Chapter 69 Love and Lust
Shen Yuanzhu was not in a deep sleep and woke up early.
Looking at the unfamiliar bed curtains, she was momentarily bewildered. It wasn't until she remembered that she had married into the Xie family that she blinked in realization.
When Xie Qi got up, he was still huddled on the small couch. He was tall and had long legs, and at this moment, half of his leg was hanging outside.
Perhaps because he was in too much pain, Xie Qi's brows were furrowed even when he was asleep.
Shen Yuanzhu glanced at it, then went to wash up and do her hair without paying much attention.
Today we must serve tea to the elders of the Xie family, and we'll be doing it with Xie Xuchuan and Jiang Wansu...
Thinking of this, Shen Yuanzhu suddenly turned her head and glanced at Xie Qi on the couch.
Although the two of them disliked each other, they always had to put on a sweet facade in front of others. She wasn't the type to let Xie Xuchuan and Jiang Wansu laugh at her for no reason.
"My husband..."
Even at Jiucaiju, Xie Qi had never suffered such hardship.
He couldn't sleep all night and only managed to fall asleep as dawn broke. Now, he felt as if he had just drifted off when he heard someone muttering something in his ear like a mosquito buzzing.
I opened my eyes in frustration and saw a huge head right in front of me.
Xie Qi instinctively leaned back.
"Husband, are you awake?"
Shen Yuanzhu placed her hand on the small couch and looked at Xie Qi gently, saying, "Today we need to serve tea to our grandparents and parents. If you wake up, my husband, please come and change your clothes."
"..."
Xie Qi nodded and prepared to get up, but as soon as he moved, he felt as if his whole body had been beaten all night, and he was extremely sore.
Seemingly noticing his predicament, Shen Yuanzhu smiled, revealing a shallow dimple on her round cheek.
"I'm going to choose clothes for my husband..."
"No need."
Seeing that Shen Yuanzhu's eyes were slightly lowered and she looked somewhat at a loss, he coughed lightly and said, "Just wear the clothes you gave me yesterday."
"My husband and I are thinking the same thing; we are truly of one mind."
Xie Qi, with a cold face and a hint of annoyance, fiercely rubbed the tip of his ear.
"My lord, would you like me to help you change your clothes?"
Xie Qi paused, his hand gripping her clothes, and said, "These trivial matters can be left to the servants; you don't need to worry about them."
"Thank you for your kindness, my husband."
Shen Yuanzhu kept calling him "husband," which made Xie Qi's face tighten.
The couple had already gotten up, and Luo and Ling'er went into the room to help Chen Yuanzhu wash her face and do her makeup.
Luo placed the warm towel, soaked in hot water, on Shen Yuanzhu's face.
Ling'er meticulously combed her hair, her movements delicate and gentle.
Xie Qi glanced at it twice, then turned and hid outside the courtyard.
When Wei Hu saw him come out, he quickly approached and said, "Hey, don't scholars say that the wedding night is one of the four great joys in life? Why do you have dark circles under your eyes, Master?"
"..."
Seeing that Xie Qi did not answer and his expression was rather cold, Wei Hu lowered his voice and asked, "Is it possible that the new madam still... still has feelings for that woman in Tiqi Courtyard?"
Thinking of how Shen Yuanzhu had looked up at him yesterday and asked if he wanted to consummate the marriage, Xie Qi turned his head away and mumbled "no."
His strange appearance surprised Wei Hu: "Then why do you look like this, Master?"
Xie Qi's ears were burning, but his face showed slight irritation.
After a long while, Wei Hu heard him sigh softly: "The second young mistress... has no romantic feelings for Xie Xuchuan, it's just that she..."
Wei Hu asked curiously, "What's wrong with her?"
Xie Qi pursed his lips, his cold face showing helplessness as he said, "Yuan Xu once said that there is no difference between women and men. He has also seen women in the palace who love beauty, and some even become infatuated with it."
"The second young mistress is probably also suffering from this disease. On her wedding night, she couldn't control herself when she saw my face..."
Wei Hu let out a sound of surprise and looked Xie Qi up carefully.
After looking the man up and down, he nodded in agreement: "Master is indeed much more handsome than Xie Xuchuan, so it's not surprising that the Second Young Mistress is bewitched by you."
Xie Qi's face flushed, and a hint of helplessness and melancholy lingered between his brows.
Since there are other women in the world who are infatuated with him, and Shen Yuanzhu is like that, he doesn't think it's anything shameful to talk about.
However, he was not familiar with her, and Shen Yuanzhu's constant approach made him quite uncomfortable.
If he were to speak, he would say that the two of them should proceed step by step, gradually getting to know and commit to each other; this is the way for a couple to get along...
Unaware of Xie Qi's subtle intentions, Shen Yuanzhu said to Ling'er as soon as he left, "Bring a new set of bedding to the small couch later."
Ling'er asked in surprise, "Miss, you slept on the small couch last night?"
Shen Yuanzhu shook her head: "The small couch is cramped and hard, why would I sleep on it?"
"Then what is this...?"
Xie Qi likes it.
Ling'er pouted upon hearing this: "The young master is truly extraordinary. How can someone so tall and strong be comfortable crammed into this? Why don't we ask the manor to get him a new, bigger one?"
Upon seeing Shen Yuanzhu, Luo knew that the two of them had not consummated their marriage the day before. Seeing that no one was in the room, she said angrily, "If the son-in-law wants to sleep on the small couch, let him sleep there. How do you know he's not comfortable? I think he's very comfortable."
It's one thing for newlyweds not to consummate their marriage, but Xie Xuchuan's relationship with his wife is also not going to work out. However, swaggering into the house with a couch in his arms gives people reason to criticize him.
Shen Yuanzhu didn't care about any of that; she was only focused on putting a hairpin in her hair.
"This one looks a bit sharp, but the other one looks softer."
Knowing that her young mistress was most skilled at coaxing and deceiving people, Ling'er immediately changed into a velvet flower that made her look innocent.
Shen Yuanzhu was born with a gentle and obedient appearance. With a little dressing up, she looked like a little fairy who was untouched by worldly affairs and innocent and naive.
Madam Luo nodded in satisfaction: "By the way, Miss, there is one more thing this old servant has to say."
"Yesterday was your wedding day with your son-in-law. There was a maid named Mianhe in your son-in-law's courtyard who cried her eyes out and insisted on barging into the bridal chamber. The old servant and Xiaozhi held her down several times."
"I overheard her muttering something about how she should be the second young mistress of the Xie family..."
"Although this girl's idea is purely wishful thinking, judging from what she said, there's a chance that the young master and she might have something going on."
Shen Yuanzhu fiddled with the velvet flower in her hair and casually said, "I noticed it yesterday. There are no maids in Qianxiang Courtyard. This one has probably been with Xie Qi for a long time."
"Although Xie Qi is the legitimate son, he is clearly not well-liked and there are not many people he can use, which is not surprising."
"This maid named Mianhe has probably been with him since she was a child. It's perfectly normal for the two of them to develop feelings for each other while staying together in the inner quarters."
She had said that she was going to consummate her marriage with Xie Qi yesterday, but he backed out so quickly. Now it seems that it wasn't just because he disliked her status, but also because of this little maid.
Shen Yuanzhu poked at the front of her robe: "We're new here, so we shouldn't act rashly. Let's leave that maid alone for now, and deal with her if she does something out of line."
That's just her nature; she'll never alert the enemy unless she can guarantee a fatal blow.
Looking at her radiant reflection in the bronze mirror, Shen Yuanzhu nodded in satisfaction: "Go and invite the young master. If he is dressed properly, let him come with me to meet the elders of the Xie family."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Qi walked in from outside the courtyard.
Upon entering the inner room, one immediately sees neatly folded bedding on the small couch.
They put all his things on the small couch, this is...
Seeing this, Xie Qi pursed his lips in displeasure.
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