“Wait a moment.”
She opened the drawer of her dressing table and took out an exquisitely embroidered box, sitting sideways and gesturing at him: “Give me your hand.”
Though unsure what she intended, he half-squatted obediently and extended his hand.
Seeing her place a silver bracelet, engraved with delicate patterns, onto his wrist, he raised an eyebrow: “This is…?”
“A birthday gift for you.”
Xiao Lingzhou’s long, pale fingers traced the bracelet. His clear, handsome eyes squinted slightly in curiosity: “Looks like it’s a pair?”
Jiang Yu froze.
Did he have X-ray vision?
He had noticed already.
The bracelets had been bought a month ago in the county town. She had intended it as a gift for his birthday—perfect timing.
Later, learning of his true identity, she became consumed with thoughts of escaping, and the bracelet had slipped her mind.
During their entanglement in bed the night before, he had teased her about the ridiculous thing she had said when she “got drunk” last year, and hinted at wanting to try it with her that night.
She had been too lazy to play along these past two days, so she intended to use the bracelet to smooth him over.
She raised her sleeve, revealing a section of fair wrist adorned with the bracelet: “It’s a pair, one for you, one for me.”
Seeing him remove the silver bracelet and put it on his left hand, she frowned: “What are you doing?”
Xiao Lingzhou clasped her bracelet-wearing hand, a deep smile in his eyes: “Look, you wear it on your right hand, I wear it on my left—when we hold hands, everyone will know at a glance that we are a pair.”
Meeting his starry-eyed gaze, Jiang Yu blurted two words, mood fluttering: “Childish.”
He ignored her words entirely, satisfied with the bracelet, and buried his head in her lap.
“Thank you, Qingqing. I really like this birthday gift.”
Feeling the weight on her legs and the grip around her waist, a complex emotion flickered in Jiang Yu’s eyes: “You don’t mind that my gift isn’t expensive?”
“How could I? It’s the thought that counts.” He lifted his head, nuzzling her fair neck: “Meeting you in this life is the greatest gift Heaven has given me. Everything you give me is precious.”
He spoke without concealing his affection: “Even if you gave me weeds from the roadside, I would be delighted.”
Jiang Yu had been slightly moved, but the endless “Qingqing”s made her inexplicably irritable.
Pushing him gently, she hesitated, then asked a question she had long wanted to: “Why do you always call me ‘Qingqing’?”
Xiao Lingzhou paused, not answering directly: “You don’t like it?”
“I just want to know why.” She looked serious, clearly ready to insist if he didn’t answer.
He lowered his gaze, explaining: “Because you are my wife, my legally wedded lady, the one I wish to grow old with. I want to call you that.”
“Just because of that?” she doubted.
He gathered her hands in his, smiling gracefully: “What else would it be?”
Words too many always reveal hints. Jiang Yu, fearing he’d see through her thoughts, shook her head: “Nothing, I was just curious.”
Xiao Lingzhou brushed her face, voice husky: “If you don’t like ‘Qingqing,’ I can call you ‘wife’ instead.”
He looked at her intently as he said: “Wife… wife…”
Each time he spoke, his gaze deepened as if he wanted to consume her entirely.
Jiang Yu: “…”
“…Never mind, just call me like before.”
He inched closer, nuzzling her collarbone, lips curling: “Whatever Qingqing says, I obey.”
Only a few moments later, he let his fox-like intentions slip: “This beautiful night is not to be wasted. Qingqing, will you join me in pleasure?”
“No.” Jiang Yu refused decisively.
She knew his little schemes too well: “The gift is already given. Forget the rest—sleep obediently tonight.”
Her words barely fell when her wrist tightened, and she lost balance, falling into his arms.
He cupped her waist with one hand and supported her hips with the other. Rui Feng’s eyes glimmered as it asked, unconvinced: “Really can’t?”
“No.” She rejected him again without thinking, her fair cheeks faintly flushed.
At first, she had only teased with words—how could he remember so clearly?
Headache.
He nibbled her earlobe, voice tinged with grievance: “But… I really want to feel what it’s like to be with Qingqing…”
!!!
Jiang Yu’s face burned bright red.
Pervert!
Who wants… that kind of thing?
He carried such a serene, aloof expression, yet could speak so shamelessly and bluntly?
Could it be true that being near someone corrupts you?
Had married-life Xiao Lingzhou been infected by all the naughty thoughts in her head?
She swallowed nervously, raising a hand to block his approaching face: “How about… next time? I’m not feeling well.”
“Not feeling well?” His arousal vanished instantly, and he examined her carefully: “Where?”
“Perhaps… my period is coming.” She clutched his inspecting hand awkwardly.
Mentioning her period set off alarm bells in her mind.
Usually, it was late by a day or two, but this month… it seemed delayed by five or six days.
Could it be…?
The thought flashed, but she immediately dismissed it.
Impossible.
She and Xiao Lingzhou had been married for over half a year without conceiving. How could it happen now?
She must not scare herself.
Seeing her pale, uneasy face, Xiao Lingzhou smoothed her hair: “Then rest well. While the fire’s still warm, I’ll make you some brown sugar water.”
Jiang Yu nodded perfunctorily, her mind full of worry.
…
Because of the delayed period, Jiang Yu hadn’t slept well for two nights, looking listless.
Jiang Mo trotted around her feet with its chew bone, tail wagging incessantly, but couldn’t stir her mood.
“Woof woof!”
It didn’t understand human emotions but sensed her unhappiness, trying to cheer her in its own way.
Xiao Lingzhou came out from the kitchen with hot porridge.
Seeing Jiang Yu lazily lying in the rocking chair with eyes closed, he gestured to Jiang Mo to play elsewhere.
“Does your stomach still hurt? Want me to rub it?” He placed the porridge on the low table, speaking softly.
Jiang Yu sat up, weary: “It’s nothing serious. A couple of days, and it’ll pass.”
Her period hadn’t come at all.
But she couldn’t let Xiao Lingzhou know.
“You didn’t eat anything this morning. Drink the porridge.” He sat down, lifting a spoon, cooling it slightly, and brought it to her lips.
“I don’t want to.” She glanced at it, stomach churning, anxiety growing.
“You have to. Drink it.”
Reluctantly, Jiang Yu opened her mouth.
She forced herself to finish the porridge despite nausea, clutching her chest: “I want to go to the city later.”