Jiang Ning looked out the window with curiosity. Outside was a lawn with a few winter plum trees planted on it. Just past them was a perimeter wall; scaling it would lead right out of the East Court. There was nothing particularly special about it.
Wen Ya silently mouthed a person’s name—Nanny Li.
Jiang Ning instantly understood. That Nanny Li was eavesdropping under the wall.
Wen Ya pulled Jiang Ning back toward the bed, whispering as they walked, “This Nanny Li is one of the people serving Jianshen’s mother.”
Jiang Ning listened attentively. They would basically have to pass the time by chatting for the remainder of their time here.
Wen Ya said, “The Old Lady originally hoped Jianshen would continue living in the ancestral residence, intending to expand and renovate the courtyard he used to live in as a wedding chamber, but I was unwilling.”
“Jianshen respects me very much, so we got this estate. Nanny Li and her troupe followed us here as well.”
“On our wedding night, I slept in the Fengyu Pavilion while Jianshen slept in the East Court. You can imagine how angry the Old Lady was when she found out, but what could she do?”
“Jianshen and I have been married for four years in name only without reality. Truthfully, I feel somewhat guilty toward the elders of the Gu family for delaying their son. But now that you are here, I can put my mind at ease a little.”
Jiang Ning sensed something faintly amiss and swallowed hard. “Sister, Gu Jianshen doesn’t like me.”
Wen Ya smiled faintly. “Alright, let’s not talk about that. Right now, shouldn’t we make a little noise?”
Jiang Ning was a bit baffled.
Wen Ya asked in return, “That kind of thing couldn’t possibly be done without a sound, right?”
Jiang Ning blushed at the question. Given Gu Jianshen’s personality, it was impossible for a passionate encounter to happen silently, leaving Nanny Li to listen to nothing at all.
Jiang Ning cleared her throat to adjust her voice, and then Gu Jianshen’s full-throated voice came out: “Yaya, let me kiss you, hug you, and lift you up high~”
She then imitated Wen Ya’s voice, speaking coquettishly: “Jianshen~ You’re so bad~”
Jiang Ning was playing two roles at once with her mouth, and her hands were not idle either. She grabbed the bedposts and shook them forcefully. The small red sandalwood bed could not withstand Jiang Ning’s violent shaking, making rhythmic sounds of “creak—” “creak—”.
Gu Jianshen, who was sitting in the inner hall, abruptly stood up, grit his teeth, and sat back down to continue gulping down tea.
Wen Ya was amused and laughed softly, “Sister, you actually have this kind of talent.”
Jiang Ning made a playful grimace and said, “Sister, you like listening to operas. I used to pester the troupe master to teach me. He said I had to learn vocal mimicry first before he would teach me, so I put in the effort to master it. My imitations of voices—young, old, male, female—are pure perfection.”
Wen Ya’s eyes narrowed with laughter. “Sister, you really are thoughtful. Then pant a bit louder with some resistance, because if it were me, I would resist and scold Jianshen for being shameless.”
Jiang Ning gave Wen Ya an “OK” hand gesture and shouted in Wen Ya’s voice, “Let go of me, you’re hurting me!”
She then roared in Gu Jianshen’s voice, “You are my wife! What’s wrong with me touching you? I’m a man, I have needs too!”
She then used her own voice to mediate, “Oh my, Master, Sister, please don’t fight.”
With all these different voices popping out of Jiang Ning’s mouth, it was truly exhausting her.
Wen Ya gave Jiang Ning a thumb-up and whispered, “Panting a bit using your own voice.”
Jiang Ning then cleared her throat and began panting, “Ah~ Ooh~”
The more she panted, the stranger things felt.
To be honest, ever since she arrived at the East Court, Jiang Ning had vaguely felt that something was wrong with her body. She felt sweltering hot, her head was a bit dizzy and heavy, and her heart was flustered.
She had thought it was just nervousness from coming to the East Court, but the more she panted, the hotter her body became. Her mouth felt dry, her throat parched, and her consciousness was growing somewhat hazy.
This sensation felt very much like when the man from her dreams came to harass her—the physical changes when her body was steeped in desire.
Jiang Ning stopped shaking the bed and wobbled toward Wen Ya. “Sister, I don’t feel well. I can’t pant anymore.”
Wen Ya helped Jiang Ning sit down on the bed and touched Jiang Ning’s forehead. “It is a bit warm. Lie down and rest for a bit first. I’ll go get a doctor.”
Jiang Ning lay down in a daze, murmuring, “Sister, come back quickly.”
Wen Ya gazed at Jiang Ning, a hint of complexity flashing through her eyes. She slowly sighed and muttered to herself, “Don’t blame Sister. Sister is doing this for your own good, too.”
Jingle-jingle~
The sound of bells rang out as Wen Ya walked out, stepping into the inner hall.
Gu Jianshen sat upright in a chair, his head lowered so his expression could not be seen, but the aura around him was terribly dark and gloomy.
Gu Jianshen asked in a raspy voice, “You touched this teapot, didn’t you?”
A touch of apology appeared on Wen Ya’s delicate face. “Yes.”
Gu Jianshen asked again, “Why?”
Wen Ya said, “The last time I returned with you, Auntie Gu pressed for children both directly and indirectly. As you know, that is something I cannot do. And you are no longer young; you truly ought to properly settle down and start a family.”
In private, Wen Ya had always referred to Gu Jianshen’s mother as “Auntie,” only putting on a show to call her “Mother-in-law” in person.
Gu Jianshen let out a soft snort carrying a hint of chilliness. “Is Jiang Ning also the woman you chose for me?”
Wen Ya said, “When I first met her, I was just like you, guarded against her. But after spending time together, you will know how precious she is. She is not like other women.”
“I know this is forcing your hand, but there is no turning back once an arrow is shot. Now, both you and she have taken the drug I placed. I intentionally increased the dosage in your pot of water. You don’t need to force yourself to endure it, nor do you need a mental burden—just treat it as fulfilling your duty to your mother. My only request is that in the future, for the sake of the child, you keep Jiang Ning safe and sound.”
Wen Ya bowed slightly to Gu Jianshen, then turned and walked out the door.
Chunyan, who was waiting outside, blushed bright red. Her eyes were somewhat evasive as she looked at Wen Ya. She had just heard the sounds of her young mistress crying out.
The young mistress and the young master had finally consummated their marriage.
Wen Ya took a look at Chunyan, who was lost in wild thoughts, but did not offer much explanation. She simply said, “Return to the Duke’s Estate.”
Chunyan was surprised. “Right now?”
Wen Ya said firmly, “Right now.”
If she was not mistaken, the mastermind who had instructed Jiang Ning to drug her would be waiting halfway along the road.
That person understood her temperament very well. If something had truly happened between her and Gu Jianshen, she would certainly leave in shame and anger.
She wanted to meet them and see which bastard was repeatedly bullying her good sister!
Inside the room.
Jiang Ning felt as though she was placed in a sea of fire, about to be burned by the flames to the point of being unable to live or die, tortured so much she felt like passing away on the spot.
She forced herself to try to enter a dream, wanting to find the dream man to properly release this fire.
Yet it was a pipe dream.
Under these circumstances, she could not sleep at all, squirming her uncomfortable body on the bed like an octopus.
Jingle-jingle-jingle—
The sound of bells rang out as someone parted the curtains and walked in.
Jiang Ning forced her body up and looked over. Her eyes were red and filled with tears. She could not quite distinguish between the dream world and reality, feeling as though the person from her dream was walking toward her.
It was just like a person dying of thirst discovering an oasis in the desert; the desire to drink water reached its absolute peak.
Driven almost entirely by the most primal craving, Jiang Ning lunged toward him.
The instant they made contact, it felt like touching the coolest spring water in the world, making her long to gain even more.