AFMD : Chapter 12

“Where are you planning to go, Jinjin?”

 

It was unmistakably Huo Du’s voice!

 

What kind of nickname was “Jinjin”!

 

Placed on the horse by Huo Du, Song Jin’s heart pounded like a drum. He didn’t dare to look back at Huo Du’s expression and pleaded, “Let me down.”

 

Ignoring him, Huo Du gave the horse a slight kick. “Move!”

 

“The Huo Residence is just ahead. Is Jinjin in such a hurry to meet the in-laws?”

 

Who knew there was the Huo Residence along this road? Song Jin couldn’t help but admire Huo Du’s ability to twist his words every time.

 

He retorted, “You’re my nephew, and your mother is my elder sister.”

 

Suddenly, Huo Du pulled the reins sharply, almost causing Song Jin to fall off. Spotting a nearby pillar, Song Jin took advantage of Huo Du’s distraction, twisted his body, and hugged the pillar tightly.

 

“Let go.”

 

“You let me down.”

 

“Say it again, let go.”

 

Beneath Huo Du’s calm voice was an unprecedented anger. Song Jin raised his head and realized the trouble he was in.

 

The pillar he was hugging was his symbol of chastity!

 

There always had to be a resolution between him and Huo Du, and now was the chance.

 

With great effort, Song Jin squeezed out two tears and, using the pillar for support, managed to flip off the horse. In the process, it seemed like he accidentally kicked Huo Du in the abdomen.

 

But he couldn’t care less now. Immediately sitting on the ground, he hugged the pillar and cried bitterly. It was dark, and the people had long gone to sleep. Song Jin cried softly, his forehead gently knocking against the pillar, appearing even more pitiful than a widow mourning at a grave. He dared not knock too hard; his body had already suffered two near-drownings and couldn’t handle more abuse.

 

If he ended up becoming a fool, Huo Du might just leave him like a discarded sugar figurine!

 

However, without blood, there was no way to show his lofty spirit of self-sacrifice. Song Jin wiped away his tears and remembered there was a tomato in his bundle, which would help quench his thirst on the road.

 

Huo Du’s gaze was fixed on the words “Song Jin” on the plaque, engraved with Song Jin’s touching sacrifice, embellished by literati, making it seem like the second coming of the legendary Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai.

 

Seeing that Huo Du was preoccupied, Song Jin secretly opened his bundle and took out the tomato, smashing it on the ground and smearing it on his forehead to mimic bloodstains. Then, he touched the pillar with it to make it look real in the dark.

 

He racked his brains, trying to recall the name of his unseen fiancé, but couldn’t remember. So, he babbled, “When I saw my nephew in Ningzhou that day, I thought of you…”

 

It was just a casual glance at his nephew among the crowd… Song Jin silently licked away the tomato juice that had dripped to his lips, feeling even more miserable.

 

In the darkness, with the widow-like cries, and occasional lightning illuminating half the sky, the words “Chaste and Loyal” on the plaque appeared intermittently, creating a stunning visual effect.

 

At least Huo Du was genuinely angered.

 

He stood stiffly in place, watching Song Jin sobbing beneath his chastity plaque, and only he knew how rigid he felt. A gentleman doesn’t force others into difficult situations, but Huo Du was no gentleman. He might love military strategy more than the classics, but he also understood that a forced melon never sweetens.

 

Huo Du, the pride of the capital and undefeated on the battlefield, had only been treated as Zhao An’s substitute by Song Jin.

 

Yes, Huo Du chuckled to himself, a person so devoted to love and death would disregard life and death itself, so why would he seduce a stranger? It turned out that Song Jin mistook him for Zhao An because of their resemblance; it was just a moment of confusion.

 

Huo Du glanced at Song Jin, startled by the bloodstains on the pillar. A surge of anger mixed with heartache rose in his throat.

 

“Enough!”

 

Let go. Huo Du wanted to say.

 

Unaware of Huo Du’s thoughts and oblivious to the fact that too much talk could spoil things, Song Jin continued to push, “You’ve been gone for three years, how am I supposed to live…”

 

Just as Huo Du was about to give up: ???

 

Zhao An had only been gone for two years.

 

Suddenly, Huo Du realized that Song Jin’s mouth could only kiss forcibly but couldn’t be trusted. The sound of doors opening and closing came from a nearby household. Seeing Song Jin so determined, Huo Du was furious. If this had happened indoors, he would have made sure Song Jin couldn’t get out of bed for ten days or more due to his impulsive act today.

 

He pressed his forehead. “My uncle has only been gone for two years.”

 

“Erm…” Song Jin’s crying stopped abruptly, and he burped first. Did he remember it wrong?

 

He immediately continued, “So, this is what ‘days feeling like years’ means? During the days when your uncle just left, I couldn’t tell day from night…”

 

“Shut up!” Huo Du interrupted him, seeing that he was still clinging to the pillar. Coldly, he said, “Unless you want to die here today and I accompany you to hell to confess, otherwise… Jinjin, don’t try to provoke me.”

 

Huo Du was a ruthless person, and Song Jin was intimidated. He had already been thrown into a well twice, and if he was found dead tomorrow, hugging the chastity plaque, who knew what kind of rumors would spread.

 

With tears still swirling in his eyes, Song Jin was already thinking about how to end this.

 

Sniffling, he suddenly felt a moist and itchy sensation on his forehead. Song Jin was stunned as he saw Huo Du’s warhorse, which had licked his forehead clean and then kicked him away, leisurely eating the squashed tomato on the ground.

 

As Song Jin lay sprawled on the ground: Oh my god!

 

Just as Huo Du was about to tear off a piece of cloth from his robe to bandage Song Jin’s wound: “…”

 

How was he going to end this now?! With his eyes shut, Song Jin pretended to faint.

 

Huo Du picked up the unconscious Song Jin, a faint smile of relief and faint amusement flashing in his eyes. Harsh words could be said, but whether one truly feared or not was another matter.

 

If Song Jin had really chosen to die just now, Huo Du probably would have let go.

 

Carrying the fainted Song Jin horizontally, Huo Du murmured to himself.

 

The horse trotted obediently behind without the reins being pulled.

 

“Changfeng(the horse) is more obedient than you,” Huo Du remarked, knowing that Song Jin could hear him.

 

Song Jin pretended to be unconscious for a while, then opened one eye to sneak a peek at Huo Du’s expression. He grabbed Huo Du’s shirt softly and pleaded, “Don’t go to the Huo Residence, please?”

 

“Awake?” Huo Du glanced at Song Jin, not denying his request.

 

Song Jin crawled in his arms, now facing him. Exhausted from crying, he didn’t mention getting down anymore. With his hands around Huo Du’s neck, he rubbed his face against Huo Du’s neck, murmuring, “Let’s not go to the Huo Residence.”

 

At midnight, seeing his nephew carrying his aunt home, the scene was so beautiful that he might have to pretend to be unconscious until next year.

 

Song Jin’s voice was tinged with a slight sob, sounding like a newborn kitten. Unable to resist his plea, Huo Du agreed.

 

Song Jin felt another layer of thick skin added to his face. It was all Huo Du’s fault for being able to bend but not break. Huo Du took Song Jin to the martial arts training ground, where the place was spacious, filled with swords and spears, and guards stood every three steps like iron barrels. Seeing Huo Du, they shouted “General.”

 

At the far end of the training ground was a small house where Huo Du often spent the night when practicing martial arts.

 

Jumping down from Huo Du’s arms, Song Jin surveyed the layout of the small house. There was a bed, a table, and a pile of weapons in the corner, very simple and plain.

 

As Song Jin turned around, he met Huo Du’s gaze filled with unknown emotions, and he took a step back in fear. It was time to settle the scores! He knew Huo Du wouldn’t let him off easily!

 

Approaching him, Huo Du asked in a still reasonable tone, “If I hadn’t stopped you in time, where were you planning to go tonight?”

 

Forced to the table by Huo Du, Song Jin leaned back, hands supporting the table as he cautiously replied, “Back… back to the village.”

 

“Oh.” Huo Du nonchalantly locked Song Jin’s limbs in place. “Then what were you doing at the escort agency?”

 

Song Jin realized that Huo Du had been following him all along!

 

“I saw my nephew working hard and wanted to find a few bodyguards for you…” Song Jin laughed awkwardly, trying to jump onto the table and escape to the other side.

 

“You…” Song Jin frowned, finding himself firmly trapped by Huo Du.

 

“Like chatting on the table?” Huo Du propped Song Jin’s arms and put him on the old wooden table. Raising an eyebrow, he said, “Sure.”

 

“It’s not…” Before Song Jin could finish, Huo Du kissed him, not giving him a chance to argue.

 

Huo Du’s kiss was forceful, and Song Jin couldn’t resist. With just one kiss, the old wooden table began to creak, as if it would collapse if Song Jin took one more breath.

 

Song Jin instinctively clung to Huo Du’s shoulder, sharing the weight. Although he hated this man’s domineering nature, he still had to rely on him. His disheveled clothes revealed his collarbones and slender shoulders.

 

“This table was brought here by the first general of the Huo family on the day the martial arts training ground was built. It was said to be a dowry from our grandmother.” Huo Du chuckled lightly. “Every generation of the Huo family has sat here and discussed military strategies under the lamplight.”

 

“Jinjin, be careful. Don’t break the table” Huo Du warned with a hint of malice, biting Song Jin’s earlobe that had turned red from his nibbling. “If it’s broken, I’ll make you compensate the Huo family.”

 

Before the Huo family flourished, the dowry was just an ordinary table from a peasant family. It was quite miraculous that it had lasted until now. Moreover, after enduring the rough treatment of generations of tough men, it had been used for impromptu discussions, pounding the table in anger, without regard for its durability.

 

What do you mean be careful? Did he want to move? Did he want me to jump down?

 

I can’t afford the dowry from my grandmother… Song Jin sat stiffly on the table, unable to resist, as Huo Du stripped him naked, lifted his hands, and even lifted his hips.

 

In the end, Huo Du seemed to be in a hurry, lacking the initial patience. He tore instead of undressing, and because of the roughness, Song Jin bit his Adam’s apple in protest.

 

“The table is about to fall,” Song Jin urged anxiously.

 

…

 

…

 

Why was he the one worrying about the table?