Ink Burns

Chapter 24: Initial Control (Part )

The prey's hand, as white as a lotus root, was lightly placed in the hunter's palm, as if it had been lured into the nest full of sharp stakes by the overwhelming sweet talk.

"If I take over my uncle's daughter, then who would I be?"

He Shanyue drew out the last syllable of his words, his eyes, washed by tears, filled with confusion and panic.

Cheng Xingyu curled his lips, and the smile that escaped from his throat was inexplicably ambiguous and bewitching: "Cui Niang was not well all the time, and she just passed away this morning. If you are her, she will naturally be you. After the funeral is properly held and the coffin is sent out of the house, your back will be clean, and no one will be able to find any twists and turns - she can also be worshipped with a name and incense, isn't it the best of both worlds?"

He Shanyue looked blankly at Duan, then at Master Cheng, whose face was so fat that his eyes were squeezed into mung beans, and finally fixed her eyes on Cheng Xingchu's face, and said in a tearful voice: "But what if I can't marry him, what if there is a more suitable girl, what if, what if."

Cheng Xinghe's eyebrows were relaxed, his eyes were gentle and sincere, he instantly sensed the help He Shanyue was asking for, and immediately responded: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid——"

Cheng Xinghe decisively pulled He Shanyuexu into his arms with one hand: "If this one can't marry, others can. Since she's our daughter, what does it matter if she doesn't marry? The Cheng family has been doing good deeds for more than ten years, can't they afford to support a young lady?"

He Shanyue's back was gently stroked, and a surge of blood rushed to her, almost exploding, but her face was gentle and pitiful, her long willow-leaf eyebrows seemed to be soothed, and the ends of her eyebrows fell obediently, hesitantly: "Then, what about the people of 'Crossing the Bridge Bones'?"

"Fat Maitreya" Master Cheng sneered: "You are the daughter of the Cheng family, so you will naturally be protected by the Cheng family. Those guys mocked the court and disregarded the law, so they must be punished!"

He Shanyue whimpered unbearably and covered her mouth with her hands, like a weak and fragile dodder.

Cheng Xingyu patted He Shanyue's back lightly, trying to comfort her. He expressed his disapproval of his father's tone, "Why do you have to scare her like this?"

Master Cheng shut up at the right time and stopped talking, leaving all the stage to his eldest son.

Perhaps due to his age, Master Cheng and Cheng Xinghe do not look alike. Master Cheng is broad and fat, and the flesh on his long, round face crowds out his eyes, so one can only vaguely see his facial features.

But Cheng Xinghe was just at the right age, about twenty-four or twenty-five, carefree, in the prime of his life, more like Duan, with fair skin, narrow and upturned eyes, and his eyebrows moving like the ripples of the Qinhuai River in the spring breeze.

Cheng Xinghe lowered his eyes and spoke gently: "Yue Niang——"

Quietly changed the title.

"Yue Niang, you are willing to sacrifice for the Cheng family, so the Cheng family will definitely do their best to protect you. If the Cheng family does not protect you, as your cousin, I will also be your indestructible backing."

Cheng Xinghe said in an unquestionable manner: "We will not touch anyone in your antique manor, and we will not mention the hardships you have endured in the future. Everything will be fine in the future, Yue Niang, don't worry."

Let go, let go of your mother——

Moon, fuck you moon——

He Shanyue felt that Miss Wang Er was about to possess him.

Hold it, hold it.

He Shanyue took a deep breath, her eyelashes flickered, and she raised her eyes, and saw the veins on Cheng Xinghe's neck beating under the skin - if the blade was sharpened a little thinner and she aimed more accurately, she could slit his throat with one sword, and Cheng Xinghe's revenge would be settled.

He Shanyue clasped his hands tightly.

No, no. Killing him with one sword is a blessing.

Blood debts must be paid with blood. Why should the flames of her mother burn her body, her life be displaced, and her sister's life and death be unknown? And those people. Who are those people? What are their surnames and names? They are all mysteries! The money she earned was enough for her to interrogate in Songjiang Prefecture, but it could never support her to go to Beijing, find people, and take revenge - the Cheng family still required her to tiptoe. Those "people" from the capital were too far away from her. No matter what, no matter what, she could not find out their names.

How can you talk about paying back blood with blood when you don’t even know who your enemy is?
He Shanyue moved her gaze away from Cheng Xinghe's neck with difficulty, and with her waist softened, she moved slightly towards Cheng Xinghe. Physically, she was closer to Cheng Xinghe and further away from Master Cheng and the Duan family - it was a very standard mentality of a fledgling after being rescued when all hope was lost and on the road to despair.

"Young Master" He Shanyue's voice was choked with sobs, expressing endless gratitude.

Cheng Xinghe helped He Shanyue sit on the stool beside him and arranged the following matters: "Since Yue Niang is willing, let's go all out to compete for the marriage - Yue Niang, please draw a picture as soon as possible. Landscapes, ladies, flowers and birds are all fine. Pick the one you are best at. When you are done, give it to the old man for his approval. Be quick!"

Cheng Xinghe looked at Master Cheng and said, "I heard that the Jiang family in the south bank has also found someone. He is the descendant of a family of scholars who have fallen on hard times. He is good at painting flowers and birds, and is also quite fluent in scriptures and poetry."

Cheng Xinghe did not hide these things from He Shanyue.

When you discuss whether to give your kitten away, do you avoid mentioning the cat?
Cheng Xinghe was full of confidence: "But she is definitely not as beautiful as our Yue Niang."

He Shanyue lowered his head slightly, with his knees facing Cheng Xinghe.

"We need to work hard on the old man's side, and also hurry up with the unfinished business at home. Cui Niang's coffin should be taken out for burial as soon as possible. Keeping it at home will always be a nuisance." Cheng Xinghe looked at He Shanyue, his eyebrows and eyes were gentle and graceful: "From now on, you are Cui Niang, Duan Cui Niang, what do you say?"

He Shanyue was frightened and looked up suddenly: "No!"

Master Cheng wanted to get angry again, but was stopped by Cheng Xinghe, who asked in a gentle voice, "Why? Is there any difficulty?"

He Shanyue sobbed, pinching her handkerchief to wipe her eyes: "I can't change my name, I still have a younger brother at home who hasn't been found yet. If I change my name, won't my younger brother at home not know where his sister is?"

He Shanyue gently reached out and tried to hold the corner of Cheng Xinghe's clothes: "Master, I can still call you Shanyue, is that ok?"

Oh.

As I mentioned before, I got separated from my younger brother.

Cheng Xing was silent for a moment, then he pulled the corner of his clothes out of Shanyue's hand invisibly, and smiled gently, "Of course you can. Women's name cards don't have their nicknames written on them. This name was given to you by your parents. Who else has the right to ask you to change it?"

Speaks very gently and considerately.

Shan Yue caught a glimpse of the torn corner of her clothes from the corner of her eye - Cheng Xinghe was not willing to have too much contact with her.

This is not common sense.

If Cheng Xinghe intended to control her emotionally, he would only increase his physical touch and closeness to her little by little instead of avoiding her like this.

Shan Yue thought to herself, but tears of gratitude appeared on her face: "Thank you, young master."

Before Cheng Xinghe could say anything, Master Cheng spoke first to arrange the next matter: "Kick that Zhou out as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)