106: Chapter 106 I Want to Force You

"Where is my horse?"

Seeing that Jiang Yu Feng's horse had already run over but his own was nowhere to be seen, Meng Li asked subconsciously.

Su Ying gave him a sidelong glance. "How should I know? Yu Feng's horse was specially trained by her, so it automatically finds its way back upon hearing the summoning whistle. Your horse wasn't trained by her, so naturally, it won't come at the sound of the whistle."

Meng Li: "..."

He had thought the whistle was a universal summoning technique.

"Then I'll go up to a high place and take a look."

Meng Li let out a light chuckle, then circulated his Lightness Skill. With a few leaps, he reached the top of the tallest nearby tree. Once settled, he looked around in all directions.

After a short while, he really did spot his horse.

It was hiding in a thicket, leisurely grazing on grass.

It had to be said that these two horses were quite intelligent; they knew how to hide. Otherwise, the East Factory men would have taken them long ago.

With a few flashes of movement, Meng Li landed. He gave Su Ying a quick explanation and then used his Lightness Skill to dash toward where the horse was, leading it back before long.

"Let's head back."

He called out, leading the horse as he walked back.

Su Ying led her horse and followed.

After walking a few steps, she asked, "When do you plan to leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"So soon?" Su Ying was somewhat surprised, then asked, "You aren't angry because of what happened just now, are you?"

Originally, she wouldn't have asked this, but after her confession to Meng Li just now, she felt their relationship had drawn closer, which was why she spoke these words.

Meng Li smiled. "Do I look like such a petty person?"

Then, he explained, "I also want to stay longer to look through Senior Chang and Senior Su's books. But my father-in-law asked Senior Divine Nun of the South Sea to go to Tie Family Village to pick up Yu Feng, and the time hasn't been finalized. To avoid making Senior Divine Nun wait too long, I have to bring her over earlier."

"Otherwise, if we return late, Senior Divine Nun might get anxious or even come looking for us personally."

"That's true." Su Ying echoed his sentiment, then asked as if casually, "Then, will you come again next time?"

"I will," Meng Li replied affirmatively, then said without hesitation, "Didn't I say before that I would come here to study the books collected by the two Seniors?"

"Only for those books?"

"Yeah, otherwise what?"

"You..."

Looking at Su Ying's annoyed expression, Meng Li sighed in his heart and then said, "If I said it was for you, would you be happy or upset?"

Su Ying was startled.

Happy or upset?

She thought about it and felt that she should be happy, but thinking that he already had a family and couldn't give her his whole heart, she felt upset again.

For a moment, she couldn't help but feel conflicted.

Meng Li saw the answer in her expressive eyes. Feeling somewhat helpless, he decided to be direct. "Su Ying, I've already made it very clear. I am not a 'good man.' If you like me and want to be with me, you will inevitably have to share me with Xinlan and the others."

"If you can accept this, then we can take a step further and become lovers, or even husband and wife."

"If you cannot accept it, from now on, we will only be friends."

"Which one do you choose?"

Su Ying lowered her head, her fingers constantly fiddling with the corner of her clothes, her face filled with conflict and struggle. "I don't know. I feel like no matter which one I choose, I'll be very upset."

"Then, how about I help you choose?"

"You help me choose? How can you help?"

Meng Li directly pulled her into his arms, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.

"Mmph..."

Su Ying instinctively wanted to resist, but when her hands landed on Meng Li's body, she couldn't muster any strength.

She felt her mind go blank and her whole body go soft. Most importantly, her heart was racing, just like the last time Meng Li saved her and held her in his arms. No, it was more intense than last time; her heart was beating so fast it felt like it would leap out of her chest at any moment.

This feeling made her a bit uncomfortable, but even more so, she felt a sense of infatuation.

After a long time, their lips parted.

Su Ying collapsed into Meng Li's arms, panting as she asked resentfully, "Don't you dislike forcing people?"

Meng Li said gently, "For you, I want to be forceful just this once."

"Your hesitation makes me a bit anxious. I'm afraid that if I'm not forceful, I'll miss out on you and live with regret for the rest of my life."

Su Ying turned her head away and said, "Even if you are forceful, I won't necessarily agree."

"Then I'll just have to be even more forceful."

Even more forceful?

Su Ying was puzzled.

Without another word, Meng Li picked her up horizontally and flipped onto the horse.

Su Ying was startled. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you back to Meng Family Village to get married." Meng Li said somewhat overbearingly, then urged the horse forward.

Su Ying rolled her eyes at him and chided, "Stop fooling around!"

"Then does this mean you've agreed?" Meng Li stopped the horse and asked with a beaming smile.

"Agreed to what?"

"To marry me."

Su Ying remained silent and did not answer.

A moment later, she looked into Meng Li's eyes and said, "I don't know if I can mentally prepare myself to share you with others. I'm afraid that in the end, I'll still find it hard to accept, making myself miserable and even hating you."

Meng Li sighed lightly. "Then you can just hate me. After all, I'm the one who made the choice for you."

Su Ying buried her face in his chest. After a while, she said softly, "You mustn't betray me. Otherwise, I will hate you for the rest of my life."

"Alright," Meng Li promised.

"Then when will you come next time?" Su Ying looked up and asked.

"Aren't you coming back with me?"

Su Ying gave him a light punch and said irritably, "The matter was just decided. I have to explain things clearly to my parents, and I also need to prepare myself mentally. Besides, are you sure you don't need to persuade the wives at your home first?"

Meng Li nodded. "It's still my Ying'er who is more thoughtful."

Seeing that he had changed how he addressed her, the corners of Su Ying's lips curled up slightly as she asked again, "Then when will you come over next time?"

"That's hard to say." Meng Li wasn't quite sure, then he teased, "Why, are you in a hurry to marry me?"

Su Ying glared at him and denied it. "Not at all. My family of three has only been reunited for a short time; I don't want to get married so early."

"Then why did you ask?"

"Just asking casually."

"Then I'll just answer casually."

Su Ying looked at him without speaking, her gaze deep and lingering.

Being stared at so directly by her, Meng Li suddenly felt a sense of guilt as if he were a heartless man. He couldn't help but restrain his smile and said seriously, "I won't tease you anymore. If things go smoothly, I'll come back in half a month at most."

Su Ying finally withdrew her gaze. "Fine, then I'll wait for you."

After saying that, she left his embrace and dismounted from the horse.

Meng Li also dismounted.

Then, the two of them each led a horse back to Poison King Valley.

Before they even reached the valley entrance, they saw a plume of black smoke rising into the air, and at the same time, the smell of burning reached them.

Meng Li and Su Ying guessed that Xiao Yuer and the others must have finished gathering the bodies of those East Factory Guards at the valley entrance and were now burning them.

When they reached the spot, they found that it was indeed the case.

A bonfire had been built at the valley entrance, and it was burning vigorously.

Xiao Yuer, Mu Rong Xian, and Jiang Yu Feng were watching from not far away, while Big Mouth Li and the others were nowhere to be seen, likely having returned to the valley.

"Meng Li, Su Ying, you're back."

As soon as the two approached, Jiang Yu Feng, who was looking around from time to time, spotted them.

Mu Rong Xian and Xiao Yuer also looked over.

After exchanging simple greetings, Jiang Yu Feng said to Su Ying, "Su Ying, let's have a private chat."

Su Ying was taken aback, then nodded. "Alright."

...