Chapter 61 Clothes 2 Soft and Charming

The next morning, Cui Ying woke up and first went to the Bodhi Hall to pay his respects to the old lady. After chatting with her for a while, he personally went to the storeroom, selected some top-quality bird's nest and medicinal herbs for pregnancy support and nourishment, and sent them, along with a visiting card, to the Duke of Huguo's mansion.

Cui Ying originally felt that she had just made a name for herself and was not well-liked by the elders of the Duke of Huguo's mansion, so it was not appropriate for her to see Chen Shuangshuang.

Unexpectedly, the visiting card had barely been delivered when the servant returned without stopping, saying to Cui Ying, "Young Madam, hurry up! The young mistress of the Duke of Huguo's mansion has prepared wine and dishes, just waiting for you to go to her!"

Upon hearing this, Cui Ying could not contain himself. He ordered his servants to prepare the carriage and horses, changed his clothes, and eagerly went to talk to Chen Shuangshuang.

As autumn deepens, the mornings become noticeably chilly.

The golden chrysanthemums carefully cultivated in the courtyard of Jingsong Hall are in full bloom despite the cold, with petals curled like silk, golden and dazzling, and with a refreshing fragrance.

It was a rare occasion that Xiao Heng was home, so Qin Shi personally cooked a pork rib soup with lotus root, adding many nourishing medicinal herbs, and served it piping hot.

"No matter how important official business is, you must also take care of your health," Madam Qin said as she served soup to Xiao Heng. Her gaze swept over the bruises under his eyes caused by overwork, and she felt a pang of heartache. "At your age, if you don't take good care of yourself, you'll develop health problems that will cause you a lot of suffering for the next few decades."

Today, Xiao Heng was dressed in a dark blue brocade robe with a subtle pattern, and his dark hair was tied up with a simple white jade crown.

He toned down his usual cold and sharp demeanor, quietly eating his meal with his head down, revealing a rare air of refinement and elegance, like a scholar engrossed in poetry and books rather than the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in charge of the imperial prison.

Qin hadn't seen him for a long time, and she talked to him unusually much. Even though he only nodded occasionally and didn't say much, she still kept nagging him to wear more clothes when it was cold, to eat three meals a day on time, and to get four hours of sleep every day, as if he were still the young man who needed her constant reminders.

"Mother, I know all this." Xiao Heng said gently and helplessly, finishing the soup in his bowl and casually handing the empty bowl to the maid, indicating that she should add more soup. "I'm not a child anymore. How could I not even take care of myself? You're overthinking it."

Qin Shi personally took the bowl and added soup for him, her worry still evident in her eyes: "I'm overthinking it? Look at yourself, how old are you? You don't even have someone by your side who cares about you and is considerate."

"I've chosen so many clever and dutiful maids for you, and yet you find an excuse to send them back untouched. I don't even ask you to worry about having children, I just ask that you keep a decent person by your side to serve you morning and night, and take care of your needs. Is that not enough?"

Xiao Heng knew that once he started talking, he wouldn't easily stop, so he subtly changed the subject: "Alright, whatever Mother says. By the way, tomorrow is the first day of school at Luming Academy. Have Huixin and Aye packed their bags and made sure their carriages are ready?"

Qin Shi fell into the trap and continued talking along with Xiao Heng's words. When she mentioned Xiao Ye, Qin Shi rubbed her temples and said, "Look at my brain, I kept putting it off until today. I don't think your brother is cut out for studying. Why don't we let him stay at the academy? You find him a leisurely job that's respectable enough so I can find him a wife as soon as possible. Getting him married is the most important thing."

Xiao Heng swallowed a mouthful of pork rib soup and said without changing his expression, "He is lazy and doesn't know anything about farming. What kind of job can he do? In my opinion, he should go to school honestly and take the imperial examinations, no matter how big or small. That is the only way to make a living."

Qin sighed, rubbing her forehead: "Heavens, you expect him to pass the imperial examinations? You might as well hope the sun rises in the west."

Qin herself couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong. She had given birth to four children in total. Her eldest son and daughter were both well-behaved from a young age, and everyone praised them. But the two born from the same womb were like reincarnations of mischievous monkeys. They were unruly as children and grew up to be equally troublesome.

"Fine, your father's not home, so I can't control you anyway."

Madam Qin grumbled, picking up a refreshing side dish with her chopsticks and placing it in Xiao Heng's bowl and plate: "As long as you eat well and sleep well, I, as your mother, will be content. You've really stirred things up; you don't seem to care much about your own brother, but you're always arranging chores for Seventh Brother—"

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Heng had already finished his rice in a few bites. He stood up and bowed respectfully to Madam Qin: "Mother, I've finished eating. I just remembered I still have some files to look at, so I'll head over now."

Having said that, without waiting for Madam Qin to speak again, he turned and strode out.

"Look, she's annoyed with me again."

With a worried expression, Qin complained to the old woman beside her, then stared blankly at Xiao Heng's back. She felt as if, overnight, the baby she had been holding in her arms had suddenly grown into a young man and left her.

As she was feeling melancholy, Qin's gaze swept over Xiao Heng's neatly trimmed sleeves and robe hem, and her eyes suddenly fixed on him.

Xiao Heng had been living alone in Cangjingzhai for a long time, with only a servant boy by his side. The boy was clumsy and inexperienced, so he inevitably neglected delicate tasks such as ironing clothes. In the past, Xiao Heng's everyday clothes had some wrinkles on the cuffs and hem, and he was rarely neat and efficient.

This time, however, it was exceptionally smooth and flawless, without a speck of dust.

Qin's gaze settled slightly, but her heart was filled with surging waves of joy that she could not suppress.

She ordered the old woman to bow her head, gaze at Xiao Heng's back, and began to whisper to him.

...

On the other side, Xiao Heng left Jingsong Hall and encountered Qin Wan, who was coming to pay her respects to Qin Shi, under the covered walkway.

Qin Wan was dressed in an elegant light blue Suzhou-embroidered jasmine-patterned dress. Upon seeing Xiao Heng, she immediately stopped, lowered her head slightly, clasped her hands in front of her, and gave a gentle curtsy, her voice as soft as a nightingale's song: "Greetings, cousin."

Xiao Heng nodded slightly, his tone calm: "It's Wan'er. It's been a few years, and she's grown into a young lady."

After exchanging only a few polite words, Xiao Heng prepared to leave.

Qin Wan then said, "Yesterday I heard the old women say that Seventh Brother returned to Qiyun Pavilion wearing a flying fish robe. Could it be that Seventh Brother is going to join the Northern Garrison Command in the future?"

Xiao Heng stopped and said, "I am willing, but he is not. If I force him, it will only damage our brotherhood."

Qin Wan carefully considered her words, and said indirectly, "Is that so? But the Northern Garrison Command is directly under the Emperor's command, and Seventh Brother is skilled in both literature and martial arts. If he goes in, he will surely have a bright future."

She still hasn't given up.

If she could truly achieve her wish in this life, even as a concubine, staying by Xiao Qi's side, she would naturally enjoy the honors and fine food and clothing if he had a bright future.

Isn't this better than being the wife of a farmer?

The shadows of flowers swayed under the eaves. Xiao Heng looked calmly at Qin Wan, as if he could see through her thoughts. His tone was light, but it carried a warning: "Seventh Brother's future is for the elders in the family and himself to consider. There is no need for you, Cousin, to worry about it."

"As for you, it is time for a man to marry when he is of age and for a woman to marry when she is of age. I suppose my mother is already looking out for a suitable family for you. You should think more about yourself and find a husband who is of equal social standing and of good character. That is the right way."

The color drained from Qin Wan's face instantly, her lips moved slightly, but in the end she simply lowered her head even further and whispered, "Cousin is right."

Xiao Heng glanced at her one last time before turning and leaving.

...

As evening fell, Cui Ying returned from the Duke of Huguo's mansion in high spirits, humming a little tune as she stepped into the Qiyun Pavilion.

Xiao Qiyu was still wearing the same crimson flying fish robe he wore yesterday, sitting under the moon-shaped window reading military books. His profile was clearly outlined by the brilliant sunset, as if carved from jade, with shimmering light all around him.

"Why are you still wearing it? Don't you find it tiring?" Cui Ying asked casually, placing a mother-of-pearl inlaid rosewood box she had been carrying on the table.

Xiao Qiyu looked up from his book, glanced at her, his face expressionless, and replied coldly, "I'm willing."

His gaze returned to the bamboo slip, and after a pause, as if he had just suddenly remembered, he casually added, "Didn't you say yesterday that it was beautiful?"

Cui Ying took a couple of sips of water and carefully examined the spotless flying fish robe he was wearing. She said honestly, "It looks good, but after seeing it so often, it just seems so-so."

After saying that, he went around behind the screen to take a bath.

Xiao Qiyu's hand, which was turning the pages of the scroll, stopped. He couldn't tell whether he was annoyed or annoyed. He just felt that all the words in the scroll were meaningless and he couldn't bear to read them.

His gaze fell on the unfamiliar wooden box on the table, and he asked Cui Ying, "What's that on the table?"

From behind the screen came the rustling sound of Cui Ying taking off her clothes, accompanied by a casual reply: "Shuangshuang gave it to me, so mysteriously. She said she should have given it to me a long time ago, and specifically told me to open it when I got home. Perfect timing, can you help me see what it is?"

Xiao Qiyu snorted coldly: "I won't look. What if it's some kind of prank weapon?"

"You're acting like you're sick!" Cui Ying snapped irritably. "Shuangshuang is the most honest person in the world. What kind of hidden weapon could she possibly give me?"

Despite his apparent disdain, Xiao Qiyu walked to the table, reached for the latch on the wooden box, and flicked it, causing the lid to pop open on its own.

On a soft red silk cushion lay a piece of "jewelry" made of pearls. The design was exquisite and extremely intricate, consisting of countless fine pearls of uniform size and lustrous luster, cleverly strung together with extremely fine gold thread that was almost invisible.

Xiao Qiyu picked it up with two fingers, unable to tell what it was.

necklace?

It doesn't seem like it.

It was unlike any other accessory he knew. It appeared to be a necklace, but it extended out into more intricate tassels and hooks that he couldn't tell where to attach, leaving him completely baffled.

"What's inside?" Cui Ying asked curiously as she heard the sound of water pattering behind the screen.

"I don't know." Xiao Qiyu narrowed her phoenix eyes, looking at the peculiar object in her hand, and guessed based on her intuition, "Anyway, it should be worn on the body."

"Wear it on your body?"

Cui Ying became curious, quickly dried herself off, and casually put on a soft, moon-white silk nightgown. She didn't even tie the ties properly, leaving the collar slightly open. With her wet, dripping black hair on top, she emerged from behind the screen.

She walked a few steps to Xiao Qiyu, her body damp and fragrant, and stretched out her delicate white hands to take the string of pearls from his hand: "Let me see."

Just as Cui Ying's fingertips touched the edge of the string of pearls, her fingertips brushed against Xiao Qiyu's calloused knuckles.

Her skin was warm from her bath, and Xiao Qiyu withdrew his hand as if he had been burned when he touched it.

Cui Ying didn't notice his subtle movement, assuming he didn't want to give it to her, and looked up at him with dissatisfaction, urging, "Give it to me."

Her cheeks were flushed a pale pink from the moisture, like a ripe, juicy peach.

Beneath her face, the collar of her moon-white nightgown was loosely open, revealing a large expanse of delicate and soft skin. Wet hair dripped down, with a few strands clinging to her neck. She looked less lively and energetic than usual, but more soft and charming.

Xiao Qiyu lowered his eyes, looking at her like this, thinking of those delicate tassels extending outwards, and the rounded curves outlined by pearls...

He suddenly realized what he was holding.

Suddenly, he put his hands behind his back, and the pearls clattered together, making a noisy sound.

"There's nothing to see." Xiao Qiyu's ears turned red, her Adam's apple bobbed, and she deliberately avoided looking at Cui Ying's current appearance.

"What are you doing?" Cui Ying asked, puzzled. She frowned and stepped forward to take it.

Xiao Qiyu took a step back, subconsciously not wanting her to see what it was.

The more he acted this way, the more curious Cui Ying became. She stood on tiptoe to reach for his hand behind his back: "Xiao Qiyu! Let me see! This was given to me by Shuangshuang!"

The two were instantly very close.

Her exquisite curves, accentuated by her tiptoeing, pressed against his chest without reservation, the warm moisture and fragrance wafting towards him.

Sensing something, Xiao Qiyu's body stiffened, and his breathing suddenly became heavy.

He practically spoke through gritted teeth, his voice barely audible, a chilling warning: "Cui Ying, you don't want to know what it is."

"I think!"

With a forceful pull, Cui Ying finally managed to tear half of the string of pearls from his tightly clenched hand.

The beads were slippery, and with a burst of energy, Cui Ying pulled hard, finally getting the whole string of pearls into her hands.

She snorted at Xiao Qiyu, then proudly held up the pearls to her body, carefully studying where to wear them.

"This is such a mess, it looks like a spider web! What exactly did Shuangshuang give me?"

Unable to figure out the solution, Cui Ying could only try to loop a thin chain around the back of her neck.

In an instant, the entire string of pearls naturally adhered to her, covering her chest, while the tassels below hung naturally along the midline of her body, closely fitting her exquisite undulating waist and hip curves.

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Author's Note: Sensitive content has been deleted. Thank you for your kindness, dear reviewer. Readers are waiting; please be lenient and let me out! [crying emoji]