23 – She doesn’t understand, but she’s curious.
Gu Pingting took her medicine, and her left leg improved day by day. The weather gradually turned cooler, no longer so unbearably hot and stifling.
Gu Pingting had finished reading her storybooks. On the day Feng Shan went to the city to sell furs, she asked him to buy a few new storybooks for her.
Feng Shan left before dawn and returned in the mid-afternoon. Gu Pingting was sitting in the yard eating chestnuts. The shells were hard, and though she struggled to peel them, she did so with great care. Her cheeks were puffed out, delicate and rosy.
As soon as Feng Shan entered the gate, he saw his wife and grinned.
Seeing him return, Gu Pingting pushed the small basket of chestnuts toward him. With her mouth full of chestnuts, she mumbled, “Help me peel them quickly, I want more.”
Feng Shan set down his things, washed his hands, and came over to help her peel the chestnuts.
Feng Shan peeled a chestnut and brought it to her lips to feed her. Gu Pingting opened her mouth and ate them one by one. The chestnuts were soft and sweet, and Gu Pingting loved them. Her big eyes were fixed on Feng Shan’s hands as he worked.
She seemed extremely greedy. As she ate the chestnuts, her moist lips parted and closed, her eyes sparkling, and her hair bun fluffy. She looked utterly adorable, like a little greedy cat waiting for its owner to feed it.
When the chestnuts were brought to her lips, her saliva sometimes smeared on Feng Shan’s fingertips, damp and cool, making his heart itch. He wished he could peel chestnuts for her for a lifetime.
With Feng Shan’s constant feeding, Gu Pingting began to feel a bit too full. With her hands free, she went to flip through the storybooks Feng Shan had bought.
Gu Pingting murmured the titles, “The Village Man’s Little Wife,” “The Gentle Strength of the Hunter”… “A Few Stories of the Mountain Village Brute?”
Gu Pingting flipped through two more books, all of the same kind. “The Rough Man’s Tenderness”… “I Was Pampered by the Hunter?”
Gu Pingting asked in confusion, “What kind of books did you buy? Didn’t I ask you to buy romance storybooks about noble young masters?”
Feng Shan focused on peeling chestnuts. “Those were sold out. Only these books were left at the stall.”
Gu Pingting didn’t believe him and snorted, “You did this on purpose, didn’t you?”
Feng Shan laughed. “Just take a look first. If you don’t read them, how will you know you don’t like rough men?”
This man was definitely doing it on purpose! Gu Pingting got angry, put the books down, and said, “Who wants to like rough men? They’re clueless about romance and rude.”
After saying this, Gu Pingting turned and went inside. Feng Shan watched her graceful figure, her slender waist so tiny it seemed he could wrap his hands around it. He licked his teeth—this little woman was truly alluring.
Once Gu Pingting went inside, Feng Shan eagerly picked up the books and followed her.
Feng Shan placed the books by the bedside. Seeing Gu Pingting sitting there, he approached with a smile, hoping to cheer her up.
Feng Shan said, “Do you still want chestnuts? I’ll peel them for you.”
Gu Pingting replied irritably, “I don’t want any. Take the books away, I won’t read them either.”
Feng Shan smiled and reached out to hold her hand.
Gu Pingting pulled her hand away and threw her handkerchief in his face, warning him, “Go away. Don’t try to take advantage of me again. I’m telling you, if you dare to be improper with me again, I’ll go back to the capital alone. I’d rather starve on the road than stay with you.”
That night, when he had held her down and kissed her all night, she had been truly furious. The next day, she had insisted on leaving, and Feng Shan had only managed to calm her down and make her stay after much effort.
Feng Shan smiled as he removed the handkerchief from his face. It wasn’t that he was afraid she would insist on leaving, but he couldn’t bear to see her upset and hurting herself. So these days, Feng Shan had only been doting on her and coaxing her, without teasing her again.
Unable to hug or kiss, Feng Shan felt restless. At the moment, Gu Pingting, this little woman, wouldn’t even let him hold her hand.
So Feng Shan hatched a mischievous plan.
He deliberately sniffed the handkerchief. “So fragrant, Gu Pingting. It smells just like you. I like it. How about giving this handkerchief to me?”
He had never been one to feel shy, and his actions and words were always rough. Gu Pingting was embarrassed by his sniffing gesture and quickly reached out to snatch it back. “Give it back to me…”
As she leaned forward, the stool tilted. Seizing the moment when she wasn’t paying attention, Feng Shan kicked the stool leg again. The stool toppled over, and Gu Pingting’s body uncontrollably fell forward!
Gu Pingting let out a panicked cry. Feng Shan wrapped his arm around her slender waist and, taking advantage of the chaos, planted a loud kiss on her lips.
As their lips met, Gu Pingting quickly pulled away from his embrace and was about to scold him angrily when she heard Feng Shan say in a low voice, “Out of nowhere, why did you suddenly kiss me?”
Gu Pingting was taken aback for a moment, then carefully recalled what had happened. It seemed like she had lost her balance just now…
Gu Pingting blinked her eyes, feeling somewhat awkward. “I didn’t mean to.”
Seeing her adorable confusion, Feng Shan grinned, reached out, and pulled her back into his arms. Pushing his luck, he said, “Well, you kissed me just now, so I’m at a disadvantage. I have to kiss you back.”
As Feng Shan spoke, he lowered his head to kiss her. Gu Pingting hurriedly covered his mouth and refused, “No!”
Feng Shan’s heavy breath brushed against Gu Pingting’s delicate hand, warm and slightly ticklish. Gu Pingting felt embarrassed and quickly pulled her hand away.
Seeing her resistance, Feng Shan didn’t force the issue. A playful glint gathered in his eyes as he said, “Then what should we do? You took advantage of me. You have to make it up to me somehow, right?”
Gu Pingting felt at a loss. After thinking for a long time, she said, “Then I’m sorry. Is that enough?”
Hearing her apologize, Feng Shan found it amusing. How could she be this naive…
What if their future child turned out just as naive? What would they do then?
Feng Shan picked up the stool, placed her back on it, and gently tapped her little nose, dotingly saying, “I forgive you.”
His low voice was captivating, and the gentle tap on her nose felt tender, unlike his usual rough self.
Gu Pingting’s face flushed red. She snatched the handkerchief from his hand and avoided looking at him.
After dinner that evening, Gu Pingting finished bathing and sat on the bed with nothing to do, so she flipped through the storybooks Feng Shan had bought for her.
To be honest, she didn’t want to read any of these five books, but with nothing else to occupy her time, she thought she might as well pass the time.
Gu Pingting casually picked up one and glanced at the title: The Village Man’s Little Wife.
Gu Pingting pursed her lips and opened the cover.
The beginning of the story was quite engaging. It told of a village man who rescued a beautiful girl from fierce bandits, describing how brave the man was and how beautiful the girl was.
Gu Pingting flipped through a few pages, but somehow, as she read on, the village man and the girl started taking off their clothes.
Gu Pingting bit her lip. This storybook was strange…
It didn’t seem quite proper…
Gu Pingting was sixteen years old now. She didn’t understand matters between men and women, but she was curious! She leaned over to listen to Feng Shan washing dishes in the kitchen, then mustered her courage and continued reading.
The village man and the girl took off their clothes, then kissed each other, skin against skin, blending together like water and milk.
As Gu Pingting read the detailed descriptions, her little face flushed crimson. However, there were some parts she didn’t understand. For example, what was the “giant angry dragon” on the village man’s body?
Why did it make the little wife both love and hate it?
Gu Pingting was still puzzled when she suddenly heard Feng Shan’s deep, rough voice beside her, “How is the book? Do you like it?”
Gu Pingting was startled and looked up, only to realize that Feng Shan had entered the room at some point…