Chapter 214: Mocking, Understanding, And Finally Becoming |
Mu Qingshuang entered the kitchen, carrying a bag of spices. She watched the young man in front of her as he skillfully cleaned the fish. Normally, she would avoid such scenes of killing, but at this moment, she didn't even flinch. After all, her attention was solely focused on his movements, the messy details fading into the background.
"These are the spices you requested. I'll leave them here for you." Mu Qingshuang approached Lu Xun gracefully, gently placing the bag of spices in front of him. She looked at him intently and muttered, "I didn't expect you to be able to cook."
"Cooking is quite interesting. Transforming ingredients into delicious dishes using various cooking techniques gives me satisfaction," Lu Xun replied, continuing to expertly descale the fish and then gutting it, simple actions that made Mu Qingshuang slightly uncomfortable.
"Is that so?"
"I suppose this has something to do with the little fox, right?" Mu Qingshuang lightly said, "She's especially gluttonous, and whenever she sees something delicious, she wants to taste it. It seems, under her coaxing, you've developed your culinary skills."
Lu Xun smiled slightly and replied, "You could say that. But I usually cook grilled meat for her."
"She really likes to eat meat," Mu Qingshuang nodded.
As their conversation lulled, it seemed that they both fell into an awkward silence. Lu Xun was focused on cleaning the fish, while Mu Qingshuang stood there, a bit at a loss. She bit her lip and attempted to speak but couldn't find the right words.
"I'll go now."
After saying this, the tranquil lake within her heart seemed to have been struck by a massive stone, sending ripples cascading outwards, and she felt an indescribable sense of shame almost reaching the top of her head.
"Uh, sure."
"Grind these spices for me," Lu Xun pointed to a small stone mortar nearby, and casually said, "Just give them a rough grind, not too fine."
Hearing that he needed her assistance, the charming widow was somewhat delighted. She nodded gently, walked up to him, took the bag of spices, and moved to the side of the mortar. She unceremoniously threw all the spices into it, took the short, thick wooden pestle, and began to grind the spices one by one, with unwavering determination.
However, being accustomed to a life of luxury, she quickly grew tired. What started as an enthusiastic and energetic endeavor turned into a sluggish and somewhat lazy effort. Her hands began to hurt, and her arms felt sore. She didn't want to portray herself as a spoiled woman, so she forced herself to persist.
As Lu Xun efficiently continued to clean the fish, he glanced at the charming widow who was grinding the spices. Her actions exuded the unique gravitas of a mature woman. This sophisticated widow seemed to exist between the enchanting demoness and the elegant fairy Su. Furthermore, she radiated a kind of refined, feminine charm that defied easy explanation. In short, he found her incredibly desirable and wanted to make her his wife.
Sigh. Though he didn't have the ambition of Alexander the Great, he did have a heart like Casanova!
"Ah!"
A sudden cry of pain rang out, making Lu Xun snap back to reality. He saw the beautiful widow clutching her palm, looking pitifully at him.
"What's wrong?" Lu Xun put down the knife he was using and quickly walked over to her.
"It seems this wooden stick is a bit new. I accidentally got a splinter and it's hurting me terribly," Mu Qingshuang said, lightly biting her lip, her eyes filled with teary mist. Especially the hint of helplessness between her brows that made her look incredibly pitiable and evoked empathy.
"Let me see," Lu Xun softly said.
Mu Qingshuang obediently opened her palm, presenting her tender hand to him. Sure enough, there was a slight trickle of blood from one of her fingers.
"Do you trust me?" Lu Xun suddenly asked.
"Huh?" Mu Qingshuang appeared bewildered, looking at the handsome young man standing in front of her. She nodded silently and murmured, "Of course, I trust you."
As soon as the words left her lips, Lu Xun directly seized her delicate hand. This sudden move startled Mu Qingshuang, who had never never experienced such close physical contact with a man. She looked at the young man in front of her in amazement, and for a moment, the notion of male-female interaction not being allowed was forgotten.
"Don't move. I'll remove the splinter for you," Lu Xun said with great seriousness, without noticing Mu Qingshuang's current expression.
Gently squeezing the injured area, a trickle of blood oozed out. Through keen eyes, Lu Xun identified the extremely tiny splinter. However, trying to remove it with his fingers seemed challenging and practically impossible.
"I've found the splinter, but I can't get it out unless I suck it out," Lu Xun said softly. "You'll have to do it yourself."
By this point, Mu Qingshuang had started to regain her composure. A flush of crimson had already spread across her cheeks. Her neck and ears were also tinged pink. With a slight turn of her head, she answered nervously, "I don't know how to do it. Can you help me?"
"Are you sure?"
Lu Xun frowned and asked solemnly, "Are you absolutely certain you want me to help you?"
Mu Qingshuang, in a state of distraction, was too preoccupied to consider Lu Xun's question. Her face was blushing, and she couldn't bear the embarrassment. She impatiently said, "Hurry up."
Seeing her determination, Lu Xun had no choice but to comply. He took her flawless, fair hand and, with a light kiss, gently sucked at the injured finger's wound.
"Mmm…!"
A sweet, melodious exclamation escaped from Mu Qingshuang's lips.
She shivered all over and quickly turned to look at him, witnessing him suck her finger. While she was undoubtedly embarrassed, there was also an inexplicable tingling sensation. Her hand was no longer hurting at this moment; instead, it was replaced by a gentle and moist feeling.
"That's about it," Lu Xun said as he spat out the saliva mixed with her blood. He looked at the blushing widow in front of him, who was clearly distracted, and softly said, "It's partly my fault. You probably don't do this kind of work often, yet I asked you to. Fortunately, the injury wasn't serious. You can go back and wait for me. I'll be finished shortly."
"I… I…"
Although Lu Xun had released her hand, Mu Qingshuang's thoughts were still lingering on the recent experience. Her mind was filled with waves of residual sensation. She bit her lip tightly and glanced at the handsome young man in front of her. Then, she quickly lifted her skirt and hurried away, nearly tripping over the threshold.
Back in her room, Mu Qingshuang stood at the door, leaning against the frame. She was panting heavily, her face still flushed.
He…how could he…? Will I ever be able to marry in the future? Is it only meant to be with him?
Mu Qingshuang's thoughts were still in a daze, and the images kept flashing in her mind. Having never experienced such an ambiguous scene before, she found it difficult to calm down. There was also a strange sense of excitement that made her heart beat faster.
"It's so hot," Mu Qingshuang touched her own cheek, feeling the waves of heat under her palm.
Why did he do this? Was he deliberately teasing me?
No, no, no!
He was clearly worried about me. His subtle and gentle actions, as well as the fact that he consulted with me for every decision, show that he's not that kind of man. Thinking carefully, I agreed to what he did; it has nothing to do with him.
Mu Qingshuang found ample reasons to justify Lu Xun's behavior and continued to imagine various scenarios. She willingly took responsibility for everything and denied any involvement from Lu Xun. The beautiful widow had her mind completely muddled, a clear indication of her long-suppressed desires.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to suppress the chaos in her heart.
Mu Qingshuang went into her inner bedroom and sat at the table, sipping her tea. She couldn't help but glance at the little fox, who was lying on the bed. A feeling of guilt washed over her.
What should I do now? I-I seem to have a slight feeling of affection. No, no, it seems like I have a lot of feelings. But he belongs to the little fox, he is her husband. And I am a close friend of the little fox. Stealing my friend's man… I… I just can't do it.
"Alas."
"Still weeping are the pearls, hating that we didn't meet before marriage."
Mu Qingshuang sighed, her face filled with melancholy. Compared to the solitude of having no husband, she now felt more helpless and pained. After so long, she had finally experienced a trembling of the heart, but the other person happened to be a married man, and the bitter irony was that his wife was her dearest friend.
"Maybe… loneliness is the destined outcome of my life. This cursed situation really caught me off guard," Mu Qingshuang mused.
Suddenly, she recalled something that the handsome young man had said.
"Sometimes, rules are not meant to be rigid shackles but flexible guidelines. The bolder you are, the more likely you are to get what you want."
Maybe, just maybe, I can share a man with the little fox. Even Jingyi is sharing the same man with other women. Why can't I?
Do I have to watch him leave with my eyes wide open? No, no. I want to fight for my happiness. I don't want to continue being lonely.
"Uh…"
"It seems I need to consult Jingyi about this. She has experience in this area. But I should be tactful."
Oh, I never thought I would walk down this irreversible path.
Mocking Jingyi, understanding Jingyi, and finally becoming Jingyi.