After the White Lotus Fell of the Horse - Chapter 36
Xiao Zexing lowered his gaze, and dimples formed on his cheeks as he asked, "Are you sure?"
Growing impatient, Tang You didn't respond. Instead, she forcefully tugged at Xiao Zexing's shirt collar and leaned in, planting a direct kiss on his lips.
She didn't have a single clue about the proper way to kiss. It was full of innocence even though she eagerly pressed forward. Ultimately, it was just a simple touch of lips against lips as she did so with open eyes.
With the ocean's radiance in the background, the sea glistened in myriad hues as its azure waters shimmered. The sea breeze carried a slight tinge of saltiness as a white pigeon landed on the railing, folding its wings and tilting its head to observe the two people kissing each other.
Xiao Zexing bent down, his arm slipping around her from behind. He embraced her closely. His eyelashes drooped slightly, his gaze on her deep and intense.
Tang You tilted her head back. The small mole at the corner of her eye became prominent at this moment.
Tang You hesitantly tried nibbling on his lip.
She didn't dare to exert any force. It was very little, but she succeeded in the end.
Her kisses were clumsy and awkward.
Xiao Zexing indulged and acquiesced to her antics.
However, when Tang You had tasted enough and was ready to pull away, her waist was wrapped by Xiao Zexing, and she was pressed closer to him.
Xiao Zexing's voice was low and hoarse as he murmured, "One more kiss."
This time, the kiss wasn't as gentle as the previous two; the old fox had finally stopped hiding his nature and bared his hidden fangs. The little rabbit who had unknowingly fallen into the trap thought that she had finally gotten her way. Although she was a little out of breath from the kiss, she still felt a subtle sense of accomplishment.
It was just that her head was dizzy from being kissed. Grabbing his arm, Tang You felt that kissing with Xiao Zexing felt really good.
She could do it again another eight or ten times.
In the midst of giddiness, Xiao Zexing easily picked Tang You up and walked toward the room.
Tang You wrapped her arms around his neck, her face pressed against his ear and cheeks reddening as the seconds went by.
Oh my, the insinuation of this position…
She was like an octopus, her limbs firmly entangled around him and refusing to let him go any further.
The soft hem of her skirt draped over his hand, its cool silk texture seemingly teasing him.
Xiao Zexing's hand tightened.
Only after putting Tang You down did he close the glass door leading to the terrace, and he drew the gauze curtains tightly.
He also turned on the cream-colored lamp next to the pillow.
In the gentle halo of light, the two kissed amidst the soft silk and velvet bedding. There were no other guests on this floor of the hotel, and all was silent except for their slightly hurried breaths which could be heard clearly.
The atmosphere was enchanting and could embolden even the timid.
Tang You, a bit short of breath, cleared her mind and stopped overthinking. She just wanted to indulge in this moment.
However, kissing wasn't enough.
The little rabbit extended her mischievous claws.
Xiao Zexing caught her hands, restraining her actions. He pressed his forehead against hers, his voice hoarse as he called out her name, "Tang You."
The rabbit was caught firmly, gazing at him in confusion.
Xiao Zexing's shirt was slightly disheveled, but he still looked impeccable.
He kept his gaze on Tang You. "Let's date."
Hmm?
Did he mean “mate” instead?
Why did he say something so anticlimactic at a time like this?
Couldn't they both just enjoy themselves without any strings attached?
Tang You attempted to brush it off, remaining silent as she waved her wrist and coaxed him softly, trying to arouse his primal instincts. "Second Uncle."
Xiao Zexing remained unfazed. He lowered his head and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear, "Youyou, don’t you like me?"
I like your body. I like it so much.
But, I don’t understand your true nature.
Tang You hadn't thought of a way to answer him yet, but Xiao Zexing had already gotten an inkling from her hesitation.
He released Tang You's hands and gently enveloped her whole being, resting his chin on the top of her head and preventing her from any impulsive actions. "Youyou."
Tang You voiced out, "Huh?"
"It's not that easy to deceive me about your intentions for my body." Xiao Zexing bit her ear lightly, chuckling softly. "You won't even admit that you like me. Are you trying to be superficial in this relationship by just satisfying your own sexual desires without catching feelings?
Tang You went along with his playful banter, nuzzling up while coquettishly whining, "I like Big Brother Zexing the most. Can’t you kiss me again?"
Xiao Zexing indulged her, kissing her until she was almost breathless. His large hand patted her back, soothing her breathlessness. "Kissing is fine, but nothing else other than that."
His tall, robust figure had Tang You trapped in his embrace. Her small limbs were pinned down. There was no way she could do anything.
This was the natural advantage of having good physical strength. While he could easily devour her, it was hard for her to do the same.
Enticed by the heightened ambience, Tang You had intended to do something else, but she found herself caught in Xiao Zexing's embrace once more.
"Didn't you say you’re conservative and wanted to save it until after marriage?" Xiao Zexing kissed her cheek. "Changed your mind?"
Tang You was straightforward. "I can't wait."
Xiao Zexing was just too tempting.
She wanted to sleep with him.
She had thought he was Xiao Weijing at first, so she made up a bunch of lies to avoid sleeping with him. She couldn't even remember them all now.
Now, out of nowhere, he was bringing up old matters. She was a bit embarrassed and retorted in a flustered manner, "Back then, you said people my age should hang out with their peers. It’s no fun being with an old man like you."
Xiao Zexing wasn't swayed. "Now, I want to savor some tender grass1."
"Well, go ahead and savor it." Tang You struggled to move her arm upward from his side and kissed Adam's apple, acting extremely audacious. "The tender grass is right here. Why aren't you opening your mouth?"
Xiao Zexing pinched her cheek while smiling. "You’re such a troublemaker."
Tang You felt like the one causing trouble was Xiao Zexing.
He clearly wanted to do it too. Did he think she was oblivious to his intentions?
However, he was hesitating about whether she had feelings for him or not.
Xiao Zexing lowered his gaze. "You still haven't figured it out. Wait until you do before we go further."
Tang You vaguely understood Xiao Zexing's intention.
He wanted her to like him.
Having feelings for someone came with a heavy price. Tang You didn't want to end up like her mother, giving her heart away and being let down completely. She was afraid of being hurt, so she was unwilling to invest herself fully.
Just like Xiao Weijing back then, and now, Xiao Zexing.
People could be happy without any emotional entanglement.
Why not just enjoy the physical aspect without emotions?
Tang You couldn't understand. She had originally planned to wait until Xiao Zexing was asleep and then make her move, but she ended up sleeping like a log. When she woke up, he was already gone.
Only a warm breakfast was left on the table.
She opened her phone and saw a message from Miao Jiaxi.
It came at just the right time.
Miao Jiaxi: Did our perverted Youyou end up sleeping with Xiao Zexing?
Tang You took a bite of the pan-fried tofu as she typed her reply: No, but we kissed.
Miao Jiaxi: Who kissed whom? Did you take the lead, or did he?
Tang You: It was mutual. I was the one who took the lead.
Miao Jiaxi sent a disappointed, rolling-on-the-ground rabbit emoji.
Tang You finished a whole piece of tofu and thought for a moment before sending another reply.
Tang You: In these next few days, I must accomplish my little goal. If I don't succeed, I’ll say my name backwards2..
Originally, the plan was to start shooting this afternoon. However, around noon, Huo Xunan called to apologize, "I'm sorry, Tang You. My wife suddenly fell ill, and I'm on my way to the hospital. We probably won't be able to shoot today. We'll have to postpone it."
Tang You asked with concern, "The shoot isn't urgent. Is your wife okay? Is she alright?"
"She's fine. It's just an old issue. It’s nothing serious." Huo Xunan's gentle voice reassured Tang You.
The crew had grown accustomed to dealing with various unexpected situations, including Huo Xunan not being able to make it on time. Additionally, they considered their accommodation and meal subsidies as a sort of holiday perk, so there were no complaints.
Tang You was also relieved that she didn't have to go in the water that day.
The bruises left by Xiao Zexing's hands on her waist were particularly conspicuous, and there were marks of varying depth of hues on her ankles and lower legs, but she didn't recall getting her legs pinched the day before. Or had the kissing been so intense that she forgot?
Tang You was quite puzzled.
In the afternoon, there was no sign of Xiao Zexing. Tang You breathed in deeply while carefully applying ointment to her bruises. She also contemplated how she could either seduce or be seduced by Xiao Zexing.
People in the past used to say, "Riding high at first, declining in the second, and exhausted in the third." Right now, Tang You was putting up a fight and had to find a way to get Xiao Zexing under her influence.
Humph.
This old fox was deliberately playing with her emotions now.
In the evening, Tang You put on a large straw hat and went out to buy ice cream. On her way, she overheard two people complaining.
She glanced over and saw that their staff name badges were still on.
"Who's coming to shoot the music video this time?"
"I don't know," the other person said as she played with their phone absent-mindedly. "It's Yuko, right? I wonder if she'll show her face this time."
The person complained, "She's just a small internet celebrity. How can she replace Ni Liang? My younger brother is Ni Liang's fan, and he promised to bring back Ni Liang's autographed photo. Now, it's all ruined. They replaced her with an unknown celebrity or whatever."
The one on the phone responded, "I heard Yuko is really ugly. It's going to look bad if someone without swimming skills tries to shoot a swimming scene. Who knows, maybe she slept with an investor to get this opportunity."
"Yeah, why else would they bring in an internet celebrity?" the other person continued.
Tang You interrupted them as she received the ice cream from the vendor, "Maybe it's because Yuko won't gossip behind people's backs."
The two who had been talking were startled. The one playing with their phone placed it down and looked at her warily. "Who are you?"
"I'm Yuko." Tang You's gaze fell on their name badges, and she smiled. "Mai Zao? Zhao Nai? Those are pretty nice names, but your mouths seem quite large since you’re able to yap so much, which probably makes eating convenient, right?"
Ignoring their pale faces, Tang You turned and left with the ice cream in hand.
She did want to seduce an investor.
However, the investor didn't agree to it.
In the evening, Xiao Zexing returned to the hotel. As he took off his coat, he heard a cautious knock on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Three times.
Xiao Zexing casually checked the monitor. It was Tang You.
She was wearing a fluffy little rabbit nightgown, and even the slippers had cute little rabbit heads on them, looking fuzzy and warm.
Her cheeks were rosy, and she looked as if she'd just showered. Her hair was soft and voluminous, with a stubborn little stray strand sticking out.
Xiao Zexing gulped slightly, and he opened the door.
As the door opened, Tang You immediately ducked under, swiftly slipping under his arm and entering the room. She stood on the carpet with her chin tilted slightly and looked at him haughtily. "I heard someone spreading rumors that I slept with an investor."
Xiao Zexing remained composed, took off his wristwatch, and casually placed it on the low table. "And then?"
Tang You continued, "I want to prove that it's not a rumor."
Xiao Zexing sat idly on the sofa, and when he heard her saying that, the dimples on his cheeks deepened again.
His legs were long, his shoulders were broad, and his waist was narrow. The muscles of his well-trained body were even, which enhanced his physique when he wore a shirt.
Under his sleeves, his veins slightly protruded, and his hands looked nicely defined.
Tang You had never seen a man more suited to wearing formal attire than him.
Xiao Zexing lightly nodded as if he was discussing a math problem with her. "How are you going to prove it?"
Tang You shifted her steps and walked in front of him.
"I like you." Tang You stared at his face without changing her expression. "Is that alright?"
Xiao Zexing sighed. "How blunt."
Tang You changed the way she called him. "I like Brother Zexing the most."
Xiao Zexing wasn't impressed. "Too shallow."
The next moment, he froze.
Tang You took a step forward, tugged at the fluffy pom pom on her skirt, and directly placed it in his hand. She gazed at him, softly calling out, "Second Uncle."
Her fingers were fair and slender. She held the fluffy ball that was nestled in the palm of his hand.
Only her faint pink fingertips were touching his palm, which felt incredibly soft.
Before Tang You could continue her next words, Xiao Zexing tightened his grip on the pompom, pulling it toward himself.
His dimple slightly deepened. "Tang You, there are other ways for you to prove yourself.”
Meanwhile, Xiao Weijing sat at a table in the bar. Hao Yun had taken the initiative to sit next to him and couldn't help but advise him, "Weijing, I know losing your fiancée is hard, but you can't let it defeat you."
Xiao Weijing's face was full of displeasure as he interrupted, "I'm not upset."
His father, Xiao Ze Nian, was in a good mood that day, having gathered this group of people for a drink, but nobody had Xiao Zexing's capacity for alcohol. Xiao Ze Nian was already done drinking and had already left.
Xiao Weijing stood up. Zhao Manlan had told him that she found a stack of unopened letters at his previous residence.
There were over a dozen in total, all written by Tang You.
Looking at the dates on the letters, they were mostly from the two months just after they got engaged.
At that time, Xiao Weijing was feeling upset about being forcibly engaged due to his grandfather's arrangement. He was in his rebellious phase, so he hadn't read a single one of them, sealing them up until now.
At that time, Tang You's handwriting was still quite childish. The first letter explained the purpose, saying her father demanded she write letters to Xiao Weijing. She didn't have a clear concept of her future husband yet, so the first letter was full of self-introduction.
The next eight letters were like a running diary, akin to fulfilling an obligation.
Things like her stepsister taking her skirt again and how the roasted chestnuts sold near the school were extremely delicious…
They were all trivial matters.
Xiao Weijing knew Tang You was still quite young at the time; her emotion to love wasn’t that matured yet.
However, he couldn't help but wonder, what if he had treated Tang You well back then? If he had picked her up from school, bought her roasted chestnuts, and given her beautiful dresses?
Would they have become the most well-matched couple by now?
The ninth letter was written, "Brother Weijing, I don't understand why you haven't replied to any of my letters. If you see this letter, could you please reply?"
Xiao Weijing wanted to reply to her.
But he couldn't anymore.
With trembling hands, he opened the last letter.
What kind of despair must Tang You have been in when she wrote her last letter?
Would she have written the last letter with disappointment? Or something else? Was she so hurt and upset that she stopped writing to him and gave up on liking him?
The yellowed paper slowly unfolded.
"Xiao Weijing, you big idiot. Since you won't read the letters, I won't be polite either. Don't think you're the only one who doesn't want to get married. I don't want to either. Wen Ling has always been stealing my things. Her being with you is just perfect. I wish you both a long, happy life together. Don't hinder my path in falling in love, got it?"
Xiao Weijing stared at the words, his expression somewhat dazed. He pressed his fingers on his forehead.
His temples throbbed incessantly, causing him pain that was unbearable and unrelenting.
The pain wasn't just in his head. It was in his heart as well.
He had never known that the Tang You he had dismissed as fragile and delicate had a surprisingly straightforward and bright personality that attracted him.
Tang You had already laid out the truth, and he had discarded it like rubbish.
Xiao Weijing pressed against his temples and heard the servant say that his grandfather had arrived. He put down the letter, stood up, and went out to greet him.
Although Elder Xiao Zenian was getting older, he was still full of spirit.
Especially when he scolded someone, he could go on for hours without repeating himself.
Elder Xiao Zenian stared sternly at Xiao Weijing. "What's with this dispirited appearance? Who are you putting on a show for?"
Xiao Weijing apologized, "I'm sorry."
Zhao Manlan felt sorry for her child and spoke up for him, "Dad, can't you contact Youyou? Tang You has always listened to you. As long as you ask, she'll definitely—”
Elder Xiao Zenian snorted. "A forcefully plucked melon isn’t sweet."
Zhao Manlan clenched her teeth. "That principle is true, but you saw how much Youyou used to like Weijing. Now that Weijing finally realized his mistake, he’ll definitely treat Tang You better in the future."
Elder Xiao Zenian listened to her rambling till the end. He squinted his eyes at Xiao Weijing. "What do you think?"
Xiao Weijing looked straight at him. "Grandfather, I want to marry Tang You."
He wanted to start over.
He wanted Tang You to like him.
Zhao Manlan wanted to say something more, but Elder Xiao Zenian lifted his head, stopping her. After observing Xiao Weijing for a while, he said in a deep voice, "Let's talk alone."
Xiao Weijing didn't know what his grandfather wanted to say to him.
The room was filled with the scent of Xiao Zexing's favorite tea, strong liquor, and roses. When he used to live here, he personally converted it into a tea room, and it was still intact until now.
Elder Xiao Zenian also liked it. He sat in front of the low mahogany tea table, gulped down two cups of tea, and then spoke, "I still remember when you and Tang You first met. Youyou told me that you were very good-looking."
Xiao Weijing couldn't imagine it anymore.
After all, Elder Xiao Zenian hadn't assigned the engagement back then, and Tang You was just a little kid in his eyes. Unless he was being irrational, he wouldn't have paid special attention to a small, yellow-haired girl.
In the past, he had always treated Tang You as a child.
"Tang You's father has always been a troublemaker, and her stepmother, Jiang Tao, is also troublesome," Elder Xiao Zenian slowly explained. "Do you think I arranged for Youyou to marry you as a way to purposely mistreat you?"
Xiao Weijing clenched his cup. "I know I was wrong."
"The most valuable thing about that child, Youyou, is that she knows her limits." Elder Xiao Zenian looked at him and added, "You've been spoiled by your parents, and the thing you understand the least is the concept of 'limits.' Regarding Wen Ling's matter, your second uncle has told me everything. Gratitude needs proprietary, and how you conduct yourself in life also requires limits. You've been deceived for so many years because you lacked understanding of this concept."
Xiao Weijing struggled to speak, ”Youyou was the one who saved me back then."
By now, Xiao Weijing had investigated the events from back then.
Previously, he had been deceived by the debt of gratitude, and he had thought that Wen Ling had a pure personality, which led to him committing many mistakes. Now that he had realized his wrongdoings, he understood how absurd he had been.
On the side of Tang You that he didn't understand, she had been growing up diligently and radiantly. During high school, her classmates and teachers all liked her. She organized fundraising activities for disaster-stricken areas, and she practiced unfamiliar sports to win awards for her class…
If he had known that Tang You was the one who saved him back then, they might have been close to getting married by now.
Elder Xiao Zenian didn't show any emotional change due to Xiao Weijing's expression. He set down his teacup and sighed. "Give up, Weijing."
He said, "Your current regret and remorse are just because you have lost. You’re just unwilling to let go. You’re not truly in love with Tang You.”
Xiao Weijing hurriedly called out to him, "Grandfather."
Elder Xiao Zenian stood up and said, "I've already chosen a husband for Tang You as a debt you owe her for making her wait all these years. Now, we're just waiting for Tang You's nod of approval."
Xiao Weijing clenched his fist and asked, "How can you be sure that the chosen person will be more suitable for Tang You rather than me?"
Zhao Manlan had been trying to gather information from Elder Xiao Zenian for so long, and yet, she hadn't been able to get useful information. Elder Xiao Zenian had been so secretive about his actions that they hadn’t got a clue of who he actually chose.
Among those of Xiao Weijing's generation, Xiao Weixi had been abroad for a long time, while Liang Yan had long been engaged…
Although there were many candidates, none of them seemed suitable when examined closely.
Elder Xiao Zenian glanced at Xiao Weijing. "I don't need to be sure. As long as Youyou likes him, it’s enough."
Elder Xiao Zenian stood up and left through the door.
Xiao Weijing’s eyes turned red. He dunked two cups of tea down his throat, but he still had no way to extinguish the burning feeling in his heart.
Elder Xiao Zenian had made his attitude clear; he wouldn't help him anymore.
He could only rely on himself.
Xiao Weijing had to try and pursue Tang You again.
Things would definitely turn around. After all, Tang You had been his fiancée for four years. She would have some feelings for him, at least to some extent.
After thinking through thousands of words in his mind, Xiao Weijing held his phone, ultimately choosing a somewhat clichéd opening line.
"Youyou, are you doing something right now?"
At the same time, Xiao Zexing was in his room eating fruit.
His black shirt was neat, without a single wrinkle, and the buttons that had been fastened to the top were now undone by two. His wristwatch was placed alongside the fluffy little rabbit nightgown. Its fluffy tail had been squashed flat.
He didn't know what kind of grapefruit it was, but the skin was thin. He peeled it, split the citrus segments, and leisurely gobbled them up. Some of the juice from the fruit had stained the edge of his cuff, but he didn't mind.
Xiao Zexing was quite satisfied with the sweetness of the fruit. He looked up and said, "This grapefruit is really sweet."
She looked as if she’d forgotten what her own name was and just stared at him with wide eyes. Her dazed expression made Xiao Zexing smile. Leaning forward, he touched her hair.
She was almost on the brink of going mad from feeling wronged, and yet, Xiao Zexing still remained unfazed. He ate the fruit cleanly without wasting it. When he saw Tang You's eyes turning red and misty, he finally stopped and pulled her into his arms, allowing her to sit on his lap. "What's wrong?"
Tang You tugged at the corner of his shirt, nearly exploding with frustration. "I want to eat meat."
Xiao Zexing chuckled, stroked her soft hair, and smoothed out the messy strands. "That isn’t allowed."
His shirt remained immaculate, and so did his pants, presenting a serious, composed demeanor without any trace of a mess at all.
Tang You, seething with helpless anger, tugged at his shirt into disorder. If she had a bit more strength, she could’ve almost ripped it into shreds.
Just a moment ago, she had been so afraid until she trembled and even pulled his hair. His arm had also seemed scratched from it as a result.
"Clear your mind." Xiao Zexing lowered his head to look at her, smiling as he warned, "Stop thinking of that nonsense, and don't even think of treating this as a one-time thing."
Tang You retorted stubbornly, "I wasn’t planning to."
The things you couldn’t have were always the most agitating.
After putting in so much effort, she still hadn't tasted the old fox's flavor. She felt misunderstood and dissatisfied.
"You can't hide anything in your eyes." Xiao Zexing hugged her tightly upon noticing her toes curling up pitifully. He bent down and picked up her dainty foot, kneading the round toes gently, neither too fast nor too slow. "If you want me, you have to show me your determination."
Tang You buried her face in his shoulder. The faint red hue on her cheeks and neck still hadn’t faded away yet, and she didn't feel like talking to him.
She hadn't yet calmed down. She had truly turned into a little rabbit now, not able to move and about to be eaten up by the old fox.
Why wasn't Xiao Zexing following his usual pattern of attitude?
Tang You felt pent-up and angry as well as feeling extremely exhausted.
Out of frustration, she bit Xiao Zexing's neck hard, but her small teeth didn’t cause him any pain, and the tooth marks quickly disappeared after a moment.
Xiao Zexing allowed her to bite and laughed. "Remember not to break your teeth."
Even after she was released, Tang You's fingers still clung to the collar of his shirt, trying to get even closer to him.
He smelled really good, which oddly soothed her.
Xiao Zexing fed her some water while stroking her soft long hair and smiled. "Don't call yourself Yellow Heart You. It doesn't suit you."
Tang You asked him in confusion, "Why?"
Xiao Zexing took the empty cup away and poured another glass for her. "This grapefruit is so sweet. You should call yourself 'Sweet You' instead."
Tang You ignored him. She was so thirsty, almost devoid of all moisture, like a sun-dried river clam. She gulped down the water in the cup in one go and wrapped herself in the silk blanket, refusing to move at all.
When Xiao Zexing approached, she still involuntarily leaned into him and pressed her face against his chest.
Both her hands and feet were trapped, and she couldn't cause any trouble anymore.
Before falling asleep, Tang You secretly made up her mind.
She was determined to conquer Xiao Zexing. One day, he would kneel and beg her.
Xiao Zexing patiently patted her back, soothing her.
The little rabbit was almost exhausted, feeling embarrassed and annoyed. Just a moment ago, she scratched his arm several times and almost kicked him out.
After hearing her breathing even out, he hugged her with one arm and finally picked up the phone on the pillow, the screen blinking with a continuous rhythm.
It was a message that Xiao Weijing had sent.
A considerable amount of time had passed.
Xiao Weijing: Youyou, what are you doing?
Xiao Zexing replied on behalf of Tang You.
Tang You: Recovering from childbirth.
On the other end of the phone, Xiao Weijing supported his forehead.
The alcohol from a while ago was still burning in his stomach and throat, scorching him as it went down. Xiao Weijing was feeling extremely uncomfortable. He looked at this message, thinking that Tang You was just joking with him, and sent his response.
Xiao Weijing: Don't try to stir any trouble, Youyou. Can we talk for a while?
Five seconds later, Xiao Weijing received a reply.
Tang You: No. She’s fallen asleep.