Chapter 65 Remembering Jiangnan (Part 5) Both delicate and willful.
Night rain falls like a curtain, slender bamboo outside the window is green and broken, and a lamp shines brightly in the warm room.
Ye Mu wasn't sure if Zhou Chongli had seen through her, or if this was a common tactic he used to test his subordinates; she couldn't tell.
All the abnormalities could only be attributed to one's own humility and cowardice.
Ye Mu forced a smile and replied, "My lord, I have no other concerns. It's just that I have never attended such an important banquet before. All those who come and go are high-ranking figures like the Prefect and the Judge. I feel quite uneasy."
"You've become much less daring than you were during the lantern festival."
Ye Mu's heart skipped a beat, realizing that he still remembered the lantern festival. She thought he had never recognized her. "As a newcomer to officialdom, I am afraid of making any mistakes."
Zhou Chongli remained silent for a moment.
He spoke slowly, as if to comfort him, “Lord Ye prefers tranquility. This is just a small gathering with a few close friends for a quiet chat. Treat it as an ordinary family dinner. Don’t be too nervous.”
He picked up the bamboo chopsticks again, and seeing that she still didn't move, he asked, "Is the food not to your liking? I see you're eating very little."
Ye Mu felt like she was sitting on pins and needles. She had to carefully savor every bite of the meal to see if there was any hidden meaning or something that didn't suit her taste. She simply dared not take a bite.
Hearing his sudden question, Ye Mu picked up his chopsticks and said in a low voice, "No, the food is very good. I was just distracted for a moment."
“The food in Wu is sweet, and you’re from the north, so you’re probably not used to it yet.” Zhou Chongli’s gaze lingered on her face. In the candlelight, her complexion appeared somewhat dull, but not so sallow, with a faint bluish-white tinge.
"Look at your face, it looks a bit less rosy than when you were in Wanping. Is it because you're not used to the new environment?"
"Thank you for your concern, sir. I have always had a weak spleen and stomach since childhood, and since I am new here, I am occasionally feeling unwell. But it is nothing serious, and I will be fine after resting for a while."
Zhou Chongli did not ask any further questions. His gaze fell on the empty soup bowl in front of her. After a moment of silence, he picked up the soup ladle and naturally scooped a full spoonful from the ham and bamboo shoot soup for her, then pushed it in front of her.
"Thank you, sir." Ye Mu accepted the bowl with both hands, his fingertips touching the bowl's surface, the warmth emanating from the porcelain.
"Speaking of birthdays," Zhou Chongli said, no longer interested in official matters, and turned to casual conversation, "Secretary Ye, what is your birthday?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, it is the eighth day of the fourth month."
Zhou Chongli swallowed his food, slightly surprised. "Today?"
"yes."
Ye Mu nodded slightly. She didn't need to hide this. The travel permit didn't record "Ye Mu's" birth date and time. Using her real date would actually make it less likely to make a mistake.
"So you were originally planning to celebrate with your cousin's family?"
Ye Mu shook his head. "They are distant relatives, and I have already shown them great kindness by taking me in. They don't even know my exact birthday. Besides, it's already difficult enough to have a roof over my head. How could I dare to bother them with such a trivial matter?"
Zhou Chongli stared at her quietly for a while, his expression indescribable, complex and unfathomable.
After a moment, he smiled slightly and said, "If you really can't eat this food, I'll take you somewhere."
Ye Mu was taken aback, completely unaware of what this unpredictable Shangguan intended to do.
But she had no choice but to suppress her doubts and silently get up in front of him.
The rain outside hadn't stopped, it was still drizzling.
Zhou Chongli took the umbrella from the door and handed it to her, while taking another one for himself.
The two walked one after the other into the cobblestone alley, rain pattering on their umbrellas.
Night had fallen, and there were few pedestrians on the road. Water dripped from the eaves of each house's green tiles, and the windows were dimly lit. The soles of the two people's boots fell into puddles, creating circles of clear light.
Zhou Chongli seemed to know the route very well, weaving through streets and alleys before finally stopping in front of a small noodle shop.
He lifted the blue cotton curtain, and the warm light and the aroma of pork bones, scallions, and garlic wafted over, instantly dispelling the chill from both of them.
The shopkeeper, an old man around sixty, was wiping the table with a rag. When he looked up and saw Zhou Chongli, a warm smile spread across his face. "Lord Zhou is here! Oh, and this time you've brought a young official with you."
His gaze swept over Ye Mu, noticing that although she was simply dressed, she had a calm demeanor, and since Zhou Chongli had personally brought her, he smiled and nodded at her.
"Okay. Two bowls of eel noodles, with an egg on each." Zhou Chongli instructed familiarly, then sat down at a table that was sheltered from the wind.
"Alright! Please have a seat, the noodles will be ready soon!" the manager called out to the kitchen, quickly setting out bamboo chopsticks.
Zhou Chongli rinsed the chopsticks with hot water and handed a pair to Ye Mu, saying, "On your birthday, you should at least eat a bowl of noodles."
Ye Mu was stunned. Zhou Chongli's actions were completely unexpected; he had come to celebrate her birthday.
His astonishment seemed genuine. "Thank you, sir."
The noodles were served quickly.
In a rough porcelain bowl, the milky white broth is piping hot, with thin noodles soaking in it. On top of the noodles are glossy, dark red eel shreds and sprinkled with bright green scallions. In the center lies a round, plump poached egg, the yolk just about to solidify.
The rising steam blurred their features and softened the somewhat simple furnishings of the small restaurant on this rainy night.
More diners entered the small restaurant, mostly local vendors and laborers, looking tired and damp, loudly greeting their familiar companions, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
The bustling, lively atmosphere of the marketplace eased some of Ye Mu's unease.
Not having to face Zhou Chongli alone, Ye Mu temporarily relieved some of the pressure, and his appetite was actually whetted by the enticing aroma.
She picked up a piece of noodles, blew on it, and carefully put it into her mouth.
The noodles are smooth and slippery, the eel shreds are tender and fresh, and the rich broth soothes the stomach, bringing warmth.
Amidst the rising steam, Ye Mu heard Zhou Chongli's voice, "Didn't you just ask me why I chose you to go to the banquet alone?"
Ye Mu paused, her chopsticks holding the noodles still. She looked up through the hazy white mist at the person sitting opposite her.
"When I was very young, my parents passed away. I grew up relying on the kindness of others, like eating a bowl of porridge from one neighbor and a piece of clothing from another."
Zhou Chongli's voice was calm, revealing no emotion. "You were about your age when you went to the capital alone, carrying money you had begged for and a tattered family genealogy book. You traveled thousands of miles to seek refuge with a distant uncle."
A distant uncle? Ye Mu's heart stirred slightly. He slowly put the noodles into his mouth, chewed and swallowed, remembering the "clan uncle" that the Crown Prince had mentioned, who worked in the Ministry of Revenue.
It turns out that the starting point of this relationship was such a hasty and pathetic act of seeking refuge.
“My uncle didn’t treat me badly. He gave me a bed and a bowl of rice. Seeing that I had some talent, he sent me to the clan school, where I learned to read and study.”
Zhou Chongli broke the poached egg in the bowl in half, and the thick, golden egg liquid slowly seeped into the noodle soup. He was silent for a moment, "But living under someone else's roof, one knows the joys and sorrows of life. A person without roots or a foothold in this world, wanting to gain a foothold and make something of themselves, I know some of the difficulties involved."
Ye Mu's hand holding the chopsticks tightened slightly.
I see.
He saw a bit of his own past self in "Ye Mu," a "young man" who was also alone and had traveled a long way to seek refuge with relatives.
Her feigned caution, forbearance, and clumsiness might, in his eyes, be just like his own initial confusion and unease when he first entered the bustling world.
This might explain why he made an exception for her, a somewhat dull scribe, offering her a stove and a meal. The empathy he showed was more like reaching out to help his past self.
No wonder he said it was pleasing to the eye.
Ye Mu lowered her head, silently ate a bite of noodles, and looked at him, saying, "During those years in the capital, did you also spend your birthday alone?"
I never celebrate my birthday.
Zhou Chongli said, "My parents died early, and I don't even know when I was born. After a while, it didn't matter anymore."
This is the first half of his life, another part of his life that Ye Mu did not find out about. Beneath those glamorous resumes and iron-fisted achievements lies a true nature that no one has delved into.
For the first time, Ye Mu had such a concrete and visceral understanding of the phrase "both parents are dead".
Although she was trying her best to play the role of "Ye Mu" and bear the loneliness that this fictional identity should have, her parents were still alive and far away in the capital, so she had someone to rely on, which made her performance less bitter.
The man before them, speaking so casually, revealed a truth: he had lost all sense of origin and did not know when he was born.
Compared to her, the actress who plays "Ye Mu," Zhou Chongli's past is more like the "Ye Mu" that the Crown Prince fabricated for her.
“My lord,” Ye Mu carefully chose his words, “how did you know that noodles should be eaten on one’s birthday?”
"Later, after entering officialdom, I inevitably had to attend several birthday banquets due to the social obligations of officialdom."
Zhou Chongli smiled and said, "I always hear people say that the birthday person must eat a bowl of longevity noodles to wish for a long and healthy life. I've heard it so many times that I've remembered it."
"Ye Mu." Zhou Chongli picked up the rough porcelain bowl in front of him, which still contained a little less than half a bowl of warm, milky white noodle soup.
He looked at her and said, "Happy birthday."
The eel shreds were tender, the noodles were smooth, and the soup was rich and piping hot, warming from the throat all the way to the stomach, almost bringing tears to Ye Mu's eyes.
The simple blessing, still carrying the lingering warmth of the noodle soup, was handed over with a heavy weight.
Ye Mu paused for a moment, then picked up the bowl in front of him that still had some noodle soup left.
The lingering warmth soothed her palm. Instead of bowing her head to express her gratitude as usual, she raised her head and looked at Zhou Chongli through the wisps of steam.
The lamplight and steam blurred his features, but made his profile less cold and aloof like that of an official.
"My lord, you've had noodles too." She raised her bowl as well. "How about we say today is your birthday as well? Surely no one has wished you a happy birthday, has anyone?"
She looked at him, her gaze clear and honest. "Happy birthday, Zhou Chongli."
When she called out "Zhou Chongli," it was natural and solemn, devoid of the respectful title of "Sir," as if she were simply calling an ordinary person by name.
No matter how shrouded in mystery the past may be, or how unpredictable the future may be, at least at this moment, in front of this bowl of piping hot noodle soup, Ye Mu is willing to offer this small bit of warmth.
Zhou Chongli paused slightly in the hand holding the bowl.
He hadn't heard anyone call him by his full name, without any prefix or reverence, for far too long.
In official circles, everyone called him "Lord Zhou" or "County Magistrate"; even back in his uncle's house, the servants called him "Young Master Cousin", and the younger members of the clan mostly addressed him by his birth order or as "Brother Chongli".
The name "Zhou Chongli" seems to exist only on cold official documents.
Hearing this from the boy's mouth at this moment, I felt a sense of disorientation.
He raised his eyes and looked into those eyes behind the steaming heat. There was no fear or blankness in the signing room, nor the cautious speculation at the dining table in the warm pavilion; only seriousness.
She was earnestly wishing happiness to someone whose own birthday she didn't even know.
He raised an eyebrow, wanting to tell her that being soft-hearted is not a good quality.
But what finally escaped from his lips was only a very soft "Okay".
Zhou Chongli picked up his bowl and tilted it slightly forward. Ye Mu understood and also picked up his own bowl, carefully reaching out to meet him.
"bite--"
The rims of two rough porcelain bowls touched lightly in the dim light of the oil lamp and in the rising steam of the noodle soup.
No further words were spoken.
Zhou Chongli tilted his head back and drank the remaining noodle soup in the bowl in one gulp, his Adam's apple bobbing. Ye Mu followed suit and drank the last bit of warm soup.
To him, everything else was fake except for her birthday, but right now, she was willing to reveal a bit of the real Ye Mu.
Having lived two lives, she knew better than anyone that in this thorny world, one should not pity men casually. Being soft-hearted is not kindness, but a fatal folly.
Ye Mu stared blankly at the empty bowl for a while.
From the age of ten in this life, she has been learning to manage part of the household affairs in the small back courtyard of the vast Marquis's mansion, navigating the complex relationships between scheming women and deceitful servants.
She understood early on that while complete ruthlessness may ensure safety, it also cuts off the opportunity to ascertain the truth.
True skill lies in seizing the right moment and letting down one's guard.
Therefore, being appropriately lenient is the bait that will make the prey expose its weaknesses.
-
After they had eaten their fill, they left the small noodle shop one after the other.
The rain had stopped sometime earlier, the night sky was as dark as ink, and the air was crisp and refreshing, completely washing away the warm, greasy smell of the noodle shop.
The alley was quiet, with only the sound of water dripping from the eaves.
They walked back along the way they came, and as soon as they stepped out of the alley, a wave of warm, noisy sounds, accompanied by dazzling lights, rushed towards them.
Across the street, a two-story opera house was bustling with activity, the gilded characters "Ruiyunxuan" on the lintel standing out prominently under the glow of several large red lanterns.
The melodious sounds of string and wind instruments drifted from inside the building, mingled with the crisp sound of clappers and occasional bursts of cheers, making the quiet night after the rain seem particularly vibrant.
The program for tonight's show is written in bold, flowing ink on a signboard hanging at the entrance of the theater.
The case of beheading the barbarians.
Ye Mu's gaze swept over the title of the play, and Zhou Chongli also stopped and glanced at it in the same direction.
"It's the same old show."
Zhou Chongli turned to look at her. "This play tells the story of a case from the previous dynasty, involving the royal family, princes, and the corruption of the local salt and iron monopoly. The Ruiyunxuan troupe is an expert in singing old male roles. Would you like to go in and listen? It's not too late yet."
Perhaps it's another observation from behind a different veil.
Ye Mu nodded, "This humble servant has never heard of this play before, but I will leave it to you, sir."
The two then crossed the street and entered the theater.
The innkeeper, with his sharp eyes, noticed that Zhou Chongli's demeanor was extraordinary. Not daring to be negligent, he quickly led them upstairs to a private room with a good view, served them fragrant tea and four kinds of exquisite tea snacks, then bowed and withdrew, carefully closing the door behind him.
The performance on the stage downstairs is at a crucial point.
The drums and gongs beat loudly, and the strings resonated with passion.
The story revolves around a strict censor from the previous dynasty who, undercover, investigates and uncovers a powerful prince who colludes with the local salt and iron transport commissioner to embezzle huge sums of money from the salt and iron monopoly through methods such as falsely reporting losses, using inferior goods, and secretly altering accounts.
The play is written with twists and turns.
The performance vividly portrayed the various methods of corruption in officialdom. The actor playing the prince had a powerful and domineering singing voice, while the actor playing the censor was passionate and stirring. Their singing, recitation, acting and fighting were all highly skilled. The audience watched with bated breath, sometimes indignant and sometimes cheering.
Ye Mu glanced at Zhou Chongli.
He leaned back in his chair, propped his chin on one hand, his gaze fixed on the stage, his expression calm, as if he were watching not a grand drama exposing corruption, but a piece of idle gossip unrelated to himself.
Only the occasional light tapping of his fingertips on the armrest in time with the rhythm of the music revealed that he was not entirely distracted.
On the stage, the stern-faced censor has uncovered the crucial accounts and is having a fascinating exchange with the clown playing the cunning advisor.
The clerk was eloquent and tried to deny everything, using excuses such as "routine losses," "difficult transportation," and "bribing officials."
The censor slammed his fist on the table and rose to his feet, his voice ringing out like metal on stone, "...What a practice! What a favor! It is under this practice that you have emptied the national treasury, enriching yourselves at the expense of the people! Whose private coffers have all those losses gone? Which demons and monsters have those favors been bestowed upon? The profits from salt and iron are the lifeblood of the nation, the blood and sweat of the people. How can you, these rats, be allowed to line your own pockets and weave this enormous net?!"
The audience erupted in applause and cheers.
Ye Mu's mind raced, and he leaned forward slightly.
She picked up the warm teacup, feigning being moved by the scene, and whispered, "Sir, the play describes how they falsely report losses and secretly alter accounts. It sounds so suspenseful. If someone actually did that in real life, wouldn't their accounts be so perfectly made that it would be difficult to detect?"
She took this opportunity to test the waters slightly.
Zhou Chongli stopped tapping his fingertips on the armrest.
He did not turn his head immediately, but kept looking at the stage, where the censor was ordering people to carry a stack of forged account books into the courtroom.
The drumbeats were as dense as rain.
"A play is a play, and reality is reality."
Zhou Chongli picked up his teacup and blew away the foam. "For the sake of entertainment, plays always have to be black and white, loyal and treacherous, as if auditing accounts is just about opening a book, matching a string of numbers, and the truth will come out."
He took a sip of tea. “In reality, a single payment involves numerous departments and a vast amount of paperwork from project initiation to write-off. To manipulate the accounts, one doesn’t necessarily need to blatantly alter them. Simply inflating the market price by a few cents, blurring a few specifications, and maneuvering within the bounds of regulations will keep the books looking good.”
Inflating market prices and obscuring specifications... Ye Mu thought of the receipts presented to him today.
What is he implying?
"What is truly important is often not the verifiable figures on the books, but the interpersonal relationships behind the receipts, who is related to whom by marriage, who owes whom a favor, and who is whose front man. These connections sometimes point to the core issue more than the amount of money on the books."
Ye Mu slowly processed his words, her heart surging with surprise and doubt. Was he teaching her?
She put down her teacup and said humbly, "Your teachings are truly enlightening. I had only ever focused on checking numbers before, and never imagined that there was so much knowledge and expertise beyond the accounts."
The performance on the stage downstairs was coming to an end.
The prince was brought to justice, the corrupt official was executed, and amidst rousing music and deafening cheers, the curtain fell.
Zhou Chongli's gaze fell on the indignant onlookers, and he curled his lips into a smile. "Furthermore, the censor in the play wields the imperial sword and has the power to execute first and report later, which may be due to the emperor's tacit approval. In reality, those who investigate accounts must first have a firm footing and be upright, and secondly, they must clearly see where the black and white pieces are placed and who is playing them."
Ye Mu's heart skipped a beat. He got up and silently walked down the wooden stairs.
Was he implying that she had stepped into a complex game? Was he suggesting that she needed to protect herself first?
Where is he on the chessboard? And who is the player behind him holding the pieces?
Stepping out of Ruiyunxuan, the two returned to the quiet, deserted streets, cleansed by the night rain.
The hustle and bustle and warmth were left behind, and the damp and cold air instantly enveloped them. The long street was deserted, with only a few pedestrians hurrying home late at night.
"Ye Mu".
Zhou Chongli stopped at the quiet street corner.
He turned around and, in the dim light of the lanterns hanging under the eaves of the shops in the distance, looked at her features.
“Look at those receipts today, we’ve already found several suspicious points,” he recounted to her. “And then what? Now that we’ve found them, what should we do? Investigate the shops through the receipts? Ask the clerk who handled them? Or question the guarantor?”
He paused slightly, wanting to hear her answer.
The night breeze ruffled the hem of Ye Mu's robe. She wasn't good at playing dumb, so she bowed and said honestly, "Please enlighten me, sir."
"It's easy to open the lid."
Zhou Chongli's words were like hammer blows: "The difficulty lies in how to deal with the venomous snakes that might slither out from under the lid after it's been lifted, how to clean up the mess of broken pieces, and how to ensure that you can get out unscathed."
Ye Mu stood there, stunned.
Was he referring to the suspicious points in the river works invoices she had compiled, or was he implying... about the undiscovered "covers" he himself might be involved in?
He was subtly warning her that even if she discovered some clues through careful observation, she should know how to assess the situation, know when to advance and when to retreat, and not be the fool who recklessly uncovered the truth only to be swallowed by darkness.
Ye Mu opened his mouth, but found himself speechless.
"The show's over, let's go home."
The two said goodbye at the street corner, and Ye Mu walked back to the courtyard with a confused mind.
It wasn't until Ye Mu took out his keys to open the door that he realized he was still holding the umbrella from Zhou Chongli's residence.
The umbrella handle was already warm from being gripped tightly in her palm. She took a closer look and realized it wasn't the style she would have bought. The umbrella canopy was made of thick, dark blue oilcloth, and the ribs and handle were made of solid ebony. It was completely black, without any patterns or decorations, and it felt quite heavy in her hand, exuding a low-key yet cold and hard style.
Just like Zhou Chongli.
He could be a lonely young man seeking refuge in a noodle shop, a chilling official, or an enigmatic bystander in a theater.
He was the same person in every aspect, but this only made Ye Mu's feelings towards the young county magistrate even more perplexing.
She had to admit that, at her current level, she couldn't see through Zhou Chongli at all.
His mastery of navigating officialdom far surpassed hers.
It can retreat to attack or advance to defend.
This is the common sense of survival in officialdom, but what is most unsettling is what to do if your opponent has already seen through your motives for attacking, or even incorporated your moves into his game and made them part of his strategy.
Ye Mu pushed open the courtyard gate with a slight sense of dejection and then fastened it behind him.
She placed the umbrella against the door, then went to the kitchen and boiled a large pot of water.
She rented two rooms, one as a bedroom and the other as a dedicated bathing and washing area.
She was not good at cooking, so the stove was mostly left unused, only used for boiling water. But she bought a bath tub that was half her height. Only by bathing every day did she feel alive again, and the coldness of the government office that she had picked up during the day was completely washed away.
There was a long bronze mirror in the bathroom, usually covered with a cloth. She took off the cloth and looked in the mirror by the dim light of the oil lamp in the room.
A sallow, thin face with bland features, the eyes somewhat dull with fatigue.
Ye Mu examined the rough outline of her throat created with disguise cream closely, and even she herself felt unfamiliar with it, almost believing that this was the original appearance of "Ye Mu".
Zhou Chongli...
Can he discover it? Discover the secret beneath this rough disguise? Are his detached scrutiny and meaningful words a hint or a warning?
Ye Mu sighed and slowly wiped away the yellow wax on her face and the makeup on her neck with makeup remover.
After washing with warm water, a pale and delicate face was reflected in the mirror. Although it still looked tired, the contours of its eyebrows and eyes had softened. This was Ye Mu.
Hot water is poured into the cypress bathtub, and white steam rises up, carrying a fresh woody fragrance.
She took off her clothes and immersed herself in the warm water.
The warm water soothed her back, which had been tense all day. Ye Mu closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift, from the suspicious points in the river works receipts, to Zhou Chongli's unpredictable attitude, to the heavy responsibility entrusted to her by the Crown Prince, and finally, the inevitable...
Like a drowning person instinctively looking up at the faint light shining through the water, it broke free from the maze of Wujiang County and drifted towards Xie Yicheng, who was far away in the capital.
She only truly softened when she thought of him.
Don't pity men casually, except for Xie Yicheng.
She had complete confidence in him; in both her past and present lives, he had always been able to steadily catch her vulnerability.
He said she was his Buddha.
But in fact, his presence was a source of peace of mind for Ye Muxin. Thinking of him made her feel relaxed without her even realizing it.
"Knock knock".
A knock came from behind the gate.
Ye Mu didn't pay attention, assuming it was just a neighbor coming home late at night.
Then, she heard a familiar voice calling, "Ye Mu."
Ye Mu suddenly opened her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating because she missed him so much.
A moment later, there were two more knocks, followed by a few more silly meows.
Ye Mu froze, abruptly sitting up in the water, creating a splashing sound. Water droplets dripped from her wet hair and hit the water's surface.
"Ye Mu".
Upon hearing the sound again, she no longer hesitated. Without bothering to dry herself, she hurriedly grabbed a fine cotton nightgown from the shelf next to her and wrapped it haphazardly around herself. Her wet long hair draped over her shoulders, and water droplets slid down her hair and neck, disappearing into her collar.
Barefoot, she rushed out of the bathroom, through the small main room, and to the courtyard gate, but dared not open it immediately. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she asked in a trembling voice through the crack in the door, "Is it Yi Cheng?"
There was a moment of silence outside the door.
Then, the voice that haunted her dreams rang out again, clearer and gentler than before, "Fourth Sister, happy birthday."
It really is him!
Ye Mu could no longer restrain himself, so he suddenly pulled off the bolt and yanked open the courtyard gate.
In the shadows beneath the eaves outside the door stood a tall, weary figure, dressed in ordinary dark clothing, his shoulders damp with night dew, his brows furrowed with weariness, yet his eyes shone with an undiminished light as he smiled at her.
"Yi Cheng!"
Ye Mu could no longer hold back. She let out a soft cry and, like a swallow returning to its nest, threw herself at him without a care in the world. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her legs around his lean waist, and completely embedded herself in his embrace, her body clad only in a thin nightgown.
"Fourth Sister, I'm dirty, I've been traveling a long way and haven't washed up yet..." Xie Yicheng was bumped into and took a small step back. She quickly supported her with her hands, her voice filled with helpless affection, but she hugged her even tighter.
Feeling her soft, round body, he noticed that her nightgown was loose, revealing a pinkish hue beneath her white skin. Xie Yicheng's eyes darkened, and he hooked his left foot back, deftly closing the courtyard gate that hadn't yet been properly shut.
Ye Mu buried her face deep in the crook of his neck, greedily inhaling his familiar scent.
She lifted her wet head, leaned close to his ear, and whispered in a breathy voice, both coquettish and willful, "I'm taking a shower right now."
Her eyes sparkled, and she clearly felt his arms around her legs tighten instantly, making her even more alluring to him. "Then let's shower together, okay?"
Her lips brushed lightly against his earlobe.
“Yi Cheng”.
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Author's Note: Thank you for reading and adding to your favorites! The next chapter will be here on time! [Sunglasses]
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