Chapter 53 Ah Ying, Call Me Husband
After Chi Ying's period ended, the two chose a day that wasn't too hot and set off for the outskirts of the capital, which happened to be the Qixi Festival.
This time, only Qingzhi and Yinqiao were brought along as personal maids. Lianyun and Fengyue also accompanied them for protection. Xiangqin stayed in the mansion under the pretext of catching a cold, and occasionally went to Liumian Lane to check on Aunt Xue.
The horse-drawn carriage rumbled out of the city gate.
As the curtains were lifted, the view shifted from the bright yellow palace to the blue-tiled brick walls, and then to the vast farmland and green mountains and clear waters. Chi Ying felt as if she were in a dream, as if she had returned to the farm where she had lived for many years.
She had traveled from the capital to the outskirts of the city twice. Once, she walked there weeping, carrying her wounded and dying mother; the other time, she returned weeping, covered in mud and with nowhere else to go. Both journeys were undertaken with a heart nearing despair.
Never before have I felt so relaxed. The carriage shattered the morning light, carrying two carefree hearts to the mountains and rivers, to see the clear sky, the clouds drifting by... and, with someone impossible.
She turned her head and quietly looked at the man behind her.
Yan Xue noticed her gaze, looked at the girl's fair and delicate face, and pursed her lips, saying, "Are you looking at me again?"
Chi Ying didn't deny it this time: "Yes."
Yan Xuecui's voice was gentle: "What are you looking at me for?"
Chi Ying said softly, "I just think that Your Highness is handsome."
Yan Xuecui smiled and asked, "Does he differ from the husband you imagined?"
Chi Ying looked at him silently for a moment, then said, "Your Highness is very well."
No sooner had he finished speaking than an arm swept across his waist, instantly pulling him close.
Chi Ying had no choice but to climb onto his shoulder, looking down awkwardly: "You... don't do it here. It's not appropriate for someone to see me disheveled..."
"What's wrong with it?" Yan Xuecui said dismissively. "Even if they see it, so what? No one dares to say anything, and no one dares to spread it."
Chi Ying muttered in a low voice, "If Your Highness continues like this, I won't say anything more to you."
Yan Xuecui smiled helplessly, "Okay."
His lips landed on her neck, close to where she had spoken, and he murmured softly, "What were you looking at just now? Tell me."
Chi Ying then told him about the scenery along the way, but as he gently kissed her throat, her voice became slightly itchy and tingly.
Yan Xuecui could already see large patches of green, smell the damp heat of the soil, the fragrance of lotus flowers and leaves, and hear the breeze passing through the mountains and forests, the sound of pine trees rustling, and the sound of bamboo leaves whispering. She could vaguely tell where they were.
When the carriage reached the foot of the mountain, the mountain road gradually became rugged. The sounds of springs and rocks, birdsong and insect chirps filled the air. These were the sounds of the layered mountains and lush forests. Yan Xuecui estimated the time and had someone sit on his footstool.
Chi Ying was so exhausted from all the whispering and rubbing along the way that her limbs were weak and she was too weak to struggle or resist. She could only bite her lip and submit to him.
The mountain road was muddy and bumpy, shrouded in mist. Extra caution was needed in the slippery sections. Once this difficult section was over, the road became a relatively smooth mountain path. The wheels rolled over the gravel on the road, accompanied by the rustling of the mountain wind and the babbling of the stream, which perfectly masked the noise inside the car.
The carriage slowly came to a stop outside the hot spring resort. Chi Ying's face was flushed, her breathing was unsteady, and her fingertips were trembling uncontrollably. She slumped into his arms.
They embraced for a long time until their breathing calmed down. Yan Xue kissed away the tear stains at the corners of her eyes, wrapped her shivering body in her cloak, and carried her down from the carriage.
Even Yan Xuecui was visiting for the first time, so she could only follow the directions of the manor manager to a hot spring bath shrouded in mist.
The area is surrounded by lush vegetation, with steam rising from the warm pool. The gilded incense burner by the pool emits fragrant wisps of incense. On the table, snacks, fruits, and soups are all prepared with meticulous care.
Chi Ying hid in his arms and secretly glanced outside. She saw the open-air hot spring and a circle of maids serving her. She realized that she was not only likely to be continued by him, but would also be watched by others. She immediately grabbed his shoulders nervously, "I...I want to go to the bedroom to bathe alone."
Yan Xuecui hissed softly and complained, "You bit my shoulder until it bled, and you were still biting so hard..."
Chi Ying pursed her lips, wishing she could bite him again.
Yan Xuecui saw that she had been traveling a long way today, especially the part on the mountain road where the carriage was bumpy. She couldn't help but bite him, which showed that she really had no choice but to endure it to the extreme.
Daring to bite him is a kind of progress.
Well, there's plenty of time. They can stay here for a whole month. Let her rest for now.
Hot water was prepared in the bathroom, and Chi Ying soaked her whole body in it. Her hands and feet were sore and weak, and she could only barely manage to wash away the stickiness all over her body.
Her lower abdomen was still aching slightly. She barely ate a couple of bites before curling up in bed, pulling up the covers, and falling asleep. No matter how much the person next to her kissed her or bit her earlobe and fingers, she was too sleepy to pay attention.
When I woke up again, it was almost dusk.
King Zhao leaned against the bed, twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers and playing with it.
Whether he hadn't slept at all or had just woken up, he spoke gently when he heard her wake up: "Shall we get up? Shall we go watch the sunset?"
What a dreamy sentence.
Having slept soundly all afternoon, hearing this upon waking up already feels somewhat unreal.
Chi Ying nodded hesitantly.
After resting for two hours, her fatigue subsided and she finally regained some strength. She got up and washed up quickly, and the two of them, led by the steward, headed to a pavilion high up in the manor.
A gentle evening breeze caressed my face, the setting sun shone like gold, and the sky resembled a shattered dye vat, with bright warm orange and crimson clouds intertwining, bathing the entire mountain resort in a hazy golden glow.
Chi Ying gazed at the setting sun slowly sinking behind the mountains in the distance and let out a long sigh.
Since returning to Beijing, she has never seen such a view again.
She always kept her head down and tried to hide herself. She walked cautiously, as if on thin ice, without the courage or the heart to relax completely and stop to look at the scenery around her.
Chi Ying glanced at the man beside her. He was handsome and elegant, with a graceful demeanor. However, his eyes were dull and lifeless, filled with darkness. Yet, he was willing to stay here with her to watch the sunset.
"Why did Your Highness bring me here?" she couldn't help but ask.
He didn't have to do that. He was blind, yet he took her out to enjoy the flowers, the moon, and the sunset. She would feel guilty, and he might have regrets.
Yan Xuecui didn't care. "I'm just taking the one I love to do what she enjoys. Any ordinary husband would do the same, wouldn't he?"
Chi Ying kept reminding herself to stay awake, but when she heard the words "the one I love," her heart couldn't help but flutter.
"So you don't need to worry about me," Yan Xue smiled, "or is it that you've never considered me your husband from the beginning? And felt uncomfortable around me?"
Chi Ying silently clenched her fingers. "...No."
Yan Xuecui lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead. "We'll spend a month together at this hot spring resort. There are no princes or princesses here, only Aying and me. Let's put aside all our concerns and just be an ordinary couple, shall we?"
Chi Ying stared at him blankly, trying to see a hint of mockery or probing on his face, but she saw none.
He was talking about this very seriously.
Can she set aside all her reservations and treat him as her husband?
Chi Ying remained silent for a long time before finally agreeing, "I... will follow Your Highness's arrangements."
Yan Xue Cui smiled wryly: "You'll listen to me?"
Chi Ying: "Mm."
Yan Xuecui then said, "Aying, call me husband."
Chi Ying stared at him in astonishment, momentarily at a loss: "This... is against etiquette."
Yan Xuecui: "I said that there are only the two of us here, so there is no need to be formal."
Chi Ying pursed her lips, still unable to speak.
Yan Xuecui laughed and said, "Didn't you say you'd listen to me no matter what? Here's the thing, if you feel uncomfortable, I'll give you time. Before midnight today, I want to hear you call me that, is that alright?"
His tone was gentle, but it carried a hint of relentlessness. Chi Ying had no choice but to agree for the time being, secretly planning to find another opportunity to smooth things over later.
The last wisp of cloud on the horizon quietly disappeared beneath the mountains, and the night spread out like thick ink. The evening breeze dispelled the heat of the day and was as cool as water.
Yuan De led several maids to set out dinner in the pavilion. Under the pavilion, lights lit up one after another in the rockery and flower bushes. A slender moon hung over the water, and several stars were scattered about. The stars shone brightly, and fireflies danced among the grass and trees.
After the two had dinner, Chi Ying asked him, "Where would Your Highness like to go?"
Yan Xuecui simply said, "It's your decision."
Looking at the starry sky, Chi Ying suggested, "Shall we sit on the grass?"
Yan Xuecui readily handed her her hand.
Chi Ying then led him down from the pavilion. A cool mat was laid out under the old locust tree. The two went from sitting on the ground to lying down side by side, their hands still clasped together.
In fact, Chi Ying tried to pull back unintentionally several times, but he held on even tighter, so she simply stopped struggling.
The villa is situated on high ground, with stars scattered across the sky, seemingly within reach. Countless fragments of stars converge to form a clear, ribbon-like Milky Way, flowing quietly across the night sky.
Chi Ying gazed at the twinkling stars in the sky and said softly, "Everyone says that wishes made on Qixi Festival are the most effective."
Yan Xuecui had never believed in gods and ghosts, but she didn't want to spoil her mood, so she just smiled and said, "This place is high up. There are probably few places in the capital that are closer to the sky than here. If you make a wish here, all the gods should be able to hear it."
Chi Ying curled her lips into a smile, looked at the Milky Way stretching across the sky, closed her eyes, and silently made a wish in her heart.
She's a bit greedy; she has many desires.
May my mother and Consort Zhuang be safe, healthy, and happy every year;
May His Highness Prince Zhao regain his sight soon;
May everything go smoothly for me, and may I no longer live in constant fear...
After silently reciting the request in her mind, she opened her eyes and turned to the person beside her: "Does Your Highness have any wishes?"
Yan Xuecui stroked her fingers, raised an eyebrow and said, "Leaving aside the long-term ones, there's one right now."
Chi Ying paused for a moment, then realized what he wanted to say and turned her head away awkwardly.
Yan Xuecui sighed softly: "It seems that all the so-called wishing is just a lie. You won't even grant me such a simple wish, so what about anything else?"
Chi Ying could only say, "It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just... I'm not used to it."
Yan Xuecui: "If it's not that you're unwilling, then it means you're willing?"
Chi Ying felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
She was willing, but she was afraid that once she uttered the word "husband," she would lose control of her heart and become lost in this beautiful dream, and everything would never be able to return to the right track.
Therefore, she dared not, and could not.
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Author's Note: Here it is! [peeking while covering face] 50 random little red envelopes~ Thank you for the nutrient solution, my darlings! [shy]
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