Chарtеr 22: Grаnd Тutor Pei Wаnts tо Kiss Hеr Madlу
“Yаn’еr, уоu’rе… pfft…”
Маdаm Yun сouldn’t hold bаck her laughter whеn shе saw Реi Yаn wеаring a gоld-inlаid gеmstone bеgоnia flоwer hairpiеcе. She teasеd him chеerfullу, “Yаn’er, it’s a gоod thing you hаvе suсh а handsomе fасе, otherwisе… it’d be lаughable!”
Рei Yan lоoked аt her coldlу. “Моther, this is Zhаоzhao’s.”
“Huh?” Мadаm Yun wаs stunned.
At thаt moment, Yun Zhаozhао рoрped оut mischievоuslу frоm behind Pei Yan, winking teasingly. “Auntiе, dоesn’t Cousin loоk grеat wearing thе flоwer?”
“Ahem! He does! Our Zhaozhao has good taste!”
As soon as Madam Yun saw Yun Zhaozhao, her expression instantly changed to praise. Then she asked curiously where such a large, pure gold and gemstone hairpiece came from.
Yun Zhaozhao pouted coquettishly. “Cousin bought it.”
Her cousin was truly too cunning!
He wanted to use the hairpiece to cover up the fact that he secretly ordered a gold chain. Little did he know, nothing could escape Yun Zhaozhao’s sharp eyes!
Madam Yun asked again, “Yan’er, who did you buy this for?”
Pei Yan removed the crown, his voice as cool and clear as jade. “Zhaozhao.”
When he called Yun Zhaozhao’s name, his tone was cold, yet it inexplicably carried a hint of hidden, lingering tenderness.
Madam Yun didn’t notice. She reached out her hand. “Really, if you bought it for Zhaozhao, why are you still holding it? Give it to Zhaozhao.”
【No.】 Pei Yan didn’t want to give it up.
Seeing Pei Yan standing there motionless, like an icy jade statue, without saying a word.
Madam Yun glared at him. “Yan’er, why are you so stingy?”
Pei Yan’s thin lips twitched, finding it difficult to voice his thoughts.
【Zhaozhao personally put it on him. He wanted to keep it hidden…】
Pei Yan couldn’t say it out loud, but Yun Zhaozhao heard every word clearly.
On the surface, Grand Tutor Pei appeared cold, emotionless, and desireless, but deep down, he was like a possessive big dog begging for attention.
Yun Zhaozhao struggled to hold back her laughter. She wrapped her arm around Madam Yun’s and sweetly cooed, “Auntie, I don’t like it. It’s too tacky. Since Cousin likes it, let him wear it!”
“Auntie, I’m starving!”
Hearing that Yun Zhaozhao was hungry, Madam Yun immediately ordered the maids to prepare the meal quickly!
She pulled Yun Zhaozhao toward her courtyard. “Auntie has some pastries. Come to my place and have some to tide you over.”
Before leaving, Madam Yun shot Pei Yan a glare, her eyes scolding him with annoyance—stingy and tight-lipped!
Pei Yan ignored his own mother.
His gaze quietly followed Yun Zhaozhao’s bright, charming smile as she walked away, even turning back to stick her tongue out at him.
Adorable to the point of madness!
He wanted to kiss her madly!
Pei Yan restrained himself and withdrew his gaze, lowering his eyes to stare at the gold-inlaid gemstone begonia flower on the crown. His fingertips gently caressed it, his movements tender as if stroking someone’s cheek…
He had several court hats, but this one he would keep hidden.
“Leng Zhu.”
Pei Yan ordered, “Double the betrothal gifts for Zhaozhao. Prepare everything within six months.”
As soon as the mourning period ended, he would marry Zhaozhao immediately!
Just six more months!
Pei Yan’s eyes darkened like a bottomless cold pool. Just a little longer—
In Madam Yun’s courtyard.
“Zhaozhao, whose clothes are you wearing? Why do they look a bit familiar to me?”
Yun Zhaozhao choked on a pastry and quickly drank some tea to wash it down. Her cheeks flushed bright red and grew hot. “They’re Cousin’s old clothes.”
Madam Yun was surprised but couldn’t hide her growing smile.
She deliberately teased Yun Zhaozhao. “Do they fit well?””Oh no, it’s too big! I’ll go change back right away!” Yun Zhaozhao blushed in embarrassment and hurried back to her own courtyard.
After changing back into her moon-white orchid-embroidered dress and redoing her hair, she went to have lunch with Madam Yun. When she returned to her room, the old clothes were already gone.
Her maid Liu Qing told her that servants from her cousin’s courtyard had come to take the old clothes away.
Yun Zhaozhao’s face flushed with urgency: “But I wore them, and they haven’t been washed yet!”
She had climbed trees and crawled through dog holes—who knew how dirty the clothes had gotten!
Yun Zhaozhao rushed toward Pei Yan’s courtyard.
She lived in the rear courtyard, Madam Yun in the main courtyard, while Pei Yan, as the only male master of the Grand Tutor’s Manor, resided in the Ink Bamboo Pavilion in the front courtyard.
Yun Zhaozhao lifted her skirt and jogged the whole way, arriving outside the Ink Bamboo Pavilion after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. She smoothed her hair and dress, took a steadying breath, tiptoed to the doorway, and peeked inside—
What was her cousin doing?
Yun Zhaozhao widened her almond-shaped eyes, seeing the clothes she had worn neatly hung on a clothing rack.
Pei Yan stood with his back to the door, in front of the rack, his slender, jade-like fingers tracing inch by inch along the collar as he examined it…
Even though these were his own old clothes!
But Yun Zhaozhao had just worn them, and they hadn’t been washed before Pei Yan touched and caressed them… Yun Zhaozhao couldn’t help but feel a prickling sensation all over, her face flushed and heart racing, as if it were her being touched.
【There’s mud on it…】
Pei Yan leaned in, sniffing the clothes closely. 【Besides ambergris, there’s the scent of leaves and grass.】
【Where exactly did Zhaozhao go without telling me?】
【Tomorrow, when I enter the palace, I’ll interrogate His Majesty…】
Hearing Pei Yan’s inner thoughts, Yun Zhaozhao was stunned. Her cousin was actually examining the clothes she had worn and even planned to interrogate the young emperor!
Her cousin’s need for control was just too…
“Zhaozhao, are you spying on me?” A cool, magnetic voice sounded right beside her, as if speaking directly into her ear, sending a tingling sensation.
Yun Zhaozhao snapped back to reality and realized Pei Yan had somehow noticed her and was now standing right in front of her, looking down at her.
The distance between them had shrunk to almost nothing. His flawlessly handsome face, with its thick, long eyelashes and straight, high nose, was almost touching hers.
Too close!
Overwhelmed by his beauty, Yun Zhaozhao blushed furiously, her heart pounding like thunder and wild drums!
Her legs went weak, and she leaned back slightly to put some distance between them before she could catch her breath. “Cousin, I… I have something to tell you.”
“Come in.”
Pei Yan turned to pour tea, unintentionally noticing that the cup he was drinking from was one he had bought from a tailor shop. His eyes darkened, and he discreetly tucked it into his sleeve.
【Can’t let Zhaozhao find out】
Yun Zhaozhao glanced curiously but noticed nothing. Then, a cup of tea was handed to her.
Yun Zhaozhao took a sip, hoping to bolster her courage. But the tea was so bitter it made her scrunch up her face. She couldn’t swallow it, and she didn’t know where to spit it out.
“Spit it here.” Noticing her discomfort, Pei Yan instinctively extended his palm.
Gulp—
Yun Zhaozhao swallowed in shock, complaining bitterly, “Cousin, your tea is even more bitter than life itself.”
“Apologies. Bitter tea clears the mind.”
【And curbs desires.】
Pei Yan hadn’t expected Yun Zhaozhao to come looking for him. This was also the first time Yun Zhaozhao had ever visited his courtyard, and Pei Yan was completely unprepared.
Pei Yan felt deeply annoyed inside.
【Zhaozhao likes sweet drinks…】
【I’ll have the cook prepare a bowl every day from now on, ready in advance.】
Cousin, don’t even think about it!
I won’t be coming here every day!Yun Zhaozhao was as proud and aloof as a kitten. She tugged at Pei Yan’s sleeve: “Cousin, sit down!”
Pei Yan obediently sat before her.
A pair of cold eyes gazed quietly at her, as if in all of heaven and earth, she alone existed in his sight.
Yun Zhaozhao blushed under his gaze, pursing her moist, rosy lips as she mumbled: “In the palace, I met the young emperor.”
“But that’s not important! What’s important is, I heard the palace servants say…”