strictlysupreme Chapter 577 Xie Jue's Storyline: Bewildered and Passionate
Chapter 577 Xie Jue's Storyline: Bewildered and Passionate
Xie Jue jumped off the carriage and walked over quickly.
As she got closer, Gao Wanzhi noticed that he seemed to have dressed up specially for the day.
He wore a dark blue embroidered, narrow-sleeved long gown with a jade belt at the waist, looking neat and tidy.
His hair was also neatly tied up, making him look even more handsome and dashing than usual.
Before Gao Wanzhi could speak, she saw Xie Jue reach out his hand to her, a smile still on his lips.
"Get in the car."
Gao Wanzhi paused for a moment, then slowly extended her hand.
Xie Jue's palm was warm, his knuckles were distinct, and his palm carried a subtle force as he gently pulled her along.
As he boarded the carriage, Xie Jue leaned forward half a step, his other hand naturally resting on her waist, his palm feeling slightly hot through the thin fabric.
She instinctively turned her head to avoid him, but he then guided her forward by supporting her elbow.
"This skirt is really troublesome."
He chuckled softly, bent down to straighten her clothes, and brushed his fingertips along the edge of her calf, touching it lightly before withdrawing them.
Gao Wanzhi tensed up slightly and forced herself to calmly step onto the carriage steps.
The area in front of the theater was bustling with activity, with cars and horses thronging the entrance.
Xie Jue and Gao Wanzhi walked through the crowd and along the winding corridor leading to the second floor, finally stopping in a quiet spot.
He lifted the curtain and led her inside. The private room was small, but it was decorated very elegantly.
A small sandalwood table, a plain embroidered cushion, and several pots of seasonal flowers in the corner.
Gao Wanzhi looked up at the table and saw a table full of delicate and exquisite pastries, all of which were her favorites. There were crispy sesame cakes, sweet lotus root with osmanthus, plum-stuffed pears, and her favorite rose-flavored candy, all of them were there.
She was somewhat surprised and turned to look at Xie Jue.
Xie Jue smiled and led her to sit down on the soft couch, saying, "I remember you said last time that when you came to watch the opera, you hated those sweet snacks the most, so you had someone change them to some of your favorites."
Gao Wanzhi looked at the pastries on the table and her heart softened.
The drums and gongs sounded on the stage, and the curtain slowly rose.
The performance of "The Dream of Mandarin Ducks" was just beginning. The singing was melodious, the male and female protagonists exchanged glances, and the lyrics were full of tender feelings.
On stage, as the woman sang with deep emotion, she leaned lightly against the man's chest, half-covered by a red silk veil, and murmured softly. Behind the curtain, shadows overlapped, and although the play did not explicitly state it, it was extremely ambiguous.
Gao Wanzhi was holding a teacup when she suddenly stopped.
She caught a glimpse of that scene out of the corner of her eye, and her ears involuntarily burned. She pretended to look away casually.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and a servant lifted the curtain and entered, whispering, "Young master, the fruit wine you ordered."
Xie Jue nodded and ordered the items to be set out.
After the servants left, he personally poured a cup of wine and handed it to Gao Wanzhi, saying, "This wine isn't strong; it's sweet. Try it."
Gao Wanzhi took it, took a small sip, and found it to be indeed sweet and delicious, with a slight warmth rising up upon entering her mouth.
She didn't say anything, but lowered her head and took another sip.
The plays on stage became increasingly intimate, with tender and poignant plots that almost made the audience's ears burn.
It's really strange, why is there such a show today?
I've never seen it before.
Xie Jue glanced at her, then smiled and turned away.
Gao Wanzhi forced herself to remain calm and turned her face away, but she drank faster and faster, downing one small wine cup after another.
The smell of alcohol made her eyes red and her breathing unsteady.
She pretended to be calm as she looked at the stage, but subtly shifted her position to the side, trying to create some distance between herself and Xie Jue.
They're too close...
The closeness made her feel somewhat flustered.
Xie Jue naturally saw it, twirled the wine cup in his hand, and remained silent and still.
They continued watching the play as if nothing had happened.
Gao Wanzhi moved a little further away, and when she could no longer smell his burning breath, she felt a little more at ease.
One glass after another, the fruit wine was sweet and easy to drink, and before she knew it, she had already drunk five glasses.
Although the wine wasn't strong, she already had a low alcohol tolerance, and now she was drinking too fast, causing her vision to gradually blur, and the opera sounds around her seemed to drift in and out of reach.
She felt as if she were sitting on a cloud, floating lightly.
Suddenly, his elbow slipped, and he lost his grip on the table, falling to the side.
In that instant of weightlessness, she suddenly opened her eyes.
Instead of hitting anything hard, she fell into a warm embrace.
That familiar scent enveloped her once again.
She looked up, her eyes still a little dazed, and met a pair of smiling eyes.
It is Xie Jue.
He looked down at her, his tone as gentle as if coaxing a child, "How can you get yourself drunk just from drinking fruit wine?"
Gao Wanzhi opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but found that her tongue was slightly numb, and even her voice was soft and weak, making it difficult for her to speak.
She stared at him blankly, her whole body going limp in his arms, too weak to even struggle.
Seeing her cheeks flush and her eyes slightly glazed, Xie Jue couldn't help but chuckle softly and gently placed his palm on her shoulder.
"If you keep drinking, I'm afraid I'll have to carry you back."
The aroma of wine lingered, the sounds of opera filled the air, and the light in the private room was dim.
Gao Wanzhi's cheeks were already flushed, the effects of the alcohol were surging within her, making her heart burn and her eyes somewhat glazed over.
She tried to avoid Xie Jue's gaze, but she couldn't look away. She felt his gaze getting closer and hotter, as if it were enveloping her completely.
Xie Jue placed his hand on the back of hers and gently stroked her fingers.
The two were very close; if they got any closer, they could kiss.
“Wanzhi,” he called softly.
She paused for a moment, then looked up at him.
Xie Jue slowly leaned forward, his tone restrained, "May I?"
Gao Wanzhi looked at him, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of her chest, and the heat on her face almost overwhelmed her.
She didn't speak, she just looked at him.
Xie Jue smiled, leaned down and kissed her lips, his gesture filled with both tentative anticipation and tenderness.
But as she responded gently, he could no longer restrain himself, and his kiss deepened.
Her lips tasted sweet with fruit wine, and he kissed her deeper and deeper.
Outside the window, gongs and drums were beating, and on the stage, a song called "Double Swallows" was being sung. The singing was tender and lingering, with each note turning slowly and gently. But inside the curtain, no one cared about the plot's twists and turns.
Gao Wanzhi leaned against Xie Jue's chest, her lips slightly red from his kisses, her eyes misty, and even her breathing trembling unsteadily.
Xie Jue's lips landed on hers, then slowly moved to her ear and cheek, tenderly and lingeringly.
He kissed her inch by inch, unwilling to let go.
Gao Wanzhi had originally intended to remain somewhat conscious, but he kissed her so earnestly that she gradually became more and more confused.
She raised her hand and gently grasped the front of his shirt.
Xie Jue held her in his arms, pulled her close, and whispered her name in her ear.
"Wanzhi..."
Her heart pounded, her cheeks burned, and all she could hear was his ambiguous yet restrained breathing.
Outside the Daxing Money Exchange, the sun was setting, and the streets were bustling with carriages and horses.
Jiang Huaiyu walked out of the money shop with a dark face and quickly boarded the carriage.
Upon seeing his unfriendly expression, the attendant immediately drove away without daring to ask any further questions.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Huaiyu let out a heavy sigh.
The people at the money exchange kept making excuses to him, and he still hadn't received the silver!
Daxing Money Shop has gone too far. As the number one money shop in the Great Jin Dynasty, it has actually colluded with Xie Jue!
He was extremely frustrated, and his knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists.
As the carriage pulled out of the street, he closed his eyes to rest with a cold expression, but suddenly heard the coachman whisper, "Young master, the carriage ahead is from the Xie family."