Chapter 241: A Clever Horse, An Alluring Night
The soothing melody of the flute echoed through the pavilion, adding a touch of warmth to the tranquil night.
Yun Yue gradually closed her eyes, listening quietly to the pleasant music.
The melody wasn’t jarring but flowed like a clear mountain spring, seeping into her heart, a gentle warmth spreading through her body and mind.
There were no grand crescendos, no dramatic flourishes, just a soul-soothing sound that calmed her emotions.
“…”
Yun Yue remained silent, her posture relaxing, her expression softening, the chilling aura around her dissipating.
In a daze, she felt strong arms gently embrace her, pulling her into a warm and comforting hold. Soothing whispers reached her ears, and a strong, steady heartbeat resonated against her chest. As if finding the haven she had long sought, Yun Yue reached out hesitantly, returning the embrace.
A gentle breeze caressed her face, and the terrifying memories that had haunted her seemed to fade, the lingering fear and unease gradually subsiding.
She didn’t understand what was happening, but in this embrace, she felt as if she were immersed in warm spring water, her mind growing calm and peaceful.
The flute music faded, the melody ending, and silence returned to the autumn night pavilion.
Lin Tianlu felt a slight weight on his shoulder, a faint, sweet fragrance filling his senses. He lowered his flute and opened his eyes to see Yun Yue asleep, her head resting on his shoulder. Her delicate lips glistened in the moonlight, her eyelashes fluttering, soft murmurs escaping her lips, evoking a tender protectiveness within him.
“Hoo—”
He sighed softly, a smile gracing his lips.
Setting aside his other skills, his ‘lullaby’ was particularly effective. The women in his household could attest to that. It seemed to have worked perfectly, allowing Yun Yue to relax and rest. If this could help ease her emotional burdens and scars, that would be even better.
Shifting slightly, he realized that Yun Yue had wrapped her arms tightly around his arm and waist, as if unwilling to let go. Her embrace was so tight that it pressed her ample bosom against him, its curves peeking out from her gauze dress, a dazzling sight.
It was hard to believe that such a petite figure could possess such alluring curves. Coupled with her innocent, almost childlike face, she was truly captivating, enough to make any man lose his mind.
Although she had temporarily suppressed her demonic aura, her Yin energy seemed to possess a unique allure.
Lin Tianlu sighed and was about to carry the sleeping Yun Yue back to her room.
But just then, a gentle chuckle reached his ears.
“As expected, Tianlu, you know best how to comfort Yun Yue.”
Lin Tianlu turned to see a familiar figure approaching, her damp hair suggesting she had just bathed. Her alluring body was clad in a thin, slightly damp gauze dress, the sash loosely tied, the straps slipping down her smooth shoulders, her hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, enhancing her ethereal beauty.
Mao Ruoyu gathered her still-damp hair, leaned closer to Yun Yue, and smiled at her adorable sleeping face. “She seems completely unguarded, as if she’s finally let down her defenses.”
The beautiful woman’s almond-shaped eyes twinkled, and she smiled. “Your flute playing is still as enchanting as ever, Tianlu. Even after hearing it so many times, I’m still captivated.”
Perhaps even the most accomplished musicians couldn’t infuse such emotion into their music.
At least, she had never heard of any musician capable of such a feat.
“It was just a simple tune.”
Lin Tianlu put away his flute and gently adjusted Yun Yue’s position. “But we should get her back to bed. It’s not good for her to sleep here all night.”
“Let me help.” Mao Ruoyu gently took Yun Yue into her arms. “I’ll also change her into something more comfortable. This elaborate dress isn’t suitable for sleeping.”
“That’s true.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled, imagining Yun Yue waking up tangled in her dress after tossing and turning in her sleep.
Watching Mao Ruoyu carry Yun Yue towards the bedroom, Lin Tianlu stretched and walked out of the pavilion.
On a whim, he walked through the corridor to the stables in the corner of the courtyard.
Since he had never owned any horses, the stables, left by the previous owner, had always been empty, used mostly for storing firewood.
However, today was different.
“Snort—”
A brown horse, which had been resting with its eyes closed, snorted softly and opened its eyes, pawing the ground.
Having received this fine horse from Lunar Valley, he was naturally reluctant to sell such a generous gift from Ruoyu’s family. He decided to keep it.
“I haven’t had a chance to get to know you properly.”
Lin Tianlu smiled, stroking the horse’s head. “You’re much quieter and more well-behaved than any of the horses I’ve rented before. You’re quite likable.”
Throughout the journey from Lunar Valley to Changling County, this horse hadn’t shown any temperament, never once bucking or acting up.
It had even completed the entire journey on just hay and water, which was quite astonishing.
“Humph~” The horse shook its head, not resisting his affectionate touch.
Lin Tianlu sniffed the air, a surprised look on his face.
There seemed to be no smell in the stables?
Looking closely, he found the stables to be spotlessly clean, without any trace of dirt or droppings.
“This is strange…”
Even the finest horses should have the same bodily functions as ordinary horses, right?
And the smell of their waste was usually quite strong. That’s why wealthy families usually kept their horses elsewhere, rarely at home, to avoid the smell permeating the house.
He had only intended for the horse to stay in the stables for one night, planning to build a new stable tomorrow.
But now…
“Snort!”
The horse exhaled warmly, swishing its tail, shifting its body as if to block Lin Tianlu’s curious gaze.
“Hmm?”
This action surprised Lin Tianlu even more.
This horse…
“Can you… understand what I’m saying? Do you know what we’re doing?”
Lin Tianlu asked tentatively.
The horse blinked, then suddenly poked its head out of the stall and licked his face.
Slurp—!
Its tongue swept from his chin to his cheekbone, leaving Lin Tianlu momentarily stunned.
“…”
He touched his face, feeling the dampness, his expression frozen.
Wow, that tongue was… strong!
But there was no foul smell of saliva.
Lin Tianlu washed his face with the water from a nearby bucket and sniffed. There was no odor at all.
His mind racing, he looked at the horse, which was pawing the ground in the stable. “It seems Martial Aunt and the others have unintentionally given me a great gift.”
“Snort~”
This horse was truly extraordinary.
Not only could it understand human speech and comprehend the meaning of his words, but it could also respond like a human.
Moreover, its physique was exceptionally beautiful, every muscle and bone perfectly formed. Upon closer inspection, he could even sense a flow of Yin energy and spiritual energy within its body, eliminating the usual animalistic odor of horses and even making bodily functions seemingly unnecessary.
This was no ordinary horse…
“It’s practically a celestial horse on the verge of immortality,” Lin Tianlu murmured, approaching the horse again.
If he were to train it properly, wouldn’t it be able to speak human language one day?
He recalled that thousands of years ago, in the era of demons and ghosts, there were creatures with both Yin energy and demonic bloodlines.
Since there were fox demons like Yun Yue, then this horse…
“My Little Pony?”
“Snort!”
The horse snorted loudly and nudged him with its head, clearly understanding the teasing tone in his voice.
“Alright, alright, it was just a joke.” Lin Tianlu chuckled.
“If I saw correctly… is this horse truly so extraordinary?”
A surprised voice echoed from behind.
Cheng Yishi, also dressed in a thin nightgown, approached hesitantly, her face full of astonishment. She and Mao Ruoyu had just finished bathing and changing when they witnessed this scene.
Seeing the horse’s human-like behavior, she was stunned, her understanding of the world challenged.
Although she had already witnessed the existence of a fox demon, such creatures were more or less familiar from legends and novels. But a sentient horse was truly a rare sight.
Did such a divine horse truly exist in this world?
“It’s quite remarkable indeed.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled. “It seems Lunar Valley has put a lot of effort into training this horse.”
“Can I… touch it?”
“I don’t see why not.”
Cheng Yishi’s eyes lit up with excitement, and she cautiously reached out to the horse.
“…”
The horse’s eyes were calm, showing no reaction.
Then, it opened its mouth and gently bit Cheng Yishi’s finger.
Both Lin Tianlu and Cheng Yishi were stunned.
A moment later, Cheng Yishi was about to scream, but she paused, blinking repeatedly, her heart filled with surprise.
The bite wasn’t painful at all. The horse hadn’t used any force.
“Yishi, you…”
“It didn’t hurt me.” Cheng Yishi placed her other hand on the horse’s head, stroking it gently. “Judging by your conversation with Tianlu, you seem to understand human language?”
“…”
The horse snorted and retreated into its stall.
“This is truly…”
Cheng Yishi was amazed.
She wanted to say something more, but saw the horse turn around and swish its tail.
Lin Tianlu thought for a moment. “Perhaps it wants to rest and doesn’t want to be disturbed?”
“That’s a pity.” Cheng Yishi sighed, feeling a bit disappointed.
“But what’s this horse’s name? Such a magnificent horse deserves a good name. It would be a waste to give it a simple one.”
Lin Tianlu shrugged. “It doesn’t have a name yet. The people at Lunar Valley didn’t mention it, and I just assumed it was an ordinary horse.”
He didn’t have any particular requirements for horses, so he hadn’t paid much attention to it initially.
“Since it has no name, why don’t we give it one?”
“What do you have in mind, Yishi?”
“Seeing its well-proportioned and healthy physique, how about ‘Meixia’?” Cheng Yishi crouched down slightly and chuckled. “Besides, it’s clearly a female.”
Lin Tianlu stroked the horse’s back. “What do you think of this name?”
“Snort!” The horse exhaled, still not turning around, but it didn’t seem to object.
Lin Tianlu smiled. “Then it’s decided. Remember this name.”
However, Cheng Yishi looked a bit surprised.
The horse, Meixia, didn’t react at all to Lin Tianlu’s casual touch. It was incredibly docile.
…
A while later, the two returned to the pavilion.
Cheng Yishi gently stroked the stone table, a faint smile on her face. “Time flies. I can’t believe it’s been over half a year since I met you, and if we include the time in that dream, it’s been a full year.”
Now that they were alone, the young lady’s thoughts wandered.
Recalling their time together over the past year, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “Thinking back, it seems you’ve always indulged my whims, Tianlu. It’s quite embarrassing.”
“Don’t mention it. You’ve all taken good care of me. If it weren’t for your help, I wouldn’t be living such a peaceful life.”
Lin Tianlu gently embraced her shoulders. “Besides, since we’re getting married, it’s only natural for us to support each other. If you have any requests in the future, just tell me.”
“You’re so considerate of your wives, Tianlu… It’s…”
Cheng Yishi’s eyes flickered, a smile playing on her lips.
Then, she stood on tiptoe, leaning close to his ear, nibbling on his earlobe, and murmuring, “The moon is so beautiful tonight, Tianlu. Could you let me experience the bliss of our first night together again?”
