Chapter 37: Heart-to-Heart

Several cocoon-like egg sacs, each about the size of a fingernail, stood out starkly in the mud. They were covered in a layer of light brown fuzz. The mother leech had already vanished, now hidden deep in the soil, seemingly resting.

It was Bao Ning’s first time witnessing a leech laying eggs. She had always thought they would be like fish or frog eggs—sticky clusters of goo. Only after Ming Yiniang explained it to her did she learn they came in the form of cocoons.

Even though she was mentally prepared, she still found it fascinating.

There were five egg sacs in total. Their shape was peculiar, like tiny peanuts. Bao Ning carefully picked them up by hand and placed them in her palm. She didn’t dare use chopsticks, afraid the fragile young inside might get crushed.

The whole time, she worried the mother leech might leap out in a fit of maternal rage and bite her. But it seemed completely indifferent, making not a sound.

Bao Ning let out a light sigh of relief and gently placed the cool little cocoons into a porcelain jar she had prepared the night before.

Pei Yuan had somehow already gotten up and was leaning against the wall, watching her.

Bao Ning didn’t notice him at all. Right now, her eyes were only on those cocoons. The porcelain jar was slightly larger than the one that held the mother leech and already lined with moist, soft soil.

Perhaps because she had been feeding it well, the mother leech’s cocoons this time were all of excellent quality. Bao Ning held each cocoon carefully, identifying the end with the tiny air hole, and placed it upright into the soil.

Then she covered them with a layer of fine damp earth, and finally topped them with a moist cloth.

Each cocoon could hatch more than a dozen, up to twenty-five baby leeches. If luck was on her side, in half a month, she would have over a hundred of them.

Bao Ning thought that by then, she’d need a larger porcelain jar.

And then—Pei Yuan’s poison would finally have a cure.

“You get up and start fiddling with all this without even saying a word to me.”

She was lost in thought when a low, husky male voice came from behind her. It was close—so close she could feel his breath tickle her ear.

Startled, Bao Ning was just about to turn around when she suddenly felt something tighten around her waist.

Looking down, she saw Pei Yuan’s strong arm wrapped firmly around her lower belly.

When he didn’t get a response, he asked again, “You haven’t said a word to me all night. What were you thinking about?”

The sudden intimacy left Bao Ning flustered. His familiar scent filled her nose—strong and distinctive—completely enveloping her.

She instinctively laid her hand on Pei Yuan’s forearm and said softly, “I thought you were still asleep.”

“Hardly. I didn’t sleep all night,” Pei Yuan murmured, bending slightly to speak close to her ear in a suggestive pose.

He sighed. “I’ve been waiting for you to say something, but you wouldn’t.”

A tremor rippled through Bao Ning’s heart.

All morning, she had been immersed in joy, deliberately pushing aside last night’s unpleasantness. But with Pei Yuan bringing it up, that wave of grievance she had almost forgotten came rushing back.

Her throat felt tight. It seemed overly dramatic to feel this way, but she couldn’t stop her nose from tingling, her voice turning slightly pouty: “Why do I always have to be the one to speak first? I’m the one always throwing myself at you—how is that fair?”

Bao Ning kept her eyes fixed on the small porcelain jar on the table, struggling to hold back tears. The air between them turned silent. She regretted how bluntly she had just spoken. Embarrassed, she pretended to busy herself by poking randomly at the soil with a small stick.

“You should go back to sleep a bit more. Breakfast’s not ready yet. I’ll call you when it’s done…” Her voice trailed off, getting softer and softer.

Pei Yuan could tell something was off. He turned her around by the shoulders, and sure enough, he saw her eyes brimming with tears.

He sucked in a sharp breath, frowned, and wiped her tears with the back of his hand. “What the hell—you’re crying just like that?”

Bao Ning pressed her lips together and turned her head away. “I am not.”

She mumbled, “I’m not that dramatic.”

“No one said you were.” Pei Yuan gently held her head, turning it back toward him. Their foreheads touched as their eyes met. After a long pause, he asked, “Are you really that upset?”

Bao Ning’s lips pressed tightly together like a duck’s beak. Her eyes shimmered with growing tears.

The grievance had grown into a flood. Her emotional defenses crumbled. Sniffling, Bao Ning finally sobbed aloud: “You don’t understand me at all.”

“Don’t make that face—it’s ugly as hell,” Pei Yuan said, trying to make her laugh, his voice soft and low. “If you’ve got something to say, say it properly. Crying like a girl—”

“I am a girl!” Bao Ning retorted.

Pei Yuan stared at her, speechless.

Bao Ning continued, “I’ve been putting up with you for so long…”

She wasn’t tall at all. Even standing straight, she barely reached his ear. Speaking like this hurt her neck. So Pei Yuan simply lifted her by the waist and sat her on the table.

Now looking down from above, Bao Ning had the advantage. Her accusations came louder and clearer, her voice choked with sobs: “You only care about yourself. You don’t care about me at all!”

Pei Yuan leaned in and kissed her teary eyes. “How can you say that? I care. You’re all I care about.”

It was rare for him to say something so affectionate, but Bao Ning, still angry, didn’t take it in. Her chest rose and fell with emotion. “No, you don’t. Liar! You just do whatever makes you feel good. You don’t care how I feel at all. Take last night, for example—you just said whatever you wanted. Sure, it made you feel better, but I was embarrassed and hurt. You don’t even know!”

Pei Yuan’s throat moved slightly. He reached for her fingers and brought them to his lips. “That was my fault.”

“And you don’t care about my feelings. After what happened—I was so scared. Xu Guang was terrifying, and so was Feng Yongjia. I barely managed to escape. I haven’t slept well these past two nights. I keep having nightmares… and you—you’re scary too… But you didn’t care. You didn’t comfort me at all yesterday. All you did was yell at me.”

“Alright now, Ningning.” Pei Yuan wrapped an arm around her shoulders, eyes closed, his voice gentle. “It was my fault. I didn’t think about these things.”

Bao Ning sobbed, wiping her tears and snot all over his shoulder. “You’re always losing your temper at me… and you never apologize. I feel hurt too, but I don’t even dare to tell you.”

Pei Yuan asked, “Why don’t you dare?”

Overwhelmed by emotion, Bao Ning just let it all out. The words she usually kept hidden tumbled out without filter.

She scolded him, “How dare you ask? Can’t you have a little self-awareness?!”

“Mhm, my fault.” Pei Yuan rubbed her back. “I’ll change. Give me a little time, alright?”

“That day I was cleaning your room and found the divorce letter you wrote.” Bao Ning was being stubborn. “If you treat me badly again, I’ll leave. Even if you beg me, I won’t come back. We’ll part ways cleanly and peacefully!”

At first, Pei Yuan thought he had misheard her. When the words sank in, his face darkened immediately. He grabbed Bao Ning by the shoulders and pulled her away, gritting his teeth: “Say that again?”

“It hurts…” Bao Ning pounded on his arm, crying again. “I knew it—you’re a liar! Nothing you say is true. You never planned to change at all!”

Realizing he was gripping too hard, Pei Yuan quickly let go and gently rubbed her shoulders to relax them. His brows still furrowed, he said, “Don’t ever say something like that again.”

After the outburst, Bao Ning’s emotions settled a little. Thinking back to what she had just said, she felt a bit regretful, but also relieved. Her heart was in a mess, and she lowered her eyes, not replying.

Pei Yuan gave her a sharp warning: “You’re someone I married properly, by the rules of our ancestors. While you’re alive, you’re mine. When you die, you’re still mine—you’ll be buried in my tomb, and even if your soul scatters, you can’t escape.”

Bao Ning looked up at him, her fingers picking at the edge of the table. “You’ve been educated—how can you say something so bandit-like?”

Pei Yuan tugged the corner of his mouth in a smile, leaned close to her ear, and blew softly into it. “I can do even more bandit-like things. Want to experience it?”

“Can’t you be serious for once…” Bao Ning tried to dodge, turning her head to jump down from the table, but Pei Yuan caught her.

Pei Yuan said, “My leg is injured, I even coughed up blood yesterday. If you want me dead sooner, then keep upsetting me.”

“Can you not keep talking about death all the time?” Bao Ning stared at him with wide eyes. “It’s really unlucky.”

“I can stop.” Pei Yuan paused, his gaze darkening as he stared at her soft pink lips, lowering his head to get closer. “If you let me kiss you once.”

“Don’t…” Bao Ning blushed, instinctively leaning back. Her sash came loose in the movement, and her outer garment slipped off, revealing her pale, delicate collarbone. Pei Yuan didn’t miss the chance. He pressed a hand to her back, lowered his lips, and sucked hard on the little pink mole on her collarbone.

Bao Ning trembled, frozen in place.

Pei Yuan held her close, nuzzling for a while before finally lifting his head. Bao Ning’s fingers were numb and soft, and she heard Pei Yuan murmur next to her ear in a low voice:

“Ningning, you have to remember—I’m your man.”

“You’re still young, so I won’t touch you now. We’ll take a couple more years to grow together.”

“And I will treat you well. I know I’m not a careful person—if I ever make you unhappy, just tell me. I’ll learn slowly.”

Pei Yuan kissed her eyelids lightly. “What I fear most… is you becoming a stranger to me.”

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