Chapter 4 Even the slow-witted Liu Qingqing noticed something amiss.
Extra 4
Xie Lang is becoming increasingly clingy.
Moreover, unlike before when there was some concealment, he was now so open and unrestrained, as if he wanted to have the title of "Madam" etched on his face.
Liu Qingqing no longer knew what it felt like to miss Xie Lang when she was alone in Jialan Garden. Now, she was so entangled that she just wanted to be by herself for a while.
But Xie Lang didn't give her that chance.
Even in his secluded study, a new desk was placed, right next to his.
He also required Liu Qingqing to be by his side when he was approving official documents.
He placed her storybooks next to his official documents on the shelf.
Liu Qingqing looked at him with complicated emotions, her face turning white and then red, then white again.
Not to mention, on one occasion, Liu Qingqing was shocked to see Xie Lang pick up a book and start reading it after finishing his reply. She asked him what he was doing.
Xie Lang smiled at her calmly and said he was studying.
Liu Qingqing: ...
It's as if my body has been possessed!
Aside from these things, Xie Lang became increasingly cold and aloof in public, exuding an extremely strong aura.
In front of Liu Qingqing, they were not exactly different, but they were practically identical!
But as time went on, she gradually got used to being pestered and clung to.
Strangely, her empty heart was filled to the brim by Xie Lang's outstretched arms and legs. Even with the Regent's Consort right in front of her, she had no time to feel melancholy.
All you're thinking about is controlling him! Stop acting like that in public...
Here we are at another banquet, where husband and wife can sit together.
Xie Lang only accepted the invitation after hearing that they were seated together.
This time, it was quite a coincidence; the person opposite him was Ying Yucheng.
Xie Lang raised his wine cup to Ying Yucheng, offering a respectful toast from afar.
Ying Yucheng's face darkened slightly, his expression complex. Xie Lang rarely smiled.
Halfway through the banquet, everyone started moving around and talking.
Xie Lang, however, sat motionless beside Liu Qingqing like an immovable boulder.
When some women gathered around Liu Qingqing to talk, Xie Lang did not avoid them as usual.
She was a young lady whom Liu Qingqing had recently met. Liu Qingqing had recently become very popular among the noble ladies in the capital, and many people took the initiative to befriend her.
This time, the man held onto Liu Qingqing tightly and talked to her for quite a while.
Xie Lang frowned imperceptibly, but suddenly asked, "Qingqing, is your distant cousin, General Ying, still unmarried?"
Sure enough, the woman's eyes lit up upon hearing this. She quickly looked across at the man sitting upright like a pine tree for a while before nodding.
"Are you not engaged yet?" the young woman asked impatiently.
Liu Qingqing hesitated, "It seems there's no engagement yet; I haven't heard anything about it."
The young woman blushed. "This trip to the capital with my brother was truly worthwhile. I just don't know if my brother is acquainted with General Ying, otherwise..."
He left before he could finish speaking.
Finally, things calmed down.
Just now, as they were talking, Xie Lang reached under the table and grabbed Liu Qingqing's hand, casually playing with it as if what he had just said was just a casual remark.
Sure enough, in the latter half of the banquet, the young woman was seen loitering around General Ying, and finally found an opportunity to speak with him.
Ying Yucheng could no longer look over.
Xie Lang snorted coldly.
-
Another day, Xie Lang was rushing back to his residence after finishing his shift, but he ran into Wei Mingzhao at the entrance of the yamen.
After returning from Yingcheng, the two only met during court sessions or banquets.
"I've been waiting for you for ages."
Wei Mingzhao stepped forward, as if he had come specifically to wait for him, and Xie Lang raised an eyebrow.
The two found a quiet tavern with few people.
After the waiter finished serving the food and wine, Xie Lang suddenly remembered what Liu Qingqing had told her before.
He was lost in thought.
He seemed to know many things on his own, but when it came to matters of the heart, it seemed that she had taught him everything slowly.
So when Wei Mingzhao looked at him, Xie Lang went straight to the point, "I'm sorry, it seems I made the decision for you without asking what you thought before."
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, both of them knew what it was about.
Wei Mingzhao froze upon hearing this, and after a long while, he finally looked up at Xie Lang. Xie Lang's face remained expressionless as always, but his gaze was different from before, now imbued with human warmth.
Wei Mingzhao's throat tightened, and after a long while he said, "It's not your fault. If I had gone back then, I would probably be dead by now, let alone able to avenge myself."
After another period of silence, the two drank two bowls of wine together.
Xie Lang brushed it off, asking, "What brings you here today?"
Wei Mingzhao also snapped out of his thoughts, remembering the request his colleague had made, and found himself at a loss for words.
Perhaps because the two had resolved their differences, Wei Mingzhao no longer spoke with sarcasm when he spoke to her again.
Instead, with a hint of friendly mockery, he said, "Lord Xie, you've become quite famous among the ladies of the capital lately! Several officials asked me to pass on a message to you, begging you to stop this, as they can't make ends meet anymore."
These days, ladies are quite witty when they criticize others.
The first thing you said was, "If Lord Xie can do it, why can't you? Is it because you have a higher official rank than Lord Xie, or a brighter future?"
It's causing quite a commotion.
This has caused you all immense suffering!
How ridiculous.
These people no longer dared to speak directly to Xie Lang, so they came to him instead.
Wei Mingzhao kept touching his face. Could it be that the reputation of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is no longer intimidating?
"What's wrong with me?"
Xie Lang put down his wine and said calmly, "I just let Madam know wherever I go, and I remember that Madam is waiting for me at home. I think about Madam all the time."
With a confident and assertive remark, he left Wei Mingzhao speechless.
He stared at Xie Lang for a long time before finally managing to say, "How come I never realized you were such a romantic when we were young?"
Xie Lang scoffed and glanced at the sky. "It's getting late. I should head back to my residence."
Wei Mingzhao:......
After parting ways with Wei Mingzhao, Xie Lang mounted his horse and, after a few steps, asked Xie Wu, "How many times has Fatty Pigeon come today?"
Xie Wu felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this!
Fat Pigeon hasn't been seen all day!
Xie Wu's head was buzzing.
Could it be that the lady is angry with the master? The thought of the lady ignoring the master sent chills down Xie Wu's spine. After all, everyone in the manor knew what had happened after the lady ignored the master last time.
Seeing Xie Wu's hesitant reply, Xie Lang understood the situation and his thoughts became slightly heavy.
This person is good at saying nice things and knows how to flatter people.
He grabbed his whip and galloped away.
Upon returning home, he immediately summoned Xie Liu and asked what the lady had done that day and whether she had gone out.
Xie Liu hurriedly replied, "Madam has been in her room all day and has not gone out."
Xie Lang frowned. Why didn't they pay attention to him since they were all in the room?
Last time she refused to pay attention to him, and he dragged her around all night until she finally gave in.
Liu Qingqing is good in this respect; she always keeps her word and doesn't bluff.
Therefore, Xie Lang's heart immediately jumped into his throat. Could something have happened?
I hurried back to Jialan Garden, which was extremely quiet.
The silence made him uneasy.
When Li Mama saw him return, she bowed to him.
Xie Lang carefully observed the expressions of Li Mama and the others, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that there was nothing unusual.
Just a little bit.
Carefully entering the main room, she was lying comfortably on the bed, her slender body covered with a brocade quilt, which in Xie Lang's eyes looked like an extremely cute little hill.
He stepped over, bent down, and touched her cheek and forehead.
Her complexion was rosy and her lips were full; she didn't seem sick.
He went out of the room again and asked Granny Li to come and ask what was going on.
Granny Li said that Miss slept soundly today, so she went to fetch the royal physician. The physician said he had something to discuss with the master when he returned home.
Xie Lang understood, so he glanced at her and then went to find the family physician.
Upon entering the physician's courtyard, one finds the physician drying herbs, with Qingju also busy working alongside him.
A while ago, the physician found Qingju to be reliable and let her follow him around to learn some things.
Upon seeing the lord arrive, the physician dismissed Qingju.
The wooden door creaked shut.
"What brings you here, Doctor? Is Madam feeling unwell today?"
Xie Lang asked urgently.
The physician, however, had a complicated expression and hesitated for a long time before speaking.
Xie Lang's face turned cold, and his voice became hoarse. "What is it, Madam?"
The physician naturally knew that the lady was involved, and the man was easily unable to control himself.
He quickly whispered, "My lord, while harmony of yin and yang is good, it needs to be done in moderation!"
Xie Lang frowned.
The physician continued, "Madam's health is not as robust as yours; she cannot move without sleep every day! Sleeping during the day is different from sleeping at night."
Xie Lang: "...Understood."
Xie Lang paused at the courtyard gate for a while before walking towards Jialan Garden.
Along the way, Xie Lang twirled his fingers back and forth, a gesture he often made when he was thinking.
He's been a little clingy lately.
Only when they were intertwined, when he felt his addiction was somewhat relieved.
If only he could cut himself in two and put her inside, so they could never be separated.
Upon returning to Jialan Garden, they found the courtyard in chaos.
He hurried into the main room, asking, "What happened?"
Zhao Pansheng brought over a bowl of warm water. "Miss just vomited a few times."
For some unknown reason, Xie Lang froze.
A moment later, Liu Qingqing noticed and waved him over.
Xie Lang immediately stepped over.
"I've started my period and I have some stomach pain. Can you warm me up?"
Liu Qingqing spoke to him as if no one else was around.
Indeed, Xie Lang's expression improved considerably upon hearing this.
Xie Lang breathed a sigh of relief.
It's good that it's not a child.
The two of them already knew each other.
Liu Qingqing immediately understood the situation at a glance. "Does my husband think I'm pregnant?"
Xie Lang nodded stiffly, his expression rather strange.
Seeing that his expression didn't seem fake, Liu Qingqing asked curiously, "Don't you want children, adults?"
Upon hearing the word "adult," Xie Lang frowned and grasped her hand.
“Call him husband, or Xie Lang.”
Don't call him "sir," it sounds too formal. Hearing those two words feels like pricking his ear with a needle.
Liu Qingqing glared at him, thinking, "So many things to do."
Xie Lang felt relieved, took off his robes, climbed onto the bed, and held her in his arms.
But they didn't mention the child anymore.
The main room was quiet, and the two of them nestled together.
Liu Qingqing thought to himself, "After we consummated our marriage, he could only have sex twice a month because of that medicine. It must have been so hard for him."
It seems the wheel of karma turns, and now there's no limit to the number of times she can do it, but it's a hardship for her.
It turns out that Liu Qingqing slept for a day because she had been feeling tired at night recently, and her period was approaching.
After being held in Xie Lang's arms for a short while, she felt sleepy again and became drowsy.
He was very warm, so she snuggled closer to him and snuggled even closer.
Noticing her movement, Xie Lang finally smiled and touched her rosy cheeks, saying, "Just like a little pig."
Liu Qingqing felt extremely comfortable. She lazily glared at him, then snuggled into his arms and fell asleep.
Xie Lang, however, did not sleep all night.
After her period ended, Xie Lang obediently held her while she slept for several days, finally getting enough sleep.
Time flies, and Xie Lang has been returning home later these days.
Even the slow-witted Liu Qingqing noticed something was wrong; Xie Lang hadn't touched her for half a month.
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Author's Note: Next Chapter Preview:
Does she prefer the gentleman Xie Lang of the past, or the Xie Lang of today?
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