Greeting a roommate when they return is basic courtesy. Whether they respond or not is their business.

Qi Yue didn’t mind. She stretched and moved her neck around.

“It’s really impossible. Forget it, forget it. Rubber and such – it’s not something I can just make by saying so,” she said with some frustration, throwing down her pen.

The ink from the quill pen splattered on the paper covered with writing like a blooming flower.

“Young Marchioness, would you like some tea?” Qiu Xiang had come back just as she was about to leave, asking attentively.

“Sure,” Qi Yue nodded with a smile.

Sometimes accepting is more polite than being courteous.

Qiu Xiang happily poured tea and brought it over.

“Young Marchioness, you’ve been looking at and writing for so long. Let this servant massage your shoulders,” she said again.

Chang Yuncheng inside heard this and twitched his mouth.

As a senior maid, she usually felt that even pouring tea was beneath her status, yet now she was volunteering to do the work of junior maids.

Really…

He directly took off his clothes, revealing his sturdy body as he entered the washing room. When he finished washing and came out, the fragrance of food drifted in.

“Young Marchioness, see if what I made suits your taste?” came the quiet voice of an unfamiliar maid.

“There’s no right or wrong about this. As long as it’s made with care, it’s all delicious,” Qi Yue smiled.

A’Hao smiled with squinted eyes.

“A’Hao could open a small restaurant,” Qi Yue praised, while drinking soup heartily, “I only told you once, and you made it this well.”

A’Hao smiled bashfully.

“If I could learn even a tiny bit of Young Marchioness’s skills, I’d be content,” she said.

“Learn slowly, take your time,” Qi Yue smiled. As she said this, she paused, hearing footsteps from over there. She stood up and walked over, knocking on the bedroom door.

“Lord?” she called.

No one answered from inside.

“Are you asleep?” she asked again.

“What is it?” Chang Yuncheng’s low voice came from inside.

“Want a midnight snack?” Qi Yue asked with a smile, “There’s fig and pear stew, good for moistening the lungs and reducing internal heat.”

No one answered from inside. Qi Yue turned to A’Hao and pouted, making a helpless expression. She was about to turn and leave when the door opened.

Qi Yue gave him a welcoming smile.

“Come, it’s very tasty,” she said, walking over first.

Chang Yuncheng followed slowly. He saw a maid in a small jacket standing in the room, head lowered, shrinking aside as if ashamed.

Oh, that maid…

“You go rest. The night duty people will clean up,” Qi Yue said.

Ever since someone had seen the scar on her belly, A’Hao had always been shy about meeting people, especially these masters.

A’Hao understood that Qi Yue was being considerate of her. After hesitating, she responded and went down.

Qi Yue personally ladled a small bowl and handed it over.

“It’s a bit sweet. If you don’t like sweet food, you might not be used to it,” she smiled.

Chang Yuncheng took it without speaking and poured it into his mouth.

“Hey, it’s hot, slow down,” Qi Yue said quickly, also finding it somewhat amusing.

Chang Yuncheng had already finished drinking.

“You can’t do this. It’s bad for your stomach,” Qi Yue shook her head.

Chang Yuncheng’s mouth corners slightly lifted as if he smiled.

“Good or bad, it’s all just staying alive,” he said, putting down the bowl and standing up.

Qi Yue looked at him and studied him carefully. It seemed this guy’s mood was normal now.

“Why did you join the army?” she suddenly asked.

Chang Yuncheng’s turning body stopped.

“With your background, there’s no need to work so hard,” Qi Yue said.

“Because I don’t want to stay in this house,” Chang Yuncheng turned to look at her with a smile, “Don’t want to see you people.”

Qi Yue looked at him and made an acknowledging sound. Indeed, his mood was normal – even when saying he disliked people, he said it with a smile…

“Lonely…” she seemed to mutter to herself, her gaze turning away to fall on the window frame.

The room fell silent. The wind rose again, seeming to carry snow particles that rustled against the window.

Chang Yuncheng stopped walking.

This seemingly sighing sentence felt like a punch to his heart, buzzing with echoes.

Yes, lonely…

Such a big house, so many people, yet he felt he was always alone, watching these people’s joy, sadness, anger, bitter smiles, and chatter.

“Hey, sit down and have another bowl,” Qi Yue called to him.

Chang Yuncheng looked at her sideways. This woman, just how changeable was her face…

“Eat some sweets, it improves your mood,” Qi Yue smiled, pushing the bowl forward.

“When I’m in a bad mood, that’s when you’re in a good mood, right?” Chang Yuncheng said, reaching out to take the bowl.

Qi Yue laughed heartily.

“You still remember that,” she said, also serving herself a bowl, “Mainly because what you did back then was too excessive.”

Chang Yuncheng lifted his head to pour it into his mouth again.

“Wait, don’t drink like that,” Qi Yue quickly raised her hand to grab his arm, “Everything else belongs to others, only the body belongs to oneself. No matter how others treat us, we must cherish ourselves, otherwise, that would be too stupid.”

As she spoke, she pursed her lips in a smile, with a hint of mischief as she blinked.

“Lord is a smart person.”

Looking at the woman before him, because it was warm inside, she was only wearing a thin jacket, and he could feel the softness of the hand gripping his arm.

“During marches, meals are at irregular times. When there’s food, you eat quickly. Not used to using spoons and such,” he said, his voice slightly uncomfortable.

Qi Yue let go of his hand and sat down.

“The body is the capital of revolution,” she said, then laughed at herself, “Actually, I’m the same. When I’m busy, I just grab a quick bite, clearly knowing that instant noodles…”

She bit her tongue as she said this, covering her mouth and hissing.

“What’s wrong?” Chang Yuncheng put down his bowl and looked over, reaching out to grip her wrist that was covering her mouth.

She almost bit her tongue off. Serves her right – this was the consequence of saying things she shouldn’t say.

Qi Yue covered her mouth, only breathing in without speaking. Her face wrinkled in pain.

“Really stupid, biting your tongue while talking,” Chang Yuncheng frowned, while reaching out to pull away her hand and pinch her mouth open, “Let me see…”

Qi Yue made muffled sounds. Unable to resist his strength, her mouth was pinched open.

“You bit it open,” Chang Yuncheng said, frowning.

Qi Yue finally recovered.

“It hurts so much,” she said with a thick tongue, trying to close her mouth but finding that Chang Yuncheng’s hand was still pinching her cheeks.

To examine her tongue, Chang Yuncheng stood very close, almost touching her, looking down from above. Warm breath blew on her face, and the fingers pinching her face transmitted an unfamiliar sensation.

This woman actually looks quite good…

This thought flashed through Chang Yuncheng’s mind. His gaze circled around the woman’s face.

The room quieted down, with only the sound of wind and snow hitting the window. Candlelight flickered. The night was hazy, and the atmosphere became strange.

Qi Yue shivered.

“Drink some cold water to stop the bleeding,” she said, her tongue instantly returning to normal, while stepping back to get away from Chang Yuncheng’s hand.

“Then drink cold water,” Chang Yuncheng said, shaking his hand and turning to leave, “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother me again.”

Good, good. Because he was too disgusted by Qi Yueniang, he wouldn’t be impulsive enough to do something inappropriate just because of her looks…

Qi Yue sighed in relief.

What’s with the hand shaking? I haven’t even complained about you yet.

Qi Yue raised her hand to rub her face twice, then touched her tongue and hissed, quickly going to find cold water to drink.

The night passed without incident.

When dawn came, Qi Yue was still curled up in her bedding.

Earlier there had been maids walking around outside and quiet conversation. She knew it had started snowing.

Heavy snow day. Bed-lazing day. Although there was no heating, the charcoal brazier in the room burned warmly. It didn’t feel too cold and unbearable.

Chang Yuncheng opened the door, pacing back and forth in his room, and finally simply walked around in the main hall.

This woman was still sleeping? She couldn’t have also slept poorly last night…

Chang Yuncheng muttered, somehow his heart beat accelerated twice, then he saw the head in the bedding move. He hurriedly turned his gaze away, pretending to admire the snow outside the window.

But there was no sound of the woman talking or getting up. He couldn’t help but glance over with his peripheral vision, and actually saw the woman leaning out and stretching her arm from the arhat bed to reach for something on the table…

Chang Yuncheng was dumbfounded.

“You, you…” he didn’t know what to say.

Qi Yue had contentedly gotten the book she wanted. She grinned at Chang Yuncheng who was staring stupidly, then shrank back into the bedding.

This woman really… indeed because of her background, she was truly too crude…

Chang Yuncheng stopped avoiding and walked straight over.

“Excuse me, help me pour a cup of water,” Qi Yue said from inside the bedding, flipping through her book.

Chang Yuncheng resisted the urge to throw off her blanket.

“What kind of behavior is this? Get up already,” he frowned and shouted.

Qi Yue shrank further into the bedding.

“Aren’t you going out for a run today?” Chang Yuncheng asked.

“I don’t want to go out today. If you don’t want to see me, I’ll trouble you to go out and avoid me. This is your territory – you can go anywhere. I can’t. I can only be trapped here,” Qi Yue said, showing half her face to look at Chang Yuncheng.

She went out because he had said seeing her made him sick…

Chang Yuncheng was stunned, feeling a strange taste in his heart.

So it wasn’t because she didn’t want to see him…

Chang Yuncheng’s mouth corners couldn’t help but lift slightly, while his heart also felt slightly sour…

In any case, it was a strange feeling.

“Lord, Young Marchioness, may this servant come in to serve?” came A’Ru’s inquiring voice from outside.

Chang Yuncheng composed himself and walked away as two maids pushed the door open.

Madam Xie finished her daily prayers and stood up with Nanny Su’s support.

“The first snow of the day,” Nanny Su smiled, while placing hand warmers and foot warmers for the seated Madam Xie.

Madam Xie glanced outside the window. The snow in the courtyard had been swept clean, and birds occasionally landed to forage. Her gaze returned to see plum blossoms on the table that were freshly arranged and budding.

What a refreshing day indeed.

“The Marquis rested at Concubine Zhu’s place yesterday,” Nanny Su said, “Earlier Concubine Liu brought Fourth Miss over. I sent her away.”

Madam Xie’s mouth showed a trace of mocking smile, unwilling to mention those women again.

“What is the Lord doing today? Has he gone out again? Poor child, it’s clearly his own home, yet he has nowhere to stay,” she sighed, her brows showing deep dissatisfaction and resentment.

Nanny Su sent a maid out. Soon the maid ran back.

“The Lord and Young Marchioness are in the room reading and writing,” the maid said.

Madam Xie was drinking tea when she heard this and choked, unable to catch her breath.