"I'm just afraid they'll do a midnight inspection. It's just for show. Why are you blushing?"
"Am I? Are you seeing things?" Cheng Xiran murmured to herself as she gently touched her cheek.
Right, what was she afraid of? They'd "slept" together before anyway!
To prepare for sharing the bed this time, Cheng Xiran took another fragrant bath and soaked in the water a bit longer.
She lay down fully clothed, but Helian Duo asked her to take off her outer clothes.
"With your figure, do you think I'd have any desire for you?"
Cheng Xiran lowered her eyes and glanced at her chest. She definitely had curves, and they were quite ample!
"Fine, I'll take them off. But if you dare to touch me, I won't let you off!"
Finally, she took off her outer clothes and then obediently crawled inside the bed, curling up in a corner with her quilt. But Helian Duo gently pulled her closer and explained as he did so, "If you lie like this, people will think I'm abusing you. How can they believe our relationship is harmonious?"
"So why did you say we're husband and wife in the first place..." Cheng Xiran complained to herself. "We could have said we're friends, subordinates, or even siblings. Why this?"
She thought this question would stump Helian Duo, but instead, he retorted seriously, "Then why did you say we're husband and wife at Fengxianju?"
Both of them fell silent.
Before long, Helian Duo was the first to break the silence. "Go to sleep quickly. We'll be busy tomorrow."
Anyway, the night was serene with a bright moon and gentle breeze. Cheng Xiran slept soundly.
Early the next morning, when she woke up, Helian Duo was already gone. But there was a note on the brocade pillow. "I'm going to the government office with Lord Qian to check the recent accounts. Take good care of yourself. I'll be back around noon."
It was concise.
While washing up, Cheng Xiran noticed that her body smelled of sandalwood. This made her very happy. Maybe this was a kind of indirect connection with Helian Duo?
After having breakfast with Lady Qian in the front hall, remembering her own task, she asked, "I'd like to make a sachet for my husband, but I don't know how to embroider. Could you teach me, Lady Qian?"
Lady Qian readily agreed. "Sure, I'm free this morning."
The two went to Lady Qian's courtyard, but instead of inviting Cheng Xiran inside, Lady Qian left her in the yard.
Embroidery was really a headache for Cheng Xiran. Even with Lady Qian teaching her hand - in - hand, she accidentally pricked her finger with the embroidery needle. Lady Qian patiently comforted her, "It's okay. Since you have this kind thought, no matter what the sachet looks like in the end, I'm sure Mr. He will like it. Besides, you two have such a good relationship."
Cheng Xiran gave a little "heh heh" laugh but didn't say anything.
During this time, Lady Qian told Cheng Xiran about how she and Lord Qian met, fell in love, and got married. She also mentioned that because she couldn't have children, she had asked Lord Qian several times to take concubines to continue the family line, but Lord Qian refused. He even openly defied his own parents for her sake.
"I remember once I secretly found a girl for him. When he found out, he got really angry with me. It was the first time he'd ever snapped at me. You should have seen how furious he was. 'Hair standing on end in anger' would be the perfect description."
These were all little memories of love. It seemed that there was nothing like this between her and Helian Duo.
Because they had never even been in a relationship.
Cheng Xiran sighed. Distracted for a moment, she pricked her finger again.
Not long after, a servant came to inform Lady Qian that she was needed at her younger brother's mansion for some matters.
Cheng Xiran noticed that Lady Qian's expression changed when her younger brother was mentioned.
"You keep embroidering. I'll be back soon."
Lady Qian left in a hurry. Cheng Xiran wanted to follow her, but she was afraid of arousing suspicion, so she gave up the idea.
After embroidering for the whole morning, she hadn't even managed to finish a single petal. Instead, her two fingers were full of tiny holes. Just then, a servant came to invite her to lunch. She threw the embroidery aside and followed the maid to the front hall.
In the large front hall, only she and two maids remained.
Seeing her looking around, the maid guessed her thoughts. Before she could ask, the maid said, "My lady, Lord Qian and Mr. He have gone to Lord Wei's mansion for a banquet. Lady Qian won't be back for lunch either."
Who was this Lord Wei? What were Helian Duo and Lord Qian doing at his mansion? And they were in an unfamiliar place. How could Helian Duo just go out with someone casually? Wasn't he afraid of being sold or drugged?
Not to mention that Lord Qian was still suspicious of their identities.
Thinking of this, Cheng Xiran quickly told the maid, "Do you know where Lord Wei's mansion is? Can you take me there?"
Seeing her suspicious look, Cheng Xiran realized she had shown a flaw. After thinking for a while, she replied, "Oh, I just miss my husband so much. I want to go and check on him. He can't hold his liquor. He'll be drunk after just two cups. I won't be able to rest easy if I don't go and have a look."
Apparently, the two maids believed this reason.
Cheng Xiran only asked one of them to accompany her. On the way to Lord Wei's mansion, Cheng Xiran didn't think too much. Her mind was filled with thoughts of how to rescue Helian Duo once she got there. She even came up with a series of plans in her head and took out her short dagger.
At this moment, she would even be willing to sacrifice her life for Helian Duo.
When they arrived at Lord Wei's mansion, after explaining their purpose, the guards at the gate wouldn't let them in.
"Do you think this is just any place? Anyone can just walk in?"
The maid said they were from Lord Qian's mansion, and only then did the guard say he would go inside to report. Sure enough, everywhere, status mattered. Without status, there was no way in.
She cursed the snobbish guard in her heart while pacing back and forth in the corridor.
After waiting for a long time, the guard finally came out.
"Yes, there is a Mr. He. But they're discussing important matters inside and don't want to be disturbed. You might as well wait outside. They'll probably be out soon."
After saying this, the guard ignored Cheng Xiran.
But how could Cheng Xiran wait? After waiting for a while longer, all kinds of worst - case scenarios popped into her mind. The more she thought, the more anxious and sad she became. She was so afraid that Helian Duo might get hurt.
She didn't realize that Helian Duo, who had been around for so long, was well - versed in all kinds of intrigues and wasn't afraid of such things at all.