Chapter 26, Section 26: Drawing on her neck

Jiang Ninghui knew that she had stayed in Pei Gongzi's room for a rather long time, and that she had been watching Pei Gongzi draw a woman.

Young Master Pei's decision not to drive her away was a gesture of respect, but she could not overstep that line, much less pry into Young Master Pei's privacy.

Jiang Ninghui turned and left.

A hint of curiosity still welled up inside me.

Whose young lady is that in the portrait that only shows her outline, almond-shaped eyes, and delicate nose?

The moment the door closed from the outside, a picture of a pitiful, weeping beauty was formed.

Pei Duo lifted his eyelids and glanced at the beautiful figure walking past the window.

pity.

My sister-in-law didn't see this captivating painting.

If she had lingered a few more breaths, she would have been able to see the painting.

Jiang Ninghui went back to her room and closed the door. Her husband had probably gone to the prefectural government office with Young Master Pei today. Ever since he returned, there was a faint smile in his eyes and brows. Jiang Ninghui did not dare to disturb her husband's studies, so she went to bed first.

The snow fell all night long, and the weather grew colder and colder over the next few days.

She went to Young Master Pei's room four times a day to add charcoal to the fire and warm herself by the fire, living a rather pleasant life.

Ever since that day when Young Master Pei took my husband to the prefect's residence, Jiang Ninghui noticed that her husband had become increasingly diligent, reading until midnight every night before going to sleep.

New Year's Day is just half a month away.

Jiang Ninghui remembered that her husband had said that there would be three days of school break before the Lunar New Year.

After preparing dinner that evening, Jiang Ninghui, as usual, waited outside the courtyard with a kerosene lamp, and this time, she was greeted by Young Master Pei once again.

"Young Master Pei, my husband will be back in a quarter of an hour later?"

Pei Duo: "We'll be three-quarters of an hour late tonight."

"I understand."

She stepped aside to let Young Master Pei in: "Young Master Pei, please eat first."

Pei Duo: "No rush, sister-in-law, may I come into my room? I have something to discuss with you."

Jiang Ninghui was puzzled, but followed Pei Duo as instructed.

Despite the freezing weather and the deep darkness of the night, it was unusually warm inside Young Master Pei's room.

The young man took a ball of red silk thread and a string of woven tassels from his bag and placed them on the table: “I have a friend who needs a hundred tassel pendants. He is looking for someone to weave them, one coin per tassel. I know about this, so I took the liberty of taking on this job for my sister-in-law. I wonder if my sister-in-law is willing? If not, I will return the items to my friend tomorrow.”

Jiang Ninghui never expected it to be such a lucrative opportunity.

She felt that she owed Young Master Pei more and more.

Even so, she still didn't want to miss this opportunity to make money.

Jiang Ninghui really didn't know how to thank Pei Duo. In her excitement, she bent down to thank him, but as soon as she bent down, her forearm was suddenly grasped by the young man's strong and slender fingers. The young man's fingertips almost imperceptibly caressed the woman's coarse cloth sleeve, as if they were touching the woman's snow-white and delicate skin through the coarse cloth.

I can't bear to let go.

I want to hold it like this forever.

The young man easily lifted Jiang Ninghui's bent back with one hand: "Sister-in-law, you don't need to be so polite with me. If you really want to thank me, how about you make me a bowl of meat soup dumplings while Brother Zhao is away after I finish this job?"

Jiang Ninghui nodded quickly, afraid that if she hesitated even a moment longer, her gratitude would seem insufficient.

"Young Master Pei—"

Jiang Ninghui hesitated, unsure how to begin.

Pei Duo withdrew his hand: "Sister-in-law, please speak freely."

Jiang Ninghui: "Can I make tassels with Sister Mu?"

After all, when she did laundry before, Sister Mu asked her to help, and she earned ten coins. Now that there was such a good opportunity, she wanted to invite Sister Mu along as well.

Pei Duo nodded: "Either is fine, sister-in-law decides."

Jiang Ninghui's almond-shaped eyes curved into a smile, her bright and lively eyes reflecting a joyful expression that was fitting for someone her age.

With a job that could earn money, Jiang Ninghui felt full of energy.

The next morning, she told Sister Mu about it and begged her to help her keep the fact that she was making money a secret.

Mu Hua didn't understand, but she didn't ask any further questions.

Having spent several months with Jiang Ninghui, she knew the young lady well. She was honest, gentle, and had no temper. She figured that with such a personality, she would be mistreated in her husband's family. She probably wanted to secretly save some money for herself in case of emergencies.

Sister-in-law Mu glanced at Jiang Ninghui's flat stomach and couldn't help but ask, "Madam Jiang, you and your husband have been married for half a year, why is there no sign of pregnancy? Why don't I accompany you to the clinic another day and let the doctor take a good look at you?"

Jiang Ninghui lowered her head and gently stroked her lower abdomen: "To be honest, Sister-in-law Mu, my parents-in-law hope that my husband will pass the imperial examination before we talk about having children. They think that I should take good care of my husband's daily life first. If we have a child, not only will I be distracted and unable to take good care of my husband, but the child will also disturb him."

Mu Hua wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to bring it up.

Throughout history, most men have abandoned their wives after achieving success and fame.

If Zhao Xiucai passes the imperial examination, he will become an official, if not a minor one. If Jiang Niangzi has no child to rely on, and is abandoned by Zhao Xiucai in the future, what will become of her, given her temperament?

Well, maybe Zhao Xiucai isn't the kind of person she thinks he is.

Moreover, Lady Jiang is exquisitely beautiful; Zhao Xiucai should be reluctant to part with such a lovely woman.

Weaving tassels is not difficult, and there are even patterns provided by Young Master Pei.

Jiang Ninghui spent the mornings and afternoons at Sister Mu's house, weaving tassels with her. The two spent eight days making it, finally finishing it four days before the school's break.

That evening, Jiang Ninghui saw her husband studying at his desk.

She quietly went out, took the bundle handed to her by Sister Mu at the door, and cautiously glanced at her husband's room. The doors and windows were tightly closed, and she was not discovered by her husband.

She quietly walked to the front of Young Master Pei's house, and just as she was about to knock on the door, the door suddenly opened from the inside, and the tall and handsome young man stood inside, his indifferent gaze glancing at the furtive Jiang Ninghui.

Jiang Ninghui immediately felt embarrassed, her cheeks flushed with shame.

Asking Young Master Pei to help her keep it a secret from her husband while she saved up her own money felt incredibly awkward.

I'm afraid Young Master Pei will think she's selfish. Her in-laws spent five taels of silver to marry her, but she secretly made money behind their backs. No matter how you look at it, she seems like a selfish woman.

A few days ago, she shamelessly went to Wenzhai Pavilion again, looked at another writing brush, and asked for one tael of silver.

She planned to save up her money, hoping to save enough before Young Master Pei passed the imperial examination with flying colors, so she could buy the calligraphy brush and give it to him as a gift, firstly to express her gratitude to him, and secondly to congratulate him on his success in the examination.

However, at that time, her fate was still unknown.

Jiang Ninghui handed over the bundle, speaking very softly: "Young Master Pei, Mu's wife and I have finished weaving it. Please take it over and have the master take a look. If there is anything you are not satisfied with, Mu's wife and I will take it apart and weave it again."

Pei Duo took the bundle, his gaze sweeping over the exposed section of Jiang Ninghui's fair neck.

My sister-in-law has a beautiful, porcelain-white neck. If I could paint a few flowers on it, it would be even more beautiful.

Take your time.

This day will come sooner or later.

The young man nodded: "I'll give my sister-in-law an answer tomorrow night."

Jiang Ninghui's beautiful eyebrows curved slightly: "In that case, thank you, Young Master Pei. Please get some rest."

After saying that, she turned and quickly went back into the house.

The young master was still reading, so Jiang Ninghui didn't dare to disturb him. She took off her clothes and lay down on the couch, falling asleep soon after.

Zhao Zhixue didn't close the book until midnight. After washing up, he took off his clothes and lay down in bed. He turned to his side and saw Jiang Ninghui, who was fast asleep. She was wearing an undergarment with the collar slightly open, revealing a red undergarment underneath. Below her slender neck was a large expanse of porcelain-white, alluring skin, with snow-capped peaks and valleys, and a waist so thin it could be grasped in one hand.

Since the last time I had sex with my wife, we haven't done it again.

Zhao Zhixue's thoughts were stirred, and his drowsiness was mostly gone.

He embraced Jiang Ninghui and began to unbutton her undergarments...

Jiang Ninghui was sleeping soundly when she vaguely felt a chill in her body. She drowsily saw her husband above her. Her inner garment was off, leaving her only in a red undergarment, her snow-white skin exposed outside the quilt. She whimpered uncomfortably and pushed Zhao Zhixue away, saying, "My lord, I'm cold."

Moreover, Young Master Pei is right next door.

If Young Master Pei were to hear this, she would be utterly humiliated.

Zhao Zhixue ignored her completely, grabbed her legs and wrapped them around his waist, ready to strike: "My wife won't be cold in a little while."

Jiang Ninghui bit her lip, tears welling up in her almond-shaped eyes.

She turned her head away, hoping that the young master Pei next door had already gone to sleep by this time.

Just as Zhao Zhixue was about to rush in, a dark shadow suddenly pounced through the window, accompanied by a sharp meow that broke the silence of the night. The couple inside were both startled, especially Zhao Zhixue, who broke out in a cold sweat. The ferocious creature, poised to strike, almost lost its bones.

"Where did this stray cat come from in the middle of the night? It's really annoying!"

Zhao Zhixue frowned in displeasure, ignored him, and wanted to continue.

But the wild cat kept screeching incessantly in the yard, making Zhao Zhixue lose all desire.

He put on his clothes, got up, and pulled the quilt over Jiang Ninghui: "My wife, cover yourself up. I'm going out to take a look."

Zhao Zhixue wrapped his clothes tighter, opened the door and went out. He saw a completely black cat sitting in the yard. Its eyes glowed with an eerie green light in the dark night. The cat seemed to be staring at Zhao Zhixue, baring its teeth and hissing at him.

How could Zhao Zhixue tolerate this?

The couple's pleasure of making love was interrupted by a beast. He grabbed the door bolt and chased after the cat to hit it. As he swung the bolt, the black cat disappeared in a flash. Zhao Zhixue's back, which had just recovered, twisted again, seemingly because he had swung the bolt too hard.

Suddenly, a sharp pain exploded from his lower back, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

"Wife, wife, come and help me, I've twisted my back again."

Hearing her husband's extremely painful cries from inside the house, Jiang Ninghui was startled. She hurriedly dressed and went out, where she saw her husband holding onto the door latch with one hand and supporting his waist with the other, his face pale and in pain.

"My lord!"

She rushed over and used her frail body to support Zhao Zhixue, saying, "Let me help you into the house."

Jiang Ninghui bit her lip and struggled to support Zhao Zhixue's weight, while secretly glancing at Young Master Pei's room.

The room was dark and quiet, so they must have gone to sleep.

On the snow-covered rooftop, a tall, imposing figure in dark blue stood with his hands behind his back.

The young man lowered his head and glanced at the couple as they slowly entered the house.

The woman was so thin that she struggled to support her husband's body.

That good-for-nothing, why doesn't he listen to his sister-in-law?

My sister-in-law said she didn't want it anymore.

If he weren't afraid of implicating his sister-in-law in the future, he would have wanted to cripple that useless man's back.

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Author's Note: There's a red envelope in this chapter! [Sprinkling flowers]

There will be another update at 6 PM~