65 Letting Down Your Guard

◎But I have never been a bad person. ◎

If scheming and cunning were merely a means of self-preservation, there was nothing wrong with it. But in the eyes of the world, it was definitely not a compliment. Gentleness and innocence sounded much better.

These two words, taken separately, were fine, but what did the man mean by saying this? Did he believe Chu Jinhe's provocation and suspect that he wasn't as kind and gentle as he appeared?

Chu Yufu curled up the cold fingers under her sleeves, lowered her brows slightly, and in a moment, she used the trick she knew by heart again.

Her big almond-shaped eyes were filled with just the right amount of tears: "Why did my husband suddenly ask this? What did my sister say? My sister has never liked me, but why did she slander me like this..."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, leaving a wet mark, and she cried pitifully and skillfully.

Seeing that she was avoiding the main issue, Pei Yue sighed softly, leaned closer, raised his hand and used his thumb with thin calluses to wipe away the tear on her face with a not very skilled force. His tone was low but contained a hint of tolerance.

"If possible, who wouldn't want to live innocently? But not everyone has the conditions to be gentle and innocent. Even if Madam has some thoughts, what's wrong with that?"

"As for your sister," he sneered, "I wouldn't let a stranger cause a rift between me and my wife."

Chu Yufu didn't expect him to say that. There was a buzzing in her head and her thinking became a little slow for a moment.

There was no expected accusation or disappointment. The responses I'd rehearsed countless times in my head fell silent, leaving only a hint of inexplicable bitterness. Yes, if possible, who wouldn't want to be open and honest, to live life to their heart's content? Just like Cousin Lu, with all her warmth and sincerity.

The grievance in his eyes froze, the tears on his eyelashes solidified, and the curve of his mouth that was about to cry also stopped there.

The fragrance of summer flowers mixed with the laughter of children on the street seeped in through the gaps in the car curtains.

She slowly leaned against the car wall, sniffed, and wiped away the remaining tears with her own hand. She stared at the handsome face so close to her, took a deep breath, and whispered quietly, "I don't have any vicious intentions."

Pei Yue looked down at the little yellow dog between them, which had been fed until it was plump and had shiny fur. He couldn't help but chuckle, "Of course not."

-

It's late at night.

On the candlestick, the red candle burned to the length of a finger joint, and the wax tears piled up like a small mountain. Inside the tent, the high and low, lingering and sad breathing and sobbing gradually subsided.

Pei Yue held the still trembling body in his arms, and with a soothing palm, he gently stroked her back to help her get through the aftermath of the overly intense orgasm.

Chu Yufu nestled in the man's arms, her arms resting on his chest, licked her dry lips, and spoke the first words of the night.

"I didn't have a good life when I was a kid." His voice was hoarse from the aftermath of love.

Pei Yue did not interrupt him. He hummed lazily and lowly, raised his hand to push aside the strands of her hair that were soaked with sweat and stuck to her cheeks and neck, revealing her blushing profile.

She closed her eyes, then opened them again, staring at the man's chin with a somewhat empty gaze: "From then on, I learned to read people's faces. I learned when to say what, and what to say...to make people feel at ease."

"Actually, I used to hate crying. I thought it was useless and a waste of energy. It's better to sort out my feelings, calm down and think about how to solve the problem."

"But later on, I discovered that crying can be quite effective... but you don't have to hide away and cry alone. You have to cry where others can see you, and cry just right. Only then will your tears be valuable."

She raised her face and forced a tearful smile towards Pei Yue, her eyes stubborn and fragile: "Although sometimes I have to say things I don't want to say and do things I don't want to do, but I have never been a bad person."

Perhaps it was because she remembered the tolerance in the man's words in the afternoon. In this late night when their skin was touching and their guard was let down, she actually felt the urge to talk.

Her eyes were red, and the tip of her nose was also slightly red. Her tears shone brightly in the dim candlelight, like broken pearls. Her long hair was disheveled and draped across her shoulders and pillow. She looked disheveled and fragile, a far cry from her usual meticulously crafted appearance. Pei Yue felt as if something had struck his heart, neither lightly nor heavily. He felt that the person in his arms was more real and moving than ever before.

Thinking of the things she had found out about her time in the Chu family before the wedding, her jaw couldn't help but tense up.

He silently grabbed the quilt and put it on her, then clasped his arms around her and held her tighter.

-

The next day, the couple got up early. Pei Yue had to report for work, while Chu Yufu had to go to the Duke of Xin's Mansion to give acupuncture to Young Master Yan.

Lan Zhu was by her side during breakfast. She was surprised to find that after just one night, the atmosphere between her daughter and the general seemed to have changed a little.

Although the general still looked cold, when his eyes fell on the girl, it was as if ice and snow had melted, and he became much softer.

As for the girl, her changes were more subtle. The tension she had felt when facing the general had disappeared a little, and between her brows there was a sense of relaxation and casualness that she had only seen in Zhuyuyuan in the past.

It’s the Si hour.

A carriage with lanterns from the Pei Mansion hung outside the Duke of Xin's Mansion.

Led by her maid, Chu Yufu walked through the corridor courtyard as if she was familiar with the place and headed towards Wutong Garden. As soon as she stepped through the gate, she saw Master Yan walking slowly around the Wutong tree in the courtyard under the sun, supported by a servant.

Seeing her coming, Master Yan's eyes lit up and he called out, "Second Sister Chu is here, cough."

After two months together, the two had already become familiar with each other. Chu Yufu smiled and quickly stepped forward. Without any formalities, she stood and took his pulse at the wrist, listening attentively for a moment, and nodded in approval: "The pulse is steady, not bad, better than the last time I came." The servant who was supporting him heaved a sigh of relief and a look of joy appeared on his face.

The boy's eyes were full of anticipation: "How long will it take before I can go to the stables and ride a horse?"

Chu Yufu pondered for a moment and deliberately put on a stern face: "That will take some time, don't be impatient..."

The two chatted and laughed as they entered the room. There were already two people waiting inside, one was Doctor Xu, and the other was Doctor Hu Kewei, a disciple of Doctor Xu who now worked at the Imperial Hospital.

"Doctor Xu, Doctor Hu." Chu Yufu greeted them with a smile.

"Mrs. Chu, you are well." The two doctors also smiled and bowed in return.

Since Chu Yufu had previously stated that she would not hold back and that they could learn from each other, Doctor Xu had brought Doctor Hu with him for the second time. Doctor Hu, a man of great courtesy and understanding that learning is never in vain, had specially brought a valuable collection of medical records from his years of practice as a gift. Chu Yufu readily accepted it.

After Young Master Yan lay prone on the bed, Chu Yufu cleaned her hands and focused her attention before beginning the acupuncture. Twirling the silver needles between her fingers, she inserted them into the acupoints with quick, steady precision. At the same time, she whispered a detailed explanation to the two people beside her: "Last few times, we focused on moxibustion treatment on the front acupoints. Today, we'll focus on the spleen, kidney, and lung acupoints on the back. The depth and technique of the acupuncture will also be different..."

Young Master Yan cooperated throughout the entire process, his body only trembling uncontrollably when the needles became sore, painful, or numb. Whenever this happened, Chu Yufu would immediately slow down her movements.

After about two quarters of an hour, the acupuncture was completed.

Chu Yufu let out a long sigh, stood up, walked to the copper basin beside her, immersed her hands in clean water and washed them carefully. The corner of her eye inadvertently swept across the door, and her heart suddenly jumped. She realized that two women had quietly appeared in the house without her knowing.

One was Madam Shen, and the other woman was someone she had never seen before. She looked older than Madam Shen, with a dignified and graceful demeanor. She had her hair combed into a high bun and a few simple and elegant gold hairpins.

She stood quietly by the door with a faint smile on her lips, not knowing how long she had been watching.

Chu Yufu caught sight of the two of them unexpectedly and was really frightened. She subconsciously raised her hand to her chest and took two deep breaths before calming down.

The strange noblewoman's smile deepened when she saw her. She waved to Chu Yufu first and said in a gentle voice, "Young lady, come here. Since you can cure Chen'er, come and feel A Zheng's pulse and see if she can still get pregnant."

【Author’s words】

I'm stuck, so I haven't been able to make up for it. I've deleted many versions. I'll try harder later [melted]