Chapter 158 A Gentle Interview Afterwards

Chapter 158 A Gentle Interview Afterwards

"Reporting to the General, your wife has come to see you."

Cheng Lanzhou's hand holding the pen suddenly paused. He looked up sharply, his gaze passing through the screen and landing on her. The coldness in his eyes was instantly replaced by surprise.

He stood up, quickly walked around the screen to her, and asked in surprise, "Why are you so late? Did something happen?"

Jiang Yutang handed the food box to him, deliberately drawing out her words with a hint of coquettishness: "Can't I come to see you if there's nothing wrong? I specially cooked beef noodles for you."

Cheng Lanzhou looked at her, couldn't help but smile, and reached out to pull her into his arms: "Of course, I couldn't ask for more."

Jiang Yutang leaned against him and said in a muffled voice, "However... I do have something to ask you."

Cheng Lanzhou smiled and pinched her cheek, then put his arm around her and walked to the desk, his voice full of doting: "So what? Just say it."

Jiang Yutang tapped the food box with her fingertip, her tone carrying a hint of charming naiveté that left no room for refusal: "I specially brought you this late-night snack. Eat it while it's hot, and then we can talk about serious matters."

The familiar aroma wafted through the food box, and upon opening it, a tender smile instantly appeared in Cheng Lanzhou's eyes.

He picked up his chopsticks and, without caring about manners, devoured a bowl of braised beef noodles in no time, leaving hardly any broth behind.

He took the handkerchief Jiang Yutang handed him and wiped his mouth. He leaned forward slightly and looked at her intently.

"Tell me, what is it that made you make this special trip?"

Jiang Yutang then recounted the matter of black gold in detail. Upon hearing this, Cheng Lanzhou's gaze fell on the table, and his fingers gently tapped the surface, producing a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

The tent fell silent for a moment, with only the flickering light of the oil lamp casting shadows on his face.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery: "Madam was able to have so much black gold transported here; I underestimated your family's wealth."

Jiang Yutang pouted, plopped down on the edge of the table, crossed her arms, and threw a tantrum: "Just tell me if you'll help me or not."

Cheng Lanzhou chuckled at her expression: "Help, of course I'll help. I'll have someone register it in the accounting office later, and put these black gold coins as supplies from the military camp to support the people in building houses. Tomorrow I'll send a few soldiers who know carpentry over to help you."

"really?"

Jiang Yutang felt a surge of secret pleasure, and a smug expression unconsciously crept onto her face.

She thought to herself, "So this is what it's like to have power and influence. No wonder so many people are scrambling to take the civil service exam these days."

Even the wealthiest businessman is just an ordinary person without power.

Cheng Lanzhou leaned back in her chair, looked up at her on the table, and asked gently, "How's things at home lately?"

"Yes!" Jiang Yutang immediately perked up and nodded happily.

"My second sister-in-law gave birth, and it's twins, a boy and a girl! My second brother has been busy with farming and official duties lately, and they still haven't decided on names for the babies. Oh, by the way, I even delivered my nephew who came first!"

As she said this, she raised her chin, full of pride.

Seeing her smug look, Cheng Lanzhou's lips curled up even higher: "That's great news. As her uncle, I'll definitely bring the two little ones a decent gift when I go back on my next day off."

Jiang Yutang raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to him, teasingly asking, "What about mine?"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Lanzhou's expression changed instantly. The gentleness from before faded, replaced by a hint of aggrieved dissatisfaction, as if she were sulking.

Jiang Yutang gently poked his chest with her finger: "What's wrong? Can't bear to part with him?"

Cheng Lanzhou grabbed her mischievous hand and pulled her off the table with a little force, then gently placed her on his lap.

He tightened his arms around her, pressing her close to his chest, and rested his head on her forehead, his voice low and suggestive.

"You gave gifts to everyone on the road, but you forgot about me. Now you're asking me for them?"

Jiang Yutang was stunned by this sudden intimate action. Like a frightened chick, she sat obediently in his lap without moving, even her breathing became soft.

After a long pause, she stammered, "Then... what do you want? I'll make it up to you next time."

Cheng Lanzhou remained silent, staring intently at her with an intense, overwhelming desire surging in his eyes. His voice was so soft it could melt water: "Don't you really know what I want?"

Jiang Yutang met his eyes, which seemed to devour her whole, her fingers gripping his shoulders tightly, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.

Before she could react, Cheng Lanzhou had already gently kissed her neck, the kiss burning hot as it traveled down her neck.

The oil lamp on the table had been blown out by the wind at some point, and the soldiers guarding outside the tent had already tactfully retreated, leaving only the warmth of the tent spreading in the night.

The next morning, Jiang Yutang didn't know how long she had slept before she was finally awakened by the shouts of soldiers training outside the tent.

She frowned and murmured softly, her voice still hoarse and sticky from just waking up, and subconsciously reached out to touch the bed beside her.

But all he touched was a chill; Cheng Lanzhou was nowhere to be seen, presumably having gone to supervise the soldiers' training at the crack of dawn.

She let out a long yawn, struggled to sit up, and felt a tingling sensation in her lower back and abdomen.

Helplessly, Jiang Yutang supported her waist and slowly moved to the edge of the bed. The tenderness of last night uncontrollably surfaced in her mind, and her cheeks instantly burned.

Her undergarments were neat and clean, clearly put on by Cheng Lanzhou afterward.

Just as she was about to lift the covers and get out of bed, the tent curtain was suddenly pulled open from the outside, and a cold wind carrying some dust rushed in.

Jiang Yutang gasped in fright and quickly shrank back under the covers, leaving only her wet eyes staring at the screen.

She only breathed a sigh of relief when the person walked around the screen and her familiar figure came into view.

Cheng Lanzhou, holding a white porcelain bowl in her hand and with a clear smile in her eyes, walked briskly towards the bedside.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, handed the bowl to her and waved it: "I figured you should be awake by now, so I went to the kitchen and had them make you a bowl of white fungus porridge."

Looking at his fully charged appearance, Jiang Yutang remembered her own current embarrassment, glared at him reproachfully, and pouted slightly, with a hint of coquettishness.

Cheng Lanzhou's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He suppressed the urge to lean down and kiss those crimson lips, quickly turned his head away, coughed lightly, picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, and brought it to her lips.

"What time is it now?" Jiang Yutang asked vaguely, her mouth full of porridge.

Cheng Lanzhou said calmly, "It's almost noon."

"What?!" Jiang Yutang was startled and almost choked: "I actually slept for so long!"

She snatched the bowl from Cheng Lanzhou's hand, tilted her head back and drank the rest of the porridge in a few gulps, then threw off the covers and was about to get out of bed to get dressed.

Cheng Lanzhou picked up the folded coat from behind her and handed it to her, watching her flustered appearance with a leisurely air.

"Don't worry, I already sent someone to the clinic this morning to tell Dr. Xu that you feel a little tired and will come over later."

Jiang Yutang was relieved and quickly buttoned up her clothes.

"Then I'll go back to the clinic first and organize today's medicinal herbs. Have the soldiers who were sent to help build the house wait for me in the open space. I'll come over after I finish dealing with things at the clinic."

Cheng Lanzhou responded with a soft "please," pressed her hand down, and gently stroked the red marks on her wrist with his fingertips, his eyes filled with tenderness.

"Were you...unwell last night?"