You have truly caused me great suffering!

Chapter 33 Tenderness
Dog meat is so tender that even immortals can't stand firm when it's cooked three times.

Looking at his employer after he had eaten and drunk his fill, Cui Lin found himself increasingly unable to understand him.

Mingming had just sighed and complained that he didn't have enough money, but then he lavishly bought dog meat and cooked it to eat.

But on such a cold day, a big meal is definitely comforting.

He had already filled a ceramic pot with the contents and was simmering it over the fire. He then used a wooden stick to lift it to the door of Chun Tao's room and gently knocked on it.

Chun Tao opened the door a crack and peeked at him furtively.

"Dog meat, do you want some? If not, I'll have them get you something milder."

Chun Tao's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously, saying, "Eat, eat, eat! This is delicious!"

Chen Shao laughed heartily.

Chun Tao took the pottery jar, tilted her head, and asked, "Brother Chen, are you going out again?"

Chen Shao nodded.

"What are you going for?"

Tonight, I'll most likely be sleeping with her sister.

But you definitely can't say these things to a little girl.

"Children should not ask about adult matters."

Chuntao rolled her eyes and slammed the door shut.

Chen Shao tucked a short blade into his waistband, then called Dong Dahu, and they rode out together.

Dong Dahu was a little puzzled and scratched his head, saying, "Master, it's getting dark soon, where are we going?"

Ask fewer questions, observe more, remember more, and ponder more.

Chen Shao continued to train his personal guard. In the Northwest, personal guards were sometimes even closer than one's own son.

Dong Dahu glanced at him from behind and began to ponder.

Inside the Star-Picking Tower, Li Shishi rested her chin on her hand by candlelight.

She had already bathed and changed, dressed very simply, still in her white clothes.

Ever since that day he did something reckless while drunk, he has felt a deep-seated fear, not only of the murderer behind the scenes, but also of a kind of inexplicable fear.

Desire is a demon in the heart, causing both fear and longing; she was in a state of turmoil.

She didn't resent Chen Shao, even though he had been a bit unruly that day. Looking back, she realized he probably had no good intentions.

Thinking of Chen Shao, she came back to her senses and suddenly felt a little strange. Even though it was the first time she had met him, she felt as if they had known each other for a long time, and even had a strange, inexplicable sense of trust. When they talked, he also felt quite friendly.

Perhaps it's because no one has spoken to her like that in a long time.

Since becoming the emperor's woman, others no longer speak to her as casually as before.

At this moment, she felt again the same complex emotions she had back then.

The candle on the lampstand in the corner of the bedroom went out after burning out, and the celadon oil lamp on the side table also went out with a "whoosh," leaving only a pungent smell of incompletely burned oil.

Li Shishi turned off the light, hoping to calm herself down.

But after the lights went out completely, the faint light outside quickly took over, and she realized that it wasn't dark yet.

Li Shishi tugged at her clothes, sighed, and felt dizzy and not clear-headed at all.

It's all Chen Shao's fault!
She cursed silently in her heart.

Just as she was about to draw the curtains, the maid pushed the door open and came in, holding a hairpin in her hand.

The sudden light brightened her eyes and cleared her drowsy mind.

Li Shishi raised her arms, straightened her upper body, and gathered her black hair into a bun on her head.

He took the hairpin from the maid, gave her a few perfunctory instructions, and then dressed and went downstairs.

Arriving at the courtyard by carriage, Li Shishi was startled to see a large, fat figure downstairs.

Then he remembered who it was.

She chuckled inwardly at the man; his official rank wasn't high, but his entourage was impressive, always accompanied by a bodyguard. Da Hu, however, acted as if he hadn't seen her at all, his eyes fixed straight ahead, refusing to look away.

Li Shishi lifted her skirt and went upstairs. As soon as she entered, someone grabbed her arm.

She was a little nervous, and could hear her chest pounding, but at the same time, she felt a sense of relief, as if some shackles had been removed.

Chen Shao held her tightly; her lower abdomen had no excess fat, but was surprisingly soft.

Li Shishi felt as if she were wrapped in white silk, making it hard to breathe. This feeling was unpleasant and even unbearable, but she found some strange sensations in it.

I was held tightly in a hug.

A tear slowly slid down her cheek. Li Shishi didn't want to think too much, even if it was just deceiving herself, she didn't want to ruin this rare moment of warmth.

He dared to risk his life to seduce the emperor's woman; isn't that love?
This time, Chen Shao performed exceptionally well.

That was a bit rough.

During the process, he sometimes couldn't help but feel sorry for her, but Li Shishi kept encouraging him.

When a person is excited, their body can secrete adrenaline, which greatly suppresses the sensation of pain.

At this moment, the tide had stopped and the waves had subsided. Li Shishi's eyes were red, her fair and delicate skin was covered in sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to her vermilion lips, giving her a rather poignant and beautiful appearance.

She turned over, wrapped herself tightly in the blankets, and refused to look at Chen Shao.

Chen Shao was dumbfounded.

I'm here to ask for money, how can I ask for it back?
He wondered if he had gone too far and offended someone, and he felt a little regretful.

I think I slapped her just now.

His eyes flickered, and an idea came to him.

Do you think Chun Tao is safe in Bianjing?

When Li Shishi turned around, Chen Shao realized that her face was full of shyness and she showed no sign of annoyance at all.

"It's not safe. Take her away. I'll give you some money."

As Li Shishi turned around, her collarbone and slender shoulders were revealed. Her skin was delicate and smooth, and a halo flowed under the candlelight.

Chen Shao was overjoyed. "No need. She's just a little girl. She doesn't eat much. How much money could she cost?"

"She doesn't need the money, you can."

Chen Shao was stunned. He looked at the woman in front of him who was so beautiful that he couldn't believe his eyes. He was full of scheming and prepared words, but he couldn't say a word.

Both of them fell silent.

Chen Shao was sitting with his legs propped up when suddenly a layer of clothing was covered over him.

A chord deep within him was struck hard.

He has been scheming every single moment since he came into this world.

He plotted against his aunts Chen Yuexian, Liu Guanglie, Tong Guan, and Zhao Ji.
Every step was driven by self-interest.

But tonight, he felt that he had come into this world not as an NPC, but as a living, breathing human being.

Human relationships are fickle, filled with joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

If he wants to fit into this world, he can't be too ruthless.

"Come with me too."

Li Shishi's eyes suddenly widened. "Are you...you're stupid?"

Chen Shao grabbed her hand. "Let's go, let's escape Bianliang. You're not someone's caged bird, you're a person."

His gaze shifted with his thoughts, becoming resolute. "I'll take you away from this cage, if you want to."

“That man is the emperor. Have you thought about that?”

"The Emperor?" Chen Shao sneered. "So what!"

(End of this chapter)