Chapter 282 The Laughter of Mice

The man's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he opened his eyes a narrow slit.

His dark eyes met her mischievous smile.

They gazed at each other silently for a moment.

He looked up, still half-asleep, and then lowered his head to kiss her lips.

Qingling passively endured the sleepy kiss, as if she were in a dream.

Then, she took action, changed her position, sat on the man's lap, and hugged his neck for a deep kiss.

The hazy sleepiness was burned away by the raging flames, and the senses shifted from the unreality of the dream to the vividness of reality.

They felt each other's body heat, their passion, their longing, and everything else...

After a long while, Qingling felt a sharp pain in her neck and finally snapped out of her reverie.

She gripped the man's wrist, her breath hot: "No..."

She straightened up, changed her posture, and sat down next to him.

Lin Shiyuan looked at her flushed face, moist eyes, and moist lips. His Adam's apple bobbed a few times, and his eyes were as dark as night.

He was like a wolf in the night, staring at his prey, ready to devour her piece by piece.

But she was the woman he loved.

He has not yet asked the emperor to grant him a marriage.

The man took a few deep, heavy breaths, then got up and went to the bathroom.

Qingling hugged the quilt, listening to the strange noises and disordered breathing coming from the bathroom, her cheeks flushed red.

This has happened several times already.

Qingling wanted to laugh, but dared not laugh out loud.

As she had done before, she poured water and left it outside the window to cool, waiting for him to finish before telling him to drink it.

After drinking the cold tea, Lin Shiyuan became serious and solemn again, his expression unsmiling, as if he hadn't been the reckless and unrestrained person he had been just moments before.

But her eyes still held a hint of sorrow.

Qing Ling smiled slightly and asked him, "When did you arrive?"

Lin Shiyuan said, "Evening."

There aren't as many people watching now, but just to be on the safe side, he waited until after dark to come over.

Qingling returned to the bedside, picked up the book that had only been flipped through a few pages, and complained to him, "You don't like reading but you pretend to be a scholar. You fall asleep as soon as you open a book. I really don't know if it's meant to kill time for you or to put you to sleep. If I were this 'Willow Zhao,' I would be furious."

Lin Shiyuan grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. Qingling was afraid he would get aroused again, so she tried to move to another spot, but he pressed her waist down and said, "Don't move."

Qingling glanced at him.

Oh well, it's been so long since we've been all lovey-dovey together.

Lin Shiyuan rested his chin on her shoulder, his gaze fixed on the book in her hands.

Four eyes are looking at the same book.

The man said, "If you were this book, I would read it over and over again."

The deep, resonant voice vibrated in her eardrums, making them tingle and feel pleasantly numb.

Qingling touched her ear and snorted, "Don't try to fool me, you can't possibly memorize it all..."

As he was speaking, he suddenly realized something was wrong.

Looking back at him, she met the man's malicious gaze.

She understood.

He wanted to look at her over and over again!

Qingling blushed and punched him lightly, saying he was being irresponsible.

Is this still the same cold-faced, butcher-general?

Unlike discussing the future of the Yao family with her third uncle's family, after the big event, Qingling only wanted to chat with Lin Shiyuan about some trivial matters.

She was in his arms, asking him what books he liked to read, what it was like to celebrate the New Year in the South, what he wanted to eat most... They chatted idly about everything under the sun.

After this major event, the two of them realized that when they were together, they spent so much time discussing important matters that they had so little time for romance; so much so that when they missed each other, they could only reminisce about the short time they spent in the valley.

Lin Shiyuan said, "After the first month of spring, we'll go to that valley for a spring outing. By then, it should be full of flowers, the streams will have thawed, and there will be plenty of fish. We'll bring our fishing rods then..."

Qingling imagined the beauty of that time: willows swaying, streams babbling, birds singing and flowers blooming... and grilled fish by the stream.

Lin Shiyuan looked down at her as she described the taste of the grilled fish, but all he wanted was to taste her lips.

Once again, the "oral desire" was satisfied.

Just as I was engrossed in the conversation, I suddenly heard what sounded like a mouse giggling.

The two separated, and after a moment of silence, Lin Shiyuan picked up the peanuts from the plate, got off the kang (a heated brick bed), walked a few steps to the door, flicked his finger, and the peanut shot through the window paper, eliciting a cry of "Ouch!"

The maid who had been eavesdropping at the door fled in panic.

Yao Qingling pursed her lips and lowered her head to chuckle.

Judging from the voice, it's Lou Yue.

After a while, Xia Chan's steady voice rang out: "Miss, are you awake? Would you like dinner?"

Qingling had already tidied her clothes and hair, and replied in a serious tone, "Come in."

Xia Chan came in carrying a tray with two bowls of fish soup noodles on it.

Looking at the fish, Qingling remembered the grilled fish she had mentioned earlier.

These maids overheard everything!

She glared at Xia Chan and asked, "Where's Lou Yue?"

Xia Chan suppressed a laugh: "Lou Yue said she got a pimple and asked He Yin to help her get rid of it."

Qingling looked at her and said, "I think you should go and see He Yin too."

Xia Chan feigned concern, glancing softly at Qing Ling's lips, and said, "Yes... but Miss, should I ask He Yin for some medicine to reduce the swelling?"

Having said that, she grabbed the tray and ran away before Qingling could hit her.

Qingling was both angry and amused. She glanced at Lin, who was pretending to be deep with his back turned, and said irritably, "It's all your fault."

Her lips must be like sausages, otherwise Xia Chan wouldn't have said that.

Lin Shiyuan sat down opposite her, stared at her lips for a moment, and said, "They're fuller now, and you look even prettier."

Qingling's lips are rather thin; women with lips like this tend to look more heroic and less gentle.

Qing Ling curled her lips, thinking that he could claim credit for this.

"Thank you," she hummed, then lowered her head to eat her fish soup noodles.

Lin Shiyuan thought to himself that he was willing to "make up" for her like this every day, and he didn't need her thanks.

A bowl of hot noodles and delicious fish soup is the perfect way to enjoy a winter's day.

Lin Shiyuan stayed up very late, but in the end, they had to face reality.

They have now been promoted and given higher ranks, but this is not the end.

Yao Qingling said, "I always felt that this wasn't the real result."

Is it just Grand Tutor Chen?

Is it just Consort Shu?

That gold-feathered silk was clearly a frame-up by Zhou Zhining. Given her status in Jin Mantang, she was capable of obtaining such a precious tribute.

However, the trail only led to the textile dyeing workshop before it went cold.

Lin Shiyuan comforted her, saying, "As long as she does it, one day she will reap the consequences."

Qingling didn't think much about it. She had narrowly escaped death but had an unexpectedly good outcome, so she should be satisfied.

She was already thinking about how to make Zhao'er inherit the Marquis's mansion in a natural way, and when the opportunity came, it arrived.

She herself received the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady, which was an unexpected gain.

Moreover, once she passed the Empress's test, she would be the Empress's person.

Lin Shiyuan was promoted to Vice Minister, becoming the most prominent man in the court.

This is a great achievement created through their cooperation.

Lin Shiyuan poured some wine for Qingling, then held the wine cup and said in a serious tone, "Madam Yao is a lucky wife. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Qingling raised her wine glass: "Young Master Lin brings good fortune to women. Without Young Master Lin, I, Yao, would not be where I am today."

The two looked at each other and smiled. Although they could not be husband and wife at the moment, they had already decided that the person in front of them was the one for them in this life.

After drinking the wine, Lin Shiyuan suddenly felt a little melancholy: "I originally planned to ask the Emperor for a marriage decree after the matter was settled."