Her heart skipped a beat, and even her hands pushing him away went limp. She stared blankly at the foolish, dazed reflection of herself in his deep eyes.
Zhan Haoting chuckled softly, “Don’t move. Let me hold you for a while.”
Cheng Yao’s mind was in turmoil. She didn’t know what she was thinking, but she nodded haphazardly, feeling his warm embrace and strong heartbeat.
After a long while, Zhan Haoting slowly released Cheng Yao, cupping her face in his hands and gazing into her eyes. “Yao’er, I still want to let you go.”
How could he bear to let such a wonderful girl live in constant fear and anxiety with him?
Cheng Yao was stunned for a moment, then shook her head.
“I don’t want to leave.”
Being targeted by the Dog Emperor, she couldn’t leave even if she wanted to.
Most importantly, she wanted to accompany him for a while, to make his path to rise less bitter and difficult.
He deserved it.
As her words fell, a storm instantly brewed in Zhan Haoting’s eyes.
In this world, aside from his parents, she was probably the only one who truly cared for him!
He cupped her chin with an undeniable force, leaned down, and kissed her.
It wasn’t a fierce plunder but a tender, cherished gentleness, wrapped in the scent of cedar from him.
Cheng Yao’s breath hitched. Every drop of blood in her body seemed to tremble from the gentle touch, even her fingertips went limp and weak. She leaned entirely against him.
Her breathing grew rapid, her cheeks flushed crimson as if they could drip blood. Only then did he pull back slightly, pressing his nose against hers and chuckling softly, “Silly girl, don’t you know how to breathe?”
She opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound.
The lingering warmth of his touch and the persistent tingling remained on her lips. Her dizzy mind thought: Cheng Yao, you’re really something—just a kiss from a man and your legs go weak!
Zhan Haoting planted a kiss on her forehead. “Yao’er, with you by my side, even if the road ahead is filled with thorns, I will no longer fear it.”
Cheng Yao nestled lazily in his arms, toying with the buttons on his clothes, and whispered, “Remember your words today. No matter what happens in the future, you must not lose heart. As long as you have a breath left, you must keep living.”
Zhan Haoting’s heart tightened, and he kissed Cheng Yao’s lips again. This kiss was even more fervent than before, fierce and overwhelming, filled with love and longing.
Cheng Yao was completely overwhelmed, her mind blank. The tingling sensation rushed down her spine, making even her tailbone ache with weakness. Her hands, which had been pressed against his chest, had somehow wrapped around his neck. Her body instinctively pressed closer to his, her nose brushing against the warmth of his neck, her breath filled entirely with his scent.
Lost in the haze of passion, she didn’t even notice when Zhan Haoting picked her up and used his lightness skill to return to the room.
It was only when she woke up and saw the clothes scattered all over the floor that she finally felt a flush of embarrassment.
Fortunately, Zhan Haoting had gone to the palace, so she didn’t have to face him and avoid the awkwardness.
After washing up and having a meal with the help of the maids and older women, Cheng Yao noticed the bright sunshine outside and felt quite cheerful. She decided to take a walk alone on the streets.
The streets were bustling, with the sounds of hawking and laughter intertwining.
Unfortunately, this prosperous and flourishing scene would be trampled into mud by the vassal states in just five months.
Sighing, Cheng Yao passed by a teahouse when she suddenly heard a commotion.
Frowning slightly, she followed the direction of the noise and saw a richly dressed man, surrounded by a group of servants, harassing a young woman.
The surrounding commoners dared to be angry but not speak out, merely watching from a distance.
Cheng Yao looked closely and saw that the man was actually the Empress’s younger brother, Feng Jing’an.
This imperial uncle, relying on his status as a member of the imperial family, ran rampant in the capital, acting outrageously and absurdly. Today, he was actually harassing a respectable woman in broad daylight.
Cheng Yao pondered inwardly, unwilling to stand by and watch the woman be humiliated, yet afraid that directly intervening would invite trouble. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She walked to the back of the crowd, quickly picked up a stone from the ground, and hurled it with force at Feng Jing’an. Then, with a single thought, she entered her Space.
“Ouch!” Feng Jing’an cried out in pain, releasing the woman’s hand.
“Who? Who dares ambush this imperial uncle!” Feng Jing’an roared furiously, looking around.
Before he could find the culprit, Cheng Yao teleported behind him and, shielded by the crowd, gave him a hard shove.
Feng Jing’an stumbled forward, falling flat on his face.
“Who the hell is it!”
Cheng Yao, hiding in the shadows, shouted, “Oh dear, what’s wrong with the imperial uncle? Have you done so many wicked deeds that vengeful spirits have come to claim your life?”
Feng Jing’an rushed to where the voice came from but saw no one. His anger surged to the top of his head as he loudly berated his servants.
“You useless lot! All of you, search for me! Find out who is ambushing this imperial uncle!”
The commoners scattered like birds and beasts, and the servants searched everywhere but found nothing.
When Feng Jing’an was pushed down again, he finally realized something was amiss.
He looked around in terror, as if countless eyes were hidden in the surroundings, watching him.
“Ghosts! There are ghosts!” Feng Jing’an cried out in panic, fleeing with his servants in disgrace.
Only then did Cheng Yao reveal herself, walking over to the woman.
The woman looked at Cheng Yao gratefully, her eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, miss, for stepping in to help. If not for you, today I would have…”
As she spoke, she choked with sobs.
Cheng Yao gently patted the woman’s shoulder, comforting her, “Don’t cry, it’s all right now. What’s your name?”
The woman wiped her tears and said, “My name is Xiao Yunrong. Today, I truly owe everything to you.”
Xiao Yunrong?
Cheng Yao’s eyes flickered slightly as she smiled and said, “Miss Xiao, you’re too kind. When one sees injustice on the road, it’s only right to step in and help.”
In the original book, the person who passed by this place today was Cheng Lan. She recognized Xiao Yunrong as the daughter of a wealthy merchant and used a clever trick to save her.
From then on, Xiao Yunrong became Cheng Lan’s little follower.
Xiao Yunrong was immensely grateful to Cheng Yao and insisted on treating her to a meal as a token of her gratitude.
Seeing Xiao Yunrong’s sincerity, Cheng Yao readily agreed. The two arrived at an elegant restaurant and chose a seat by the window.
After the food and wine were served, Xiao Yunrong raised her glass to toast Cheng Yao. “Miss Cheng, I will never forget your kindness today. If there is ever anything you need from me in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Cheng Yao smiled and waved her hand. “Miss Xiao, you exaggerate. It was just a small effort. I can see that you are clever and perceptive; you must be a capable person in your daily life.”
Xiao Yunrong blushed slightly and said, “Miss Cheng, you flatter me. I’ve merely learned some business skills from my father.”
Cheng Yao’s heart stirred as she looked at Xiao Yunrong earnestly and said, “Miss Xiao, since your family is in the grain business, I have a favor to ask. I wonder if you would be willing to agree?”
Xiao Yunrong promptly replied, “Miss Cheng, please speak freely. As long as it is within my ability, I will certainly not refuse.”
Cheng Yao took a deep breath and said, “I would like to purchase ten thousand dan of grain from Miss Xiao. Would that be possible?”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yunrong widened her eyes in surprise.
Ten thousand dan of grain was no small amount. Even for a grain merchant like her family, gathering such a quantity at once would not be an easy task.