RPDPHW Chapter 32

It wasn’t until the pain spread from the tip of her tongue to the depths of her heart that Zhong Shujin finally began to struggle.

She pressed her hands against Gu Qingyin’s shoulders, trying to push her away. But no matter how hard she pushed, the other woman remained tightly pressed against her, completely unmoved.

This time, Gu Qingyin was truly furious.

The tongue had always been a fragile thing, and with Gu Qingyin biting down so fiercely, Zhong Shujin couldn’t help but shed tears from the sheer pain.

And once tears began to fall, they were hard to stop.

Even with the taste of blood on her lips, Gu Qingyin did not relent.

Yet, when she tasted that bitterness, she finally softened.

With a long exhale, she loosened her grip, resting her forehead against Zhong Shujin’s. In a low voice, she asked, “Does it hurt?”

If Gu Qingyin hadn’t asked, it might have been easier to endure. But the moment she did, Zhong Shujin’s grievances welled up all at once.

She was the formidable leader of a sect—when had she ever been humiliated like this?

Biting her lips was one thing, but now her tongue too? This was bullying! If it had been anyone else, they would have been cut down by her blade without hesitation!

No… not just cut down. They wouldn’t have even made it close enough to touch her before being struck down.

But the person before her… was the one she could never bring herself to hurt.

No matter how angry, aggrieved, or frustrated she felt, there was no way she could raise a blade against Gu Qingyin.

She couldn’t bear to do it.

The more Zhong Shujin thought about it, the more wronged she felt. Such humiliation—was this truly her? How could she, the proud leader of a sect, allow herself to be so spineless? She was utterly failing her master’s expectations. If this continued, how could she ever face her master again?

She sniffled, trying desperately to suppress her tears and maintain some semblance of dignity. But the more she held it in, the more her grievances swelled, and no matter how hard she tried, the tears just wouldn’t stop.

To Gu Qingyin, those tears were a weapon—one far more powerful than any blade.

With just a few drops, the fury in her eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only helplessness behind.

“Does it hurt?”

Gu Qingyin pressed her forehead against Zhong Shujin’s, their noses brushing together as she sighed softly.

“You just love bullying me!” Zhong Shujin pounded weakly against Gu Qingyin’s shoulders, but her blows were so feeble they felt more like a gentle pat. Choked with sobs, she rambled incoherently, “Last night was like this! And now tonight too! I already said it hurts! I told you to stop! But you never listen! You never care! So just let me die of pain. Why don’t you? What’s the point of even asking? You don’t care anyway!”

Was Zhong Shujin… throwing a tantrum?

Her cries only grew more pitiful, her sobs more heart-wrenching.

Gu Qingyin could only sigh in resignation.

A faint smile tugged at her lips as she leaned in, pressing a kiss to Zhong Shujin’s tear-streaked eyes. She captured the falling droplets, then trailed down to her lips, gently licking the wounds she had inflicted—soothing her in the only way she knew how.

Perhaps she had bitten too hard just now—no matter how much she licked the wound, the blood continued to seep from the cut.

Those thin lips, now stained a deep red, looked even more alluring.

That delicate face, streaked with tears, carried an undeniable fragility.

Seeing her like this, Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but want to pull her into her arms and cherish her properly.

But then she remembered the thorns on this person—the ones that had pricked her time and time again.

So, she forcibly suppressed that desire.

She couldn’t afford to be wounded again.

“Alright, stop crying now. “I know it was my fault—I hurt you.” Gu Qingyin swallowed, took Zhong Shujin’s hand, and pressed it against her own heart. Looking into those tear-filled eyes, she spoke with solemn sincerity.

“But, I hurt too. Do you know that?”

Zhong Shujin froze.

“The pain you feel, I feel it just as much. A-Jin, can you understand that?”

Of course, she could. She could feel every ounce of Gu Qingyin’s pain.

She knew that the reason Gu Qingyin was so angry was because of the words she had said earlier.

She had hurt Gu Qingyin. It was only right that she now endured Gu Qingyin’s anger.

A deep ache spread through Zhong Shujin’s chest. She had finally stopped crying—only for fresh tears to roll down her cheeks again.

How humiliating.

As the leader of a sect, how could she cry like this?

Zhong Shujin quickly pressed her lips together and turned her head away, avoiding Gu Qingyin’s gaze. She didn’t know how to respond, so she could only forcefully pull her hand back.

The lingering warmth in her palm, however, was oddly familiar.

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, then took advantage of Gu Qingyin’s momentary daze to push her aside.

Without pausing, she strode straight toward the door.

But before she could take more than a few steps, Gu Qingyin seized her wrist.

Her voice, cold as ice, rang out from behind.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Zhong Shujin licked her wounded lip—Gu Qingyin’s lingering touch was still there. Even the irritating taste of iron no longer seemed so unpleasant.

The feeling of grievance from earlier had already been dispelled by Gu Qingyin’s intensity.

At this point, Zhong Shujin didn’t even have the nerve to act pitiful anymore. Sniffling, she muttered, “I just want to go out and get some air…”

“Get some air? Why?”

“My head’s a mess. I want to cool down a little…”

“When has your brain ever been clear?”

Gu Qingyin scoffed, clearly exasperated.

Zhong Shujin: “…”

This was just too much!

Yet before she could protest, she felt a sudden tightness around her wrist—while her waist, in contrast, felt looser.

Turning back in shock, she found that, at some point, Gu Qingyin had undone her sash and used it to bind her wrists together.

“Qingqing! What are you doing?!”

“Aren’t you the one who wanted to cool down? I’m just helping you.”

Before Zhong Shujin could even react, Gu Qingyin swiftly tied both of her hands behind her back.

With the sash no longer holding her clothing in place, her robe hung loosely off her shoulders, barely clinging to her frame.

Gu Qingyin hooked a finger under Zhong Shujin’s collar, tugging it open just enough to reveal the pale expanse beneath—faint traces from the previous night still visible on her skin.

But Gu Qingyin didn’t linger in sight. Instead, she smirked mischievously, cupped Zhong Shujin’s chin, and leaned in.

“You wanted to calm down, didn’t you? I’ll grant your wish. “Don’t worry, unless you beg me tonight, I won’t lay a single finger on you.”

With that, she effortlessly lifted Zhong Shujin into her arms, then secured the other end of the sash to a beam above.

Zhong Shujin was utterly dumbfounded. She immediately started struggling.

“Gu Qingyin! This is going too far! Let me down right now!”

How could she, a dignified sect leader, be strung up like this and humiliated?!

Gu Qingyin ignored her, merely smiling as she sprinkled some powder onto Zhong Shujin’s body. Then, she leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Sichuan is full of snakes and insects, my dear Sect Leader. Take care.”

With that, she paid Zhong Shujin no further attention, gracefully flipping back to the ground. Pouring herself a cup of tea, she propped her chin in one hand and lazily gazed upward.

“Gu Qingyin! I’m warning you, if you don’t let me down right now, I’m going to get really mad!”

Gu Qingyin took a sip of tea and remained silent, smiling.

“Gu Qingyin! This is your last chance! If you don’t put me down at this instant, I swear I’ll be furious!”

Still no response.

Dangling from the beam, Zhong Shujin kept struggling. Being suspended in midair, slowly spinning with the breeze, was not a pleasant experience.

“You bastard! Gu Qingyin! If you have the guts, don’t let me down all night!”

Gu Qingyin shifted her position and continued watching, amused by Zhong Shujin’s tantrum.

“If you really don’t let me down, I’ll never speak to you again!”

At first, Zhong Shujin had plenty of fire left to keep yelling, but then she heard it. A faint rustling sound.

That was when she suddenly recalled what Gu Qingyin had said before landing: Sichuan is full of snakes and insects.

A chill ran down her spine. In a trembling voice, she asked, “W-what exactly did you just sprinkle on me?”

“Oh, just a little something to attract venomous snakes and insects.” Gu Qingyin’s tone was maddeningly casual. “Don’t worry, Sect Leader Zhong, with your strong constitution, those little creatures won’t be able to kill you.”

Zhong Shujin was truly on the verge of tears now.

“Qingqing, let me down! Stop messing around! We can talk this out properly!”

“Weren’t you just saying you were mad and would never speak to me again?”

“I’m not mad, I’m not mad! We’re good sisters! How could I ever be mad at you?”

“Good sisters?” Gu Qingyin let out a laugh, her expression unreadable. “I don’t recall having a ‘good sister’ like you.”

Zhong Shujin: “…”

The rustling sound was getting closer.

She started panicking. “Qingqing! Hurry and let me down!”

“No.”

“I’m scared! Stop playing around!”

“Didn’t you want to calm down? I’m just helping you think things through properly.”

“Qingqing…” Zhong Shujin’s eyes welled up with tears. “I know I was wrong. I don’t want to calm down anymore, just let me down…”

Gu Qingyin curled her lips into a smirk, pretending to be troubled. “But I just said, if you don’t beg me tonight, I won’t touch you at all.”

Zhong Shujin turned her head—only to see a small snake slithering down the beam, inching toward her tied-up waist.

In an instant, she lost all composure. Tears streamed down her face.

“Wuwu… Qingqing, please save me! I’m scared! I’m begging you! I know I was wrong!”

“Beg me? Don’t you know that begging me comes at a price?”

“I’ll pay! I’ll pay anything! I’m begging you, Qingqing, hurry and save me! The snake is almost on me! Qingqing!”

Before Gu Qingyin could respond, Zhong Shujin suddenly screamed again, “Ahhh! Why is this spider so big?! Qingqing! Save me!”

Gu Qingyin remained seated, unbothered.

“And what are you to me? Just because you beg, I have to save you? But don’t worry—although we have no ties to each other, if you’re unlucky enough to get bitten and die, I’ll be kind enough to collect your body.”

Seeing the venomous creatures swarming toward her, Zhong Shujin panicked completely. Tears streaming down her face. She wailed, “How could you say that?! What do you mean we have no ties? A night as husband and wife means a hundred days of grace! How could you just watch me die?!”

At those words, a faint smile finally appeared in Gu Qingyin’s eyes.

“Husband and wife?” She murmured, toying with a small blade. “Well, if that’s the case, I suppose I should save you.”

She played with the knife between her fingers and added casually, “Then beg me properly. If I’m pleased, I might just let you down.”

“Wuwuwu, I’m begging you!” Zhong Shujin sobbed, staring at the snake coiling around her waistband. “My dear wife, please save me! I’m really scared!”

That one “dear wife” stirred up countless memories in Gu Qingyin’s mind.

She said nothing more. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the blade flying, precisely slicing through the belt binding Zhong Shujin’s wrists.

Gu Qingyin leaped into the air, catching the person who was falling straight down.

Her eyes were still full of laughter, as gentle as ever.

Zhong Shujin, however, only cried harder. She clung tightly to Gu Qingyin’s neck, wrapping herself around her completely, trembling uncontrollably. “You’re so mean! Hurry up and get rid of them! Wuwu, all you do is bully me! Get rid of them already!”

Zhong Shujin had never feared swords, blades, or the pain of wounds.

But from childhood to now, the one thing she feared the most was these strange, creepy, venomous snakes and insects.

“Mhmm, I’m bad,” Gu Qingyin said with a smile, gently stroking Zhong Shujin’s back. But all the powder was sprinkled on your clothes. If you don’t take them off, those things will still crawl onto you.”

Hearing this, Zhong Shujin immediately let go of Gu Qingyin. In just a few swift movements, she stripped herself completely, not even daring to leave her undergarments on.

As soon as she was done, she leaped onto Gu Qingyin again, wrapping her arms and legs around her, refusing to look back. “Hurry, hurry up and get rid of them!”

Gu Qingyin had already scattered repellent powder on the ground earlier, ensuring nothing would dare come near.

She ran her hand over Zhong Shujin’s smooth, bare skin, a meaningful smile appearing on her lips.

“You were the one who begged me to touch you.”

With that, she tightened her hold, carrying the frightened, tearful Zhong Shujin toward the bed.

The night was long.

There was no need to rush.

Everything could be taken slowly.