lcionline Chapter 455: Fear of being close to home
Chapter 455: Fear of being close to home
Chapter 455
The next few days were uneventful. Luo Shuiyao and Ye Yunzhou became increasingly comfortable and at ease with each other, to the point where even the accompanying guards noticed something unusual was going on between them.
As they drew closer to Qingshui Town, Luo Shuiyao felt a surge of homesickness. Technically speaking, she and the original owner's aunt hadn't had much affection, not even close friends. But after all this time, the scene of her protecting her was still vivid in her mind, and every time she recalled it, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
This warmth also gave rise to some inexplicable expectations in her heart.
As night fell, a chilly breeze swept over them. Having failed to reach the city before curfew, the group had no choice but to camp in the wilderness. To protect against wild animals, the guards built several bonfires around the camp, their flickering flames illuminating the surroundings.
Luo Shuiyao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Staring at the flickering firelight, she dismissed the guards and Chun Xing who were on night watch: "You all go and rest. I'll keep watch tonight."
If she were alone, she would definitely not dare to do it, but when she thought that Ye Yunzhou was by her side, she felt a little more at ease.
The guards tried to decline, but were interrupted by Ye Yunzhou, "Since the young lady has made the arrangements, you can go ahead and stop nagging."
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they felt that this man seemed ordinary, the words he said carried an inexplicable deterrent power that made people want to obey involuntarily, and finally they had to retreat.
Chun Xing had long since grown accustomed to this situation. Although she still disliked Ye Yunzhou and was always worried that this man would abduct her daughter, she had observed every detail of their interactions in recent days. The more she observed, the more certain she became that her daughter was being "taken advantage of by trickery."
Chun Xing couldn't help but sigh inwardly at her young lady's poor taste. Young Master Zhou was a far cry from the eldest son, and she couldn't understand why her young lady would fall for him. However, as they spent more time together, her hostility towards Ye Yunzhou gradually dissipated. Now, the two of them could coexist peacefully, without interfering with each other.
Unable to resist Luo Shuiyao's insistence, Chun Xing had no choice but to get on the carriage to rest. Luo Shuiyao held a wooden stick and gently poked the bonfire in front of her, sparks flying and then extinguishing.
Ye Yunzhou sat quietly beside her, letting her rest her head gently on his shoulder. The two of them remained silent in tacit understanding, just quietly enjoying this quiet and warm moment.
In the distance, a black figure was nimbly moving through the mountains, busy with something unknown.
Suddenly, Ye Yunzhou's ears twitched, sensitively detecting a faint, unusual sound in the distance. He instinctively stood up and gazed sharply in the direction of the sound, but saw only swaying tree shadows and the hazy night sky, finding nothing unusual. He listened intently, but the sound gradually faded away, as if it had never appeared.
He frowned, and a look of vigilance appeared in his eyes.
Seeing this, Luo Shuiyao also stood up and followed his gaze. Her eyesight was far less sharp than Ye Yunzhou's, and she could see nothing but the pitch-black night and the swaying grass in the wind. She couldn't help but lower her voice and ask, "What's wrong? Did you find anything?"
Ye Yunzhou shook his head slightly: "It's too far away, I can't hear it clearly, I just vaguely heard a strange sound."
Seeing Luo Shuiyao's tense expression, he immediately whispered to comfort her, "Don't be afraid, it might be a mountain animal passing by and making the noise."
Luo Shuiyao finally felt relieved and turned her gaze to the crackling campfire: "Let's add some firewood and make the fire burn brighter. If there are any wild animals passing by, they will be frightened."
"Okay." Ye Yunzhou never refuted her suggestions. After nodding in agreement, he walked to where the firewood was piled and added the prepared branches and wood into the fire one by one.
Luo Shuiyao followed him and wanted to lend a hand, but he held her back. His tone was gentle, but revealed a firmness that would not be refused: "You rest aside, I'll be fine soon."
Luo Shuiyao knew that Ye Yunzhou was so considerate because he cared about her, and she couldn't help feeling a little sweet in her heart. She was naturally very grateful for such care.
Adding firewood was just a simple task, and it wouldn't be a problem for him to do it alone. Now that their hearts were connected, if nothing unexpected happened, this man would be with her for the rest of her life. In that case, it would be a good idea to "train" him to be happy and content as soon as possible, and get him used to giving for her. Thinking of this, she raised her lips slightly and said softly, "Okay, be careful, I'll wait for you."
Even though he'd grown accustomed to her obedient demeanor, Ye Yunzhou still felt a surge of joy as he gazed at Luo Shuiyao. He loved the way she relied on him, even if this charming expression only surfaced when she was ordering him around. He was content with it. This "special treatment" proved she needed him.
He glanced back at the guards sleeping on the ground, and seeing that no one was paying attention to him, his fingertips unconsciously lifted her chin gently.
Before Luo Shuiyao could react, he quickly touched her lips.
She had long been accustomed to his occasional "touching" her, but now that she was outside, she was still frightened by his audacity. She glanced at him, her ears burning. "Go get some more firewood, I'll wait here."
She dodged his hand, took two steps back and sat back in her original position, supporting her chin with one hand and motioning him to start.
Ye Yunzhou's lips curled slightly, and he obediently went to add firewood. Luo Shuiyao tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes unconsciously falling on the man's hands, which used to hold a sword but were now busy adding firewood. She felt a sense of peace in her heart.
To ensure safety, they built six bonfires around the camp, evenly distributed near the rest area. Ye Yunzhou moved methodically between the bonfires, his movements quick and efficient, quickly adding firewood to all of them. Then he turned and walked towards Luo Shuiyao.
Seeing this, Luo Shuiyao immediately raised her hand and waved at him, smiling and calling out, "Come here quickly!"
Ye Yunzhou quickened his pace, his eyes passing over her smiling face. Suddenly, as he looked towards a certain place in the forest, his pupils shrank, his face showed fear, and he shouted, "Get down!"
Luo Shuiyao's mind hadn't yet reacted, but her body had already subconsciously dove to the ground. The next moment, a sharp arrow, gleaming with cold light, shot through the forest and plunged directly into the bonfire in front of her, sending sparks flying. A few sparks splashed on her body, leaving red burns, but she felt no pain at all.
Ye Yunzhou flashed in front of her, scooped her up into his arms, and quickly dodged behind a tree. He looked warily in the direction of the arrow's origin. By this time, the guards and Chun Xing had been awakened. They all stood up and rushed over, weapons in hand.
"Miss Protection!"
"How is the young lady? Is she hurt?" Amidst the panicked shouts, the guards quickly stood in front of the two of them, forming a fan-shaped alert formation, their eyes fixed on the movements in the forest ahead.
Chun Xing was half a step slower after all. When she ran over, she rushed straight towards Luo Shuiyao, and with trembling hands she wanted to check if she was injured.
Luo Shuiyao gently held her hand, her voice steady, but with a subtle tremor: "Don't be afraid, I'm fine."