Chapter 75 Pei Duo: You want a child? I'll give you one.

Jiang Ninghui was unable to speak.

Moreover, such a matter could not be mentioned in front of Pei Duo.

She lowered her eyelashes, her nose was red, and her soft voice had a slight nasal tone: "It's nothing, I was just... asking casually."

She nudged Pei Duo's arm: "You should leave now."

The young man did not leave; instead, he returned with his lips pressed against hers once more.

Jiang Ninghui couldn't break free. He held her and kissed her so tightly that she almost suffocated. She was originally sad and upset about her husband, but now she was only filled with shame because of Pei Duo's kisses.

The woman's cheeks were flushed, and her bright, clear eyes were filled with a watery hue.

This time, the sister-in-law wasn't crying because of that good-for-nothing.

She cried because he kissed her.

Jiang Ninghui nestled softly in Pei Duo's arms, her waist encircled by the young man's single arm. Her delicate, boneless arms clung limply to his shoulder, her lips a vibrant red, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with moisture, and the tips of her exposed ears a pitifully deep red.

Pei Duo picked her up and placed her on the couch.

He squatted down beside her legs, gently stroking her flushed cheeks: "I have writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones in my room. If you're bored, you can practice your calligraphy. If you feel restless staying in the room, you can go for a walk in the capital. Don't be afraid to bother me. There will be someone to help you with any trouble."

The young man pecked her lips: "Sister-in-law, will you wait for me to come back?"

Jiang Ninghui felt a heat on her lips.

Looking at Pei Duo so close to her, and listening to his gentle words of advice, an indescribable feeling suddenly welled up in her heart. This feeling overshadowed her husband's indifference towards her and the pain she had just felt.

She knew perfectly well that this was wrong.

I shouldn't have agreed to Pei Duo's last sentence.

The person she should be waiting for is her beloved, not him.

Can……

Jiang Ninghui looked away, but still responded softly.

A smile crept into the young man's dark eyes.

Even after Pei Duo left, Jiang Ninghui still felt a numbness on the tip of her tongue and a heat on her lips.

She raised her hand and gently touched her lower lip, which was slightly red and swollen from Pei Duo's sucking, and blushed.

Jiang Ninghui could no longer cry, and her mood inexplicably improved a lot.

Today is the day to go to the examination hall. This alley is mostly inhabited by candidates from all over the country. After they go to the examination hall, the alley becomes visibly empty.

Jiang Ninghui has not gone out these past few days and has stayed in the courtyard.

And every day at mealtimes, someone would bring a food box to the door, placing all sorts of dishes on the table, along with delicate pastries and fresh seasonal fruits. Jiang Ninghui knew that Pei Duo had instructed her to stop bringing the food, but the person did not listen and continued to bring the food every day without fail.

Jiang Ninghui spent most of her time practicing calligraphy in Pei Duo's room.

Her handwriting is still not good, but it's much better than it was at the beginning.

Today she practiced the most difficult characters to write. At first she was extremely focused, but later, somehow, as she wrote, she wrote the two characters "Pei Duo".

Jiang Ninghui's hand holding the brush trembled uncontrollably, and ink dripped from the tip of the brush, splashing onto the rice paper and forming a blot.

She hurriedly put down her brush, feeling guilty and ashamed, crumpled the Xuan paper into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket next to the table. She left Pei Duo's room, but when she returned to her and her husband's room and saw the brush, ink, paper and inkstone that her husband had placed on the table, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

She recalled the day her husband wrote a whole page filled with Li Fu's name.

Did he feel the same way she did just now?

Were they all written unconsciously?

Or was it done intentionally?

Jiang Ninghui was unaware.

At that moment, she suddenly felt that she had no face to question her husband, nor did she have the face to blame him.

Because she had done the same thing just now, she actually... she even wrote down other people's names.

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and on the day the imperial examination ended, a light drizzle began to fall.

Jiang Ninghui, dressed in an apricot-colored coarse cloth dress and with her hair styled in a woman's hairpin, stood outside the courtyard holding an oil-paper umbrella, eagerly waiting for Pei Duo and her husband to return. One after another, the scholars who had braved the rain walked through the alley, all with heavy hearts, presumably worried about failing the exam.

In the continuous drizzle, a figure in jade-colored clothing stepped into the alley.

The young man, with his hair tied up with a jade hairpin and his handsome face, stood out among the passersby.

Holding a blue oil-paper umbrella, he stared intently at the woman waiting outside the courtyard through the rain and the pedestrians.

This scene brought the young man back to his days in Qingping Town.

His sister-in-law was waiting outside the courtyard with a kerosene lamp in hand.

Day after day...

It was always him who I waited for.

This time is no different.

However, if he hadn't had the Minister of Rites summon Zhao Zhixue ahead of time, his sister-in-law would have been waiting for more than just him today.

He hadn't seen his sister-in-law for ten days; how could he let that good-for-nothing disturb his long-awaited reunion with her?

When Pei Duo walked up to her, Jiang Ninghui still couldn't see her lover.

She frowned slightly: "Has my husband not returned?"

Pei Duo: "Brother Zhao was summoned away by the Minister of Rites as soon as he left the examination hall, and I'm afraid he won't be back for a while."

He added, "Isn't your sister-in-law standing here waiting for me?"

The young man's voice was not loud, but it was loud enough for passersby to hear. His tone was full of loneliness and grievance, so everyone who passed by looked at him in surprise.

Jiang Ninghui wished she could immediately cover Pei Duo's mouth and tell him to stop talking nonsense! But in front of everyone, how could she, as a woman, lay a hand on a man like that? She immediately told him to shut up and come in quickly, and then turned and ran into the house.

Pei Duo watched the woman's slender figure disappear into the room, a triumphant smile creeping into his dark eyes.

He turned and closed the door, catching a glimpse of the gaze still directed his way.

The young man's expression turned cold, and his chilling gaze sent shivers down the spines of those around him, causing them to hastily avert their eyes.

Inside the room, Jiang Ninghui sat on the couch with her slender hands resting on her legs. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Pei Duo enter. She subconsciously straightened her shoulders and neck, her bright, watery eyes gazing at Pei Duo as he walked up to her.

The faint scent of cedarwood emanating from the young man seemed to tangibly envelop her.

Just like his gaze.

Stare at her.

Tighten her up.

Those dark, deep eyes scrutinized her entire body.

Like wild beasts in the mountains, after catching their prey, they would weigh where to start biting.

Pei Duo is in this situation now.

Jiang Ninghui felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze, fearing that he might do something inappropriate to her again. Just as she was about to get up and avoid him, the young man bent his tall and straight shoulders, and his imposing figure instantly loomed over her.

He approached her.

Along with the scent of cedarwood on his body, it invaded her, seeping in through her sleeves and trouser legs, clinging to her skin and entwining itself wantonly.

Jiang Ninghui leaned back, her hands forced to brace themselves on the couch, and looked up at him warily.

Pei Duo lifted his foot, his knee easily pressing against the woman's knees. He bent down and lightly kissed her lips, gazing intently into her eyes: "Sister-in-law, have you missed me these past ten days?"

Jiang Ninghui was caught between a rock and a hard place, so she could only look away and say, "You...you get out of my way."

Her legs...

Forced to open.

He stood brazenly between her legs.

Jiang Ninghui closed her eyes in shame, refusing to look at the scene that made her scalp tingle.

Pei Duo did not retreat, but instead took another step closer.

Even more so, his kneecap pressed excessively against her leg.

He maliciously provoked her by using his kneecap to bully her.

The young man's slender, jade-like hand rested on Jiang Ninghui's waist. He lowered his head and took the woman's blushing earlobe into his mouth, his hot breath filling her ear: "Sister-in-law, tell me first, have you missed me these past ten days? Then I'll get up."

Jiang Ninghui felt her earlobes were wet and burning hot.

The itching was unbearable.

She quickly replied, "No—ah!"

Pei Duo rubbed the woman's earlobe with the tip of his teeth: "Sister-in-law, think it over before you speak."

With red eyes, Jiang Ninghui reluctantly said, "...I've thought about it."

She thought that if she said that, Pei Duo would let her go, but he went even further than expected!

Jiang Ninghui refused to let him bully her anymore. She pushed him away with all her might, bent her legs and climbed onto the couch, turning over to try to escape from the foot of the couch.

A smile tugged at the corner of the young man's lips. His long, strong fingers slipped into Jiang Ninghui's trouser leg, precisely pinching her ankle. His tall body pressed down on Jiang Ninghui's back, and his other long arm wrapped around her waist, tightening his grip.

In an instant, Jiang Ninghui's back was pressed tightly against Pei Duo's chest.

The young man lowered his head and chuckled in her ear, "Why are you running away, sister-in-law? Do you think I'd eat you?"

Jiang Ninghui was both ashamed and annoyed.

Doesn't he look just like it?!

Seeing her strong resistance, Pei Duo stopped pushing his luck and pulled her onto his lap, resting his chin on her neck: "I'll just hug my sister-in-law, I promise I won't do anything else."

Jiang Ninghui knew best that Pei Duo's words on this matter were absolutely unreliable.

She was right.

He behaved himself for a short while before he started touching her inappropriately again, taking full advantage of her.

She nestled limply in his arms, letting him take her hand, and then her feet fell to the ground—

Jiang Ninghui's eyes widened suddenly!

She still vividly remembers the branding iron that was boiling hot!

It's not just scary.

Moreover, they are fierce and ferocious.

Before she could dodge, Pei Duo had already covered the back of her hand.

He coaxed her in her ear, "Sister-in-law, please reward me for taking the exam for nine days. You can't bear to see me suffer, can you?"

"Sister-in-law, can you hear it talking?"

"It said it needed its sister-in-law."

"Please, sister-in-law, take good care of it."

The rain outside was getting heavier, pounding on the tiles with a hollow, muffled sound.

The dampness of the rain seeped in through the half-open door, and Jiang Ninghui felt a dampness in her nostrils. The weather in March was still cool, but Jiang Ninghui was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

Even his palms were damp with sweat.

The sound of the rain was continuous, and amidst the rain, the young man's low, hoarse, rapid breathing could be heard.

He murmured tenderly, "Sui Sui, Sui Sui..."

Jiang Ninghui felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment at his calling her "Sui Sui".

She felt as if her wrist was about to dislocate.

After Pei Duo finished comforting her, he hugged her for a while before finally letting her go.

He personally wiped the dirt from her palms, his clear voice now carrying a hint of sensuality and magnetism: "Sister-in-law, have you been practicing calligraphy these past few days?"

Jiang Ninghui's heartbeat had not yet calmed down.

Upon hearing Pei Duo mention practicing calligraphy, I suddenly recalled unconsciously writing Pei Duo's name a few days ago.

Pei Duo noticed every subtle reaction in the woman's expression.

The young man's dark pupils narrowed slightly for a moment.

My sister-in-law has a secret.

What secret could it be?

Seeing that Pei Duo had cleaned her hands, Jiang Ninghui quickly withdrew them, saying, "I've practiced."

Afraid that Pei Duo would continue to pester her, she struggled to get out of his arms: "I...I'm sleepy, I want to sleep for a while."

Pei Duo was quite agreeable this time, telling her to rest first.

Once Pei Duo left, Jiang Ninghui finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The young man closed the door for Jiang Ninghui and went into his own room. He saw a sheet of Xuan paper on the table with a few lines of insignificant writing on it. A person came in from outside, holding two wads of Xuan paper that had been burned a little: "Master, these are the wads of paper that Madam Jiang was going to burn in the kitchen the other day. This servant picked them up."

Pei Duo spread the Xuan paper flat on the table. Part of the paper was consumed by the fire, but some of it still managed to survive.

The paper is wrinkled, indicating that it has been severely abused by its owner.

The reason it was trampled on was because the paper had many characters 'Pei Duo' written on it.

The young man ran his fingertips over each character, and in his mind, he seemed to see his sister-in-law standing at the table, writing his name stroke by stroke with a shy expression.

He wrote one after another—Pei Duo.

So that was my sister-in-law's secret.

It seems he has completely won over his sister-in-law's heart, and that good-for-nothing has finally been forgotten by her.

Excellent.

He hoped that his sister-in-law could completely forget about that good-for-nothing.

The rain didn't stop until dusk, leaving the courtyard wet and muddy.

Jiang Ninghui took a nap, and when she got up, she saw that a row of bricks had been laid in the courtyard at some point. She knew without a doubt that Pei Duo had laid them.

Zhao Zhixue didn't return until 9 PM. Jiang Ninghui noticed the damp chill on her husband's clothes and his continued cold attitude towards her since entering the room. He glanced at Jiang Ninghui sitting on the edge of the bed: "Not asleep yet?"

Jiang Ninghui: "I took a nap this afternoon, so I'm not sleepy now."

The couple had not seen each other for ten days. If they were in Qingping Town or Longchang, the husband would embrace her upon his return and tell her how much he missed her. But since arriving in the capital, he had not done so even once, and instead had become increasingly cold and distant towards her.

Jiang Ninghui then thought of the woman named Li Fu.

She watched her husband patting the dampness off his body under the candlelight, and her soft hand, which was draped over her leg, unconsciously curled up.

She wanted to ask her husband who Li Fu was.

But she couldn't bring herself to say it.

The young man knew she was illiterate, and if she asked him rashly, he would surely ask her how she could read.

How will she explain herself then?

Jiang Ninghui lowered her eyelashes, and besides, she had no right or face to ask her husband.

She did many things that wronged her husband.

Although she had no choice, she had done it and had no way to deny it. Even if she completely severed this ill-fated relationship with Pei Duo after the palace examination, it would not cover up the fact that she had betrayed her lover over the past year.

She asks for nothing more than that her husband will not abandon her as Mu's sister-in-law said.

If she were to be divorced by her husband, she feared she would be drowned in the spittle of others.

The night grew deeper.

The couple lay on the couch.

Since her husband returned, she has only exchanged two sentences with him.

Jiang Ninghui placed her hands on her abdomen, bit her lip, broke the silence, and asked softly, "How does my husband think of the exam this time?"

Zhao Zhixue's tone betrayed his delight: "Not bad."

He dared to say that because of the two articles Pei Duo gave him, which he had actually guessed correctly, as they were extremely similar to the questions in the imperial examination!

This time, he was absolutely confident that he would pass the exam, and he had already written a letter to his parents in Xiping Village to inform them. There were only half a month left before the results were announced, and only a little over a month left before the palace examination. He wondered if Pei Duo would give him the questions in advance for this palace examination.

Zhao Zhixue turned his head and glanced at his wife lying beside him.

The soft moonlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on her cheeks.

She stared at the tent curtain with her eyes wide open, and as if sensing his gaze, she turned her head to look at him.

Zhao Zhixue turned his head away to avoid her gaze, feeling an overwhelming sense of irritation and anger.

He suddenly realized that the fortune teller must be a charlatan. His smooth progress in the imperial examinations was all due to the fact that the essays Pei Duo gave him were similar to the examination questions. It had nothing to do with Jiang Ninghui.

Upon closer reflection, it seems to be true.

Zhao Zhixue felt increasingly regretful.

If his parents hadn't arranged this marriage for him, if he hadn't married, he could face Li Fu with equanimity now. Even if he couldn't propose to her now, he could take the opportunity to express his feelings to Lady Li when he passed the imperial examination and ranked among the top three. Marriage in the future would only be a matter of time.

Jiang Ninghui noticed that her husband's brows were furrowed. She hesitated for a moment, then sat up and massaged his temples.

The soft fingertips touched him, and the gentle pressure relieved Zhao Zhixue's sore temples considerably.

He closed his eyes, ignoring Jiang Ninghui, and let her serve him.

Jiang Ninghui kept thinking about what Sister Mu had said. She opened her mouth, hesitated for a long time, and then whispered, "My lord, let's have a child."

Zhao Zhixue suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her: "Didn't we agree to talk about the child after I passed the imperial examination?"

Jiang Ninghui was speechless for a moment.

Zhao Zhixue also lacked the patience to deal with her.

He brushed Jiang Ninghui's hand away, turned his back to her, and said, "Let's talk about having a baby later. I'm tired, I'm going to sleep now."

Jiang Ninghui's hand froze in mid-air, staring blankly at her husband's indifferent back.

Her eyes stung and burned, and tears streamed down her face instantly. She had no choice but to lie down, pull the corner of the blanket over her face, and bite her lower lip hard to suppress the sobs that escaped between her teeth.

Separated by only a thin wall, Pei Duo could hear the couple's conversation.

The young man stood in front of the table, his fingertips gently tracing each character on the wrinkled Xuan paper.

He overheard his sister-in-law saying to her husband—"Have a child."

She cried because her husband rejected her.

She was crying so pitifully.

The young man listened intently to the woman's sobs muffled beneath the covers; they were low and soft.

Those cries were like a dull knife scraping at Pei Duo's bleeding heart.

He doesn't understand.

My sister-in-law clearly loves him.

She has feelings for him.

But why would she have a child with that good-for-nothing?!

She knew that the good-for-nothing had someone else in his heart, yet she was still willing to have a child for him!

Pei Duo raised his eyes, his cold and sinister gaze sweeping out the window—Sister-in-law, you want to have a child for that good-for-nothing, did you even ask me? Every part of your body belongs to me, including the place where you conceive and give birth, only I can enter and nourish it.

You want children.

I'll give it to you.

Shouldn't you be looking for me?

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Author's Note: There's a red envelope in this chapter! Update will be before 5 PM tomorrow! [Sprinkling flowers]