âStop⊠stop talking.â Huang Rongâs voice trembled slightly.
âRongâer, why are you so nervous?â Song Qingshu looked at her curiously. âIâm not even talking about you. Besides, isnât this something youâve always wanted to know?â
âOf course, itâs not about me!â Huang Rong exclaimed, but she quickly realized her reaction was too suspicious. Hastily, she added, âI did ask, but your answer is just⊠too detailed.â
âToo detailed?â Song Qingshu said indifferently. âI only gave a rough description of the feeling. I didnât even mention the specific details. If you think my answer wasnât thorough enough, I can go over everything from the beginning. Last night, I first waited until she fell asleep, then quietly approached from the side andââ
âEnough, enough!â Huang Rong didnât need a mirror to know her face must be burning red. The heat spreading across her skin made her dizzy. She quickly interrupted, âYour intimate mattersâhow could a lady like me⊠possibly listen to such things!â
âA lady?â Song Qingshu gazed at her playfully. âRongâer, you sound like youâve become twenty years younger.â
âTwenty yearsâŠâ Huang Rongâs expression darkened for a moment, and she sighed softly. âI really have gotten old. I canât compare to those young girls anymore.â
Song Qingshu wanted to slap himself. Huang Rong had everythingâbeauty, grace, and status. The only thing that might bother her was her age. Yet in his eyes, a woman in her early thirties was at the peak of her charm. However, in a world where girls could be married off at twelve or thirteen, being over thirty indeed wasnât considered young anymore.
âRongâer, youâre underestimating yourself. Right now, youâre at your most mature and captivating stage. Even if all the young girls in the world stood together, they wouldnât match the charm of your slightest smile.â
Even though Huang Rong knew he was just trying to coax her, she couldnât help but feel pleased. It puzzled her. She used to despise smooth-talking playboys. Back then, Ouyang Ke had suffered greatly under her hands. But now, why didnât she feel the same dislike toward Song Qingshu?
âIâm not some naive little girl. Do you really think Iâd fall for your flowery words?â Huang Rong deliberately put on a stern face, but the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her true emotions. âBesides, are you saying that your other womenâlike the Ninth Princess and Miss Zhouâstill canât compare to me?â
Seeing the smile that Huang Rong was trying to suppress, Song Qingshu knew that if he answered âyes,â he could stir her heart even more. However, he had principles. He wasnât the kind of man who would belittle his own women just to flatter another.
âTheyâre not that young either. Hardly little girls,â Song Qingshu said with an awkward smile, avoiding the question.
âHmph, a man who says one thing but means another.â Huang Rong let out a soft snort. However, being a smart woman, she didnât push the topic further.
Sensing that the conversation might turn against him, Song Qingshu quickly said, âIâve answered your question. Are you satisfied with my answer? If not, I can describe last nightâs events in even more detail.â
âNo need, no need.â Huang Rong waved her hands frantically, knowing how unnatural her smile must look. âI⊠Iâm satisfied.â
âIn that case, itâs my turn to ask a question.â Song Qingshu looked at her mischievously.
Huang Rongâs heart skipped a beat. She knew he would definitely ask something difficult for her to answer. Quickly thinking of an excuse, she said, âItâs already late. Letâs stop here for today. If you have more questions, you can ask them tomorrow.â
Song Qingshuâs smile froze. He had worked hard to create this intimate atmosphere, allowing Huang Rong to let her guard down. Under normal circumstances, she wouldnât be this open. Tonight had been the result of many coincidences coming together. If he let this chance slip away, who knew when he would get another?
âRongâer, this is cheating!â Song Qingshu said, exasperated.
âHehe~ This lady is cheating, so what? What can you do about it?â Huang Rong lifted her chin smugly. Twirling around, she spun toward the inner room, her skirt fluttering as she prepared to leave.
But her triumph was short-lived. Just as she lifted the curtain to enter, the world suddenly darkened before her eyes. Song Qingshu had already moved ahead, blocking her path. Unable to stop in time, she crashed straight into his chest.
âAhâhmph!â Huang Rong gasped, but her voice was abruptly muffled, leaving only a series of soft whimpers.
Her eyes widened in shock. She never expected Song Qingshu to be so boldâto k!ss her so suddenly!
In that instant, her mind flashed back to last nightâs k!ss. That electrifying sensation made her momentarily dazed. But she quickly snapped back to realityâthis wasnât the same as last nightâs special circumstances. âĂ„ÉŽĐŸàžżĐïŒł
Last night, she had responded to his k!ss with enthusiasm, largely because he didnât know her true identity at the time. But now, they were face to face, with her husband just behind the curtain. How could she be so reckless?
She shoved Song Qingshu away, her face flushed with both shame and anger. âWhat are you doing?!â
âWerenât you the one who told me to do something about it?â Song Qingshu put on an innocent look. âThis is the first time in my life Iâve received such an unexpected request, so of course, I had to fulfill it.â
âYouâ!â Huang Rong was at a loss for words. She knew he was deliberately playing dumb, but she had indeed said something ambiguous earlier. Not wanting to argue with him, she swallowed her frustration. âMove aside! I need to go in.â
âRongâer, thatâs not fair. We agreed to take turns asking questions. But after prying into my private life, you suddenly donât want to play anymore? Isnât that a bit⊠unjust?â Song Qingshu stretched his arm out, blocking the curtain. Huang Rong pushed against it a few times, but it wouldnât budge.
âFine, ask then.â Knowing she was in the wrong, Huang Rong huffed and returned to her seat at the table. She had already decidedâwhatever he asked, sheâd just make something up. Itâs not like he could tell if she was lying.
âNow thatâs more like the heroic Leader Huang,â Song Qingshu said with a grin. Pouring her a cup of tea, he casually asked, âSince you asked me that kind of question earlier, Iâll ask you something similar. What was the happiest moment youâve ever had with Hero Guo? Please describe it in detail. No need to hold back on the specificsâI certainly wonât.â
Seeing the mischievous smile on his face, Huang Rong nearly threw the tea in his face. Somehow, she managed to suppress the urge and started thinking of how to deal with this question.
At first, her mind naturally drifted to memories of her marriage with Brother Jing. The happiest times were surely those early days on Peach Blossom Islandâcarefree and blissful, far removed from the hardships of Xiangyang.
But when she tried to pinpoint a single moment, she was stunned to realize she couldnât. No matter how hard she tried, the only thing that came to mind⊠was last night.
Compared to that, all the past moments seemed insignificant!
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