The Counterfeit Madam Hou Chapter 32

*unedited

Xue Mu's heartbeat is strong and fast. Bthump, bthump. And with it, Liu Qinghuan feel like that her heartbeat is getting faster too.

He stood in front of her, his eyes focusing so very strongly on her, carrying a gleam of emotion that she can't really decipher.

Her heart skip a beat as she tug her hand free. Somehow, she have a feeling that Xue Mu….

No, she have to escape again.

As if reading her thoughts, Xue Mu's brows furrow together.

” Are you still thinking about running? ”

He once again grab hold of Liu Qinghuan, his grip stronger this time.

” Do I need to move into your courtyard before you can behave? ”

She is just thinking that his grip is really hurting before her attention catches onto the second part of his sentence.

” Huh? ”

Xue Mu smiles and let go of her.

” I'll move in tonight. ”
” ………. ”

Wait a minute, let's discuss about this first!!!

Without a spare moment to discuss, Xue Mu gave his orders and in no time at all, all of his stuff from the Lotus Chamber have been brought over.

Dazed by everything, Liu Qinghuan is in awe of the maids working in the mansion. As expected of someone who are working in the Marquise's Mansion, all of them are trained as if a soldier on the battlefield.

The only thing she is thanking the heavens for is that Xue Mu at least have the decency to sleep in the waiting room outside. There is no bed there, just a small simple sleeping mat for her napping use during the day, it's size barely enough to fit a person. Luckily, it is still warm outside. If this is in winter, great General Xue might freeze to death tonight.

With such a commotion happening over at Liu Qinghuan's side, Madam Ning, of course, got news about it immediately. She heard Liu Qinghuan had fallen sick a few days ago so it serves as a perfect cover for her to go over and get more information.

Liang Chen peek into the room energetically and after seeing that Xue Mu is only sleeping outside, her perky eyes droop. Bringing this information back to Madam Ning, her heart, which is currently filled with happiness, deflated in seconds. Seeing her situation and worrying about her condition, Liang Chen tries to console her, stating that although they are sleeping in different rooms, it is a huge improvement from them sleeping in different courtyards. Plus Mistress is still so young and pretty, she believes that the Marquise will fold in a few days time.

Liang Chen's argument sounds reasonable since Mu-er is still young and energetic, Madam Ning is confident that things will happen with them being alone in a room.

Happy now, Madam Ning even had dreams of a courtyard full of her grand-children.

On the other side, after waiting for Liang Chen to leave, Xue Mu get up and walk towards the inner door of Liu Qinghuan's bedroom.

Liu Qinghuan immediately sits straight up.

” Mar-mar-mar-mar-marquise! It's really late, let's talk about it tomorrow! ”

Plopping down on her bed, she curls into a ball and covered herself with a blanket. Xue Mu chuckles and enters the room.

Liu Qinghuan look incredibility at him.

” How could you do this! How could you barge into a young woman's room! ”
” Oh? ”

Xue Mu look amusingly at her.

” I believe we are already married. Not just entering your room, even if we did other things, I believe it still all justified. ”

Liu Qinghuan big round eyes stare shockingly at him. How can he be so shameless! But everything he said is true so she could only pout and murmur.

” You know I'm not her. ”

Xue Mu's brows move, but he said not a word. Seeing him standing by her bedside, not moving nor talking, she can't help but ask.

” What.. do you want? ”

The soft sigh goes unnoticeable by her as Xue Mu answers.

” These 2 days when you're not around, I told mother that you're sick. Remember that when you see her tomorrow. ”

She pauses for a second before nodding.

” I got it. ”

After staring at her for a while, Xue Mu turn and head out of the bedroom. Seeing his retreating back, Liu Qinghuan breaths a sigh of relief. But just when he reaches the door, Xue Mu pauses.

” Oh yes. How did you managed to get away from Nuo Yan? ”

Putting Nian Tang and Peng Peng aside, he don't believe she could get away under Nuo Yan's eyes.

Blinking furiously, Liu Qinghuan speaks up.

” Aersi send his men to get me. Although Nuo Yan's skilled, he does only have 4 hands. I took the chance when he's being held up by others to run. ”

Hearing her answer, Xue Mu did not gives any indication that he trust or doesn't trust her words. He simply nod and walk out.

Liu Qinghuan plop back down on her bed. Nuo Yan most likely didn't tell Xue Mu about his plan before and since Xue Mu doesn't know, she don't wish that it's her who told him. It's not that she is so bighearted and letting the whole thing slide but that she don't want any additional trouble coming her way.

Maybe it's the mat or the new environment, Xue Mu is finding it hard to sleep. Halfway though the night, a loud bang is heard inside the bedroom. Xue Mu's eyes open immediately and sit right up from his mat.

The bedroom door is still shut so he have no idea what Liu Qinghuan is doing inside. He frowns. Can it be that she's thinking of escaping again?

Once that suspicion is lodge in his brain, he immediately head inside the bedroom.

Liu Qinghuan is on the bed, sleeping soundly. Xue Mu's eyes survey the room, before stopping at a window blown open by the wind. Moonlight shines through and although it's not bright enough to light up the room, it' enough for him to see the person sleeping on the bed clearly.

It's a very familiar face to Xue Mu. A face that progress from 3 years old to 17 years old, from a sweet dumpling till the gorgeous lady she is now.

In the beginning, they met often and Xue Mu got to see all kinds of different expressions she could make ———— Happy, angry, willful, pouty, crying, proud, embarra.s.sed…

Later on, they grew apart. But still, every moment he's free, he would sneak over to see her. But then, the only expression left is indifference.

” Qing Qing… ”

Sitting down by her bedside, he murmurs her name. No response came from the one soundly asleep but that does not bother him at all as he stares at her for a while. Then, he lean over and kiss her.

Now, even Liu Qinghuan's toes have frozen over.

She is awake the moment the wind blew the window open. And just when she is about to go close it, she notice Xue Mu walking in, so she could only pretend to be sleeping.

As a seasoned ‘professional' (swindler), she have upmost confidence in her skill of faking sleep. But how would she have known that Xue Mu would ‘attack' her in her sleep like that?!!

His lips are soft and burning hot, just like her favorite pairing of her favorite wine with grapes, sweet and intoxicating. But the person above her starts going deeper and deeper, not a tiny bit afraid of waking her. Now, she is seriously considering about whether or not should she kick him away.

Then she can't help but worry if the kick will stir his feelings up even further….

Just as she is jumping between her choices, Xue Mu finally let go of her lips and buried his head in her neck instead.

” Qing Qing, Qing Qing…. ”

His hand gently stoke her hair, repeating her name over and over again, as if he wanted to carve it deep into his very being.

His breath by her ears burns more that the kiss just now. And with his body heat about to lit her heart on fire, Liu Qinghuan almost reaches out to hug him.

But sadly, she almost.

Her hands moves a little as her eyes remains shut.

” I'm not her. ”

Xue Mu's eyes darken as his hands tighten, pulling her into his arms.

” Why? ”
” Why what? ”

He bits his lips, and never speaks again.

Just like that, he silently hug her for while before he finally get up and leave the room. Staring at the closed door, Liu Qinghuan feels her heart sinking.

The next day she wakes up, Xue Mu is already off to the royal morning a.s.sembly.

In the palace, the once-gone-and-now-returned Mongolian Envoy gives his praise of Chang-An's scenery and because he can't get enough of it, he wishes to stay for a few more days.

The Emperor looks at him amusingly and said Chang-An welcomes you.

All the officials, who crawl up early in the morning, feel constipated at seeing how the two playing tai-chi with each other. Only Xue Mu has been coldly staring at the Envoy throughout the entire time, allowing him to feel a blast of cold air in mid summer.

In the mansion, Liu Qinghuan is also playing tai-chi with Madam Ning. Having been with her for a while, this is but a piece of cake to Liu Qinghuan. Probing for the entire morning, Madam Ning couldn't even get an answer to whether Xue Mu did hold his ground or not.

She only heard about how Liu Qinghuan ordered another lock for her bedroom door after leaving her side.

But this extra lock, in the great big general Xue's eyes, meant nary a thing. As evident in his smirk when he came back and saw the lock.

After ridiculing the lock that overestimated itself, he then put orders to have the sleeping mat lay aside for a new bed. Hearing this news, Madam Ning panicked and even throw her praying beads out the window.

Is he deciding to stay for good outside the bedroom?

Liang Chen gets hold of Madam Ning, who is about to rush over and give a good smacking to Xue Mu, and tries to get her to calm down.

And the entire afternoon pa.s.s in this midst of chaos. When Xue Mu finally have the time, he call for Nuo Yan to have a chat.

Distressed, Nuo Yan don't know what to start chatting about.

The lotuses in the pond has all withered away, leaving only the lotus leaves drifting in the water. And in the pavilion, the rare combo of only Xue Mu and Nuo Yan can be seen. Xue Mu, as usual, sits in the middle, making his tea.

Standing by his side, Nuo Yan have an inkling about what he wants to ‘chat' about.

Looking at the steaming cups of tea, Xue Mu speaks up.

” I was occupied with searching for her the last few days and didn't have time to ask you. How did she get away from you? ”

Nuo Yan frown, and prob a little.

” Did Madam said anything? ”
” She said nothing. You? ”

Nuo Yan goes silent for a long while, and then, he kneels down.

” I lied about helping her escape but I was planning on killing her. ”

Xue Mu's hand balled into a fist.

” Why? ”
” When Marquise saved my life in the battlefield, my life belongs to you. She entered the mansion with bad intention and nothing she said is ever true. I cannot allow such a person to say by Marquise side. ”

Nuo Yan pauses for a second, before continuing.

” Even if the Marquise is to take my life today, I have no regrets. ”

Nuo Yan knows he can't hide this from the Marquise forever and if he aren't so guilty over this, he wouldn't had let her escape so easily.

Xue Mu relaxes his balled up fist and stands up. Looking down on the still-kneeling Nuo Yan, his voice is soft and calm.

” If you really killed her, then the one who die today wouldn't be you, but me. ”