The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 52

Wei Ziwan let out a deep sigh, stood up, and scattered the clothes she had been holding in her arms. Just as she was about to leave, she heard footsteps approaching from a distance.

She turned her head sharply, and when she saw who it was, her calm eyes instantly sparkled with starlight, filled with tenderness and affection.

The night grew darker.

In less than a quarter of an hour, a figure dressed in black slowly approached.

The face, shrouded in the night, was both familiar and unfamiliar—it was unmistakably the carriage driver they had encountered during the day.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan, holding hands, stopped their attempts to shoo away the birds when they noticed someone approaching. They both turned to look.

The man in black took two more steps forward, looking at the two frightened women, and muttered under his breath, “How foolish, so easily lured out.”

Bai Zhi pulled Wei Ziwan back in panic, their bodies pressing tightly against the stone wall. She looked at the man in black, her voice steady but laced with undeniable fear: “Who are you? How did you know we were here?”

She stared at the man a few steps away, her hand subtly pulling Wei Ziwan back while she slowly stepped forward, positioning herself mostly in front of Wei Ziwan.

The man in black let out a sinister chuckle and drew a knife from his waist: “Better to die ignorant. Go ask the King of Hell who I am.”

With that, he took a step forward, but as soon as his foot landed, he stumbled. He leaped back abruptly.

However, in the darkness, a wooden stick struck him squarely on the back.

The man in black’s expression changed instantly, and he staggered forward.

When he saw the sudden flare of torches around him, he realized things had gone wrong.

A group of villagers surrounded him.

The man in black secretly relaxed a little—just a bunch of villagers. He brandished his knife: “A ragtag bunch, overestimating your—”

Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed to the ground.

Zhou □ stepped out from behind him, saying lightly, “How useless. Tie him up.”

The tension in the crowd eased.

“Miss Zhou, your skills are impressive.”

“It’s good that it’s over. I was scared to death.”

“Let’s go, let’s tie this scoundrel up tight.”

The villagers clamored as they carried the man in black down the mountain.

Zhou □ smiled faintly and said gently, “Everyone, head back to the village. It’s over.” She then nodded to the elders, instructing them to leave two torches and have two villagers stay behind to keep watch.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan silently released each other’s hands, each holding a torch, and walked up to Zhou □.

In the cold winter night, the wind howled.

Under the bright moonlight, the three women exchanged glances. Zhou □ spoke calmly, “It’s best not to leave the village at night. It’s not as safe out here as it is in the village.”

Bai Zhi pursed her lips slightly and nodded, “Thank you, Miss Zhou.”

She had no idea how desperate she had been when she knocked on the temple door. Qingshi Temple only had a few nuns, and although the old clan leader had immediately sent people down to the village to call for help, she couldn’t afford to wait for them to return.

Fortunately, just as she returned, Zhou □ arrived with a group of people almost simultaneously.

In such a short time, with Zhou □’s quick thinking, the villagers had set up an ambush. Bai Zhi began to realize that these were no ordinary villagers, and she felt immensely grateful.

Otherwise, how could they have made it in time?

Zhou □ raised an eyebrow and reached out to Wei Ziwan, “Give me one of the torches. You two walk behind. Let’s head back early and get some rest. We’ll need to interrogate that scoundrel tomorrow.”

“Alright, thank you, Sister Zhou.”

Wei Ziwan handed over the torch, and Zhou □ took it, walking down the mountain unhurriedly without looking back.

Bai Zhi rolled her eyes silently, holding the torch and following behind, her other hand once again grasping Wei Ziwan’s.

The two villagers at the back remained silent, dutifully keeping watch as they followed.

Once back in the village, the group dispersed.

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan returned to their room, lit the lamp, and finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness it’s over.” Bai Zhi said, her heart finally settling, though she was still shaken. She forced herself to calm down, and a smile soon crept into the corners of her eyes.

Wei Ziwan also chuckled softly, holding Bai Zhi’s hand as they sat on the bed together: “Yes, it’s over. The village should be safe now.”

The two exchanged a smile, the tension in their hearts slowly dissipating.

Bai Zhi suddenly remembered something. She pulled her hand away and looked at the bed curtains, her expression uneasy: “Let’s get some sleep.”

Stay calm. In such a tense situation earlier, maybe she didn’t notice what I said.

Wei Ziwan’s smile didn’t fade. She reached out and caught Bai Zhi’s hand, her voice soft: “Husband, you said earlier that in this lifetime, you would only hold my hand. What did you mean by that?”

Bai Zhi: “…” She really shouldn’t have hoped for luck.

Seeing her silent, Wei Ziwan sighed, the smile fading from her lips: “Did I mishear? Or… were you just saying it casually?”

This silly eunuch, how long are you going to keep pretending?

Bai Zhi instinctively shook her head: “No—it’s not—” Her voice trailed off, unsure how to continue.

She hadn’t said it casually. At that moment, she had been thinking…

“Not what?” Wei Ziwan’s lips curved, a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.

Bai Zhi looked at Wei Ziwan, her heart wavering, unsure where to start.

The atmosphere in the room grew heavy in the silent exchange. Silence could be useful at times, but in moments like this, it seemed to lose its effect.

The anticipation in Wei Ziwan’s eyes dimmed slightly. After a moment, she stood up and said, “It’s late. Let’s rest.”

Bai Zhi pressed her lips together and said nothing. She stood up, blew out the candle, and let the bed curtains fall.

The room was immediately engulfed in darkness.

The two lay down in silence.

Bai Zhi closed her eyes, her mind restless. Images of their past lives, where they had nothing to do with each other yet both met tragic ends, flashed through her mind. Then came the days since they left the capital for Lingjue Manor, and the nights they had spent together since.

She was beginning to understand her own feelings, but she didn’t dare to lift the thin veil.

Afraid that she had misunderstood, afraid of making a fool of herself.

Afraid that she had misread the situation, afraid that their companionship would end.

After a long while, she let out a deep sigh in her heart, her thoughts twisting and turning, finally dissolving into silent melancholy.

“Husband, forget about me.”

Bai Zhi watched as Wei Ziwan walked away, desperate to stop her but finding her mouth unable to open and her legs unable to move. She could only watch helplessly and despairingly as the figure disappeared from sight.

Don’t go, don’t go, Wanwan…

With a sudden effort, she opened her eyes to find the room still dark. It was still night.

It was just a dream. Thank goodness it was only a dream.

Bai Zhi blinked, her gaze settling on Wei Ziwan, who was sleeping close beside her.

The sleeping woman seemed restless, murmuring something in her sleep.

Remembering the scene from her dream, Bai Zhi turned onto her side and wrapped an arm around Wei Ziwan’s waist.

As if sensing something, Wei Ziwan grasped Bai Zhi’s hand and guided it downward, placing it over her lower abdomen.

At some point, the thin inner garment had come loose. Under her palm, the skin was as smooth as jade and as warm as a heated stone, making Bai Zhi’s fingers tremble involuntarily.

Her breath caught. Slowly, she tightened her embrace and buried her face against Wei Ziwan’s neck, as if she were holding the softest cloud in the world, cherishing it deeply.

“Husband?” A warm breath brushed against the nape of Wei Ziwan’s neck as she slowly roused from her dream, murmuring softly.

In the next moment, that breath turned into a gentle touch, warm and feather-light against her skin.

Wei Ziwan’s mind came to a sudden halt, a fleeting confusion flashing in her eyes. But before she could fully grasp the moment, the sensation of damp warmth against her nape made all hesitation vanish.

Bai Zhi, eyes closed, kissed the person in her arms with deep affection and cautious tenderness.

Wei Ziwan shuddered slightly, her voice tinged with an uncontrollable tremor. “Hus—band—don’t—”

Bai Zhi’s movements paused. She lifted her head slightly, taking a moment to steady her breath before finally speaking.

“Ziwan, my words aren’t just idle talk.”

Her voice was hoarse and dry, as if breaking through a thin veil, carrying boundless courage and resolve.

“I cherish you. I want to spend a lifetime with you. Will you… agree?”

Bai Zhi spoke in one breath, her own breathing tightening as her heartbeat pounded so fiercely it felt like it might leap from her chest.

The person in her arms shifted slightly, but instead of answering, she simply turned over.

Under the cool moonlight, Wei Ziwan bit her lip lightly.

Then, she wrapped her arms around Bai Zhi’s shoulders and leaned in slowly—warm and soft.

Lips met, intertwining…

The moon shone brightly, the stars sparse. The two on the bed only parted after a long, long time.

But even that separation was fleeting—within mere breaths, their lips found each other again.

That night, they parted and reunited countless times.

The next morning, daylight filled the sky.

After breakfast, Zhou □ waited for half an hour. Seeing that Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan still hadn’t appeared, he went with a few elders to interrogate the man in black.

The man wasn’t a fugitive, but he was a ruthless and well-trained fighter.

Fortunately, he wasn’t particularly stubborn. After enduring some punishment, he spilled everything about the mastermind behind him.

Zhou □ organized the information and slowly made his way toward Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan’s courtyard.

From a distance, he spotted the two figures inside the half-height courtyard wall, leaning against each other as they stepped into the kitchen.

Zhou □ tilted his head and looked up at the sky.

Lunch? Too early for that. Breakfast? Too late for that.

Inside the courtyard, Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan carried their warm breakfast back to their room.

As soon as they set down their bowls and chopsticks, Bai Zhi reached for Wei Ziwan’s waist, pulling her close again.

Avoiding Bai Zhi’s scorching gaze, Wei Ziwan lowered her eyes and whispered, “Eat something first.”

Bai Zhi hesitated for a moment before lightly biting Wei Ziwan’s lips and reluctantly letting go. “Alright.”

She had never known such a wonderful thing existed in the world—that merely pressing lips together could be so intoxicating, leaving her endlessly entranced.

And if they went further… if they tried some of the illustrations from that black-covered book the old consort had…