His soft lips rubbed against her forehead. Jun Xiqing froze. She had seen him kissing Elder Sister Mo’er’s forehead before.
She had heard that a man kissing a woman’s forehead meant great love and pity.
Why was he kissing her forehead?
It was then that Jun Xiqing fell silent. Lu Yeming’s expression changed, as though he realized that he had done something strange as well.
He bent down to brush his thin lips against her ear and said huskily, “Do you like me, Qingqing?”
He wanted to hear it straight from her mouth even when he already knew her feelings for him. She had never said that she liked him before. In fact, his low, magnetic voice was full of temptation and coaxing. He wanted her to say that she liked him.
As she stared at him, Jun Xiqing bit her red lips with her small white teeth and remained silent.
She refused to say it.
She didn’t dare say it.
No matter how intelligent she was, she was still only a young girl who was experiencing her first love. Against such a foe, she didn’t dare expose her true feelings.
This was her way of protecting herself.
Lu Yeming understood. He kissed her red lips deeply and celled her name again and again. “Qingqing… Qingqing…”
Jun Xiqing’s stiff body slowly softened and she melted into his strong embrace.
On such a night, he wasn’t the West Duke, and she wasn’t Jun Xiqing.
He harbored an unforgettable love in his heart and she had her own duty she couldn’t forgo. They were fated never to be together.
But now they snuggled so close to each other, using their body heat to warm themselves up. There was no mention of their past, and no thought for their future.
It was just him and her.
Lu Yeming kissed her, his long fingers pushing the straps of her top off her shoulders. Jun Xiqing’s eyes reddened. “Don’t… it hurts…”
“Where does it hurt? It won’t hurt at all, my dear Qingqing…”
He kissed her eyelids.
Jun Xiqing’s eyes burned as large tears rolled down her cheeks. He was of noble blood and was a gentleman, which meant that he could treasure even women like Ye Ruge. Now she was his woman, so he naturally would show her love, but this only made her feel like she was the only one he loved deeply.
It was easy to lose herself in these feelings.
Jun Xiqing opened her eyes and looked at him tearfully. “Look, you’re bullying me again.”
Lu Yeming looked at her, emotions suddenly rippling through his stone-cold heart. He closed his eyes slowly and said, “Qingqing… I will love you…”
Many years later, they would both climb to insurmountable positions. But while the memory of them making love in each other’s arms while the storm raged outside slowly faded over the years, it was still etched in their bones for the rest of their lives.
Was this what you called a star-crossed fate?
They were bound to lose one another.
But they still insisted on catching hold of something.
Their younger selves still couldn’t understand what it was that they couldn’t catch a hold of.
…
The next morning.
The storm had raged the entire night, but it was all clear skies the next day. The sun shone brilliantly in the sky.
The physician exclaimed in surprise when he saw Lu Yeming. “Sir! With your wound and such a high fever, it’s truly a miracle you managed to survive last night!”
The wound on his back had already been dressed again. Lu Yeming stood up and picked out a clean black shirt to wear. He was half-naked now, veins pulsing healthily under his glowing skin and firm muscles. His waist was slim and his muscles taut and defined, with long legs wrapped in a pair of black trousers.
Lu Yeming had a formidable figure. He looked slim when he had clothes on but taking them off would reveal a substantial body that would make any woman blush. After he put on his clean black shirt, then handed a piece of jade to the physician.
“This is for your troubles last night.”
The physician wasn’t a greedy person, but he immediately recognized that it was no ordinary jade. Along with Lu Yeming’s kingly demeanor and maturity, he quickly guessed that he was from a wealthy family and that he had to treat them with more respect.
“You’re being too polite. The storm yesterday destroyed the roads, so I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a few days for help to come. You and your wife are welcome to stay here in the meantime. I’ll go and prepare some fresh fruit and vegetables.”
He had referred to Jun Xiqing as his wife.
Lu Yeming neither rebuked nor showed any signs of surprise. He nodded and simply replied, “Thank you.”
The physician left. Lu Yeming walked out of the wooden hut and walked forward. There was a river in front of them. Its waters were clear and there were a few women washing their clothes by it.
Lu Yeming halted as his deep eyes landed on a delicate figure.
Jun Xiqing was there as well.
She was there with a few other ladies, her small hands washing the clothes. She seemed to be washing her underclothes. Embarrassed, she covered them as she washed her clothes with two splotches of red on her cheeks. It seemed his clothes had already been washed and lay cleanly at the side in a bucket.
“Miss Jun, the man inside is your husband right? Your husband is really handsome. We’ve never seen someone so handsome before,” the other woman gossiped heartily.
Jun Xiqing blinked. “He’s not my husband!”
“Miss Jun, you must be lying! There’s only one bed in the wooden hut. Didn’t the two of you share the bed yesterday?”
By now, Jun Xiqing’s face was completely red, what defense would she have against such questions? As she finished washing all her clothes, she stood up and emphasized again, “He is not my husband! He’s… my brother!”
With that, she turned and ran.
The women left behind all chuckled. “This young lady really is like an innocent fairy. She was so easily embarrassed!”
Jun Xiqing ran two steps before halting again as she recognized his tall and handsome figure.
Lu Yeming stood in front, looking at her.
Their eyes met and last night floated into her mind. She had no idea how long he had been here looking at her. He must have heard everything the women said.
“Little Brother…” she started to say.
At this moment, the women at the back chimed in with a laugh, “Are you this young lady’s brother or husband?”
Jun Xiqing was speechless.
How awkward.
Gosh, could you ladies please not say so much?
Jun Xiqing lowered her head and brushed past him as though she hadn’t heard anything. But her leg twisted at the worst possible timing.
“Ah!”
She shouted and fell towards her side.
“Be careful!”
At this moment, a strong arm hooked around her slim waist as Lu Yeming pulled her into his arms. The two of them were suddenly very close, and his beautiful face slowly enlarged in her sight.
Like that, their bodies were pressed against each other, their breaths mixing. He was tall and handsome while she was beautiful and delicate. They looked like a beautiful painting.
Jun Xiqing looked up at him as she batted her lashes nervously, not knowing what to say. At this moment the women laughed and said, “You’ve been caught red-handed, young lady. Are you still going to deny that he’s your husband?”
