Volume 1: Absolutely Unique Crossing Chapter 15: A Drunken Life is Hard to Buy

  It was very late at night, the golden afterglow of the sunset lingered in the house for a long time before gradually dispersing, still with some slight heat. I don't know if the timing method here is the same as my space-time, even now it's April on the lunar calendar, it should be entering summer.

  Outside the window, the summer insects are chirping softly, and the moonlight is climbing up the branches. I have finished my bath and changed into a cool white silk dress that exposes my entire neck and half of my shoulders. The long skirt that reaches down to my calves has no buttons, and a thin silk ribbon is tied around my waist, making me look like I'm wearing a sensual nightgown from my time.

  I shook out my long hair, letting it hang wet and tangled over my shoulders, and began to comb it out slowly. Jin Niang had wanted to help me dry it with a towel, but I stopped her, saying: "Jin Niang, go back and rest, I want to sit here alone for a bit, and when my hair is dry, I'll go to bed."

  In this ancient evening, there is nothing to do for leisure, unlike my modern night, when I don't go out, I have TV, watch DVDs, surf the internet, play games, listen to music, read. I can't find anything to do here.

  Jin Niang did as she was told, packing up her things and extinguishing the lights in every part of the house, leaving only one floor lamp on beside my bed. She then returned to her own quarters, which were located at the back of the inner courtyard, where Ruo Wei also lived. However, I rarely had to go looking for them, as they would both come to me here every day at the appointed time.

  I stroked my still slightly damp hair, leaning against the rear window. Outside the window was a dark forest, with faint insect chirps coming from afar. The air carried a warm and humid scent, reminiscent of my favorite season in past lives - early summer. Every night, I could even smell the unique sweet and humid aroma of summer, like a special fragrance that lifted every cell and emotion in my body. Ancient nights were so peaceful, I quietly closed my eyes, savoring a moment free from distractions.

  The door was pushed open with a loud "bang", and I was shocked to see a tall figure rushing in, stopping in front of me with a somewhat light step.

  I frowned at him and said: "Ling Yi? What are you doing here so late?"

  His dazed eyes stared at me, yet seemed to see right through me to some unknown distance. His eyes held a mixture of infatuation, doubt, and a hint of joy. I wrinkled my nose, the smell of alcohol was overwhelming, had he gotten drunk? Remembering the way he looked at me before he left, and recalling his words "no return without intoxication", I felt a growing sense of unease. What did he come here for? How drunk was he?

  I subconsciously took a step back, but in the next moment I was rushed up and tightly hugged by him. He held me so tight that I struggled to break free from his arms, but I couldn't overcome his brute strength. His head leaned against my ear, and all I could hear was his low, husky voice whispering, "Qingying, don't go, don't leave me..."

  His hands tightened around me, as if he wanted to crush me into his body. His strength was astonishing, I gave up struggling and no longer tried to match strength with a drunk person, just letting him hold me like that, wanting him to let go of me himself.

  His scorching breath fanned against mine, and after a long while, his strength gradually weakened. I gently pushed him away, but he remained still, quietly embracing me, unmoving, as if wanting to prolong this moment until the end of time. My body stiffened in his arms, feeling his body lightly trembling. I let out a sigh and softly said, "Ling Yi, let go of me."

  His arm suddenly tightened, his voice was hoarse but left no room for doubt, he said in a somewhat confused tone: "Why, why can't I hold you, why? Why don't you love me?"

  I was shocked, didn't she love him? Didn't Gu Qingying love him? Then why did she want to marry him? Was he drunk and talking nonsense, or did Gu Qingying really not love him? My mind was a mess, Gu Qingying's death, Ling Yifei wanting to collect her soul, and my arrival... A string of question marks floated up, why did she die? Was it because she didn't want to marry Ling Yifei? Then why did Ling Yifei want to force her to marry him? Just because he loved her, so he wanted to possess her?

  I was lost in thought, pondering these questions, when suddenly I was caught off guard and kissed by him. He dominated my lips with his kiss, his hot breath washing over me, carrying the faint scent of alcohol. I bit my lip to resist his invasion, my hands pushing against him with force. One hand held me tight, while the other caressed my body, sliding over my skin through the thin fabric of my clothes, leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake. My entire body trembled, overcome with numbness and tingling sensations. He seemed to sense my body's natural reaction, his breathing growing even hotter as he pried open my lips with his tongue, entwining it with mine...

  I wanted to struggle, but he kissed me until I was a little dizzy, and the friction of our bodies through the thin clothes brought me a thread of pleasure. In my heart, I shamefully thought that as a normal modern person, this occasional passion was just a normal release for me...

  He suddenly picked me up and walked unsteadily towards the bed, I subconsciously wrapped my arms around his neck, afraid of falling down. All I could hear was him whispering softly in my ear, his scorching breath making me numb from head to toe. He murmured chaotically yet with a hint of joy: "Qīng Yǐng, Qīng Yǐng..."

  My heart skipped a beat, as if a basin of cold water was poured from head to toe. Fang Ning Xi, what are you doing? Are you crazy? You're just a substitute now, how can you, how can you take on someone else's body and be treated as another person...

  Even if my mind was more open, I couldn't accept this kind of thing. Humiliation rose from the bottom of my heart, and in a fit of rage, I summoned all my strength. I forgot that I was being held suspended in mid-air by him, and with both hands using all my might, I pushed him violently.

  "Ah!" A dizziness spun around me, and I fell to the ground, tangled up with him. Pain, so much pain, I gasped for air, how long had it been since I last took a tumble? This fall was so intense that my limbs were all scattered. Ignoring the ache all over my body, I propped myself up on my hands and inched backward, afraid he would pounce on me again. Panting, I looked over at him, only to see him lying motionless on the ground, his face turned towards me, eyes tightly shut, having fallen fast asleep.

  I let out a deep breath and glared at him, just as the door creaked open and Jin Niang burst in, exclaiming "What's going on?"

  Seeing me like this, Jin Niang was stunned, stopped in her tracks, and hesitated: "This, this is..."

  I regained my composure, straightened my clothes and stood up, saying calmly: "He's drunk."

  Jin Niang hesitated for a moment before saying: "I'll go and call someone to send the castle owner back to his room."

  I hesitated for a moment and called out to Jin Niang: "Forget it, it's so late, don't disturb others, move him onto the bed."

  "Miss, you..." Jin Niang looked at me with confusion.

  I pursed my lips: "You tidy up the house, I'll go over there."

  The two of us worked together to carry Ling Yi onto the bed. Jin Niang pulled over a quilt to cover him, then hastily left the room.

  I sat at the head of the bed, gazing at his sleeping face. Only in dreams would he not have his usual furrowed brow, and I had no idea what he was dreaming about, but a faint smile played on his lips. Thinking back to what he said tonight, I shook my head. If it were really as he said, Gu Qingying didn't love him. Although they were married, the one who got her wasn't the one who got her heart. Now, he couldn't even get her person. This man was also a pitiful person.

  Jin Niang called me softly outside the window. I glanced at Ling Yi who was fast asleep, turned off the light and headed towards the door.

  A warm candle flame was lit on the desk in the room, and Jin Niang had just changed into a new quilt on the soft couch in the corner of the wall. I nodded and said, "Jin Niang, you go rest, I want to sit alone for a while."

  Jin Niang didn't say a word either, she just looked at me deeply and turned around to leave.

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  This chapter was supposed to be updated last night, but because of some plot developments... it's really hard to grasp.

  I've been modifying it for half a day, and it's still not good enough. Everyone, please forgive me if I really need to take a photo, just use the tickets to smash me, sweat is crawling all over my face.