Chapter 67 Mountain and Water Residence
Ji Shu raised her hand to stop Chunzhi, and Chunzhi fell silent, feeling wronged.
She glanced around and said softly, "In that case, I'll trouble you, Commander Lu."
Lu Changming bowed and stepped out of the carriage, ordering the coachman to drive the carriage into the mansion through the side gate.
Ji Shu propped her forehead up, and Chunzhi knelt at her feet, looking aggrieved. She said in a wronged tone, "Young lady, if Marquis Yan does this, doesn't that mean you're being looked down upon before you've even entered the manor?"
Upon hearing this, she simply replied, "I don't care about these things. I don't care how he treats me."
After getting off the carriage, the maids led the way. The mansion was not the exquisite scenery of an ordinary residence, but rather a spacious and solemn layout, carrying a sense of quiet oppression.
Chunzhi's heart pounded; she had never seen such solemn decorum in her life.
The group stopped at an exquisite courtyard. Ji Shu glanced at the maids and servants standing on both sides. They all had their heads down and were holding their breath, their breathing barely perceptible.
Lu Changming paused slightly, looked at the plaque above, and had a strange expression.
Looking at the three of them, he paused for a moment and said, "Madam Ji, this is Shanshui Residence, where you will live from now on."
Ji Shu glanced around at her surroundings, while the maid leading the way beside her glanced around discreetly.
She was dressed in plain clothes with black hair, yet her bright eyes and white teeth could not be hidden. Just standing there, supported by someone, her every move, whether raising a hand or taking a step, was graceful and flowing.
He sighed inwardly: No wonder, no wonder!
Seeing this, Ji Shu nodded. As soon as she stepped into the main hall of Shanshui Residence, she saw that the entire main hall was large and spacious. From the entrance, the floor was covered with thick carpets. When you stepped on the carpets, your shoes made no sound. It felt like walking on clouds.
Just a few steps from the entrance is a sandalwood screen inlaid with mother-of-pearl depicting a landscape, and the interior is even more spacious.
By the window were a pair of pale blue glazed vases with floral patterns, and hanging down was a piece of gauze, each inch of it gilded with gold, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet airtight.
After passing the screen, on the right side, there is a large Xiangfei soft couch.
Considering the rising temperature, a cool ivory mat was laid out on the couch, with two soft blue satin pillows on it. When Chunzhi picked one up, she noticed a faint fragrance emanating from it.
The entire house was exquisite and luxurious in every way.
Even the well-informed Lian'er couldn't help but marvel at how such an arrangement could not have been accomplished overnight.
It seems that they had just set off from Chongzhou and the arrangements were already being made here. Ji Shu sat on a low stool, watching Chunzhi and Lian'er tour the place inside and out.
It would occasionally let out a cry of surprise.
After finishing his business, Pei Yanzhi rushed over without stopping. On the way, he thought about it carefully. She was still young and didn't know how to serve a man, so why should he argue with her?
Now that they've arrived at his residence, what happens next is entirely up to him. As long as she stays by his side and doesn't disobey him, that's enough.
Stepping into Shanshui Residence, he found that the house had been completely vacant since Gu's death, and this was the first time he had stepped into it in many years.
As soon as he entered, he saw Ji Shu sitting on a stool, with a maid serving her tea. When she saw him enter, the maid hurriedly bowed.
Pei Yanzhi waved his hand, sat down casually, and stared at her intently.
She casually propped her forehead up and sat at an angle, revealing a large expanse of her fair, translucent arms. She didn't get up even when he approached.
Because of the hot weather, and in order to stay cool, she wore only a light purple strapless top, which appeared faintly white from his angle.
She wore a sky-blue gauze skirt, layered and piled up at her feet like clouds and mist. Her black hair was all tied up and styled with a casual hairpin, making her look even more vibrant and charming.
Pei Yanzhi raised an eyebrow. After more than ten days apart, she seemed to have grown up a bit, as if all the unpleasantness between them during this time had never happened.
With her stunning beauty, even if Xingjian wasn't around, there would be others. The slight displeasure in her heart had already dissipated without her realizing it.
He asked softly, "How is this house? Do you think it's acceptable? I specially came here to match the furnishings on your estate."
Ji Shu was stunned. No wonder it looked somewhat familiar. However, every item inside was extraordinary, far superior to anything in the manor.
He then instructed, "Bring the ice chest over later."
The maidservant beside her quickly replied, "Yes."
He continued, “I live in Wenxin Pavilion. Shanshui Residence is just a few steps away from Wenxin Pavilion. If you have nothing to do, you can go to the study to read and relieve your boredom.”
Pei Yanzhi grasped her hand, which was hanging down in her sleeve. Her fingers were spread out, and under his palm, her slender and fair hands appeared even more delicate.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you still angry about that day?" Pei Yanzhi wanted to clear up the misunderstanding from that day. Now that they were in the manor, why bother with those things?
Ji Shu lowered her eyes and didn't look at him, saying indifferently, "No."
Upon seeing this, Pei Yanzhi waved his hand, and Chunzhi, Lian'er, and the other servants hurriedly retreated and closed the door.
When Ji Shu saw that they had all left, she panicked. She really didn't want to face him alone. Thinking of how he had tormented her that day, her unmade-up face turned even paler.
Pei Yanzhi pulled her into his arms, let her sit on his lap, and wrapped his arms around her slender waist.
These days he has also been thinking about why he cares about her so much, even though she has someone else in her heart.
It's nothing. If I hadn't used some tricks back then, how could she be in my carefully decorated room today?
"At first, I thought that if you wanted to live outside and didn't want to come to the manor, I would let you have your way. But after all this time, I don't know why, I found that my greed was getting stronger and stronger, and I even wished I could keep you by my side at all times."
The gentler his tone, the more heavy a boulder seemed to press on her heart, as if she were being gripped by a strange fear.
Ji Shu was forced to turn around. Pei Yanzhi gently lifted her chin and said in a low voice, "You must be tired after traveling for so long. I won't come over tonight. You should get some rest."
Looking into his unfathomable eyes, her pupils constricted slightly; she thought…
She was about to say something when she heard voices at the door. Lu Changming reported, "My lord, the old lady invites you to the main hall for dinner. She says the young master has returned from the military camp..."
Ji Shu trembled slightly. Pei Yanzhi lowered his eyes to look at the person in his arms and loosened his grip slightly. "Okay, I understand."
He rubbed his fingertips against the skin on the inside of her wrist and whispered, "Eat well. If you need anything, just tell the maid, and she will take care of it for you."
He placed her on the stool and, seeing that she was still staring at him like that, gently stroked her cheek, the cool ring sliding across her face.
He then turned and walked out.
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