Chapter 58 The Seductive Man "Ha! Lin Zhi is truly remarkable!"...
Looking at the table full of her favorite dishes, Lin Zhi didn't pick up her chopsticks. Instead, she sat at the table and looked at Xingyun, who had come over to reply.
"Madam, for the sake of the young master and your own health, you should have your meal earlier. The master instructed that we don't need to wait for him tonight."
Xingyun bowed very low, not daring to look at Lin Zhi's face.
In fact, this concubine had a very good temperament and she had never been seen speaking harshly to the servants. However, Xingyun always felt that Lin Zhi and Pei Lang were very similar. They were smiling, but once they made up their minds, no one could change them.
Lin Zhi pursed her lips. It had been five days. Every morning when she got up, Pei Lang had already left the mansion. When she had dinner, he would send someone back to tell her that he was busy with official duties.
"I understand, you may leave."
Chun Tao frowned and put two pieces of stir-fried bok choy on Lin Zhi's plate. "Madam didn't eat much for lunch. If she doesn't eat well for dinner, I'm afraid it will upset her stomach."
These were all her favorite things, but Lin Zhi found them utterly unappetizing.
Not just today, but for several days now, Pei Lang has been avoiding seeing her. Lin Zhi understands that what she said that day hurt his feelings, but he can't deny her even a chance to explain.
Lin Zhi pursed her lips and poked at the side dishes in her bowl. She forced herself to eat half a bowl, but refused to eat another bite.
Chun Tao wanted to persuade her again, but Lin Zhi quickly made an excuse: "My stomach is burning today, and I only want to eat sweet and sour crispy mountain cakes. I can't eat anything else."
Mentioning the crispy mountain, Chun Tao frowned even more with worry: "Madam, that stuff is very cold, and no one makes it yet since it's not even summer."
Lin Zhi knew she was putting people in a difficult position, so she pretended to back down and said that eating some fruit would be fine, thus successfully escaping from the dinner table.
She had just lain down and was about to fall asleep when she suddenly felt thirsty and her stomach felt heavy. She stayed on the couch for a while before sitting up.
Before she could even lift the bed curtains, she heard a very soft sound of the door opening. Lin Zhi immediately tensed up, stiffly remaining seated and not daring to move, fearing it might be some kind of villain.
However, he felt that the guards of the mansion would not be so negligent.
Through the narrow gap in the bed curtains, Lin Zhi could vaguely make out the man's clothing; he was clearly wealthy and noble, and the man seemed somewhat familiar...
After that tall figure hurriedly left through the door, Lin Zhi realized that the clothes were exactly the same as one of Pei Lang's!
But by the time she caught up to the door with her tiny steps and pushed it open, the person had already vanished without a trace.
Lin Zhi gripped the door frame tightly, biting her lower lip as a bitter feeling welled up inside her. She quickly turned around and went to where Pei Lang had just left, where she found an exquisite food box on the table. Upon opening it, she discovered a delicate bowl of crispy pastries inside.
It was also garnished with some of the fruits that Lin Zhi usually liked to eat. She sighed, sat down, and took a couple of bites. The cool and sweet taste was indeed Lin Zhi's favorite.
However, when she mentioned Sushan today, only Chuntao, Xiaying, and Xingyun were present. It seems that Pei Lang knew about this matter and must have instructed Xingyun to keep an eye on her at all times.
A dark glint flashed in Lin Zhi's eyes as she considered this possibility.
"I don't believe you can hide from me forever."
The next morning, Xingyun had just come out of his bedroom with a yawn when he heard a girl crying. He rushed over and saw that it was Chuntao, who was by the lady's side.
"Miss Chuntao, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
When Chuntao saw him, she acted as if she had seen a ghost in broad daylight and turned to run away.
Xingyun, used to fighting and killing alongside Pei Lang, immediately gave chase when he saw the man running away. How could a mere girl like Chuntao be a match for him?
When he blocked her way, Chun Tao finally spoke with a troubled expression: "Brother Xingyun, please don't make things difficult for me. My wife doesn't want me to tell anyone else."
"Besides, it's not a big deal."
Xingyun frowned and crossed his arms: "The master has instructed that no matter is too small when it comes to the lady's affairs."
"Miss Chuntao, just say what you have to say."
Chun Tao sighed, "It's all because of this pregnancy that Madam can't sleep well every night. Her legs not only cramp frequently, but they're also terribly swollen, making it so uncomfortable that she can't sleep at all at night."
“Even though we maids can keep watch over the lady, we are not strong enough and don’t have the strength to do so. The lady often can’t sleep in the middle of the night.”
"How could we, as servants, not be anxious?"
Seeing Chun Tao's genuine distress, Xing Yun had no doubt whatsoever. "I'm sorry, you should go back and take care of Madam. I won't bother you any longer."
After Chuntao left, Xingyun hurriedly headed towards Pei Lang's study.
When Pei Lang returned to his residence early after court, he heard Lin Zhi's soft laughter, like a clear spring, before he even stepped into the main hall.
Pei Lang's lips curled up slightly, but he didn't expect that there was another young man in the hall besides Lin Zhi.
Pei Lang's smile gradually faded, his gaze sweeping over Lin Zhi and the handsome man, his eyes turning slightly cold: "And who is this?"
What angered Pei Lang was not just the presence of an outsider in the house, but also the fact that Lin Zhi, who was originally all smiles, stopped smiling as soon as he returned, as if he had disturbed them!
Lin Zhi suppressed her smile and stood up gracefully: "Husband, this is Physician Xu, whom I specially sought out for a massage. He is very famous in the capital."
Pei Lang sneered upon hearing this: "Since when has a concubine been able to make decisions for the Pei family? She can just let men from outside the family in whenever she wants?"
"Do you think my husband is dead?"
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became heavy, and Lin Zhi's face paled. Pei Lang saw her hand clenching the hem of her skirt, knowing that she had been hurt by his words, but he hardened his heart and pretended not to see it.
Upon hearing this, Xu Wen knew that Pei Lang had misunderstood, and he quickly groped his way to his feet: "This humble Xu Wen greets Lord Pei. I am indeed a physician skilled in massage, but I am not a lecherous man."
"I have suffered from an eye disease since childhood, and my eyes are completely black so I can't see anything. But because of this, I have learned a massage technique that is very effective in relieving patients' pain."
"Furthermore, I have female disciples who accompany you when you massage Madam. I hope you will not take offense."
Lin Zhi gasped and gasped, but Xu Wen stood still without even blinking, and said softly, "Lord Pei, there's no need to test the truth. If it were false, I'm afraid I would have died many times over."
Seeing that he didn't seem to be faking it, Pei Lang slowly withdrew his hand, but the crease between his brows still didn't smooth out, as he still wanted to ask something.
"Pei Lang!"
Lin Zhiqing, supporting her waist and slightly frowning, stepped forward: "Have you made enough of a scene?"
"I only asked a doctor to come to my house for a massage, and you're making such a fuss about it, even wanting to fight with him?"
"Yes, I am a concubine, and it is not my place to make decisions in the Pei household, but I have never thought of becoming the master of the household! I just want myself and my child to be more comfortable, so that I don't have to suffer from sleepless nights every night, is that not enough?"
Pei Lang frowned. After the incident where the coachman was switched at birth, was it wrong for him to want to be more careful for her sake?
But when he turned around to look at Lin Zhi, he met her slightly reddened and aggrieved almond-shaped eyes, and he couldn't say anything.
Lin Zhi turned her face away in a fluster, wiped her face vigorously a couple of times, and then took a deep breath to calm herself down: "Doctor Xu, please come with me. We won't be in other people's way here."
He was clearly Lin Zhi's rightful husband, but these words made him seem like an outsider.
Pei Lang coldly stared as the thin, handsome doctor bowed in his direction and left with Lin Zhi. Enraged, he laughed and summoned Xingyun.
What did you say to me today?
Xingyun, who had just returned from outside with Pei Lang, was completely bewildered. He scratched his head and said, "Tell me, Madam hasn't been feeling well lately, and she deliberately had Chun Tao tell me that she probably wants to take this opportunity to rekindle her relationship with you, sir..."
The more he said, the darker Pei Lang's face became, and he glared at his stupid subordinate with gritted teeth.
"Make up? She wants to make up, yet she brings a man from another man into the mansion to provoke us?"
"Are you an idiot? Chun Tao only said a few words to you and you've already come up with so much out of thin air? Why don't you go write a storybook?"
Watching Pei Lang storm off, Xingyun, pale-faced, chased after him, crying out, "My lord! My lord! That's what I read in the storybooks!"
Once inside the bedroom, with the door wide open, Lin Zhi politely asked Xu Wen to sit down and specifically requested that his female disciple give him a massage.
Feeling the soreness in her calves, Lin Zhi sighed. Although the disciple found the acupoints accurately, his fingers were slender and cold, far inferior to Pei Lang's technique.
Seemingly sensing her dissatisfaction, Xu Wen turned his head and said softly, "I wonder if Madam is currently pregnant and experiencing discomfort due to swollen legs?"
"Actually, it's not just massage that's helpful; taking more baths is also good for you and your child. Just make sure the water isn't too hot; lukewarm water is fine."
Upon hearing this, Chun Tao quickly asked a few more questions, noting down all the ways to make Lin Zhi more comfortable.
However, when Xu Wen heard Lin Zhi softly cry out in pain, he still frowned and stood up: "Shiyue, what's wrong?"
Shiyue said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm sorry, Master. I accidentally pinched Madam's calf and hurt her. I didn't control my strength well."
"How did I teach you? Everyone's tolerance level is different. The person you massaged last was a middle-aged woman who had worked hard all year round. Could you have used the same amount of force as Madam Pei?"
Lin Zhi rubbed her slightly reddened calves and quickly tried to smooth things over: "There's no need to blame Miss Shiyue, it's just that I used a little too much force that time."
Xu Wen frowned, rolled up his sleeves, and stepped forward. "If Madam doesn't mind, how about I give you a massage myself?"
Lin Zhi hesitated for a moment, glanced at the still bright sky outside the window, and his eyes flickered slightly: "It's not necessary now, but could you please do me a small favor, Doctor Xu?"
Xu Wen's expression was clear and blank, but he still nodded: "Of course."
"You mean that pretty-boy doctor hasn't left the manor yet?"
Pei Lang listened to Xing Yun's report, his face full of gloom as he tapped the table, the chaotic sounds mirroring his current mood.
"Yes, I heard that after dinner, the lady wanted to have him massage her, and even had a private room prepared for the two of them to stay..."
Xingyun swallowed hard; his injuries, which hadn't fully healed, were still throbbing, and he didn't want to inflict any more pain.
"Ha! Lin Zhi is truly remarkable!"
Pei Lang sneered, but he couldn't sit still for a moment and stood up: "I want to see if that blind man has massage skills or seductive skills!"
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