Chapter 26 "Madam, you can do what you want with me now..."
The red candles are lit.
Tonight, Qingchan specially changed to a new set of bedding featuring mandarin ducks playing in the water and peony vines, and even the bed curtains were embroidered with pomegranate patterns, aiming to create a truly immersive atmosphere.
“Miss, sir, I will be keeping watch in the next room tonight, and the stove is full of firewood.”
In short, there's plenty of hot water!
Before leaving, Qingchan secretly clenched her fist at Chen Lingyue.
I must win over the son-in-law tonight!
Once the door closed, only the two of them remained sitting at the table, staring at each other.
It's strange, even though we've been sleeping in the same bed for several days, I still feel a little awkward at night.
A candle flame burst open, and Pei Jinghuai touched his nose before speaking first.
"Who... should take a shower first?"
Shen Lingyue stood up abruptly, feigning composure, "Let me go first."
A moment later, the faint sound of water could be heard coming from the cubicle.
Pei Jinghuai was getting restless, pacing back and forth on the ground, repeatedly thinking and rehearsing in his mind.
He even crawled under the bed and secretly pulled out a small picture book, staring at it for a long time.
Ahem, although he was the one being taken advantage of tonight... he's still a man, a husband, and the head of the household!
Fearing that Shen Lingyue would find out, he left half of his body under the bed and struggled to turn the page.
Completely unaware that the sound of water had stopped...
As Shen Lingyue stepped out from behind the screen, she saw Pei Jinghuai scramble out, his clothes crumpled and his hair disheveled, his expression one of panic as if he had been caught doing something wrong.
What are you looking for under the bed?
He immediately denied it: "I wasn't looking for anything!"
Seeing him flee to the next room, Shen Lingyue walked to the bedside, bent down, and peeked inside.
It was too dark, she couldn't see anything, and it was too cramped inside. She didn't want to get covered in dust right after taking a shower.
Let's talk about it when I'm free tomorrow during the day.
She mentally added a task to her to-do list, then quickly climbed into bed and lowered the bed curtains.
What should we do next? Wait for him to come back from his shower?
Then……
Shen Lingyue sat in the center of the bed, sometimes hugging and kneading the pillow, sometimes lifting the quilt to cover her head.
Ugh, why do I feel even more awkward and nervous than on our wedding night?!
That's the kind of situation where everyone is waiting for you to do something "bad" that was strictly forbidden not long ago, but once you get married, it becomes a "proper" thing that you have to do.
Shen Lingyue: A seasoned veteran in theory, but a novice in practice.
She closed her eyes, trying to recall the male bodhisattvas she had seen before: doing push-ups shirtless, kneeling on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs, washing cars with a high-pressure water gun, the water "accidentally" making their white shirts transparent...
Many bloggers don't show their faces in their videos, so in Shen Lingyue's mind, these vivid and sensual scenes automatically transformed into Pei Jinghuai's appearance.
I really want to see him in a striped suit, white shirt, and black collared coat... Hehehe.
While she was happily lost in her own imagination, Pei Jinghuai was taking a bath much faster than her, and even secretly used some of Shen Lingyue's soap beans to scrub himself until he smelled fragrant.
He tiptoed out and saw her rolling around inside the bed curtains; his Adam's apple bobbed nervously.
Pei Jinghuai blew out the two copper-framed lamps standing by the bed, leaving only the one near the door, and the room dimmed.
Just as Shen Lingyue noticed the light dimming, the bed curtains were lifted, and a large, clean, and fragrant dog jumped up, enthusiastically inviting her to roll around with it.
There was a rustling sound inside the tent.
Shen Lingyue was turned 180 degrees and straddled Pei Jinghuai's strong, well-defined abdominal muscles.
He lay beneath her, his body burning hot like a boiled shrimp, yet he blushed and pretended to be calm as he patted her twice.
"Madam, you may proceed with my affairs now."
Shen Lingyue placed her hands on his chest, her face as red as his, her expression fierce but her heart pounding: "...You only know how to bully me!"
Pei Jinghuai smiled brightly and deliberately straightened his back twice.
"I'm clearly doing this out of respect for you."
Enraged, Shen Lingyue bent down and bit him.
Gnawing and gnawing.
Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've still seen pigs run, right?
The sturdy, heavy rosewood bed began to creak.
rustling sounds.
Gurgle, gurgle.
Occasionally, there were soft, low gasps from women.
Slow down!
There was also the sound of a man inhaling, "It was you who insisted on squeezing it in..."
"...Don't say it!"
Enraged, the one covered his mouth, and everything went upside down, the world turned upside down.
The lamp wick exploded with a series of loud bangs.
The crescent moon in the sky has unknowingly traveled quite a distance.
Shen Lingyue experienced firsthand what it meant for a second to feel like a year.
She lay back on the bed, too weak to even lift her hand, the muscles on the inside of her thighs trembling uncontrollably.
Looking at the energetic dog beside him, as if it had just taken a super tonic, he was absolutely furious.
She raised her hand and gently pushed him away twice, saying, "It's so hot, move away a bit."
Tonight's petal bath was a waste, and I can't sleep on the new mattress now...
"don't want."
Pei Jinghuai pressed himself against her again, hugging her tightly from behind, as if deliberately trying to rub the sweat from their bodies together.
He liked this position; it allowed him to hold her completely in his arms.
They're all his.
Shen Lingyue flailed her legs a couple of times, but to no avail, so she could only close her eyes and pretend to be asleep.
I'm so tired, I'll rest for a bit before taking a shower...
However, the big, furry head behind him was still rummaging around, whimpering and whimpering in dissatisfaction.
After a long day at work, Xiao Shen returned home and, exhausted, went downstairs to walk the dog.
After walking the dog for two hours, it still wasn't satisfied, so we dragged it home and it started scratching at the door again.
"I can't walk anymore, I really can't walk anymore..."
Shen Lingyue raised her hands in surrender, "Overeating is wrong. Eating smaller, more frequent meals is what's good for your health, understand?"
Pei Jinghuai understood and was a little unhappy, but seeing that she really didn't seem to have any strength left, he had no choice but to take the opportunity to add conditions.
"How much more? Three times? Five times?"
Shen Lingyue hurriedly covered his mouth, her almond-shaped eyes, rippling with tears, filled with accusation.
Do you want her to never see the sun rise again, even if it's done three or five times?
She tore his face into a mess, then deliberately threatened him with a cold expression: "I want to take a bath, go fetch some water."
Anyway, she's too ashamed to face Qingchan tonight QAQ
Pei Jinghuai got up, put on his outer robe, and went out. He quickly brought in two large buckets of hot water and poured them into the bathtub.
He returned to the bedside and easily picked up Shen Lingyue horizontally, without her having to exert any effort at all, tidying her up neatly and cleanly.
Back on the bed, even the crumpled mattress was torn off and piled in the corner, replaced with a clean set.
A crack was opened in the window, and the night breeze, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers, drifted in, dispelling the ambiance within the tent.
Even though they had already washed up, once they lay down on the bed, they somehow ended up snuggling together again.
Shen Lingyue rested her head on his arm, comfortably leaning against his chest, and breathed a sigh of relief as if she had accomplished something important.
Hmph, once the meat is in her mouth, no one can make her spit it out.
"Hey, I've been wanting to ask you this for a while now."
She rolled over to face him, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Why is your courtesy name 'Huaizhou'?"
Pei Jinghuai rested one hand behind his head, his eyes half-closed, as if he were resting.
"When my mother gave birth to me, the old man had just been sent by His Majesty to inspect the Huai River area. When he received the letter from the mansion announcing the good news, he named me Huai."
His voice was already very pleasant, but after this night, it became even more tender and moving.
“When my elder brother turned twenty, he was given the courtesy name Yunzhao by His Majesty. At that time, I was still young, but I was unwilling to compare myself with my elder brother in everything, so I clamored to have a courtesy name as well.”
Huai Zhou not only echoes the character Huai in his name, but also implies a heart full of boats and oars, and a broad and open mind.
When he finally understood the profound meaning of this title, he knew that the emperor's heart belonged to his eldest brother, and the title of Marquis would always belong to him.
Pei Jinghuai opened his eyes and looked at her: "We are now a real couple, and there are some things I need to tell you in advance—don't even think about the position of heir apparent. I won't compete with my elder brother for it, and I have no interest in it."
Shen Lingyue blinked. "But before I married into this family, there were rumors that you and my elder brother were fighting fiercely for the title."
Pei Jinghuai gave a sarcastic smirk, "Who knows who these gossips are? They probably just can't stand seeing the Pei family doing well."
Although there was part of the reason on his part as well.
The young man was proud and ambitious. He admired his older brother but also felt a secret jealousy. Driven by his competitive spirit, he deliberately acted as if the brothers were at odds.
“Grandma is so biased. She’s always been wary of my mother and me since we were little, as if she was afraid we would harm her. But the more she does that, the more I want to provoke her. Otherwise, why should my mother suffer injustice for nothing?”
Pei Jinghuai grinned. "You know what? A few years ago, Grandma was seriously ill and almost had to prepare for her death. I deliberately spoke behind her window, saying that as soon as she breathed her last, I'd team up with Mother to kick my eldest brother out of the house. Guess what? The old lady was so angry she was able to get out of bed that very night and even ate a big bowl of chicken soup with rice."
Shen Lingyue covered her face and laughed so hard she was shaking.
He is such a filial son.
"Anyway, she looks down on me and is wary of me, so you don't need to worry about her." Pei Jinghuai lowered his head and kissed her hair, saying smugly, "We are a marriage ordained by imperial decree, no one can break us up."
"Huh?" Shen Lingyue looked up, asking incredulously, "An imperial decree for marriage, can't we get a divorce?"
Pei Jinghuai's expression changed, and he reached out to pinch her cheek, "...You still want a divorce?"
Shen Lingyue quickly admitted defeat, "No, that's because I was worried about entrusting my case to the wrong person."
She spoke sweetly to him, drawing circles on his chest as she did so, "Now that I know how good you are, my husband, of course I'm very satisfied."
"That's more like it."
Pei Jinghuai snorted twice, his tail wagging again.
Shen Lingyue stroked his hair gently, "Besides, 'Huai Zhou' sounds really nice, like a boat adrift on water... carefree and happy."
Cherishing a boat, cherishing a boat.
She had a mischievous idea and deliberately used a high-pitched voice, "Brother Xiaozhou?"
Pei Jinghuai's heart skipped a beat when she called out to him.
Shen Lingyue blinked, grinned mischievously, and deliberately rubbed her waist.
"Now that you mention it, I was rowing a boat just now..."
Pei Jinghuai understood instantly, his eyes darkened, and he stared straight at her, his tone dangerous.
Do you want to sleep tonight?
Is he so well-rested that he dares to tease him now?
Pei Jinghuai made a move to pounce on her, but Shen Lingyue quickly pulled the blanket over herself and pretended to be asleep.
"No, no, I won't. I have to pay my respects to my mother-in-law tomorrow morning. Don't make me feel impolite."
Pei Jinghuai snorted softly and hugged her tightly, wrapped in the blanket. After a while, he felt unsatisfied and pulled the blanket off himself, crawling inside as well.
"...I'll just give you a hug, I promise I won't move."
*
The next morning, when she combed her hair, Shen Lingyue didn't dare to meet Qingchan's eyes.
Qingchan saw through her scheme but didn't say anything, and instead chuckled as she tucked a butterfly-shaped hairpin into her hair.
Pei Jinghuai walked over from behind, leaned against her like he had no bones, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
When are you coming back?
Shen Lingyue was shocked: She hadn't even left the house yet!
Is separation anxiety starting now?
She ruffled the dog's hair. "My sister-in-law and I are going to pay our respects to Mother, and then maybe we'll go for a stroll in the garden? We can't just stay cooped up in the room all the time... You should find something to do too."
Pei Jinghuai looked at her expectantly: "My older brother has five days of wedding leave, why doesn't he go find something to do?"
Pei Jingyi, who is so dedicated to his work, has been following his sister-in-law around these past few days, hasn't he?
"Oh right, my brother is leaving for work the day after tomorrow."
Shen Lingyue chuckled to herself, thinking that she could go play with Yan Yi every day!
But how am I going to get through these next two days...? I've got it!
She turned to Pei Jinghuai and asked, "Can you ride a horse?"
Pei Jinghuai looked at her like she was an idiot. Did he even need to ask?
Shen Lingyue clapped her hands. "The Marquis's mansion must have some good horses, right? How about the four of us go out of the city for fun tomorrow? You can teach me how to ride a horse, okay?"
Pei Jinghuai was initially reluctant to hear this. He was willing to teach horseback riding, but why did it have to be four people?
Shen Lingyue tugged at his sleeve and shook him, "Little~ Zhou~ Brother~"
Pei Jinghuai curled the corners of his mouth, then tried his best to press them down, "Alright, I agree."
The Marquis's manor has a farm in the suburbs, and nearby there is a flat and open hillside, which is perfect for beginners to ride horses.
"When you go to the main courtyard later, ask your sister-in-law if she's free tomorrow."
Pei Jinghuai started to think, "Maybe she and my older brother have other plans."
That leaves only the two of them?
"That's impossible."
Without a second thought, Shen Lingyue said, "I'll say where I want to go, and my sister-in-law will definitely go there."
That's how confident I am!
Pei Jinghuai: ...
Shen Lingyue got dressed and went out, leaving the big dog to guard the house.
She first took a detour to Jiusi Academy, and was about to knock on the door and call for help.
"Your sister-in-law is here."
Pei Jingyi's probing gaze swept over her. "From Danyue Pavilion to Tanghua Garden, it seems like it doesn't pass through here?"
"Yes, I went out of my way to find my sister-in-law to go out with."
Shen Lingyue smiled on the surface, but was crying inside.
What a dilapidated mansion! The garden is so big, it's built like a park.
She thought that after marrying into the family, she would be able to be neighbors with Yan Yi.
Where can you find a neighbor you can walk half an hour from?
Oh well, let's just treat it as exercise...
Shen Lingyue entered the room as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, and asked, "Is sister-in-law up?"
Pei Jingyi nodded, "You've come at the right time; she was just about to leave too."
As they were talking, Yan Yi pushed open the door and came out of the house.
Shen Lingyue pounced forward and whispered in her ear, her face flushed.
Pei Jingyi saw Yan Yi slightly widen her eyes and look in his direction the next second.
Pei Jingyi: ?
He looked at her, asking what had happened.
Yan Yi realized what was happening and quickly shook her head, looking away.
She slowly walked up to Pei Jingyi. "Let's go to the main courtyard to pay our respects to the madam. What are your plans for today, husband?"
Pei Jingyi thought for a moment and shook his head, "I won't go out today. I'll stay in the study and organize official documents."
"By the way, brother, we'd like to go horseback riding outside the city tomorrow. Are you free?"
Remembering the important matter, Shen Lingyue asked him with a smile, "If you're too busy with official duties, why don't you come with me, sister-in-law?"
Pei Jingyi immediately said he was free.
He looked at Yan Yi: "Tomorrow is the last day of our honeymoon, so I should take you out for a stroll—would you like to go shopping, or find a teahouse to eat and listen to music?"
Pei Jingyi pretended to have forgotten Shen Lingyue's suggestion to ride a horse.
However, Yan Yi replied almost without hesitation, "I want to be with my younger brother and sister-in-law."
Pei Jingyi: "...Alright, let's go horseback riding outside the city together."
He watched the two leave the courtyard hand in hand, then shook his head helplessly.
He summoned Shumo and said, "Tomorrow we're going out of the city to ride horses with my second brother and his wife. Go to the stables and choose two docile horses. Also, check and prepare all the necessary items."
Only after saying that did he realize he had forgotten to ask if Yan Yi could ride a horse.
It's unlikely.
General Zhou probably didn't teach her.
Pei Jingyi's fingertips twitched at his side. He turned and went to the study, where he found two books, "Essentials of Horsemanship" and "Complete Essentials of Military Strategy." He turned to the section on teaching how to select and ride horses and began to study it carefully.
*
“Next time I go to pay my respects to my mother-in-law, I will come to find you in advance, and we will go together.”
Shen Lingyue pulled Yan Yi along for a leisurely stroll.
She was lively and active from a young age, but Yan Yi preferred to stay at home.
After they became good friends, Shen Lingyue would often drag Yan Yi out for activities. Later, when they went to different universities, Shen Lingyue still made sure to monitor Yan Yi's exercise, making sure she went to the playground at least three times a week, taking walks in the night breeze while video chatting.
Thanks to her, Yan Yi's health did improve considerably. During the final exam week of her sophomore year, the flu was rampant, and several of her roommates caught it because they stayed up all night studying. Only she was fine and went home after finishing her exams.
"The doctor told you to rest, but you can't just lie there completely without moving; that'll make you stupid. You still need to go out for a walk and get some fresh air."
Shen Lingyue circled around Yan Yi, sometimes walking forward, sometimes backward, never stopping for a moment.
Yan Yi wanted to laugh when she saw her expression, and asked, "You seem very happy today?"
Shen Lingyue chuckled twice.
What is the joy of eating meat to your heart's content?
Mom, the male Bodhisattva really descended to earth to save me, hehehe...
Although her legs were still trembling a bit when she woke up in the morning, she's young, and after eating and drinking well, she's in good health!
"Cough cough."
Shen Lingyue suddenly leaned closer to her, her face flushed, and reminded her, "Your health isn't as good as mine, so tell Pei Jingyi to take it easy."
It's no exaggeration to say that she felt like she was going to faint several times last night...
Yan Yi's eyes flickered, and she blushed as she pretended to hit her.
Shen Lingyue laughed and ran away, "Oh dear, our little Yan Yan is shy again, okay, okay, I won't say anything more!"
They arrived at Tanghua Garden amidst laughter and chatter.
Yan Yi sneezed as soon as she entered the room, raised her hand, and took a white cat hair off her face.
"Meow~"
A long-haired orange and white lion cat trotted towards the two of them, meowing softly.
Yan Yi was shocked and quickly hid behind Shen Lingyue.
"Oh, it's Mimi!"
Shen Lingyue watched as it rubbed against the hem of her skirt, then reached out and pinched it under its armpit, lifting the cat up and nibbling at it incessantly.
"Mimi, what's your name? You're so sweet, let me suckle you a couple of times..."
Shen Lingyue buried her face in the kitten's thick chest, making strange cackling noises.
"The eldest and second young mistresses are here. Oh, how did Fluffy get out here?"
When Madam Qi came out of the house, she was surprised to see Shen Lingyue hugging and kneading the lady's beloved pet.
"We usually don't let the little ball of fluff touch her, but I didn't expect her to be so affectionate with the second young mistress."
Madam Qi covered her mouth and laughed, "It must be because you smelled the Second Young Master's scent on you."
Shen Lingyue paused in her cat-cuddling motion.
Haha, it really did marinate well last night...
She changed the position of the fluffy ball, holding it in her arms like a baby, scratching its chin, listening to its contented purring, and asked, "Is Mother awake? My sister-in-law and I have come to pay our respects."
"You've come in, please."
Mother Qi led the two into the house.
"...Achoo, achoo!"
Yan Yi sneezed several more times, tears welling up in her eyes, and covered her face with a handkerchief.
"Oh, I remember my sister-in-law saying that you've been afraid of cats since you were little, and you'd sneeze whenever they got close, right?"
Shen Lingyue blinked at Yan Yi, repeating the words.
However, Yan Yi's allergy to cat fur is something from her past life, so how did she carry this condition with her?
Yan Yi rubbed her red nose and nodded, "I don't know what happened either..."
Mrs. Qi looked a little embarrassed. "Oh dear, what should we do?"
It's the shedding season for Fluffy, and there's even more cat hair in Madam's room. We can't let the young mistress stand outside the door, can we?
If this gets back to the matriarch, people will say that the matriarch deliberately tormented her eldest daughter-in-law.
Yan Yi said to Qi's mother, "It's alright, I'll just sit by the window."
When Meng Wanyin came out from the inner room, she saw the little ball of fluff nestled softly in Shen Lingyue's arms, and a proud smile unconsciously appeared on her face.
"It's very well-behaved, isn't it?"
Shen Lingyue nodded repeatedly, "She rubbed against me as soon as we met and wanted me to hold her. How did you raise her? Look at her fur, so smooth and shiny..."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law hit it off immediately and started exchanging tips on raising cats.
Yan Yi sat by the window in the ventilated area, recalling how Shen Lingyue had always been a key member of their university's stray cat rescue club. Every day after class, she would go to various places to feed the cats, and every few days she would catch cats to have them spayed or neutered.
She also said that once she graduates and rents a place, she will "kidnap" a calico senior and take it home to raise.
At this time, Little Moon would sigh to her, "Yan Yan, how come you're allergic to cat fur? It's such a pity."
...
Shen Lingyue was also explaining for Yan Yi, "My sister-in-law sneezes uncontrollably whenever she comes into contact with cat hair. I heard it's a disease that's related to individual constitution and there's no cure."
Meng Wanyin looked a little embarrassed. "Since that's the case, then you should come here less often. Actually, paying respects is just a formality. As long as you and the eldest young master are harmonious and happy, that's the best way to show filial piety."
Yan Yi stood up. “Propriety must not be disregarded. My husband instructed me to serve my mother with extra care and not to neglect her.”
Meng Wanyin was deeply moved.
Although the eldest son was raised by the old lady when he was young, he was always cold and indifferent to her.
But one day, she saw nine-year-old Pei Jingyi secretly teasing her cat in the garden, his face showing a touch of childish innocence.
She finally mustered up the courage to step forward and ask, "I have some dried fish that I specially bake in my room. Would you like to come back with me to get a bag?"
Although the Grand Madam later received the news and rushed to Tanghua Garden to snatch him away, it was as if she wanted to murder the eldest son.
But at least from then on, whenever Pei Jingyi saw her, he would secretly nod at her when no one was looking.
Before her two daughters-in-law entered the family, Meng Wanyin's biggest fear was that Pei Jingyi would marry a difficult wife who would constantly quarrel with her over the power to manage the household.
Thinking of this, Meng Wanyin looked at the two of them.
"The Marquis's mansion is large and prosperous, and the daily affairs that need to be handled are extremely complicated. Who among you would like to share some of the burden for me?"
Shen Lingyue pointed to Yan Yi without hesitation: "Naturally, it should be handed over to my sister-in-law."
Pei Jinghuai said that the entire Marquis's mansion would belong to Pei Jingyi and Yan Yi from now on, so of course she should take charge of it now.
Meng Wanyin still had a good impression of her daughter-in-law, and upon hearing this, she couldn't help but ask her again in a low voice, "You really don't plan to get involved?"
Although she knew that the title was destined to be out of reach for her foolish son, she thought it would be good to accumulate more wealth for him while she was still in charge of the household.
And after managing things for so many years, she's really getting tired...
Shen Lingyue shook her head repeatedly, "I'm not good at this at home, Mother, please don't make things difficult for me."
Meng Wanyin sighed and didn't insist.
"Alright, then from now on, whenever your eldest daughter-in-law has time, come and lend a hand. I'll prepare a separate room for you, and you're not allowed to go in there."
The sooner she is relieved of her duties as a housekeeper, the less the old lady will have to be on guard against her every day.
Yan Yi thanked her for her thoughtfulness.
Pei Jingyi was right; the Lady of the Marquis was indeed a good person.
-----------------------
Author's Note: I stayed three feet away from the screen the entire time I wrote this chapter... You two were so sweet it hurt my eyes! [Chin resting on hand][Chin resting on hand]
/Titi's advance notice: There will be an "if" scenario in the extra chapter where two dogs follow my wife back to the modern world [Let me see] My daughter wants it, and my daughter gets it!
//I saw some comments asking about the relationship between the older brother and sister-in-law. Here's the thing: they're both a bit shy. [doge emoji] (eye movement) (no disparaging remarks) (no implication)
[Heart][Heart] Hope it posts smoothly hahaha
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