Chapter 205: Awkwardness
Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Awkwardness
The two of them stood in a standoff on the street.
Liang Wan panted heavily, like a fierce cub. Her eyes were bright and stubborn, filled with defiance, as if she were about to pounce and bite him at any moment.
Lu Xiu’s dark eyes were fixed on her, his thin lips pursed. He stared at her, his expression cold and grim, his entire being radiating a bone-chilling aura.
He waited silently for his prey to pounce so he could snap its neck.
When she saw the murderous intent surface in his eyes, Liang Wan knew she had once again succeeded in enraging him.
He truly wanted her dead.
A man like Lu Xiu was perfectly capable of being cold-blooded and ruthless enough to go through with it.
Yes, he wouldn’t allow anyone else to lay a hand on her, but if he were the one doing it, that was another matter entirely.
He might even be relieved.
He could consume you with the most fiery love, or he could end you with the coldest heart.
At his core, he had never really changed.
Her heart trembled under his gaze.
His brutal aura stirred memories from the depths of her soul—an instinctive fear of Lu Xiu from her past life.
Overwhelmed by his powerful, crushing presence, a cold sweat broke out on her palms.
’I’m really going to die.’
Liang Wan lowered her eyes and took a subtle half-step back. Then, catching him off guard, she spun around and bolted.
She had barely lunged forward when her wrist was caught in a death grip. The hand that held her was utterly devoid of warmth.
’Too late,’ Liang Wan thought.
"Too late," Lu Xiu said.
His voice was clear and his tone calm, yet it carried the same chilling finality as the murderous glint she’d seen in his eyes, enough to make one’s blood run cold.
The next moment, an icy hand caressed her neck, and she flinched.
"Do you think you can get away every time?"
The address was intimate, but his voice held not a shred of emotion.
"Isn’t it a little late to be scared now?"
Liang Wan endured his cold, mocking caress and gritted her teeth. "If you’re going to kill me, then do it! Just get it over with!"
His hand froze. His fox-like eyes narrowed slightly, and he smiled.
It was a smile born of pure rage.
Liang Wan’s bravado faltered, and she didn’t dare to look at him.
With a slight exertion of force, Lu Xiu jerked her in front of him.
He lazily lowered his head, his gaze boring down on her. He sized her up as if she were prey—his look dangerous, oppressive, and utterly contemptuous.
"You weren’t finished talking, were you? We’ll have plenty of time to talk when we get back."
’Go back? You’ve got to be kidding me.’
’I’m going to die anyway. What difference does it make where it happens? Do I really have to go back there just for that?’
Liang Wan threw caution to the wind and shoved him hard. "I’m not going back! We’re done, we’ve gone our separate ways."
Lu Xiu’s lips curled into a sneer. "Gone our separate ways? You really aren’t afraid to die, are you."
"That’s right. Gone our separate ways. We’ll grow old and die without ever seeing each other again. But then, the Grand Commandant probably won’t get the chance to die of old age!"
’I must be insane,’ Liang Wan thought. ’It’s as if I’ve borrowed the courage of a hundred men.’
’But that’s not nearly enough. I’m going to piss him off until he drops dead.’
’He’s not going to let me off the hook anyway.’
’After all, I’ve already twisted the knife; what’s a few more twists?’
With that realization, Liang Wan smiled too—a vicious, provocative smile.
"Not afraid to die? Who said I’m not? I’m terrified! But if I die, who else in this world will prepare your body for burial? Who will remember to burn spirit money for you during the Clear and Bright Festival? Who will think to send you winter clothes for the afterlife on the first day of the tenth lunar month?"
The man staring at her sucked in a sharp breath. His hand tightened around her throat, as if he wanted to strangle her on the spot.
Such a beautiful face, yet it spoke the most venomous words.
"Are you trying to force me to kill you?" His tone was colder than ice.
"I’m not ready to die yet, I—"
The world suddenly spun, and Liang Wan cried out as Lu Xiu seized her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder.
"You lunatic! Bastard! Rogue! Put me down—"
She was like a madwoman, hair flying everywhere, kicking and clawing at his back while screaming a stream of curses.
Lu Xiu remained unmoved, stating coolly, "If you want to put on a show for everyone, I don’t mind."
Liang Wan glanced up, and her face instantly flushed a deep crimson—whether from humiliation or rage, she couldn’t tell.
No crowd had gathered to gawk, but as they moved along the street, their spectacle was witnessed by countless pairs of eyes—drilling soldiers, passing pedestrians...
They were met with odd expressions and curious stares.
’The two of us must look utterly shameless.’
Liang Wan fell silent. She gathered her disheveled hair and covered her face with her hands.
’If I can’t see them,’ she thought, ’then they can’t see me either.’
From a distance, Gu Yu came trotting toward them, stealing glances as she approached.
’The meal had been going so well,’ she thought. ’How did they suddenly start fighting?’
’The two of them were usually inseparable, sweet as honey. You never even heard them raise their voices. They hadn’t seen each other in over half a year, and at a time like this, shouldn’t a brief separation make them even more passionate than newlyweds? How did things get this bad?’
’One was red in the face, the other as cold as frost.’
Gu Yu sighed to herself. ’Her Ladyship went through so much hardship and came all this way for him without a second thought. Why doesn’t His Lordship know how to be more tender...’
’In this state, she didn’t dare try to mediate.’
Gu Yu said nothing, merely keeping her head bowed low as she followed silently beside them. As they neared the main tent, she dutifully lifted the flap.
"Don’t let anyone in."
With that one icy command, he stepped inside.
Gu Yu’s arm stiffened. She paused for a moment before lowering her hand. Her worried expression dissolved, replaced by the hint of a suppressed giggle.
’She remembered they’d had a similar falling out last year, which had scared her and Bai Lu witless.’
’But who would have thought that the very next day, they were several times more affectionate than they had been before?’
’It was also on that day that they learned His Lordship had been with Her Ladyship for so long without...’
Gu Yu shook her head, smiling. ’Who said their lord doesn’t know how to be tender?’
’Tsk, oh, he knows how. He knows *very* well!’
’She’s seen it with her own eyes!’
"Hey—"
Caught off guard, Gu Yu jumped as Yuan walked straight up to the tent. She defensively blocked the entrance, terrified that Yuan would barge in and ruin His Lordship’s fun.
’Having that sort of thing spoiled once was more than enough.’
Gu Yu straightened up, jutted out her chin, and blocked the tent flap. She put a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture and glanced back at the tent. When it seemed nothing was amiss inside, she hurriedly pulled Yuan aside and lowered her voice.
"I don’t care if it’s a matter of life and death, you can’t go in there right now!"
Yuan looked utterly baffled. "Why would I go in?"
Gu Yu breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. "Then if you don’t have any business here, you should leave. Go on, get away from here. His Lordship said he doesn’t need us serving him right now. We’re to go as far away as possible!"
Yuan drew a sharp breath and looked toward the main tent in confusion, not understanding at all.
Gu Yu quickly blocked his line of sight. "What are you still standing here for?"
Yuan’s face was grim. "You—"
Gu Yu smiled. "Me what? Wei Chi Yuan, I’m doing you a favor here!"
Just as she spoke, Guan Song walked over briskly. "Her Ladyship ordered us to go transport the grain. Why are you two still dawdling here?"
Gu Yu froze, her smile vanishing. ’That’s right,’ she thought. ’Her Ladyship had instructed them this morning to go to the neighboring Yun Chuan to pick up grain.’ With all the commotion, she had almost forgotten.
Yuan looked at Guan Song with a helpless expression. "I came to get her. She’s the one who’s dawdling."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Gu Yu gave an awkward smile. "Are we just going to leave like this? With no one to attend to His Lordship, will that be alright?"
Guan Song watched Yuan walk away and frowned. Normally, Yuan never left the Grand Commandant’s side, but he had to go on this trip as well.
Gu Yu’s concerns were valid, and Guan Song also felt a little uneasy.
But the grain was also critically important right now. At a time like this, who would dare entrust its transport to anyone else?
Although it was Her Ladyship’s idea, the Grand Commandant had also approved it.
Guan Song said, "The enemy has been quiet for the past few days, with no signs of an impending attack. The camp defenses are tight. If we pick up the pace, a day and a night should be more than enough for a round trip."
Hearing this, Gu Yu nodded. Before she left, she gave another round of instructions to the guards posted in front of the tent.