Chapter 70 Unforgiving
The decadence that arrived late last night has overflowed tonight.
The fairy's magical artifact, the silver bell, was eventually grasped in the palm of the sorcerer.
Master Zhou has regained twice the face he lost yesterday.
He took it for granted that he could bully her.
"Aqu, from now on I only have you. You must treat me well, so as not to let down my sincere feelings for you."
She took it as sweet talk and coaxed him, "My love for Jinlang is as clear as the sun and moon."
"My lord, please spare me, considering my unwavering devotion to you."
"I won't let you off, Aqu."
Sinking and then becoming clear-headed, becoming clear-headed and then sinking again.
When he carried her to the bathroom to shower, she had almost no strength left.
Fortunately, he was satisfied and in a good mood, so he didn't cause any more trouble. He helped her wash up, dressed her, and finally carried her to the bed and dried her wet hair.
Granny Xu bowed and entered the room with her head down, asking if they wanted the meal served.
Zhou Jin hummed in agreement.
This magnetic and gentle voice greatly surprised Granny Xu.
I secretly looked up.
scare!
The usually arrogant Master Zhou was actually sitting on a round stool, bowing his head to serve his concubine by drying her wet hair.
The man's eyes, which were usually cold and aloof, now held a gentle warmth that spilled from the corners of his eyes and enveloped the beautiful woman reclining on the couch.
The woman wore a nightgown, the plain silk clinging to her body, highlighting her perfect, soft curves.
"I want something sweeter," Li Qu said lazily and softly.
"This old servant will go and inform them immediately."
Granny Xu respectfully withdrew to serve the meal.
Once outside, he straightened up, glanced behind him, and covered his mouth, letting out a silent, sly laugh.
With the concubine being so favored, her retirement is sure to be bright!
By the time the meal was served in the dining hall, Li Qu's hair was already about 70% dry.
She took back the long hair that Zhou Jin cherished so much from his hands: "Jinlang is in an exceptionally good mood tonight."
"Hmm." Just as she was about to get up, Zhou Jin stepped forward and picked her up in a princess carry. "I've figured some things out."
He gently bounced the little girl in his arms and carried her to the dining room for a meal.
Li Qu noticed the hint of spring in his thin lips, hooked her arm around his neck, pulled him up, and gently kissed the corner of his lips: "I'm in a very good mood today too."
Having made proper arrangements for the families of everyone in the hospital, she was one step closer to escaping.
"Eat more tonight to nourish your body."
"My health has always been very good."
"Yes, very good."
He seemed to be lost in some kind of fantasy, and the smile on his lips deepened.
Seeing this, Li Qu nuzzled her head against his chest and became happy as well.
Once her eldest sister went to the capital and brought her mother and fourth sister from Hezhou, she would have no more worries.
Both of them were very happy, but the reason for their happiness was that they were worlds apart.
After finishing their meal, the two played a game of animal chess on the tatami mat for a while.
Elephants, lions, tigers, leopards, wolves, dogs, cats, mice...
Meng Qi, relying on luck, managed to beat Zhou Jin a few times.
At the hour of Hai (9-11 PM), she collapsed onto the couch behind her, saying, "I'm done playing, I'm sleepy."
She casually stretched her foot to the low table and stepped on it lightly, like a kitten kneading its milk.
He thoroughly enjoyed it.
"Jinlang, you mustn't torment me anymore at night." She said with a hint of resentment and anger.
He agreed, "Okay."
She looked down at him and saw him staring at her with a faint smile, his eyes filled with undisguised joy.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed. She smiled, raised her hand to cover her face, and kicked him hard with her foot.
Unexpectedly, he slipped and nearly kicked his abdomen.
Fortunately, his legs weren't that long, and he was quick to raise his hand to block.
A slap landed on my foot: "Naughty."
She giggled, withdrew her leg, and went to the dressing table, instructing him, "Jinlang, bring me a cup of water."
He took the bottle of contraceptive pills, uncorked it, and was about to pour out the pills when a hand reached over his shoulder and took the bottle away.
She turned around, thinking he was going to indulge himself again that night, and looked at him accusingly: "Jinlang, don't you love your concubine anymore?"
"How can I bear Jinlang's endless joy?"
He traced her features with his eyes: "You don't need to take this contraceptive pill anymore."
Li Qu's heart skipped a beat, and she scolded him, "What nonsense are you talking about, Jinlang? The mistress hasn't entered the house yet, how could I..."
"There is no mistress."
He looked into her eyes and said, "A-Qu, from now on, I will take care of you alone."
“Your status is low. You have been taken as a concubine by the master for a long time. Although you have not yet been registered in the official records, everyone in Hezhou knows that you are a lowly concubine.”
"The situation with the North is still at odds; we can't afford to give anyone a handle to use against us."
"I'll trouble you to stay by my side as a concubine for now."
"Once the stalemate eases, I'll pull some strings and marry you."
Li Qu stared blankly at the man in front of her, a man she considered unattainable.
His cruelty, indifference, domineering nature, and gentleness flashed through my mind, leaving only a sense of absurdity.
He was still telling her about his plans.
"You are still a woman of good birth, so it is not against propriety for me to marry you."
"I'll arrange something for your father later, maybe give you a makeshift identity, that would be perfectly acceptable."
"Your second sister's marriage will be carefully considered by your father, especially since your eldest sister's husband has been transferred and promoted."
"If we follow the steps, the matter can be accomplished."
"Give me a child." His heart was burning with passion. Seeing her in a daze, he assumed she was stunned by the surprise and couldn't react for a moment.
"I'll try my best to marry you before she's born."
"If the current situation doesn't allow it, that's fine. We can change the age after we enter the family and record it in the family genealogy."
"It'll only be a matter of one or two years, no big deal."
He casually tossed the contraceptive pill out the window, picked her up, and threw her onto the bed.
He desperately wanted to eat the pie in the sky she painted.
He nudged her, saying, "Aqu, give me a child."
The thought of her holding the child and leaning against the pillar waiting for him every time he returned filled him with excitement, as if he had inexhaustible energy.
Li Qu felt a lump in her throat.
She pushed him away, saying, "The old lady won't agree."
Zhou Jin teased her, but that didn't stop him from explaining things to her: "The marriage between my elder brother's son, Zhou Kang, and the Tang woman is a done deal."
"The eldest brother's third son, Zhou Yang, is not yet married, but his marriage will be arranged by the master as soon as possible."
"My second brother has children, so there's no need to sacrifice my marriage."
He is utterly shameless.
"We're all in the same boat, they'll obediently follow my orders."
His mind was made up, and no one could change it.
"As for Mother, there is no conflict of interest, so she will not object."
He desperately wanted her to have a child for him, to fill his undeniable void, and to prove something.
She was overwhelmed by the barrage of news.
She was so captivated by his persistence that she dared not refuse.
She closed her eyes, not daring to let him see the panic in them.
He experienced her beauty again and gave her many possibilities.
By the time it happened, it was past midnight.
Li Qu lay on the bed crying: "Jinlang's words sound nice, but they're all just Jinlang's wild ideas."
"Jinlang just wanted to coax his concubine into making a mistake so that others could use it against her and make her suffer."
"How could I dare to covet such a noble and prestigious family as the Zhou family?"
"I don't care, I don't want to have a child now."
"If I give birth to a child and Jinlang doesn't keep his promise, who can I complain to?"
"No, no, Jinlang, please find the contraceptive pills for me."
"Waaah, I'm scared, I don't want to."
Zhou Jin leaned against the bed railing with his legs bent, watching her throw a tantrum with a smile.
"Speaking of which, you have no family background, so you don't need to be so particular about formalities."
"When it's dawn, will your father invite your mother over so we can first exchange the betrothal documents, gift certificates, and wedding invitations?"
The person on the bed indeed quieted down.
Li Qu got up and sat down in front of him, tears still on her face: "Is what Jinlang said true?"
Zhou Jin wiped away her tears with his fingertips, his voice warm and gentle: "Of course."
She bit her lip, incredulous: "Then I'm willing to wait, until that day truly comes."
He raised an eyebrow: "You don't want to have children for me?"
Her heart raced slightly: "I am willing, I want to have a child for Jinlang."
"But I fear that if she comes into this world, she will be looked down upon."
"I want to give her the best. I don't want her to grow up in a controversial environment and carry the stigma of being a child born out of wedlock for the rest of her life."
"While your mother is in Hezhou, let's have a simple ceremony to register you in the family genealogy, so that it won't be considered a child born before marriage."
He's made up his mind to have a child.
Li Qu had no choice but to step forward and kiss him to comfort him: "Alright, if Jinlang wants to have a secret marriage, then let him."
As Zhou Jin pondered the words 'secret marriage,' a thrilling thought inexplicably welled up inside him.
He patted her bottom: "Sleep by yourself tonight, I'm going to arrange some things."
"No, I want Jinlang to stay with me."
She tackled him to the ground and used a stalling tactic.
"Let's do these things after the New Year. I'm afraid the old lady will be unhappy and it will spoil the festive atmosphere of the New Year."
He held her, rolled onto the bed, and enjoyed their intimacy.
"good."
*
The next day, after confirming that Zhou Jin had left, she dismissed the servants, climbed out the window, and bent down to carefully search for the contraceptive pills that Zhou Jin had thrown away the night before.
There weren't many left to begin with, and the contraceptive pills dissolved as soon as they came into contact with water.
After searching for a long time, I finally found the bottle and poured out two lucky pills.
He climbed back into his room through the window.
She ate one pill without hesitation and hid the remaining one.
Then he instructed the maid to pick up the bottle and throw it away.
The sudden tension from last night has long since dissipated with the enchanting atmosphere.
Granny Xu and the others happily led people to decorate Fanghua Garden.
"It's hanging crooked, a little to the left, a little to the right, oh, a little to the left again."
"Hongguo has the most skillful hands, so we'll use the paper cut by Hongguo."
The sounds outside were cheerful, and Li Qu was also dressed festively today.
She was sitting on the couch, looking at the glass epiphyllum flower placed on it.
The damaged glass flower stamen was perfectly inlaid with gold wire, and almost no cracks were visible.
But being hurt is being hurt.
No matter how much gold and silver jewelry is piled up and inlaid, it cannot cover up the traces of past damage.
*
Li Qu lived in this world for sixteen years, witnessing the ignorant and evil consequences of the barren minds of the lower classes, and observing the carefree playfulness of the noble figures at the top.
She knows where her weaknesses lie and what her strengths are.
While frantically absorbing nutrients to grow, it also establishes a truly reliable self-positioning.
Never did she expect that one day, the son of power who came to enjoy the world would bend down his noble back and lift her, who was struggling at the foot of the mountain, to stand on the mountaintop and look down on the world with him.
She picked the bright red fruit from the highest branch of the tallest tree in the south, but it tasted bitter and astringent.
She smiled.
She found it utterly ridiculous.
They even laughed until they cried.
How could such an absurd thing happen in the world?
Xiao Cong, who respected her and said he loved her, never lowered his noble head to listen to her pleas.
Despite the fact that the Third Master Zhou had treated her with force and utter disrespect, he was actually willing to lower his noble head, abandon the value of his marriage as the mistress of the house, and promote her to the position.
She wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes and placed the glass epiphyllum ornament in a prominent position on the display shelf.
The celebration at the Zhou residence tonight has nothing to do with her.
She had originally planned to go to Qinyuan to visit her mother and fourth sister.
Now that the contraceptive pills are gone, she has no choice but to go.
*
In the afternoon, after delivering New Year's gifts to each courtyard and arranging matters for everyone in Fanghua Garden, she was preparing to go to Qin Garden when Granny Xu rushed in with servants from Qin Garden to report: "Madam, Madam Li is about to give birth!"
Li Qu's mind went blank for a moment, and she grabbed the arm of the servant who came to deliver the news: "What's going on? Isn't there still more than a month to go!"
"Young Master Huaiqiu came and asked Madam Li to sign some three documents. Madam Li laughed and cried and became very emotional, and suddenly she started having sex."
Fortunately, the midwife was prepared in advance, and Brother Huaiqiu helped to invite a doctor, so there were no problems.
"The Fourth Miss is too young, this old servant dares not let her come closer, she's making a fuss."
"You should go and take a look."
Li Qu disregarded everything else and hurriedly rushed to Qinyuan.
When they arrived, Li's mother had already given birth.
Despite being premature, the baby still weighed seven pounds.
It was a boy.
Li's mother couldn't stop smiling, and excitedly got out of bed and paced back and forth.
"I told you, today is a good day! Today really is a good day!"
"Aqu, quick, send a message to your father, tell him that he has a successor!"
"Oh my, oh my, good news for my dear daughter! I'm having a son too!"
"My good days have finally come!"
Xu Mama and the servants from Qinyuan quickly pressed Li's mother down onto the bed, advising her to take good care of herself during her postpartum period and not to get agitated.
There was a lot of joy and excitement.
A maidservant brought over some sweet porridge so that Li's mother could eat to replenish her energy.
Li Qu dismissed everyone, citing the reason that she would not disturb her mother's rest, and had Li Han stand guard outside. She then sat down by her mother's bedside and watched her mother eat porridge with a broad smile.
“A-Qu, Master Zhou has sent three letters to you, expressing his willingness to marry you. This is wonderful news.”
She dared not look into her daughter's eyes, and ate her porridge spoonful by spoonful with her head down.
"From now on, your mother will no longer have to worry about what will happen if you are caught by the Prince of Yan."
Although the room where the birth took place had been cleaned, there was still a faint smell of blood in the air.
"Three bookmarks?"
Li Qu's voice was very calm.
"Hmm." Mother Li's eyes were fixed on the porridge in the bowl.
"Mother~"
"What are you trying to do now!" Li's mother asked in a low voice, afraid of startling her precious son. Her eyes were filled with incomprehension and worry as she looked at Li Qu.
"He's powerful, influential, and handsome! Who are you to judge him!"
"He is willing to marry you, you are his wife!"
"Even without a banquet or a public announcement, once the three letters are signed, the six rites can be completed without further ado!"
"Once he records your name in the family genealogy, you will be the third wife of the Zhou family!"
"It's the lady! The lady who will enjoy the offerings of incense from the Zhou family's descendants after her death!"
"It is the person who was buried with him after death, in the Zhou family ancestral tomb!"
"Didn't you refuse to be someone's concubine?"
"This time you're going to be someone else's wife, do you have anything else to say?"
Li Qu stared straight at her mother, her eyes gradually reddening as tears welled up.
As Li's mother spoke, her hands began to tremble.
She really doesn't understand this daughter.
"If you can pull our whole family out of the mire, why can't you pull yourself out of the mire?"
“You’re lucky to be with him, Aqu.”
"Don't forget, there's still the Prince of Yan's heir looking for you."
"If the Prince of Yan were to fall seriously ill and spare no effort to bring you back to Yan, what would become of you!"
"You don't need to be afraid of the Prince of Yan anymore if you're with him!"
"No matter how you look at it, he's the best match for you!"
“Aqu, he is willing to marry you, so he must like you very much.”
"He's probably fallen in love with you."
Tears rolled down her bright eyes, and Li Qu smiled, "But he forced me to have him."
What does it matter?
"He holds a high position of power and authority; he simply abducted a commoner girl."
"Everyone makes mistakes, and his mistake is insignificant compared to his power and status."
"People always have to bow their heads to life."
"You have a chance to turn things around now, so what's wrong with forgiving him?"
Li's mother put down the bowl of porridge she was holding and grasped Li Qu's hand: "Mother knows you've been wronged."
"But that's just how the world is."
"Imagine your future child is his legitimate son, born into a life of luxury and privilege."
"Imagine the scene when the Prince of Yan finds you and addresses you as 'Auntie'."
"Imagine what would happen if he found out you lied to her?"
Li's mother's eyes reddened.
No one knows a daughter better than her mother.
She could guess what her two daughters were whispering about behind her back.
"With wolves in front and tigers behind, do you really want to push yourself into that kind of desperate situation?"
Li Qu shook her head, tears falling onto the back of her mother's hand, burning her mother's heart with pain and sorrow.
She choked up, "I can't accept him."
"I really can't accept him."
"I will never forget his atrocities."
"I fear him, and I loathe him."
"Utterly disgusting."
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