Сhарtеr 10: Certain Unsреakablе Changеs
Sinсе Gu Таng wаs born, Gu Сhаngсe hаd alrеady еstаblished his оwn housеhоld.
Тheу nоw residеd in thе nеw mаnsiоn.
Shеn Zuihuаn was still nоt verу fаmiliar with the layоut of thе mansiоn.
Qiu Yаn lеd hеr back tо her own соurtуаrd.
Qiu Yan hаd servеd her sincе сhildhооd аnd knew thаt she had alwауs bееn fоnd of cleаnlinеss.
Тherеforе, when theу lеft еаrlier, she sреcificаlly instructеd thе сlеaning mаids in thе courtyard to preрarе hоt wаtеr.
Аs soоn as Shen Zuihuan rеturned tо her rоom, shе could bathe.
She removed her clothes, and when only a crimson undergarment remained on her body, she stepped into the wooden tub.
The water was warm and gentle, with steam rising.
As soon as she entered, Shen Zuihuan let out a sigh of contentment.
Seeing her mistress’s health improving, Qiu Yan’s lips curled into a faint smile.
Shen Zuihuan disliked having anyone attend to her closely while bathing.
So Qiu Yan softly said, “Mistress, please bathe first. I will go to the room to fetch the scented ointment and a change of clothes.”
Shen Zuihuan leaned her head back, resting the back of her head gently against the edge of the tub.
With her eyes slightly closed, she replied softly, “Mm.”
After a pause, she added, “Bring a thin garment.”
The medicine she drank at noon was quite potent, and she still felt a lingering restlessness in her heart.
Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan responded softly in acknowledgment.
She quickly turned and left to prepare the items.
Shen Zuihuan gently raised her delicate hand, removed the last jade hairpin from her hair, and placed it on a small table nearby.
Her cloud-like hair cascaded down naturally, dampened by the water.
It clung tightly to her smooth, fair neck and back.
Earlier, Qiu Yan had specifically scattered some mugwort and calamus in the tub to dispel the cold.
It was said that this was specially instructed by the physician Liu Heyu, who had visited at noon.
Shen Zuihuan also secretly felt that he truly had some skill.
This medicinal bath was exceptionally comfortable.
So much so that despite experiencing so many unbelievable things during the day, she still felt somewhat drowsy.
It was only when the water in the tub began to cool that Shen Zuihuan stood up straight.
However, as soon as she stood up, she heard a dull sound from the window behind her.
It sounded like someone opening and then forcefully closing it.
Shen Zuihuan’s nerves instantly tensed.
She abruptly turned her head and shouted sharply, “Who is it!”
But the only response was silence.
As if the sound she had just heard was merely an illusion.
She hesitantly called out, “…Qiu Yan?”
Still, no one answered her.
But Shen Zuihuan dared not let her guard down.
Like a small animal cautiously exploring an unfamiliar environment, she looked around with alert eyes.
Thinking of the worst-case scenario, could it be some rogue breaking into the courtyard at night?
Then she felt this idea was truly absurd.
Who would be foolish enough to act indecently in a military general’s home! Especially when that general was Gu Changce, who was known for holding grudges.
…It would be like courting death.
After a moment of contemplation, she lowered her head.
Shen Zuihuan stepped out of the tub barefoot.
Her undergarment was soaked with water, clinging tightly to her body.
The beautiful curves of her figure were almost completely exposed.
She bit her lips, which had turned tender red from the steam.
Thinking to herself, she should have told Qiu Yan earlier not to take away all the dirty clothes.
Now she had nothing to cover herself with.
After a moment of thought,
she exerted some force with her hands, pulling down the gauze curtain used for privacy in the inner chamber, and wrapped it around herself as a makeshift outer garment.
She walked slowly toward the window.She gently cracked open a slit in the window.
Carefully peeking her head out to look outside.
Outside was pitch black, the sky like overturned ink, a soaked curtain of darkness.
She could only see the sparse leaf shadows near the window swaying slightly.
Emitting faint rustling sounds.
Shen Zuihuan’s delicate brows furrowed slightly.
Strange, she had clearly heard a noise just moments ago, so why was there nothing now?
Just as she was pondering this, suddenly a large dark shadow lunged into her arms.
Shen Zuihuan was so frightened that her face paled, letting out a startled scream!
The floor beneath her feet was still covered in undried water.
Her foot slipped, and she landed on her bottom, sitting on the wooden floor.
With a dull thud!
It wasn’t until Shen Zuihuan fell to the ground that she realized what she was holding in her arms was soft?!
She didn’t dare open her eyes, only reaching out to gently stroke it.
…It was actually furry?!
…What was even more surprising was that the texture felt somewhat familiar…
Trembling, she forced herself to endure the fear and opened her eyes just a slit.
She saw a small calico cat, eyes squinted, comfortably nestled in her arms.
The little cat had yellow and white tabby stripes all over its body, but at the tip of its tail was a tuft of incongruous gray fur.
Shen Zuihuan recognized it at once—it was Xiao Hua, the cat sent to the estate in the outskirts of the capital by her aunt when she was twelve.
She truly hadn’t expected to see it again!
The estate in the outskirts of the capital was desolate and impoverished.
Even people ate coarse grains, so naturally, there was nothing good left to feed a cat.
Xiao Hua had always been picky; even when she had taken meticulous care of it, it had remained lean.
Let alone after being sent to such a place!
Shen Zuihuan had thought Xiao Hua’s fate was unknown, never expecting to see it again at the General’s Mansion.
Her eyes reddened as she took a deep breath, burying her face in Xiao Hua’s fur.
The faint panic and fear in her heart dissipated somewhat.
Although she had suddenly found herself at the age of twenty-one, Shen Zuihuan thought, not everything she encountered was bad!
Meanwhile, Xiao Hua was also exceptionally content in its owner’s arms.
It rubbed against Shen Zuihuan’s chest while purring softly.
Shen Zuihuan couldn’t help but giggle at its antics.
However, before the long-separated woman and cat could exchange heartfelt words,
the wooden door was suddenly kicked open!
“Huahuan! Are you alright?!”
Gu Changce had just returned from the training grounds, thinking Shen Zuihuan should have finished her bath.
He headed straight for Qingyuan Residence.
Upon arriving, he noticed the lights were still on inside.
He waited at the door.
But then, unexpectedly, he heard a woman’s scream.
In a panic, he could think of nothing else.
He immediately pushed the door open.
Yet he never expected to witness such a tantalizing scene.
Because of Xiao Hua’s earlier rubbing, Shen Zuihuan’s already barely covering undergarment had been pushed to the brink of falling off.
The thin gauze clung to her delicate curves and her straight, slender legs.
Her small face, flushed from the earlier steam, seemed even more bashful and alluring.
Shen Zuihuan suddenly saw him pushing the door open.
The word “pervert!” stuck in her throat, but then she remembered they were now husband and wife.
She bit her lip hard, her face reddening almost to the point of bleeding.
Gu Changce, too, felt a rush of blood to his head.
Although they already had Gu Tang,
the number of times he and Shen Zuihuan had shared a bed… could be counted on one hand—only that one time.A man in his twenties, full of vigor, could hardly withstand such stimulation.
He vaguely sensed that something indescribable was happening to his body…