Chapter 221 Jingxi's Heart Flutters
On Mid-Autumn Festival night, the moon is as bright as a jade plate, and its light shines even brighter.
Wealthy families decorated their pavilions and terraces, climbed them with their families to admire the moon, drink wine and sing, while ordinary people would go to restaurants to find a good spot, drink osmanthus wine and admire the moon.
If your home is close to the palace, you can even hear the sounds of string and wind instruments coming from inside.
There is no curfew tonight, and the cries of vendors fill the streets. Shops line both sides of the street, decorated with lanterns and lights, and tourists come and go. Children play and frolic in the streets and alleys.
This was Meng Jinyao's first time going out on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival. Looking at the lively and bustling night market, she was enlivened by the lively atmosphere and became very active.
Gu Jingxi followed beside Meng Jinyao and saw that her face was full of smiles. She looked around like a child, with a sense of novelty towards everything around her, as if she was seeing such a scene for the first time.
He asked gently, "Madam has never come out for the Mid-Autumn Festival before?"
Meng Jinyao stopped in her tracks and shook her head: "No."
She never dared to go out at night before, especially on lively nights like this. The more lively the place, the easier it was for something to happen. She was afraid that she might accidentally fall into Sun's trap and then have nowhere to cry.
After all, she had overheard Madam Sun telling her trusted maid, "With all the commotion at night, it's not surprising that a child would get lost, is it?"
Then, two days after she heard this, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, Madam Sun sent a maid to inform her that the Mid-Autumn Festival night would be lively and Meng Jinyu would be going out to play, and asked her to come and see for herself. At that time, she was instinctively scared and could only pretend to have an upset stomach to avoid it.
Gu Jingxi noticed a hint of sadness flash across her face and knew that she was probably thinking of something unpleasant. She was only a teenager and should be carefree, but she was full of sorrow. So he said gently, "If Madam likes it, we can come out for the Mid-Autumn Festival from now on."
Meng Jinyao smiled again: "Okay."
It was now three-quarters past 7 PM, almost the best time for moon viewing. Gu Jingxi looked up at the white jade disc hanging in the sky and asked, "Would Madam like to climb the tower to view the moon, or take a boat trip on the lake?"
Meng Jinyao replied, "There will definitely be a lot of people taking a boat tour on the lake tonight. It's probably impossible to rent a painted boat now, and the restaurants are probably already fully booked. Why don't we go home? We have a high-rise building at home."
Gu Jingxi smiled and said, "I have someone reserve a private room at the restaurant and also a painted boat. It depends on whether you want to go upstairs or cruise the lake."
Meng Jinyao suddenly turned her head to look at Gu Jingxi, her eyes full of surprise. Looking at the gentle and refined man in front of her, she was very happy. She didn't expect him to have made two preparations. She smiled and replied, "Husband, let's go boating on the lake. The scenery on the lake must be extremely beautiful today."
After saying that, she reached out and grabbed Gu Jingxi's sleeve, then turned and walked towards the lake.
Gu Jingxi let her pull him along, keeping pace with her steps and following beside her. Seeing her cheerful expression, he felt quite pleased as well.
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The lake surface shimmered, and painted boats shuttled back and forth on it, their exquisite lanterns illuminating the lake as bright as day.
Large and small pleasure boats shuttle back and forth, rippling the lake surface. The lights reflected on the water become even more dazzling and radiant as the water ripples.
Just then, melodious singing drifted from one of the pleasure boats, suggesting that a wealthy young man had brought a courtesan to enjoy the lake.
The painted boat drifted along, and after a short distance, they heard melodious zither music coming from the painted boat next door, as well as the sound of a half-drunk scholar composing a poem on the spot. As soon as he finished speaking, a cheer rang out.
Meng Jinyao looked up at the sky. The night sky was extremely beautiful. A bright moon hung in the dark sky, surrounded by countless stars. The light of the moon and stars dispelled the darkness of the night sky.
After a moment, she withdrew her gaze and turned to look at the man beside her.
The man stood under the lamp, the soft light falling on his handsome and refined face. His eyebrows and eyes were exquisitely beautiful, and a faint smile played on his lips. He exuded a gentle and peaceful aura, making people want to get closer.
Meng Jinyao moved closer to Gu Jingxi without making a sound, taking a step to shorten the distance between them to just a fist's width. Thinking of the gift she had prepared, she took a deep breath and mustered her courage to tug at Gu Jingxi's sleeve.
Gu Jingxi was admiring the moon when he noticed someone tugging at his sleeve. He looked down at the small hand gripping his sleeve and asked softly, "Madam, what's wrong?"
Meng Jinyao tried to make her voice sound calm: "Husband, I have something to give you."
Gu Jingxi listened, a little curious: "Hmm? What is it?"
"You...you put your hand out." Meng Jinyao's tone revealed a hint of nervousness.
Gu Jingxi became even more curious and reached out his palm, wanting to see what the little girl would give him.
The next moment, he saw the little girl quickly stuff a light blue sachet into his hand. He thought it was just an ordinary sachet and didn't think much of it, but when he saw the pattern embroidered on the sachet, his gaze froze instantly.
The embroidery depicts a pair of mandarin ducks. The little girl's embroidery skills are excellent, with fine and dense stitches, making the mandarin ducks look incredibly lifelike.
Gu Jingxi wasn't stupid; he naturally understood what mandarin ducks represented. They symbolized the love between a man and a woman. If a woman gave a man a sachet embroidered with mandarin ducks, it was undoubtedly a token of their love. She would give such a sachet because she liked the man. He understood the meaning behind it, and the young girl surely understood it too.
So, the girl likes him?
This realization stirred up a storm in Gu Jingxi's heart, leaving him deeply disturbed. He had never expected that the little girl he had taken care of like a child would fall for him.
Soon, he recalled the little girl's recent behavior and suddenly understood why she had become affectionate towards him and somewhat dependent on him.
He looked down at the shy, blushing girl with her head bowed before him, and an indescribable feeling welled up in his heart. This feeling made his heart beat faster and faster, and the sachet in his hand seemed to become heavier invisibly.
But even though it was heavy in his hand, he had no intention of letting go.
In a flash, he suddenly realized what he was thinking, and his fingers tightened, gripping the sachet lying in his palm.
When Meng Jinyao received no response from him, she slowly raised her head and saw that he looked stunned. Not knowing what he meant, she asked nervously, "Husband, don't you like it?"
Gu Jingxi snapped out of his reverie and met the girl's anxious gaze. His heart tightened, but he quickly smiled gently and replied, "I like it. I just didn't expect Madam's embroidery skills to be so good."
After he finished speaking, he reached out and grasped the girl's right wrist, placed the sachet in her hand, and gently coaxed her, "Come, put it on your husband."
They were a legitimate married couple, so what's wrong with his young wife liking him?
However, since you've provoked him, from now on he won't raise children anymore, but will instead raise his wife.
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