The next day, Madam Yin's aches and pains finally subsided. As she stepped out of her room, she saw Fang Xian playing shuttlecock in the courtyard.
The morning light shone on him, giving him a youthful air.
Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. She stood there watching for a while until Fang Xian stopped playing before approaching him.
"I have something to tell you."
Madam Yin's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable seriousness.
"Okay."
Fang Xian raised an eyebrow and casually handed the shuttlecock to Nezha, who had run over.
"Nezha, you play by yourself for a while. I need to talk to your mother about something."
"Okay."
With that, Nezha grabbed the shuttlecock and dashed outside.
Fang Xian and Madam Yin entered an empty room. Madam Yin sat at the table, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress. She took a deep breath before speaking.
"Fang Xian, go back to where you came from. Don't ever appear in my life again."
Fang Xian's smile faded slightly. "What's wrong? Everything was fine yesterday."
"This isn't right."
Madam Yin's voice trembled. "You've already…taken too much of me. Just pretend this was all a dream. You should leave."
"Let me leave?"
Fang Xian took two steps forward, and Madam Yin instinctively shrank back.
"Yes, you must leave." She forced herself to meet his gaze.
Fang Xian suddenly grinned mischievously, leaning close to her.
"Are you sure? Don't you want to relive the pleasure of the previous two nights?"
These words were like a needle, piercing Madam Yin's heart.
The intimate scenes of last night instantly flooded her mind, and she hurriedly shook her head.
"How dare you! I am the wife of the General of Chen Tang Pass, how could I…"
Before she could finish speaking, Fang Xian pulled her into his arms.
"Let go!" Madam Yin struggled, but he held her even tighter.
The next second, Fang Xian's lips pressed down, carrying a familiar burning sensation.
She pushed him away desperately, until Fang Xian's hands wandered towards her chest again, before she finally pushed him away with all her might.
"Enough!"
Madam Yin clutched her chest, turning her back, her voice trembling with tears.
"We can't be together, please don't do this anymore."
Fang Xian watched her trembling back, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"It's alright."
He stepped forward and whispered in her ear, "I'll wait until you understand."
After saying that, he turned and walked out, the door closing as softly as a sigh.
Madam Yin stood frozen, only slowly turning around when she heard Fang Xian's voice receding into the distance.
The empty room seemed to still hold his presence; a wave of loss washed over her, and she sighed softly.
She was the one who drove him away, so why did her heart feel empty, as if a piece was missing?
Why was this?
Especially at night, Madam Yin would think of Fang Xian, of what had happened between them.
It made it hard for her to sleep, leaving her restless and agitated.
…
Three days later, at dawn, the tranquility of Chen Tang Pass was shattered by a deafening roar.
A large number of sea monsters appeared in the east of the city. The eight-clawed sea monster leading them was even larger than before; a single wave of its tentacles shattered half of the city wall. The soldiers' swords and blades barely left shallow marks on it.
Madam Yin, wielding a long sword, led her soldiers in a desperate defense. The blades were chipped and the arms were numb from the impact, but the number of sea monsters continued to rise.
Suddenly, one of the eight-armed sea monster's tentacles swept out, sending her flying.
Lady Yin crashed heavily against the city wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood, her long sword falling from her hand to the ground.
"Madam!"
The soldiers cried out and rushed forward, but were stopped by the sea monster's tentacles.
The eight-armed sea monster's tentacles wrapped around Lady Yin's waist, lifting her into the air, emitting a piercing laugh.
"Dare to wound my claws? You're courting death!"
"Today I'll devour you first, then raze Chen Tang Pass to the ground!"
Lady Yin struggled, but the tentacles constricted her, making it hard to breathe. Just as the sea monster's massive jaws were about to close in, a golden light flashed.
With a "whoosh," the tentacle holding her was severed at the root, blood spurting out.
A figure caught the falling Lady Yin steadily, a familiar scent lingering in her nostrils.
Madam Yin opened her eyes, meeting Fang Xian's smiling gaze.
"You...why did you come back?"
Fang Xian put his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear:
"I missed you, so I came back."
They were very close, Fang Xian's breath falling on her earlobe, and Madam Yin's cheeks instantly flushed red.
"You...shouldn't have come back..."
"If I hadn't come back, Chen Tang Pass would probably be finished."
"What...what are you going to do?"
"Me? Of course, I'm going to take care of it."
After saying that, Fang Xian looked at the octopus and stepped forward.
Madam Yin hurriedly tried to stop him, but before she could speak, Fang Xian slapped her hard on the bottom, making her jump.
"This is the reward for saving you."
Fang Xian grinned mischievously and turned to look at the octopus sea monster.
"The rest, leave it to me."
Madam Yin was both embarrassed and anxious, but Fang Xian simply raised his hand and gently pushed, and an invisible force blasted towards the sea monster.
The eight-armed sea monster, taller than the city wall, was instantly blasted to pieces, not even having time to scream.
The surrounding soldiers and Lady Yin were stunned. She stared at Fang Xian's retreating figure, her voice trembling.
"You...you're so strong?"
"Of course."
Fang Xian walked back, wrapping his arms around her waist again, his tone teasing.
"Being your man, I can't be too weak, can I? Besides, haven't you already experienced my 'strength'?"
These words instantly reminded Lady Yin of their passionate encounters the previous two nights. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she reached out to push him away.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"No nonsense."
Fang Xian took her hand and led her to a corner on the edge of the city.
"I'm taking you to heal your wounds, so you don't get too much pain and can't stand up again."
"No...let me go..."
Fang Xian ignored her, pinning her against the wall.
Lady Yin, seeing no one around, became increasingly nervous.
"You…didn't you say you were going to help me heal my wounds?"
"Yes, to help you heal your wounds, to heal the wounds in your heart."
"The wounds in my heart?"
"Yes."
As he spoke, Fang Xian's eyes suddenly deepened with affection, and he leaned down to kiss her.
"You…"
Madam Yin initially struggled, but the longing she had felt over the past three days had already surged within her.
She finally couldn't resist the fluttering in her heart, reaching out to embrace Fang Xian's waist, responding willingly.
Their breaths mingled, and the clamor outside the city walls seemed to fade into the background.
After a long while, Fang Xian slowly released her lips.
Madam Yin's eyes remained glazed, her cheeks flushed, and she was slightly breathless.
Fang Xian's hand gently covered the "wound" on her chest, his fingertips warm to the touch.
"Is the wound here any better?"
This time, Madam Yin didn't resist, only nodding slightly, her voice a little hoarse.
"Much better than before..."
"That's not enough, it needs to be treated more thoroughly."
"How...a thorough treatment?"
Fang Xian's fingers gently caressed her, a hint of teasing in his eyes. He leaned close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.
"I know what you're thinking, I'll do as you wish."
Madam Yin's face flushed even more instantly, her eyes darting away, but she didn't push him away again. She felt her heart pounding faster and faster, even her breathing becoming rapid.
"You...you bad man..."