Cheng Chi laughed with a “pfft” sound, pinched Zhou Shaojin’s pert nose, and said, “Close your eyes quickly and go to sleep!”
Zhou Shaojin felt like she was dreaming, afraid that if she didn’t obey the dream would end. She hurriedly closed her eyes.
Cheng Chi laughed softly.
The laughter vibrated in his chest, transmitting to Zhou Shaojin’s ears, into her heart…
She secretly squinted to peek.
His smile was so warm and gentle, like brilliant spring sunshine.
Zhou Shaojin suddenly felt sad.
So wonderful.
He was such a wonderful person—why did he have to encounter her?
If he hadn’t encountered her, would he and Peony already be sharing conjugal bliss in perfect harmony?
She bit her lip, grabbed Cheng Chi’s lapels, and said in a low voice, “Fourth Master, I… I can…”
Cheng Chi’s heart suddenly beat violently, his mind buzzing, thinking he had heard wrong.
But Zhou Shaojin firmly gripped his chest, and said again in a low voice, “I can.”
Cheng Chi forcefully held the little girl in his arms, so tightly it was as if he wanted to embed her into his embrace, make her part of his own body.
His little girl always put him first, always took his feelings as her own feelings. In her eyes, in her heart, all he could see was himself.
How could there be such a lovable little girl!
And now she was his wife!
How could he be so fortunate?
In this vast mortal world, even through rebirth, she had to meet him.
Was this a blessing from the Bodhisattva?
Seeing his anger, seeing his unwillingness, seeing his struggles, so she was sent to his side, making him unable to leave this tender affection and sweet intimacy, embellishing his gentle humility, completing his gracious nobility, allowing him to remain that Fourth Master of the Cheng family…
Zhou Shaojin felt her bones were about to be crushed by him. She wanted to cry out in pain, but could clearly and distinctly feel his joy and affection. For a moment she was reluctant, so she could only grit her teeth and endure it. When she really couldn’t bear it anymore, she finally let out a low moan.
Cheng Chi immediately came to his senses.
No one knew better than himself how strong he was.
Cheng Chi quickly loosened his arms and asked urgently, “Does it hurt badly? Let me look.”
Two glowing orbs of light appeared in the bed curtains.
Zhou Shaojin looked and saw they were actually two luminous pearls the size of longans.
She was shocked.
But Cheng Chi smiled nonchalantly and said, “Originally the family had one that I was planning to give you to play with. Later I thought it would be better to have a matching pair, so I searched for a long time before finding the other one. Then we started preparing for the wedding, and Fourth Aunt moved into Elm Tree Alley. It wasn’t that I didn’t give it to you—I was also a bit afraid of exposing such wealth, that someone would covet it and it would harm you instead. So I thought…” As he spoke, he bit Zhou Shaojin’s soft earlobe, his voice also lowering, like intimate whispers. “After I got you… I could use it to coax you… Never thought I still didn’t succeed…”
Zhou Shaojin’s throat felt blocked by something. She couldn’t say a word, just stared blankly at Cheng Chi without blinking.
She was just a timid and cowardly woman. What difference was there between her and those young ladies raised in inner chambers? What virtue or ability did she have to deserve such treatment from him…
Zhou Shaojin buried her head in his chest, as if this way she could hide her heart that resisted him, so he couldn’t see it.
Cheng Chi thought she was shy.
He laughed softly.
Supporting himself, he checked her arms and back, using the light of the luminous pearls to see if she was injured.
But as soon as his gaze fell on her body, he felt great regret.
He had originally practiced controlling his vision, and those two luminous pearls were of excellent quality. To him they were like clear moonlight. Zhou Shaojin’s flawless back was presented before him like a white jade pipa, and above that willow-thin waist was actually tied a purple silk ribbon.
Cheng Chi’s breathing shortened.
Could she be…
His gaze involuntarily looked over.
It really was a purple undergarment embroidered with pink peonies.
From his angle, he could just see those magnificent flower petals.
“Shaojin!” His heart stirred with emotion. He bent down and kissed that fair, delicate yet rounded shoulder.
Her shoulder felt as if scorched by fire. Zhou Shaojin’s body trembled, acting of its own accord, making her uncontrollably feel a tearing pain.
But this pain was different from the past.
In the past, she only felt fear, humiliation, unbearable torment. Now, she only felt anger, resentment, overwhelming hatred… Those memories—why should they dominate her emotions, why should they control her feelings of disgust?
She was unwilling!
She wouldn’t admit defeat!
She wrapped her arms around Cheng Chi’s neck, pressing herself tightly into Cheng Chi’s embrace.
“Take me! Take me!” She murmured, tears streaming down like March rain.