Chapter Twenty-Four Always Exchanging New Peaches for Old Tokens

  On New Year's Eve, the crackling sound of firecrackers in the concession was suddenly interrupted by an unexpected rainstorm with hail, and the strong wind blowing from the sea swept away the festive atmosphere.

  In Mr. Hol's mansion, every room was lit with kerosene lamps, and the lights were bright on New Year's Eve, which was also a good omen for Chinese people.

  The fireplace in the study was crackling, Ye Zhaos sat with Lawyer Holl, sipping strong coffee and chatting. He had to leave Shanghai soon, and Ye Zhao had many things to entrust to Lawyer Holl.

  Ding ding, the maid gently pushed open the door and respectfully said to Ye Zhaowei: "Sir, Madam has settled in." Just now she led Su Hongniang to wash up, and then sent Su Hongniang into the guest room.

  Ye Zhaoye felt a bit helpless, being stuck at the Hol family's house on New Year's Day, and even missed the opportunity to ease tensions with Su Hongniang. These days, Su Hongniang had been avoiding Ye Zhaoye, but today she finally agreed to come to the Hol family's house with Ye Zhaoye after he waited for her in the dining hall. Ye Zhaoye wanted to have a lively New Year's Eve dinner with Su Hongniang, while Rui Si and others wouldn't dare sit at the same table as their master and mistress even if they were beheaded. That's why Ye Zhaoye brought Su Hongniang to the Hol lawyer's house, but who knew they would encounter a blizzard and couldn't return? Originally, he still wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Su Hongniang, but this awkward separation made Ye Zhaoye really unwilling to part with her.

  "I'll go take a bath too." Ye Zhaosheng stood up with a smile.

  Huo nodded, but in his heart he envied Ye Zhao's good fortune. Huo knew the rules of the East, and although he hadn't taken more than a glance at the dinner table, that one fleeting glimpse had already left him deeply astonished - the classical beauty of an Eastern woman was truly enough to shock a man's nerves.

  ……

  Ye Zhaowashed and followed the maid to a guest room on the first floor. When he opened the door, he was taken aback. In front of the milky white dresser stood a beautiful woman, none other than Su Hongniang. The room was warm and cozy, and she had removed her black fur cloak, revealing a stunning golden silk cheongsam with a phoenix pattern that dazzled the eyes. A hint of red embroidered shoes peeked out from under the hem, making one's heart skip a beat.

  Ye Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then suddenly realized that he and Su Hongniang were considered husband and wife in the eyes of outsiders, so they would definitely be arranged to stay in one room. He turned his head wanting to say something, but the maid had already smiled and bid him goodnight before retreating out and closing the door behind her.

  Just then, Ye Zhaocai suddenly remembered that he was wearing cotton pajamas and slippers, which was also too sloppy. Sure enough, Su Hongniang looked him up and down, her big watery eyes filled with amusement.

  Alas, Ye Zhao let out a sigh in her heart. It was better to be cold and indifferent to herself after all. She could only make small talk: "I suppose Alice is preparing new bedding."

  "Yes."

  The room is not large, with only a simple dresser, tea table and a Western-style wooden bed. The duvet cover and sheets are brand new. Moreover, on the dresser in the room, red candles were deliberately lit according to Chinese customs.

  Ye Zhaosat on a round wooden stool in front of the tea table, poking at the charcoal fire in the brazier, and the room was warm and cozy.

  The room fell silent for a while, and Ye Zhaodao said, "Just... just make do with this for one night, it's not good to trouble them to collect another room."

  "Are you going back to Beijing the day after tomorrow?" Su Hongniang ignored Ye Zhaos words.

  "Yes." Ye Zhao nodded, somewhat dispirited, and looked up at Su Hongniang with sincerity: "Hongniang, I regard you as a friend. It's just that my words are not well-chosen, often making you angry. In the future, take care of yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself about the matter with Qing; if it can be resolved, that would be great; but if there's no hope, don't force it either. I only wish for your peace and safety, and hope we'll meet again someday."

  Su Hongniang gazed at him, nodded slightly and smiled lightly: "You speak like this, I'm not used to it."

  Ye Zhaosheng smiled slightly and didn't take the opportunity to make any jokes.

  Su Hongniang stared at him for a moment before suddenly asking: "You're helping me like this, aren't you afraid that I'll make it to Beijing one day and chop off your head?"

  "It doesn't matter." Ye Zhaoshook his head lightly.

  The room fell silent again, with only the faint sound of charcoal burning occasionally.

  "You want to sit like this all night?" Su Hongniang pointed to the bed and said: "You go to sleep."

  Ye Zhaobai poked at the charcoal fire and smiled: "You sleep, don't worry, I won't peek at you!"

  A gentle breeze blew, and Su Hongniang's lotus feet moved lightly as she snatched the fire shovel from Ye Zhaos hand. In a commanding tone, she said: "You're told to sleep, so you sleep! Your body is weak and can't last through the night. I'm used to it and have skills, so it doesn't matter if I don't sleep for several days and nights."

  Ye Zhaoke's self-esteem was slightly hurt, and she retorted with her neck raised: "How do you know my body is weak? I'll tell you, I've never been sick since I was a child!" This was actually the truth. Since coming to this world, Ye Zhaoke had indeed been immune to all illnesses. When she first arrived in this world, she was confused and lonely, and once wore thin clothes to stand blankly in the snowy ground for a whole night, but the next day she didn't even sneeze once.

  Seeing Ye Zhao's sulky and childish appearance, Su Hongniang couldn't help but laugh, saying disdainfully: "You're a young master who's been spoiled since childhood, it's strange that you can get sick!"

  Ye Zhaohas been so depressed, in his own world, if a beautiful woman thinks you have a weak body, how embarrassing is that? It's probably going to be a joke and teased by friends for the rest of their lives.

  "Aren't you weak? Won't you try?" Ye Zhaohui snatched back the fire shovel in a huff.

  Su Hongniang smiled lightly and said: "Still need to try? I can knock you down with just one little finger!"

  Ye Zhao glared at her and stopped paying attention to her. Sneakily taking advantage of others wasn't something a man should do either.

  "Alright, I was wrong. You're strong and capable, a real man. Now, go to bed and rest." Su Hongniang snatched the fire tongs again, her smooth little hands lightly brushing against Ye Zhao's hand, feeling strangely comfortable.

  Ye Zhao helplessly said: "What kind of reason is it that a man enjoys a woman's suffering?" As he spoke, his words became more and more ambiguous.

  "Ah, mother-in-law's." Su Hongniang turned around and sat down on the bed, her skirt fluttering up slightly as she did so, revealing a pair of emerald green satin underpants with embroidered flowers and a pair of delicate embroidered shoes.

  For a good while neither of them spoke again, and the sound of the wind outside the window seemed to be getting softer.

  "Hey, come sit on the bed and chat with me." Su Hongniang patted the empty space beside her.

  The hard wooden chair made Ye Zhaowei's buttocks ache a bit, and after hesitating for a moment, she got up and sat down beside Su Hongniang.

  "Will we have a chance to meet again?" Su Hongniang suddenly turned her face and gazed at Ye Zhaowen.

  "Should be, should have been?" Ye Zhao's tone was so uncertain, and how could he know what would happen after they parted ways today?

  "Yes, maybe there will be." Su Hongniang sighed softly and said thoughtfully: "Is there anything you wish for me to help with? Are there any enemies in the capital? Or perhaps, are there any officials or foreigners in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces who have a grudge against you?"

  Obviously preparing to repay Ye Zhaoye's great kindness by killing him.

  Ye Zhao smiled wryly: "I knew it, just fighting and killing." But in his heart, he was moved, and he secretly glanced at Su Hongniang. For the first time, he stuttered when speaking: "Want... want to say a wish, really have one, that is, saying it out loud, you won't get angry, right? I... I want to hold your hand." He quickly explained: "I'm not being flirtatious, you don't understand, in my world, if we haven't even held hands, how can we be considered boyfriend and girlfriend? I really take you as my girlfriend, meeting you is probably the most worthwhile memory of my life. But we haven't even held hands, it's not right, and in the future, when I want to show off to others, I won't know what to say?" As he spoke, his heart was filled with a sense of loss, knowing that he could never return to his original world again. Even if he had such an amazing girlfriend, who would he show off to?

  "You, what are you saying?!" Su Hongniang's pretty face turned slightly red. She hadn't heard clearly the latter part of Ye Zhao's mumbling words, but she stared at him for a while before slowly lowering her head, lost in thought. After a moment, she slowly extended her snow-white small hand that was as alluring as a bewitching dan, but this jade-like hand that could take one's life with just a few words now tightly clenched into a fist, looking very tense.

  Ye Zhaoyi froze, holding his breath, and slowly stretched out his hand. In the two lifetimes he had lived, Ye Zhaoyi had never been so nervous before. At this moment when his hand was stretching out, his mind went completely blank, as if it were just an instant, yet also as if thousands of years had passed.

  At last, the small hand that had captured his soul was gently grasped by him. The smooth and fragrant softness made Ye Zhaos hand suddenly feel as if all its pores were open, countless nerves jumping with joy, a comfortable and wonderful feeling he had never experienced before.

  Ye Zhaolong's eyes were dry, the tactile sensation was wonderful but couldn't compare to the psychological satisfaction. This is Su Hongniang! The Su Hongniang who "fought over a hundred battles with two arms, and not a single gun fell behind thousands of people", the Su Hongniang who "rode horses and shouted at Cao's heroic spirit, and tens of thousands of foxes and mice fled in fear". This woman, who couldn't even be seen in his past life dreams, was now holding hands with him, as intimate as a girlfriend!

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Su Hongniang with her back to him, only to see the exquisite and dazzling red skirt lightly wrapped around her fragrant shoulders slightly trembling, apparently the beauty was so tense at this moment.

  Looking at her snow-white and tender neck, the small and round earlobe, a thread of intoxicating fragrance seemed to seep out from her icy skin, rushing straight into the deepest part of one's mind.

  Ye Zhao's hands trembled, his arms seemingly disobedient and numb, slowly reaching out to grasp the beautiful woman's fragrant shoulders, gently pulling her into his own embrace.

  She could feel the beautiful woman's soft body suddenly stiffen, as if resisting, and then slowly lean against Ye Zhao's chest with a sense of helplessness and grievance.

  Ye Zhao looked down, only to see the beautiful woman's face, like a flower, delicate and charming, with a hint of blush on her cheeks, her eyes tightly closed, her red lips trembling slightly, as if she was about to cry. Her soft body leaned against his, separated by a thin layer of fabric, but he could feel her trembling, her breathing rapid, her chest heaving slightly in her red dress. Unintentionally, he lightly touched her body, and the woman's slender figure trembled, letting out a startled "ah", a sound like a heavenly whisper that was almost fatal. Ye Zhao's head buzzed, his body feeling as if it was about to explode, and he suddenly pressed her down beneath him.

  Years of suppressed and repressed life had turned Ye Zhaowei into a wild beast, his hands frantically tearing and pulling at the silk fabric that no man had ever touched before. He didn't know how to untie the red dress that was driving him crazy, nor did he know how to pull open the bright red corset. As he tore and pulled, the beautiful woman's red skirt was disheveled, her snow-white skin half-exposed, her seductive body tantalizingly visible, and the scene was so enticing that it drove Ye Zhaowei even more frantic.

  A drop of clear tears finally fell from Su Hongniang's tightly closed eyes, and Ye Zhao also suddenly froze, as if struck by lightning, suddenly waking up, what am I doing?

  "Right, sorry." Ye Zha stuttered, wanting to roll over from this weak and boneless, yet thrillingly perfect body, but pressed against the beauty's softness, like cotton, those naturally seductive bones seemed to be made for men to indulge in that tender and numb pleasure.

  "Don't go" a soft voice was barely audible, Su Hongniang didn't know Ye Zhao's current situation, as if afraid Ye Zhao would run away, her jade-like legs lightly hooked around Ye Zhao's leg bend, but she didn't know that her action would drive the man crazy, Ye Zhao felt his head burning hot, his nose surging with heat, as if he would spray blood from his nose at any moment, and as if his head would explode in this instant, he couldn't care about anything else, and fiercely pressed down...

  At that moment, Su Hongniang suddenly burst into tears, a pain she had never felt before, a heart-wrenching pain. She didn't know what it was, only that it was unbearably painful and suffocating. All she wanted to do was let out a loud wail and cry out all her grievances.

  The tight feeling made Ye Zhaowu want to die, only to feel that he had been living in vain before. He didn't know that the love between men and women could make people feel so comfortable, as if floating on cloud nine. He wanted to thrust hard, but looking at Su Hongniang's tightly closed eyes, biting her red lips and crying painfully, Ye Zhaowu's heart was filled with pity and love. He gently leaned down, kissed the tears on Su Hongniang's face, and whispered: "Hongniang, don't be in pain, rest assured, I will cherish and love you well from now on, and make you the happiest woman in the world."

  As she listened to Ye Zhao's gentle words, Su Hongniang's tears flowed even faster. Ye Zhao was at a loss for what to do when her arm suddenly hurt as Su Hongniang bit down on it hard. "You, you must remember today's words." Su Hongniang closed her eyes tightly, not daring to look at Ye Zhao, her voice weak and frail, where was the big sister-like demeanor she had in front of Ye Zhao?

  Ye Zhaixin was overjoyed and couldn't help but...

  ……

  There was a bright spot on the thick curtains, obviously it was already three poles up.

  Ye Zhao slowly opened his eyes, and in his arms was a soft, fragrant, and delicate body that made him crazy. Ye Zhao's heart heated up again. Su Hongniang in his arms had tears on her face, her eyebrows furrowed, as if she was still enduring great pain. Last night, Ye Zhao had been tossing and turning until dawn, and Su Hongniang didn't know how many times she had fainted. Ye Zhao's arm was covered with teeth marks, not because he didn't cherish his lover, but because Su Hongniang's body was unusually sensitive, as if even a slight touch would make her cry out in pain. If it weren't for the fact that she was biting tightly on the quilt, the people upstairs might have heard her cries.

  Looking at Su Hongniang sleeping soundly, Ye Zhao couldn't help but laugh. You still claim to be good at martial arts? Dare to underestimate me? But who cried all night? From now on, it seems that the sky and earth will not be turned upside down. Do you know what a real man is? Still treating me like a child?

  Last night, Ye Zhao was also startled at first. As soon as Su Hongniang moved, she seemed to be in so much pain that she was dizzy and faint. Although Ye Zhao had been suppressing his desire for twenty years, he couldn't bear it and wanted to let her go. However, seeing Ye Zhao's dejected look, Su Hongniang had to whisper the truth in his ear: "It hurts a lot, but also...it feels good." The words "feels good" were not spoken out loud, but Ye Zhao understood the meaning. He immediately became more energetic and Su Hongniang's painful yet pleasurable expression drove him crazy, making him want to merge with her. Hearing the strong woman beneath him crying out in pain, yet knowing she was extremely comfortable, made him feel an exquisite sensation that was both comforting and thrilling. The poor thing looked like a small woman being ravished, and that feeling was so wonderful it was almost unbearable.

  It's really been a waste of life before, Ye Zhaohad thought back to last night's soul-stirring and bone-melting experience, and couldn't help but feel sentimental.

  Gently pushing the beauty away, helping her cover up with the quilt, Ye Zha got out of bed and picked up his sleeping gown from the ground to put it on. He opened the door and walked out, the corridor was quiet and still. Along the corridor came to the main hall, still no one in sight, but on the long table in the main hall stood a note, Ye Zha walked over to take a look, it was written in Hol's handwriting: "Mr. Ye, I have gone with the servant to pay respects to Pastor Smith, will return before 9 o'clock tonight."

  In the morning, Ye Zhaodu heard the maid knock on the guest room door and say that breakfast was ready, but she didn't respond to her. Perhaps Hol and the maid felt that these two were too close, so they slipped away.

  Ye Zhaosheng smiled and was about to go back to wake up Su Hongniang. As he turned his head, he saw Rui Sier leaning against the gate post outside the iron fence of the courtyard, probably having arrived early in the morning but not daring to disturb the master.

  Ye Zhaohui quickly walked back to her room, pushed open the door and entered, only to find that the room was filled with a sweet fragrance that she hadn't noticed last night despite spending a long time inside.

  Walked to the head of the bed and lifted up the quilt, ready to shout for Su Hongniang to get up, but suddenly froze. Saw a beautiful woman lying on the brocade-covered bed, her Luo shirt half untied, revealing her snow-white skin, one leg covered with green silk underwear, one foot wearing white silk stockings, and the other foot still wearing red embroidered shoes. It was only then that he realized he had not removed his clothes from the night before.

  At this moment, Su Hongniang's charming and seductive appearance was even more captivating than her usual alluring self.

  Ye Zhao's mouth was dry and his tongue was parched, scolding himself for lacking self-control, yet he still couldn't help but gently remove Su Hongniang's embroidered shoes from her feet. His hands trembled as he slowly removed her stockings, revealing her flawless, snowy white feet. Her feet were small and delicate, like jade, with ten tiny, bright red toenails that seemed to possess a bewitching power.

  Ye Zha swallowed a mouthful of saliva, just waiting to reach out and feel that strange aura, but heard a "ah" cry of surprise, snow-white small feet suddenly shrunk back, "What are you doing?" Su Hongniang quickly covered her body with the quilt, her pretty face flushed red.

  "What's wrong with looking at your wife's feet?" Ye Zhaoshao said with a mischievous grin.

  "Rascal!" Su Hongniang gave Ye Zhao a white eye, with a flirtatious attitude.

  Ye Zhao chuckled and said: "From now on, you will truly be a daughter-in-law of the Ye family, don't be rude to your husband."

  Su Hongniang might have just remembered what happened last night, recalling the scenes of being pinned down by this little devil and crying out in pain, her pretty face growing redder by the second. From now on, she wouldn't be able to hold her head up high in front of him anymore.

  Ye Zhaoyu smiled and said: "I'll go out first, you get dressed."

  Ye Zhaohad taken his own clothes out of the house, changed in the corridor, and was thinking that he would have to buy a new maid for Rui Si'er soon. The bedding here couldn't be left behind, it all had to be moved to his own mansion, so the maid could stay there too. Hong Niang was coming to Shanghai, someone would attend to her.

  The imperial envoy's mansion has been bought by Ye Zhao with silver, and it has become the unadulterated Ye Gongguan. Shanghai's status will become more and more important, I'm afraid that in the future, we can't avoid coming to Shanghai, buying a house is inevitable.

  Thinking of this, Ye Zhao opened the door and went to call Rui Si.

  ……

  Sitting in the Ye Gong Guan restaurant eating breakfast (lunch), Su Hongniang thought she had already returned to her room to change clothes, wearing a red skirt that clung to her body, looking charming and alluring.

  Ye Zhaoting calmed down and thought carefully about last night's events, but he guessed that Hongniang was not going to be with him as a pair, but rather, at the moment of parting, she had given herself to him in order to repay his kindness. Originally filled with joy, he now couldn't help but feel melancholy.

  Su Hongniang quietly helped Ye Zhaoserve the dish and debone it.

  Ye Zhaolightly sighed and said, "Is it also for the sake of repaying kindness now?" Suddenly realizing that Su Hongniang might not actually like him, Ye Zhao couldn't help but feel uninterested. If that was really the case, then his behavior last night was too shameless.

  Su Hongniang looked at Ye Zhao with a surprised expression and said, "Alright then." She could sense that this guy seemed to have a bad temper, but she didn't know who had provoked him, why was he suddenly getting angry for no reason?

  Ye Zhao didn't make a sound, but he pushed all the dishes that Su Hongniang had brought over to his side of the table, not touching any of them.

  Su Hongniang stared at him, really didn't know how this guy suddenly became sulky again. Alas, ended up with such a husband, don't know if it's the resentment of their past lives.

  "When are you going back to Guangxi?" Ye Zhao suddenly asked.

  Su Hongniang seemed to understand why he was angry, bowed her head and thought for a moment before saying: "If you insist on me following you, then I will follow you."

  "Ah?" Ye Zhao was really surprised this time, her mood suddenly made a 180-degree turn. Seeing Su Hongniang's expression, Ye Zhao's wildly joyful heart slowly calmed down. Yes, now she could call Su Hongniang to follow herself back to the capital, but in her heart, she would always have something that couldn't be put down, and she would miss those people in Gui Xi. When they arrived at the capital, would she really be happy?

  Ye Zhao gazed at Su Hongniang and said seriously, "I won't force you, but Hongniang, let's make a deal. In Guangxi, you're not allowed to fight to the death with anyone. You should be a commander, a true commander who plans strategically and wins battles from afar." However, Ye Zhao also knew that Su Hongniang was just the leader of a rebel army, and it was unlikely she wouldn't go onto the battlefield. So he added another sentence: "In short, don't recklessly charge in alone."

  Su Hongniang nodded lightly and said: "Hongniang remembered."

  Ye Zhaoye was taken aback again, feeling that overnight, Su Hongniang's attitude towards her had changed greatly, and she seemed to be quite obedient.

  "Wife, from now on you can properly call me husband, we're really a married couple, right? Come on, say it once and let me hear." Ye Zhaos' heart was itching, she really wanted to hear what it sounded like for this woman to call her husband.

  "Don't shout." Su Hongniang lowered her head, as if she felt she was in the wrong, and didn't look at Ye Zhao. In short, she was being stubborn and didn't want to call Ye Zhao "husband".

  Ye Zhaohaha laughed loudly, his mood was extremely comfortable.

  ……………………………

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