Chapter 47: Can He Do It or Not?
“Lianmo, calm down first,” Qi Xiaojun said, trying to soothe him. “This kind of thing is actually very normal. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. How about I find Ah Hua to help you take a look…”
“Look at your head!”
Chu Lianmo roared, cutting him off, and unexpectedly swept him up into his arms. “I’ll show you the truth right now!”
“What are you doing?!” Qi Xiaojun was startled by his sudden action, but to prevent himself from falling, he instinctively wrapped his arms around Chu Lianmo’s neck.
With a grim expression, Chu Lianmo carried Qi Xiaojun into the bedroom, put him on the bed, and locked the door.
Then he went straight to stripping Qi Xiaojun’s clothes. “I’m going to let you see for yourself right now if I can do it or not!”
“…” Qi Xiaojun didn’t resist.
He also really wanted to know the truth of Chu Lianmo’s physical condition so he could plan his next move.
Chu Lianmo had originally intended to be gentle with Qi Xiaojun for their first time, but now, he had no choice but to try everything he had.
So Qi Xiaojun quickly discovered that not only could Chu Lianmo do it, he was like a ravenous wolf…
“Lianmo, slow down!” Qi Xiaojun begged him repeatedly, his voice even turning into a sob toward the end.
Finally, Chu Lianmo stopped.
Qi Xiaojun lay in his arms, panting heavily.
Chu Lianmo gently kissed his forehead, but Qi Xiaojun pushed him away in annoyance. “I wasn’t the one who spread the rumor! You don’t have to get mad and take it out on me!”
“Heh, my dear Ayun, how could I bear to take it out on you?” Chu Lianmo’s eyes were full of doting affection. “I’m showing my love for you.”
Qi Xiaojun huffed and spat.
Chu Lianmo put on an innocent expression. “Even if I did have a tiny bit of a vengeful mindset, who told you to believe the rumors?”
“Then let me ask you,” Qi Xiaojun’s expression turned serious. “What did you mean when you said you’d never have children in this lifetime? What did you mean when you said we could only tough out the ‘He Huan San’ love drug? What was yesterday about?”
“…Geez.” It was only then that Chu Lianmo realized how Qi Xiaojun’s misunderstanding had started. He gave a helpless smile. “You still don’t get it? Even though I’ve married a whole houseful of wives and concubines, I’ve never touched a single one. The only person I can truly become one with is you.”
“…!” Qi Xiaojun was stunned by this sudden revelation.
So that was it!
He had remained pure all this time just for him!
“As for yesterday,” Chu Lianmo continued to explain, “I wanted you to do that willingly, not out of a sense of sacrifice or any other reason… So I’ve been very cautious about it. Ayun, all this is because I cherish you. Do you understand?”
“…I…” Qi Xiaojun was suddenly moved.
But the next moment, he reacted. “But you still did it today… Hmph!”
“Okay, okay, maybe I lost my temper for a moment, and it was my fault, alright?” Chu Lianmo quickly smiled apologetically. “Next time, I promise I’ll be gentle with you.”
“To hell with ‘next time’!” Qi Xiaojun turned over in a huff.
Chu Lianmo embraced him from behind. “Seriously, who do you think spread that rumor?”
“It hurts too much right now, I’m not in the mood to think about it,” Qi Xiaojun grumbled.
“Does it really hurt that much?” Chu Lianmo immediately tensed up. “Did I injure you? Let me see.”
“…No need.” A blush swept across Qi Xiaojun’s cheeks as he quickly shook his head. In truth, Chu Lianmo had been very careful and there was no way he could have hurt him.
“The source of this rumor,” Qi Xiaojun returned to the previous topic, “I think it’s either the Crown Prince or Prince De.”
“Hmm…” Chu Lianmo mused. “I think so too. But the Crown Prince doesn’t have any heirs either…”
At the same time, Chu Zigan angrily stormed into Prince De’s mansion and confronted Chu Weide. “Who gave you permission to act on your own like that?!”
Chu Weide retorted, his voice righteous. “After how Chu Lianmo and I were bullied by him and Lin’er, am I not allowed to strike back?”
Chu Zigan fumed. “If a man can’t have children after being married for so many years, does that mean I can’t either?!”
“…This…” Chu Weide only then realized his mistake. “I overlooked that…”
“You always act first and think later! You have no brains at all!”
“I have no brains?” Chu Weide was a little unhappy at the remark. “I really don’t understand why you haven’t had a child after being married for so long. Are you really just like Chu Lianmo and can’t do it?”
“If I can’t, can you?!” Chu Zigan became even more furious. “Your son was born so long ago, what have you been doing all these years? Otherwise, my heir problem would have been solved ages ago!”
“…” A certain part of Chu Weide was indeed hit where it hurt. Over the past few years, he had likely been overindulging, and his abilities in that area had certainly declined.
“First Uncle, Father,” Chu Tianlin timidly knocked on the door from outside. “Can you two please stop arguing?”
“…Fine, it’s no use arguing with you anymore! I’m the one who always has to clean up your messes anyway!”
With that, Chu Zigan turned and left, flicking his sleeves. Before he left, he added, “If you ever see Jiang Yingnan again, ask him if I can do it!”
That very night, he had people spread the word that he didn’t have a child because Liu Min was barren.
Back with Chu Weide, he was still seething with anger and spoke to Chu Tianlin without a hint of warmth. “Why did you suddenly come here? Is there something you need?”
“…No.” Chu Tianlin was already frightened by their earlier shouting match and turned to slip away. “Father, you’re in a bad mood today. I’ll talk to you another time.”
“Come back.” Chu Weide grabbed his arm. “Is it such a big deal that you have to be so secretive about it? Just say it.”
“Ahem, it’s a small thing, really. I just want to switch martial arts teachers…”
“Again?” Chu Weide cut him off impatiently. “You’ve switched three teachers recently! What’s your problem?”
In truth, ever since he had been taught by Qi Xiaojun, Chu Tianlin found every other teacher unappealing. He always felt that Qi Xiaojun’s swordplay was graceful and his teaching methods were appropriate, with a perfect balance of strictness and leniency.
This was unlike most of the other teachers hired to instruct Chu Tianlin, who were timid and dared not be too strict with him.
“Oh, Father, you don’t know. This new teacher even asks me what he should teach me today. Am I the teacher or is he? He has no authority at all.”
“You want authority, do you?” Chu Weide glared at his younger son. “I’ll teach you myself!”
“Okay!”
At first, Chu Tianlin readily agreed.
However, on the second day, he found that while Chu Weide indeed had authority, he was also extremely impatient and would curse him out at the drop of a hat.
“Why are you so stupid? Didn’t I just show you? Why do you still not know how to do it?”
“Of course I can’t memorize it completely after seeing it just once! I’m not stupid!” Chu Tianlin argued defiantly. “Uncle Zhou even praised me for being smart! He knows how to teach me so I can remember…”
“What did you say?” Chu Weide angrily interrupted him. “Are you saying that Zhou Jun is better than me?!”
“…No, no, that’s not what I meant! Father, don’t be angry!”
Ever since Chu Weide had punished him by making him kneel last time, Chu Tianlin no longer dared to act out against his father. He quickly softened his tone and put on a fawning smile.
Chu Weide ‘hmph’ed,’ and his expression softened slightly. “You can go practice on your own. You don’t need a teacher.” With that, he sheathed his sword, turned, and left.
Chu Tianlin stood there for a while, feeling a little at a loss.
Then, in a fit of frustration, he returned to his room and wrote a letter to the Prince Rui’s mansion.
The letter asked Qi Xiaojun if there was any way for him to continue being his teacher.
When Qi Xiaojun saw the letter, he felt a little conflicted and went to ask Chu Lianmo for his opinion.
Chu Lianmo said in a bad mood, “Why would you want to continue teaching the son of our enemy?”
“Uh, I just think that if we can win over the person closest to our enemy, it might be beneficial for us in the future.”
“Give it up.” Chu Lianmo smiled faintly. “You’re a person who values relationships the most. You cherish anyone you have a connection with. Don’t you think I know that?”
“…” Qi Xiaojun couldn’t argue with that. Whether it was Ji Hua’s matter back then or Chu Tianlin’s matter now, using “for our own benefit” was just an excuse he made up.
“Fine. If you want to continue teaching him, then continue. As for how to persuade Chu Weide, I trust you’ll figure it out.”
“Thank you for your permission.”
With Chu Lianmo’s consent, Qi Xiaojun thought for a while and wrote back to Chu Tianlin, telling him what to say to his father.
Chu Tianlin was originally a very clever child, and after reading the letter, he quickly got the gist. He ran to Chu Weide and flattered him:
“Father, don’t get me wrong. In Lin’er’s heart, you are the most powerful and heroic person in the world. How could anyone else compare to even a single finger of yours?
“That Zhou Jun just happens to have a slightly better teaching method, and he’s a bit silly. He knows that you and Fourth Uncle don’t get along, yet he’s still so dedicated to teaching me…
“Father, do you think I can go back and continue using him to teach me martial arts?”
When Chu Weide heard these words, his heart was suddenly moved—
That’s right. That Zhou Jun and Chu Lianmo must be fools. Why would they wholeheartedly teach his son? Since Chu Tianlin likes being taught by them, why not take this opportunity to use them?
“Alright, alright, if you want to be taught by them, then go.”
“Thank you, Father!” Chu Tianlin was overjoyed.
From the next day on, Chu Tianlin went to the Prince Rui’s mansion every afternoon to have Qi Xiaojun teach him martial arts, just like he did when he was living there.
Chu Lianmo watched them interact harmoniously and still felt a bit disgruntled. He couldn’t help but complain to Qi Xiaojun in private, “I haven’t even figured out how to deal with the rumor that Chu Weide started, and seeing that kid every day just makes me angry.”
“Heh, but you can’t blame him for what his father did.”
Qi Xiaojun smiled, but then, thinking of the troublesome matter, his expression also turned a little serious.
After all, Chu Lianmo wouldn’t be like Chu Zigan, who would pin the blame of not having children entirely on a woman.
But they still had to find a way to put a stop to this rumor.
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