The mountain area was soon enveloped by night, leaving only the distant twilight with a lingering trace of rosy hues.
Gu Qianying sat obediently in front of the wooden house, stretching her tired body and yawning incessantly. She rubbed her empty stomach and complained,
"He said he was going to find food, but why hasn't he returned yet? He's truly tricking me."
Gu Qianying felt increasingly uneasy, recalling Bai Yufeng's despicable methods and how he often mocked and teased her.
Her heart sank with unease, and she immediately stood up from her seat.
She thought in terror, "He wouldn't just leave me alone in the mountains and depart by himself, would he!"
Just as Gu Qianying was whispering to herself, Bai Yufeng walked from a distance with a cold expression, holding wild game and side dishes.
He heard Gu Qianying's voice from afar, and his expression deepened.
He should have known that Gu Qianying was a fretful person who never considered him a good person.
"What nonsense are you spouting here?"
Hearing the familiar voice and the impatient tone, Gu Qianying's body trembled. Feeling guilty, she lowered her eyes and quickly greeted Bai Yufeng.
"Young Master! You're back! Quick, quick, give me the things, I'll put them away for you. You've worked so hard."
Gu Qianying spoke a string of words.
Bai Yufeng pulled apart the items in his hands, his expression blank.
"If you take the things, will you cook them?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Qianying decisively dropped the items in her hands and threw them back into Bai Yufeng's embrace.
She coughed a few times and quickly found an excuse.
"I am weak and cannot be exposed to smoke and fire, which is a great taboo for my cultivation. So, I have no choice but to trouble you, Young Master, to cook for me. You've worked so hard."
Bai Yufeng smiled coldly; this person was truly amusing.
He threw some mushrooms into Gu Qianying's hands, "Go find some clear spring water, wash these, and I'll cook porridge for you."
Gu Qianying pouted, very unwillingly.
"Couldn't you have washed them when you came back? Why must you hand them over to me?"
Bai Yufeng retorted, "That would be excellent. You can also pretend you're not hungry and not eat, which would also be good. Why must you make me cook?"
Gu Qianying pursed her lips, her misty eyes glancing slightly towards Bai Yufeng.
Bai Yufeng did not appreciate it and quickly walked into the kitchen, slamming the door shut.
The only hope Gu Qianying had was smashed to the ground with a thud.
Gu Qianying held a pile of small, cute mushrooms. "Little fellows, what a pity. You're about to fall into my embrace. Aren't you happy?"
The mushrooms trembled with the breeze, as if they understood her words.
Gu Qianying was overjoyed and directly picked up the mushrooms, walking towards the mountain spring water nearby.
Bai Yufeng peeked out from the kitchen, his joy unhidden.
He quickly prepared porridge for Gu Qianying and also stewed a pot of chicken soup, infusing it with spiritual energy to make its flavor more mellow and enhance its nourishing effects.
As soon as Gu Qianying returned to the house after washing the mushrooms, she smelled the aroma wafting from the house. Her stomach was already empty, and after smelling the scents, her stomach rumbled incessantly.
Bai Yufeng happened to emerge from the kitchen. His face was cold and clear. Even emerging from the smoke and fire, he appeared detached, like an immortal banished from heaven.
Gu Qianying rubbed her eyes, feeling as if she had seen a ghost.
Bai Yufeng impatiently kicked open the door.
"What are you standing there for? I've stewed chicken soup for you, come and drink it quickly!"
Gu Qianying smiled leisurely and floated into the house following Bai Yufeng's movements. Smelling the chicken soup, she clicked her tongue in amazement.
"I didn't expect Young Master to have this side to him. You can actually cook?"
Bai Yufeng expressionlessly served Gu Qianying the soup. "My cooking isn't good. If you get poisoned, don't become a ghost and come to trouble me."
His tone was as cold as ever, but it made Gu Qianying laugh and press forward bravely.
While drinking the soup, Gu Qianying teased, "Young Master, why is your mouth so stubborn? Praising your chicken soup as delicious hasn't offended you, why must you be so tough?"
Bai Yufeng snorted coldly, "Unless I see you about to die, I will never pay attention to you."
Gu Qianying smiled and lowered her head to drink the soup.
"That's right, Young Master is right. I've risked my life for certain people, this is a kindness."
This time, Bai Yufeng did not retort and peeled an egg for Gu Qianying.
"This is the most nourishing wild egg from the mountains. Eat it! It'll shut you up."
Gu Qianying did not hesitate, popping the egg into her mouth and chewing it carefully.
Although it was just ordinary mountain fare,
Gu Qianying inexplicably felt it tasted much better than the Manchu Han Imperial Feast of the Sheng Yu family today.
Bai Yufeng did not eat, but sat silently in front of Gu Qianying, constantly observing her.
Finally, after Gu Qianying finished eating, she felt her strength restored, and the suppressed fatigue slowly dissipated.
Logically, she should be descending the mountain.
Gu Qianying sensibly tidied the bowls and chopsticks, then spoke to Bai Yufeng.
"I want to go down the mountain." She blinked her teary eyes, very seriously.
Bai Yufeng sneered at the corner of his mouth and decisively refused, "No, you are unwell. You've only slept for a while and eaten a meal, and you think you're alright?"
Seeing Gu Qianying's suspicious expression, he emphasized his explanation, "You are a cultivator, how can you be so unaware of taking care of yourself? Wait a few more days until your body has fully recovered."
Gu Qianying couldn't listen any longer, feeling increasingly annoyed. She widened her eyes and said anxiously, "No, what's fun about being in the mountains? I can protect myself after returning to the foot of the mountain, and no one will want to kill me. You're exaggerating."
Bai Yufeng, seeing her refuse him, felt displeased and gritted his teeth.
"You dare to refuse me."
Gu Qianying stuck out her tongue, "If I don't refuse you, who should I refuse? You're not anyone to me, why must you be like this?"
"In any case, I'm going down."
As soon as she finished speaking, she quickly walked towards the door.
She thought that she hadn't seen her child in three days. Although Xiao Yihao wasn't clingy, three days without news meant the child must be anxious.
Moreover, Zi Tong's matter was unresolved, so how could she be negligent now.
Bai Yufeng was furious, "Why are you such a disobedient woman?"
Gu Qianying pushed open the large door, "I'm going down, why are you so meddlesome?"
Bai Yufeng blocked her path, seizing Gu Qianying's slender waist. His hot breath sprayed onto her, landing on Gu Qianying's slightly red earlobes.
"Do you really want me to use force?"
Gu Qianying realized she was in the air and felt the man's breath, becoming flustered. She cried out in surprise, "What are you doing?"
Bai Yufeng, not yet realizing anything strange, unceremoniously dragged her into the room.
"Naturally, I'm stopping you from going down the mountain. Dare to be presumptuous again? I will not let you off lightly today."
Chapter 558 Teasing
Gu Qianying's face turned red, and fearing she would be thrown out, she could only desperately grab Bai Yufeng's sleeve.
Facing Bai Yufeng's stubbornness, her voice became muffled. She pinched her throat, her voice filled with nervousness, "Let's talk properly. Can you put me down?"
Bai Yufeng knew this person was cunning and that saying one thing and doing another was common.
He completely ignored Gu Qianying's words, tightening his grip. He held her in his arms with one hand.
He triumphantly commanded, "Now, where do you think you can run?"
Gu Qianying's heart pounded wildly. She felt so shy that she wished she could turn into a hole in the ground.
She felt as if she could barely breathe. With her eyes flushed red, Gu Qianying smashed her head against Bai Yufeng's chest, "Let go of me, you lunatic."
Bai Yufeng looked down at her and slowly lowered his head. His voice was stern, "I'm doing this for your own good, and you dare to defy me."
It was at this moment that he finally felt the softness in his arms and saw Gu Qianying's flushed cheeks. An idea surged within him, and the words he was about to say were blocked, turning into awkward breaths that floated around them.
He didn't know where to start.
He awkwardly turned his head, but his grip did not loosen.
"If you don't agree to me today, I will never let you go. Do you hear me?"
Gu Qianying's eyes were tinged with red. In her daze, she dared not move much.
Finally, she had to agree. She struggled for a moment and then quietly lowered her voice.
"Let me go, I agree, isn't that enough? Don't hold me like this, don't you feel awkward?"
Bai Yufeng's throat tightened, and his eyes quickly darted away.
He quickly threw the warmth in his arms aside, his body uncharacteristically stiff. He stood there blankly, only able to explain silently.
"I didn't mean to just now!"
Gu Qianying gritted her teeth, "Of course I know you didn't mean to, Young Master. Please be careful next time. We are a man and a woman alone, it's easy to cause misunderstandings."
But in fact, in their room, besides two magpies who came to watch the excitement and stood dazed on the eaves, there was no one else.
Bai Yufeng no longer retorted, his tone softening for the first time.
"I'll be careful next time. If you're obedient, I won't act like this."
Gu Qianying's lips twitched, and she gave a wry laugh, "Heh heh."
Finally, the two of them agreed to rest for another night in the small wooden house and leave the place the next morning.
After their discussion, it was already late into the night.
Outside, it was a black curtain, devoid of any light, except for their small wooden house, with a few scattered points of light, as if floating there.
The bedding in the room was clean, undamaged, and dust-free. Even more surprisingly, there were exactly two sets of bedding.
Gu Qianying and Bai Yufeng each took one.
Gu Qianying climbed onto the bed, carefully took off her outer clothes, and curled up inside, only her bright eyes visible.
Bai Yufeng, with his tall and slender figure, stood by the bed. Seeing Gu Qianying's fearful expression, he couldn't help but scold her coldly.
"Why are you so scared? Are you afraid I'll take advantage of you?"
Gu Qianying's eyes flickered, and she said hurriedly, "Otherwise! In this desolate wilderness, we are a man and a woman alone, and things can easily happen."
Bai Yufeng couldn't help but laugh. He took off his outer clothes and threw them onto Gu Qianying's bed.
"This quilt is too thin, lest you freeze to death. Cover yourself with it! Rest assured, I have no interest in women like you. Don't be clever and think too highly of yourself."
Gu Qianying gritted her teeth, her fingertips trembling. Her eyelids rolled back, and she looked at Bai Yufeng with disdain.
"Then you can rest assured too. I dislike talkative people like you the most. Don't play around me. I can't sleep when I see people like you."
Bai Yufeng's thin lips curled up, and his figure moved forward rapidly.
Seeing his handsome face magnified before her, Gu Qianying's heart skipped a beat, and she instantly tensed.
She quickly turned her face away, "You have great courage. We agreed earlier, you can't come over."
Bai Yufeng's voice carried a threat. He hooked Gu Qianying's chin and quickly said, "Woman, remember this, if you dare to act recklessly tonight, I won't let you off easily."
Gu Qianying's face turned red. She buried herself in the bedding and said in a muffled voice,
"Turn off the light and go to sleep."
Bai Yufeng smiled playfully, snapped his fingers, and his breath moved forward. With a swish, the red candle was instantly extinguished, and the two of them fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, with the first rays of dawn, Gu Qianying had a good night's sleep.
When she awoke, she felt refreshed and exceptionally comfortable.
But after a while, she felt something was wrong. There seemed to be a warm presence beside her. Opening her sleepy eyes, Gu Qianying suddenly realized she was in Bai Yufeng's arms, intimately embracing each other.
She was instantly startled and screamed in terror, quickly covering herself, "You, you, you, you scoundrel, how dare you lay hands on me, you're truly inhuman."
Bai Yufeng was woken by the noise and supported his forehead with his hand, looking at Gu Qianying askance with slight displeasure.
"Do you truly forget what happened last night?"
Gu Qianying's body stiffened, "What do you mean? What forget or not forget, are you trying to distance yourself?"
Bai Yufeng smiled, "Who was it last night? Who came into my arms willingly? Take a look and see where you are."
Gu Qianying blinked her eyes and looked around in confusion, then was startled again.
She had been lying properly on the bed, but now, she had ended up on the floor, sleeping with Bai Yufeng.
Bai Yufeng yawned and casually teased, "Now, do you have anything else to say? Last night, a beauty entered my embrace. I thought something interesting would happen, but it didn't. I even got myself into trouble for nothing. Truly shameless."
Gu Qianying's expression was complex and indescribable. She could only bow her head and admit her mistake.
"I was wrong." She then had a sudden thought, realizing something was amiss, "Even if I fell to the bottom, you could have woken me up and let me sleep back properly!"
Bai Yufeng scolded her coldly, extending his arm, on which eight nail marks still remained.
He asked sinisterly, "Last night you were desperately clawing at my arm, wanting to bite me. Do you think I could still carry you up? Risk my own life?"
Gu Qianying's face turned abnormal again, red like a ripe tomato, alluringly delicate.
Although she didn't remember what happened last night!
But after Bai Yufeng's various descriptions, Gu Qianying had already recalled her actions at the time, and her heart was filled with annoyance, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.
Bai Yufeng raised an eyebrow slightly, quickly stood up from the ground, and put on his clothes. Seeing Gu Qianying's shyness, he offered her a way out.
"What are you standing there for? Let's go down the mountain. Didn't you cry and beg to go down the mountain last night? Are you unwilling now?"
Gu Qianying immediately reacted and nodded excitedly.
"Yes, yes, yes, let's go down the mountain quickly, let's go down the mountain quickly."