Xiao Qi, Wait! - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: Official, Too Warmhearted

Song Liang Zhuo saw her switch from struggling to sobbing and felt a pain in his heart as he lightly released those lips, but the hand wrapped around her still hugged her tightly.

Song Liang Zhuo tucked in the blanket that was pushed open due to the struggle and gently said: “Xiao Qi, don’t cry. If there’s something tell me.”

Xiao Qi gulped the cool air with large breaths. She lifted her hand, wanting to wipe the sweat away but Song Liang Zhuo grabbed her hand. Xiao Qi angrily said: “Stop sticking to me, I’m hot!”

“Xiao Qi, you have a fever. You have to sweat it out to get better.”

Xiao Qi sniffled as she sobbed: “What did you take off my clothes for? Did I sleep with you?”

Song Liang Zhuo wanted to say, you did, you can only be my wife now. But when the words came to his lips he didn’t dare to speak them. Song Liang Zhuo sighed: “You didn’t. Xiao Qi, don’t worry, I’m still wearing clothes. Also, I didn’t see anything.”

Xiao Qi skeptically shot a glance at Song Liang Zhuo, then shifted her body backwards. The moment she made a move Song Liang Zhuo tightly drew her back into his embrace. Song Liang Zhuo didn’t wait for her to flare up and spoke first: “Don’t struggle, be good and stay under the covers. I won’t do anything.”

Xiao Qi blinked her eyes, looking at the mosquito net. Just thinking about the fact that she was completely naked as a baby and nesting in a grown man’s embrace made her feel uncomfortable from head to toe, not to mention that man was the one that caused her to soak in the water for a long time, the man that caused her to almost die in the water.

Xiao Qi was silent for a long time. Then she took a deep breath and said: “Official Song, they all say that I stuck to you for two years. Wasn’t that time extremely bothersome for you?”

“It would definitely be bothersome!” Xiao Qi blinked, blinking away the sadness that couldn’t help but overflow again, and gave a light laugh: “Xiao Qi is an idiot.”

“Official Song, lady Cai Yun said she wanted to serve you, I didn’t give my agreement.” Xiao Qi wrinkled her brows and after a long time, spoke again: “To serve, doesn’t that mean you have to sleep together? This is my bed, when I leave I’m taking it with me. If you guys want to sleep then sleep on the outside couch.”

Don’t know what Xiao Qi thought of, but she drew back the corners of her mouth and laughed to herself for a long time. As she giggled and giggled, the sound started to tremble a little.

“Official Song, tomorrow I’m going home. I’m not coming back, even if my mom shoos me off I still won’t come back. I don’t know what I want, I’m scared.”

Xiao Qi blinked her eyes, perplexed, then said: “Don’t worry about those silver, I won’t let the old man slight you. When the water goes down, I’ll still go to construct the dam. That is also something I want to do, so, you don’t have to worry.”

Worry about what, those silver? What he had been worried about, probably from the start, was never those silver. Song Liang Zhuo smiled bitterly, facing each other naked like this, actually led the distance between the two of them to grow larger. Is it that, now that he wants to get closer, it is already too late?

Song Liang Zhuo slowly asked: “Xiao Qi, could it be, you don’t want me anymore?”

Xiao Qi turned her face to look at this man in front of her, this man that made her keep thinking of him even after she lost her memories. This man that almost caused her to lose her life, this man that at this moment looked a bit cautious and prudent. And there was only one word that could sum up everything about him——rogue!

Xiao Qi sneakily raised one arm and carefully covered her not very developed chest. She narrowed her eyes as she fiercely thought, only a fool would think she, Xiao Qi, would not flare up. If a moment ago, he had dared to say, you did, Xiao Qi, you belong to this official now, see if she, Qian Xiao Qi, won’t jump up and beat him to a bloody pulp.

Humph, he even dared to strip her naked while she was unconscious. To dare to take advantage of her when she was unconscious, it was simply, simply……

Xiao Qi took a deep breath, her eyes darted around, then she said: “I still have the divorce papers, when I wanted the divorce papers, hic, that was when I wanted to go back.” Xiao Qi nodded: “I really do want to go back. If I got back sooner, Official Song you’ll probably feel much less troubled.”

See, see how considerate Xiao Qi is. Even at this type of time she’s still thinking about you, Official Song, a small voice in Xiao Qi’s heart said.

Song Liang Zhuo opened his mouth, but in the end just sighed and didn’t say anything.

“Also,” Xiao Qi used her finger to poke Song Liang Zhuo’s arm which had been soaked with sweat for a long time: “Take it off, I won’t move, and I won’t struggle either.”

Song Liang Zhuo’s arm subconsciously tightened for a moment. When he reacted, he apologetically gave a light cough and slowly laid down flat, turning his head to look towards the outer side: “Xiao Qi, do you want to eat something?”

“I’m really thirsty.” Xiao Qi smacked her sticky and dry mouth.

Song Liang Zhuo carefully lifted open the blanket and got out, turning back to tuck the blanket back in carefully. He went to the small coal stove in the outer room and poured a cup of hot tea, then sat next to bed waiting for it to cool a while before slightly lifting up Xiao Qi’s head, wanting to help feed it to her. Xiao Qi uncomfortably supported herself with her arms. But because she wasn’t wearing clothes she didn’t dare to sit up so she could only lean against Song Liang Zhuo’s arm and drink the water from Song Liang Zhuo’s hand.

After Song Liang Zhuo got out of that blanket, he didn’t have the courage to go back in. Song Liang Zhuo sat at the head of the bed looking for a while, seeing Xiao Qi looking guardedly back at him, gave a light cough and said: “Xiao Qi should sleep. I’ll sit for a while.”

“You,” Xiao Qi tighten her grip around the blanket: “Where are you sleeping?”

“I won’t sleep. Xiao Qi should just sleep without worries, I’ll sit for a while.”

“Oh.” Xiao Qi lifted her waist and tightly wrapped the blanket around her, wrapping herself into a cocoon.

It was still really hot, Xiao Qi sneakily poked one arm out, but before she would even fan herself, it was grabbed by Song Liang Zhuo and stuffed back into the blanket. Xiao Qi gave him an eyeroll, muttered a few sentences, then sleepily drifted off to sleep again.

The next day, in a rare occasion, Xiao Qi saw the awake Song Liang Zhuo next to her bed, and it was even a Song Liang Zhuo that was staring at her with an unshifting odd gaze. Song Liang Zhuo saw that she woke up and lifted his hand to touch her forehead. Then, without saying a word, he left.

Xiao Qi curled her lips, from the sweltering blankets dug outwards. She rubbed her slippery smooth stomach and lamented her innocence that she had actually already lost from the start. Then she dazedly thought for a while about various things before letting Lu Liu help her up from the bed.

Song Liang Zhuo had been very quiet this entire time, strangely quiet, but during the meal he still picked food for Xiao Qi several times.

Xiao Qi was a bit puzzled, not knowing what to say she asked: “Official Song, don’t you have to take a look at the village?”

Song Liang Zhuo lifted his eyelid, and switched to asking: “When are you going back?”

“After eating.”

Song Liang Zhuo nodded: “Your fever just broke so you shouldn’t eat too much. Also, wear a few more layers, don’t catch a chill again.”

Xiao Qi pouted, frowning, she raked up another chopstick of rice. Although she was born to wealth, she had always been tough and tenacious since she was little, and wouldn’t avoid food just because of a fever. Even now her entire body ached and the inside of her mouth also feels terrible, but in a bit, after she takes a walk she’ll be better.

Song Liang Zhuo reached out to brush away a grain of rice next to Xiao Qi’s mouth, his thumb lingered next to her mouth for quite a while, like before, and even stroke her cheek before withdrawing.  Xiao Qi squinted her eyes and looked at Song Liang Zhuo. Don’t know what Song Liang Zhuo thought of, but his expression turned from gloomy to clear in an instant, his brows unfurrowed as if he had let go of a heavy rock.

“You, what are you doing?”

Song Liang Zhuo shook his head: “Xiao Qi, in a few days I’ll also go to Father-in-Law’s home to stay for a few days. Is Xiao Qi alright with that?”

Xiao Qi shrank backwards: “There’s no place to stay at my house.” No way she would want him to still fight with her over the bed when she got home.

“I won’t take up a lot of space, sleeping on a small couch is fine too.” The corners of Song Liang Zhuo’s mouth carried a smile as he lightly shook his head, then he continued: “I’ll send you back. And also, I won’t take any concubines.”

Fortunes rise and fall ah, the year hasn’t even passed and it had turned in Xiao Qi’s direction. Xiao Qi looked at Song Liang Zhuo who had patiently explained to her about the systems of managing the waters on the entire way here, and was now currently tenderly helping her down the carriage, her heart with a ‘badump, badump’ started beating a small drum.

Song Liang Zhuo held Xiao Qi’s hand and waited for her to walk to his side before saying in a low voice: “Xiao Qi, remember the words I said before. Don’t talk about anymore inappropriate things with lady Cai Yun. She has her own marriage fate, it has nothing to do with us.”

Xiao Qi curled her lips looking towards Song Liang Zhuo, but meeting his burning gaze ducked her head again. Xiao Qi tugged at her hand and Song Liang Zhuo very obediently let go. Xiao Qi tightened her hand that had suddenly lost the warmth, to say her heart didn’t feel a sense of loss would be false.

There were still a lot of things in the City for Song Liang Zhuo to arrange. Song Liang Zhuo exchanged a few words with Old Man Qian and Mrs. Mei, then took his leave. Xiao Qi’s whole body was still extremely sore, but still before he left, she ran outside the pavilion holding onto his arm.

Xiao Qi looked left and right, then extended her hand: “Where’s the divorce paper? You said when you get here you’ll return it to me. You’re hateful, sneakily rummaging through other people’s things.”

“I stamped it so Xiao Qi could have peace of mind.”

Xiao Qi’s heart suddenly fiercely tightened, she forgot what she was going to say next. Song Liang Zhuo caressed Xiao Qi’s cheek, then lifted his hand to wipe away the beads of sweat on her forehead and warmly said: “Tomorrow I’ll bring you breakfast. Xiao Qi should properly rest.”

Song Liang Zhuo pulled out that piece of paper from his chest, it was folded into fourths, and he handed it to Xiao Qi. Xiao Qi looked at that paper, then looked at Song Liang Zhuo. She wanted to take it, but her hands darted to hide behind her back. Song Liang Zhuo lightly smiled, pulled Xiao Qi’s hand and stuffed the divorce paper into her palm.

“Wasn’t Xiao Qi unsatisfied with this marriage? How about we look for satisfaction together?”

Xiao Qi opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but not a single word would come out. Song Liang Zhuo dropped a kiss on the top of her head, then rubbed her ears: “Xiao Qi, don’t think of useless things, and also don’t eat random things. Go back to your room and sleep a while longer, I’m leaving.”

Leaving?

Xiao Qi saw Song Liang Zhuo turn away and subconsciously reached out to pull him, but when she touched his hand she pulled it back again as if she was scalded. Song Liang Zhuo turned around and rubbed her ears again before leaving.

Xiao Qi supported her neck and stood for a long time, her eyes were misty as if tears were about to squeeze out. Her big eyes blinked, and blinked, in the third blink it returned to being vivid and gleaming.

Xiao Qi energetically patted her chest and laughed ‘haha’, shouting towards the surface of the lake: “Xiao Qi wants to be Third Miss la. Humph, you little Offical Song, serves you right that no one cares for you and no one loves you. Serves you right that you’re a little seventh rank ah, little seventh rank. Pei, you still have to take up my name as a seventh rank, humph, you stingy miser!”

Song Liang Zhuo is a seventh rank official, which isn’t that high. Xiao Qi’s name, if you don’t remember, translates to Small Seven.

Xiao Qi shook her head and proudly muttered: “Who is better than me, Xiao Qi? Even mom said so, Xiao Qi is pretty and gentle and smart and wise and virtuous and charming. Xiao Qi ah, Xiao Qi, you must find a good person to marry in the future. Find a person who won’t strike back when hit and won’t retort when scolded. A good man that you can kick two times and he’ll even lift his butt for you to kick a couple more times, hehehe.”

Xiao Qi covered her mouth and giggled with a ‘hehe’, then struck a pose and kicked towards the air a few times. But, after all, her fever just recently went down, just standing like this a while made her legs wobbly. The two kicks just then almost caused her to fall into the lake.

Xiao Qi gasped for breath as she sat on the stone bench. She watched the koi in the lake for a while, then said quietly: “Left, like lightning.”

Xiao Qi lowered her head to look at her own palm. She seemed to remember someone saying before, if the lines on your hand is jumbled or has breaks then your marriage will have a lot of problems. Xiao Qi traced her own palm lines for a long time but still didn’t see a reason why. Xiao Qi deflated and her shoulders drooped. Looking at the piece of paper she gripped in the palm of her left hand, she gave a heavy hump before carefully unfolding it.

Xiao Qi looked at that piece of paper, her eyes turned wide then narrowed. Her expression also changed from this to that, her mouth twitched several times, stuck between laughing and crying, in the end she pounded her fist down on the table and opened her mouth to curse: “Humph, you little Official Song. You, y-y-you, you’re seriously a damned crafty ro~gue~!”

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