Chapter 13: Dangerous Haziness
"Um... Little Aunt, why are you looking at me with such a strange expression?" Sensing the atmosphere suddenly turning awkward, Xiao Che hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking.
Xiao Lingxi's beautiful eyes, which had been staring blankly for a long time, finally trembled slightly. She quickly averted her gaze, lowered her head, and lightly scolded, "Saying something like that... aren't you afraid your wife Qingyue might hear you?"
Xiao Che pretended to look around, then put on an innocent expression. "There doesn't seem to be anyone else around, so what's there to fear? Even if she did hear me, I wouldn't be afraid at all. You know perfectly well that she doesn't truly want to marry me, and likewise, I don't truly want to marry her either. If you were my Little Aunt, then I..."
"Don't say it... Don't say another word!"
Xiao Lingxi reached out and pressed her hand firmly against his lips, blocking the rest of his sentence. After a long while, she lowered her hand, leaned her body sideways against Xiao Che's shoulder again, and murmured softly, "Xiao Che, even though I'm a year younger than you, I am still your real Little Aunt. Words that can be said to other girls can never be said to me... not ever... But knowing that you've really thought about it in your heart... that's enough for me..."
The last two sentences came out in a very low whisper, carrying a bitterness and sorrow that would break anyone's heart to hear.
Xiao Che's heartstrings trembled heavily. He didn't speak again, simply closed his eyes and listened quietly to the breathing and heartbeat of the girl beside him.
"When I was little, I was thin, dark, and short. Everyone called me an ugly duckling. They loved to mock me and bully me..." Xiao Lingxi leaned against him, her voice sounding dreamy. "The only one who played with me was Xiao Che. Whenever someone bullied me, Xiao Che would always rush up and fight them, chasing them away, even if he ended up covered in wounds himself. Back then, almost all the injuries Xiao Che suffered were because of me. I got used to it, and I loved being protected by Xiao Che. I thought I could be protected by him forever like that..."
Xiao Lingxi's words reminded Xiao Che of her childhood self. She had indeed been exactly as she described—dark, thin, and short—a true "ugly duckling." But because she was his Little Aunt, and he was a boy a year older, he had always felt a mission to fiercely protect her... Who would have thought that a girl changes eighteen times? The ugly duckling of the past had become the great beauty of today. There were countless young men in the Xiao Sect who coveted Xiao Lingxi with longing.
"Later, when Xiao Che was found to have crippled profound veins, I trained my profound power relentlessly... because it was my turn to protect Xiao Che. Back then, I still thought that whether Xiao Che protected me or I protected him, it was all the same. We could always be together... But as I grew up, I realized that Xiao Che would marry a wife, and I would have to marry someone too. At that point, we simply couldn't be like before... And among all the girls in the world, the only one Xiao Che could never marry was me. Among all the boys in the world, the only one I could never marry was Xiao Che..."
Xiao Che: "..."
"So much time has passed, and I thought I had fully accepted it. Today, Xiao Che got married, and I should have been happy. But from morning till night, my heart felt stuffed with something, indescribably uncomfortable. I wanted to sleep but couldn't... And then, Xiao Che, you said those words to me just now... I'm a little happy, and yet so sad... What's wrong with me?"
Xiao Che's chest heaved heavily, but he still said nothing. At this moment, he truly didn't know what to say.
That dangerous haziness between him and Xiao Lingxi had already formed long ago. And when they realized it was a dangerous feeling, even though they still spent every day together, they never once acknowledged it. Instead, they tried their best to redirect it toward familial affection.
Without the memories of his past life on the Cang Yun Continent, his personality had leaned toward inferiority and cowardice. Even at death, he would only have run away, never having the courage to speak out. He would have buried that feeling completely. As for Xiao Lingxi... at least before today, she had never once revealed it. But today's Xiao Che was not yesterday's Xiao Che. He had spoken those earth-shattering words, and in the hazy, late-night mountains where no one else would be, Xiao Lingxi could no longer hold back and said what she had thought she would never say.
Xiao Che's heartbeat began to grow slightly disordered. Inhaling the girl's intoxicating scent, he reached out his right arm and gently embraced Xiao Lingxi's body. Xiao Lingxi's body trembled slightly, but she didn't struggle. She closed her eyes and quietly leaned all her weight against him.
The girl's soft body felt as light as a feather, warm and fragrant like jade. Even through several layers of clothing, her smooth, tender skin stirred the soul. Xiao Che didn't dare to hold her too tightly, afraid of startling or defiling her. But then, he felt a pair of jade-like arms quietly wrap around his back, holding him tighter and tighter of their own accord. A faint fragrance, from nowhere, seeped into his nose and deep into his heart.
Xiao Lingxi's initiative dispelled Xiao Che's unease. He opened his left arm to encircle her slender waist, but in his daze, his hand landed off target. When it fell, what he felt in his palm was a soft, full roundness.
"Ah..."
A moan escaped Xiao Lingxi's lips. Xiao Che's mind was in turmoil, and he immediately tried to pull his hand away. But Xiao Lingxi's soft hand grabbed his left hand before he could. Xiao Che thought she was about to slap away his defiling touch, but... her jade hand simply held his palm there, not moving it away, nor letting him move it further. Through her proudly standing chest, Xiao Che could still clearly feel her frantic heartbeat.
Xiao Lingxi's breathing grew slightly heavier, and a flush of pink had long since spread from her jade-like face to her snow-white neck. She kept her eyes tightly shut, buried her head in his chest, and remained completely still, as if trying hard to prove she had fallen asleep.
Xiao Che also closed his eyes, made no move, said no words, and quietly leaned against her like that. At this moment, neither of them wanted to speak anymore... because it would disturb this pure dream that no outsider could intrude upon.
The night grew deeper. When Xia Qingyue found them, they were still in the same position, but both had fallen into a deep sleep.
Xia Qingyue had come out to look for Xiao Che. She had thought he was just going out to get some fresh air. During the time he was out "getting fresh air," she had gotten off the bed and spread a blanket in the corner so he could sleep there when he returned. But a long time passed, and he still hadn't come back.
Moreover, judging from the direction of the earlier sounds, he seemed to have climbed over the wall and gone to the back mountain of the Xiao Sect.
With his profound power at just the initial Xuan realm, Level One, going alone to the back mountain in the middle of the night and not returning for so long... Xia Qingyue finally couldn't resist going out to search for him. And then, she saw a sight that left her stunned.
Today was the first day she had officially spent with Xiao Che. On the way to the Xiao Sect to receive her, his demeanor had been calm with a hint of pride. In the wedding hall, he had been suppressing his anger and hatred. In the bridal chamber, although he had talked a lot and made cheeky remarks, his expressions and eyes had constantly flickered with confusion, reluctance, and absent-mindedness, even a loneliness she couldn't understand...
But now, leaning together with Xiao Lingxi, he was sleeping so peacefully. The corner of his mouth was curled in just the tiniest arc, yet it clearly showed a warm smile. His features were completely relaxed, his expression as tranquil and serene as an infant sleeping in its mother's arms.
A slightly uncomfortable feeling suddenly rose in Xia Qingyue's heart... Of course, this by no means indicated she had any feelings for Xiao Che. Rather, it was because: she and Xiao Che had already become husband and wife. Although she had always thought this marriage was merely a formality for her, and the title of husband and wife was just a simple form of address—its existence or absence causing no ripples in her heart—some things are not just about what one consciously thinks. Feelings work differently, especially for women, who are more emotional creatures. Unless that person has no heart.
After all, she and Xiao Che were already husband and wife. Although she was indifferent to this union, the fact that Xiao Che had become her husband was still clearly imprinted in her subconscious. Since he was her husband, he was a man who belonged solely to her. And now, on their wedding night, her husband was leaning together with another girl, both fast asleep, his face wearing such a warm and satisfied expression... Her subconscious naturally stirred up that unfamiliar reaction.
Even though that girl was his Little Aunt.
This uncomfortable feeling caused a slight agitation in her usually calm and unrippled Ice Cloud Immortal Heart. This agitation immediately alerted her, and she quickly focused her mind and calmed herself. After a good while, the agitation gradually faded, and her heart became clear once more.
She did not disturb Xiao Che and Xiao Lingxi. She lightened her footsteps and silently left.
A short while later, Xia Qingyue returned slowly, but this time she was carrying a thick, bright red blanket. She carefully draped the blanket over Xiao Che and Xiao Lingxi, then silently left again.
……………………
When Xiao Che woke up, the sky was already faintly light. Xiao Lingxi, leaning against his chest, was still sound asleep, her sleeping face sweet and charming... if one could ignore the large patch of drool on Xiao Che's chest.
As his consciousness gradually cleared, the events of the previous night played back in his mind. Even after a whole night, his shoulders were sore and numb, but he dared not move, afraid of disturbing Xiao Lingxi's peaceful sleep. It was also at this moment that he suddenly noticed the large red blanket covering them.
"Wha... the hell..." Grabbing the blanket, an uncontrollable roar escaped Xiao Che's mouth... This was clearly the blanket that had been prepared just yesterday and spread on the bed in the bridal chamber.
Xiao Che raised his head and looked toward the direction of his small courtyard, groaning inwardly... On his wedding night, not only did he not stay in the bridal chamber, but he went out and slept with another woman for the whole night. And his new wife had personally come to deliver a blanket...
What a damn thrilling script this is!
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