Sharing a bed
Whenever Cheng Yayin went to Zhijin Bookstore, Xia Changhuan would pick out some books for her to take away. Having known each other for so long, Xia Changhuan knew exactly what she liked, so Cheng Yayin didn't need to choose from the books she'd chosen; she could just take them with her, knowing they were all books she'd enjoy reading anyway.
Once, Xia Changhuan packed a stack of books for her as usual, and said mysteriously that there was a good book inside, which was not sold to the public in the store. It was specially reserved for her, and she was asked to go back and read it carefully away from others. She was sure that after reading it, her inspiration would flow like a spring, and she would write like a god.
What she said sounded so magical that by the time Cheng Yayin discovered what kind of book it was, it was already too late. She couldn't put it on the shelf openly, so she had to stuff it into a secret drawer and never read it again...Okay, she did secretly read it a few times, but she never thought that she would be caught!
At this moment, the book was held in Pei Songsheng's hand. The opened page caught Cheng Yayin's eyes. She glanced at it and her face turned red. She rushed over to snatch it away.
Pei Songsheng raised his hand high and teased, "Madam, why don't you show this good thing to me?"
Cheng Yayin tried to stand on tiptoe to reach his hand and said stubbornly, "This is not mine!"
"What is the lady grabbing?"
Cheng Yayin choked.
Pei Songsheng: "Madam, you've been treating me coldly these past few days, and you're reading this kind of book in private?"
"I didn't!" Cheng Yayin retorted with a blushing face.
Pei Songsheng chuckled, turned his wrist, and pointed the page of the book in his hand towards Cheng Yayin. The explicit scene rushed into her eyes. Cheng Yayin was forced to turn her head away, her face red as if blood was about to drip out.
Pei Songsheng took in her shy expression and said slowly, "It seems I haven't done enough. Madam still wants to read to satisfy her craving. If Madam had any needs, she should have told me earlier. In the way of husband and wife, they should speak frankly, so that they can make progress."
Cheng Yayin felt even more embarrassed. Pei Songsheng had completely lost his nerve after becoming Lu Xingyuan. He looked like he was going to teach her a lesson right then and there. She didn't care about her already shattered reputation and immediately tried to run away.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she took a step back, Pei Songsheng quickly grabbed her waist and blocked her retreat.
One tried to run, the other tried to stop him, and the two of them struggled aimlessly at each other within a short distance. The more Cheng Yayin struggled, the harder Pei Songsheng maliciously pushed her, and their bodies touched more and more. She was so embarrassed that she struggled hard to break free from his embrace, but she lost her footing and fell backwards.
Pei Songsheng hurriedly grabbed her and turned her around. The two of them fell on the soft bed together. Pei Songsheng put himself underneath and let Cheng Yayin fall on his chest.
In order to hold Cheng Yayin, Pei Songsheng loosened his hand holding the book, and the book fell onto the bed with the two of them, with Cheng Yayin's hand right on it.
Before she could notice how ambiguous the two people's current posture was, Cheng Yayin's eyes subconsciously glanced at where her hand was pressing. The book turned a page when it fell, and stopped at a more exciting picture. She only took a glance and felt the blood in her body rushing to the top of her head.
Pei Songsheng followed her gaze and said with a half-smile, "Madam, do you want to do this tonight?"
Cheng Yayin screamed, grabbed the damn book, stood up and stuffed it into the secret drawer. Just as she was about to run away, she was grabbed from behind and pulled back, and fell into Pei Songsheng's arms.
Cheng Yayin twisted and struggled, shouting in panic, "Don't mess around!"
Pei Songsheng hugged her, his chin resting on her shoulder. The playful expression on his face disappeared, and he asked in a low voice, "Madam, what are you worried about?"
His sudden seriousness made Cheng Yayin's heart tremble and she stopped struggling.
Pei Songsheng hugged her tighter, his hot breath spraying on her neck, causing a slight itch.
He sighed softly and said, "I know there are still many issues between us that have not been resolved. I also know that you are still unclear about your own feelings and the path forward. But as long as we are husband and wife, we will never abandon each other."
Cheng Yayin whispered in his arms, "It won't be that way soon." When he turns back to his original self, they will be not far from harmony.
These words sounded different to Pei Songsheng, who had become Lu Xingyuan. He pinched her chin in dissatisfaction and said, "The agreed one-year period hasn't arrived yet. How can I tell what it will be like then? As long as you are still my wife, you must be with me. I won't force you to do anything, but if you want to understand your feelings, you can only do so by my side. Even if you hesitate or struggle, you can only hesitate by my side."
"I won't rush you. Everything else is fine, but one thing is for sure—don't push me away."
Cheng Yayin's heart was touched. On the one hand, she felt that it was very corny for him to say these words with Pei Songsheng's face, but on the other hand, she felt relieved because he said, "I won't force you to do anything."
She turned her head and carefully stared at Pei Songsheng's expression. His eyes held seriousness, tenderness, and undisguised fondness, all belonging to another soul within him. Yet, she still caught a glimpse of Pei Songsheng's calmness and reliability in them, like a rock immovable in the wind and waves, silently standing amidst the shifting souls.
No matter how a person changes, his essence will not change. Pei Songsheng's soul is still in his body, and Pei Songsheng's words can be trusted, and Pei Songsheng's promises will definitely be kept.
Cheng Yayin's panicked heartbeat gradually subsided. For some reason, a feeling of grievance washed over her. She pouted and said, "You looked like you were going to eat me just now."
Pei Songsheng laughed above her head: "I'm just teasing you. You look so adorable when you're so panicked."
Cheng Yayin glared at him in dissatisfaction and was about to get up from his arms, but Pei Songsheng untied her clothes.
Cheng Yayin panicked again: "Didn't you say you wouldn't force me?"
"I just wanted to hold you to sleep. What are you thinking about, madam?"
Cheng Yayin was like a lamb to be slaughtered in his hands, powerless to resist. Pei Songsheng took off her outer clothes, shoes and socks, and quickly took off his own. The two of them lay down on the bed with only their underwear on. The big quilt covered them. Pei Songsheng held her softly in his arms and said contentedly, "Let's sleep."
Cheng Yayin had never been so close to Pei Songsheng before. She struggled several times but failed, and instead she tore his shirt into pieces.
Pei Songsheng didn't tie it properly, leaving his white chest exposed before her eyes. He closed his eyes and said calmly, "Madam, if you move again, I'll think you have ulterior motives."
Cheng Yayin really didn't dare to move anymore. Pei Songsheng silently curled up the corners of his mouth and hugged her tighter.
Except for when she was young and slept next to her mother, Cheng Yayin had never been held like this before. She thought that tonight would be a sleepless night, but when she rested her head on Pei Songsheng's arm and saw his exposed chest, her mind gradually flew away.
Pei Songsheng is... quite attractive, and he smells so good.
Cheng Yayin quietly leaned closer and took a few puffs. As she smelled it, she felt as if she was drunk and didn't even know when she fell asleep.
She slept very soundly. When she woke up the next day, Cheng Yayin felt refreshed, but she was very doubtful of herself.
How could she fall asleep in Pei Songsheng's arms and sleep so soundly?
Pei Songsheng, who had also gotten enough sleep, came over with a smile to take credit: "I told you that Madam would sleep more soundly in my arms."
Cheng Yayin pushed away his hand that was holding her, and concluded that her defenseless behavior was too exhausting. Even if she was asked to sleep in the pigsty, she would sleep soundly.
However, thanks to this sleep, Cheng Yayin regained her energy and immediately began to make arrangements after catching the traitor in the mansion.
First, a thorough investigation of the mansion's personnel was necessary. He San had already been transferred to the Dali Temple for trial, and there was no guarantee the murderer wouldn't seek out other members of the household. Cheng Yayin ordered Jian Zhu to investigate the family backgrounds and conduct of all servants in the mansion. Not only Cheng Yayin herself, but even family members found guilty of gambling and other misconduct were to be expelled immediately, ensuring that no loopholes remained for the perpetrators to exploit.
Even so, the Pei Mansion was no longer a solid block, and there was no guarantee that Du Lanxin could be completely protected. Therefore, Cheng Yayin's second plan was to conceal her where the murderer would not expect her.
The people in the wealthy families are complicated. The Cheng Mansion is not necessarily safer than the Pei Mansion. There is no guarantee that there will not be another He San. The academy is even more crowded and difficult to guard against. In such a big city like Shengjing, Cheng Yayin really couldn't think of anywhere to go.
After much deliberation, Cheng Yayin decided to ask the dean for help.
If she wanted to ask the dean for help, she naturally couldn't hide anything. However, the case was still unclear, so she couldn't share the details. Cheng Yayin only said that the person who had abducted Du Lanxin was no ordinary lecher; he might have harbored murderous intentions. The perpetrator already knew Du Lanxin was hiding in the Pei Mansion, so she had to find another place to stay as soon as possible.
The dean has always loved Du Lanxin and was very worried. He remembered that his cousin and his niece lived in the countryside outside Beijing. The couple were kind-hearted people and would definitely be willing to take care of Du Lanxin for a while.
After deciding on the destination, all that remained was to arrange how to get them out of the city.
So one sunny afternoon, a young girl with a pretty face but a sad expression came to the Shouqi Shop in the north of the city and said she wanted to buy a coffin.
Someone with sharp eyes recognized that it was the personal maidservant of Mrs. Pei Zhongcheng.
Mrs. Pei's trusted maid placed the coffin herself, so the deceased must be extraordinary. However, seeing that the Pei Mansion was as calm as usual, it didn't look like there was a funeral.
Some curious people made inquiries and finally found out the truth - it turned out that Mrs. Pei's distant cousin came to visit last month. She was frightened by something at home and was already in a daze. On the way to Beijing, she encountered an accident and was unfortunately trapped in a fire. The thick smoke entered her lungs, causing stagnation and burning of the lungs. On top of that, she was weak and the evil wind entered her body. The two conflicts made her fall ill as soon as she arrived at Pei's house.
Mrs. Pei invited many doctors to come to the house, but her cousin still died. I heard that she was confused before she died, and kept calling for her parents.
Mrs. Pei naturally felt extremely guilty for not taking good care of her cousin. I heard that she cried every day in her house, unable to sleep or eat, and was determined to fulfill her cousin's last wish to return to her hometown.
So the next day, a hearse left the city gate and headed for Huai'an, Mrs. Pei's hometown.
On the day of leaving the city, many people saw the hearse with its white banners draped over it. As the weather grew hotter, the body could no longer be stored and needed to be buried quickly, so they disregarded any solemn mourning and rode at top speed out of the South City Gate.
Everyone felt sorry for the young girl's early death, and that even after death she would have to endure the hardships of traveling. However, no one expected that the coffin in the hearse was empty, and the girl who was supposed to lie in it had already been quietly sent to the countryside on the other side of Shengjing.
Cheng Yayin had already made all the necessary arrangements. If anyone followed or inquired about the whereabouts of the deceased, the escort would immediately capture them and report them to the authorities. The hearse would travel day and night to Huai'an. If anyone wanted to track the deceased's whereabouts, Huai'an was a thousand miles away from Shengjing, so they could do so.
After seeing Du Lanxin off, Cheng Yayin had another important matter to attend to.
She wanted to meet Liu Chang in person.
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