Chapter 425

Ye Qingchi's gaze fell on her snow-white palm, "What medicine?"

Li Tian said softly, "Probably something like Hehuan Powder, given to me by Huo Qiyan."

Ye Qingchi's brow furrowed slightly as he took the jade bottle and glanced at her cautiously, "Thanks."

Li Tian looked up at his handsome brows and eyes, her eyes brimming red, "Qingchi, congratulations on your wedding."

Ye Qingchi's thin lips pursed slightly and he sighed, "I'm sorry."

Love cannot be forced. Li Tian was an excellent girl, but he did not love her.

If there was no love, there was no love, without reason.

Tears rolled down Li Tian's cheeks as she shook her head, "We were not fated, I won't force it. I'm leaving, going south to Jiangnan, and probably won't be back."

In the boundless night, the girl's face was as white as paper, fragile and pitiful.

Ye Qingchi was silent for a long while before uttering, "Take care."

Li Tian moved her mouth corners into a bitter smile, "Thank you."

With that, she turned and walked into the night.

Ye Qingchi stood in place, silent, he and Li Tian were classmates, and later when he learned she was a girl, he deliberately kept his distance.

But after all, she had once been his carefully protected "junior brother", he still could not remain indifferent.

"Brother..."

Behind him, suddenly came a weak voice.

Ye Qingchi gathered his thoughts and turned to see a slender strand of red sandwiched between the door frames, revealing a small, bashful, snow-white face.

Seeing the girl's exquisite and delicate brows and eyes, and those doe-like black eyes, the worries in Ye Qingchi's heart dissipated in an instant. He strode towards her.

"Why did you come out?" "I heard sounds outside..."

Ye Qingchi reached her and his gaze scorched her fair little hand as he slowly stroked it and opened the door.

Gu Shuang recoiled as if burnt, at a loss as she clutched her sleeves anxiously and retreated, stammering, "I'll pretend I didn't see anything just now... don't worry, brother, I won't say a word about it."

Whether she talked or not didn't matter, he and Li Tian were innocent.

Ye Qingchi amusingly closed the door.

Gu Shuang's heart thudded as she gazed bewildered at the approaching tall man, breathing erratically.

The man advanced step by step, backing her onto the bed, leaving her nowhere to retreat.

Ye Qingchi sat down beside her, staring intensely at her panicked face, his voice lowered, "Did you hear what I said?"

Gazing at the man's refined and handsome face, and the aggression in his eyes, Gu Shuang only felt her cheeks flush as her mind spun, "I didn't..."

Ye Qingchi sat down next to her, just a fist away, the rich sweetness of her scent enveloping him. "From now on, do not call me brother."

Gu Shuang tightened her throat, her doe eyes gazing at his upright stature, her heart thumping wildly, "Then... what should I call you?"

"When married, bowed at the hall, then call me husband."

"Alright."

Ye Qingchi's intense gaze fell on the girl's flustered face, his voice lowered, "Today is our wedding day, why are you still wary of me?"

Looking at the man's sculpted face and the depth of aggression in his eyes, Gu Shuang only felt her cheeks heat up, her mind dizzy, "I'm not..."

Ye Qingchi's voice grew husky as he looked at her again, "It's late, go bathe."

Hearing that seductive voice, Gu Shuang was powerless to resist, only able to nod and say "Alright..."

Seeing her so obedient and shy, Ye Qingchi didn't tease her further, calling for A Gu. Attendants filed in and escorted Gu Shuang to the bathing room.

Ye Qingchi's gaze chilled as he caressed the jade bottle, coldly calling A Gu over.

A Gu had been in high spirits this day, "Young master, what is it?"

Ye Qingchi said, "Go see what Huo Qiyan is doing now."

A Gu was puzzled, "Huo Qiyan?"

Ye Qingchi put away his dark eyes, tossing him the bottle as his lips quirked, casually saying, "Take this to her, with my gratitude."

After her bath, Gu Shuang was attended to as her hair was dried and she was dressed.

Ye Qingchi glanced at her and went to bathe as well. Soon he returned to the room and the maidservants giggled knowingly as they took their leave.

Gu Shuang apprehensively approached him, the man in red robes seemed imposingly tall, she swallowed nervously as she helped remove his outer robe as the matron had instructed, his lingering warmth seeping through the thin fabric.

Her fingertips trembled, her mind blank, not knowing what she was doing.

Finally she didn't even know how she ended up in bed.

Ye Qingchi extinguished the lamps and lowered the thick curtains, darkening the spacious canopied bed.

In the quiet of night, soft breathing lingered.

Gu Shuang lay straight as a rod, unaccustomed to sharing a bed, unable to fall asleep.

"Asleep?"

Gu Shuang had wanted to pretend to be asleep but thinking this was their nuptial night, honestly replied, "No..."

Silence from the canopy.

The man's lingering warmth spread as their bare skin touched through the thin clothes, Gu Shuang's face flushed crimson.

After a while, she felt him shift as his sturdy chest pressed against her right side.

In the darkness, a faint woodsy scent diffused.

She tensed, holding her breath, hearing him speak lowly by her ear, "Did you look at the illustrations Mother gave you?"

Warm breath washed over her ear in the intimate proximity of his masculine scent.

Gu Shuang's mind blanked as she stammered, "I...I did."

The man asked again, "Is it okay?"

Gu Shuang was quiet for a moment, her face hot enough to grill flatbread before softly murmuring, "Mm..."

Ye Qingchi tightened his arm, pulling her into his embrace as he lowered his head to kiss her.

Soon, Gu Shuang was kissed soft and weak by the man, strength sapped.

...

After Gu Shuang's wedding, Gu Ying moved into the Ye residence.

Qinghe Garden had originally been prepared by the Ye family for her, it was perfect for her to now move in together with Gu Ning.

Suffice to say, Gu Ning's mood had visibly improved.