Chapter 638 She's pink again, the walls are white again, she's full again, the walls are empty again [7k words, please vote!]
"Um... I hope I didn't wake up Miss Fang and the others?"
Ouyang Rong emerged from the steaming bathroom, carrying a bundle of clothes he had changed out of, and tiptoed back to the main room.
As he entered, he glanced at the dark west wing next door and muttered a question under his breath.
Zhao Qingxiu was sitting upright at the table, where a single lamp was lit. She rested her chin on her hands, seemingly staring blankly at the warm light source in front of her, just like an ordinary woman, even though she was completely in the dark.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingxiu gently shook her head, the pendant of the ice-white jade hairpin in her high-set hair jingling softly.
Ouyang Rong noticed that the long, narrow cloth bag on the table had disappeared.
Zhao Qingxiu stood up, reaching forward with both hands to greet him, and her palms touched the dirty clothes in his arms.
"No need to turn on the lights, I'll be leaving in a bit."
Ouyang Rong shook his head, feeling her pulling at her dirty clothes, and then added:
"I'll take it back; it'll be too much trouble for you to wash it."
Zhao Qingxiu stubbornly shook her head.
Ouyang Rong hesitated for a moment, then let go of her hand.
Zhao Qingxiu put the dirty clothes aside, took a dry towel, went back, and went behind Ouyang Rong to wipe his wet, black hair.
In this era, there were no hair dryers; hair could only be air-dried. Therefore, washing hair was a very troublesome task. It was best to wash hair in the bright sunshine during the day and let it dry in the sun. So-called rest days were actually used for bathing. Generally, hair might only be washed once every ten days or half a month, especially for the lower-class people. Who would wash their hair every day?
The embroiderer was probably worried that his body was weak, and that his wet hair would catch a cold from the wind.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips, took the towel from Zhao Qingxiu's hand, tilted his head and tossed his hair, and began to wipe himself.
“I’ll do it. You should go to sleep first. I feel guilty for coming over in the middle of the night, smelling of alcohol, and waking you up.”
Zhao Qingxiu remained silent. Having been relieved of her task of drying his wet hair, she stood in front of Ouyang Rong with her hands free. Instead of being idle, she rummaged through his new clothes, occasionally tugging at the fabric to adjust them.
Ouyang Rong didn't think much of it and let her do as she pleased, casually saying:
"This dress fits quite well. The embroiderer's needlework is excellent, she has the perfect touch. But don't you embroiderers always take measurements beforehand? I don't think the embroiderer ever took my measurements. Can you really be so accurate just by looking?"
He remembered his sworn sister, Aqing, who had helped him measure his waist and other measurements before they parted in Longcheng, so that it would be easier to make clothes for him.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Qingxiu immediately lowered her head, paused her movements for a moment, and then continued.
However, her little hands became a little flustered after that, touching and tugging at herself as if she had lost her focus.
Ouyang Rong looked at her with some curiosity.
The two were standing at the door of the main room.
With his back to the door, Ouyang Rong felt the night breeze slipping in from the corridor, which gently blew through his dark hair without being too cold.
"I'm leaving in a bit."
After Ouyang Rong had almost finished drying his wet hair, he stopped and whispered in Zhao Qingxiu's ear:
"Embroiderer, stop working and go back to sleep, okay? I'll stay with you until you fall asleep before I leave, alright?"
Zhao Qingxiu immediately grabbed his hand, wrote words on it with one index finger, her little face serious:
"Young master, you don't need to accompany me. You have to return first."
Zhao Qingxiu didn't ask Ouyang Rong what he was going to do so late, nor did she try to persuade him to stay.
Ouyang Rong pursed his lips.
"Actually, there's no rush. We can stay for another hour or two... We need to leave before dawn."
He turned around and glanced outside the door.
Looking beyond the wall, Ouyang Rong could vaguely see the eaves of a cluster of halls and buildings of Chengtian Temple on the opposite bank of the lake.
He couldn't very well tell the embroiderer that he was going to find Yue Chuzi from their Jianze and have a proper meeting with her, could he?
And just in case, it would be best if the embroiderer could sleep peacefully in the quiet courtyard...
Ouyang Rong suddenly felt the embroiderer in front of him push his chest gently with her two small hands, and with a gentle force, push him out the door.
"Ah ah."
Zhao Qingxiu began to "drive" Ouyang Rong away.
Ouyang Rong took a deep breath and prepared to take his leave.
At this moment, Zhao Qingxiu suddenly turned around, went back into the house, wrapped a ball of candied fruit in a handkerchief, held it in both hands and returned to Ouyang Rong's arms.
"I've already eaten, you can keep it for yourself..."
As Ouyang Rong was speaking, Zhao Qingxiu's small hand, which had been reaching into his collar, suddenly stopped. Under his stunned gaze, she pulled out a small wad of fabric.
The blindfolded girl lowered her head curiously, unfolded the small wad of fabric with her slender hands, and touched it carefully.
This object is faintly sky blue in color.
It was the dirty satin ribbon that Zhao Qingxiu had changed out of while taking a bath in the evening.
It was obvious that Zhao Qingxiu had also found out that it was hers.
She raised her head blankly, her small face, blindfolded by a new ribbon, seemingly staring at Ouyang Rong.
The atmosphere gradually became awkward.
"If I said I brought it out by accident, would you believe me?"
He asked with utmost seriousness.
Zhao Qingxiu remained silent and did not take his hand; she continued writing.
However, her subsequent actions revealed the answer to this question.
Zhao Qingxiu suddenly gripped the dirty ribbon tightly with her left hand, clenched her fist and hid it behind her back. She raised her right hand, untied the new sky-blue ribbon covering her eyes, and hurriedly stuffed it into Ouyang Rong's arms.
“…” Ouyang Rong began, “I…”
Zhao Qingxiu interrupted, a slender index finger already drawing characters on his chest like a dragon:
That one's dirty, young master, don't use it, use a new one.
Ouyang Rong: ...?
After being stunned for a while, he said urgently:
"I didn't, what are you thinking, embroiderer? How could I possibly use your blindfold to indulge in lust and relieve stress in such a vulgar way..."
After finishing writing, Zhao Qingxiu was so ashamed that she couldn't lift her head, burying it deep in her chest. Upon hearing this, she seemed to be reminded of something or made some connection to something, and suddenly turned her head to look towards the bathroom.
Ouyang Rong followed her gaze and looked over as well.
Bathroom? His eyes first showed doubt, then a picture flashed before his eyes of a bamboo basket containing a thin undergarment.
Ouyang Rong's expression changed.
“I didn’t take it…” he immediately interjected.
Zhao Qingxiu suddenly pushed him as he spoke, and took two steps back. Ouyang Rong saw that her face was flushed red to the point of being exquisitely beautiful. Her face, now without the blindfold ribbon, looked somewhat dazed, perhaps because her eyes were dull and lifeless.
Ouyang Rong thought that the embroiderer's expression should be one of shock.
The two stood facing each other in silence for three breaths. Zhao Qingxiu turned around anxiously and hurriedly ran into the room, hiding behind the screen. Ouyang Rong didn't know what she was going to do for a moment, so he buried his head and hid like an ostrich.
Anyway, I didn't listen to his explanation at all.
Ouyang Rong opened his mouth wide and touched his chest where something had been stuffed in. He felt a little dry-mouthed and didn't know how to explain.
Goodness, I've never felt so powerless to explain something... Well, you say you even took the dirty ribbon, but didn't touch the old undergarments or other items that were washed next to it? Who would believe that?
Ouyang Rong wished he could slap himself.
Now my pants are really covered in mud, it's not like that, it's like that, it's impossible to wash it clean.
"Longling—"
Ouyang was about to go inside to explain to Zhao Qingxiu again when the familiar crisp sound came again, and Zhao Qingxiu returned.
Ouyang Rong saw her rush out from behind the screen, her hands behind her back as if she were carrying something.
Before he could ask, Zhao Qingxiu had already come up to him and hurriedly stuffed a bundle of things into his arms.
Ouyang Rong looked puzzled:
"This is?"
He touched the bulging hem of his shirt and pulled out a thin, silky piece of fabric, then looked down at it.
A delicate fragrance wafts through the air, and the light green fabric still retains a hint of warmth, adorned with mandarin duck embroidery that reflects the woman's tender thoughts.
The embroiderer's bodice!
It seems it was still withdrawn on the spot...
Ouyang Rong was immediately speechless.
"Why...why are you giving me this?" He first glanced back at the west wing where the Fang sisters slept, then lowered his voice and asked.
Zhao Qingxiu kept her head down, silent.
This time, she didn't write a single word; the young woman was utterly ashamed.
Indeed, the only person in the world who could make her, a noble virgin of Yue, the future Holy Sovereign, and who had been pure and abstinent for so long, immediately take off this intimate garment without a second thought after sensing a certain need, and offer it to him willingly, with tenderness and extreme shyness... could only be Ouyang Rong.
"Um..." Faced with Ouyang Rong's seemingly righteous return, Zhao Qingxiu gave a perfunctory and hurried response.
After suppressing her intense embarrassment and handing over the personal item, she ran back to the main room, hid behind the door, and turned to close it, blocking Ouyang Rong outside.
But Ouyang Rong couldn't stand it, so he quickly stretched out a foot and wedged it between the two doors that were about to close.
"Take it back, I really don't need it!"
Ouyang Rong stuffed a warm, fragrant piece of light green fabric into Zhao Qingxiu's hand.
Zhao Qingxiu refused to accept it, shrank back, and slammed the door shut.
"Listen to me, open the door quickly." Ouyang Rong hurriedly pushed the door open.
"Waaah." Zhao Qingxiu turned her back to the door, blocking it, refusing to let anyone in.
"Squeak—squeak—!"
The two were quite stubborn, but unfortunately the small door was extremely fragile. Under the pressure from both sides, it trembled and innocently bore the brunt of everything.
But Ouyang Rong had actually been quite merciful to the door. He was prepared for the embroiderer's strength and had held back some of his power to conceal his cultivation level. He didn't know if the embroiderer had done the same.
Anyway, the two of them just stayed together like that... He was a little stronger, and she was a little stronger too... It was hard to tell who was stronger.
Just as the stalemate was at its peak, a sound of someone getting out of bed and putting on shoes suddenly came from the west wing, followed by footsteps approaching from a distance.
Who's there?
Fang Shengnan's groggy voice came from the west wing.
Outside the main room, the stalemate suddenly froze, and silence fell...
"Why aren't people sleeping at this hour? And why are people talking..."
Fang Shengnan grumbled in dissatisfaction, pushed open the door and went out, looking around sleepily.
The corridor was empty, and the main room where the faint sounds had just been heard was also silent and deserted, with the door tightly shut.
The courtyard was quiet, with only the whistling of the evening wind blowing through the long corridor.
"Strange, could it be a dream? I've been having more and more bizarre dreams lately. Is it because I'm too bored during the day and overthinking things? Is it because I dream about what I think about during the day..."
Fang Shengnan shook her head, rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, and went to the outhouse. A short while later, she returned, entered the west wing, got into bed, hugged her older sister, and went to sleep happily. Little did she know that the story that unfolded in the corridor that night was even more exciting than her dreams...
Inside the main room, behind the tightly closed door.
Ouyang Rong held Zhao Qingxiu in his arms, their backs against the wooden door frame.
The two remained motionless, their eyes squinting, holding their breath in concentration.
Ouyang Rong waited until he heard the female knight-errant return to the west wing and the sound of the door closing before he breathed a sigh of relief.
His attention returned to Zhao Qingxiu.
Zhao Qingxiu kept her head down, not daring to look at him.
Ouyang Rong leaned close to her ear and whispered:
"I really didn't mean that, the embroiderer has misunderstood..."
He felt the embroiderer suddenly grab his hand and start writing, then paused in her speech.
"Young master, you mustn't say it anymore, I'm so embarrassed."
She pleaded, and Ouyang Rong shut his mouth.
Zhao Qingxiu turned around and buried her head in his chest, her forehead touching his.
Even though the "crisis" outside had been resolved, the two remained in the same position, embracing each other and leaning against the inner door.
The room was completely silent.
Ouyang Rong was a head taller than Zhao Qingxiu, so he lowered his head and buried his face in her dark hair, smelling her familiar, delicate fragrance. He then glanced down at a spot on her neck where a wound had faded to the point of being invisible.
Actually, accepting this undergarment isn't a bad idea; it might actually be useful.
Or rather, it is more convincing than a single sky-blue satin ribbon used by an embroiderer.
When he meets Yue Chuzi, who is lurking in Chengtian Temple, if he casually takes it out, Yue Chuzi's expression will probably be quite interesting. He will denounce the lecherous thief... Well, let him be scolded, it doesn't matter. It was stolen by the habitual flower thief [Craftsman]. What does it have to do with the owner of Butterfly Love Flower?
Just as the two embraced and enjoyed the silence.
"Whoosh whoosh-!"
Several familiar voices came from afar, breaking the stillness of the night.
It's fireworks.
The banquet at a restaurant by Xingzi Lake was still going on, and fireworks were still being set off into the sky as if they were free, like a grand fireworks display.
Ouyang Rong was speechless. Why were these Yangzhou merchants drinking so late? Luckily, he left early.
However, the banquet should be coming to an end now. This is the last burst of fireworks, and it's going to last quite a while, as if they're going to set it all off at once. Pei Shisan Niang and her group are indeed very extravagant.
Inside the main room, Ouyang Rong and Zhao Qingxiu listened silently to the sounds of fireworks outside, the colorful lights occasionally illuminating the long corridor separated from them by a door.
There was no movement from the west wing; Fang Shengnan must be fast asleep. The Fang sisters seem to have a good quality of sleep.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ouyang Rong saw Zhao Qingxiu slightly turn her head, looking in the direction where the fireworks were going, a look of longing on her small face.
He suddenly opened the door, took her hand, and strode out.
Zhao Qingxiu's face froze for a moment, and she followed him out the door in a daze, glancing worriedly at the dark west wing every now and then.
The two arrived at the corridor.
"Don't move, keep your head tilted back."
Ouyang Rong circled behind Zhao Qingxiu, wrapped his arms around her waist, rested his chin on the top of her head, and, with his eyes slightly rolled upwards, gazed at the fireworks display in the night sky, whispering:
"Look at this bunch. First, it emitted white smoke and rose into the air, then a small yellow light appeared, exploded, and bloomed into a golden, silvery-white, pale purple, and pink umbrella..."
"Come on, turn your head and look at that cluster again. It exploded! The fireworks were colorful, like ribbons of silk—blue, red, purple, and green. Wow, it was like a magnificent, vibrant garden had opened up..."
Ouyang Rong meticulously recounted the details with a serious expression, patiently explaining each one. Sometimes, he would gently lift her head with both hands, guiding her to face the sky where fireworks were blooming.
Zhao Qingxiu let him shake his head, her small face blankly lost in thought.
Those dark eyes, which had been dim for so long, brightened slightly under the illumination of the fireworks explosions in the sky.
"So, embroiderer, how was the fireworks?"
Ouyang Rong suddenly asked with a smile.
Zhao Qingxiu looked up at the sky, grabbed his hand, and began to write without lowering her head:
The fireworks were so beautiful, so lovely, I loved them!
"I like it too, this angle is really beautiful." Ouyang Rong said softly, but he kept his head down and didn't look at the fireworks.
Unaware that the young master's eyes were bright, Zhao Qingxiu looked up at the fireworks, her face blank for a moment, before weakly writing: "Young master, my vision isn't dark anymore! The fireworks are so bright! It used to be so dark in front of me, I was often scared."
She sniffed, and Ouyang Rong touched her somewhat absent-minded face, saying calmly:
"Don't worry, young master is here."
"Pfft."
Zhao Qingxiu smiled suddenly, "Yes." She nodded vigorously, somewhat impatient to write:
"Young master, 'Embroiderer' is my nickname. May I call you by your nickname?"
“Alright, my nickname is Tanlang.” Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes.
Hello, Tanlang
"Oh, you're not circling the character '檀' anymore? The embroiderer can't even write the character '酒', so why can she write the more difficult character '檀'?"
Ouyang Rong chuckled.
Zhao Qingxiu tilted her head slightly.
From now on, I'll write about...O-Lang.
She circled the character "郎" (Lang). She didn't answer the question.
Ouyang Rong didn't ask any more questions, and said with a stern face:
"Yuanlang? That's weird, let's forget about it."
Zhao Qingxiu silently wrote: [My love, it seems we met at Chengtian Temple, also under the fireworks.]
“Yes, it hasn’t been long, it’s just before the Lantern Festival, but it feels like years have passed. I’m so used to your cooking, I wish I could eat it every day. Haha, maybe you shouldn’t leave, Xiu Niang, let my family take over…” Ouyang Rong said half-jokingly.
Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head and drew circles in his palm for a while. She neither nodded nor shook her head. After a moment, she continued writing: "My dear, must you go back tonight?"
Ouyang Rong paused for a moment, then made up his mind. He didn't answer immediately, but chuckled softly.
“Otherwise, where am I supposed to sleep? There are only two side rooms here. I can’t possibly squeeze in with Lady Fang and the others. If I have nowhere to sleep, does the embroiderer expect me to find a place for myself? That’s not impossible…” He glanced sideways.
Zhao Qingxiu turned her head shyly and remained silent.
Ouyang Rong narrowed his eyes slightly and continued to whisper in her ear:
"Weren't we supposed to be good friends? Why did the embroiderer shove this undergarment into my hands? Did she just take it off? Is this how good friends behave?"
Zhao Qingxiu's body trembled slightly, her voice barely audible: "Ugh..."
My fingers trembled for a while before I finally put down my pen.
[Between good friends...is this not allowed? Isn't this what Tanlang taught me? Last time in the kitchen, Tanlang did *that* to me. Even that was between good friends, so this is okay, right?]
"What is that matter?" Ouyang Rongzhuang asked, puzzled.
Zhao Qingxiu turned her face away, biting her lip and remaining silent.
Ouyang Rong sighed, seemingly at a loss for what to do with his good friend, and waved goodbye, saying:
"Alright then, as a good friend, I'll reluctantly accept it. But, in return, you have to do your good friend a favor too."
What, busy
She paused and hesitated, taking quite a while to finish writing the three characters.
"Simple. I'm hungry."
Ouyang Rong smiled, casually took out a packet of candied fruit from his pocket, and opened it.
Is my lover hungry again? I'll go heat up some food.
Zhao Qingxiu pushed away the embrace and prepared to go to the kitchen, but Ouyang Rong hugged her and did not let go.
"Come on, ah, open your mouth."
He picked up a candied fruit and put it into the mouth of the stunned Zhao Qingxiu.
"Is it tasty?"
Zhao Qingxiu nodded somewhat blankly: "Mhm."
Ouyang Rong picked up another pill, put it in his good friend's mouth, and said with a smile:
"Then I want to eat too."
Zhao Qingxiu reached out to pick up the candied fruit, but Ouyang Rong grabbed her hand.
"Doesn't the embroiderer have one? Why take mine? Well, since I'm helping out, I'll just eat yours."
Ouyang Rong blinked and said.
Zhao Qingxiu was stunned for a moment.
Immediately, Ouyang Rong saw that her ears almost turned bright red.
It was so red it looked like it was about to bleed.
Ouyang Rong, like a hands-off manager, closed his eyes and waited, muttering urging under his breath:
"Hurry up, hurry up! Is the embroiderer trying to back out? Heh, our little boat of friendship can't withstand much damage. If it capsizes, you'll have to bear the consequences. Hmm, I don't know what I'll do after it capsizes, so please don't blame me then, embroiderer..."
He tried hard to suppress the corners of his lips, speaking with an air of seriousness.
"Ah ah..."
The renowned Yue maiden Zhao Qingxiu was so frightened that she stammered and hesitated.
The two remained in this embracing posture.
The silence lasted for an unknown amount of time.
The last firework of the night exploded above their heads.
In the fleeting glimmer of light, Zhao Qingxiu finally stood on tiptoe.
A candied fruit was passed on.
It contains sweet saliva.
...
Zhao Qingxiu felt as if a firework was exploding in the darkness before her.
She was dizzy and confused the whole time, letting herself be manipulated.
Tanlang pinned her against a sturdy, thick pillar.
Two good friends, just like last time in the kitchen.
Zhao Qingxiu clung to Ouyang Rong like an octopus, tightly gripping his waist.
The two started by exchanging a piece of candied fruit between good friends.
First on the corridor, then by the outer door of the west wing, and then, under the woman's frightened and pleading, they moved to the main wing.
Throughout the process, they kept their voices down, like a silent, scorching furnace, where a hammer clashed with a soldering iron, sparks flew, and waves of heat rolled in.
Main room.
She was placed on the table.
The teapot, which was accidentally knocked off the table, was caught quietly by her nimble little feet. However, this time, her legs were a little weak, and she almost dropped and broke the teapot, startling her lover.
Zhao Qingxiu felt as if she were flying, sometimes in the sky, sometimes on the ground.
A white jade hairpin had already been pulled out by Ouyang Rong and left on the table, otherwise the two of them would have woken up the whole courtyard.
The rather annoying "tinkling" sound of the jade disappeared, and all was quiet inside and outside the house.
Zhao Qingxiu's long, beautiful black hair flew in the air, brushing against his handsome face, and she couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him.
She flew from the table to a couch in the inner room, changing locations again, but the one constant was her lover who had stolen two of her candied fruits.
Zhao Qingxiu's black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, darker than the night itself.
She braced herself on the couch with one hand, and in just enough time, she tied her cascading hair into a ponytail with a sky-blue ribbon.
It was another takeoff, and the world spun around her. Zhao Qingxiu had no idea where she was going or what her destination would be.
The last candle in the room suddenly went out.
...
Inside the inner room, on a pitch-black bed.
Zhao Qingxiu's new single ponytail bounced around in the darkness like a lively elf.
She had little experience, but she remembered the last time very well.
She figured it out all by herself, and it left a particularly deep impression on her.
The same was true now. Under Tanlang's surprise and doubt, she lowered her head and turned over with a burning face.
In the familiar spot, in the familiar darkness, Zhao Qingxiu found that familiar wall again.
A feeling of safety and joy welled up inside me, and I gradually became bolder, as lively and cheerful as a babbling brook in a summer mountain stream.
She turned pink again, the wall turned white again, she was full again, the wall was empty again, the reflection in her eyes rose and fell, and the wall moved again.
She smiled; this time he was awake.
...
Ouyang Rong found himself down below.
Zhao Qingxiu pressed her hand against his chest.
She seemed worried that her husband's sickly body wouldn't be able to hold on.
Zhao Qingxiu's preconceived notion of him was still that of a frail scholar, too weak to withstand the trials of a Qi cultivator, unless he was exceptionally gifted.
Otherwise, it's too much and it's easy to break down.
Zhao Qingxiu still held very traditional and conservative views.
So she foolishly wanted to make her own decisions.
She even timidly took the initiative to write words to comfort Ouyang Rong.
Telling him to be obedient and observe and learn... that's hilarious.
“…” Ouyang Rong’s lips twitched.
The last time he was unconscious, it was when the embroiderer was on top.
Now that he's awake, he still lets the embroiderer sit on top.
Then wouldn't his awakening have been in vain?
However, one soon noticed her cautiousness and clumsy efforts.
Ouyang Rong nodded quietly.
Let's give each other a turn.
Let her take the lead.
halfway.
In the darkness.
Ouyang Rong's eyes suddenly widened in surprise.
A purple light seemed to flash before my eyes, and the humming of the Blessing Bell reached my ears. The Pagoda of Merit had received some external signal and triggered a reaction.
Moreover, it was a completely new development that Ouyang Rong had never seen before.
Is it trying to persuade the host not to reveal his righteous spirit?
But Ouyang Rong felt that the Blessing Bell and the little wooden fish were even more unorthodox than he was, and had no persuasive power whatsoever.
Ouyang Rong was preoccupied with the most important matter in the world and didn't have time to think it through. He shook his head.
He spoke up instinctively:
"Behave yourself, stop..."
"ah?"
The blind and mute girl, whose face was even pinker than the wall, stopped and tilted her head in confusion.
"I said... no, don't stop."
Ouyang Rong concealed the surprise in his eyes, feigning nonchalance, coughed, and closed his eyes:
"It's alright, embroiderer... lift it up a bit."
"Hmm~"
Zhao Qingxiu smiled faintly, then smiled faintly again.
...
——————
(PS: This is a 7k-word compilation, so I'm adding an extra chapter. I still owe 11 chapters.)
I'm begging for a wave of monthly votes that will be refreshed mid-month! (or 2)
(End of this chapter)
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