The words that came out of Luo Yueguan’s mouth were so amusing that anyone who could hold back a laugh for a single second would be a true wonder.
Jiang Huai noticed that his skin was indeed getting thicker and thicker. If it were anyone else, Luo Yueguan would have been embarrassed, furious, and flustered, but seeing Luo Yueguan in front of him, looking so regretful, remorseful, aggrieved, and wronged as she recounted how she couldn’t help but spy on him and Luo Qingyu all night, his first reaction was to pinch his own thigh fiercely.
“No laughing! Jiang Huai! No laughing!”
Luo Yueguan suddenly realized that speaking about this matter was not as difficult as she had imagined. She let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if a great burden had been lifted. When her eyes looked at Jiang Huai’s face, she clearly saw the suppressed laughter on his face. She couldn’t help but lift her white and tender little feet from under the table again. This time, however, Jiang Huai was prepared and directly lifted his leg, clamping her ankle.
“I’m not laughing,” Jiang Huai looked at her innocently, “At least not out loud.”
In an instant, Luo Yueguan began to go crazy. Just as she was about to pounce on Jiang Huai, Jiang Huai seemed to have predicted her every move. He reached out and pressed her shoulders, forcing her to sit back down obediently. He looked at her eyes helplessly, “So… you’re distressed about this?”
“No, what else?” Luo Yueguan turned her face away, her heart almost overflowing with a sense of grievance.
She felt that Jiang Huai surely wouldn’t understand. Even she herself didn’t understand. On the path of cultivation, she could be considered one of the most heartless, selfish, and self-serving people. After a great winnowing, she stood at the highest point, yet she couldn’t even control her own desires, doing something so depraved, shameless, and indecent… She suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, unable to articulate it.
“It’s okay,” Jiang Huai shook his head.
Luo Yueguan was stunned at first, then she slightly raised her head, a flicker of light appearing in her eyes, “You can understand me?”
“Not exactly,” Jiang Huai shook his head, looking innocently into her eyes, “I just always feel that no matter what you do, I won’t be surprised. It inexplicably feels like it’s very reasonable for this kind of thing to happen to you, and I can’t feel any anger or shame anymore, which is a strange feeling.”
Luo Yueguan subconsciously wanted to kick him again, but found her ankle still held by him. It took her a lot of effort to pull it free. She buried her face in her arms and then muttered in a low voice, “Are you mocking me severely in your heart?”
“I already did,” Jiang Huai shrugged innocently, “Just don’t do it again next time.”
“I, I certainly don’t want to…” Luo Yueguan’s eyelashes trembled slightly, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me… I, I, I suspect it’s an inner demon affecting me!”
Even though Luo Yueguan felt her own words sounded like nonsense, she was very sure that it had nothing to do with her inner demon last night. It was purely her own desire that had clouded her mind. Jiang Huai gently nodded, “Yes, I believe you.”
Although Luo Yueguan knew very well that Jiang Huai’s expression at the moment clearly indicated “I don’t believe you, but I can save you some face,” she didn’t continue to bicker with Jiang Huai. Instead, she couldn’t help but mutter in a low voice, “Then tell me… what should I do?”
“What do you mean, what do you do?”
“It’s just…”
“Just don’t do it next time,” Jiang Huai winked at her gently, “Since you know it’s not good, there’s no need for me to say anything else, right? Or do you want me to scold you harshly? Then next time you want to do this, you’ll feel ashamed and won’t do it again?”
Luo Yueguan’s eyes lit up, “That sounds reasonable. Scold me then.”
Jiang Huai looked at her with a strange expression, “I don’t think so.”
“No,” Luo Yueguan sat up straight, her slender waist held perfectly straight, looking at Jiang Huai in front of her with anticipation, “Scold me a couple of times. If I want to peep again in the future, I’ll surely come to my senses when I think of your words.”
“…” Jiang Huai scratched his head, “I think this mainly depends on self-control, and it has little to do with me scolding you.”
“You won’t know if you don’t try. Scold me.”
“Then do you want me to say it lightly… or heavily?”
“Heavily.”
Jiang Huai looked at Luo Yueguan warily, “Then you have to promise not to get angry and become flustered.”
“Of course,” Luo Yueguan tilted her chin slightly, glancing at Jiang Huai with disdain in her eyes.
Jiang Huai looked at her slightly proud cheeks, muttered “crazy” in his heart, and slowly began to speak.
“You know it’s your own daughter and son-in-law, yet you still can’t help but want to spy. You’ve lived for hundreds of years and seem to have grown up not at all, having no self-control. You’ve even lost the basic sense of shame that a person should have. What’s the difference between you and a lustful kitten?”
“That’s it?” Luo Yueguan glanced at him sideways, completely unfazed.
“Then what else do you want me to say? Should I call you vile or shameless?”
“If you really say that… I won’t be angry.” Even though she said this, Luo Yueguan’s eyelashes drooped slightly, and her tone carried a hint of unspoken grievance.
He really thought that way. She shouldn’t have told him. She should have kept it to herself and let it fester in her heart.
“But there’s no need to say it,” Jiang Huai looked at her eyes helplessly, “You always mock yourself about this, but if you were truly shameless, the outside world would have long ago labeled you as promiscuous and dissolute. But to this day, they all know you’re arrogant and look down on almost all men… Your shamelessness seems to be directed only at me.” Saying this, Jiang Huai looked at her intently.
Was he getting the benefits and pretending to be wronged?
“Hmph, don’t flatter yourself. Because you’re a child, so…”
“That’s why I didn’t call you shameless,” Jiang Huai looked at her eyes helplessly, “Actually, I just couldn’t help but want to laugh just now. As for really mocking you… not really.”
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
“You are lying.”
“I told you, no,” Jiang Huai looked into her eyes, his tone becoming very sincere at this moment, “When a person is lonely for too long, they tend to become strange. Any kind of fantasy appearing in their head is not surprising. It’s not just you. Look at me in the past. Writing so many strange, despicable, vulgar, and shameless books under the name A Mumu.”
Jiang Huai gazed into her eyes, “You are willing to tell me this troublesome matter, instead of keeping it hidden in your heart and letting it fester, is already a very, very good thing. I think this deserves encouragement, not ridicule.”
“But your eyes were clearly laughing non-stop just now!”
“Well, I didn’t laugh out loud,” Jiang Huai blinked at her.
Luo Yueguan’s cheeks puffed out slightly, “You’re talking to me in that tone of coaxing a child again. I’m not a child, and I don’t care if you encourage me.”
“I know,” Jiang Huai’s voice was very soft, “What I mean is… no one will blame you, you don’t have to think too much, and you don’t need to blame yourself too much. Many things are fine as long as you understand them yourself, and you don’t really need other people’s opinions.”
“What if… I have those thoughts again tonight, what then?”
“You won’t be peeping tonight either. Qingyu will probably need to rest all night.”
Luo Yueguan was a cat, and Luo Qingyu was also a cat. They especially liked to tease Jiang Xiaohu in various ways, waiting to be severely disciplined. After being severely disciplined, they would be obedient for a long time. Based on past experience, tonight Qingyu would act spoiled in his arms, saying she didn’t want anything. If Jiang Huai teased her pretendly, she would roll around on the bed.
Luo Yueguan turned her face away, “I’m just saying, I’m not really going to peep.”
“Oh,” Jiang Huai nodded.
“Then what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Qingyu isn’t letting you bully her, what will you do? Just hold it in?”
“Holding it in won’t kill you,” Jiang Huai spread his hands innocently, “Actually, it’s fine. When you truly love someone, desire is just a seasoning.”
This was something he had truly experienced. When he was young and inexperienced, Jiang Huai’s mind was filled with all sorts of crazy fantasies. But when two hearts truly drew closer, those crazy fantasies became mere embellishments, and even doing nothing, just sleeping embraced, would bring peace of mind.
“I don’t believe it,” Luo Yueguan pouted.
Jiang Huai couldn’t help but smile and cry, looking at her. After a moment, he suddenly thought of something, “Can you stand up for a moment?”
“For what?” Although she didn’t understand, Luo Yueguan still stood up. Jiang Huai walked in front of her, looking into her eyes, “I’ll hug you.”
“For what?” Luo Yueguan took a step back, her eyes filled with vigilance.
“You’ll understand when I hug you.”
Luo Yueguan looked at Jiang Huai in front of her, puzzled. She believed that Jiang Huai didn’t want to take advantage of her by wanting to hug her, but she still didn’t understand what he meant. However, she no longer dodged and instead moved closer.
The rain poured down outside the pavilion, and her body felt slightly cold. Jiang Huai came to her side and gently embraced her, his hand resting on her back. His movements were very gentle, not forcefully pulling her body close.
At first, Luo Yueguan’s body was extremely stiff. She was not used to this feeling. It was strange… She hated all physical touch and never let anyone touch her, yet now she was truly embraced by Jiang Huai. She could feel Jiang Huai’s body temperature and heartbeat, but she remained like a stunned puppet, muttering, “I don’t understand.”
“Then just assume I suddenly wanted to take advantage of you and give you a hug,” Jiang Huai replied softly. Luo Yueguan’s body felt cold, but it was surprisingly comfortable to hold. She was indeed soft, but his hands were honest, never touching any improper places.
Luo Yueguan was slightly stunned. She slowly raised her hand and gently hugged Jiang Huai.
It was an indescribable feeling.
It was just a simple embrace, just a physical touch, and there was no love or lust in their hearts, yet Luo Yueguan suddenly felt her body slowly relax, no longer so stiff and cold.
Suddenly, all the chaotic thoughts vanished at this moment. She only heard the sound of rain in her ears, yet it no longer seemed chaotic. It was as if everything had a reason. The world became both noisy and quiet. After another moment, her chin rested lightly on Jiang Huai’s shoulder, and her body leaned even closer.
Jiang Huai smelled the faint fragrance on her and looked down at her snow-white neck and round, delicate shoulders. He grumbled with dissatisfaction, “You’re leaning too close…”
“What if I’m too close?”
“Your chest is too close!”
“If you dare to have lust for your mother-in-law, then you’re no different from a stray dog.” Luo Yueguan’s lips curved slightly, her body completely relaxed against Jiang Huai’s embrace. After a long while, she finally tiptoed slightly and whispered into Jiang Huai’s ear, “I think I understand.”
“Understand what?”
“I can’t say, but… I like this feeling,” Luo Yueguan’s voice was very, very light, “I want to hug you a little longer.”
Jiang Huai didn’t speak further, but looked out at the pouring rain, no longer looking at Luo Yueguan in his arms. It was only after a very, very long time that Luo Yueguan finally left his embrace and sat back opposite him. The grievance, disappointment, and confusion in her eyes had completely vanished, replaced by brightness and clarity.
Jiang Huai sat down, while Luo Yueguan’s slender, snow-white calves emerged from under the table and moved in front of him.
He looked up at Luo Yueguan. Luo Yueguan was resting her chin on her hand, her delicate pink lips curved slightly, and a hint of playfulness and gentleness in her eyes, “Pinch it.”
“No.”
“This is Luo Yi’s reward for you,” Luo Yueguan tilted her chin upwards.
Jiang Huai shook his head, “No.”
“Why?”
“It’s nothing,” Jiang Huai shook his head and suddenly said something that Luo Yueguan found completely baffling.
“I hate you, Luo Yueguan.”
