Chapter 68 She and Lie Feng

Chapter 68 She and Lie Feng

"Prepare the carriage!" Shen Nanzi ordered without room for argument.

Lie Feng's handsome face was like a thin layer of frost, cold and hard.

Shen Nanzi ignored it and even asked her aunt to prepare a hibiscus cake and some wine to go with it.

Lie Feng's persistence was ignored, and he could only leave dejectedly.

From inside the carriage, Shen Nanzi glimpsed his somewhat dejected figure through the gap in the swaying curtain, like a small, huddled figure under a dilapidated temple, even his silhouette exuding a chill.

Just like when she first met him, she and her mother went to the temple to worship, and on their way back, they were caught in a sudden downpour.

It was freezing cold, so we had no choice but to take shelter from the rain in a dilapidated temple.

When they went inside, they found someone sleeping on the floor.

The ground was covered with thick, soft, dry grass, and a tattered quilt was placed over the person, leaving only their hair sticking out.

Judging from her hair being styled in a bun, she must be a woman.

They were just taking shelter from the rain temporarily and had mistakenly wandered into the beggars' sanctuary. Feeling a little apologetic, they didn't disturb them and simply stood on the other side, waiting for the rain to stop.

Before the rain stopped, a five- or six-year-old boy returned.

He was wearing a tattered padded jacket, but his trousers were thin summer pants, revealing his pale ankles.

He was barefoot, and his toes were red and swollen from the cold.

He held a half-broken stone bowl in his hands, filled with some dark, viscous substance, the nature of which was unknown.

Her hair, tangled and messy, hung down like ropes, unrestrained.

His dirty face framed a pair of clear, black-and-white eyes that warily scrutinized them.

Shen Nanzi looked at the child who was about the same age as her, her eyes filled with astonishment.

Although her family wasn't wealthy, her father was an official with a fixed monthly salary, so she never had to worry about food or drink.

The children she played with were all of higher status than her.

When she was with them, she always felt inferior and inferior.

But the children in front of her made her realize how lucky she was.

She wore a peach-pink pleated ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a snow-white cloak draped over her shoulders, and soft boots that her mother had just made for her feet.

The little girl's hand was held tightly by her mother, and a maidservant was serving her.

He, on the other hand, was a veritable little beggar.

Her mother was an extremely gentle woman. She smiled and said to him, "Sorry, we came in to take shelter from the rain and disturbed you!"

Shen Nanzi also felt that she had mistakenly trespassed into someone else's place, and softly echoed, "Sorry to disturb you!"

The wariness in his eyes disappeared, and he walked silently into the pile of dry grass.

He carefully placed the broken bowl down, then lifted the blanket.

The moment he lifted the covers, she saw a pale, purplish-blue face with black lips.

She saw him pick up the broken bowl and whisper, "Mother, time to eat."

Just then, her mother covered her eyes.

She heard her mother whisper, and then she was pulled into her mother's arms and rushed into the rain.

On the carriage, she heard her mother talking to the maid.

"That person who was sleeping just now was dead!"

"The child thought his mother was still alive and fed her little by little."

“The orphan and his widow were stranded in a dilapidated temple, and the mother had died. The child was truly pitiful.”

"In this freezing winter, I'm afraid they won't last much longer; the child will freeze to death!"

The mother fell silent.

Shen Nanzi only heard that the child would freeze to death, so she told the carriage to stop.

Jump down and run back.

His mother chased after him, running into the dilapidated temple, determined to take him away.

The mother, soft-hearted, couldn't resist his stubbornness and buried his mother amidst the boy's heart-wrenching cries.

From then on, he had a new name: Liefeng.

However, when he first arrived, he often sat in a corner, his back to him lonely and desolate.

When she looked at him through the window, she knew he must be missing his mother.

It reminded her of flowers that had lost sunlight and water, which also drooped and lost their vitality.

So, whenever she had a spare moment, she would teach him to read and write, hoping to see him full of life under her careful care.

From then on, his life seemed to revolve around her; wherever she was, he was there too.

He became her most loyal bodyguard, but was she merely his mistress?

Shen Nanzi dared not think any further.

When they arrived at Chang Le Street, Lie Feng jumped off the car, brought over a footstool, and stretched out his arms.

She put her hand on his arm and stepped off the stool.

He remained taciturn and a competent guard.

However, today, through careful observation, he vaguely sensed that beneath his ordinary appearance lay a hint of unhappiness.

He didn't like her coming to Chang Le Street. She had actually sensed it a long time ago, but she never paid any attention to it.

The two entered the courtyard one after the other.

A man dressed in a coarse cloth shirt came into her view, holding a bamboo basket containing several kinds of flowers.

Shen Nanzi loves growing flowers and plants, and she loves the combination of flowers and plants even more.

She loves the most beautiful colors in the world, and when these colors come together, they give her a tremendous spiritual shock.

However, after only two or three months, her courtyard was filled with a wonderful fragrance, and it was impossible to tell exactly how many kinds of flowers were there.

She felt that the sounds were rising and falling, one after another, and she liked them all.

The garden is bursting with spring colors, and all kinds of flowers are full of vitality. It doesn't feel like the demureness of early spring, but more like the passion of summer.

Shen Nanzi looked at that face that was more beautiful than flowers; even in coarse linen clothes, his beauty could not be hidden.

It was so beautiful it was almost blinding.

Shen Nanzi loves all beautiful things in the world, not just flowers and plants, but also beautiful faces.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been infatuated with Xie Yan for so many years. His words, "I will only be with one person for the rest of my life," stirred her heart.

His face made her lose both physically and emotionally.

She was indeed extremely superficial in her love; it was an inherent flaw in her character.

"Madam, it's been a long time!"

Ye Shuyin walked over steadily and stood in front of her with his handsome figure.

Despite having some dirt on her body, she was still surrounded by a fragrance that made it impossible to feel any disgust.

"Long time no see!" Shen Nanzi thought of his steady and powerful gait just now. "Is your leg fully healed?"

"Thanks to Madam, he has fully recovered."

As Ye Shuyin spoke, he took a flower from the bamboo basket and presented it to her.

It is a pink and white peony, with a graceful and elegant appearance, and unparalleled beauty.

"The flowers you grow really don't recognize the seasons; it's as if they'll bloom the way you want them as long as you plant them."

Shen Nanzi looked at the peony in her hand and was so amazed that she wanted to become his apprentice.

"How did you manage to create such a garden full of flowers?"

Ye Shuyin chuckled, "Having no way to repay you, I've devoted myself to nurturing you, and I only wish to wait for Madam to come and see you."

Shen Nanzi: "Then I'll trouble Young Master Ye to accompany me, so we can watch the show together and exchange our thoughts."

"Madam, please." His every move exuded elegance and nobility.

You wouldn't think he's just good-looking but lacks charm; you'd just think that all the colors in the world are nothing more than this.

Amidst the vibrant flowers in the courtyard, a woman in a striking dress walks side by side with a handsome man.

They would either stop in front of a flower and comment on it, or pick one and put it in a bamboo basket.

Shen Nanzi couldn't take it all in; she was either looking at the flowers or the person speaking.

Out of the corner of my eye, I always sense a cold gaze following me.

She deliberately smiled carefree, laughing and joking with Ye Shuyin as if no one else was around, and her piercing gaze became even more intense.

When she looks back, that gaze disappears as promised, leaving only a lingering sadness.

A chill ran down her spine as she looked at the incomparably handsome Young Master Ye.

Her eyes held admiration, her features were exquisite, and her gaze was intense.

Like a shy and delicate flower, she sways her body repeatedly, waiting for her beloved to cherish her.

Ye Shuyin looked away again and again, but her persistent pursuit lingered like the fragrance of flowers.

After reaching the pavilion, standing amidst a sea of ​​flowers, Shen Nanzi glanced at the other end of the pavilion, where a gaze followed closely.

She picked a thorny, bright pink rose; above its stem, the flowers bloomed profusely.

She touched it with her fingers; it was smooth, delicate, and slightly cool.

She then met Ye Shuyin's gaze, her red lips like fire, and a slight smile appeared on her face.

Her alluring gaze fell lavishly upon his lips.

With a flick of the flower branch, petals slowly drifted down his cheek, a cool sensation gently caressing his skin.

Then it moved to the base of his ear, then to his sensitive neck, lingering for a moment on his prominent Adam's apple, and gradually moving upwards, a delicate, ticklish sensation gliding over him.

It landed between his lips.

The teasing was like being splashed with wine, the intentions obvious.

Ye Shuyin's eyes darkened, and he parted his lips slightly to gently bite the petal.

Shen Nanzi gently pulled, and his slender body slowly leaned forward, like magnets attracting each other, gradually drawing closer.

Just as her red lips were about to achieve their desired result, a strong wind arrived as expected.

Ye Shuyin lost his footing and retreated repeatedly, and the enchanting atmosphere vanished instantly.

"Who do you think you are, daring to be so disrespectful to the Queen...she!"

Lie Feng clenched his fist, intending to attack the gentle and powerless Ye Shuyin again.

Shen Nanzi stood in front of him, protecting Ye Shuyin behind her.

"Liefeng, why did you hit him?"

Lie Feng gritted his teeth, "Miss, he has feelings for you..."

His eyes seemed to say that he was so promiscuous with you that he deserved to die.

“Lie Feng,” she looked at him, her eyes carrying an unprecedented warning, “you don’t need to get involved in this matter anymore.”

"You just need to stand at a distance and prevent outsiders from getting close!"

Shen Nanzi's meaning was crystal clear, and Lie Feng stared at her in disbelief.

His eyes held doubt, confusion, but more than anything, shock and sadness.

Even though he hid it very well, Shen Nanzi still saw it clearly.

"Liefeng, I just want to be happy, please don't stop me." Her eyes revealed sorrow, and her tone was filled with endless grief.

His tone seemed to leave him defenseless.

Lie Feng frowned, and for the first time ever, he boldly pulled her arm.

He pulled her along, walked into the pavilion, and lowered the bamboo curtains around the pavilion with one hand.

The bright pavilion suddenly became a bit darker.

He pinned her to the edge of the stone table, pinning her hands down with his own, and stared intently into her eyes.

"Can I? You can have me, like a rose, as you please."

For the first time, his gaze landed unabashedly on her face.

Every inch was meticulously ground, as if to memorize everything about her.

Shen Nanzi looked at him like this and chuckled without any surprise, "Liefeng, how dare you treat me like this?"

"If he can do it, why can't I?" Lie Feng's eyelashes trembled, and his body pressed firmly against her abdomen.

“If you’re having a bad time, feeling down, or want to vent, I can help you anytime, anywhere,” he emphasized through gritted teeth.

Shen Nanzi looked at his unprecedented toughness, raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with contempt and disdain.

What followed was her arrogant demeanor: "You need to understand your place."

She watched as the burning passion in his eyes faded, leaving only his still unapproachable gaze.

"You are nothing more than a little beggar I picked up. Your status can only ever be that of a guard, and you must not overstep your bounds."

Her gaze indeed hurt him; the courage he had finally mustered vanished instantly, leaving him with only a last ounce of strength.

Pointing at Ye Shuyin outside the pavilion, she said, "What about him? He's just someone you picked up to help heal your leg injury. Why did you choose him and not me?"

"Do you think you're prettier than him?" Shen Nanzi asked him mercilessly.

"My man must either have power or status, or at the very least, he must have a face that I find attractive."

Her words were clear and unambiguous, and Lie Feng's last bit of courage vanished, leaving him like a defeated eagle, incapacitated.

After saying that, she pushed him away, her eyes filled with pity as she said:

"Don't be angry, forget what just happened, that's a dream you shouldn't have had."

She lifted the bamboo curtain, stepped down, grabbed Ye Shuyin's sleeve, and warned him, "Don't follow me!"

Lie Feng stood stiff in the pavilion, like a stone statue that wouldn't move.

He turned around stiffly, looking at the bamboo forest behind him, watching the figure gradually disappear, his fists instantly hardening.

And something in my eyes is collapsing, like a city wall built up over a long period of time.

His carefully constructed structure collapsed in that instant.

Just like his mother, whom he tried to wake up no matter how much he fed her.

＊

In the bamboo forest, Ye Shuyin held her down.

Shen Nanzi leaned against the straight green bamboo, and an excessively beautiful face was right in front of her.

He was refined and elegant, his breath as sweet as orchids, as he drew near her lips.

Shen Nanzi tilted her head, and his lips missed their mark.

"Be good, madam," he seduced, his eyes alluring like a bewitching enchantress.

Shen Nanzi pushed him away, "Stop pretending! You can see through my intentions, why bother pretending anymore."

Ye Shuyin was gently pushed by her, taking two steps back to create distance between them.

"They used me and then discarded me; how heartless!" he complained.

"Is ten taels of gold enough?" Shen Nanzi asked, arms crossed.

"I just want to stay here, planting flowers and tending to the plants. Whenever my wife remembers me, she can come and see me." He spoke with a somewhat cheesy, submissive air.

"No need for a title, I'll be content as a well-behaved and sensible mistress."

Shen Nanzi chuckled, "Vixen!"

"She is not as beautiful as the lady, but she is too kind, which has aroused the desire of a guard to possess her."

He clicked his tongue, "Madam, you have good intentions, but unfortunately, you don't understand men."

“He’s a good person!” Shen Nanzi said calmly.

Ye Shuyin chuckled, "There are no absolutely good people in this world; everyone is a mixture of good and evil. Your actions will only make him forget your kindness, and it's not worth it."

"If you were in that situation, how would you handle it?"

"Cut the weeds and eliminate the roots!"

Shen Nanzi smiled and said, "We are not the same kind of people. Perhaps, this is all we can say to each other."

She pointed to the flowers outside the bamboo grove.

＊

Ten days later, Lie Feng received the imperial edict, bid her farewell, and left with a small bundle on his back.

Shen Nanzi thought to herself, "How come all these years have passed and I've only managed to clean up so little?"

"Your Highness, Prince Jing has arrived!"