Chapter 65 : Would Huo Tan really kill her?

Cui Yunzhao had indeed changed from before. She was now active and uplifting, making her younger siblings feel more secure.

Cui Yunlan couldn’t help but lean against her, finding comfort in her presence. “Sister, now that you say that, I’m not as scared anymore.”

Cui Yunzhao smiled and looked down at Cui Yunlan. “Lan’er, you don’t need to be afraid at all. Just remember, you have the Cui family, and you have me and Tinglang. You don’t need to fear anything.”

Hearing her words, Cui Yunlan straightened up. In their childhood, their mother always taught them to be obedient, to be polite and respectful, and to be filial to their elders without defiance. However, as Cui Yunlan grew older, her parents passed away, and she suddenly realized that no matter how well she followed the rules, she never received a word of praise.

All she and her brother ever received were scoldings. She could never understand what she had done wrong. Over time, she began to be paranoid and afraid to take action or speak up, isolating herself in her room and avoiding the outside world. Yet, even in that state, there were still people who forced her out, pushing her to confront many things she didn’t want to face.

But then, suddenly, the world changed. On the day their sister and brother-in-law returned home, Cui Yunlan first discovered that Uncle and Aunt were not all-powerful. They could be outmatched by her sister and even forced to relinquish what rightfully belonged to them. In the end, they were even driven away by her sister’s anger.

At that moment, both Cui Yunlan and Cui Yunting felt some fear, worried that their uncle would make things difficult for their sister and that she would be unhappy in her husband’s family. But later, they realized that their uncle had no control over the Huo family. Her brother-in-law and sister stood united, not swayed by anyone’s instigation.

Their sister successfully sent them to their third uncle’s house. The time spent there was wonderful. Cui Yunlan and Cui Yunting felt a long-lost sense of familial love and care, a concern and affection from their elders.

Later, when their sister mentioned going to Fulu, they were very happy and secretly looking forward to it. Life had been going well, but when their long-absent uncle appeared, the harsh scoldings returned, causing the joy and freedom that Cui Yunting and Cui Yunlan had worked hard to accumulate to collapse in an instant.

It was at that moment they realized how beautiful the refuge their sister had fought for, the time at their uncle’s home, truly was. Apart from that place, apart from their third uncle’s family, no one genuinely treated them well. What they faced from everyone else were always titles and interests.

Cui Yunlan and Cui Yunting unconsciously looked at Cui Yunzhao. In their eyes, the strongest person was neither their father nor their mother, but their sister. After their parents passed, it was their sister who supported them and provided them with a sense of security.

They wanted to grow strong themselves, so that when their sister needed support, they could be her umbrella. With determination in their eyes, Cui Yunlan and Cui Yunting straightened up.

“I understand now, Sister. I’m not afraid anymore.”

Cui Yunting thought for a moment and said, “No matter what Uncle says, I’ll just listen, unless…”

Cui Yunzhao reached out and tapped his forehead. “You can’t let everything slide. There are limits to patience.”

Cui Yunzhao continued, “Your uncle and aunt came to Boling for a reason. I know how to handle things, so you don’t need to worry.”

“As for whether to stay or leave, we’ll see how things go tonight; there’s no rush.”

Cui Yunzhao chuckled lightly. “We’ll take it as it comes. After all, they can’t just eat us up, can they?”

That made sense. With Cui Yunzhao’s lighthearted attitude, the two younger ones felt more relaxed, and even Cui Yunlan had a smile on her face.

Cui Yunzhao urged Cui Yunting to take a nap while she lay down with her sister. It had been a long time since they napped together, and as Cui Yunlan lay down, she felt excited. She cautiously nestled closer to her sister and then giggled softly.

Cui Yunzhao felt a mix of helplessness and affection as she gently patted her sister’s back, soothing her like when they were children. “Laner, it’s time to sleep now that spring breezes have come.”

So, Cui Yunlan slowly closed her eyes, indeed forgetting the unpleasantness of the afternoon and quickly drifting into a dream.

Listening to her steady breathing, Cui Yunzhao also fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, it was already past the hour of the rooster.

As she lifted the curtain, the evening light cast a warm glow in the guest room, the setting sun illuminating everything in a golden hue.

The soft, warm light filled the quiet room like flowing gold dust.

She hadn’t slept well the night before, and today she had slept quite deeply. Seeing her sister still fast asleep showed how relaxed she was.

Cui Yunzhao glanced at her, then intended to get up and wash up. But as soon as she moved, Cui Yunlan let out a soft sound and gradually woke up.

Having slept too long, any sound would wake her instantly.

Seeing the little girl sitting up and rubbing her eyes, Cui Yunzhao couldn’t help but smile softly. She gently brushed the stray hair from her sister’s face and asked gently, “Did you sleep well?”

Cui Yunlan yawned, her eyes sparkling when she looked up. “I slept really well. How about you, Sister?”

Cui Yunzhao hung the curtain properly and replied with a smile, “I’m doing great too.”

Once the sisters got up and freshened up, they noticed that all the boxes in the guest room were gone. Cui Yunting, hearing the noise, came out with a book in hand.

He clearly hadn’t slept much; he had been reading all afternoon, obedient and diligent.

Seeing that his two sisters looked much better than they had at noon, he felt happy and said, “I had the servant take all the gifts from Aunt to the carriage.”

They were staying at the Yin family today, and neither carriage had left.

Huo Tan had also advised Su Mingmu early in the day to stay alert and take care of matters promptly.

The carriage was rented, but with Su Mingmu as the driver, Cui Yunzhao felt more at ease.

Hearing this, Cui Yunzhao burst into laughter. “You’re quite clever.”

Putting everything away first was wise; if things turned chaotic at night, trying to move gifts would seem greedy.

Cui Yunting bit his lip and smiled shyly, showing a bit of childishness.

Now that all three siblings were awake, a maid from the Xianghe Hall came over to invite them to the dining hall.

The three siblings exchanged glances, straightened their clothes, and followed the maid outside.

With Cui Yunzhao’s comforting words at noon, no matter what happened during the evening’s “banquet,” they felt no fear.

As the siblings entered the dining hall, Huo Tan had already returned home early after finishing his duties.

Having not talked with his family for many days, he instructed them that he would be dining in the main house that evening.

When the dishes were all ready, Huo Tan finally entered the main house.

At this time, Old Lady Gu and Aunt Lin were present, while Huo Xinzhi was helping Huo Xinliu set the table, and the two younger brothers were serving rice, everything felt warm and harmonious.

The main hall was cozy and bright, filled with a sense of warmth.

Upon Huo Tan’s arrival, Aunt Lin looked quite happy. She called out loudly, “Ninth Brother is back! Have you washed your hands? Come sit down and eat.”

Huo Tan sat beside her, looking at the spread of dishes on the table.

The table featured a variety of dishes, such as stir-fried greens, braised bamboo shoots, chicken slices with egg white, and braised mushrooms, all prepared quite nicely. However, the larger dishes, like braised pig trotters and steamed fish, left much to be desired.

Especially the steamed fish, which was drenched in soy sauce, giving it a dark, unappetizing appearance that completely killed any appetite.

Gu Yinghong, who was serving tea and water to Old Lady Gu and Aunt Lin, noticed Huo Tan’s gaze and hurried to explain, “The small kitchen was quite busy today, these two dishes were not made intentionally by Qiao Pozi.”

Qiao Pozi, who had just entered with a charcoal pot, forced a stiff smile at the comment “Ninth Master, I will learn more in the future.”

Huo Tan ignored her and turned to Old Lady Gu, “Grandmother, how have you been lately?”

The last visit had not ended on a pleasant note, but in the end, Old Lady Gu got what she wanted, so today her attitude was unusually good.

She looked at Huo Tan with a beaming smile, radiating an inexplicable warmth that had never been present before.

Old Lady Gu remarked, “Oh my, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Ninth Master. You’ve lost weight.”

“Clearly, you’ve been working hard,” Aunt Lin added.

“Yes, the military camp is full of complexities, and Ninth Master has to worry about home, how could it not be tiring?”

Old Lady Gu shot a glance at Qiao Pozi.

“I heard Ninth Master was coming back for a meal, so I wanted to make sure the children got something nutritious. I asked Qiao Pozi to specially prepare the chicken with gastrodia for you.”

The chicken with gastrodia is typically used to treat dizziness and headaches; families with some means might occasionally prepare this dish for someone suffering from insufficient blood flow.

However, Old Lady Gu’s choice of this dish for the children, under the pretense of nourishing them, showed her lack of understanding of medicinal properties.

Huo Tan didn’t say much about it.

Seeing Qiao Pozi carefully serving everyone a bowl of soup, Huo Tan intended to push his bowl toward Aunt Lin.

“I don’t need the nourishment, I’ll give my bowl to Mother.”

As soon as he spoke, Old Lady Gu instinctively rebutted, “That won’t do!”

Huo Tan was surprised and looked up to see Old Lady Gu’s expression was not very pleasant.

Gu Yinghong tugged at Old Lady Gu’s sleeve, prompting her to compose herself. “This soup was specially prepared for the children. If you give your portion to your mother, it will seem as if I’ve neglected them!”

This was something Old Lady Gu could say. Seeing her genuinely upset, Huo Tan, along with a kick from Aunt Lin, replied, “Grandmother is right, thank you for your kindness.”

Once he spoke, the other children followed suit.

Huo Chenzhang, being clever, chimed in, “I’ll give mine to Grandmother, then both Grandmother and Mother will have some.”

Hearing his filial words, Old Lady Gu immediately smiled.

“No need, Grandmother doesn’t like this, it has too strong a medicinal taste. You all eat it.”

Old Lady Gu added, “There are many fine herbs in this soup, so you must finish it. Don’t waste any, especially you, Liu girl.”

She turned to Huo Xinliu, frowning slightly at how frail she looked. “Liu girl, you need to eat more.”

Huo Xinliu was taken aback by her grandmother’s concern and took a moment to respond, mumbling, “Thank you, Grandmother.”

Only then did Old Lady Gu seem satisfied.

The dinner was quite warm and harmonious.

After finishing the meal, Huo Tan intended to stay and chat with Aunt Lin for a while, but Old Lady Gu shooed him away.

“Go back, I need to bathe and change. It’s not convenient for you to stay.”

Huo Tan exchanged glances with Aunt Lin before heading back to the east courtyard.

He hadn’t drunk any wine or eaten much at dinner, so after sitting down for a moment, he planned to head to the study to read.

Today, with Cui Yunzhao not home, he suddenly felt the house was a bit empty.

He realized he was somewhat unaccustomed to it.

However, just as he sat down for a short while, an indescribable warmth surged through him, causing his handsome face to flush bright red.

Huo Tan clenched his fists, and his expression suddenly darkened.

He was not an inexperienced youth, even if he and his wife had yet to consummate their marriage, what had he not seen in the military?

Men who have no shame will let go of everything.

Even in a large dormitory filled with many people, they wouldn’t hold back.

Huo Tan was weary of such things, so he had always maintained his integrity. Now that he was married, moments of intimacy with his wife would inevitably stir some feelings.

But since Cui Yunzhao didn’t agree, he couldn’t force it.

He held back and waited, only to find himself in this situation today.

Today, with Cui Yunzhao absent, how could he feel this way?

As clever as Huo Tan was, he quickly realized what had happened.

That bowl of soup definitely had something added to it.

Old Lady Gu had mentioned that the soup contained many herbs for nourishment, and it indeed had a strong medicinal taste. Coupled with the presence of his siblings, Huo Tan had let his guard down.

Moreover, he never felt the need to be on guard at home.

If he had to be wary of his family, how could life go on?

Old Lady Gu had seized upon his trust in his family, successfully getting him to consume what he shouldn’t have.

At this moment, Huo Tan’s face was burning.

Sweat dripped from his forehead, and the veins in his neck bulged, as if he were being steamed, the heat rising within him.

Worse still, he found his thoughts becoming muddled.

He had never missed Cui Yunzhao this much before.

That craving almost broke through all restraints, making him want to burst out of the house and run to the Yin family estate to find his wife.

But he couldn’t.

Huo Tan exhaled a hot breath, desperately trying to suppress the heat and pain within him, and gulped down a mouthful of tea.

He needed to calm himself down.

However, things did not go as planned.

The next moment, he heard faint footsteps outside.

The sound grew closer, starting slowly and then quickening, almost turning into a light run as it approached his door.

Huo Tan clenched his fists tightly.

In his own home, he hadn’t locked the door, the door to the main hall was merely ajar without a bolt.

The person quickly arrived at the entrance.

Huo Tan shut his eyes tightly, trying not to let his thoughts and impulses take control.

Outside the door, a clear and gentle voice called out, “Cousin, are you there? Aunt wants me to bring you some lotus seed soup to soothe your lungs.”

As expected, it was Gu Yinghong.

She was the “cousin” that Old Madam Gu insisted he marry from the very beginning.

Huo Tan tightly clenched his fists, his fingers digging into his palms, leaving behind bloody marks. But that little pain was of no help to him.

He didn’t know what kind of drug Old Madam Gu had used on him; all he knew was that its potency was overwhelming. If he didn’t find a way to alleviate it soon, he would likely lose his sanity.

The heat was unbearable, the pain excruciating. If he were an ordinary person, he would probably have dragged the person outside into the room by now.

But Huo Tan didn’t.

His rationality fought to maintain clarity, and his determination kept him from bowing to adversity.

Suddenly, Huo Tan let out a breath.

His voice was deep and restrained, hoarse and burning hot.

The heat was so intense that it nearly blinded him.

Outside, Gu Yinghong vaguely heard the gasping from within.

That sound was hoarse and deep, making her cheeks flush and her heart race, her palms sweating unconsciously.

She didn’t really like her cousin.

He was too indifferent, never smiling at her, especially with those deep-set eyes that seemed to see through her shortcomings and schemes.

Yet Gu Yinghong knew very well that this was her best chance to change her fate.

If she didn’t enter the Huo family, she would likely end up being married off by her mother and brother to a poor military household, living a life of constant fear and poverty.

Gu Yinghong bit her lip, recalling Huo Tan’s tall figure and his strong, handsome waist. She couldn’t help but swallow.

Huo Tan was truly very handsome.

It was hard not to be drawn to him.

He was young and promising; she wouldn’t be at a loss.

With that thought, Gu Yinghong steadied her nerves and reached for the door.

The next moment, she found herself staring into a pair of fiery red eyes.

Huo Tan’s face was flushed, adding a fierce edge to his handsome features.

His usually cold eyes seemed ignited by flames, burning a vivid red as if they were about to devour her soul.

He sat upright in his chair, his presence imposing.

Seeing this, Gu Yinghong felt an inexplicable fear.

She thought Huo Tan might want to kill her.

Her fingers froze, but Old Madam Gu’s words echoed in her ears.

“Yinghong, if you give birth to a child for Huo Tan, that would be our family’s eldest grandson. Where would that leave Cui Yunzhao?”

“Look, I’m Huo Tan’s grandmother. How could Huo Tan not listen to me? If he dares to defy me, I’ll cause a scene outside. Let’s see what he can do about it.”

“Don’t be afraid. You know how capable Jiu Lang is. Are the Huo family’s lives better than the Gu family’s? They have much better food and clothing; don’t you want to live well?”

Gu Yinghong had never wanted to live poorly.

She didn’t want to endure freezing winters, her hands covered in frostbite, ever again.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yinghong lowered her gaze and prepared to step into the main room.

Just then, Huo Tan spoke.

“Stop.”

His voice was low, hoarse, and seemed to be filled with an intense heat.

Even so, the intimidation in his words was unmistakable.

Gu Yinghong hesitated for a moment, feeling anxious.

She cautiously looked at Huo Tan, only to find that he wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were slightly downcast, focused on a handkerchief in his grasp.

The room was dimly lit, and Gu Yinghong couldn’t make out what was embroidered on the handkerchief, but it seemed very precious to Huo Tan.

Biting her lip, Gu Yinghong tried to suppress her anxiety and said softly, “Cousin, let me serve you.”

In the next moment, Huo Tan abruptly raised his head and fixed his fiery red eyes on her.

Gu Yinghong shivered.

His gaze was terrifying.

In those eyes, she didn’t see warmth or desire, only an endless sea of blood and mountains of corpses.

Those were the enemies Huo Tan had once slain.

Gu Yinghong had come this far, and she wasn’t going to back down now. There was no retreat for her.

Grinding her teeth, she took a step forward, entering the main room.

The eastern courtyard belonged to Huo Tan and Cui Yunzhao. Even if Cui Yunzhao wasn’t present, there were always maids watching over it.

Gu Yinghong had stolen glances at the eastern courtyard several times through the moon gate, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t see what was happening inside the main room.

Only once did she see a crack in the door, revealing a glimpse of the Boshan stove within.

The stove was made of green porcelain, glimmering like jade under the light, with fragrant smoke curling upwards, resembling a scene from a fairyland.

In that moment, an unshakable jealousy surged within her.

Why was it that Cui Yunzhao could be born into the Cui family while she was considered lowly for marrying Huo Tan? The Huo family was beyond her reach.

At that moment, Gu Yinghong felt a rush of determination.

So what if Cui Yunzhao was precious? She would still have to share the same husband, and thinking about their future together, her excitement overshadowed her fear.

If she bore Huo Tan’s children, perhaps he would come to prefer her. She was gentle and considerate, wouldn’t she be more appealing than the lofty Cui family girl?

Gu Yinghong kept reassuring herself, burying her fears deep down, leaving only her beautiful aspirations for the future.

As she slowly moved forward, getting closer to a better life, the resolve in her eyes grew stronger.

She looked at Huo Tan, at the veins bulging in his neck, the sweat trickling down his temples, and his rising chest.

All of that would belong to her.

For some reason, Gu Yinghong couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile.

“Cousin, I’ll take good care of you. I’ll serve you well,” she said softly. “From now on, I’ll do whatever you say. How about it? Am I not better than your wife?”

“There’s no one else here, just the two of us. You don’t have to hold back.”

At that moment, Gu Yinghong had completely forgotten her shame.

As she was about to step closer to Huo Tan, she suddenly halted.

Watching the sweat fall into the slightly open collar of his shirt made her swallow hard.

She reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to caress Huo Tan’s cheek.

However, in the next moment, Huo Tan abruptly swiped his sleeve and stood up.

With a thud, Gu Yinghong was struck back, flying out of the room.

She felt like a kite with its string cut, first crashing into the half-open door, then falling straight to the ground.

With a thud, all she felt was pain coursing through her body.

Dizzy and disoriented, she struggled to get up, only to taste the metallic sweetness in her throat and the burning sensation in her stomach.

Huo Tan leaned against the table, nearly soaked through with sweat.

He hadn’t felt this disheveled in a long time, and this chaos didn’t come from an enemy on the battlefield, but from family.

It was truly absurd.

His lips turned pale as he clenched them tightly, holding onto the cushion from the chair.

Even as he pushed Gu Yinghong away, he didn’t want to touch her at all.

Dirty, he found her utterly filthy.

It stemmed from an inner corruption.

Despite the commotion in the room, there was no noise from outside. Mother Xia, who stayed in the house, was always alert, she wouldn’t let Gu Yinghong go unnoticed.

Huo Tan closed his eyes, trying to suppress the pain in his body.

He hurt so much.

That surge of heat coursed through his limbs, almost burning away all his reason.

Even when injured heavily on the battlefield, Huo Tan had never felt such pain.

This agony truly made him wish for death.

Grinding his teeth, Huo Tan suddenly extended his hand and slapped himself hard.

The sound rang out clearly in the quiet room.

Gu Yinghong could no longer rise, Huo Tan had used all his strength, leaving her curled on the floor, whimpering in pain.

Tears streamed down the corners of her eyes, and at that moment, Gu Yinghong felt nothing but fear.

She watched Huo Tan approach her step by step, his face flushed, with only a sea of blood-red in his eyes, making him look like a vengeful spirit that sent chills down her spine.

Gu Yinghong tried to curl up, burying her face in her arms, not daring to look at Huo Tan any longer.

One step, then another.

The familiar pain didn’t hit her, but she felt someone brush past her. The door creaked open.

The footsteps grew more distant, and Gu Yinghong suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

She struggled to get up, but she had no idea where Huo Tan had struck her. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t manage to rise again.

So she remained curled on the ground, trembling from the pain.

At that moment, she felt an overwhelming regret.

It was all Old Madam Gu’s fault, it was her fault.

Why had she come up with such a terrible idea?

Didn’t she know that Huo Tan was a killer?

Would Huo Tan really kill her?

An immense fear tightened its grip on Gu Yinghong’s heart, she had never resented someone as much as she did at this moment.

She hated Old Madam Gu with every fiber of her being.

It was all because of her.

Just as Gu Yinghong was consumed by her resentment, chaotic footsteps echoed once more.

Then the door creaked open again.

Gu Yinghong heard Huo Tan’s hoarse voice, “Lock her in the woodshed.”