Qin Yuehan hadn’t expected Jiang Lan to suddenly enter, and he froze completely.
It was the servant Qin Zhong who reacted swiftly, immediately pulling over a thin quilt to cover Qin Yuehan, using his own body to shield his young master’s exposed skin.
Qin Zhong’s series of movements were so efficient that Qin Yuehan snapped back to reality, his face instantly turning pale.
This was the first time Qin Yuehan had exposed his skin before a woman, even if the woman before him was already his wife.
Seeing Qin Yuehan’s expression, Jiang Lan belatedly realized her transgression.
She quickly turned around, her gaze falling upon the white porcelain flower arrangement by the draped doorway.
The flowers were in full bloom, their fragrance faintly wrapping around Jiang Lan’s nose.
“I… came to bring you some ointment,” Jiang Lan spoke, her voice slightly husky, unlike her usual sweet tone.
Watching Jiang Lan’s straight back, that momentary astonishment and instinct she displayed gave Qin Yuehan a different perception of his top scholar wife.
Qin Zhong stood to the side, carefully observing his young master’s expression. Seeing him nod, he slowly stepped forward to take the white jade ointment from Jiang Lan’s hand.
“Thank you,” Qin Yuehan said, looking at the medicine bottle in his hand, lowering his eyelids as his eyelashes trembled slightly, concealing the complex emotions in his eyes.
Hearing Qin Yuehan’s voice, Jiang Lan instinctively revealed a faint smile, speaking in an exceptionally gentle tone: “There’s no need for thanks between us. I’m sorry for making you suffer with me.”
Qin Yuehan was stunned by these words – he had already prepared himself for Jiang Lan making demands.
But this woman before him didn’t mention anything at all, as if she had genuinely caught a cold by accident.
“Wife need not say such things. Would you like to have dinner together tonight?” Qin Yuehan spoke.
The sound of footsteps behind her gradually grew clearer, and Jiang Lan sensed Qin Yuehan approaching her side.
But the scene she had just witnessed remained vivid in her mind, making her too afraid to turn and look at Qin Yuehan.
“009, why do I feel like after changing bodies, I’ve become some kind of pervert?” Jiang Lan quietly complained in her mind.
[It’s not just a feeling. In this matriarchal world, women’s strength lies not only in their bodies but also in their desires and restless aggression,] System 009 explained.
Hearing this, Jiang Lan was momentarily stunned, feeling a growing sense of reality settle in her heart.
Jiang Lan raised her eyes to look at Qin Yuehan, noticing he was already fully dressed. His peach-blossom eyes were dark as ink, his lips perfectly shaped – enough to make one want to plunder them.
“Mm,” Jiang Lan responded, feeling slightly surprised inwardly.
After all, in her memories, aside from visits to the Qin Prime Minister’s residence, she and Qin Yuehan had always taken their meals separately.
Truth be told, after blurting out those words, Qin Yuehan felt a faint regret, thinking his behavior too wanton.
After all, he had just been accidentally seen exposed by Jiang Lan, and then shamelessly invited her to stay for dinner.
He feared that in his wife’s eyes, he now possessed not even half the virtue expected of a man.
As dinner time approached, Jiang Hongshi didn’t wait for Jiang Lan’s return. Instead, Qin Zhong respectfully invited her to the main hall for the meal.
In the evening, Jiang Hongshi sat in the seat of honor, with Jiang Lan and Qin Yuehan sitting opposite each other.
The kitchen had prepared an exceptionally lavish dinner. With all three masters present in the main hall, the dishes on the table catered to their different tastes.
Qin Yuehan had a light palate and loved sweet flavors, so on the table was his favorite black glutinous rice with eight treasures, which looked soft, sticky, and sweet.
Jiang Hongshi preferred spicy dishes, and a plate of braised spicy chicken looked exceptionally appetizing.
The original Jiang Lan had been fond of pretending to be refined, always putting on airs, so not a single dish on the table appealed to her former self.
As for Jiang Lan now, she wasn’t picky—sweet or spicy, she could handle both. Add a bowl of soup, and it would be perfect.
But since ancient times, there had been a saying: mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law were hard to get along with. Even in this matriarchal world, the same principle applied.
Jiang Lan looked at the dishes on the table—the food itself was quite good.
It was just a pity that neither Qin Yuehan nor Jiang Hongshi had their minds on the meal.
“How are your knees?” Jiang Hongshi suddenly asked Qin Yuehan, her gaze cool and detached, without a hint of concern.
Upon hearing this, Qin Yuehan responded with great respect, his tone gentle: “Thank you for your concern. My knees are fine.”
Jiang Hongshi couldn’t stand Qin Yuehan’s demeanor. Everyone said her daughter had married above her station, but he felt Qin Yuehan’s coldness made him utterly unworthy of Jiang Lan.
After all, when a woman took a husband, what she wanted was gentleness and warmth. Marrying such an icy person, his Lan’er’s private life must have been miserable.
Indeed, the two had never slept together, and as a father, he truly felt heartbroken.
“It’s good that you’re fine. You’re delicate, and Lan’er is busy. This time, she only caught a cold, but you staying at the pharmacy and not returning home is rather inappropriate,” Jiang Hongshi said.
Even though Jiang Hongshi was seething inside, his words were articulate and reasonable, not overly harsh.
Hearing this, Jiang Lan felt a stir in her heart. Recalling Jiang Hongshi’s private attitude toward Qin Yuehan, she vaguely sensed something amiss.
However, before she could figure out how to handle the situation, Jiang Hongshi continued.
“But I’m not an unreasonable person. You’re busy, but Lan’er also needs someone to take care of her. So, as her father, I’ve decided to arrange for Jiang Lan to take a concubine,” Jiang Hongshi said, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Qin Yuehan.
Before Qin Yuehan could respond, Jiang Lan couldn’t hold back.
She hadn’t expected that, having just transmigrated, Jiang Hongshi would already be adding difficulties to her tasks.
Qin Yuehan lowered his head, his eyelids drooping, his lashes concealing the emotions in his eyes.
But Jiang Lan only saw him nod slowly and say, “As Father wishes.”
Sitting across from him, Jiang Lan didn’t know if it was her own strong subjective impression, but she felt Qin Yuehan’s voice sounded particularly bitter, making her heart tremble.
“Father, I disagree,” Jiang Lan said, her tone firm.
As soon as she spoke, the two men at the table froze simultaneously.
Jiang Hongshi looked at Jiang Lan with slight confusion in his eyes, but he didn’t feel displeased at being contradicted.
As for Qin Yuehan, his heart, which had been hanging high, settled into a bittersweet feeling of resignation after Jiang Hongshi’s words.
But Jiang Lan’s words once again lifted his heart, and even stirred a vague, faint hope within him.
As for what he hoped for, he didn’t know. He had never felt it before, and now that he did, it was only a vague, uncertain longing.
“Father, I do not wish to take a concubine. Your daughter has just entered the court and is fully devoted to serving the nation. How could I spare energy for romantic affairs?” Jiang Lan declared, carrying herself with an air of righteous dignity.
Jiang Hongshi was utterly bewildered by her words. Being illiterate, he was completely taken aback by Jiang Lan’s speech.
Jiang Hongshi then pondered Su Qinghe mentioned by Jiang Lan—a mere courtesan. Taking him as a concubine would indeed be elevating his status.