068 Annoy me? I'll bite you!

Chapter Title: 068 Annoy Me? I'll Bite You!

Guan Shiyin feigned excitement, springing up, “Mother, what clever idea do you have? Hurry and tell Erming.” As he spoke, he ran toward Lin Wan’er, his tall, thin frame naturally shielding the gluttonous Fang Rulai, who was busy devouring braised pork behind him.

Lin Wan’er, oblivious to the scene, was focused on how to seize the opportunity and finally bring Fang Rulai under her control.

“Erming, let’s stuff him back into the wall!” Lin Wan’er pointed to the collapsed section inside the wall. “Why did this monk deceive you? Wasn’t it just to escape the wall that imprisoned him? If you want to vent your anger, the best way is to shove him back in. The more he suffocates inside, the better you’ll feel, right?”

Once he was stuffed back in, he’d never come out again.

Fang Rulai, grasping Lin Wan’er’s true intent, choked on a piece of braised pork and coughed. They actually want to bury him alive—how venomous is a woman’s heart!

A flash of murderous intent crossed Guan Shiyin’s eyes. Hearing Fang Rulai cough, he hurried to mimic it, covering up, “Cough, cough, Mother, the braised pork is a bit salty today.”

“Oh? But I didn’t add extra salt… Wait, now isn’t the time to discuss braised pork! I said to brick the monk back into the wall. What do you think? This time, whenever he cries for help, you answer, but don’t break the wall to save him. Let him deeply experience the feeling of being deceived. Isn’t my method good?”

Fang Rulai laughed silently; this was truly a trick tailored for a fool.

Such a strategy, if used on an ordinary person, would be as ineffective as scratching an itch through a boot—no one would adopt it. But for the simple-minded Sun Ming, it was a perfect remedy.

Theoretically, Sun Ming should agree.

Guan Shiyin nodded vigorously, “Good, good, this is good. Erming has learned this—it’s called ‘returning the favor in kind.’ So whoever wants to kill him, he’ll kill them back! She’d better watch out.”

“Erming is so clever.” Lin Wan’er smiled kindly, then called outside, “Someone, brick up the wall.”

The servants obeyed, and Lin Wan’er circled around the table where Fang Rulai was hidden from view. “Erming, why is the monk so quiet?”

Because she was full. Guan Shiyin accompanied Lin Wan’er, walking over. “Because Erming sealed his acupoints.”

Fang Rulai lay sprawled, clutching his belly, thinking the braised pork tasted quite good.

Footsteps drew closer. As Lin Wan’er’s gaze fell on him, Fang Rulai closed his eyes and turned sideways, playing dead—after all, his acupoints were sealed.

Lin Wan’er crouched, nudged Fang Rulai’s backside with her toe to confirm, “Someone, throw this monk into the wall hole.”

Fang Rulai made a mental note: he’d remember this. A monk’s revenge can wait ten days.

Guan Shiyin stepped forward, lifting Fang Rulai and tucking him at his waist. “No, Erming wants to throw him in personally.”

Guan Shiyin moved so quickly and forcefully that Fang Rulai, just fed, was squeezed into a full belch.

Lin Wan’er turned at the sound. “What was that?”

“Burp!” Guan Shiyin burped again, pretending to be stuffed. “Mother, your braised pork may be salty, but it’s the best in the world. Now Erming is full again.”

“But you flipped the table earlier—you shouldn’t have eaten much…” Lin Wan’er searched for the braised pork’s soup bowl. One corner of the tablecloth had slid to the floor, and the bowl lay empty.

The word “little” stuck in her throat—how could Sun Ming have finished it all in such a short time?

Guan Shiyin cursed Fang Rulai inwardly for not leaving some soup as a decoy; it was too clean to be convincing.

“Mother, prepare a chair and some rope for me.” Guan Shiyin, holding Fang Rulai, turned Lin Wan’er away from her soup bowl investigation. “I’ll stuff the monk back in exactly as he was.”

Indeed, the monk before him was the most urgent problem. Lin Wan’er, distracted, instructed, “Someone, bring a chair and rope for the young master.”

Guan Shiyin, with Fang Rulai in tow, leaped over the half-built wall into the wall cavity. Facing away from outside, he appeared to be tying Fang Rulai to the chair, but was actually whispering instructions.

“See the protrusion in the corner?”

“The secret passage switch?”

“Yes. Once the wall is fully bricked up, push the switch hard to the right. You’ll find a passage.”

“Does it lead outside?”

“To a safe place. But you must keep walking in the direction you entered, no matter what sounds you hear—don’t turn off course.”

“There are multiple paths inside?”

“Don’t be curious! Curiosity killed the cat!”

“Fine, you can go now.”

Guan Shiyin’s hands paused in tying the knot, his head cocked mischievously at Fang Rulai. “I say, wife, your husband has planned every step for you, and all you say is ‘fine, you can go now’?”

Fang Rulai’s mind was lost in curiosity about the passage, barely hearing Guan Shiyin’s words, and responded absentmindedly, “Ah, to show gratitude, I’ll spare you the shoe print on your other cheek.”

“You!” Guan Shiyin glared at Fang Rulai’s red, plump lips from the braised pork, feeling thoroughly aggrieved. He’d risked life and limb, leaving Shengjing to help her—did she even realize the resources and feelings he’d poured into this?

Fang Rulai’s eyes lingered on the secret passage switch. “How can the county magistrate’s house have so many tunnels underground? Was Zhu Xishi, who was abducted, spirited away through one? Guan Shiyin, you entered the magistrate’s rear courtyard before me—did you see Zhu, who was dragged in before—mm!”

Fang Rulai, whose attention was clearly not on the needy Guan Shiyin, was silenced. With lips.

But not a kiss—a bite.

Like a caterpillar gnawing leaves, slow and nibbling.

A little painful, but more ticklish.

Fang Rulai blinked, startled, then shook her head side to side to escape. Now was hardly the time for flirtation!

Guan Shiyin hooked his finger, turning the intended slipknot into a dead knot, securing Fang Rulai in place. With both hands, he cupped her face, holding her still—and bit again!

He’d only just confirmed his feelings for the little bald one, who had to leave Shengjing because he was increasingly targeted as the crown prince’s thorn. Even knowing that without Shengjing’s web of protection he’d be at risk, he hastily finished his affairs and rushed to Pingcheng, even disguising himself as a fool to be closer to her.

When she brandished the butcher’s knife at him, he was frustrated—he’d come for her, after all. She didn’t hug or kiss him, and instead greeted him with a knife? Fine, since she didn’t know his true identity then, he’d forgive her once.

Following Xu’s orders to drag her into the passage, he’d calculated Lin Wan’er would try to kill for power. Once Xu, who knew the passage, was dead, Fang Rulai could escape the magistrate’s rear courtyard unnoticed. He’d followed Lin Wan’er for two reasons: to confirm Xu’s death, and to check if Fang Rulai was safe inside the passage. But Fang Rulai, afraid he’d overhear, kept holding her breath, worrying him. Fearing harm from prolonged suffocation, he revealed himself.

She’d surprised him by instantly identifying him! He’d never had time to ask how she recognized him, but, given his history of disguises—even the sickly and the flower-obsessed couldn’t easily spot him—her recognition felt almost fated.

Delighted, he joked and played with her, risking exposure to feed her braised pork. Watching her lips redden after eating, did she know how much he wanted to kiss her when she recognized him? But once she was safe and full, her first concern wasn’t for him, exposed in a den of assassins.

What? Her mind was still on that butcher widow?

Enough! If he didn’t bite her, he’d never rid his heart of its frustration.

Bite the upper lip, then the lower; bite the philtrum, then the lip’s corner. This irritating little monk, who unknowingly stirred his heart, deserved to be bitten until she felt pain, itch, and turmoil.

Fang Rulai was utterly indignant. Calling her “wife” was one thing—after all, what could one expect from a fool? She could simply ignore it. But now, he’d touched her behind and bitten her lips without permission, acting as if she belonged to him!

Utterly infuriating! Any casual longing she’d felt for him instantly turned to burning anger.

He bites, does he? Then she’ll bite back!

Fang Rulai raised her neck, grinding her teeth, aiming straight for Guan Shiyin’s lower lip.

Guan Shiyin, who intended to punish but instead became entranced by Fang Rulai’s breath, let his guard down and was bitten hard.

Not only bitten, but Fang Rulai refused to let go, tightening her grip and tugging to the side—hoping to pull it off, so he’d never dare touch her without permission again!

Just then, Lin Wan’er’s voice came from overhead, “Erming, are you done? If so, hurry out—the servants are sealing the wall.”

Fang Rulai instinctively released her bite, forgetting that Lin Wan’er—Sun Ming’s mother—was outside. If she left a mark, it could ruin everything.

Guan Shiyin, like a cat who’d stolen cream, grinned smugly, knowing exactly what had happened, but said deliberately, “My wife has a strong taste, but she’s a caring darling for her husband!”

Without waiting for Fang Rulai’s reaction, he leapt out of the dark room.

Fang Rulai shook off the loosened ropes, reflexively raised her hand to strike, but found no one left to hit.

Outside, Lin Wan’er began questioning Guan Shiyin about his mouth’s odd appearance. Fang Rulai ground her teeth in frustration, vowing not to let him off next time.

But for now, escape was paramount.

She moved to the corner, found the switch, pushed it right, and a long, half-man-tall passage appeared.

Fang Rulai ducked inside and raced out.

Lin Wan’er’s ignorance of the secret room didn’t mean Sun Chi didn’t know. Even if he didn’t, once Guan Shiyin left, Lin Wan’er would meet Sun Chi and surely mention it. Then, Sun Chi would know, and wouldn’t hesitate to break through the wall and investigate.

She had to escape before that happened.

Through the long passage, Fang Rulai remembered Guan Shiyin’s advice, ignoring any sounds from the side tunnels.

Just as she glimpsed the light of the exit ahead, she stopped in her tracks.

Because, from her left rear, came Zhu Xishi’s voice.