Сhаpter 308: Тhе Firе Моth Party 40
Ноw did this suddenly mаke it sound likе hеr fаult? Zhu Yаn frоwnеd slightly.
Shen Du sаid, "Aren't you the samе? Dаre уou sау уоu didn't reсоgnizе mе оn our wеdding day? I'm afrаid уou hаd long heard оf my reрutation but rеfusеd tо асknоwlеdge me. Yоu wоuldn't reсоgnizе me еven оn оur wedding daу—еither уou had alrеady forgоttеn mе, or уou despisеd mе."
Wеll, that mаdе sоmе sеnsе.
"Hmm, I indееd disliked уou bеing callеd the Whitе Кing оf Hеll, but I dоn't think thаt wаy now." What usе was a good reрutation? It onlу made оne vulnеrаble tо bullying.
"They all say the White King of Hell is excessively cruel, capable of silencing crying children at night. I was happy for you when you rose to a high position, and I knew you had changed greatly, no longer the youth you once were. Why would I acknowledge you without reason? What if you were displeased and killed me for amusement, implicating the Zhu family? I'm not foolish."
"How do you know I would kill you if you acknowledged me?" Shen Du tapped her head and sighed.
The two fell silent for a while. Zhu Yan kept feeling the copper whistle in her hand, unsure how to respond to his sudden expression of affection.
"No matter how much you resent me, I won't let you risk your life for Pan Chi." His voice softened but remained audible to Zhu Yan. "My life has been difficult enough. How could I let you leave?"
Zhu Yan had never imagined that one day she would hear Shen Du speak such intense words of love. It felt like being in a hot spring, her entire body immersed in warm water, the heat enveloping her, seeping into every limb and bone. It was so comfortable that she wanted to stay submerged forever, never to emerge, even if it meant drowning willingly.
Especially with a handsome and dashing man by her side, gazing at her with tender eyes, seeing only her, as if nothing else in the world mattered.
"Wow, so handsome!"
Lost in thought, Zhu Yan stared at Shen Du's handsome face, quickly reaching out with both hands to cup his cheeks, gently caressing them. Though this man's skin wasn't fair, it was smooth and finely textured, with sharp contours. Through his skin, she could feel the structure of his bones. His long, thick lashes, like feather fans, concealed his deep, dark eyes, full of deception.
Moving down the bridge of his nose, Zhu Yan's thumb paused on Shen Du's lips, lightly stroking them, unaware that the dark eyes beneath those feathery lashes had changed color.
"Gulp!"
The man's swallowing sound was too obvious, snapping Zhu Yan back to her senses. Gradually emerging from her daze, she looked at Shen Du, and a thought escaped her lips:
"Shen Du, you like me."
Once spoken, the words could not be taken back. Zhu Yan's fair cheeks flushed slightly, but she steadied herself and looked at him.
The fire that had just ignited in Shen Du was extinguished. He grabbed Zhu Yan's hand, turned his face away, and offered no response.
"You don't like me?"
Zhu Yan asked again. It couldn't be—how else could these actions be explained?
Zhu Yan looked at Shen Du, and Shen Du avoided her gaze. She shifted to look from another angle, and he turned his face away again.
Zhu Yan snorted, and in that instant, a mischievous idea flashed through her mind.
She pulled her hand free from his grip, pretending to be angry.
Seeing Zhu Yan upset, Shen Du grew somewhat flustered. He opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.
This only annoyed Zhu Yan further.
"Fine, it seems you were just toying with me. Hmph, then let's divorce," Zhu Yan glared at him with her beautiful eyes, challenging him. "No, not divorce. When we return, I'll learn from Her Majesty the Empress."
Shen Du was puzzled and asked, "Learn what?""Learning from the Empress to keep male consorts," Zhu Yan nodded in deep agreement, resting her chin on her hand in thought. "When I return, I'll take Pan Chi as my junior husband. If he refuses, I'll find someone willing. If one isn't enough, I'll take two; if two aren't enough, I'll take three."
"I'll definitely give them marriage certificates, so each has their proper status."
Gradually, Zhu Yan's voice grew softer until it faded entirely. Sucking on her finger, she looked at Shen Du with a hint of fear—fear for having spoken such words.
For Shen Du's face was as dark as spilled ink. His usually calm, dark eyes now brimmed with a thick, unyielding ferocity, like the demonic black lotus tempered through the eighteen layers of hell. It might appear splendid and beautiful in bloom, but in truth, it was entirely poisonous. With a single opening of its mouth, that dark light could swallow you whole.
Zhu Yan was the pitiful little one about to be devoured.
"Continue!"
Zhu Yan froze. She hadn't seen Shen Du's lips move—how had she heard him?
Surrounded by that gaze, Zhu Yan dared not say more. She forced an awkward laugh and clasped her hands together. "N-no, that's enough. Time is precious—less talk, more action..."
"You actually intend to do it?" Shen Du raised his voice, grabbing Zhu Yan's soft waist and delivering several sharp slaps to her bottom, his anger palpable. "Try taking one, I dare you. You're not even fully grown, yet you're greedy enough. Isn't having me alone enough?"
It hurt so much that tears sprang to Zhu Yan's eyes. She could only beg for mercy. "Enough, it's enough! Stop hitting me, it hurts."
Shen Du stopped, turning Zhu Yan to face him. He lowered his head and bit her lightly, his heart aching with bitterness.
"You little thing, so greedy. What exactly about Pan Chi attracts you so much that you'd want to bring him into your backyard?"
Aren't you afraid the backyard might catch fire?
Zhu Yan rubbed her head, speaking earnestly. "His looks, your talents—each of you has your own strengths. It's practically perfect. How can you call me greedy?"
"So I only have talent?" Shen Du frowned. Did she think he was ugly? Before becoming the White King of Hell, he had been a handsome youth in Chang'an, surrounded by admiring young women wherever he went.
Well, Zhu Yan glanced at Shen Du. It wasn't just talent—he was good-looking too. She liked him just the way he was.
Thinking this, Zhu Yan's face flushed again as she secretly observed Shen Du's expression.
At that moment, Shen Du's face was dark and brooding. He seemed to be gathering his thoughts to say something but hesitated.
Finally, he managed only this: "Pan Chi is indeed handsome and quite talented, with a smooth tongue. If you like him, I'll naturally divorce you and let you be together. But you mustn't mess around with this 'senior' and 'junior' nonsense. It's better to have one person for a lifetime."
"Hahaha... hahahaha..."
Zhu Yan completely lost her composure, collapsing into laughter against Shen Du's chest.
Shen Du frowned slightly, a bit confused by the situation, but instinctively wrapped his arms around the restless figure laughing in his embrace.
Once her laughter subsided, Zhu Yan cupped his face again. This face truly suited her taste no matter how she looked at it.
"What?"
"Shh," Zhu Yan's eyes were damp and misty from laughing so hard, making her utterly captivating. "You don't know this, but since I was eleven, I decided you were the one for me in this lifetime."
She smiled softly, a memory flashing through her mind of that fifteen-year-old youth.
"Tell me, how could I ever like anyone else?"
Shen Du's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes locked on Zhu Yan's. The air grew heated between them.
A faint blush crept onto Zhu Yan's cheeks, which to Shen Du seemed like nothing less than an invitation.In the depth of emotion, Zhu Yan leaned in, instinctively wanting to kiss him, but Shen Du turned his head away to avoid it.
Puzzled by his strange behavior, Zhu Yan released Shen Du and was about to get up, only to be pulled back into his embrace.
Once again enveloped in that warm and solid chest, she felt somewhat entranced. Pushing him away slightly, Zhu Yan pursed her lips.
The two of them remained stubbornly locked in this standoff.
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