[To Become a River of Stars] Dong Xiange - Chapter 48
“Brother.”
She suddenly smiled, her eyes narrowing into curved crescents, calling out to him with an air of innocent ignorance.
Her small heart beat within her chest like a bird—tender and vibrant, fluttering its wings.
That faint tremor slowly transmitted, resonating with him until their heartbeats harmonized.
The lanterns hanging in the corridor swayed in the wind. Backlit, Shiliu’s face resembled a freshly picked peach, still covered in fine fuzz.
Eyes round, eyes charming, eyes intoxicating as honey.
Li Xuanci only felt that she held him too tightly. The two were so close, their breaths intertwining, mingling indistinguishably.
Her gaze was gentle as jade, utterly pure, inching closer until it was filled entirely with him. Watching his reflection grow larger in her pupils, Li Xuanci fell silent.
“Brother.”
She called out again, softly, her breath brushing his cheek.
Li Xuanci’s pupils dilated as he allowed her to draw nearer.
The next moment, his fingertip pressed against Shiliu’s forehead, forcibly pushing her away. His expression quickly cooled as he scolded, “What madness is this?”
His tone was harsh, his breath uneven.
But Shiliu remained completely unfazed by the rejection. Even with a finger against her forehead, she twisted toward him, arms open, and said foolishly, “Brother, Shiliu wants a hug. Brother, hug me.”
Like a naive child.
Li Xuanci’s brows furrowed. He grabbed her tightly, gripping her wrist fiercely as he demanded, “What trick are you playing now? If you keep feigning madness, I have ways to deal with you.”
But Shiliu only stared dazedly at her own wrist, struggling like an ignorant child. Her round eyes instantly transformed, filling with tears that rolled down her cheeks.
“It hurts, Shiliu hurts. Brother doesn’t care for me. Bad brother, bad brother.”
As she spoke, her other hand flailed wildly, trying to hit him. Li Xuanci caught it and bound both wrists together, watching the unruly Shiliu with a deep frown.
Having spent some time with this little rogue, he knew that beneath her somewhat spoiled and cunning nature, she maintained a cool exterior. She had never shed tears in front of him—not even when facing blades or having her identity exposed, let alone from having her wrist restrained.
Li Xuanci turned her wrist to check her pulse, then forcibly lifted her eyelids. There were no signs of delirium; everything seemed normal. Apart from making her more tearful, he found nothing.
“Brother… brother doesn’t care for Shiliu.” She sobbed, still managing to accuse him between tears.
Li Xuanci’s expression darkened as he looked into her tear-filled eyes. A murderous intent surged within his gaze, his tone laden with menace. “Your senior brother is still in the north, isn’t he? I know you communicate via carrier pigeons. If you keep pretending, you might be fine, but I can’t guarantee what will happen to him.”
His voice was extremely soft, which made it all the more chilling.
But Shiliu’s damp eyes resembled those of a young deer, untouched by the ways of the world. Even when encountering a hunter, it would simply lower its head ignorantly to lick water from his palm.
She watched as Li Xuanci drew closer. The warmth of his body faintly transmitted through, his hair strands tickling her cheeks. The tear-stained areas felt tight, urging her heartbeat to quicken secretly.
Then, Shiliu stood on her tiptoes and left a tear-stained kiss on his cheek, like a falling snowflake—so light it vanished the moment it touched.
She leaned into Li Xuanci’s embrace, looking up at him obediently with her round eyes, and whispered, “Shiliu kisses brother. Brother, be nicer to Shiliu.”
Such a childish and ridiculous transaction was likely a first in Li Xuanci’s life.
The spot she had kissed was also dampened by her tears. In the cool, watery night, it felt slightly icy. Sprouts seemed to emerge from that place, entangling his body and mind, embedding themselves into his skin.
Li Xuanci found his voice hoarse, unable to speak. Something lodged in his throat, making it hard to swallow, so he could only vent all these inexplicably sprouting emotions.
His fingers gripped Shiliu’s fragile neck. The throbbing blood vessels, much like the restless heart in her body, willfully acted spoiled within his palm.
Li Xuanci’s gaze locked onto her. His eyelashes traced a fine line, his focus intensifying to the extreme, heavily enveloping the bewildered girl before him.
She seemed not to fully understand what was happening, unaware that the hand around her slender neck could end her life at any moment. She tilted her head slightly, appearing somewhat at a loss.
After a long while, Li Xuanci suddenly released all his strength, withdrew his hand, and looked deeply at Shiliu.
It seemed she had truly lost her mind.