Chapter 55 Confession: The boat slowly sailed into the reeds.

The "bastard" had no idea that his life was about to end, and he was still smugly boasting to Zeng Zhengqing about his arrangements.

"Today is Wanwan's birthday, and I've prepared a big surprise for her. I guarantee she'll be delighted when she sees it!"

Seeing that Zeng Zhengqing was only focused on sipping his tea and completely ignoring him, Liu Ke secretly sighed at his lack of social skills and his failure to understand the significance of his actions. He had no choice but to reveal the secret, saying mysteriously, "I specially booked a pleasure boat for Wanwan and the others. They'll all board together later. The boat is fully stocked with a lavish banquet, and there will be singing and dancing performances. Everything you could want for them—eating, drinking, and entertainment—will be provided. They'll have a lively and enjoyable evening."

He slowly sat down in the chair, crossed his legs, and couldn't help but swing them slightly. He said earnestly, "Yuanbai, I'm not trying to be mean, but there's a lot to learn about how to get along as a couple! You've only been married for half a year, which means you've only just entered the family. There's no end to learning!"

“Brother, I see you as a promising talent. With me by your side, you’ll surely improve rapidly.” Liu Kezhi was smug, his meaning clear: Zeng Zhengqing had struck gold by having such a friend.

Zeng Zhengqing was already half-believing in this "master." The last time he had a conflict with Qingduo, it was because he listened to this person's advice, writing poems and giving gifts. As a result, the poems were "off-topic," and the gifts were considered sarcastic. After this experience, he really couldn't praise the other party's so-called "brilliant tricks."

He remained unmoved and replied casually, "Hmm, very impressive. But I remember that a few days ago, when I celebrated my birthday, you also did so on a boat. Brother Gongzhi has a special fondness for boats!"

"How can these be compared?" Liu Ke retorted, tapping the table with his index finger. "This is utterly insignificant compared to a great one, a small boat compared to a large ship!"

"Our boat before was just a small raft, but they are different today. I'll show you what they're made of!"

"Don't think I only booked one troupe for singing and dancing. Even if I added two or three more, we could still keep up with the pace!"

As they were talking, a maid rushed over, panting, and shouted, "Second Young Master, I heard that Second Young Mistress and the others have booked all the male prostitutes at Manchun Pavilion, and they're about to board the ship!"

“Hey! Even if you add the male prostitutes from Manchunlou… wait a minute! What did you say?” Liu Ke said halfway through, then suddenly realized something was wrong, his smile freezing on his face. “Xiao Man, you can’t just say things like that. Where did you hear that from?”

"How could I dare to make things up! The second young mistress is angry because... because the second master spent three thousand three hundred and thirty-three taels to buy a painting without telling her. She didn't even want to go on the boat he had booked," Xiaoman glanced at Liu Ke, seeing him put down his crossed legs and look guilty, and continued.

"But her good friend Madam Luan advised her that the more depressed she was, the more she needed to find some fun to relieve her boredom. She even sent someone to Manchunlou on behalf of the Second Mistress to invite a group of young male prostitutes onto the boat for entertainment..."

"Bang!" Liu Ke, enraged, slammed his hand on the table, but he used too much force, and his hand went numb. Shaking his hand, he yelled, "Luan Fengming is a troublemaker herself! I know she's a regular there. If she wants to find male prostitutes, she can go find them. Why is she dragging my Wanwan into it!"

Zeng Zhengqing slammed his teacup down on the table, stood up, and walked outside, coldly saying, "Enough with the nonsense, the important thing is to hurry up and bring her back! My wife..."

My wife is still a naive and innocent little girl who doesn't understand anything!

If those disreputable people uttered any obscene or vulgar words, how could she possibly face them? Zeng Zhengqing was absolutely unwilling to let her be tainted in any way!

Liu Ke was indeed unreliable. His claims of being an experienced husband and wife were all fabricated by himself. At this point, Zeng Zhengqing's already smattering of trust in him vanished. Liu Ke, shamelessly boasting that he'd broaden Zeng's horizons, had now gone directly to Qingduo!

*

Qingduo has truly broadened her horizons today.

At today's banquet on the ship, each lady sat at her own table, except for her, who sat at a table with two others.

She looked at the man sitting next to her, bewildered. She was still somewhat confused as to why he had sat down next to her.

The woman named Luan Fengming originally planned to have a group of male prostitutes, one for each of her wives, but in reality, no one else needed one except herself. So she only hired one as a constant companion, named Lingqiu.

Lingqiu bowed to the ladies in greeting. He was extremely thin, but his appearance was striking. His eyes were like hooks, and when he looked up at them for a moment, it made their cheeks blush and they lowered their eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.

Qingduo remained unmoved, thinking to herself: This skinny guy is so boring. Luckily, there's Sister Luan who likes his type. If all the women in the world liked him, wouldn't Lingqiu starve to death?

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but let out a long "Oh!" in admiration of God's wonderful arrangement.

Unexpectedly, Madam Luan, upon hearing her exclamation, mistakenly assumed that she was interested in Lingqiu and immediately teased, "So it turns out that Sister Qingduo shares the same taste as me. No wonder, Lingqiu is refined and elegant, and she does resemble your husband somewhat." After saying this, she beckoned to Lingqiu without further ado, "Go and sit next to Sister Qingduo."

When Qingduo saw Lingqiu stand up and walk towards her, she hurriedly waved her hands and cried out, "No, no, no, no! That's not how it is! I..." Before she could finish speaking, Lingqiu had already sat down next to her, holding a wine glass and smiling, "Lingqiu toasts Madam."

"Okay, okay, okay, okay," Qingduo replied repeatedly. She took a small sip and was surprised to find that the wine was sweet and mellow, without any of the spiciness of alcohol. It was just like the honey water she drank at Lu Nong's house. It must not be a strong liquor, so she drank it all in one gulp.

Qingduo hadn't eaten much for lunch in anticipation of this grand dinner. What she hadn't expected was that the meal would be enjoyed on the ship. And it certainly lived up to her expectations; the pre-dinner fruit platter and candied meats alone were enough to make her mouth water. As for the hearty dishes—deer tendon in casserole, spiced pigeon, and stir-fried eel and horseshoe crab—they were perfect accompaniments to her drinks.

Although she was burning with hunger, having Lingqiu sitting next to her made her extremely awkward. She subtly asked him to return to Madam Luan's side, but he actually put on a wronged look: "Does Madam not like Lingqiu?"

I don't like it.

Qingduo sized up Lingqiu and muttered to herself, "How does this person resemble Qingqing at all? This thin and weak figure is like a slender willow. Not to mention Zhu Yi, even I could uproot 'it' if I stood firmly in a horse stance!"

He served himself food with a seductive air. His touch on her right arm instantly raised goosebumps. Qingduo wanted to avoid him, but couldn't bring herself to say anything harsh, fearing she might knock this "little willow spirit" over. She mumbled, "No need, no need, I can eat by myself. Go serve others!"

"So that's how it is. Madam, you can rest assured. It was Sister Luan who sent me to serve you, so of course I will make sure you are comfortable." Lingqiu refused to believe that anyone in this world could remain unmoved in the face of him. Her gaze was alluring and seductive as she lingered on Qingduo's face.

Qingduo sighed. He really didn't want to serve her anymore; the more he served her, the more uncomfortable she felt. She listlessly picked up a piece of eel and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing as she tried to console herself: "Think positively, I should eat less so I don't gain any more weight." Thinking this, she looked down at her own figure, then glanced furtively at "Little Willow Spirit," silently pushing the plate in front of her towards her: "Look, you're so thin, you should eat more and gain some weight!"

Lingqiu: "...Thank you for your kind gift, Madam."

Qingduo was there to attend the banquet, not to protect the "sapling." Seeing Lingqiu clinging to her, she shifted slightly to the left, trying to keep some distance. But as she moved to the left, the "little willow spirit" followed; she moved twice, and he followed suit. If he kept following, Qingduo would be squeezed to another table.

But going to another table wouldn't be bad either. She glanced at Li Miaowan next to her, who was drinking alone, looking sullen. So she picked up her wine glass and chopsticks and decided to join her at her table. Turning back to look at "Little Willow Spirit," seeing him staring blankly at her, Qingduo gave him her only smile.

But when she turned around and saw Li Miaowan looking depressed, Qingduo felt a little guilty.

"Sister Miaowan..." she said softly, "I'm sorry, it was supposed to be your birthday, but I upset you because of something I said."

Li Miaowan immediately said, "You don't need to apologize. What did you do wrong? The one who's wrong is that guy! What really angered me is that he promised me he wouldn't recklessly buy paintings and calligraphy and squander money. I didn't expect that not only would he break his promise, but he would also lie to me! Humph, just thinking about this makes me angry. That damn bastard, I never want to talk to him again!"

When Qingduo heard the first half of her sentence, she thought that the fault was indeed not hers and was nodding. But when the last few sentences came out, she realized that she absolutely could not agree to the estrangement between the couple, so she quickly shook her head: "Sister Miaowan, even the most shrewd person can make foolish mistakes from time to time. Perhaps this is the foolish thing Brother Liu did."

Besides, Brother Liu seems more honest and simple than shrewd.

"If you talk to him and he does the same thing again, you can ignore him then. But if it's the first time, give him a chance to change! After all, nobody's perfect!"

“I hate it when husband and wife lie to each other. He really wanted that painting back then, and if he had discussed it with me, I might have agreed. But he did it secretly and has been deceiving me ever since. How can I trust him?” Li Miaowan became angrier as she spoke, and downed the wine in her glass in one gulp.

After a long while, receiving no words of comfort from Qingduo, she turned her head and saw Qingduo holding a wine glass, staring blankly into the distance, seemingly lost in thought. She asked in confusion, "Qingduo?"

"Oh!" Hearing someone call her, Qingduo seemed to wake from a dream. She looked at Li Miaowan, her lips trembling for a long time, but she couldn't say a word. Her gaze slowly lowered, finally settling on the hand holding the wine glass.

Seeing the worried look on her face, Li Miaowan hurriedly asked, "Qingduo, what's wrong?"

"I..." Qingduo stammered, "Sister Miaowan, actually... I also have something I'm hiding from Qingqing, which is my husband. If he finds out, he'll definitely be angry, right? But I'm even more afraid that he might end up ignoring me like you did."

Lin Miaowan was taken aback, then advised her, "Qingduo, I don't know what you're talking about, but you really should tell Zeng Zhengqing as soon as possible and be honest with him. It would be a completely different experience for him to find out on his own later."

"But... I don't have the courage to be honest with him. We get along well now, but what if he finds out the truth and our relationship breaks down?" Qingduo said worriedly.

She had a big fight with Qingqing last time. Although she was angry and unilaterally ignored him, she was actually feeling bad too. She really didn't want to experience that feeling again.

Miao Wan held her hand and said, "Sister, it's understandable that you have this thought. But it also reflects your distrust of the other person. Don't try to guess how he will react; that's just your overgeneralization."

"Even if the other party's reaction is exactly what you expect, that's perfectly normal. Since you'll have to face this sooner or later, instead of living in constant fear with a lie, why not just lay it all out and resolve it? Wouldn't it be much easier and more carefree to not have to carry this burden in the future?"

Qingduo was completely convinced: "You're right. Even if Qingqing scolds me, it's something I should bear."

“I don’t think Zeng Zhengqing will blame you. You’re willing to muster up the courage to tell him the truth. He can see your sincerity and might even understand your predicament.” As soon as Li Miaowan finished speaking, she suddenly seemed to think of something, covered her mouth and smiled, and her expression softened.

"What are you laughing at, sister?" Qingduo asked, puzzled.

"I laughed, and I even advised you that Zeng Zhengqing would understand your feelings. But then I suddenly realized that my husband is probably just like you, afraid that if he told me, I would be angry, so he secretly did this foolish thing. Now that I think about it, he's really ridiculously stupid!"

Li Miaowan sighed, "Alas! In the end, trust between husband and wife still depends on both parties to maintain it. One party has to muster the courage and honesty to face the storms; the other party also needs to be tolerant and understanding. Only in this way can there be lasting trust."

After listening to her words, Qingduo tilted her head and thought for a while before shaking her head in denial: "No, sister, don't speak up for us. We're just afraid of being criticized for making mistakes, while you're shocked to learn the truth because you trusted us too much. Ultimately, it's still our problem."

Lin Miaowan chuckled, "Your younger sister is certainly straightforward and frank."

The gloom on her face completely dissipated. Qingduo finally felt relieved. What a good sister! Even though she herself was still sad and angry, upon hearing that Li Miaowan was in trouble, she put aside her own worries and comforted her instead. Seeing Li Miaowan's smiling face, Qingduo also giggled along with her.

That laugh wasn't the end of the world; another spot on her body started rumbling loudly. Qingduo cried out "Ouch!" and embarrassedly clutched her stomach, trying to stop it, but the rumbling only grew louder. Seeing this, Li Miaowan quickly picked up a piece of mutton with her chopsticks and put it in Qingduo's bowl, teasingly saying, "Little sister, eat up! I'm the one who kept you from eating; your stomach is protesting!"

Qingduo smiled awkwardly. Sitting next to Miaowan, she felt completely relaxed and at ease. Moreover, the knot in their hearts had been untied, and the previous burdens had vanished. They simply chatted and laughed, each taking a spoonful and a chopstick, enjoying the delicacies, and sipping their wine slowly. It was truly indescribably pleasant!

*

When Zeng Zhengqing and Liu Ke arrived, cheerful music came from inside, mixed with applause and cheers. It seemed that the song and dance performance that Liu Ke had mentioned earlier had begun.

The two stepped into the cabin unnoticed. All eyes were fixed on the dancers in the hall. Liu Ke immediately looked towards the head seat, which was empty. Zeng Zhengqing scanned the seating area, not seeing Qing Duo, and was puzzled when he inadvertently caught sight of Li Miaowan sitting behind the zither at the side of the hall. No wonder he had heard applause outside. He raised his arm and gently nudged Liu Ke, gesturing for Li Miaowan's location.

Where is Ke Qingduo?

The dancers in the arena were all dressed in pale yellow silk skirts. They all formed a circle in the center and bowed towards the center. As the zither music began to play, the dancers gradually stretched their bodies one by one, just like flower petals blooming.

The ladies present held their breath, their eyes fixed on the center of the room. Even Liu Ke and Zeng Zhengqing were drawn to the scene and couldn't help but watch.

Amidst a burst of intense sizzling sounds, a figure slowly rises from the center of the pale yellow petals. She spins continuously, her movements becoming faster and faster with the melody, her skirt billowing out in layers, like a flower stamen quietly standing alone amidst a multitude of blossoms.

Liu Ke thought her figure looked familiar, but when she slowed down her spinning, he could see her face clearly. He was immediately taken aback and looked at Zeng Zhengqing, who was dumbfounded and standing there, clearly shocked.

In contrast, the ladies watching clapped excitedly and chanted rhythmically, "Qingduo! Qingduo! Qingduo!"

That's right, it was Tang Qingduo.

*

Qingduo spun around several times with brute force, but she was already feeling weak and powerless. Hearing everyone's shouts, she gritted her teeth and spun around a few more times with all her might. But the alcohol was taking effect, and her whole body felt heavy and uncontrollable. Like a large wine jar carelessly placed on the ground, she swayed frantically, and finally fell straight to one side.

Exclamations erupted around her. It was too late for others to rush over and help her up. Fortunately, several dancers reacted quickly and caught her in their arms. Qingduo used their arms for support and managed to stand up straight.

Just standing there, Qingduo felt dizzy and lightheaded. She could feel several dancers supporting her arms, clearly afraid she would fall again. The near-miss had just allowed her to catch her breath when she suddenly felt someone grip her shoulder. Looking up at the figure before her, she vaguely thought that this person looked like Qingqing!

How could Qingqing be here? She must be drunk.

A familiar, concerned voice came from beside her: "Madam, let's go back."

Qingduo's eyes widened suddenly, and she exclaimed in surprise, "Qingqing? Is it really you? What brings you here?"

She threw herself into Zeng Zhengqing's arms, shouting, "I just danced! Did you see me?" She waved the shawl on her arms like a roc spreading its wings, but after a few shakes, her legs suddenly gave way and she almost fell over again.

Ignoring all the stares of the crowd, Zeng Zhengqing stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace, supporting her as he replied, "I saw it. Her sleeves fluttered, and she was as graceful as a startled swan."

"Hehehe!" Qingduo raised her face and looked at him with a smile, her eyes like clear, mirror-like lake water, reflecting Zeng Zhengqing's face. Even when held in Zeng Zhengqing's arms, her two little hands were still flapping restlessly.

Lin Miaowan saw Liu Ke and said with displeasure, "Why are you here?"

"I..." Liu Ke had barely boarded the boat when he clearly saw that there were no groups of male prostitutes on board! Looking around, there was only a young man accompanying Madam Luan. Obviously, Xiao Man's earlier report was wrong. At this moment, he naturally couldn't reveal his true intentions, so he had to make up a pretext, "I...I've learned a new song and I want to sing it for everyone to liven things up."

"You? Sing?" Li Miaowan's face was full of disbelief.

"Yes, yes, yes, I want to sing." Liu Ke smiled, but inwardly he was groaning. But there was no turning back now, so he could only bite the bullet and continue, "Wanwan, you play the zither and I'll sing. Isn't that the perfect harmony between husband and wife?"

"Hmph! I don't know if we're trying to make others see our harmonious relationship, or if we're just making them lose their lives!" Li Miaowan said irritably.

"No, no, you're exaggerating. How about we sing 'Butterfly Lovers' instead?"

Zeng Zhengqing had no intention of getting involved in this mess. Qingduo had already slowly closed her eyes in his arms. He picked her up and said goodbye to Lin Miaowan and Liu Ke, then took her away.

Zeng Zhengqing carried Qingduo onto the awning boat he had come in, intending for her to lie down and rest. However, a gust of cold wind blew by, and Qingduo shivered, instantly waking from her drowsiness. She looked around blankly, only then realizing she was in the cramped cabin. She quickly sat up, her eyes filled with panic: "Ah? Where am I? Where are we going?"

“You’re drunk. I’ll take you home first,” Zeng Zhengqing replied simply, taking off his clothes and draping them over Qingduo.

Qingduo looked around and saw that there were only the two of them on the boat. She then asked, "Where is the boatman?"

“It’s me.” Zeng Zhengqing loosened the rope and started rowing the stern.

"You?" Qingduo was shocked. As Zeng Zhengqing pushed and pulled, the boat actually started to move slowly. She didn't expect him to row. She looked at the water in disbelief. The long water trail told her that the boat was really moving and it wasn't her imagination.

It turned out that Zeng Zhengqing and Liu Ke were in such a hurry that they had rowed together in a small boat to catch up. Fortunately, the pleasure boat was still in the middle of the lake, which allowed them to arrive quickly. These two young masters were quite unfamiliar with rowing, but they relied entirely on their willpower and worked together for a long time before finally getting the hang of it. Now they could row quite well, and could be considered to be able to do it with ease.

The sky was cloudless, with only the moon hanging high in the heavens. Its bright light softened the twilight, and a few scattered stars twinkled in inconspicuous corners, like ripples on a lake. The lake water was also a dark blue at night, with a moon quietly sinking beneath its surface, and the surrounding fine waves like stars in the sky. Qingduo, wrapped in Zeng Zhengqing's clothes, sat on the boat, momentarily disoriented, unsure whether she was on a lake in the sky or a sky within a lake.

Hearing the sounds coming from a distant cruise ship, she wondered, "That's strange! Where did that cow mooing come from in the lake?"

“Oh, that’s the Liu family’s old ox,” Zeng Zhengqing said casually.

Qingduo thought for a moment before realizing who he was talking about, and couldn't help but burst into laughter. She leaned towards the stern of the boat, revealing everything about Tang Li. She snorted, "My dad said that your Zeng family are all old-fashioned, that's not how it is. He doesn't know, you're quite the character!"

She looked up at him and giggled, "Qingqing! I like you the most! Hehe!"

Zeng Zhengqing's heart stirred upon hearing her flirtatious words. However, he knew that his wife was usually shy and rarely revealed her feelings without reason. Her current uninhibited expression, speaking her mind freely, clearly indicated she was intoxicated. So he sighed and asked, "How much have you drunk?"

Qingduo was stunned. She looked up at the sky, frowned and thought carefully. She raised her hands, extending two fingers on each hand and bending the other one halfway, as if it had grown two ears. She said seriously, "Two, two cups."

"Only two cups?" Zeng Zhengqing simply repeated.

His wife was indeed not easily fooled, but he hadn't expected her to confess so quickly. Qingduo swallowed hard and stammered, "Two, two jugs."

Zeng Zhengqing glanced at her, then immediately turned away. Qingduo heard his laughter, a sound that couldn't be masked by the creaking of the oars or the splashing of the water. She was sure she hadn't misheard, so she asked unhappily, "What are you laughing at?"

Why is his laughter getting even louder? How annoying!

Qingduo grabbed his arm and shook it from side to side, angrily saying, "You've gone too far! What are you laughing at?"

Zeng Zhengqing replied with a smile: "A fluffy rabbit sits upright in the middle of the boat. Its round eyes search for the truth, and its innocent charm touches the heart."

Qingduo stared at him blankly for a while before realizing that she was the "silly rabbit". Realizing that he was subtly expressing his feelings, she immediately clenched her fists, put them to her lips, and chuckled to herself, but her giggles still escaped.

Seeing her like this, Zeng Zhengqing found it even more amusing, and also thought she was lively and charming, wishing he could hold her in his arms and kiss her, never to let go again. He glanced around and saw a reed bed not far away, vast and boundless under the moonlight, so he changed direction and headed towards it.

The boat slowly entered the reeds, the sound of the oars breaking the water startling the birds into flight. Zeng Zhengqing saw that the reeds on both sides blocked the two of them like a dense barrier, so he put down the oar, pulled off Qingduo's outer garment that had slipped off her body and wrapped it around her, then hugged her tightly in his arms, using his body heat to warm her slightly cool body.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the two people embracing. The reeds rustled all around, and the dappled shadows swayed in response.

Qingduo hugged the "warmer" beside her, completely content. Suddenly, the thing she had promised Li Miaowan flashed through her mind. After a moment's hesitation, she finally said in a muffled voice, "Qingqing... I want to tell you a secret..."

"What secret?" Zeng Zhengqing noticed her hesitation and kissed her forehead.

Qingduo looked up at his face: "You have to promise me first that you won't be angry after you find out. No, you should be angry, but don't ignore me..."

Zeng Zhengqing chuckled softly and replied gently, "Okay, I'm not angry, and I won't ignore you."

Even though there was no one around, Qingduo still subconsciously raised her hand to cover her mouth. Seeing this, Zeng Zhengqing understood and leaned down, bringing his ear close to her lips. Qingduo whispered a few words in his ear.

After she finished speaking, Qingduo stared intently at his expression, barely daring to breathe. She was filled with anxiety, awaiting his response.

Zeng Zhengqing raised his eyebrows and said indifferently, "Oh? Is that all? I already knew that!"

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Author's Note: Wishing for new comments! [shy]