Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Forbearance becomes more deadly than gentleness...

“No, no, no…”

"My dear, please listen to my explanation."

Sheng Puzhu was so frightened that his voice was shaking, but unfortunately there was a rosewood screen inlaid with jade and decorated with flowers and birds blocking his way behind him, leaving him with no way to retreat.

"It's not my fault, Madam. Why are you explaining?" Xie Zhiyan's approaching figure was like a dark cloud pressing down on the city. His tall body seemed like it could devour her at any time.

The expression on his face was far too serious. He placed his large hands on the screen behind her and leaned in close to her. His warm breath brushed past the tips of her slightly hot ears as if inadvertently.

Why explain?

If she doesn't explain, she's doomed.

Her small body could withstand his strength.

Sheng Puzhu's eyelashes trembled slightly. Even if she stood on tiptoe, she was only at the height of his shoulders. Her height was not short among the girls. When he looked down at her, she would still be suppressed by his aura, and even struggling became a delusion.

Her breathing became rapid, and her entire back was completely pressed against the screen, but she still managed to argue, "My dear, you are conscientious and careful in your work, and you have never slacked off."

"I...I don't think you need to reflect on this."

"Madam." Xie Zhiyan leaned down even lower, almost to her eye level.

There was no extra emotion on his face, and his cold and gentle eyes looked into hers: "If I don't reflect on myself, and really act without self-reflection as Madam said, then it would be a quibble."

"A gentleman has no excuses, but he must behave with moderation."

ah!

What a quibble, what a quibble!

It's me who's making excuses, not you.

Sheng Puzhu cried out in her heart, feeling that her strong and vigorous vitality had finally met its nemesis, which she could not argue with even with a hundred words.

She covered her eyes with her hands to avoid his gaze and gave up on herself.

"Hmm~ What you said is right."

After all, she was not angry, but when it came to verbal combat, she found that she really could not beat Xie Zhiyan at all. She also wondered if he usually debated with scholars like this in the court.

"My dear, you are busy at court. While reflection is important, I also care about your health. Staying up late is detrimental to your mind. You should prioritize rest and never slack off."

Sheng Puzhu said this lightly, with a rather desperate air, "My dear, please move aside. I am tired and need to go back to Yunyu Hall to rest."

Xie Zhiyan's originally calm brows suddenly froze, as if he couldn't understand her sudden change of attitude. His peaceful eyes shook, and gradually a bit of confusion emerged. His long eyelashes drooped, and in the end he didn't ask anything.

After the couple left one after another, the old lady took Nanny Jiang's hand and slowly walked out from the inner room.

Nanny Jiang said worriedly, "Old Madam, it seems to me that Madam and Master have had a quarrel."

The old lady snorted: "It would be great if we could start a quarrel."

"You know Sanlang's personality. He's too calm and distant."

"To be frank, sometimes I can't tell if this child has any emotions. Although he seems serious and dignified, in fact, nothing can touch his heart or his eyes."

"Sometimes I get scared, afraid that he might go to extremes one day and completely lose his self-control and the constraints of rules."

"With a temper like his, who can hold him back?"

"So..." The old lady sighed deeply, "If Puzhu can argue with him, it's the blessing of our ancestors."

When Sheng Puzhu returned to Yunyu Hall, she didn't even have the energy to take off her cloak, so she just lazily lay on the couch.

"Mammy."

"I'm so tired, my bones are falling apart..."

Ever since the prince returned, Madam Du had to hear Sheng Puzhu complain about being tired at least ten times a day. She just smiled helplessly and said, "Can I give you a shoulder massage?"

Sheng Puzhu shook her head weakly, "Forget about a shoulder massage, even a flower petal bath is not possible."

"what to do?"

"I really want to pretend to be sick."

"How about taking a cold shower? It's exciting just thinking about being sick for ten days or half a month."

Aunt Du was so frightened that she slapped her chest and said helplessly, "I am old, please don't scare me, madam."

Sheng Puzhu then lazily raised her eyelids and began to negotiate: "Tomorrow when we return to the Marquis of Mingde's Mansion, why don't you ask my grandmother and mother to let me stay at home for ten days or half a month?"

"Ancestor."

"How can a married girl go back to her parents' home to stay for ten days or half a month? If people outside knew about it, people would gossip about her." Nanny Du's eyelids twitched. Looking at the expression on Sheng Puju's face, she knew that she was probably planning something terrible in her mind.

"Mammy, just cherish me."

"I miss my grandmother, my mother, and my sisters at home." Sheng Puzhu turned over and acted coquettishly towards Aunt Du. "The Princess Dowager loves me, and so does the old lady. I want to go back to my parents' home and live for a while. They will definitely agree."

"I'm just afraid that my mother and grandmother will say I'm unruly and force me to come back."

"What about my husband?" Nanny Du was unsure.

Seeing Madam Du agree, Sheng Puzhu's eyes lit up: "My dear, you will definitely agree."

"Besides, my legs are on my body. I've already returned to the Marquis of Mingde's Mansion. As long as the elders agree, can he still tie me back to the Duke of Jingguo's Mansion?"

"Besides, my aunt was threatened by my husband today, and Qinghui is about to give birth. She definitely doesn't have the energy to plot against me in private."

"This is simply the right time and place, all that's missing is the right people."

Sheng Puzhu could come up with a perfect reason for every word she said, which made Madam Du stunned. Soon, she softened her heart and said, "I will do my best to help you deal with the Madam and the old lady."

"I knew that Madam was the best to me." Sheng Puzhu then smiled with her eyes curved.

When night fell, she took a bath early and lay on the bed bored and distracted.

Because Xie Zhiyan said he wanted to move back to Yunyu Hall, she thoughtfully left a lamp on for him.

Just after the hour of Xu, the man pushed the door open and walked in on time.

Maybe because he scared her in the morning, he deliberately made his footsteps louder when he came back at night.

Sheng Puzhu grabbed the crabapple-red gold-woven quilt with both hands and pulled it upwards, covering most of her face and leaving only her eyes exposed. She quietly lifted the curtain and looked outside.

Unexpectedly, I met the man's eyes, which were as dark as ink.

He must have taken a shower, as the ends of his hair were still wet. He was standing under a lamp not far away, drinking tea.

The shadows intertwined, making his eyebrows look even deeper, and his long eyelashes cast a light shadow on his eyelids. The hand holding the tea had slender joints and distinct joints. The sky-blue teacup reflected his pale thin lips. The blue and white and red and pink intertwined under the light, forming an abstinent and gorgeous color.

The tea moistened his thin lips, and his Adam's apple rolled up and down gently as he swallowed.

Sheng Puzhu's heart skipped a beat, her palms clutching the brocade quilt tightly, her eyes quickly sweeping across his Adam's apple, then quickly looking away.

"Madam, do you have anything to say?" Xie Zhiyan placed the teacup on the table, making a very light sound.

"No." Sheng Puzhu withdrew his gaze, and his mood suddenly became a little confused.

She had to admit that he looked really good drinking tea under the lamp.

The candlelight flickered, and she felt her body suddenly become hot under the brocade quilt, and even the exposed skin on her neck became damp and hot, even though it was still snowing outside.

She pretended to be calm and coughed lightly: "My dear, when will you leave tomorrow?"

Xie Zhiyan walked towards her, his eyes falling on her slightly open lips, then down to her small chin, where a thin layer of pink on her neck was clearly visible.

Her eyes were clearly filled with hesitation and exploration.

"Let's set off at noon." He turned his eyes away and said lightly.

The two houses were not far apart, and it would only take half an hour for the carriage to get home. It would probably be even faster if she rode a horse, but unfortunately it was too cold in winter and she couldn't ride a horse.

Sheng Puzhu raised her head at the right moment and tried to ask, "I would like to stay at home for a while tomorrow. Is that possible, my dear?"

The warm candlelight fell on the two of them. The man stood against the light, and Sheng Puzhu could not see the expression in his eyes.

But her bright little face was clearly in his eyes, with the strands of hair hanging casually on the side of her bun, and he could vaguely see the lingering blush on the tips of her ears, and her plump lips, which opened and closed as she spoke.

The book says...

The pleasure of husband and wife begins with the lips, then falls on the neck... If the wife looks alright, then remove her clothes...

Xie Zhiyan's body suddenly stiffened, and without warning he thought of the soft touch of her lips biting his palm this morning.

"The Marquis of Mingde's mansion is Madam's family home. There's nothing wrong with you staying for a day." He tilted his body slightly uncomfortably, his eyes like the water in a deep pool. "I'm going to take a bath. Madam, go to bed first."

"No need to wait for me."

Bath?

Sheng Puzhu blinked innocently and saw his figure passing by like the night wind, disappearing on the other side of the screen in the blink of an eye.

If she saw correctly, he should have come here after taking a shower in the study. It's not normal for him to take a shower so many times in one day, right?

Why bathe?

He wouldn't really do what he said and start "compensating" her tonight.

Sheng Puzhu began to have wild thoughts, and listened anxiously to the sound of water coming from behind the screen, which was like some kind of secret code, keeping her at bay.

Or she could just go to sleep and fall asleep quickly. He is a gentleman and will definitely not wake her up. Or she could wrap the quilt tighter so that it cannot be torn.

Sheng Puzhu closed his eyes and gradually became distracted.

She didn't know when she really fell asleep, because the brocade quilt was wrapped too tightly and the silk stockings were tangled around her ankles. She felt hot, so she rubbed her toes unconsciously and kicked off the stockings.

Half asleep and half awake, she seemed to hear the sound of Xie Zhiyan stepping out of the bathtub. The remaining water droplets fell from his Adam's apple and hit the bathtub again. His bare feet covered with water stepped on the blue bricks, leaving deep water marks with every step.

She told herself that she had to go to sleep quickly and never wake up!

Fortunately, her eyelids gradually became heavy, and the tense spirit of the past few days took over. In a daze, she seemed to feel a chill on her waist, and her body trembled, as if a man's fingers, damp after a bath, were stroking her tense spine bit by bit.

"My dear." Sheng Puzhu muttered and suddenly opened his eyes.

She just woke up like that!

When I looked up, I saw the man's plain inner garment was half-open, his black hair was tied up with a jade hairpin, revealing his slender neck.

"Madam, are you dreaming?" Xie Zhiyan frowned slightly.

Sheng Puzhu listened to his own chaotic heartbeat and shook his head: "No."

"Just woke up suddenly."

She avoided his gaze guiltily, but her heart was beating fast but showed no sign of calming down.

I don’t know what happened tonight. He obviously did nothing, but in her eyes, his every move seemed like a silent temptation.

As a girl with a strong will, she is not someone who can be easily seduced by beauty. Sheng Puju moved to the inside of the bed to make more space for Xie Zhiyan.

The night wind is gentle and the candlelight is dim.

Xie Zhiyan walked to the couch, opened the brocade quilt and lay down.

The two of them were silent. Sheng Puzhu closed her eyes, feeling guilty for a moment. Suddenly, she heard the man's low, hoarse voice say as a matter of course, "Madam's injuries haven't healed yet."

He tilted his head slightly towards her: "Even if I want to make compensation, I have to wait until Madam recovers."

Sheng Puzhu was stunned for a moment, wanting to see the expression on his face, but forced herself to hold back.

The two of them lay side by side, separated by a brocade quilt. She felt the quilt was too tight around her, and her body felt like it was on fire, while the cold water he had just washed with was like the water a person needs when thirsty.

The coldness seeped through the brocade and inevitably seeped around her body.

After two years of marriage, they have actually been together for less than ten days. They are obviously strangers, but they are doing the most intimate thing in the world.

Sometimes, forbearance becomes a more deadly provocation than gentleness.

Sheng Puzhu felt that she might be crazy. In the long night, she became the one who wanted to "get".

It was as if there was an invisible force pushing her, forcing her to madly miss the feeling of fullness and satisfaction that came from being filled by him.

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