QTEBS Chapter 49

The old lady is in her forties this year, and with a pregnancy at this age, she felt too embarrassed to show her face in the household.

Qi Hanguang, despite his joy, couldn’t help but worry. “How is my mother’s health?”

The messenger had a smile on his face. “Don’t worry, General. The old lady is in good health.”

His mission wasn’t just to deliver the letter. “Is this the wife, then?”

Zong Yuan was unexpectedly singled out. Qi Hanguang nodded with a hint of a smile. “Yes.”

The messenger took out a beautifully crafted small box from his bag, brimming with a smile. “The old lady asked me to deliver this to you and said you must personally give it to your wife.”

Qi Hanguang accepted it, and Zong Yuan watched as he opened it. Inside was a pure and translucent jade bracelet, perfectly crafted, warm and solid. Qi Hanguang’s heart skipped a beat, and he nervously held Zong Yuan’s hand. “My dear, let me put this on for you.”

With so many people watching, Zong Yuan smiled, “Sure.”

As mentioned before, Zong Yuan had larger hands, at least larger than Qi Hanguang’s. Whether the delicate bracelet could fit or not was a challenge. It was impossible to slide it through his slender hand, and Qi Hanguang, with a furrowed brow, dared not exert force for fear of injuring Zong Yuan’s hand.

Zong Yuan took the bracelet from him, turned it over, and held Qi Hanguang’s wrist from behind. “It seems I can’t put it on, but General should be able to.”

He gently slid the bracelet down Qi Hanguang’s wrist. The pure white bracelet against his wheat-colored skin had a somewhat irresistible allure. Zong Yuan raised his hand as if in accordance with his intentions, and lightly kissed the bracelet.

The people around, “…” Damn, so bold?!

Qi Hanguang watched the kiss land on the bracelet and suddenly felt uncomfortable. Why did he kiss the bracelet? He hadn’t even kissed me.

Zang Qi, along with the two young masters, stood nearby. When they saw this scene, they remembered Yang Jiu’s inexplicable expression earlier. Zang Qi nudged Yang Jiu, “Did you encounter other situations like this?”

Yang Jiu made a face and huffed, “No! There’s nothing at all!”

Qi Hanguang’s expression mysteriously turned cold. He didn’t release Zong Yuan but kept the hand with the bracelet behind him. He said to the messenger, “You’ve come a long way; take some rest. My dear and I will leave first.”

He waved to Qi Dongjun and Qi Dongjing. The two brothers rushed over with shining eyes.

The two adults each held a child and walked to the courtyard. Zong Yuan caught a glimpse of Qi Hanguang’s hand resting at his side, occasionally clenching and then loosening it, as if he was waiting for the right moment to hold his hand.

How could someone like this have had three wives?

Zong Yuan’s hand silently approached him, and Qi Hanguang just lightly shifted, accidentally falling into Zong Yuan’s hand. The hand was suddenly gripped, and Qi Hanguang’s heart skipped a beat. He maintained a calm expression, but his palm began to sweat and feel warm.

Zong Yuan swayed his hand a few times, just like holding Qi Dongjing’s hand. “General, your hand is so smooth and tender.”

How could a general’s hand be described as smooth and tender?

Qi Hanguang’s eyes darkened. “Are you criticizing me?”

How did this conversation turn into criticism?

Zong Yuan’s lips twitched. “I’m clearly complimenting the General.”

Qi Hanguang snorted. “My dear’s sweet words are one set after another, making it hard to distinguish truth from lies.” He was getting more and more agitated as he spoke and even attempted to shake off Zong Yuan.

Zong Yuan was puzzled. “Why are you angry, General?”

Qi Hanguang was even startled by his own behavior. He turned his face away. “It’s nothing.”

Why is Qi Hanguang acting like a jealous lover?

A grown man, a lord, but he’s constantly on edge, up and down, what on earth is going on?!

Zong Yuan had Qi Dongjun take his little brother to play nearby. He then took Qi Hanguang to a pavilion, sat him down on a stone bench, and pressed his hands on his shoulders. He ordered him forcefully, “Look at me.”

Qi Hanguang turned his head away.

Zong Yuan pinched his chin, his deep eyes filled with tenderness, and he asked, “Qi Hanguang, what’s wrong with you?”

Qi Hanguang stared into his eyes, feeling that familiar yet unfamiliar emotion surge once again. He was in a terrible state, fed up with his own behavior. He hated the way he felt, growling softly, “I said I’m fine!”

If he had something to say, why not just say it? Instead, this half-said, half-unsaid approach only irritated and worried people. Zong Yuan suppressed his irritation and said, “Stop being so obstinate. If there’s something, tell me, and we’ll solve it together.”

Qi Hanguang was stubbornly stuck in his own thoughts. He didn’t even know what he was saying. “My problems have nothing to do with you.”

As soon as he said it, he regretted it deeply. Regret gnawed at him, making his heart ache. He pressed his lips together but couldn’t explain any further.

As he spoke, his words seemed to hit a nerve, and Zong Yuan’s expression turned cold. Qi Hanguang felt the tension in the air and suddenly realized the gravity of his words. He felt like he was drowning in regret. He pursed his lips but couldn’t find the right words to explain himself.

He watched Zong Yuan’s mood darken further and felt the knife edge of regret piercing through his heart. Qi Hanguang stood up as if in a daze. “I’ll go check on Jun’er and Jing’er.”

He took a few heavy steps but was abruptly yanked back by a powerful force. He was spun around, and Zong Yuan pressed him against a pillar in the pavilion.

His back was starting to ache, and the impact had been quite strong. He was about to complain, but Zong Yuan’s fierce grip had him pinned, and the world spun around him.

Qi Hanguang was crushed against the pillar. His back hurt, and the impact had not been gentle. He felt his strength drain away and his heart raced as he found himself held against the pillar by Zong Yuan. His breath hitched, and he whispered, “What are you… trying to do?”

Zong Yuan was infuriated. What did he mean by “My problems have nothing to do with you”? He clenched Qi Hanguang’s chin and attacked his lips with a fierce and hungry kiss.

‘Qi Hanguang, you belong to me.’

‘My possessiveness is even more terrifying than you can imagine.’

‘So, don’t think that anything is unrelated to me.’

Qi Hanguang’s eyes widened suddenly. He was passive, enduring Zong Yuan’s aggressiveness, but gradually becoming entranced in their intimacy. His hands, though it was his first time, skillfully found their place on Zong Yuan’s shoulders.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, and their faces flushed with excitement.

Breathless and lost in the moment.

Qi Hanguang was inexperienced and struggled to catch his breath. He begged intermittently, “Zong Yuan… my dear…”

Zong Yuan pulled Qi Hanguang closer, growing even bolder.

Qi Hanguang’s limbs felt weak, and he quickly corrected himself, “Husband…”

Zong Yuan released him leisurely, his voice filled with innuendo, “General, you are truly sweet.”

He playfully licked his lips.

Qi Hanguang, who had never experienced such an onslaught, blushed deeply.

It felt as if the skies were bluer and the waters clearer. The tension in his heart dissolved. Qi Hanguang suddenly remembered what he had said and done, and he wished he could find a hole to hide in. How could he be so embarrassing?

What were his worries for?

Zong Yuan’s hand remained on Qi Hanguang’s waist. He gently massaged the spot where he had been knocked down. “I was reckless.”

Qi Hanguang’s eyes lowered. “You…”

Zong Yuan glanced at his lower half, where his clothing concealed everything. He didn’t mind. “It’s fine. It will be better in a while.”

Qi Hanguang, in his interactions with Zong Yuan, had completely forgotten about his status as the General. But now, he began to worry. Was his strong personality going to overshadow him? He resolved with determination, his eyes firm, “Zong Yuan, I will learn well, and I won’t hurt you.”

…

Zong Yuan raised an eyebrow and, grabbing Qi Hanguang’s hand, slipped it inside his clothing. “Try touching and see who might hurt whom.”

Qi Hanguang’s expression turned shy and bewildered. He touched it repeatedly several times. “How is this even possible?!”

What he held in his hand felt larger with each touch, and Zong Yuan pressed against him, raising an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t it be possible?”

Qi Hanguang blurted out, “How can you be bigger than me?!”

This sentence greatly pleased Zong Yuan. He chuckled softly and, with a mischievous meaning, slid his hand from Qi Hanguang’s waist to his back, patting it lightly twice. “General, you’re in for some more trouble here.”

Again?

Qi Hanguang didn’t have time to ponder it deeply, and a sudden sense of anticipation welled up in his heart. He cleared his throat twice, his voice low as he changed the subject, “I’ll go check on Jun’er and Jing’er.”

He always got so shy at times like this.

Zong Yuan held his hand firmly and said, “Let’s go, check on the little rascals.”

Zong Yuan’s experience was extensive, mostly gained from his beloved, and he effortlessly saw through Qi Hanguang’s shyness. Even though he had anticipated it, the confirmation still brought a sense of delight.

Qi Dongjun and Qi Dongjing were busy playing in a pile of rocks, their little behinds sticking up as they searched for sand. When they spotted their father and daddy from a distance, their faces lit up, and they called out joyfully, “Father! Daddy!”

The sight of their smiles warmed both Qi Hanguang and Zong Yuan’s hearts. However, in the corner of their eyes, a glint of silver suddenly flashed.

Qi Hanguang’s pupils contracted, and he urgently said, “Get down!”

Qi Donjun and Qi Dongjing were used to playing this game with him. They didn’t understand what was happening, but they quickly crouched down, obedient as always.

An arrow suddenly shot into the ground from an oblique angle.

Without any weapons, Zong Yuan took advantage of the moment to dash forward and embrace the two children. As he turned, another arrow sped towards them with force.

Qi Hanguang watched in shock as the arrow headed toward Zong Yuan. He wanted to shout, but he was rendered voiceless in an instant. He wanted to run to them, but no human could match the speed of an arrow. His heart nearly stopped as he watched the arrow pierce Zong Yuan.

It can’t be! How could this happen…

Then, something astonishing occurred!

The arrow had struck Zong Yuan harshly, only to fall away from him as if it had hit a smooth, hard stone surface.

It was as if it had struck a perfectly polished rock.

A group of reinforcements arrived just in time to witness this incredible sight. They couldn’t believe their eyes. The General’s wife, was he a deity?!

That was an arrow! An arrow!

They were in disbelief but still rushed over.

The General’s wife must be a child of the heavens!

Divine!

Qi Hanguang, lost in his thoughts, recalled the incident where Zong Yuan had forcefully struck a wall, leaving no visible damage to the wall but several bloodstains on his hand. At the time, he had thought Zong Yuan hadn’t used much strength. Could it be that Zong Yuan genuinely didn’t exert much force?

Regardless of the answer, he felt immense relief!

Thank goodness, thank goodness he was alright! Thank goodness Jun’er and Jing’er were unharmed!

The assassin had fled swiftly, and Qi Hanguang could only find the discarded bow and arrows at the scene. At this moment, he had no time to dwell on it. He held the frightened children in his arms, his gaze filled with relief, but his hands and feet remained ice-cold.

“Thank goodness you’re both unharmed!” he exclaimed.

If anything had happened… he would have sought revenge no matter the cost!

The others had also gathered around. Yang Zongshan cautiously patted Zong Yuan and exclaimed, “Were you really struck by an arrow?!”

A deity?

Zong Yuan remained composed and replied, “I wasn’t struck; you all must have seen it wrong.”

He even smiled and added, “I’m just a human! How could I be hit by an arrow and not have a scratch?”

No matter what Zong Yuan said, the people were convinced that the General’s wife was anything but ordinary!

No wonder he possessed supernatural strength!

In our lifetime, we have the privilege of witnessing such an extraordinary individual!

Even in old age, we’ll have stories to tell!

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