The gentle breeze rustled through the air, causing petals to flutter down from the trees above. Yuanxi, still tear-streaked, suddenly found herself enveloped in his embrace, feeling a bit disoriented.
As the evening approached, it was the busiest time for the servants in the mansion. They watched with widened eyes as the Marquis, with a stern expression on his face, carried his supposedly mistreated wife towards the main courtyard. Suppressing their excitement at the juicy gossip they had stumbled upon, they waited until the couple was out of earshot before excitedly whispering to each other.
Yuanxi sensed the scrutiny from all sides and remembered her tear-stained appearance moments ago. Feeling a mix of grief and frustration, she turned her head and wiped away her tears and mucus on his clothing.
Feeling her face pressing against his chest, Xiaodu lowered his head to see what she was doing. When he realized her intentions, his expression darkened further, and he growled softly, “Move again, and I’ll drop you.”
Yuanxi gave a start, hastily clutching onto his robe, her head tilted against his broad chest, the familiar scent of agarwood lingering on her face, carrying his unique masculine aura, making her feel comfortable and reassured. After the emotional rollercoaster she had just experienced, she began to relax in his embrace, feeling her eyelids grow heavy, almost drifting off to sleep.
But this path… Yuanxi stole a glance from his embrace, her heart starting to waver again: in broad daylight, why was he carrying her into his room?
As Xiaodu stepped into the main courtyard, the maids and servants, seeing the scene, exchanged knowing glances, some even suppressing smiles and nudging each other discreetly. Ignoring them, Xiaodu carried Yuanxi straight into the bedroom. Before he could say anything, the servant who had led the way hastily lit the incense in the brazier, lowered the bamboo curtains over the bed, and swiftly exited, making sure to securely close the door behind him.
Xiaodu raised an eyebrow, marveling at his unusually high-efficiency today. He slightly bent down, gently settling Yuanxi on the bed, then proceeded to remove her shoes and socks before turning away, saying, “The rest is up to you.”
Yuanxi stared at him in disbelief as he took off his outer robe and rummaged through the cabinet, feeling her heart leap to her throat. Gathering her courage, she began to unfasten the buttons on her clothes.
Just as Xiaodu changed into a fresh set of clothes and found a box of ointment, he turned around to find Yuanxi blushing furiously, her clothes half undone. He stared at her for a moment, then couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “I told you to take care of it yourself, but I didn’t mean for you to unbutton your pants!”
Feeling utterly embarrassed, Yuanxi grabbed a corner of the silk quilt and covered herself from head to toe, refusing to look at him any longer.
She buried her face in the quilt, still feeling the lingering fear from earlier, though she knew she was only deceiving herself. At that moment, she felt a warm and cold sensation on her ankle, followed by a sharp pain, and couldn’t help but let out a sharp hiss of pain.
Xiaodu frowned, “Is it hurting a lot?”
Yuanxi peeked out from under the quilt, shaking her head with gritted teeth. Xiaodu noticed the lingering tears in her eyes and the faint blush on her face. Unable to contain his anger any longer, he softened his tone and continued to massage her swollen ankle, saying, “Just endure it for a bit. This ointment I brought back from the Western Regions is very effective. We need to massage out the congestion for it to heal faster.”
Clutching the quilt tightly, Yuanxi slowly sat up straight, watching him massage her swollen ankle with great care. Warmth surged in her heart, but at the same time, tears welled up in her eyes. She sniffled and hesitated for a long time before finally speaking up.
Outside the window, birds sang softly, and the scent of incense filled the room, like the elusive thoughts of a young girl, winding and unpredictable. Yuanxi gathered her courage and spoke softly, “Before you started attending school, I felt so lonely.”
Xiaodu’s hand paused, but his gaze remained unwavering as he continued to massage her ankle. Yuanxi looked at him, a faint smile tugging at her lips, “You probably don’t know how many icicles form under the eaves in winter, do you?” Her eyes dimmed as she continued, “But I do. Every New Year, my siblings would play together, building snowmen and setting off firecrackers, but none of them wanted to play with me.
I didn’t have a mother, and I could only catch a glimpse of my father during the New Year’s meal. Although Auntie Qi tried to accompany me as much as possible, she had her duties. Sometimes I felt so bored that I would sit on the steps and count the icicles hanging under the eaves. I remember one year there were a hundred and fifty-three, another year there were a hundred and twenty, and the most was a hundred and seventy-six.”
Xiaodu’s hand slowed down, feeling a dull ache in his heart. He imagined the lonely figure amidst the lively sounds of firecrackers and laughter, spending time counting icicles to pass the time.
As Yuanxi reminisced, her eyes grew redder, and she sniffled, saying, “Later, I started attending classes near the Imperial Academy and met you. You were always so kind to me, telling me about the places you had been and the interesting things you had seen. That’s when I realized how big the world outside was and how much there was to learn. Later, you gave me many books, and I became fascinated with them, making the days more bearable. I didn’t want to part with those books, not because of you, but because they were my companions through many difficult times, more important to me than anything else.”
Xiaodu’s heart had already softened, but when he heard her say “more important than anything else,” he couldn’t help but furrow his brow, feeling a surge of jealousy. He spoke up, “If they’re so important to you, does that mean you’ll always think of him?”
Yuanxi shook her head hastily, staring at him firmly, “Since I’ve married you, I sincerely want to be your wife. I want to share your joys and sorrows, and I want to give my whole heart to you. Although I haven’t completely forgotten the past, I will try my best to let go. Do you… trust me?”
Xiaodu couldn’t help but chuckle at her straightforward nature, she was always like this, not even capable of saying pretty words. At that moment, Yuanxi’s ankle had already started to look less swollen, so he rolled down her pant leg and turned around, only to see her anxiously waiting for his answer. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his hands, pretending to think seriously for a moment before saying, “Kiss me, and I’ll forgive you.”
Yuanxi was momentarily stunned, not understanding why the topic had changed so suddenly, but his gaze was fixed on her, and he didn’t seem to be joking. Her face flushed red, and after struggling internally for a while, she finally leaned over and quickly pecked him on the lips.
Xiaodu felt like something had lightly brushed against his heart, causing a tingling sensation mixed with dissatisfaction. He touched his lips and flashed a mischievous smile, saying, “Just like this doesn’t count.”
Yuanxi had just done the boldest thing in her life, her face flushed, her heart pounding so hard she could barely catch her breath. Hearing him refusing to acknowledge it, she couldn’t help but feel indignant, “Then what does count?”
But she soon regretted her words because a warm pair of lips pressed against hers, unlike the brief touch from before, this kiss was scorching hot. He pushed her against the corner of the bed, his hands running through her hair, his lips pressing against hers insistently, carrying a hint of a terrifying possessiveness, as if he wanted to devour her whole. She felt her breath stop for a moment, her head spinning, all her senses focused on the lips pressed tightly against hers. Yet, strangely, she didn’t dislike the feeling; it was almost intoxicating.
They tangled together for a long time before Xiaodu finally relented, propping himself up and smiling at her hoarsely, “Remember, it has to be like this to count.”
But when he looked at her, he suddenly lost his focus. Her fair face was still flushed, her large eyes seemed misty, and her rosy lips were slightly swollen, giving her a charming allure.
And the few buttons on her chest that she had forgotten to fasten allowed him a glimpse of the faint outline underneath. The pure white skin was so mesmerizing, igniting a fire within him that almost overwhelmed him.
Startled by his gaze, Yuanxi followed his line of sight and was immediately filled with embarrassment and shock. She hurriedly reached out to fasten the buttons, but he stopped her with a gentle touch, gently unfastening them instead. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered in a hoarse voice, “Let me help you.”
Although it was just an ordinary sentence, it sounded extremely seductive at that moment. Yuanxi felt his hand hovering over her chest, lightly touching the buttons, and even through the thin silk fabric, she could feel the warmth of his touch on her skin. Suddenly, she felt a shiver run down her spine, and she grabbed his wrist tightly, almost digging her nails into his flesh.
Xiaodu was very displeased with her resistance and decided to silence her with another kiss, this time not content with just lingering on her lips but slipping his tongue inside when she least expected it. Startled, Yuanxi tried to push him away, but it was too late, and she found herself being pulled into a whirlwind of sensations.
Lost in the taste of each other, the two of them sank deeper into their passion. Xiaodu’s hand, which had been resting on her buttons, couldn’t help but explore further, slipping inside her clothes. Yuanxi finally came to her senses and struggled to push him away, whispering, “It’s still daylight!”
Frowning at being interrupted so abruptly, Xiaodu retorted, “Who says we can’t do this in broad daylight?”
Yuanxi, feeling both angry and anxious, tried to push him away, but accidentally touched her ankle, causing her to inhale sharply in pain.
Startled, Xiaodu quickly moved to inspect her injury, but when he looked up, he saw her hastily fastening the buttons again, feeling both amused and irritated. He realized that it was her first time, and he couldn’t be so reckless as to let her bear an injury, so he sighed inwardly, feeling both unsatisfied and resigned. He then unleashed his desires on her lips again, saying with a smile, “Let’s call this one interest payment. Sooner or later, you’ll have to repay both the principal and the interest.”