Chapter 66 Good News

As the sunlight grew stronger, the indoor light became bright. Jiang Xi's hands, which had been rubbing her, continued to move as she awoke in the bright light.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Ah Ji deep in thought, her eyes still heavy with confusion. When our eyes met, I couldn't help but smile and say, "Good morning, Ah Ji."

His face still held a hint of allure, yet also contained pure joy. Shang Yuji closed her eyes and guiltily replied, "Good morning."

Jiang Xi's unusual reaction made him uneasy. He propped himself up, lifted a corner of the blanket, and, taking advantage of the light shining into the blanket, carefully felt around: "Aji, are you feeling unwell? Did I hurt you?"

He looked as if tears were about to fall from the corners of his eyes.

This was the perfect opportunity to gloss over the situation. If she had simply used her discomfort as an excuse, Jiang Xi wouldn't have pressed her for details. But her conscience bothered her, so she had no choice but to accept her fate.

Shang Yuji grabbed the hand that was still groping for the wound on her body. Jiang Xi was stopped from moving. Her dark eyes seemed to be filled with water mist as she looked up at him.

Her eyes were filled with apology: "It was wrong of me to lie to you and make you take the medicine..."

When she mentioned the medicine, he remembered that he was supposed to ask her about it. But when he woke up, he was overjoyed to see her lying beside him. He had completely forgotten about his serious questioning.

Ah Ji was so upset by him this morning, how could he make things difficult for Ah Ji?

But Ah Ji knew that life was the most important thing.

But Ah Ji has already apologized to him, and he also lied to Ah Ji, so he was also at fault.

Jiang Xi pressed herself down, burying her face in her neck and shoulder, and mumbled, "Aji, I was wrong too..."

There were two pills in the small bag. He didn't take them, and he was blamed for not taking his medicine either.

Shang Yuji ruffled the fluffy head that was offered to her: "Why aren't you eating yours?"

"If the poison takes effect and one dose isn't enough, Aji can still eat mine..."

She immediately stopped what she was doing: "And what about you?"

If even one medicine couldn't suppress the Gu poison, how could he survive after sacrificing his own?

The head nuzzled against his shoulder and neck: "Aji must live."

If he were the only one to survive, he would still choose to die together with her, so it's good that she survived.

"..." Shang Yuji was silent for a moment, and immense guilt welled up in her throat. "Look, I'm still alive. The Heart-Connecting Gu has recognized our relationship."

"It's true that I love you."

"Yes! I... I also like Aji!"

A few cool drops fell onto his neck. Shang Yuji stroked the back of his neck, her flowing black hair brushing around her fingertips, silently comforting him.

Evidence of his morning antics remained on his skin, so close yet so far, with specks of red plum blossoms proclaiming their presence. Tears welled in Jiang Xi's eyes and fell, swaying on her sunken collarbone, as if a clear spring had been poured into it.

First, her fair skin was touched by her high, straight nose, and then by her soft, warm lips, which slowly sucked away the spring water from the lake.

A strange, wet lick descended, and Shang Yuji turned the caress into a grab, pulling the head of the person who had been burying his head up. He then saw the tears still falling and the pink tongue that hadn't yet retracted.

Shang Yuji: "..."

"Let's go to Jiangxi!"

“Ah Ji, if you cry, I can lick it clean…”

To stop the situation from getting more chaotic, Shang Yuji simply pinched his cheek with her other hand: "Alright, I will try my best to avoid danger in the future and will not take any more risks, but right now, it's time to get up."

Fortunately, nothing happened today, otherwise she wouldn't have spent so long arguing with him.

Jiang Xi took a sandalwood comb and styled her hair into a low bun, making her look more virtuous than pretty.

Her gaze lingered on the red mole on her right cheek. She reached out and touched it lightly a few times. There was nothing unusual about it; it was as if it had always been there, not as if it had suddenly grown out.

The person behind her, who was holding her hair up, noticed her action. Following her gaze, he saw the red mole on his face, which was exactly the same as hers.

Knowing that the red mole signifies the formation of a poison, Jiang Xi felt her ears burning, lowered her eyes, and smiled with pursed lips.

This means that Aji and he were of one mind...

The lovelorn men and women in the book are mostly people who lost trust due to romantic entanglements, and in the end, they torment each other, leaving only sorrow.

Ah Ji and him wouldn't!

They will definitely spend their lives together.

Jiang Xi looked delighted in the mirror, and Shang Yuji couldn't help but laugh, saying, "Sit down, I'll tie your hair up."

Her black hair was half-tied up, tied with a sky-blue ribbon embroidered with the character "Xi" (溪), which added a touch of elegance and... intelligence to her appearance.

In short, after a chaotic scene, the two finally managed to get ready and leave the house. If they didn't go out soon, Aunt Zhao and the others would be worried about them pushing the door open and coming in.

After lunch, Jiang Xi carefully picked up two rag dolls and gently placed them on the desk. When Shang Yuji looked at them, they were two rag dolls dressed neatly with hairstyles similar to theirs.

With its exquisite and lifelike beauty, who would have guessed that this doll's prototype is a witchcraft doll infamous for its curses?

Furthermore, because Shang Yuji instilled in him the idea that rag dolls also come in pairs, their accessories and clothes appeared in pairs in Jiang Xiqu's hands.

As she turned to the side, she saw him slowly press the two little figures together tightly and place them in a corner of the desk that was conspicuous but wouldn't hinder his movements.

A few strands of black hair fell in front of her, and Jiang Xiqu gently placed them with a smile.

“The stream flows away.”

"Hmm?" He turned around and looked at me, a faint smile on his lips, his eyes shining, like a lotus flower in full bloom.

"How long will it take to embroider our wedding dresses?"

Jiang Xi pondered, "If we want it to be quick, a month and a half?"

“That would probably be in the spring, when everything is renewed, a good time.” Shang Yuji looked at him with her eyes crinkled. “Let’s get married when you finish weaving our wedding dress.”

The overwhelming information momentarily clouded his mind. He stood there stunned for a long time before gradually finding his voice: "...A-Ji? Marriage? Wedding dress..."

Remembering how he worked tirelessly day and night to sew his birthday gift, she tucked the hair that had fallen in front of him behind her ear: "Of course, there's no need to rush. Sleeping too late will harm your health, and it would be a pity if you fell ill and had to postpone the wedding."

Jiang Xi blinked her long eyelashes and replied blankly, "No rush, we can't... postpone the wedding."

As if he had finally cleared his sluggish head, he stood up straight, but stumbled and tripped over his own feet. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and managed to steady himself by bracing himself on the table.

He was about to leave the study when Shang Yuji called out to him, "Where are you going?"

"I'm buying...buying the fabric for my wedding dress," Jiang Xi replied, leaning against the doorframe.

Shang Yuji didn't laugh at his absent-minded appearance: "Do you have enough money?"

Jiang Xi hesitated, lowered her eyelashes, and after a moment spoke: "Saving another month's wages should be enough?"

She walked up behind him in a few steps, reached out and took his hand: "Let's go, I'll go with you. Marriage is a matter for two people, and the fabric for the wedding dress should also be the responsibility of both of us."

Upon hearing this, he hesitated. Shang Yuji leaned closer and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

“Ah Ji, I don’t have enough money to buy good materials. Otherwise, I’ll wait until I save up more…”

Or could he sell unwanted items from the house?

But most of the things in the house were given to him by Aji, and he would never sell them. It seems that he has very little that truly belongs to him.

He was paid for by Aji in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Now that they are married, when he is needed, he has become a burden to Aji.

The more he thought about it, the more his eyes reddened. With a hint of apology, he said softly, "Ah Ji, I don't have a grand sedan chair or a long procession of red bridal gifts. I don't even have the money to weave a wedding dress. I'm so useless..."

"You read that in a book? A marriage requires three letters and six betrothal gifts, an eight-bearer sedan chair, and a ten-mile-long red bridal procession?" Shang Yuji asked, raising her eyes.

The two were so close that they could see each other's reflections in their eyes.

Jiang Xi nodded slightly: "Mm."

At this moment, Shang Yuji's face broke into a bright smile: "If there were no requirements mentioned in the book, and it were just you and me, would you want to marry me?"

Jiang Xi nodded decisively and emphatically, as if afraid she wouldn't see his action: "Yes!"

When do you plan to get married?

He gazed at the pool of spring water, and with his other hand grasped her wrist, stroking the colorful rope on her wrist bone: "Today! No, right now, I want to marry Aji right now."

"In that case, you don't need to worry." Shang Yuji squeezed his drooping fingers. "I happen to have a solution. Would you like to hear it?"

Those deep, dark eyes gazed intently at her, unblinking: "Yes."

Shang Yuji beckoned with his finger, and Jiang Xiqu leaned down in response. She whispered in his ear, "You don't have a grand wedding procession, but I do. So, Jiang Xiqu, will you marry me?"

As the misty rain pattered down, Shang Yuji leaned in to listen, then kissed away a tear that had rolled down his cheek.

Her knuckles trembled slightly as she held him, and his body trembled uncontrollably. He smiled broadly and said, "Okay, I want to marry Aji."

After a long period of comforting, Jiang Xi finally stopped crying, but even after the tears stopped, her joy remained undiminished.

Like a joyful bird, he took her hand and followed lightly beside her.

The two headed straight for the best cloth shop in Yangzhou.

When they returned laden with their spoils, the news spread like wildfire throughout Yangzhou.

"Have you heard? Miss Shang from the west of the city and Young Master Jiang are getting married soon!"

"What? They're getting married?"

"Yes, I saw them with my own eyes as they selected the fabric for their wedding dresses and returned home!"

"Great news! Miss Shang and Mr. Jiang are getting married!"

"It's said that when Miss Shang marries Young Master Jiang, what a magnificent scene it will be! It's something to look forward to."

As soon as the man finished speaking, the surrounding area fell into deep thought.

What he said wasn't wrong, but something just felt off.

Someone, on a whim, switched roles: "I wonder what a magnificent scene it would be if Young Master Jiang married Miss Shang?"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt relieved. They didn't know about Jiang Langjun's assets, but the people of Yangzhou had witnessed it all, including Miss Shang!

Moreover, Jiang Langjun was handsome and charming. He and Miss Shang visited each other's homes.

Thinking of Jiang Langjun's heart and eyes being completely devoted to Shang Gu Niang, and how he felt that without Shang Gu Niang he was like a fish out of water or a bird separated from the sky, he felt that the two were a perfect match.

The people in the mansion were stunned as they listened to Shang Yuji announce the date of her wedding.