After a moment of silence, Jiang Yu placed the scented sachet in his palm. “It’s just a scented sachet, merely a trivial thought of a young woman. My husband, your curiosity is rather excessive.”
Before Pei Xiao could take it, Jiang Yu withdrew the sachet again.
The indigo tassel slipped through his fingers—a fleeting glimpse, leaving Pei Xiao without a clear view. Yet he had clearly observed Jiang Yu sitting by the window in a daze earlier and now her deliberate concealment.
Rubbing the lingering fragrance between his fingertips, he leaned forward, craning his head through the window to see what she held. “Madam, you always found such trinkets tedious and couldn’t be bothered to embroider them before. What significance does this sachet hold that warranted your personal effort today?”
Bang—
The window slammed shut, striking Pei Xiao squarely on his tall nose bridge.
Jiang Yu had shut him out, showing not a hint of mercy.
Pei Xiao inhaled sharply, massaging his nose as he entered through the main door. “I haven’t even said anything, yet Madam is already flustered and angry?” He lifted the hem of his robe, initially intending to sit opposite the daybed.
But seeing Jiang Yu, flushed and agitated like a cornered rabbit, he instead settled beside her, his tall frame nearly pressing against her back.
Perhaps because they had always been excessively formal with each other in the past, her current restlessness and petty tantrums under his watchful eye didn’t strike Pei Xiao as Jiang Yu capable of causing any real trouble. Instead, he found it refreshing.
Jiang Yu, however, elbowed him away in disgust. “Is there no place in this vast manor for Lord Pei to sit?”
“Lord Pei” already? It seemed she was truly angry.
“Very well, very well. I won’t ask about the sachet anymore, and I won’t bring up the Princess Manor in the future. Is that acceptable?” Pei Xiao chuckled dismissively and reached out to embrace her shoulders.
But Jiang Yu, light as a swallow, stood up and evaded him. “So, after all this, Lord Pei still believes I’ve done something behind your back. It’s just that you, Lord Pei, are magnanimous and won’t hold it against me?”
Pei Xiao lifted his eyes slightly, his expression clearly conveying four words: “Isn’t that so?”
His profound gaze seemed to pierce through to the depths of her heart.
Jiang Yu found herself trapped. If she accepted his “kindness” and let it slide, wouldn’t that be tantamount to admitting guilt?
“Then I must truly thank Lord Pei for not dwelling on past grievances.” Jiang Yu gave a slight curtsy and casually tossed the scented sachet into the incense burner.
The burner, perpetually lit with the sandalwood Pei Xiao favored, swirled with smoke that engulfed the apricot-colored sachet.
With a glance, Pei Xiao finally discerned the embroidery pattern of noble bamboo and orchids—clearly intended for a man.
Along with the sachet, she had also thrown in an embroidery pattern stamped with the insignia of Princess Ruiyang’s manor.
Pei Xiao hastily retrieved both the sachet and the pattern with his bare hands, brushing off the embers. “Is this… for me?”
Jiang Yu secretly sighed in relief. The sachet, now riddled with burn holes and infused with sandalwood, would ultimately conceal the pollen from his notice.
Yet she ignored him, feigning anger as she parted the beaded curtain and retreated into the inner chamber.
Pei Xiao watched her faintly visible silhouette, ripples of emotion stirring within him.
Two days ago, he had indeed sent all the embroidery patterns from the Princess Manor to Jiang Yu, but only those with feminine designs.
It hadn’t occurred to him that Jiang Yu intended to embroider a sachet for him, so he hadn’t presented the male patterns before her.
Rubbing the half-burnt sachet, Pei Xiao also rose and slipped into the inner chamber. “So, Madam, your noon visit to the Princess Manor was truly to borrow an embroidery pattern to make a sachet for me?”Jiang Yu remained silent, sitting before the bronze mirror as she unpinned her hair, letting the dark tresses cascade like a waterfall.
Pei Xiao inquired again, “Making a scented sachet for your husband is hardly something to be ashamed of. Why didn’t you explain clearly during the day? It seems I wrongly accused you.”
Pei Xiao bowed gracefully with clasped hands. Though apologizing, his words carried an implicit challenge, questioning why Jiang Yu had been secretive earlier. Yet his tone had noticeably lightened, tinged with delight—likely eighty percent convinced of her sincerity.
Jiang Yu feigned ignorance of his probing, muttering, “How was I being secretive? I merely wanted to surprise you. Who knew it would make Lord Pei so suspicious?” She combed her long hair with serene composure, every gesture and word impeccably measured.
Dusk had fallen. Sunset streamed through the window lattice, backlighting her slender waist visible beneath the gauzy nightgown. Her jade-white wrists emerged from wide sleeves, delicate fingers gently stroking her hair.
Pei Xiao watched her graceful silhouette, his gaze gradually deepening. Since she still intended to gift him a personal item, she probably hadn’t heard any gossip from Meng Qingyao yet. She remained his obedient, delicate wife.
His brow relaxed slightly as he encircled Jiang Yu from behind. “Yu’er is so thoughtful. Since this gift is given, would you trouble yourself to fasten it for me?”
“If it’s already burnt, why bother with that trivial thing?” Jiang Yu lightly pushed his shoulder with her soft hand. Her movements released intermittent traces of her post-bath fragrance, like a fluffy fox’s tail tickling one’s heart…
The spoiled kitten knew to scratch when angered!
Pei Xiao chuckled lowly, his warm breath brushing her ear. “How could I waste Yu’er’s heartfelt gift? It must be kept close, admired daily.”
Jiang Yu’s earlobes flushed despite herself. This scented sachet was originally the erotic sachet Pei Xiao had begged her to make days ago. She had been secretly embroidering it, but the patterns were too embarrassing, making her too embarrassed to present it. Today, unable to explain her visit to the Princess Manor’s embroidery room, she used the half-finished erotic sachet as cover.
Displaying such an item outright would inevitably create an ambiguous atmosphere. As the room’s temperature rose, Pei Xiao’s tall frame enveloped her.
Jiang Yu vaguely recalled his similarly overpowering presence during his confrontation with Meng Qingyao. A chill ran through her, but aside from occasional lapses in the bedchamber, she could never sway his moods otherwise. Only by mastering him could she find a way to escape to the Princess Manor!
Clenching her palm, she tried to convince herself when suddenly the world spun. Pei Xiao lifted her onto the bronze mirror’s ledge, placing the sachet in her hand. “Yu’er, fasten it for me?”
Jiang Yu refused to take it, pretending annoyance. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll play tricks, Lord Pei?” Her flushed face enhanced her charming naivety.
Pei Xiao’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “My mistake. Let me apologize to Yu’er first.”
“What kind of apology is this… Mph!” Her words were swallowed as his magnetic voice murmured against her lips. After all, as the legitimate daughter of a ducal household, she possessed innate pride—but Pei Xiao knew how to subdue it…
“Pei Xiao!” Jiang Yu immediately pressed his hand away from her waistband, almond eyes glinting coldly.
He merely gave her a cool glance. “What is it?”
“I—I’ll fasten the sachet for you!” Unable to endure his teasing, she interrupted him. She intended to distract Pei Xiao, but she mustn’t fall into the trap herself first.Jiang Yu steadied her breath, her trembling fingers climbing up his leather belt.
Her shallow breaths came like delicate hooks, gently brushing against him while carrying the faint hibiscus fragrance from her body.
Pei Xiao knew how to make her fall, but how could she not know how to make Pei Xiao lose himself?