414 Under the Banyan, Beside the Pond (2/2)

Chao Xiaoshu narrowed his eyes at the thought of that sudden sword attack from the sky. Then he shook his head with a smile, lamenting that Liu Bai, the Sage of Sword, was indeed peerless.

Despite being defeated under his sword, Chao Xiaoshu was calm, or even pleased, because it was only to be expected in his opinion.

Different from the youngsters like Long Qing, Chao Xiaoshu had been immersed in the underworld in Chang'an for many years. Although he was a real king of the underworld, he never persisted in pursuing the title of the strongest, so he had never been afraid of defeat. On the contrary, so long as he didn't die after being defeated, he would learn from the failure and make progress.

Suddenly, a gentle pitter-patter awakened him from the memory of that fight against Liu Bai. It was the sound of a stream of water cascading down the smooth skin of the woman.

Chao Xiaoshu didn't turn back to look into the house. Of course, he knew that if he were to turn around now, he would perhaps see a beautiful and charming silhouette framed against the window paper.

He silently listened to the sound with a smile, somewhat immersed in it.

After bathing, the woman walked into the yard and approached him.

The fragrant aroma from her body gently overran Chao Xiaoshu's sense of smell.

Water trickled down from her wet hair.

Her clothes were damp, yet exuded the warmth of her body.

The atmosphere was sultry and nebulous.

Glancing at the side of his face, she suddenly hugged him and said tremblingly, ”Can you share your story with me?”

Chao Xiaoshu quietly looked at her with his head lowered and replied, ”My story is quite boring.”

The woman buried her head in his arms and murmured, ”But it's a story of the world outside. I want to listen to it. At the very least, I want to have some stories to recall after you leave.”

Chao Xiaoshu raised his hand and softly fondled her wet hair, feeling her body become hotter and hotter.

The woman secretly bit her lip. Then she took heart to raise her head as she tightened her arms around him. She reached her right hand into his clothes, trembling as she clumsily fondled him. Then she raised herself to the tips of her toes to touch his lips to hers.

”I choose to be dissolute.”

She murmured with a slur.

Chao Xiaoshu gently sucked her lips as his right hand slowly moved up from her waist. He grasped her beating chest through her thin clothes as he asked, ”Will you still listen to my story?”

Her face flushed, yet she didn't let go of him. She passionately kissed him back, murmuring, ”I know you're about to go. I don't want to listen to stories. What I want is a memory with you.”

”I won't leave immediately.”

Chao Xiaoshu gently pushed her a bit away, kissed her forehead, and asked with an awkward smile, ”How about telling you my story first?”

A cool night breeze passed through the tilted fence and fumbled her thin clothes. The chill against her exposed skin made her sober. As she realized how shamelessly she had just behaved, her face blossomed into a burning scarlet hue. Yet, as she savored the remaining taste of his lips and his warm chest, she was unwilling to leave.

”Don't you need to go back home?”

”I'm not in a hurry.”

Chao Xiaoshu answered her calmly. Although Chang'an was a good home, where there were his friends, His Majesty, and his father, he was in no rush to return now. Because here it was peaceful. Here lay that magnificent banyan. And here lived the woman who loved him.

She half-heartedly argued back, ”But your family will be worried about you.”

Chao Xiaoshu answered, ”I will write letters to them.”

The woman felt embarrassed to some extent, remembering how she had thrown herself on him yet was refused. So, twisting her fingers, she turned around and hurriedly entered her house with the excuse of making the bed for him.

The dim lamp light shone upon the beautiful figure of the woman.

With his newly recovered eyes, Chao Xiaoshu calmly admired that alluring and charming figure before him.

That night, they still slept on different beds, but it was unknown who among them was tossing and turning, and who was wallowing in regret. The only sure fact was that the chirps of those insects were gentler and softer than they were before. Every so often there was the creaking of the bed board, which sounded like a moan.

At dawn, a sudden hustle and bustle broke the quietness and tenderness of the small yard.

Over a dozen villagers, led by a few elders, surrounded the small yard with pitchforks, hoes, and other such tools in their hands. Then they rudely plowed down the already tilted fence.

The woman had been preparing breakfast. She wiped off the drops of sweat on her forehead and nervously looked at her fellow clansmen, trembling and trying to play up to them, ”Fourth master, what can I do for you?”

She was speaking to the gray-haired man at the very front of the mob. He was the clan leader, and he wielded absolute authority over the village and even the whole town.

The clan leader didn't answer her. Instead, he just glared down at her indifferently, as if he was looking at a dead person.

She was instead answered by a brawny man and several lumps of mud.

”Adulterous bitch!”

The brawny man severely scolded her.

Those lumps of pungent mud had been thrown straight at her, dirtying her clean clothes and sullying her appearance.