In the main courtyard of Hou Manor, Hou Furen looked somewhat surprised at the pair before her. She had originally assumed they would stay at the Liu Estate until after dinner before returning.
Unexpectedly, just past 3:45 PM, the two appeared at the entrance of the main courtyard carrying numerous gifts in return.
“Why have you returned so early?” Hou Furen asked with some puzzlement.
Liu Qingwu smiled gently: “There was nothing to do in the afternoon, so we decided to come back early.”
Seeing she couldn’t get more information, and considering the couple had been busy all day, Hou Furen let them return to their own courtyard to rest.
Back in the West Courtyard, after changing into casual home clothes, Liu Qingwu glanced at Jiang Yueheng on the daybed and asked with apparent concern: “Husband, aren’t you going to the study to attend to official matters?”
Jiang Yueheng paused, stared at her for a few moments, then stood up and went to the west room: “No need, I’ll read in the adjacent room.”
Liu Qingwu enjoyed reading novels during her leisure time, and over the years had accumulated several chests of them, which she brought along when she married into Hou Manor. Before the wedding, Liu Qingwu had sent word to Jiang Yueheng to convert the west room into a study with two large bookshelves.
Yesterday, Fuling had led others in arranging the novels on the shelves. When Jiang Yueheng from the front courtyard heard about this, he also had some books sent over from his study there.
According to Liu Qingwu’s knowledge, the two bookshelves in the west room were now completely filled.
As soon as he left, Liu Qingwu instructed Lianxin and the others to remove the tea table from the daybed, then fetched a thin quilt. Rolling herself up with a soft pillow, she fell into a deep sleep.
As the sun gradually set in the west, the evening glow shone through the window frame onto Liu Qingwu, who was sleeping soundly.
Lianxin, seeing her mistress still asleep and considering that the Shizi was in the west room and would likely join for dinner, decided to take the initiative. Worried they would be late if she didn’t order the meal soon, she selected several dishes and sent Cuiguo to inform the kitchen.
Jiang Yueheng emerged from his reading, noticing the light on the pages had dimmed. Checking the time, he realized it was almost dinner time.
Putting down the book, he entered the main room and, unsurprised, saw Liu Qingwu sleeping soundly on the daybed.
After several days together, he had come to understand his wife’s temperament somewhat – she never visited the temple without a reason, as the saying went.
When she expressed concern for him that afternoon, he had immediately guessed her true intention. She wasn’t actually concerned about him, but had her eyes on the daybed he was occupying.
Lianxin and the others, seeing the Shizi enter, bowed preparing to pay respects. Jiang Yueheng raised his hand to stop them: “Is dinner ready?”
Lianxin replied with lowered head: “Answering Shizi, seeing that the mistress was napping, I took the liberty of having the kitchen prepare several dishes. They should be almost ready now.”
“I’ll go to the kitchen to hurry them along.”
After speaking, Lianxin respectfully withdrew.
This was the advantage of having a small kitchen in the courtyard – it was close by and didn’t take much time to reach.
Seeing her leave, Jiang Yueheng stepped forward and sat on the edge of the daybed. After staring at the sleeping figure for a few moments, he reached out and attempted to shake her awake.
Liu Qingwu was sleeping soundly in her dreams when she was shaken awake, feeling momentarily disoriented about her whereabouts.
Propping herself up with one hand, she sat up and remained dazed for a while with lowered head, then shook her groggy head.
Noticing the light patterns on the thin blanket, Liu Qingwu looked up and met Jiang Yueheng’s gaze: “Husband, is it time for dinner?”
“Mm, almost. Your maid has gone to the kitchen to hurry them along,” Jiang Yueheng paused before adding, “You should get up and wash your face first.”
For the evening meal, Lianxin ordered several dishes that her mistress particularly enjoyed, and considering the Shizi’s preferences, she added a few lighter options. When the meal arrived, the table was instantly filled to capacity.
Liu Qingwu looked at the spread before her with great satisfaction—truly her head maid, selecting all her favorite foods.
Taking the warm soup handed to her by Lianxin, Liu Qingwu cast an approving glance her way. Well done!
After a few sips of the hot soup, her drowsy eyes widened slightly, and her dormant taste buds sprang to life. Immediately, bowls and chopsticks flew across the table, and Liu Qingwu alone managed to create the lively atmosphere of a full banquet.
Jiang Yueheng quietly noted the scene before him, thinking it might prove useful in the future.
The flurry of eating resulted in overindulgence once again. After the dishes were cleared, Lianxin expertly brought over hawthorn tea.
At the sight of the tea, Liu Qingwu frowned. It was the same brew every time—she had truly grown tired of it. But if she didn’t drink it, she might suffer from indigestion and stomach pain later.
Just as Liu Qingwu prepared to close her eyes and down it in one go, Jiang Yueheng reached out to stop her, suggesting, “Shall we take a stroll in the courtyard to help with digestion?”
Delighted to avoid the tea, Liu Qingwu readily agreed.
After the West Courtyard’s rear garden was renovated, it appeared orderly but somewhat empty. The greenhouse had been filled with greenery, though it still fell short compared to the small courtyard at the Liu Estate.
“In the southwest corner of my small courtyard at the Liu Estate, I planted a large patch of grapes,” Liu Qingwu mused, gazing at the barren garden. “The vines climbed over the trellis, and I placed a rocking chair beneath it—perfect for resting.”
Jiang Yueheng noticed the unconscious fondness on her face and surmised she truly adored that grape arbor.
The two walked around the small courtyard for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, also taking the opportunity to visit the front yard of the West Courtyard. This was Liu Qingwu’s first time seeing the front yard. Its layout, much like Jiang Yueheng himself, was meticulously organized—everything in its place, neat and precise.
She also glanced into the study, where stacks of documents covered the desk. It seemed his claim about handling official business the past few days hadn’t been a lie.
The unpolluted night sky was breathtaking, dotted with shimmering stars, and the path below was clearly visible in the moonlight. Liu Qingwu could no longer recall the night sky of the modern era, only vaguely remembering it as pitch black.
As darkness fully descended, the two returned to the rear courtyard by the light of the moon.
After washing up, Liu Qingwu emerged from the washroom, wringing out her damp long hair. “Husband, you should go freshen up too.”
Fuling and Lianxin each took half of her hair, using cloths to wring the dark strands from root to tip. This was one downside of ancient times—no hairdryer. Wringing her hair always took so long. Fortunately, she had been reborn as a noble lady and didn’t have to do it herself. With plenty of attendants, her long hair was divided into several sections, making the process much faster.
Jiang Yueheng preferred to bathe without assistance and entered the washroom alone.
Just as Liu Qingwu finished applying face cream, he emerged with droplets still clinging to the ends of his hair. He was so quick that she often wondered if he even used soap during his baths.
Once her hair was about seventy to eighty percent dry, Liu Qingwu dismissed Lianxin and the others, leaving only the two of them in the room.
Jiang Yueheng leaned against the headboard, holding a scroll.
Liu Qingwu stepped past him and lay down on the inner side of the bed. “Husband, let’s rest.”
Jiang Yueheng paused for a few breaths before rising to extinguish the lamp.
After two days of rest, both were full of energy. The atmosphere behind the bed curtains quickly grew fervent, only settling down after quite some time.
Liu Qingwu thought about someone’s recent performance over the past couple of days and decided to reward them.
Jiang Yueheng, lying flat, noticed the gaze from the right side and slightly turned his head: “What’s wrong?”
“How about another round?”
The calm female voice sounded in the darkness. Jiang Yueheng remained silent for two seconds before turning over and leaning in again.
Feeling the firmness beneath him, Jiang Yueheng stiffened momentarily with his hands propped in the air. Looking down, he saw the person underneath smiling and saying: “How about switching positions?”
Without waiting for a response, a swift flip reversed their positions.
The night was long, and the story of the night had only just begun.