Chapter 3 As long as it's Xiao Mingzhang, she never finds it tiring...
Yunzhu woke up in the middle of the night.
It was unclear how long it had been outside the window; no light had yet appeared. Only the swaying shadows of the trees outside the window, accompanied by a crisp rustling sound, drifted into the dimly lit room.
She opened her bright, dark eyes and scanned the room, but didn't see Xiao Mingzhang.
Instead of rushing to find him, Yunzhu turned over, wanting to change her lying position.
But as she turned over, she suddenly felt an indescribable soreness spreading from her back to her entire body.
She couldn't help but gasp, and her movement to turn over slowed down, until she finally managed to turn to her side.
Because this body hadn't been subjected to much hardship in a long time, it couldn't withstand being manipulated by Xiao Mingzhang like a puppet for so long.
Yunzhu sighed inwardly at her own lack of ambition, but then felt that it really wasn't her fault.
It's all Xiao Mingzhang's fault.
Who would have thought that he would want to do this as soon as he came back? And who would have thought that he would cause more trouble than ever before?
She's not made of iron, so naturally she couldn't withstand it.
Looking at her skin, which was turning blue and purple in turn, Yunzhu felt half heartache for herself and half inwardly cursed Xiao Mingzhang.
Then, a creaking sound came from the doorway.
Yunzhu turned her head and looked at the person who came through the curtain.
"Awake?" Xiao Mingzhang lifted the curtain in front of the bed and sat down on the edge of Yunzhu's bed.
There were few lights on inside; the only candle was lit at the far doorway.
Yunzhu stared at Xiao Mingzhang for a long time in the dim night before extending an arm toward him.
Xiao Mingzhang caught her and pulled her up from under the covers.
Yunzhu paused, then was suddenly pulled to her feet, leaving her completely naked in front of everyone. She glared at Xiao Mingzhang and asked, "I just wanted you to hug me, why did you pull me up?"
Xiao Mingzhang paused for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Who knew that her reaching out her hand would mean this?
He immediately picked up the bedding from the bed and wrapped Yunzhu up tightly.
There was the sound of wind outside the window, and his laughter, mixed with the wind, was unmistakably jarring.
Yunzhu was both ashamed and annoyed. She wrapped herself tighter in the quilt and continued to glare at him, asking, "What were you doing just now?"
"It's past 9 PM by now, time for our meal."
"So late?" Although she said that, Yunzhu was not surprised at all.
She simply retorted, "Then why didn't you call me?"
"You can get up?" Xiao Mingzhang asked matter-of-factly. Yunzhu's voice went hoarse, and she answered with silence.
"So what did you eat tonight?" she asked again after a while.
"Eight-treasure duck, roasted mutton, four-happiness meatballs, shepherd's purse and wild vegetable soup..." Xiao Mingzhang recited a few dishes, and Yunzhu was so tempted that she swallowed her saliva several times.
She said, "Xiao Mingzhang, I'm hungry too!"
Xiao Mingzhang naturally guessed that she was hungry, which is why he named the dishes so temptingly.
Seeing that Yunzhu couldn't wait any longer and wanted to get off the bed for a meal, Xiao Mingzhang took all her clothes off the screen and dressed her properly.
"I brought some for you, they're all on the table," he said, pointing to the food box on the table.
Yunzhu was overjoyed. After sleeping all afternoon, she was exhausted and hungry, feeling like she could eat a whole cow.
But of course, despite her thoughts, she only ate less than half of the dishes Xiao Mingzhang brought back before feeling full.
After eating and drinking her fill, Yunzhu sat at the table, clutching her stomach, when Xiao Mingzhang asked her again, "Would you like to go for a walk in the study?"
"The study?" Yunzhu had just finished eating and wanted to go for a walk, but she didn't really want to go to the study.
"What are you going to the study for?" she asked.
Xiao Mingzhang took her hand and helped her up again.
"Didn't you ask me that?" he said as he walked. "When I went to Jinling, did I bring back a piece of jade floor tile from the palace for you?"
—
"..."
Heaven bears witness.
Yunzhu's original words were clearly that Jinling was rich and prosperous, and that she had heard that the floor tiles in the palace were made of jade. How did it come to Xiao Mingzhang's mouth as her wanting a jade brick?
Yunzhu was completely baffled, so Xiao Mingzhang pulled her into his study.
Yunzhu was actually quite familiar with Xiao Mingzhang's study. Usually, Xiao Mingzhang would handle some government affairs here, and Yunzhu, as his wife from a different ethnic group, would not understand the Central Plains language. So, he would often make her stay here to learn the Central Plains language.
Before Xiao Mingzhang left Yunzhou for Jinling, Yunzhu would come to the study to learn the Central Plains characters once every ten days. However, after Xiao Mingzhang had to go to Jinling to report on his duties and left Yunzhou, her visits to the study became sporadic.
Therefore, Yunzhu felt a little guilty as soon as she stepped into the study.
"During the time I was away, did you follow the coursework I arranged for you?"
Sure enough, what you fear most is what happens. As soon as Yunzhu heard Xiao Mingzhang's words, the hairs on her body stood on end.
She chuckled and said, "Didn't you say you were going to bring me to see jade bricks? Where are the jade bricks? Where are they?"
Xiao Mingzhang tilted his head, looking at Yunzhu with great interest.
Yunzhu forced herself to remain calm, and under his gaze, she did not reveal too many flaws.
“It’s so late…” she said, “Xiao Mingzhang, how can you check homework this late? We can talk about this tomorrow morning…”
"Is that so?" Xiao Mingzhang finally walked to the desk in the study and picked up a stack of papers that had been prepared in advance.
Yunzhu stared intently at the paper, and for a moment she felt her heart skip a beat.
Wasn't that the calligraphy copybook that Xiao Mingzhang had made her finish writing before he left?
How did it end up in Xiao Mingzhang's hands?
She rushed forward, trying to snatch the thing from Xiao Mingzhang's hand, but Xiao Mingzhang easily raised his hand, thwarting all her chances.
But Yunzhu was still unwilling to give up. She stood on tiptoe and still wanted to take back what belonged to her.
"Xiao Mingzhang! How could you steal my things!" she said angrily.
“Am I stealing?” Xiao Mingzhang argued, “These are all assignments I gave you. Now that I’m back, it’s just a routine check.”
“That would only be a proper examination if I were to hand it over to you. I haven’t even agreed to let you see it yet!” Yunzhu argued.
Xiao Mingzhang remained unmoved. He held up Yunzhu's homework and watched with great interest as she bared her teeth and brandished her claws in front of him.
A beautiful face became disheveled because of excessive haste.
Finally, Yunzhu realized that her efforts to stand on tiptoe were futile. Xiao Mingzhang was much taller than her; when they walked together, she only reached his shoulder, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reach him when he raised his hand.
So she settled for second best and jumped onto Xiao Mingzhang's waist, hanging herself completely on him.
"Xiao Mingzhang, are you going to give it to me or not!" she threatened, half-hugging and half-grabbing Xiao Mingzhang's neck.
Xiao Mingzhang wasn't buying it. He put his arm around Yunzhu's waist, locking her firmly to his body, as if he were turning the tables and taking the offensive.
"Then tell me honestly, while I was away, did you actually study diligently and complete the assignments I gave you?"
“…I have it!” Yunzhu said.
"really?"
"really……"
Xiao Mingzhang's gaze was intense, like the blazing sun in broad daylight, and Yunzhu gradually became hesitant to look at him.
Xiao Mingzhang scoffed lightly.
Immediately, Yunzhu felt a flick on her forehead.
She looked up in surprise at Xiao Mingzhang.
After a long while, she stammered, "Xiao Mingzhang, I know I was wrong. I was just lazy for a few days..."
"How many days have you been lazy?" Xiao Mingzhang asked.
"..."
Does he really have to keep digging to the bottom of things?
How could Yunzhu possibly remember how many days she had been lazy? In the past, with Xiao Mingzhang around, he would always wake her up to study before 7 a.m., which was far too early. Every day when she got up, she was extremely sleepy, especially since Xiao Mingzhang sometimes stayed up late at night. So, every morning when she got up, her eyes were covered in dark circles.
Although her daily classes only lasted one morning, and she could rest after noon, how could the nap she took during the afternoon be the same as a full-day nap in the morning?
So during the days that Xiao Mingzhang was away, she naturally let herself sleep until she naturally woke up every day.
And after getting up, the first thing they usually do is not their studies.
Seeing that Yunzhu could not answer his questions, Xiao Mingzhang finally let go of her and returned her studies to her.
“In that case, starting tomorrow, make up for everything that’s been owed, understand?” He spoke in a serious and methodical manner, not at all like Yunzhu’s husband, but rather like the teacher her father had invited back for her.
Yunzhu had no choice. As for learning the Central Plains script, she had to beg Xiao Mingzhang to teach her herself, so she could only nod.
After retrieving her schoolwork, Yunzhu finally had time to ask, "What about the jade brick you mentioned earlier? The gift you brought back for me from Jinling, is it still there?"
I won't forget that I didn't finish my schoolwork.
Xiao Mingzhang really wanted to hit her on the forehead again, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He turned around and picked up another stack of things that looked like calligraphy copybooks from the desk.
"What is this?" Yunzhu asked as she took the item.
“I brought this back for you from Nanjing. It’s from the most renowned master in Nanjing today. I asked him to write a calligraphy model for you. If you find my calligraphy difficult to learn, then his calligraphy might be more suitable for you.”
"..."
Yunzhu never imagined that after waiting for so long, hoping that Xiao Mingzhang would bring her some rare treasures, he would bring her a calligraphy copybook instead.
Calligraphy copybook?
Yunzhu took the calligraphy scroll, thanked Xiao Mingzhang, and then asked uncertainly, "Just this? Aren't there any others?"
"Do you really think I'm going to bring back a jade brick?" Xiao Mingzhang asked jokingly.
It's not a jade brick, but it can't just be a calligraphy copybook, can it?
Yunzhu recalled the local customs she had read a few days ago. The book described a custom in the Central Plains where a husband who was away from home would often bring back hairpins or other jewelry to give to his wife as a token of his affection.
When Ayan mentioned that Xiao Mingzhang should bring her a gift, Yunzhu was already looking forward to it. Would he give her a hairpin or a gold hairpin?
The result was a calligraphy copybook? What does a calligraphy copybook mean? Does it mean that Xiao Mingzhang hopes she will study hard and learn the Central Plains script?
Yunzhu stared blankly at Xiao Mingzhang for a long time. Seeing that he really had no intention of taking out any more gifts, she had no choice but to hug the calligraphy book and turn around and leave.
Xiao Mingzhang remained silent.
He silently watched Yunzhu walk alone and forlornly to the door. Just as she reached out to push the door open and leave, he finally reached out and pulled Yunzhu back to him.
Yunzhu looked up and saw that Xiao Mingzhang had somehow acquired a jade hairpin in his hand.
It was a jade hairpin inlaid with exquisite jadeite, and in the flickering candlelight, the dazzling firelight on the jadeite was clearly visible.
Yunzhu was stunned again.
Xiao Mingzhang smiled broadly as he fumbled with Yunzhu's hair and placed the jade hairpin in her hair.
Yunzhu stared at him without blinking, and it was only after a very long time that she finally broke into a smile.
"Xiao Mingzhang, you lied to me!" She pressed against Xiao Mingzhang's neck and eagerly hugged him.
"Really?" Xiao Mingzhang disagreed. "Who was so impatient that they wanted to leave as soon as the child didn't get candy?"
He said she was like an impatient child.
This time, Yunzhu finally learned her lesson and stopped arguing with Xiao Mingzhang. Instead, she bit his neck and complained about her dissatisfaction.
Xiao Mingzhang pulled her close, holding Yunzhu firmly in his arms.
He gently stroked the ends of her hair, inhaling its delicate fragrance.
This is his wife, his crown princess. How could he not know what she really wants?
"Alright." After Yunzhu had finished clinging to him and acting coquettishly, Xiao Mingzhang said, "You've been tired all day, shall we go back to our room and rest?"
But Yunzhu was not satisfied.
She insisted on clinging to Xiao Mingzhang's neck and asked, "Xiao Mingzhang, am I beautiful?"
Xiao Mingzhang stared intently at her.
How could she not be beautiful, his Crown Princess, he thought.
The candlelight in the study was brighter than in the room just now, enough to illuminate Yunzhu's entire face and her full head of black hair.
Xiao Mingzhang would never forget the beautiful and radiant face he saw when he lifted the veil on his wedding day.
If not...
Xiao Mingzhang's eyes darkened. Before he could think any further, Yunzhu hooked her arm around his neck and kissed his lips again.
He was slightly surprised, but after a moment, he shook his head, half indulgent and half helpless.
"You really don't find it tiring, huh?"
"I don't mind."
Yunzhu nestled close to him, thinking that as long as it was Xiao Mingzhang, she would never feel tired.
A note from the author:
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Sorry, it was supposed to be midnight, why is it already this time?! Aa ...
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