Lian Yue blinked upon hearing this, snapped back to reality, her face flushed red as she whispered, “I wanted to see if you were injured.”
Gu Quan wrung out his wet clothes and draped them over his arm. “I’m fine.”
“Mm.”
Lian Yue responded softly. Seeing that the sky was gradually brightening, she stood up and went outside to gather branches that hadn’t been completely soaked by the rain near the stones, quickly collecting a small bundle.
She looked up and asked Gu Quan, “Did you bring flint?”
He patted his clothes, took out the flint, arranged the branches, and soon had a fire going.
The warm glow of flames illuminated their surroundings.
By now, the first light of dawn was breaking on the horizon.
The firelight fell upon the young man, adding warmth to his fair skin.
While the morning light from the sky was cool-toned.
Half warm, half cool – these two tones blended perfectly on Gu Quan’s figure, like the only bright spot in the darkness.
Lian Yue’s gaze drifted vaguely toward Gu Quan as she absentmindedly tossed branches into the fire.
Gu Quan narrowed his eyes slightly. “Moon Consort, who are you looking at through me again?”
“Ah?”
Lian Yue was confused. “What?”
Gu Quan’s face turned ashen.
He knew his build was somewhat similar to Lu Xun’s – some people had even mistaken them for brothers.
Ever since she had mistaken him for Lu Xun last time, whenever she stared at him blankly, he couldn’t help wondering if she was using him as a substitute for Lu Xun.
The mere possibility of this made him extremely irritable.
Gu Quan lowered his gaze. “Nothing.”
Though he said this, Lian Yue could feel the heavy atmosphere around him.
Lian Yue moved to squat beside him, her long, curled eyelashes fluttering as she said softly, “Were you unhappy just now because I was staring at you? I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have kept staring at you. Please don’t be angry with me because of this.”
Gu Quan sneered, “So when you look at me, who exactly are you thinking about in your mind?”
Lian Yue: “…”
Wronged.
Really not.
Was it just because she had mistaken him for Lu Xun once that every time she looked at him a few more times, he thought she was using him as a substitute?
Yes.
Putting herself in his position, if someone mistook her for someone else and inexplicably hugged her, it would indeed be frustrating and infuriating.
But she had explained many times already and promised that she would never mistake him for someone else again. Why did he always fixate on this point?
Should she admit that when she stared blankly, it was actually just pure appreciation, purely enjoying looking at handsome abs?
Ahem.
She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Lian Yue had no choice but to admit: “I’m sorry, every time I see Marquis Gu, I can’t help but think of Lu Xun. Your builds are really too similar. Even though I promised you I wouldn’t mistake you again, I still can’t help feeling disoriented.”
Gu Quan’s chest heaved with anger. He took a deep breath to suppress the jealousy in his heart.
She continued, “I just can’t help it.”
“Enough.” Gu Quan said through gritted teeth. “Stop talking.”
Hmph.
Why so fierce?
Who was the one who insisted on bringing it up just now? Now that she had admitted it and he got what he wanted, why did he seem even more displeased?
Lian Yue complained wildly in her heart while maintaining an honest and obedient expression: “Alright, I won’t say anymore.”
Only the crackling of sparks remained.
Silence lingered for a long time.
Lian Yue turned to look at Gu Quan’s profile. His lips were pressed together, his nose was tall and straight, and his jawline was resolute. Just being by his side made her feel a profound sense of security.
She cautiously probed, “Are you still angry?”
Gu Quan remained silent.
Lian Yue’s slender hand rested on his arm. The moment she touched him, she felt his lean muscles twitch, making her heart flutter.
What a prime specimen.
She cleared her throat and changed the subject, speaking gently, “Has Young Master Yuan mentioned to you that he’s been teaching me Internal Energy Cultivation?”
Gu Quan finally turned his head to glance at her, his words still brief. “He did.”
She said, “Are you cold? My inner force is weak, but I can still… warm you up.”
“I don’t—” need it.
Lian Yue sent a thread-like strand of her inner force into him, only to immediately encounter a surging torrent of inner force within his Meridians. Hers seemed so minuscule in comparison, as if it could be devoured in an instant.
So terrifying.
It feels like I’m about to be consumed.
The next moment.
The vast inner force in his Meridians actively made way, allowing her inner force to rush recklessly through.
Gu Quan said flatly, “You truly have no regard for your own safety. You know how weak your inner force is, yet you dare to probe my strength. If I hadn’t reacted in time, your Meridians would be shattered to pieces right now.”
Lian Yue lifted her gaze, her eyes glistening. “It’s a misunderstanding. I wasn’t trying to probe your strength. I saw you were angry and wanted to use my inner force to warm you up, to make peace with you.”
Gu Quan laughed in exasperation. “Don’t you realize how clumsy your lies are? Any normal person would know—do I need you to warm me with your inner force?”
After saying this, he pulled her into his embrace, his hand gripping her shoulder to steady her. “Speak. What do you want?”
The two streams of inner force were still entangled within him, and Lian Yue realized she couldn’t withdraw hers anymore.
And Gu Quan was quite intriguing.
His words were cold, yet his body drew her closer.
Lian Yue blinked, her hand resting on the youth’s lean chest muscles. She felt them twitch beneath her touch and unconsciously pinched them twice.
“Tch—”
He sucked in a sharp breath, grabbed her hand, and demanded, “What are you doing?”
Lian Yue looked at the spot she had pinched—now flushed red—and her face burned crimson as she hurriedly apologized, “Sorry, sorry!”
Though she apologized with her words, in a place Gu Quan couldn’t see, her brows lifted slightly.
He didn’t push me away even after that. His intentions are all too easy to guess.
Gu Quan looked down at her, his gaze cool. “Relax your body.”
“Huh?”
Lian Yue didn’t dare move recklessly, her voice trembling slightly. “W-what’s wrong?”
Gu Quan didn’t speak again.
The two streams of inner force that had been entangled within him were now channeled entirely into the young woman’s body. Lian Yue felt her Meridians flooded with inner force, and then the two streams were drawn back into his body.
The inner force pulled back and forth between them, attracting and entangling with each other.
Lian Yue couldn’t help but think of the Yin-Yang Taiji diagram.
When her Meridians were filled with inner force, her body felt warm and comfortable. When the inner force receded, her entire being felt reluctant, as if her Meridians and muscles had come to life.
This is…
Lian Yue’s breathing grew rapid, completely overwhelmed.
It truly is more thrilling and exhilarating than… intimate relations.
She gasped, “Marquis Gu, stop, stop! Spare me! I was wrong, I was really wrong! Don’t torment me anymore!”
Gu Quan withdrew his inner force, pushed her away, and snorted lightly. “Torment you?”
He continued, “I thought you would be delighted.”
Hmph.
Who would enjoy the feeling of their inner force being beyond their control?
Lian Yue bit her lip, about to retort when she suddenly sensed an additional surge of inner force in her Dantian.
Her inner force had increased.
If the inner force she possessed earlier was as fine as a strand of hair, it was now as thick as a thumb.
Huh?
Lian Yue tried to channel it, but it remained motionless in her Dantian.
What was going on?
Gu Quan put on his dried clothes, stood up, and looked down at her, saying, “Refine it, and it will be yours.”
Lian Yue leaned closer. “Is this inner force you gave me?”
Gu Quan didn’t answer. Glancing at the sky, he said, “It’s probably almost the end of Mao Shi. The others will be looking for us soon. Let’s go.”
Lian Yue reached out to stop him, stammering, “Wh-what were we doing just now?”
Gu Quan leaned in closer. “Are you blaming me for holding you earlier? Wasn’t it you who initiated the test, forcing me to react?”
Before she could refute him, he added, “I’m more curious—what did you discover from your test?”
Lian Yue didn’t answer either. Her eyes sparkled as she asked, “Is the inner force in my body something you transferred to me?”
Gu Quan frowned. “You really know a little, yet understand so little. Your foundation is far too weak.”
Lian Yue tilted her head. “Is it or isn’t it?”
He sighed in exasperation. “Yes, I transferred it to you. Aren’t you going to thank me?”
Lian Yue asked, “How would Marquis Gu like me to thank you?”
Gu Quan didn’t answer, crossing his arms. “We’ll see.”
He glanced at her sideways. “So, now you can tell me—what exactly were you testing earlier?”
Lian Yue cleared her throat and immediately put on a different expression, saying, “Of course, I discovered that Marquis Gu’s skills are profound. Staying by your side, I need not worry about my safety. You are also generous, a lord worth following.” So fickle.
Gu Quan snorted lightly, lifting his chin.
“Good.”
After speaking, Lian Yue followed behind Gu Quan, feeling the inner force in her Dantian and even a sense of security.
When she left Wan City earlier, he had gifted her a chest of treasures, and now he had transferred inner force to her. Truly, as the rumors said, he was righteous and generous with his wealth.
What a good person.
Such a great person.
The young woman followed closely behind him, belatedly asking, “Marquis Gu, does transferring inner force to me have any negative effects on you?”
“Normally, it would, but…”
Gu Quan paused mid-sentence.
“But what?”
“Nothing. It won’t cause any issues.”
His ears tinged slightly red, and without elaborating, he strode forward.
Lian Yue followed with light steps.
Gu Quan reminded her, “Don’t casually use your inner force to test others in the future. Otherwise, at best, you’ll be severely injured; at worst, you’ll lose your life.”
She nodded obediently. “I won’t. I know you wouldn’t harm me.”
Gu Quan smirked. “Is that so?”
If she knew that earlier, it wasn’t just a transfer of inner force but also him forcibly engaging in Dual Cultivation with her, would she still be so calm?
Her slightly parted lips, flushed cheeks, and bewildered gaze had nearly made him lose control several times.
It was a tremor of the soul.
Yet, even after going that far and taking advantage of her, she remained completely unaware of how intimate the two of them had been.
Gu Quan couldn’t help but clench his fist, his fingers digging into his palm. He lowered his eyelids, filled with self-disgust.
She would find out eventually.
And it wouldn’t take long.
Lian Yue didn’t know what Gu Quan was thinking and nodded: “Yes, I believe in Marquis Gu. You’re a good person.”
The feeling of being a kept man was truly wonderful.
Gu Quan: “…”
He felt his conscience being pricked.
At that moment.
The young woman spoke: “Just now, Marquis Gu mentioned that originally you couldn’t directly transfer inner force to me. Was the prerequisite for being able to transfer inner force to me because you had previously practiced Dual Cultivation with me, making our inner forces somewhat familiar with each other?”
Hmm?
Gu Quan retorted: “You know about that?”
Lian Yue tilted her head, somewhat puzzled: “Are you talking about you practicing Dual Cultivation with me? I know about it.”
Author’s note:
Constantly reminding myself that I’m writing an emotion-driven story – the plot and settings all serve the romance…
Hehe…
The female lead keeps being a kept woman everywhere, such a flirt, an old-school charmer [yellow heart][yellow heart]
First time writing a fictional setting without an outline, just going with the flow [shrugs][perked-up bunny ears][dog face]
Ahem!
Even so, still shamelessly asking for bookmarks~