenzhen: ...
[Was that her stomach?]
Su Zhenzhen shoved Lu Hexu away, clutching her stomach as she rolled off the cooling couch.
The man was still dazed, tilting his head to look at her while maintaining the posture of being pushed away.
Su Zhenzhen was mortified. "Don't look."
Lu Hexu blinked and continued to stare at her.
Su Zhenzhen inhaled while clutching her stomach with one hand, trying to make herself less embarrassing, and used her other hand to cover Lu Hexu's eyes. Then she realized that as soon as she moved, her stomach growled even more happily.
"You're hungry, Zhenzhen."
Su Zhenzhen: ...
"Being hungry is human nature, don't you get hungry?"
Su Zhenzhen just threw caution to the wind.
"What do you want to eat?" Lu Hexu went to hold her hand. "I'll make it for you."
Huh?
-
The two changed their clothes.
Su Zhenzhen followed Lu Hexu into the kitchen of the mansion.
Compared to her small kitchen, this large kitchen was spacious and bright, and there was a little eunuch working inside.
Seeing Lu Hexu approach, the little eunuch immediately knelt on the ground.
"Leave."
"Yes."
The little eunuch hurriedly backed out.
Lu Hexu wandered around the kitchen.
He found some meat and some vegetables, dumping them all in a pile on the table.
"You don't need to make so much. I'll just eat, just eat some scrambled eggs."
Su Zhenzhen took out two eggs.
Lu Hexu looked down at the eggs and nodded.
He walked over to the stove.
It was an earthen stove.
Su Zhenzhen had only seen one in the countryside when she was a child.
Lu Hexu opened the lid of the wok, stared at it for a while, and then cracked the eggs right in.
Su Zhenzhen: ...
"You haven't lit the fire yet, and you need to put oil in first to scramble eggs."
Lu Hexu was silent for a moment, then walked behind the stove to light the fire.
After trying to light it for a while, he emerged covered in soot and dirt, and expressionlessly called the little eunuch back in.
The little eunuch quickly and efficiently lit the fire, then went out again.
Lu Hexu looked around the table, opening this to take a look, then opening that.
"This is oil."
Su Zhenzhen tapped the jar in front of her.
Lu Hexu picked up the oil jar and poured in half of it.
Su Zhenzhen: ...
Su Zhenzhen reached out and covered her face.
"You don't need that much."
Lu Hexu picked up the iron wok again and poured more than half of the oil back.
That iron wok must have been extremely heavy, but in the man's hands, it was like a small toy.
The oil heated up, and in went the eggs.
The eggs tumbled in the hot oil.
"Flip it, you need to stir-fry it."
Seeing that Lu Hexu wasn't moving, Su Zhenzhen grabbed the spatula nearby.
Lu Hexu raised his hand to take it and began to flip the eggs.
Su Zhenzhen leaned over to take a look. "Why are these scrambled eggs foaming?"
Lu Hexu: ...
The man pursed his lips. "It's edible."
Su Zhenzhen: ...Is it really edible?
The scrambled eggs were served out of the wok.
Su Zhenzhen began to feel how correct her earlier decision had been.
Good thing she had only asked for scrambled eggs.
Su Zhenzhen realized that no one could be absolutely perfect.
Although Lu Hexu was smart, he truly had zero talent when it came to cooking.
But at least... it was cooked?
Wait a minute, why is this egg burnt on the outside but raw on the inside?
Su Zhenzhen stared at the scrambled eggs in silence.
The scrambled eggs silently stared back at her.
Finally, Su Zhenzhen gathered her courage and took a bite.
It was sweet.
"Your scrambled eggs are sweet?"
Lu Hexu also took his chopsticks and took a bite.
Obviously, he hadn't expected it to taste so awful either.
"Zhenzhen, it tastes awful." Pausing for a moment, Lu Hexu seemed to realize something. He turned his head to look at Su Zhenzhen. "Zhenzhen is delicious, not awful."
Su Zhenzhen: ...What are you talking about in the middle of the night?
The scrambled eggs were inedible.
Even a dog would shake its head at this.
"Forget it, let's go out to eat."
Su Zhenzhen put down her chopsticks and led Lu Hexu out through the small side door of the residence, entering the back alley of her own pharmacy, and then looping around the alley to the night market street out front.
The night was growing late, approaching the third watch, yet the Yangzhou night market remained as bustling as ever.
The bluestone paved road still held the residual heat from the daytime sun, and the air was mixed with the fragrance of lotuses and the scent of wine and food.
"Dr. Su, I heard your shop caught fire. Are you alright?"
The people at the night market all knew Su Zhenzhen. Seeing her appear, they immediately gathered around in concern.
"I'm fine, it was just an accidental fire."
"Oh my, as long as everyone is safe, the shop is a minor matter."
"Indeed."
Su Zhenzhen responded with a smile, and then, following the crowd's gaze, saw Lu Hexu standing behind her.
"And this is..."
Su Zhenzhen opened her mouth, "...A friend."
Standing behind Su Zhenzhen, Lu Hexu's expression stiffened slightly.
Although the man was handsome, he was quite intimidating when he kept a straight face.
Yet, there was still a fearless elderly woman who dared to ask, "What kind of friend? Dr. Su, how old is this friend of yours? Where does he live? Is he married? I have a few good girls here..."
"We still have things to do, we'll be leaving first, Auntie."
Su Zhenzhen grabbed Lu Hexu's sleeve and dragged him straight out of the crowd.
After briskly walking a good distance, Su Zhenzhen turned to look behind her; no one had followed them.
Then her gaze moved upward, landing on Lu Hexu's face.
The man had his arms crossed over his chest, looking down at her.
Su Zhenzhen subconsciously reached up to touch her face. "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
Lu Hexu turned his head away, refusing to look at her.
Su Zhenzhen: ...Why is he getting angry out of nowhere again?
Could it be because she had interrupted an excellent marriage match for him?
"That Auntie lives right next door to my shop. If you want her to set you up with some young lady, you can go find her yourself." As she spoke, Su Zhenzhen actually felt a sour taste of jealousy rising in her mouth.
Lu Hexu continued to stare at her, then turned around and walked away.
"You're going the wrong way, the shops ahead sell funeral supplies."
Lu Hexu turned back around with a stiff face.
The two of them arrived at a nearby small restaurant to eat.
The owner brought over some of their homemade honey-preserved waxberries.
Su Zhenzhen tasted one; the flavor was truly quite good.
Lu Hexu sat there resting his chin on one hand, his gaze falling on the surface of the river not far away.
That was the Yangzhou Canal.
The river was full of boats, with lanterns hung upon them, their lights reflecting on the water.
Between the upper and lower layers, the water surface seemed to float with tens of thousands of specks of crushed gold. The painted pleasure boats swayed gently, the gauze curtains in their cabins half-rolled up. Faintly visible inside were women fanning themselves with round silk fans, a freshly picked white lotus tucked at an angle by their temples, singing softly to the accompaniment of a pipa nearby.
Lu Hexu's gaze remained fixed.
Su Zhenzhen stared at him for a moment, lowered her head, and popped two honey-preserved waxberries into her mouth.
So sour, so sour, how could it be this sour!
"Dr. Su, how does it taste?"
"Sour."
"Sour? That can't be, I put in a full half jar of sugar."
Lu Hexu turned his head, popped one into his mouth, and then said, "It's not sour."
"Right? You don't think it's sour either, do you, sir?"
Lu Hexu's gaze fell upon Su Zhenzhen's face.
The woman was puffing her cheeks in anger, though who knew what she was mad about.
Obviously, he should be the one who was angry.
"Do you have a lot of friends like me?"
Like what?
Su Zhenzhen spat out the waxberry in her mouth and picked up the plum juice on the table to take a sip.
"Friends you can kiss..."
Su Zhenzhen slapped her hand over Lu Hexu's mouth, then, blushing furiously, looked left and right.
Fortunately, she had specifically chosen a spot hidden behind a folding screen, so no one was paying attention to them.
"Don't spout nonsense out in public."
Lu Hexu pulled Su Zhenzhen's hand down, took off one of the gloves on her hand, and carefully examined her palm.
That fingernail had only grown halfway back, and the other marks on her skin were no longer obvious because Su Zhenzhen had been persistent in applying scar-removing ointment. If one didn't look closely, they were almost invisible.
Lu Hexu gently stroked over these scars, his warm fingertips pressing against her skin, rubbing gently.
"Do you?"
Su Zhenzhen tried to pull her hand back but couldn't, so she had no choice but to answer, "No."
[No, no, no, not in my past life, and in this life, there is only you.]
The man was satisfied. He helped her put the glove back on, pulling it up neatly and properly.
Su Zhenzhen pulled her hand back and took another sip of the plum juice.
"What about you?"
"Hmm?"
Su Zhenzhen met Lu Hexu's gaze, then looked away. "Do you?"
The corners of Lu Hexu's lips curled up. "No, I only have Zhenzhen."
The sour feeling of jealousy in Su Zhenzhen's heart was instantly swept away.
She started to feel that these honey-preserved waxberries were a bit too sweet.
This small restaurant was most famous for its Yangzhou fried rice.
Su Zhenzhen ordered a portion, along with a small pot of clear-stewed lion's head meatballs, a bamboo steamer of soup dumplings, a serving of osmanthus iced cheese, and lotus seed soup.
The portions of food and dim sum in Jiangnan were never very large.
Su Zhenzhen first ate a small bowl of Yangzhou fried rice to line her stomach.
The first taste was the fragrance of eggs, followed by the fresh sweetness of shrimp, the rich mellowness of ham, and the crisp tenderness of diced bamboo shoots. The rice was cooked to the perfect texture, moist but not greasy, and the savory flavor was just right.
Then she ate a few soup dumplings. Biting open a small hole to gently suck out the broth, the scalding hot soup instantly melted on the tip of her tongue—fresh, fragrant, and tender meat wrapped in thin, delicious dough.
Finally, she had a serving of lotus seed soup to cleanse her palate, and that was just about enough.
Lu Hexu finished eating all the rest.
The summer breeze brushed past the window, and Su Zhenzhen noticed a rouge shop up ahead.
She paid the silver and led Lu Hexu over.
"My lady, looking to buy some fragrant powder? Your skin is so lovely, you'd look absolutely beautiful with just a little dressing up. This powder is the best seller in our shop, give it a try."
Su Zhenzhen took the duck-egg-shaped powder box from the boss and gently patted some onto her face.
The powder was so light it seemed to float. Applied to the wrist, it was white but not stiff, clear and smooth without being greasy, carrying a faint scent of osmanthus—perfect for a summer night's makeup.
It seemed the legendary saying "Suzhou rouge and Yangzhou powder" was indeed true.
Previously, Su Zhenzhen had never worn makeup in order to conceal her appearance. This was her first time buying rouge and powder since coming to Yangzhou.
"My lady, take a look at this rouge as well. Although it's not as famous as our powder, it is still exceptionally good."
Su Zhenzhen had the face of a top-tier light-featured beauty; heavy makeup would actually cover up this advantage.
She only dabbed a little under her eyes and on her lips.
A few other customers suddenly entered the small shop, and the boss hurried off to greet them.
Lu Hexu stared at Su Zhenzhen for a moment, extended his fingertip, and tapped her lips.
The water-colored lip rouge stuck to the man's fingertip, and he licked it into his mouth.
"It's sweet."
Su Zhenzhen's face instantly turned beet red.
She threw down some silver, lowered her head, grabbed the rouge and powder in one hand, grabbed Lu Hexu's sleeve with the other, and quickly hurried out.
[Ahhhhhhhh!]
[Ahhhhhhhhhhh!]
Lu Hexu looked down, feeling that Zhenzhen was being a bit noisy.
The summer weather was truly scorching. After Su Zhenzhen led Lu Hexu on a brisk walk for a distance, her mood finally calmed down.
They held hands and walked through the alley.
The alleys here were slightly wider than those in Gusu, with bamboo lanterns hanging on both sides for illumination.
The lantern light fell on the woman's soft cheeks, like a handful of pinkish-white lotus flowers bearing dewdrops.
Lu Hexu's gaze landed on a small stall not far away.
This alley was very deep, and the location was poor, so very few people set up stalls here.
It was a very old granny. Probably having nothing else to do, she sat on a small stool, waving a palm-leaf fan in her hand. In front of her was a basket containing a few fresh little lotus flowers.
Lu Hexu walked over, crouched down, and began selecting a lotus.
Su Zhenzhen could not help but think of the scene just now, when Lu Hexu had been staring at the lotus-like women in the boat docks on the canal.
Great, she was starting to feel sour again.
Actually, Su Zhenzhen had always known that Lu Hexu was good-looking. Just on their walk here, several young ladies had recklessly thrown many handkerchiefs at him.
There were also those who threw flowers.
And those who threw fragrant sachets and embroidered pouches.
Are the young ladies of Yangzhou City all this open?
Lu Hexu carefully picked out a flower and stood up.
He walked back to Su Zhenzhen.
Su Zhenzhen shot him a sideways glance; she couldn't control her expression.
The next moment, that palm-sized white lotus was placed by Lu Hexu at her temple.
Su Zhenzhen wasn't wearing any other gold hairpins or silver ornaments; she had just simply pinned up her hair with a wooden stick. Now, she only had this single white lotus at her temple.
The petals were lustrous like jade, making the hair at her temples look even more jet-black, soft, and shiny.
Faint candlelight brushed past her temple. The lantern light and flower shadows intertwined. The white lotus, tainted with the heat of the summer night, reflected against her lustrous white skin.
"Oh my, the young lady looks so beautiful wearing a flower. Ten copper coins for one." The granny suddenly woke up.
Are you robbing us?!
-
Wearing the flower, Su Zhenzhen walked out of the deep alley.
It was already very late by the time they returned to the residence.
Su Zhenzhen was a bit reluctant to part with the flower, so she found a teacup on the table, scooped some clear spring water from the pond outside, and kept it in there.
The white lotus was placed in the teacup, revealing a pure white, warm hue under the illumination of the glazed lamp.
Su Zhenzhen's fingertips gently brushed over it. She tilted her head slightly and saw Lu Hexu lying on the bed, asleep while hugging a bamboo wife.
Lately, the man's sleep quality seemed to have improved a lot.
This was what Wei Heng had told Su Zhenzhen.
He said that over the past five years, His Majesty often couldn't sleep well, and the many prescriptions from the Imperial Hospital had been useless.
Su Zhenzhen had initially been worried that Lu Hexu's illness had worsened, but seeing him sleep so well now, she figured it was probably just because Jinling City was too hot.
The windows in the room were half open, and the reed blinds were rolled up.
The summer breeze blew in, and Su Zhenzhen caught the faint fragrance of the lotus.
She brought the teacup in front of her. Thinking of how Lu Hexu had lowered his head to place the flower on her, her heart couldn't help but soften, and she lowered her head to give it a gentle kiss.
She had forgotten that she hadn't wiped off her lip rouge yet. A spot of rouge color immediately appeared on the white lotus petal.
Su Zhenzhen carefully tried to wipe it off, but the rouge smudged, making that single petal look rather out of place.
A sound suddenly came from the bed.
With quick reflexes, Su Zhenzhen tore off that lotus petal and stuffed it into her mouth.
Lu Hexu rolled over and continued sleeping.
Su Zhenzhen: ...
Su Zhenzhen turned her head and spat the lotus petal out.
Ah, what a bitter lotus petal.
-
The next day, before dawn had even broken, because they had returned quite late last night, Su Zhenzhen felt like she had probably slept for less than two hours.
The room was very noisy.
She forced her eyes open, lifted the bed curtains, and saw that Lu Hexu had gotten up early and was rummaging around the room looking for something.
Su Zhenzhen reached up and rubbed her eyes. "What are you looking for?"
"The box is gone."
An anxious look appeared on the man's face.
This was the first time Su Zhenzhen had seen such an expression on Lu Hexu's face. With disheveled hair, he moved a person-tall wardrobe, and Sushan, who had been hiding and sleeping inside, suddenly jumped out.
Seeing that it wasn't under the wardrobe, Lu Hexu went to search inside it, tossing all its contents out.
"What box?"
Su Zhenzhen had just woken up and was still a bit dazed.
"The box next to the pillow, the one holding the silver needles." Finding nothing in the wardrobe, Lu Hexu went to look behind the folding screen. "How could it be gone..."
As he muttered softly, a look of guilt flashed across Su Zhenzhen's face.
"Is it very important?"
"There's something important inside it," the man's voice drifted out from behind the screen.
Su Zhenzhen thought for a moment and asked, "What important thing?"
Wasn't there nothing but silver needles inside?
Lu Hexu suddenly emerged from behind the screen. With red eyes, he stood in front of Su Zhenzhen. "The hairpin, the hairpin you gave me."
That cat-ear gold hairpin?
It was very expensive!
The oblivious Su Zhenzhen naturally didn't know that the box itself was even more expensive than her cat-ear gold hairpin.
"It's in the pond."
Su Zhenzhen grabbed Lu Hexu's hand and went to find that pond.
The sun hadn't come out yet, only faintly hiding behind the clouds.
Su Zhenzhen found the pond.
When she threw it that day, she hadn't realized this pond was so big!
Lu Hexu immediately jumped in.
Su Zhenzhen didn't even have time to stop him.
Fortunately, the pond wasn't deep, only reaching Lu Hexu's waist.
Su Zhenzhen also went down. Standing near the edge of the pond, she bent over to grope around.
"It should be around this spot."
The two searched around in the pond for a while but didn't find it. Su Zhenzhen looked up at the sun.
The sun was about to come out.
"The sun is coming out. Let me look for it, you go back first."
Lu Hexu pursed his lips. His long black hair hung loose, obscuring his expression.
He lowered his head and continued searching.
Su Zhenzhen comforted him, "It is okay if we cannot find it. I will buy you another one."
Lu Hexu shook his head. "I only want this one."
Su Zhenzhen did not think this was a particularly valuable item to Lu Hexu.
To her, it was just a valuable gold hairpin.
But to Lu Hexu, the ruler of the world, he could casually dust off any item in his treasury and find something ten thousand times better than this gold hairpin.
The man stood there, a thin layer of sweat soaking his pale cheeks. Sunlight broke through the clouds and fell upon his face.
The man narrowed his eyes, his face suddenly turning stark white, yet he still refused to leave. He pursed his lips, his voice very low. "I was afraid you would leave again, and this would be all I have left."
Su Zhenzhen's heart suddenly tightened.
She opened her mouth. "I will not leave..."
Lu Hexu pursed his lips, and when he looked at her, the rims of his eyes seemed to be tinged with a faint red.
Su Zhenzhen lowered her head, her own eyes unconsciously beginning to redden.
She looked down and continued her search.
The sun had come out quickly. Su Zhenzhen tried hard to recall where she had thrown the box last time.
Finally, her hand brushed against something.
Su Zhenzhen happily pulled it up.
Half a lotus root.
Su Zhenzhen was speechless. Well, at least it was tender.
Su Zhenzhen tossed it onto the bank.
The scorching sun made her dizzy.
Su Zhenzhen turned her head to look at Lu Hexu.
The man stood under the sunlight without wearing his black cloak. As the sun shone on him, his cool, pale skin glowed with a translucent, porcelain-like sheen.
Su Zhenzhen's face could hardly conceal her worry, but soon, she noticed something was wrong.
Wait a minute, what was that?
Su Zhenzhen slowly stood up straight.
The sunlight fell on the prominent bones of the man's nape, making his neck look even more slender. His skin was so thin that one could almost see the pale blue veins underneath.
What caught Su Zhenzhen's attention was something slowly appearing on his skin.
Illuminated by the sunlight, the thing seemed to surge from his very flesh and blood, slowly twisting into shape on his skin.
Before Su Zhenzhen could get a clear look.
Lu Hexu's expression suddenly paused. He bent down and pulled something out of the pond.
It was the box.
Holding the box, a smile appeared on his face as his gaze met Su Zhenzhen's.
The woman had not yet recovered her senses, her eyes glued to the back of his neck.
The joy on Lu Hexu's face vanished instantly.
Clutching the box, he stepped out of the pond and retreated into the shadows, walking away.
Su Zhenzhen stood stunned for a moment before struggling out of the pond, covered in mud.
The main room was covered in mud.
Su Zhenzhen pushed the door open and walked in. She saw the box thrown on the floor, the silver needles inside scattered all over the ground.
The man was sitting in the bathtub, the back of his neck resting against the wooden rim. His clothes were soaked through with ice water, his arms spread wide, and in his hand, he held that cat-ear gold hairpin.
He had originally been looking upward, but upon hearing the sound of Su Zhenzhen entering, he tilted his head slightly and looked in her direction.
The lines of the man's neck were stretched taut, and Su Zhenzhen's gaze uncontrollably drifted downward.
She saw that on his pale neck, those bizarre marks had not yet completely disappeared.
They meandered along the curve of his neck, tangling with the slightly protruding bones of his nape, exuding an indescribable, sinister aura.
