"I heard from my little sister that the black dog at her home saved her life?"
"Xiao Hu?"
Who knew what its name was. When the house burned down, they all demanded he bring that dog out. Back then, in her heart, her imperial brother was not as important as a dog.
"Tell me what happened, how did she end up in your village, and how were things between her and Xiao Shan?"
"That's a long story, do you really want to hear it?"
Didn't he dislike him talking? What had gotten into him to run into the mountains to listen to his stories?
"Tell it!" He had plenty of time.
Yutou didn't sit down. He first stretched his neck and looked around. Returning and seeing Feng Shihao's blank eyes, he grinned and said, "You don't know, whenever I tell their story in the military camp, Brother Xiao catches me. He has ears that can hear a thousand miles."
"Don't worry, this time they're together, they won't have time to catch you."
"That's true."
Yutou was relieved.
Then he began to talk volubly.
By the time Qu Linglong also found them, Yutou hadn't finished his story and was still wanting to continue.
"The Princess is here, shall we listen together? Or, I'll break it off here?"
Yutou didn't know that Qu Linglong was the Qu Doctor from Shenshui Lane back then. He only knew she was the Prince's wife, so wasn't she the Princess Consort?
Qu Linglong felt uncomfortable with his improper address and glanced at Feng Shihao.
Feng Shihao sighed, "No wonder my little sister hated me back then. It turns out she was truly living a happy life in the village."
She enslaved Xiao Shan every day, hitting and scolding him as she pleased. If someone bullied her, he would kill their entire family.
Excluding the part about being kidnapped by human traffickers, everything else was really good.
No wonder she was so devoted to Xiao Shan.
And Qu Linglong, who had also helped conceal things back then to prevent him from discovering Xiao Shan.
Alas, if only he hadn't meddled and gone looking for them.
What would things be like now?
"If you're no longer a soldier, you can be a storyteller. This Prince will definitely patronize you." He patted Yutou on the shoulder.
He jumped down from the rock and said to Qu Linglong, "Let's go back, there are many mosquitoes and insects in the mountains."
The forest was damp, and his light blue attire made him appear even more aloof.
Ling Yao asked her to hold her, to coax her. How could he start? He didn't even look at her.
"Oh!"
Distracted, she stepped on a stone.
"What's wrong?" Feng Shihao turned back and saw her squatting on the ground, clutching her ankle.
"Did you sprain your ankle?" He frowned and came over to help her.
Qu Linglong leaned on his arm and stood up.
The tips of Feng Shihao's ears turned red. He said in a low voice, "Can you still walk?"
Can she walk or not?
Qu Linglong was a little conflicted.
The tightly furrowed brow, in Feng Shihao's eyes, meant she was in great pain.
"Let me carry you!"
He turned around and squatted down, his straight back slightly bent.
Qu Linglong was stunned. Happiness had come too suddenly. She had never dared to hope for this before.
Could she really get on his back?
"Hurry up," Feng Shihao urged impatiently.
"Oh." Qu Linglong's heart was about to leap out of her chest. She carefully climbed on, her two bare arms encircling the man's neck.
Feng Shihao stood up, his arms supporting her legs.
His hair hung down his neck, and Qu Linglong closed her eyes to smell it.
"Qu Linglong."
"Ah?" Startled, Qu Linglong quickly opened her eyes, feeling guilty.
Was she acting like a pervert just now?
Had he discovered it?
"Qu Linglong, if you find a good home, I will give you a divorce decree, and you can take the child."
What?
"What do you mean? I don't want a divorce. Are you angry about what happened just now? Ling Yao was talking nonsense. Prince Xie Bo has nothing to do with me. I only like you."
Provoked by him, she blurted it out. After saying it, she found it wasn't that difficult.
"Don't be angry anymore. I've liked you for a long time. Can you give me a chance? The child can't be without a father either!"
After speaking, she patted Feng Shihao's head.
Feng Shihao paused, then started walking again.
"I'm not as good as you think."
"You're good, the best in the world."
"You'll regret this in the future."
"No, my liking you is my business. You don't need to feel pressured, but you can like me a little bit."
Feng Shihao became a little agitated, "You're so good, many people will like you. Why must you waste your time on me?"
"I'm not good," Qu Linglong choked back a sob. "If I were good enough, why wouldn't you like me?"
"Because I can't give you a future!" Feng Shihao stopped and put Qu Linglong down.
There was obvious pain in his handsome phoenix eyes.
This was the first time Qu Linglong had seen his true emotions.
They were so real that they made her heart ache, and she wanted to cry.
"Don't be like this. What can I do to make you happy?"
"Qu Linglong, how can you be so shameless, insisting on getting entangled with someone like me! Ling Yao must have told you, I..." Feng Shihao's lips trembled, his eyes filling with blood.
Qu Linglong hugged him, "I know, you don't need to say it. It's not your fault. I just like you, I love you, and I don't want anyone else but you."
"Even if... even if I... can't be a man, can't be a real man?"
What? What did he say?
Qu Linglong looked at Feng Shihao with her misty eyes.
"You..."
Seeing her shocked gaze, Feng Shihao understood.
Ling Yao hadn't told her.
His face turned pale with embarrassment, humiliation consumed his entire body, and his mind roared, every pore screaming to escape.
He roughly pushed Qu Linglong away, not caring as she fell to the ground, sharp stones scratching his fingers.
Qu Linglong paid no mind to her injuries and quickly got up to catch up with him, hugging his waist from behind.
"I don't care, I only want you. I'll take you no matter what you become!"
"Let go!" Feng Shihao frantically tried to pry her hands off.
Qu Linglong, in great pain, refused to let go, her arms turning black and blue, but she still wouldn't release him.
"No, I won't let go. Even if you die, your corpse will be mine!"
"You... you, you will regret it one day and abandon me!"
"No! I swear, if I abandon you, may my intestines rot and my stomach burst, and may I never..."
...
The banquet began, but Feng Shihao and Qu Linglong had not yet returned.
"Could they have gotten lost in the mountains?" Ling Yao asked Xiao Shan worriedly. "Should we send someone to look for them?"
Xiao Shan also thought it was possible. They weren't familiar with the terrain here, and it was already dark. What if they encountered wild beasts?
Just as he was about to send people to search, he saw Yutou return, carrying a pile of rabbits, which he directly threw by the campfire.
"Wang Meng! Come here!"
Yutou shivered and couldn't help but make a bitter face. He had just returned and hadn't even had a moment to rest and have a drink. Did Brother Xiao have eyes on him?
"Go and look for the Prince of Jiangbei."
"Prince of Jiangbei? No need, it would be too awkward." Yutou grinned, looking troubled.
Ling Yao asked, "Why do you look like a frightened bear?"
"They're busy kissing each other. If I go over, won't I be asking for a beating?"
It was at the edge of the forest. When he returned, he happened to encounter them again.
Oh my, it was so passionate.
Fortunately, it was late, and there was no one around.
The Prince of Jiangbei looked quite refined, but in this matter, he was quite manly.
He liked to do it outside?
The Princess Consort was almost sliding to the ground.