Chapter 20 p1
After a gloomy day, the setting sun suddenly burst forth with light.
The floor of the small courtyard of Mingyue Residence reflected a golden light, and the afterglow shone into the east wing.
Xuemi was playing with a cloth ball at the entrance under the eaves. It suddenly looked towards the courtyard gate, paused for a moment, then turned and darted into the room. The cloth ball rolled a circle before stopping.
A tall, jade-colored figure ascended the steps and passed through the hanging flower gate. He said in a low voice to Song He behind him, “I won’t be going anywhere else today. You can get off duty early.”
“Is Master not returning to the palace?”
“Mm.”
As they spoke, Xie Yao had already walked into the small courtyard. Song He remained outside.
The two maids in the main room saw him, bowed their heads in greeting, and took out a flint to light the lanterns.
Xiyun and Jingyu were in the room. Hearing the sound, they came out, curtsied, and were about to leave.
As they left, Jingyu kept her eyes straight ahead, but Xiyun looked back several times, her worry unabated.
The moment Xie Yao stepped into the main hall, he smelled a rich scent of agarwood. The deep, woody fragrance was mixed with a faint, subtle aroma of fruit wine.
Yuli had just come out of the inner chamber. A bright light flashed in Xie Yao’s eyes.
Yuli’s cheeks were flushed with an intoxicating crabapple red, her lips were crimson, and her eyes were bright, as if she were wearing heavy makeup. She was also dressed differently from usual, in a water-red, smoke-like gauze chest-high dress and a plain gauze short jacket with a front opening, so thin it was almost transparent, revealing her snow-white arms.
Yuli looked at him, touched her hot cheeks, and called him, “Husband.”
Xie Yao paused, stared at her for a moment, and hummed faintly in agreement.
Yuli was not wearing makeup. The clothes had been chosen for her by Xiyun. By modern summer attire standards, Yuli didn’t feel it was inappropriate. She was not very uncomfortable, just that she had drunk some plum wine, and her face was a little hot, but her mind was very clear.
Xie Yao’s expression was indeed not very good, as expected.
But she was unusually bold now and had no intention of backing down.
Yuli walked to Xie Yao’s side and naturally linked her arms with his.
As her soft arms wrapped around him, Xie Yao’s left hand twitched, rising halfway before falling again.
“Husband must be hungry. Let’s eat first,” Yuli said, leading him to his seat and sitting down beside him.
The maids happened to bring the food. As usual, the dishes Xie Yao liked were placed in front of him, and she served him with the serving chopsticks.
But she didn’t neglect herself either. The weather was still hot. She had ordered cold cucumber salad, sugar-tossed tomatoes, and green bean and pork rib stew, all dishes to relieve the summer heat.
In the afternoon, she had asked for wine to drink. The kitchen had thoughtfully sent another pot, a chilled green plum wine.
“Does Husband want some wine?” Yuli asked.
Xie Yao was noncommittal.
Yuli stiffened, poured herself a glass, and drank it in one gulp.
The wine was very light, more of the fruity taste from the steeped plums, with added sweetness. No matter how much she drank, she wouldn’t get drunk, only high-spirited.
Yuli was trying to build up her courage. She was glad it was effective; otherwise, seeing Xie Yao’s cold demeanor, she would probably have backed out.
She boldly poured a glass for Xie Yao and pushed it in front of him.
Then she refilled her own glass and stared at him.
Xie Yao ate his meal, letting her watch.
As Yuli watched, she suddenly found him very handsome. His features were as if they had been modeled, with perfect color and shape, but he lacked the greasy and hollow feeling of a model.
He usually looked profound and inscrutable, but in fact, he was mysterious and reserved, with a hint of coldness. His eyes were sharp, probably from being used to throwing his weight around outside. But when he lowered his eyes, wearing the light-colored clothes he had deliberately put on for her, he had a certain gentleness.
But when he focused on her, the so-called gentleness was swept away. His pupils were very deep and black. Even when he smiled, she felt as if she were bound by his gaze.
Yuli looked at Xie Yao for a long time, until he glanced at her. Her heart felt as if it had been pressed by him, stopping for a moment. When it recovered, her chest was sore and numb.
Yuli looked away, wanting to drink to hide her discomfort.
The wrist holding the wine glass was suddenly held tight.
“Don’t drink anymore,” Xie Yao suddenly said.
Xie Yao took her wine glass and drank from it himself.
Yuli was a little stunned.
Xie Yao looked at her. “It’s no use no matter how much you drink.”
What does that mean? Does he think the wine is too weak?
Yuli didn’t drink anymore and focused on her meal.
Night fell. After the meal, Yuli invited Xie Yao for a walk.
Xie Yao drank his clear tea. “I’m not going.”
Yuli’s heart tightened. “Does Husband still have things to attend to?”
“No.”
“Then…” Yuli stammered.
Xie Yao looked at her.
“Help me paint my eyebrows.”
Xie Yao’s clenched fingers relaxed.
He neither agreed nor disagreed.
Yuli walked over, held his arm, and tried to pull him up.
Xie Yao looked at her for a while and cooperated, getting up.
The side room was brightly lit. Yuli handed the eyebrow pencil to Xie Yao and taught him how to draw.
Yuli sat on a round stool, her face tilted up towards Xie Yao. Xie Yao leaned over slightly, close to her face.
She closed her eyes, her face rosy, pursing her lips from time to time. Xie Yao’s hand was very steady. He didn’t know how to paint eyebrows. Yuli’s eyebrows were slender and well-shaped, and didn’t need to be painted.
He just traced them lightly, waiting to see how long she could drag it out, whether she would say that sentence or not.
Yuli closed her eyes, able to feel Xie Yao’s breath on her forehead, warm, then cool, then warm again, very steady.
His palm occasionally brushed against her cheek, causing a ticklish sensation. Yuli’s hands on her lap were clenched tightly.
“It’s done,” Xie Yao said.
Yuli opened her eyes. Xie Yao’s face was very close, his gaze looking right into her eyes. Her eyes trembled, and she quickly looked away.
Xie Yao’s hand holding the eyebrow pencil had not moved away.
“Let me see,” she said, turning to look in the mirror.
She looked in the mirror for a not-so-short time. Xie Yao stood behind her. From the mirror, one could see the rise and fall of her chest.
“It’s not well-drawn. Let me try again,” Xie Yao said.
Yuli turned back, closed her eyes again, and tilted her face up.
Xie Yao leaned down, the eyebrow pencil lightly touching the arch of her brow.
Yuli felt that he hadn’t moved and wanted to open her eyes.
“Don’t move,” Xie Yao said, and then his palm held her shoulder.
The heat was scorching, the force heavy. Yuli froze. She hadn’t intended to move.
Xie Yao’s palm moved up to the side of her neck. Yuli’s neck was already sensitive, and a tingling itch arose. Her breathing suddenly deepened.
The smoke-like gauze dress was wrinkled in her grip.
She bit her lower lip, feeling her lips and tongue were dry, and subconsciously licked her upper lip.
The breath on her forehead seemed to have grown heavier. A slightly damp palm moved to the back of her neck.
Yuli could feel that the eyebrow pencil on her brow had not moved at all.
Yuli took a deep breath and said with her eyes closed, “Husband, please stay tonight.”
The moment she finished speaking, she heard a click. She opened her eyes to see Xie Yao’s face pressing down. A weight fell on the back of her neck and her lips at the same time. Her eyelashes trembled.
Xie Yao closed his eyes, his breathing deep and heavy. He pressed against her lips and gently bit down.
Yuli trembled and wanted to retreat, but the back of her neck was held by him, and she couldn’t move.
He pressed against her lips and said, “Alright,” then continued to kiss her deeply.
Yuli hadn’t finished speaking. But from the looks of it, there was no need to say any more.
She relaxed a little and raised her arms to hook them around his neck.
But Xie Yao retreated, took her arm, made her stand up, held her waist, and held one of her wrists, leading her towards the bedchamber.
Yuli’s heart was beating extremely fast. In a short while, he had led her to the bedchamber and sat her down on the edge of the bed.
He leaned down, held her face, and gently kissed her. “Wait for me.”
“I’m going to take a bath,” he said, and then left.
Yuli didn’t know that Xie Yao had a residence in the guest courtyard, nor where he was going to take a bath.
She had already bathed and used fragrant dew. Her clothes were also scented.
She was ready. She had even designed the arrangement of the lanterns and prepared enough ice in the ice chest.
She sat for a while, and Xiyun suddenly came in.
“Why did the Young Master go out?” she asked.
“He will be back.”
Xiyun looked at her and suddenly couldn’t help but smile.
Yuli was puzzled. Xiyun pointed to her eyebrows.
Xie Yao had drawn them quite well at first, but the last stroke had flown out, drawing an upward-curving line.
Yuli looked in the mirror. Xiyun brought water to wipe it off for her.
She washed her face. Her skin looked even more delicate, as if it would break at a touch.
Yuli returned to the bedchamber, extinguished one lantern, leaving only one a little further away. That lantern was a deeper color, with pink hibiscus painted on it.
Not long after she sat down, Xie Yao returned.
He was covered in water vapor, his bangs still a little wet, making him look much softer.
His eyes were dark, with a hook in them when he looked at Yuli, but there was a smile on his lips.
Yuli wanted to stand up, but he pressed her down.
“Anything else to say?” he asked.
Yuli’s cheeks were flushed. She said in a low voice, “Be gentle.”
Xie Yao seemed to smile. He planted a kiss on Yuli’s forehead. “I will give you the best of everything. Yuli.”
…
At first, Yuli didn’t understand what he meant, until his breath fell everywhere, causing ripples that spread continuously.
A light, soft touch brushed over her whole body. She was already dizzy. She didn’t know how long had passed, but his breath had reached her ankles. He was so patient.
More patient than her.
“Xie Yao…” she called out, not knowing what to say.
Belatedly, she had called his name. She was a little apprehensive. She heard him hum in agreement and chuckle.
“No rush.”
Who’s in a rush?
Yuli bit her lip and turned her head to bury half her face in the pillow.
…
The summer night wind rustled incessantly.
The cicadas were still chirping at night. Yuli thought of the summers in her modern life.
The city roads were all paved. What grew on the roads were all tall buildings. Lacking the nourishment of soil and trees, the summer sun always felt as if it were roasting on an iron plate.
It roasted people until they were drenched in sweat. After the sweat evaporated, it turned into salt stains on the skin, making people feel dry and itchy, wishing they could jump into water or eat ice to relieve the heat and thirst.
Mingyue Residence was by the lake, and there was an ice chest in the room. It was not so hot, at most a cool warmth.
Yuli boldly opened her eyes to look at Xie Yao.
His eyes were moist, but still stern, probably from not smiling for many years. His gaze was tinged with a different color, with a captivating charm.
The curve of his muscles was just right, a little more would be too much, a little less would be too little. Even the blue veins on his forearms were sexy.
As expected of the male lead, Yuli thought, distracted.
…