After the Foolish Beauty Wore Women's Clothes and Married the Brutal General - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: Are You Fishing for Me?

Nan Jianxue was not lacking in people to coax him.

His imperial mother, brother, and sister all adored him. Those who wanted to curry favor with them but found no way in would often try through him; then there were those who genuinely liked him.

There were many people who liked him just as much as Liang Qifeng did.

Nan Jianxue thought back to all the gifts he had received from those who liked him until now, only to realize he couldn’t remember a single one. Those items were just like any others sent to the mansion—wrapped up under the guise of festivals, birthdays, or various miscellaneous reasons, then carried directly into the storehouse. Eventually, they became a mere entry on a ledger handed to him, and he would pass the matter to Qingqian to arrange return gifts or simply ignore them altogether.

Would he treat the things Liang Qifeng gave him the same way?

Nan Jianxue stared at the fireworks before him, thinking that this particular gift seemed impossible to “return.”

“Jianxue?” Liang Qifeng’s voice drifted down again. “A-Xue.”

Nan Jianxue turned his head back to look at him and said, “Who gave you permission to call me that?”

Liang Qifeng smiled. “Then, may I call you that?”

“That is what Mother and my siblings call me.” Nan Jianxue looked at him, his tone carrying a strange hint of stubbornness. “If you want to be my elder brother, I might consider it.”

Liang Qifeng arched an eyebrow. “When you were acting spoiled earlier, you knew well enough to call me ‘Gege’.”

Nan Jianxue shrank his neck. “Was it? I don’t remember.”

Liang Qifeng let out a chuckle. “If you say it once, maybe you’ll remember.”

Nan Jianxue immediately bit his lower lip, looking at him with reluctant eyes.

Liang Qifeng sighed almost inaudibly. “I’m just teasing. I just saw how exhausted you’ve been from working these past two days and wanted to make you a bit happier.”

A hint of a smile immediately colored Nan Jianxue’s eyes, and his voice softened. “I am happy.”

Liang Qifeng thought about the night he got drunk and felt a sudden urge to kiss him. But he couldn’t.

He smiled and said, “Then it wouldn’t be too much to ask for a return gift, would it?”

Nan Jianxue hesitated. “Tell me, I’ll consider it.”

Liang Qifeng immediately reached out and pulled him into an embrace, burying his face in the crook of his neck.

Nan Jianxue stiffened completely. Not daring to push Liang Qifeng away, he could only hold his hands up in front of his chest and ask, “What are you doing?”

“I just wanted to hold you,” Liang Qifeng’s muffled voice sounded. “Is that not allowed?”

Nan Jianxue thought about their current posture and nodded. “It’s fine.”

As he spoke, he waited a short while. Seeing that Liang Qifeng really had no intention of moving further, he finally relaxed. He leaned back into Liang Qifeng’s embrace and focused on watching the fireworks.

Liang Qifeng had prepared a lot of fireworks, enough to last a long time.

Long enough for the people of Yong’an City to excitedly poke their heads out of their houses for a look, then grow bored and sleepy and go back to bed.

Long enough for Nan Jianxue, even while being held by Liang Qifeng, to begin feeling a hint of a chill.

Long enough for Nan Jianxue’s mind to cycle through states of being stirred by the exploding fireworks and then calming down, again and again.

“Don’t want to watch anymore?” Liang Qifeng gauged his expression. Seeing him suddenly grow despondent, he asked softly, “Want to go back?”

Nan Jianxue looked back at him. “You went to so much trouble to prepare this; it would be a pity not to finish it.”

Liang Qifeng smiled. “If you wish, they could go on until dawn.”

Nan Jianxue understood and shook his head.

Only then did Liang Qifeng fire another signal arrow. It was aimed away from the fireworks, soaring alone into the sky before quickly vanishing. Immediately afterward, the fireworks ceased.

The entire city of Yong’an seemed to fall silent along with the disappearance of the booming sounds; only a few people remained at the entrances of brothels and taverns.

Liang Qifeng asked softly, “Going back?”

Nan Jianxue shook his head and looked up at the sky again. He felt as though he had many things to say to Liang Qifeng, but didn’t know how to ask.

In the past, his Royal Brother had said he was someone who couldn’t hide anything everything he encountered was written on his face, making him very easy to read. His Royal Sister said he was someone who couldn’t tell a lie; every time he tried, the words “guilty conscience” might as well be embroidered on his forehead.

Back then, he would always smile, act spoiled, and say it wasn’t true that his acting was excellent. Then his siblings would laugh and say indulgently, Yes, our A-Xue’s acting is the best.

Look. He had kept one lie for nearly twenty years, and even now, no one had discovered it.

With such a massive lie clogging his heart, there was no room to hide anything else. He couldn’t hide the fact that Royal Brother had sneaked out to play. He couldn’t hide the fact that Royal Sister had once been tricked by a male favorite.

And he couldn’t hide the fact that he did, in fact, like Liang Qifeng a little.

“Let’s go back,” Nan Jianxue’s voice floated out very softly.

Liang Qifeng gave an “Mhm.” Just as he was about to reach out and pick him up, Nan Jianxue proactively hooked his arms around his neck and asked in a soft, melodic tone if they could just jump straight down.

Liang Qifeng smiled and said they could, directly carrying him as he leaped off.

The rapid descent made Nan Jianxue’s heart beat incredibly fast, but he wasn’t afraid; he only felt the thrill. It was a kind of excitement he rarely felt. Even when they landed, his temples were still thumping like a second heart.

Thump-thump, thump-thump.

Nan Jianxue looked at Liang Qifeng, took a slow, deep breath, and gave him a smile. “Do you know what usually happens to people like us in storybooks?”

Liang Qifeng laughed. “In the storybooks you read, does the male lead also take the female lead jumping off city towers?”

Nan Jianxue’s smile faded slightly, but it quickly turned into a huff of dissatisfaction. He pushed him, signaling for him to put him down.

Liang Qifeng helplessly set him down and asked gently, “What is it then?”

“They usually fall off a cliff,” Nan Jianxue said, glancing at Liang Qifeng again. “Carry me!”

Liang Qifeng half-crouched in front of him.

As Nan Jianxue climbed onto his back, he told him that the feelings between protagonists who fall off cliffs would rapidly heat up, and they would even do “shameful things” in the mountains.

Liang Qifeng thought for a moment. “I’ll take you with me for the autumn hunt this year.”

Nan Jianxue: ?

“That’s not what I meant.” Nan Jianxue gave Liang Qifeng a swat. “Forget it, you’re an idiot. I’m not talking to you.”

Liang Qifeng found it amusing. “You actually have the nerve to call someone else an idiot.”

Nan Jianxue was so angry he hit him again and stopped talking. Liang Qifeng didn’t dare provoke him further; carrying him on his back, he leaped toward the Princess’s Mansion.

Most people in the mansion were asleep. Liang Qifeng was too lazy to use the door and flew directly into the grounds. This startled the guards; the moment they landed, two blades were pointed at them, and others rushed over.

Nan Jianxue froze in shock and hurriedly called out, “It’s me!”

The guards all paused. Those holding blades swiftly sheathed them and knelt to beg for mercy: “This subordinate was blind; please punish us, Princess.”

“It’s fine, you all did very well.” Nan Jianxue climbed down from Liang Qifeng’s back and glared at him.

Liang Qifeng was also helpless and waved his hand. “All of you, dismissed.”

The guards complied and returned to their posts, though one of the two from earlier couldn’t help but advise, “General, please use the door next time.”

Otherwise, it was really bad for their hearts.

Nan Jianxue laughed at that, poking Liang Qifeng. “Your martial arts aren’t good enough.”

“No matter how good my martial arts are, it’s impossible to enter silently. Otherwise, why would I set up these guards?” Liang Qifeng said helplessly. “I just didn’t expect them to react so quickly.”

“It shows your defensive layout is very good,” Nan Jianxue said. “To be able to guard against even you how impressive.”

Liang Qifeng smiled. “But I’m still only at ease when I’m protecting you myself.”

Nan Jianxue didn’t take the bait.

Liang Qifeng continued, “How about I resign from my post and come back to be a Consort, letting you hiss.“

Before he could finish, Nan Jianxue stepped on his foot.

“Liang Qifeng.” Nan Jianxue frowned and glared at him. “Don’t take every opportunity to press me.”

“I’m not,” Liang Qifeng said. “I’m just worried that while you’re considering it, you’ll think I’m not doing well enough.”

“But I don’t like people who are too clingy.” Nan Jianxue thought about it. “Look, the noble ladies in the capital also prefer the way you are now.”

Liang Qifeng looked at him innocently.

Nan Jianxue’s frown deepened. Although Liang Qifeng was handsome, he didn’t have a soft face; when he made such an expression, he didn’t look pitiful, but rather like he was hiding some mischief.

“It’s useless.” Nan Jianxue pointed at him. “If you press me again, you go sleep in a different courtyard.”

Liang Qifeng became well-behaved.

Nan Jianxue nodded in satisfaction and walked toward the room. Hearing the footsteps following behind him, he realized belatedly that the moodiness he’d felt back at the Star-Plucking Tower had been scattered in just a few exchanges; he was actually in quite a good mood now.

Thinking this, Nan Jianxue suddenly stopped. Liang Qifeng immediately stopped too. Nan Jianxue continued forward. Liang Qifeng followed. It was like playing a game of shadows.

When he reached the door, Nan Jianxue stopped again, turned around, and looked at Liang Qifeng. “I want to bathe.”

Liang Qifeng nodded. “In the room?”

Nan Jianxue shook his head. “In the bathhouse.”

Liang Qifeng looked at him in confusion did he really need to tell him that specifically?

Just as his confusion arose, Nan Jianxue leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then ran away giggling before he could react.

Liang Qifeng felt his heart start to itch again. Why hadn’t Nan Jianxue said yes yet? Actually, could this count as saying yes? He had taken the initiative.

He immediately wanted to go catch him, but Nan Jianxue had already sprinted into the bathhouse. No wonder he had to give a specific reminder.

Liang Qifeng sighed, ordered hot water, went to another room to take a quick bath, and prepared to return to the room to wait for Nan Jianxue and have a proper talk with him.

But Nan Jianxue didn’t give him the chance. As soon as he returned, he scurried onto the bed like a rabbit and forbade Liang Qifeng from coming close.

Liang Qifeng had to stand far away, asking through the bead curtain, “What did you mean by kissing me just now?”

“I didn’t kiss you,” Nan Jianxue said righteously. “I was just telling you I was going to bathe.”

Liang Qifeng didn’t expect him to be such a rascal; he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “If you’re going to be like this, I might have to use the hard way.”

Nan Jianxue was instantly alert. “What are you going to do?”

“What do you think?” Liang Qifeng parted a curtain, his gaze piercing through another bead curtain to fall on Nan Jianxue. “You won’t say yes, yet you keep seducing me—are you fishing for me?”

Nan Jianxue wrapped himself into a little rice dumpling and peeked out, looking at him innocently. It was the exact same trick Liang Qifeng had used earlier.

But while Nan Jianxue didn’t fall for it, Liang Qifeng did. When that face showed such an expression, he looked incredibly pitiful; anyone would soften, let alone a man who liked him.

Liang Qifeng cursed inwardly, let go of the curtain, and turned his back. “Nan Jianxue, I like you. No matter what you say, I can listen.”

Whether it was an illusion or not, Nan Jianxue felt his tone sounded a bit powerless.

Liang Qifeng was indeed feeling powerless. He truly had no way to deal with Nan Jianxue. He was currently debating in his head whether rushing over to give him a fierce kiss to force a “yes” would make Nan Jianxue repulsed. He rehearsed it a thousand times, but in reality, the moment Nan Jianxue frowned, he wouldn’t dare do anything. He didn’t want Nan Jianxue to hate him, nor did he want to make things difficult for him.

Sigh.

He sighed and went back to the daybed.

As soon as he lay down, Nan Jianxue crawled out from the quilt, got off the bed, and ran toward him. He didn’t dare get too close to Liang Qifeng, so he just peeked from behind the bead curtain.

The noise wasn’t small; Liang Qifeng naturally knew he was there. He said helplessly, “What is it now, Princess?”

“Just looking at you,” Nan Jianxue said softly. “Liang Qifeng, are you angry with me?”

Liang Qifeng thought to himself: What is there to be angry about? He probably wouldn’t be able to stay angry at Nan Jianxue for his entire life.

“No,” Liang Qifeng said with amusement. “What do I have to be angry about?”

“You saying that sounds exactly like you’re sulking,” Nan Jianxue said. “I’m sorry.”

Liang Qifeng: “…”

He sat up and beckoned to Nan Jianxue. Nan Jianxue immediately shook his head. “You’re going to take advantage of me in a moment.”

Liang Qifeng shook his head with a smile. “I promise I won’t do anything.”

“Really?” Only then did Nan Jianxue take small steps, passing through the curtain to sit down beside Liang Qifeng. He was wearing only a nightrobe, looking thin and soft.

Liang Qifeng wanted to reach out and touch him, but having just promised not to take advantage, he could only take a blanket and drape it over him. “It’s cold at night.”

“It’s not cold in the room,” Nan Jianxue replied, not saying anything else, just staring intently at Liang Qifeng.

Liang Qifeng felt Nan Jianxue was a bit excited, but couldn’t understand where that excitement came from. He could only wait patiently for Nan Jianxue to speak.

But Nan Jianxue didn’t speak; he just reached out to poke his face. After a while, he pinched his nose. A bit later, he leaned in and kissed his cheek.

Liang Qifeng couldn’t take it anymore. He gritted his teeth. “Nan Jianxue, you’ll die if you don’t seduce me, won’t you?”

Nan Jianxue immediately retreated a bit and warned, “You said you wouldn’t take advantage of me.”

“So you take advantage of me instead.” Liang Qifeng laughed in frustration. “If I were a maiden from a good family, you’d have to take responsibility for me by now.”

“We are already married; does that not count as taking responsibility?” Nan Jianxue blinked at him. “Liang Qifeng, I’ve thought about it.”

Liang Qifeng immediately sat up straight.

“I’ve never liked anyone before, but I think I should like you,” Nan Jianxue said. “I’m quite happy when I’m with you.”

Liang Qifeng froze, and then a smile broke across his face. He didn’t expect Nan Jianxue to give him a response so quickly; he’d thought that given Nan Jianxue’s personality, he might drag it out for a while. He immediately wanted to go hug him, but before he could get close, Nan Jianxue stood up and dodged.

Liang Qifeng: ?

“I haven’t finished speaking yet.” Nan Jianxue stood beside him, frowning. “Even though I like you, I think we still cannot be together.”

Liang Qifeng didn’t understand. “Why? Are our horoscopes incompatible?”

“That shouldn’t be it,” Nan Jianxue said. “Royal Brother had someone check our horoscopes before the wedding.”

“Then why can’t we be together?” Liang Qifeng said. “There are no obstacles.”

“There are some,” Nan Jianxue muttered. Seeing Liang Qifeng’s confusion, he sighed. “If we are together, will we have to do… that kind of thing?”

Liang Qifeng arched an eyebrow. “Nonsense, of course.”

“So, no,” Nan Jianxue said.

Liang Qifeng fell silent. Because he doesn’t want to do that stuff, we can’t be together? He wanted to ask why they couldn’t do it if they were together, but if he said that, it would sound like he only liked him and wanted to be with him just to do those things. So he forced the words back down.

He looked at Nan Jianxue, wanting to speak but stopping himself. Nan Jianxue stood aside guiltily, not daring to look at him, using his hand to flick the bead curtain hanging nearby.

After a long while, Liang Qifeng suppressed the irritation in his throat and asked, “Do you mean that if I don’t want to do it, we can be together?”

Nan Jianxue thought about it and didn’t agree directly, only saying, “At least the possibility would be much higher.”

Liang Qifeng’s expression was hard to describe. He was a mortal man; when facing someone he liked, he wanted to hold them, kiss them, and do those things with them. He couldn’t comprehend Nan Jianxue’s high-level realm of simply liking someone and doing nothing.

But if he didn’t agree to Nan Jianxue’s terms, forget those things—even kissing and hugging wouldn’t happen often. Scheming for kisses and hugs versus scheming for “that stuff”—the latter sounded more ambitious, but also a bit lecherous.

He struggled internally. “Then I promise: if you don’t agree, I won’t do those things to you.”

“Then… you also can’t just hug me whenever you want,” Nan Jianxue said. “I have to agree first.”

Liang Qifeng: ? He asked in confusion, “Then what’s the difference between that and how we are now?”

“There is. I’ll allow you to kiss me,” Nan Jianxue said.

“Kiss anywhere?”

Nan Jianxue thought about it and said, “From the neck up is fine. Below that, I’ll have to think about it.”

Liang Qifeng: “…The mouth too?”

“Yes,” Nan Jianxue said. “You can even use your tongue.”

Liang Qifeng: ??? Can’t do it, can’t hug, but can kiss? And can use the tongue? Isn’t that more intimate than a hug?

If it weren’t for the fact that Nan Jianxue didn’t seem resistant when he held him before, he would have suspected Nan Jianxue had experienced something in the past to make him averse.

He took a deep breath and said, “A reason.”

“No reason,” Nan Jianxue said. “It just won’t work.”

Liang Qifeng: “…”

Looking at Nan Jianxue’s serious and determined face, he spent a few moments convincing himself to take a step back and telling himself to take things slow.

“Fine,” Liang Qifeng gritted out the agreement, his tone heavy.

Nan Jianxue’s eyes immediately lit up. “Really?”

“Really, I swear,” Liang Qifeng said. “If I lie to you, let me.”

Before he could finish, Nan Jianxue leaned in and covered his mouth.

“There’s no need for that,” Nan Jianxue said. “Don’t just swear oaths, especially deadly ones.”

Liang Qifeng hummed, pulled Nan Jianxue to sit beside him, and lowered his head to brush his lips against his. Nan Jianxue froze for a second, blinking at him. No shyness, no excitement.

Liang Qifeng suddenly thought about when Nan Jianxue was drunk; he had also kissed him without any burden, as if such a kiss was of no consequence to him. Thinking of this, he frowned and asked, “Have you kissed others before?”

Hearing this, Nan Jianxue’s eyebrows also furrowed. “So what if I have? Do you care that much?”

“Nonsense,” Liang Qifeng said angrily. “If I had found you sooner, I wouldn’t have let anyone get there first. I’m going to the palace tomorrow to settle the score with A-Yuan.”

Nan Jianxue: ? He laughed, poking Liang Qifeng. “Lied to you.”

Liang Qifeng: He said helplessly, “Then your reaction is too… indifferent.”

“Aren’t you the same?” Nan Jianxue said. “You didn’t even blush.”

“Because I’m thick-skinned,” Liang Qifeng said. He reached out, grabbed Nan Jianxue’s hand, and pressed it to his own heart, then leaned down to touch his lips again.

Through the thin fabric, Nan Jianxue could clearly feel Liang Qifeng’s heartbeat quicken. Nan Jianxue pulled his hand back in embarrassment and said, “I naturally would too.” He paused and hurriedly added, “Not letting you feel it.”

Liang Qifeng’s gaze swept over his chest, his earlobes also burning a bit. “I didn’t say I wanted to feel it.” He then remembered something. “But there is another way.”

Nan Jianxue looked at him in confusion.

Liang Qifeng reached out and pressed his fingers to the side of Nan Jianxue’s neck; the heartbeat could be felt there as well. Nan Jianxue understood, his eyes curving as he leaned in and kissed his lips.

The moment their lips touched, his heartbeat did indeed quicken. Even the skin of his ears seemed to turn hot. Liang Qifeng didn’t know if he had warmed that skin with his own touch or if Nan Jianxue was truly shy, but the realization made him a bit excited. This kind of tangible affection was truly intoxicating; no wonder so many people liked to fall in love.

He thought back to what Nan Jianxue had just said, and his heart rate, which hadn’t yet settled, sped up again. He asked, “You’ve read so many storybooks; how do they describe kissing?”

Nan Jianxue thought back but found he didn’t know how to answer. He could only say, “I can’t say clearly.”

Some wrote very clearly—the sensation, taste, temperature everything was vivid. Others were vague, as if writing about flowers, clouds, rain, wind, and morning sunlight. But they were all beautiful. Thus, Nan Jianxue added, “It seems very comfortable.”

But Nan Jianxue had never kissed before himself, so he could only imagine it, making his face turn bright red. He was also a tiny bit curious.

Thinking this, he asked Liang Qifeng, “Do you want to try?”

His eager tone made Liang Qifeng’s heart tremble. He had only intended to guide Nan Jianxue to think about it and then test the waters with a question; he didn’t expect Nan Jianxue to say it directly. By comparison, he seemed a bit too hesitant. That wouldn’t do; it lacked masculinity.

He pursed his lips and said “Okay” as calmly as possible. That single sound broke because his throat was so tight.

Nan Jianxue immediately laughed. He laughed heartily, and the trepidation in Liang Qifeng’s heart lessened a bit. Perhaps Nan Jianxue was truly too candid, so he didn’t feel like they were falling in love at all; rather, it felt like playing house. Nan Jianxue was like an innocent child; because he didn’t understand anything, he would kiss the opposite sex without any inhibitions, and after kissing, he’d say heartlessly, That was fun.

As if out of spite, Liang Qifeng pinched Nan Jianxue’s chin and said, “You said I could use my tongue.”

Nan Jianxue’s eyes immediately lit up as he looked at him and nodded.

Liang Qifeng once again felt his powerlessness against Nan Jianxue; even the excitement of wanting to kiss him weakened. He let go resentfully and said, “Go back to sleep. I need to reflect on myself.”

Nan Jianxue gave him a strange look. “You really change your face quickly.”

Liang Qifeng thought to himself: And whose fault is that?

Just as the thought surfaced, Nan Jianxue’s soft lips pressed against his. Then, something wet and soft very lightly brushed against the seam of his lips.