Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 74: Chapter

The open fields behind the Xi estate were massive. They connected to a large, beautiful forest with clear pathways. The area was well-kept for horse riding and training. Servants stood at different spots along the trail, ready to help if there was any trouble.

Su Yueqing climbed onto her beautiful white horse with a proud, elegant look. She wanted to look like a dangerous, powerful villainess.

But as soon as the horse started walking, things went wrong. Su Yueqing was completely terrible at horse riding.

She held onto the ropes for dear life. Her body was stiff as the horse took slow, shaky steps. Wenzhe rode right beside her on his black horse, forcing his animal to match her incredibly slow pace. Every time the horse trotted a little too fast, Su Yueqing wobbled dangerously.

[HELP! OH MY GOD, NINE, HELP ME!] Su Yueqing’s inner voice screamed in total panic, blasting straight into Wenzhe’s mind.

[Why is this horse so bouncy?! I’m going to fall! If I fall off right now in front of everyone, my proud reputation is ruined! Wenzhe, stop looking at me!]

Wenzhe tried hard to keep a straight face. His wife’s loud, panicked thoughts made it very difficult not to laugh. He watched her lose her balance once, twice, and then a third time. She barely saved herself from falling.

Finally, Wenzhe had seen enough.

He pulled his horse to a stop and smoothly jumped down to the ground. He waved to a servant nearby. "Take my horse back," he ordered calmly.

Su Yueqing managed to stop her horse clumsily. She looked down at him with a cold, mean frown. "What are you doing, Wenzhe? Did the great Young Master get tired of riding so slowly? If you can’t handle a simple ride, you should have stayed inside."

Wenzhe did not answer her. He just let out a low sigh and walked over to her horse.

Before Su Yueqing could even speak, Wenzhe moved with quick, easy grace. He stepped up, swung his long leg over the horse, and sat down right behind her on the saddle.

Su Yueqing gasped. He was sitting so close that she could feel the heat of his chest against her back. Before she could push him away, Wenzhe reached forward. His large, warm hands brushed against hers as he took the ropes from her tight grip.

"You are terrible," Wenzhe said softly near her ear, his deep voice making her jump slightly. "I’ll teach you instead."

Wenzhe pulled the ropes gently, guiding the white horse into a slow walk. He leaned closer to her. "Sit up straight," he commanded softly, his deep voice right by her ear.

To help her, he placed his large, warm hand firmly on her lower back, pushing gently to correct her posture. The sudden touch sent a jolt through Su Yueqing, making her face instantly flush a bright, burning pink.

"I know how to sit!" she snapped, trying to sound mean, but her voice shook slightly.

Wenzhe ignored her complaint. He reached further forward, wrapping his strong arms completely around her. He covered her small hands with his own, his long fingers sliding between hers to show her how to hold the leather ropes properly. His skin was warm and rough against hers, making her heart race even faster. She blushed so hard her ears turned red.

Once he was sure she was secure, he clicked his tongue. The horse moved from a walk into a fast trot, and then a full gallop.

The wind rushed past their faces, and the green trees of the forest became a blur.

"Ah! Slow down! Are you trying to kill me?!" Su Yueqing yelled out loud.

[OH MY GOD, WE ARE GOING TO DIE!] her inner voice screamed in total panic, blasting right into Wenzhe’s mind. [Slow down, you crazy man! My heart is going to jump out of my chest!]

Wenzhe tightened his grip, pulling her closer against his body so she wouldn’t wobble. He leaned in until his cheek almost touched hers. "Relax. Nothing will happen to you as long as you are with me," he reassured her shortly, his voice completely steady.

Su Yueqing’s face burned even hotter at his words.

"Shut up! Don’t tell me what to do, you arrogant jerk!" she cursed at him loudly, desperately trying to hide how flustered she was.

Wenzhe just smiled, completely ignoring her angry words. He kept his eyes on the path ahead, his chest moving against her back as he let out a quiet laugh. He knew she was perfectly safe.

As they rode on, the horse moved smoothly over the clear forest trail. Su Yueqing slowly realized she wasn’t going to fall. Her fear began to fade, replaced by the cool evening air and the beautiful golden sunset filtering through the trees. She was actually starting to enjoy it.

Slowly, her stiff muscles relaxed. Without realizing it, she let her body rest completely against his broad, solid chest. It felt incredibly warm and safe. She stopped trying to fight him and simply enjoyed the free ride. Moving through the beautiful forest while wrapped in his tight embrace felt surprisingly peaceful and therapeutic.

[Wow... okay, this is actually amazing,] her inner voice murmured softly, dropping into a rare, quiet calm that drifted into Wenzhe’s mind. [It feels so peaceful. The wind feels so good... and his chest is really comfortable. Wait, no! Bad Yueqing! He is the enemy! Don’t get comfortable!]

Wenzhe’s smile widened, his hands holding hers just a little bit tighter as they rode deeper into the quiet forest.

The horse slowed to a gentle walk and finally stopped at the edge of a high, open cliff. From this spot, the sunset was fully visible, painting the entire sky in brilliant shades of orange, pink, and purple. The vast view below looked absolutely beautiful.

Wenzhe swung his long leg over the saddle and jumped down to the grassy ground with easy grace. He turned back toward Su Yueqing and extended his hands up to help her off the horse.

"I don’t need your help," Su Yueqing said immediately, lifting her chin to look down at him with a haughty frown. She tried to shift her weight to climb down by herself.

Wenzhe did not listen to her refusal. Before she could move away, he reached up, placed his large, warm hands firmly around her slender waist, and gripped her securely. With a single, smooth motion, he lifted her right off the saddle and brought her down to the ground.

Su Yueqing gasped as her feet hit the grass. Because of his strong grip, she was pulled directly against his chest for a brief second, her face flushing a deep crimson once again from the sudden closeness.

"You—! I told you I could do it myself!" she snapped loudly, pushing against his shoulders to hide her racing heart.

Wenzhe just looked down at her with a calm, amused smile, completely ignoring her angry words as the bright golden light of the sunset washed over them.

Su Yueqing turned her head away from him, her eyes following his gaze toward the glowing horizon. The sun was dipping below the mountains, casting long, dramatic shadows across the cliff side. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her usual cold, demanding posture.

"Why did you bring me all the way out here?" she asked, crossing her arms to block out the cool breeze. "And why force me onto a horse ride today of all days?"

Wenzhe kept his eyes on the fading light, his expression turning distant. "Whenever things feel too noisy, I come out here to ride. It helps clear my head," he replied softly. He let out a slow breath, his shoulders dropping slightly. "Lately... things have felt heavy."

Hearing his tone, Su Yueqing’s mind immediately jumped to conclusions. Her inner voice loudly chimed in, projecting straight into Wenzhe’s brain.

[Oh, please! He’s probably feeling completely miserable about his precious little white lotus, Li Mei!] she grumbled internally, sighing dramatically in her head. [Sigh! The poor guy actually thinks his favorite girl is a thief now. He must be heartbroken over the whole drama. Hmm...]

Outwardly, Su Yueqing sniffed and looked away, pretending to care very little. "That maid of yours... Li Mei," she said carelessly, waving a gloved hand. "I will instruct the guards to have her released from the woodshed later. She might not actually be the one responsible for the theft. I suppose I can have another investigation done or something.

As she spoke, her true thoughts continued to roar in Wenzhe’s mind, completely giving away her secret plan.

[I’ll just run a totally fake investigation, make up some lie, and say she was framed!] Su Yueqing plotted cheerfully to herself. [At least that way, he gets to be reunited with his beloved lotus, and this stupid, exhausting storyline can wrap up faster! Everybody wins!]

Su Yueqing fully expected Wenzhe to look relieved or grateful after hearing her offer. She turned her head back, expecting to see him smile.

Instead, her words died in her throat.

Wenzhe’s expression had turned incredibly grim. The soft, amused look from before was completely gone, replaced by a dark, heavy anger. His jaw was clenched tight, and he was glaring down at her with sharp, piercing eyes that felt cold enough to freeze the grass beneath their feet.

Su Yueqing took a involuntary half-step back, completely startled by his sudden shift in mood.

"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" she stammered out loud, her proud facade cracking under his intense, angry stare.