Chapter 10 The Truth: She wanted to make it a fait accompli.
A sense of fear crept into my heart.
He knows the truth!
Qingduo broke out in a cold sweat. After spending a few days with Zeng Zhengqing, she realized that he was indeed as his father had said, carrying the rigid and inflexible manner inherited from the Zeng family. How could such a person accept that his wife was a small-time painter who drew fire-avoidance pictures?
She had finally found a carefree and leisurely life, and she didn't want to lose him at all!
A flood of thoughts pleading for mercy rushed in, crowding her head like a marketplace.
Ah! My dear husband! Please have pity on me! I really can't go on like this. I have no parents, and even though I have a father, it's as if I don't have any. Otherwise, why would I have gone down this path of no return? I beg you to give me another chance. I promise to be honest and upright, and never do anything shameful again!
Several tiny green figures multiplied in her mind, surrounding Zeng Zhengqing and bowing down, weeping bitterly and muttering incantations. She was immersed in her own melodramatic fantasy, a sorrowful expression appearing on her face…
"Madam! Madam!"
Qingduo snapped out of her daze and realized that Zeng Zhengqing was holding her shoulders, staring at her with a worried expression. Qingduo met his gaze for a moment, then lowered her head guiltily.
Zeng Zhengqing breathed a sigh of relief and released her hand. Seeing Qingduo lower her head and not daring to look at her, she felt sorry for her and said softly, "Madam, it was my fault for frightening you."
Hmm... Hmm? Qingduo suddenly raised her head, her mouth agape, wide enough to fit a fist. No, I drew a fire-avoidance diagram, why are you apologizing?
Zeng Zhengqing continued, “Although we are husband and wife in name only, we have never consummated our marriage. I thought that perhaps you were unaware of this. That’s why I thought of giving you this picture to let you know a little about it. Now it seems that it was too much of a stretch. It’s alright, we have just gotten married and our feelings for each other are not yet deep enough. It is understandable that you still have some resistance. There is still a long way to go. There is no need to force the matter of consummating the marriage. Let everything take its natural course.”
Qingduo blushed deeply and murmured softly, "You...you really want to?"
Zeng Zhengqing sighed: "Madam, you are a woman. I told you this morning not to say such things casually."
That means I really want to, Qingduo thought.
At night, listening to Zeng Zhengqing's steady breathing beside her, Qingduo tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
The pillow is uncomfortable, the mattress is uncomfortable, the blanket is uncomfortable, but most importantly, my heart is uncomfortable.
She finally understood what her father meant when he dismissed her boasting to Zeng Zhengqing about her "dignified" appearance that day, saying "what's done is done."
I am currently like "raw rice," not yet cooked into "cooked rice."
If the raw rice is still raw rice, then it may be returned to the rice bin.
No, this can't happen!
Qingduo stared at the ceiling, her gaze unwavering.
She has to turn rice into cooked rice!
*
Qingduo sat in the courtyard, staring blankly at the tender new leaves of the grapevines overhead. The sweet fragrance awakened her, and when she looked down, she saw that Zhuniang had brought her a plate of pine flower dumplings, a plate of cloud cakes, and a bowl of raspberries.
"Ah Zhao, eat up! I bought it this morning, it's fresh!" Zhu Niang said warmly.
Qingduo's face was grave. She shook her head and said, "Aunt Zhu, I've come here this time because I have a difficult matter that I need your help with."
Zhu Niang had anticipated this. Qing Duo didn't like dealing with courtesans like them; she only maintained a superficial relationship with her. She only treated her because of Tang Li, and out of affection for Tang Li, she was happy to hear this. So, she sat down opposite her and quickly replied, "Just tell me, I'm here! Since you've come to me for help, I'll brave any danger, even mountains of knives and seas of fire."
"Then you don't need to go and try, I'll go and try." Qingduo said with a worried look on her face.
Zhu Niang was taken aback and asked, "What do you mean?"
Qingduo opened her mouth as if to speak, but suddenly stopped, looked around, and asked, "My father isn't here, is he?"
Zhu Niang smiled and said, "You asked him when you came in. He's recently become obsessed with fishing and went out early this morning."
Qingduo was about to speak when she suddenly stopped, looking troubled: "Aunt Zhu, you must not tell anyone about this! Not even my father!"
"Okay, okay, I won't tell!"
Qingduo hesitated, then said, "I... I can't. Make a vow!"
Helpless, Zhu Niang raised three fingers and swore, "If I, Hao Zhu Niang, utter a single word about what happened today, may I, may I, be separated from your father and never see him again!"
"Huh?" Qingduo said sullenly, "No, no, your relationship is the most unstable! Maybe soon you'll find him annoying and want to leave him!"
Zhu Niang was both amused and annoyed. She understood that Qing Duo didn't look down on her, but rather didn't trust her unreliable father. She could only say again, "If I were to tell anyone, may I become ugly overnight, my face covered in wrinkles!"
This time, Qingduo nodded and said, "Okay, I believe you."
"So what exactly is it?"
Qingduo clutched her dress and whispered, "I dare not consummate my marriage with my husband."
"What? You haven't consummated your marriage yet?" Zhu Niang exclaimed in surprise.
"Shh—" Qingduo put her finger to her lips, urgently stopping Zhu Niang. She said, "I know this is shocking, but I, I don't want to! But I just don't dare, I'm just afraid."
"My husband comforted me, saying he could wait until I stopped resisting consummating our marriage. But what if I continue to be afraid? I doubt he can wait for me forever."
"I can't lose him!"
Just as Zhu Niang was about to say that the couple had become so deeply in love after only a few days, Qing Duo continued, "He's so rich!"
Zhu Niang swallowed her words. She thought about it seriously, then clapped her hands with a smile and said, "I have a way!" With that, she got up and went into the house. Qing Duo craned her neck, watching expectantly as she brought out a scroll.
She looked mysterious: "Ah Zhao, most mothers would keep this at the bottom of their trunk to teach their daughters how to behave. Your father is too careless to do this, so you haven't figured it out yet. You'll understand once you see this!"
Qingduo had a bad feeling. She opened it and sure enough!
Why is it another fire avoidance diagram?!
Is she some kind of expert in appreciating fire-avoidance diagrams? These past few days, one after another, people have been showing her fire-avoidance diagrams!
How could she not know about matters between men and women? She knew more than anything!
She doesn't want to see it at all!
Qingduo felt indignant and her gaze suddenly swept over the painting in her hand.
What's so interesting about a fire-avoidance picture?! If it weren't for needing to earn a living, she wouldn't... Hey? This picture is really beautiful!
Qingduo frowned and began to carefully examine the painting. The lines in the painting were smooth, the colors were soft, and the woman was charming and lovely. Although she was embracing a man, the scene was beautiful but not vulgar.
This person's painting skills are hundreds of times better than hers! This painting must be very expensive. How could Aunt Zhu be willing to buy something so expensive?
Where did this come from?
“Your father drew it,” Zhu Niang replied casually.
Qingduo was shocked, her eyes widened, and she froze on the spot, holding the scroll.
Did your father also draw a fire-avoidance diagram?
Good, good, good. The father and daughter have been living their own lives for the past six months, but they have also been doing the same thing without prior arrangement!
They really do arrive at the same destination by different paths!
A note from the author:
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