Chapter 35 My Husband Invites Me to Bath Together.
Qingduo turned the bowl upside down: "I drank it all, now you believe me... Ugh!" After a dry heave, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said aggrievedly, "It's so bitter!"
"In short, this is indeed just a medicine to replenish your spirit. There's more in the small kitchen; I'll bring it to you!"
"No need to trouble you, Madam. I'll have a maid take it to my study in a bit."
Qingduo finally breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, as long as he agreed to continue taking the medicine, it was worth the suffering. She asked Zeng Zhengqing to admire the newly painted picture of him playing the zither, and told him about how she had sung a fast-paced ballad in the street and impressed Lin Fu. She received a lot of praise from him and was very pleased with herself.
Zeng Zhengqing specifically instructed, "This matter should not be repeated. I have already spoken with Mr. Chen of Chen's Bookstore. Once he signs the contract with Miss Lu Nong to reclaim 'Hua Tang Chun,' the two families will handle the matter properly."
Qingduo was displeased, thinking to herself: Why is Zeng Qingqing so long-winded with Sister Lu Nong? He has his methods, and I have mine!
She was indignant and was about to argue with him, but when she met his serious gaze, she swallowed her words.
He muttered to himself, "If I say it out loud, I'll only get a lecture from him. It's better to keep quiet." So he nodded and gave a perfunctory reply. Zeng Zhengqing was relieved and left without saying anything more.
It was late at night. Qingduo sat at the table, intending to finish the other man's portrait in one go, but she couldn't come up with any ideas. A thousand thoughts were playing a childish game with her. She tried to grab one, but another would pat her from behind. She would turn around and try to grab that one, and all her thoughts would laugh and run away, and she couldn't catch any of them.
Frustration only fueled her fighting spirit. "Hmph, I refuse to believe that Master Qingduo can't paint it!" she thought, puffing out her cheeks and resting her chin on her hand as she pondered deeply.
In the silence, she thought she heard the sound of water. Puzzled, she looked up through the window and her eyes widened in shock. A man was bathing in her yard!
"Who are you? Who are you?" Qingduo asked in a panic.
The man stopped what he was doing at the sound and turned around. Qingduo's head buzzed: "Qingqing?" She stammered, "You...how...why are you taking a bath in the yard?"
Zeng Zhengqing simply smiled and extended his hand to her: "Together?"
In the courtyard? In broad daylight, wouldn't that mean being seen naked? Besides, what kind of talk is it for a man and a woman to bathe together!
Whether it was the shock of his suggestion or the stuffy summer night, she felt dizzy and disoriented, as if the steam from the hot water in the courtyard was seeping into the house. She was lost in a white fog. Only he, with his smile as bright as moonlight, captivating and enchanting, was the only clear light in the thick fog.
All reason dissipated into the mist, evaporating into nothingness. Qingduo couldn't help but raise her hand, slowly stretching it forward. Qingqing's hand was so close; if she moved just a little closer, she could intertwine her fingers with his.
The water flowed down his bulging arm, and the glistening droplets rolled and fell onto Qingduo's heart, trembling and tickling.
An unprecedented impulse surged through her body. Qingduo stared intently at his strong arms, involuntarily convincing herself that it was alright. He was her husband, and even bathing together wasn't considered an incestuous act.
However, despite having embraced Qingqing so many times, she had never paid attention to his arms. Fortunately, he was her husband, so even if she touched them, it wouldn't be considered unfaithful to her.
Fragments of Zeng Zhengqing's body suddenly flashed through her mind again and again. The red mole when he was bathing, his back when he was changing clothes, that spot when they didn't consummate their marriage... fragments, incredibly erotic, yet they couldn't piece together the complete image of him.
Qingduo didn't hesitate to grab his hand; she wanted to see more, she wanted to know more, she was so eager.
He is a sweet and sour plum.
Qingduo swallowed hard, still feeling dazed, when a sharp pain suddenly shot through her hand. A thought flashed through her mind: this was retribution for her shameless lust for his body. But she was so close, her dream almost come true. In that instant, she gritted her teeth and continued to reach forward…
"Ah!" She recoiled in pain, pulling her hand back. In an instant, the swirling white mist, the alluring Qingqing before her, all vanished. Qingduo stood up in disbelief and peered out the window. There was no one there, no bathtub, and no water on the ground. Only a pitch-black courtyard, and the chirping of unknown insects.
Her fingers throbbed with pain. She opened her palm and stared blankly at the red burn marks on her fingers, then looked at the candlelight on the table, realizing that it was all just a dream.
She sat down blankly, recalling the scene she had just witnessed, unable to shake it off for a long time. Her gaze fell on the silk fabric on the table, her eyes lit up, and she picked up a brush. While recalling the enchanting scene in her dream, she quickly began to draw, only to lament that her hand could not keep up with the speed of her recollection, wishing she had eight hands.
The man in the painting stands sideways, as steadfast and gentle as an ancient cypress, unyielding to the winds from all directions, steady and resolute. A soft smile plays on his lips, while his eyes hold a deep, unfathomable depth. When the viewer faces him, their heart is stirred and their spirit is captivated.
Qingduo gazed at him intently, her fingers gently tracing his eyebrows, his eyes, his lips... She suddenly remembered the feel of his lips when he stole a kiss, and the painting under her fingers seemed to carry warmth, burning down her arm and onto her face.
She unconsciously touched her lips; her breath was hot. She thought, "I must be drunk." But she hadn't drunk any alcohol, so how could she be drunk?
In a daze, drifting and floating, in a hazy state, it seemed as if something was growing from within my heart, like... the tendrils of a grapevine, thin and small, swaying as if searching for something, ready to cling to it and climb up tightly, climb up...
It is just as the night deepens, accompanied by candlelight, and ripples arise from mutual gazes. A strong arm reaches out to grasp the bright moon, and emotions stir between them.
...
Curious about Qingduo's reaction after taking the medicine the night before, Zeng Zhengqing returned to the house early the next morning, only to find Qingduo with her arms outstretched on the table, her face pressed against it, fast asleep. He approached quietly, intending to wake her and help her to bed, when he inadvertently glanced at the painting underneath and his heart skipped a beat—the person in the painting was himself.
Taken aback, Zeng Zhengqing's ears turned slightly red. This silent revelation caught him off guard and disrupted his heartbeat. In the silence of the room, only the rumble of war drums could be heard.
He looked out the window. His wife had a fondness for flowers, and he had ordered the courtyard to be planted with seasonal blooms long ago. It was the height of chrysanthemum season, the willows by West Lake were bathed in a soft, golden light, birds and beauties flew about amidst the flowing rosy clouds, and phoenixes seemed poised to take flight. The delicate petals trembled gently in the wind, half-open and half-closed, as if they wanted to speak but remained silent.
*
Zhu Yi searched around and finally found Qing Duo at an old Wuzhou cold drink shop. She was sitting lazily, slowly eating ice cream.
"Hey! I was only a little late, and you're already enjoying yourself?" he questioned with dissatisfaction.
Qingduo said weakly, "Don't even mention it. It was so hot last night, and I was so restless that I couldn't sleep at all. I just kept drawing all night and didn't get any rest. I really don't have the energy to play the clapper today."
Hearing her hoarse voice, Zhu Yi softened his tone: "In that case, let's postpone it to tomorrow. Anyway, the performance at Shouzhen Hall yesterday went quite well. I even heard people talking about it on my way here."
“We need to keep spreading the word according to the locations on the map. Don’t worry, I’ve already made the arrangements, and the plan will proceed as scheduled,” Qingduo said.
Zhu Yi asked curiously, "How did you arrange this?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than shouts rose and fell outside: "Sailinfu, Sai Goupi, beware of turning black into white. A den of thieves should rot completely, don't go in or buy anything to avoid bad luck!" The voices were childish, clearly belonging to a group of children.
Zhu Yi opened his mouth in surprise and asked Qing Duo, "What happened?"
"Oh, we found a few kids to shout for us," Qingduo said casually.
"This isn't just 'a few'!"
"No more than fifty," she said casually.
"Fifty? You found fifty children?" Zhu Yi was even more astonished. He stared intently at her. "You managed to get a group of children to obey your commands? How did you do that?"
"Phew, what's this? It's just a little trick of managing people! I only know a tiny bit!" Qingduo's tired face showed a hint of pride. "Brother Zhu, order two more servings of ice cream cheese. 'Old Wuzhou' truly lives up to its reputation as a time-honored brand in Wuzhou City; their skills are superb. When Sister Lu Nong arrives later, you two should both try some; it's on me!"
Previously, Zeng Zhengqing had mentioned wanting to buy a calligraphy and painting shop and asked Liu Ke to help him inquire. Liu Ke did not fail in his mission and found a shop for sale on Willow Street. Although the shop was not big, it was conveniently located near where Tang Li and Zhu Niang lived.
This suited him perfectly. His wife had repeatedly become disheartened by the meager income from her paintings, and he had long harbored the idea of secretly supporting her by purchasing an art shop. Since his wife had mentioned wanting to switch to flower-and-bird paintings when she was drunk, he decided to spread the word and buy up less popular flower-and-bird paintings at high prices. After she finished her painting lessons at her father-in-law's house, she could easily find this art shop. Then, with his help, he could propel her to great heights.
Zeng Zhengqing could even picture Qingduo, like a sparrow, leaping and bounding out of the art shop after selling her paintings. Even as she held the pen to sign the contract, a warm smile played on her lips.
After finishing all that, he returned to his own bookstore. As soon as he entered, the shopkeeper stopped him and said, "The waiter from the 'Old Wuzhou' cold drink shop is looking for him."
Zeng Zhengqing was taken aback. The waiter stepped forward, bowed and greeted him, and then handed him a piece of paper, saying, "Boss Zeng, this is a piece of paper that a lady asked me to give to you. She said you will understand once you read it."
Zeng Zhengqing took the paper and opened it. On it was a drawing of a woman, shaking her purse and looking annoyed. He couldn't help but smile. He figured that his wife had eaten at the cold drink shop and then realized she hadn't brought enough money, so she had ordered the waiter to find her here.
Sure enough, the waiter bowed and smiled, saying, "This lady has come to our shop and immediately took a liking to our ice cream. She praised its authentic taste, but she is a little short on supplies, so she sent me to ask you for some help."
He folded the drawing paper and put it in his sleeve, casually asking, "How many portions did she order?"
"Madam has ordered quite a lot!"
Zeng Zhengqing frowned as he listened. Alas, his advice had been ignored once again. His wife was indulging in ice cream, and he feared she would have a stomachache again that night. He would have to prepare some medicine for her stomachache in advance.
What he didn't expect was that the number was truly "astonishing".
The waiter smiled broadly: "Fifty-three in total."
*
Lu Nong hurriedly went to meet Qing Duo and the others. The loud calls of barbers, peddlers, and knife sharpeners along the way could not move her in the slightest. Until she heard that there were jasmine bracelets for sale, she stopped and carefully picked out two bracelets with big, white buds. She thought of Qing Duo wearing the two white bracelets on her wrist and smiling from ear to ear.
"Little Qingduo will definitely like it." Lu Nong paid the money, put it in her bag, and continued on her way with a cheerful heart and light steps. She hadn't gone far when suddenly someone bumped into her from the side. She was knocked back a few steps, while the person cried out "Ouch!" and fell to the ground.
Lu Nong was startled. Upon closer inspection, she realized she had bumped into an elderly man with a cane. She quickly went over to help him up and apologized repeatedly. The old man kept groaning and clung tightly to Lu Nong, saying his legs hurt and he couldn't get home by himself, so he wanted Lu Nong to take him home.
Feeling guilty, Lu Nong naturally agreed, helping him through the bustling market, through the many alleys, and towards a secluded place where the noise gradually subsided.
She began to feel strange. At first, the old man beside her was slow and seemed to be struggling, but for some reason, the closer they got, the faster he walked. It was not as if she was helping him, but rather as if he was dragging her.
She stopped and asked, "Grandpa, how are your legs?"
The old man gave a sinister smile: "We're not injured either!"
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Author's Note: The little girl has finally figured it out!
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