Chapter 8 The sleeve slipped down, concealing the red marks.

Lanxin whispered, "My lady, Ji Yushang is still watching us."

"Don't turn around, pretend you didn't see it."

She felt as if she were being stared at by a venomous snake, and a few white hairs appeared on her back.

Ji Yushang, that venomous snake, may lack ability, but he is certainly disgusting.

Yu Tan's good mood was ruined. She didn't understand why Ji Yushang provoked her time and time again. He was just a merchant, and she was sure she could bring him down with the backing of the Marquis's mansion.

She returned to Lanfang Courtyard, took a bath three times, changed her clothes, and found that her wrists were red from being pinched by Ji Yushang, leaving several finger marks. She scrubbed and washed them dozens of times before she felt less disgusted.

After having lunch, she reclined in the courtyard chair to digest her food. The sundial under the eaves had already pointed to 3:45 PM. She felt no sleepiness at all, only increasing fatigue.

It was as if she had returned to the past. After exhausting all her energy, all that awaited her were those two hours of nightmares at night.

"My lady, the study desk has been delivered. Where is it placed?" Lanxin skipped happily into the courtyard. "My lady, are you also going to take the imperial examination?"

She glanced at Lanxin. Although the people were more open-minded and there were many examples of women entering officialdom through the imperial examinations, they still knew what Lanxin looked like.

He didn't heed much of the Master's teachings, but he did get a lot of beatings.

"Send it to Fengxu Courtyard." Yu Tan thought for a moment, her eyes shining, and went back to her room to carry the book "Liangzhou Rumors" to Fengxu Courtyard.

I'll check out Tamagawa Anna today to see what made her fall asleep.

As Yu Tan stepped into the courtyard, Yu He'an stood under the eaves in the same spot as yesterday. Today, he was dressed in a white robe with cloud patterns embroidered in silver thread on the cuffs and collar. A gentle breeze lifted his robes, giving him an ethereal air. He looked more like a cultivator about to embark on a period of ascetic practice than a young master from a noble family.

Indeed, even among cultivators, young masters from noble families of Yu He'an's age, if unmarried, usually have maids in their courtyards. However, Yu He'an has none. The rise and fall of the Marquis's mansion weighs heavily on him, and Yu He'an's life is far less carefree than hers.

At this time, Yu He'an should be studying, so why is he gazing into the distance from the corridor?

Yu Tan smiled and softly called out, "Brother."

Yu He'an turned around and saw her nod slightly. She quickly walked to Yu He'an's side.

Yu Tan hurriedly instructed the servants to carry the desk into the courtyard. Changming ran to Yu Tan and asked, "Wife, what are you doing?"

Yu Tan smiled gently at Yu He'an, her eyes crinkling with a smile: "Brother, I noticed yesterday that your desk seemed a bit too low. Studying for long periods always makes your neck uncomfortable. I happened to see this desk while shopping today, and I think it suits you very well. Would you like to change it..."

Changming looked up at Yu He'an. He had mentioned it to him several times before, but Yu He'an had always refused. Yu He'an was an extremely sentimental person and never changed things he was used to.

Yu He'an looked down at Yu Tan, unconsciously infected by her smile, and the corners of his mouth curled up: "Then let's change it."

Yu Tan was even happier, her eyes and mouth curving into a smile, and she told the servant to move the old desk out.

He remembered the kitten that Yu Tan had picked up when she was a child. When he petted her head, her eyes would crinkle and she would purr happily. But later, when Yu Tan stopped coming to Fengxu Courtyard, the kitten wanted to find her and ran out, then disappeared without a trace.

Changming stared wide-eyed at Yu He'an, hardly believing that he had said those words.

He's brought it up several times already, but he's been rejected each time.

Two study servants carried out the old desks and placed them in the courtyard, where the two desks basked in the sunlight.

The old desk was short and its surface had a worn and grayish feel, while the new desk was made of superior material and texture.

As Yu Tan approached, she felt even more confident in her good judgment.

Upon closer inspection, she noticed several scratches on the surface of the old desk, which she could only see clearly upon moving closer.

It is two jade characters, one large and one small, written in a childish style, crookedly nestled together.

Yu Tan's cheeks flushed slightly; it seemed like she had written this.

When Yuhe was a child, she would always squeeze into this desk with him when he studied.

Back then, the two of them were still young, and this desk was big enough for them to sit on. Yu He'an would read, and she would mess around with all sorts of things next to him. After Yu He'an finished reading, she would take him out to play.

These characters were written by her while waiting for Yu He'an. She originally wanted to write "Yu He'an, Yu Tan" but she was too young at the time and could only write the simplest character "Yu".

She clearly drew a bird under the larger jade character. At that time, she didn't know what a crane looked like, so she drew a bird instead. Under the smaller jade character, she drew a flower.

As her fingertips traced the lines, the birds and flowers of yesteryear were reduced to jumbled patterns, the meaning of which probably no one but her knew.

As Yu Tan moved, her apricot-colored sleeve slid up, revealing her fair wrist, which bore glaring red marks and faintly visible fingerprints, inevitably sparking the imagination.

Yu He'an frowned deeply, his lips pursed, and his aura lowered considerably.

If one were not familiar with Yu He'an, one would only think that his expression did not change at all. However, Changming, who served him closely, knew that Yu He'an was a little unhappy.

He probably didn't want to change his desk, but he also didn't want to refuse Yu Tan's kindness.

Changming tentatively asked, "My lord, where is the old desk?"

"I...I want to..." Yu Tan realized that her wrist was exposed, so she quickly withdrew her hand and slid her sleeve down to cover the red mark.

The words he wanted to ask for the old desk stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say them anymore.

"Put it in the warehouse."

Yu He'an quickly turned her gaze away and stepped into the study. She followed her in, and once she entered the place where she could sleep, she felt a little more relaxed.

Before Yu He'an could dismiss them, Yu Tan had already spread out the book and said with a smile, "Brother, reading this book back home will make it less interesting. Books are only truly enjoyable when read together."

Yu He sat comfortably behind his desk, the height of which was indeed perfect for him.

Yu Tan smiled; finally, something good had happened today.

She silently surveyed her surroundings: the low couch, the small table, and the several notebooks that Yu He'an had brought back.

What exactly made her fall asleep?

The comforting scent of cedarwood fills my nostrils, and I feel as if I'm soaking in warm water. Could this be it?

She pondered for only a quarter of an hour before fatigue and drowsiness overwhelmed her, along with a rare feeling of sleepiness.

Yu Tan looked up. Yu He'an maintained his reading posture, his fingertips tracing the page as he turned it, his gaze not even sparing her any attention. That was truly wonderful.

She had slept with her head propped up on her hand yesterday, which wasn't very comfortable. She glanced at Yu He'an again and saw that he was still reading. She chose a spot near the wall, lay down on her side on the low couch, and fell asleep in less than a quarter of an hour.

Yu He'an read for a while, but the red mark kept popping into his mind, glaringly obvious.

Ji Yushang intended to let Yu Tan handle this matter herself. She had already come of age and would eventually face marriage. At that time, the methods used by the inner quarters would be even more severe than in this matter, and the Marquis's mansion could not protect her in every way.

Moreover, he had already taught her how to handle the situation at the Li residence last time.

He tightened his grip on the book and said in a deep voice, "Yu Tan, Ji Yushang is frivolous and truly..."

They come from different social classes and have vastly different social statuses; he is frivolous and not a good person.

Yu He'an waited for a long time but no one answered. When he looked up, he saw that Yu Tan had fallen asleep on the soft couch, curled up in a ball, her black hair cascading down the couch, her eyelashes trembling slightly with each breath.

He said it would be fun to study together, but it turns out he just came here to laze around and sleep.

Yu He'an smiled and got up to close the window facing the low couch, preventing the cool breeze from entering.

Yu Tan seemed to be sleeping very restlessly, her whole body was like sleeping on the edge of the low couch, crooked and twisted, as if she could fall off the low couch if she turned over.

"You..." Yu He'an sighed. He went back to his desk, picked up a book, and sat on the couch. He braced his hands on the low couch to block the edge of the couch, so that Yu Tan could sleep soundly with her strong arms.

Yu He'an sat sideways on the low couch, his expression still calm. In any case, it was the same to read a book anywhere; it was just a change of position.

After sleeping in that position for half an hour, Yu Tan seemed to feel uncomfortable and turned over to face him.

Yu Tan's face was only an inch away from his palm. Her warm breath sprayed onto the wound on the back of his hand, much like the heat wave on a summer day, bringing no coolness but making him reluctant to avoid it.

The back of my hand is itchy; new skin and flesh are probably growing from the wound.

Yu He looked away uncomfortably, intending to withdraw his hand.

Maintaining one position for a long time, Yu Tan seemed to feel uncomfortable, so she turned around and, seeking the source of warmth, pressed her hand against his back. As if that wasn't enough, she gently rubbed it against his hand.

Her soft cheeks brushed against the side of his hand, and she finally found a comfortable position, falling asleep again with his hand close to her side.

Her fair cheeks were squeezed inwards, and the soft, smooth texture clung to him.

He moved away even a fraction of an inch, and Yu Tan's delicate eyebrows furrowed, her small face squeezing even closer to him, pressing even more tightly against him.

Her bright eyes were tightly closed, her raven eyelashes trembling slightly, and even the dark circles under her eyes couldn't be covered by makeup. I wonder what she's busy with every night.

"Never mind, I'll just get some sleep."

Yu He'an sighed deeply, remaining in that position without moving, his gaze already shifting back to the book.

*

When Yu Tan awoke, it was already dusk. The last ray of light on the horizon was about to fade, and the whole world was left with only a gloomy darkness.

She rubbed her eyes, her thoughts slowly returning.

I slept longer and more peacefully than yesterday.

She was like a flower that was about to die of thirst, when suddenly someone put her into a pond, soaked in it, and she felt extremely comfortable.

The study was lit, with only a single lamp providing light in the small space. Yuhe sat calmly behind the desk, her posture unchanged.

The dim candlelight illuminated his cold, handsome face, adding a touch of mysterious allure to his striking features in the interplay of light and shadow.

She slept for so long.

Her cheeks flushed, and she softly called out, "Brother."

Yu He'an didn't raise his head: "You're awake. You've finished reading the book."

"I accidentally fell asleep. I'll look at it again tomorrow." Yu Tan blushed, hesitated for a long time without saying anything more, and then got up and got off the bed.

Yu He'an chuckled lightly: "Forget it, when did you ever want to study?"

The calm tone contained no blame, but rather a hint of indulgence.

Yu Tan turned her head and saw several small holes in the wall.

She suddenly remembered that Yu He'an did not have the habit of taking a nap at noon, and originally there was no low couch in the study; instead, there were arrows or a bow and arrow hanging there.

She rubbed her fingertips together. When did she change?

A note from the author:

Thank you for the nutrient solution for those who just sit around doing nothing on the roadside! [starry eyes][starry eyes][starry eyes]

I'm so happy to see the comment! [heart emoji]

I kept thinking I had posted an update announcement, but it didn't. [Cracked]