Chapter 15 Playing Chess Yan Zhenxi didn't understand what he was disappointed about.
After looking at the bookshelf, Jiang Zhiyao turned her gaze to other places, such as the desk and chair. Just as she was carefully examining the patterns on the screen, Yan Zhenxi spoke up.
"Madam, I'm all better." Yan Zhenxi picked up a handkerchief from the side and slowly wiped her mouth.
When Yan Zhenxi felt Jiang Zhiyao's gaze return to him, he subtly curled the corners of his mouth.
"Then I'll take it out for you." Jiang Zhiyao reached out to take the bowls and chopsticks off the table.
“No need,” Yan Zhenxi said gently, firmly grasping Jiang Zhiyao’s wrist. “Please stay with me a little longer, Madam.”
Jiang Zhiyao flinched as if she had been burned, then said somewhat awkwardly, "Then, then I'll have someone else come in and take it."
"Okay." Yan Zhenxi released Jiang Zhiyao's hand. "Want to play chess?"
"I'm not very good at chess," Jiang Zhiyao said somewhat shyly.
"It's alright, it's just for fun. As long as you don't mind that I'm slow."
Jiang Zhiyao sat opposite the chessboard, looking at the game in progress, feeling a bit troubled.
Her chess skills were genuinely poor, and I'm not being modest. She would lose nine times out of ten against Cheng Mingzhu, while Yan Zhenxi's chess skills were renowned throughout the capital. He was even sometimes summoned to the palace to play chess with the emperor.
Jiang Zhiyao bit her lip, watching intently, pondering where to make her next move.
Fortunately, Yan Zhenxi sometimes touches the chessboard before playing chess, which takes a while, so Jiang Zhiyao can think for a while longer.
After making a move, Jiang Zhiyao would tell Yan Zhenxi where she had placed her piece. Every time this happened, she would look at Yan Zhenxi's expression, trying to find some flaws in her strategy.
For some reason, Yan Zhenxi, who was usually unfazed even by the collapse of Mount Tai, would show a slight expression every time Jiang Zhiyao spied on him.
Although it wasn't obvious, it was enough for Jiang Zhiyao to see clearly.
By observing Yan Zhenxi's expression, Jiang Zhiyao could tell whether she had made the right move. If not, she would be even more cautious about her next move.
Jiang Zhiyao won the first set.
"Huh?" Jiang Zhiyao herself was a little incredulous. She actually beat Yan Zhenxi?
"You're amazing, Madam," Yan Zhenxi said with a light smile, her tone devoid of any hint of reluctance.
Jiang Zhiyao felt a little excited and looked forward to the next game of chess even more. Her initial reluctance had long since disappeared.
After playing several more rounds, it got later and later, and Jiang Zhiyao was still a little reluctant to stop.
But looking at the nearly burnt-out wick beside her, Jiang Zhiyao said, "Husband, it's time to rest."
Upon hearing this, Yan Zhenxi put away the chess pieces: "It was very enjoyable playing chess with you, Madam. Would you like to play with me again next time?"
Jiang Zhiyao nodded: "I'm willing."
"If you are bored, Madam, you may come to me anytime."
"good."
The following afternoon.
Jiang Zhiyao arrived at Yan Zhenxi's study and knocked on the door: "May I come in?"
Upon entering, they discovered that Yan Zhenxi was asleep on a recliner by the window.
Gentle sunlight streamed through the window, bathing Yan Zhenxi in its glow. Even the tiny dust motes dancing in the air were clearly visible. Even in his sleep, the young nobleman remained as handsome and refined as ever, like a painting come to life.
He wasn't wearing his blindfold at the moment, and was lounging lazily, somewhat different from his usual aloof image. Yan Zhenxi's relaxed posture now perfectly balanced out his previously unapproachable demeanor.
Yan Zhenxi had actually woken up when Jiang Zhiyao knocked on the door, but for some reason, he didn't get up. Instead, he did something he couldn't understand: he pretended to be asleep.
He heard Jiang Zhiyao's footsteps getting closer and closer, even though Jiang Zhiyao had deliberately tried to move quietly.
Noticing that the sunlight overhead had disappeared, he knew exactly what the shadow blocking the sun was.
He felt a fragrance and aroma getting closer and closer to him, so close that it sprayed onto his neck, making his skin tremble.
There was a vague expectation and longing in my heart, and the disappearance of the view and the blocking of the sunlight at this moment only fueled this desire.
Just as the two were getting closer and closer, and the drumbeat in Yan Zhenxi's heart was at its loudest, Jiang Zhiyao moved away.
Even the pleasant jasmine scent that clung to her vanished with it.
Yan Zhenxi felt the blanket that had slipped off her body being lifted up and covered her again.
The sunlight reappeared, the door creaked open, and Jiang Zhiyao left.
Yan Zhenxi suddenly opened his eyes, his breathing becoming heavier, his large hands gripping the blanket beside him, not understanding what he was disappointed about.
The air still held a faint fragrance of her body.
On the other side.
Jiang Zhiyao leaned against the door of her room, her face flushed.
That was close! I almost kissed him.
When Jiang Zhiyao first discovered that Yan Zhenxi was asleep, she didn't plan to go in. However, after noticing that the blanket on him had slipped down a bit, she decided to go in, pull the blanket down for him, and then leave.
But the closer Jiang Zhiyao got to Yan Zhenxi, the clearer she could see his beautiful, unguarded face.
Just an inch away from those rosy lips, Jiang Zhiyao snapped out of her daze, pulled the blanket up, and hurriedly left.
No, this time I really need to stay away from Yan Zhenxi.
-
After that day, Jiang Zhiyao never contacted Yan Zhenxi again, and she even declined to have meals with him anymore.
At first, Yan Zhenxi would send someone to ask Jiang Zhiyao if she had a poor appetite, but after being rejected by Jiang Zhiyao several times, Yan Zhenxi stopped sending anyone.
The distance that Jiang Zhiyao had narrowed with Yan Zhenxi over this period has now been abruptly widened again by Jiang Zhiyao.
Sometimes when Jiang Zhiyao was eating, she would be a little dazed, thinking that Yan Zhenxi was no longer by her side. She would pick up the food that was about to be placed to the side and then put it back into her own bowl.
But perhaps this is for the best. The more Yan Zhenxi indulges her, the more dissatisfied Jiang Zhiyao becomes. She is genuinely afraid that one day she will cross that line, and then they might not even be able to remain a couple in name only.
Yan Zhenxi's indulgence is merely due to his good nature; one must never harbor any delusions because of it.
Jiang Zhiyao often reminds herself of this.
Yan Zhenxi didn't understand why Jiang Zhiyao had started avoiding him.
He used to be able to solve even the most difficult problems with ease, but he was at a loss for what to do about this one.
He didn't understand his own attitude towards Jiang Zhiyao. He had never been so curious and tolerant of anyone, nor had he ever felt such a heartfelt affection for someone that he was unwilling to admit.
He could easily analyze the thoughts of those scheming people in the court, but he couldn't dissect his own heart.
After his men, who were sent to invite Jiang Zhiyao to dinner, returned empty-handed several times, Yan Zhenxi gave up.
Does she not like me getting close? Yan Zhenxi frowned, puzzled.
However, Yan Zhenxi had no intention of going to find Jiang Zhiyao himself. As a high-ranking nobleman, he was always flattered by others. He would only take the initiative with people who were of interest to him.
Moreover, with just a little encouragement from others, most people would give Yan Zhenxi even more initiative.
If she doesn't come, fine, but after yet another unappetizing meal, Yan Zhenxi thought with some irritation.
But by some strange twist of fate, Yan Zhenxi would always pass by the place where Jiang Zhiyao often stayed whenever he returned to the mansion.
Sometimes you see Jiang Zhiyao's tightly closed door, sometimes you see the lights in the small kitchen turned off, and sometimes you hear laughter and cheerful voices in the garden.
Even if they bumped into each other, Jiang Zhiyao would only bow respectfully to Yan Zhenxi before leaving.
This avoidance attitude made Yan Zhenxi very depressed.
He wasn't even satisfied with the somewhat intimate relationship he had before, so how could he be content with the current polite but distant attitude?
Wasn't this what he initially hoped for? He never had any requirements for his wife; he just hoped she wouldn't bother him. But why does he feel disappointed now?
Whenever Yan Zhenxi passed by and saw Jiang Zhiyao smiling, he would take a step back, hiding himself in the shadows, and just stand there watching Jiang Zhiyao's relaxed demeanor, which she had never shown to him before.
Until Jiang Zhiyao left his sight.
Every time Yan Zhenxi looked at it, he would secretly hope that Jiang Zhiyao's gaze would fall in his direction and that she would notice him.
But what will happen after she finds out? She'll probably be a little surprised at first, put away her smile, walk over to him, bow, and then leave.
And he could only watch her figure disappear around the corner of the corridor once again.
Thinking of this, Yan Zhenxi no longer wanted Jiang Zhiyao to find out about him.
Yan Zhenxi found himself like an addict, hoping to see Jiang Zhiyao every day when he passed by. After seeing her, the restlessness and desire in his heart would temporarily subside, but afterwards, the desire would come back, even stronger.
He now knows exactly when Jiang Zhiyao will leave her room to take a walk in the garden and when she will go to the small kitchen.
The bodyguards who followed Yan Zhenxi felt that their master had been acting strangely lately.
The newly moved-in Yan family is entirely composed of Yan Zhenxi's own people, and the court affairs that the master has planned are almost complete and will be finished within a few months at most.
But the master still wore his veil at home as always—or rather, only in front of his wife.
Is it because he still doesn't trust the lady? The guard didn't think so. Is it just out of caution? The guard didn't think so either. After all, the master is now more unrestrained in front of others than before. Years of planning have allowed him to infiltrate every aspect of the court. Even if someone knows about his scheme now, it cannot shake the plan in the slightest.
If it was only a little strange before, it became very strange after the lady stopped dining with the master.
Although the adults are sometimes unscrupulous in their actions, they have always disdained to do those sordid things that would be beneath their dignity. They would never do something like this, silently watching someone from the shadows like a bodyguard.
The guards didn't understand. Did the master miss his wife? Then why did he never take the initiative to go and see her?
Although the marriage was a twist of fate at the time, this was the first time the guards had seen the master treat someone so specially, and the lady's attitude towards the master did not seem unintentional.
Yan Zhenxi made a move, and the guards immediately stopped their mental conjectures and speculations, silently following Yan Zhenxi away.
The guard glanced back at the spot where Yan Zhenxi had been staring, and sure enough, the lady was no longer there.
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