lcionline Chapter 450
Chapter 450
Their group was quite eye-catching. The guards were tall and handsome, and the horses they rode had glossy coats and a vigorous gait, making it clear at a glance that they were no ordinary beasts. Furthermore, the exquisite carriage behind them, with its carved wooden windows and brocade curtains, and the sound of its wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs, even carried a certain air of nobility.
Pedestrians along the street stopped to talk to each other or cast curious glances. Even the spectators drinking tea in the teahouse leaned over the railings to look.
Seeing this, one of the guards dismounted and, with a fist clasped, asked for directions from an elderly man leaning on a cane on the street. The man squinted his eyes, surveyed the area for a moment, then pointed with his wrinkled hand: "Go straight ahead. After two alleys, the big red lanterns of the 'Welcome Guest' Inn are the most visible."
The guard bowed and thanked him, then quickly walked to the carriage, knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "Miss, there is an inn called 'Welcome Guest' two hundred steps ahead. It is said to be clean and bright."
Luo Shuiyao had already heard it clearly. Through the carriage curtain, her voice was as clear and cold as a spring: "Let's go there."
As soon as the words fell, the guard jumped on the horse, and the carriage wheels started to turn again, raising a fine cloud of dust. She turned to look at Ye Yunzhou, who was pretending to sleep, and said, "Wake up, we've arrived in An County."
However, Ye Yunzhou didn't move for a long moment. Luo Shuiyao's heart tightened, and she reached out to push him. The moment her fingertips touched his sleeve, Ye Yunzhou suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp alert flashing in them. Almost without thinking, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Luo Shuiyao's wrist. With a strong pull, his palm was firmly pressed against her neck and shoulder, the movement so fast that it caught her off guard.
The atmosphere in the carriage suddenly became tense. Luo Shuiyao only felt a cold touch on her neck, and her pupils shrank suddenly in shock.
Being away from home, in a confined carriage, Ye Yunzhou should have been constantly alert, sleep impossible. Yet, for some reason, the lingering scent of jasmine, mixed with the softness of fabric, somehow relaxed his tense spine. Watching Luo Shuiyao's fingers fluttering, the rabbit ears gradually taking shape on the snow-white silk, the sleepiness of the past few days washed over him like a rising tide, and he finally gave in to the weariness and fell into a deep sleep.
So sound asleep, he didn't even notice the violent jolting of the carriage over the gravel. Perhaps it was his subconscious over-trust in the person beside him that had left him defenseless. Suddenly, a touch struck him, and his martial artist's instincts were instantly activated. He leaped to his feet with lightning speed, his fingertips like eagle claws striking at the opponent's vital points.
But the moment he touched that slender neck, a familiar scent of jasmine filled his nose, and the soft touch beneath him made him stiffen. His remaining sanity instantly returned, and he realized with horror that he had nearly hurt the person most important to him.
Meeting Luo Shuiyao's terrified eyes, Ye Yunzhou felt as if he had fallen into an icy cave, his remaining sleepiness instantly dissipating. His Adam's apple rolled violently, and he frantically tried to pull his hand away. However, in his haste, he pushed himself up, knocking over the embroidery basket with a loud crash. Glinting silver needles and crimson silk threads fell to the sides of the two men like startled fish.
"I'm sorry!" His voice was very hoarse, a mixture of annoyance and tension.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the red mark on Luo Shuiyao's neck where he had gripped it. His heart almost skipped a beat, and even his words of explanation became halting. "I... didn't react for a moment. Did I hurt you?"
Luo Shuiyao, pinned beneath him, took a deep breath. She knew he hadn't meant to, but the fierce killing intent he'd displayed in that moment had truly made her heart palpitate. For some reason, a tinge of heartache welled up in her. She softly asked, "Is this your post-battle emergency response?"
Luo Shuiyao had read about post-war emergency reactions in a book. These symptoms were common among those who had experienced life-or-death combat on the battlefield. When they were in a state of heightened mental tension for a long time and were suddenly disturbed while unconscious, before they fully regained consciousness, they would instinctively perceive everything around them as a threat.
In a previous life, she had noticed a news story. A retired man was taking a nap at home when his three-year-old daughter tried to crawl in beside him to sleep, but he unconsciously threw her out. Tragedy struck instantly—the child's head struck the corner of a table, instantly killing her. Unable to bear the grief and guilt of losing his daughter, the retired man chose to jump from a tall building. The incident garnered widespread media coverage and sparked public outcry.
It was precisely because of this tragedy that Luo Shuiyao began to actively search for relevant articles and read them. She gradually understood that those who returned from the battlefield, despite their seemingly intact bodies, might hide souls riddled with scars, and any slight provocation could cause them to fall into the abyss of losing control.
Ye Yunzhou hurriedly shook his head, the color still lingering on his face, a hint of panic rising. "I don't know what post-war emergency response means, but I can guess a thing or two from the literal meaning. Someone like me who has been on the battlefield is already accustomed to being as tense as a bowstring, never daring to relax even a little bit."
His Adam's apple rolled restlessly as he recalled the dangerous situation just now. His voice trembled, "I'm really sorry for what I did just now. If I hadn't smelled your fragrance at the last moment, I'm afraid I would have made a big mistake."
Seeing that Luo Shuiyao just looked at him quietly and remained silent, Ye Yunzhou suddenly panicked.
He didn't care about maintaining anything else and practically threw himself in front of her. His trembling fingertips stroked the faint red mark on her neck, his tone full of regret and urgency: "If you are still angry, then hit me and scold me to vent your anger. But..."
He lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes casting a small shadow under his eyes, and his voice was so low that it was almost pleading, "Don't think I did it on purpose, don't ignore me."
Luo Shuiyao was startled by his sudden action and reached out to pull him: "I don't think you did it on purpose, get up quickly!"
Her ears turned red, and she lowered her voice and said angrily, "If someone sees you, will you still have any shame?"
She was so lost in thought that she forgot to respond, but she didn't expect Ye Yunzhou to misunderstand her as angry. Seeing the tension and caution in his eyes, Luo Shuiyao felt a soft touch in her heart, and her fingertips unconsciously pinched his sleeve, "You're really not angry."
Ye Yunzhou raised his eyes and met hers. Seeing no annoyance in her eyes, his heart settled. He was about to speak when he heard a soft "swish" sound. The carriage curtain opened, and half of Chun Xing's face peeked in from the gap.
She saw her young lady half-supporting herself, the man half-kneeling before her. When he turned his head, his shirt slightly opened, revealing a glimpse of his rosy skin. His eyes were slightly red, and a look of lingering fear still lingered. Chun Xing suddenly remembered the scene she had witnessed earlier. It now seemed as if the young lady had violently robbed the man, and her cheeks flushed. Her tongue stiffened with embarrassment, and after a long pause, she stammered, "Young lady... we're at the inn. Are you... ready?"
As soon as he said this, he felt ashamed and quickly lowered the curtain and jumped out of the car.
After getting off the carriage and seeing everyone's curious eyes, she realized that her movements were too big and attracted the attention of the guards.
A young lady's reputation is so precious, they must not know what happened inside, Chun Xing said with forced composure. "Go find the shopkeeper first to get a room and get the horses settled. I'll keep an eye on the carriage."
Although the guards were puzzled by her abnormal expression, they did not ask any further questions. They responded and retreated one by one.
Seeing them leave as instructed, Chun Xing's shoulders, which had been braced for support, instantly slumped. She glanced anxiously at the carriage and quietly waited beside it. When they arrived at the inn, she had called out to the young lady several times, but the carriage remained completely silent. Fearing that the man was plotting against the young lady, she desperately lifted the curtain, only to be confronted with another embarrassing scene.