This seemingly sighing sentence felt like a punch to his heart, buzzing with echoes.
Yes, lonely…
Such a big house, so many people, yet he felt he was always alone, watching these people’s joy, sadness, anger, bitter smiles, and chatter.
“Hey, sit down and have another bowl,” Qi Yue called to him.
Chang Yuncheng looked at her sideways. This woman, just how changeable was her face…
“Eat some sweets, it improves your mood,” Qi Yue smiled, pushing the bowl forward.
“When I’m in a bad mood, that’s when you’re in a good mood, right?” Chang Yuncheng said, reaching out to take the bowl.
Qi Yue laughed heartily.
“You still remember that,” she said, also serving herself a bowl, “Mainly because what you did back then was too excessive.”
Chang Yuncheng lifted his head to pour it into his mouth again.
“Wait, don’t drink like that,” Qi Yue quickly raised her hand to grab his arm, “Everything else belongs to others, only the body belongs to oneself. No matter how others treat us, we must cherish ourselves, otherwise, that would be too stupid.”
As she spoke, she pursed her lips in a smile, with a hint of mischief as she blinked.
“Lord is a smart person.”
Looking at the woman before him, because it was warm inside, she was only wearing a thin jacket, and he could feel the softness of the hand gripping his arm.
“During marches, meals are at irregular times. When there’s food, you eat quickly. Not used to using spoons and such,” he said, his voice slightly uncomfortable.
Qi Yue let go of his hand and sat down.
“The body is the capital of revolution,” she said, then laughed at herself, “Actually, I’m the same. When I’m busy, I just grab a quick bite, clearly knowing that instant noodles…”
She bit her tongue as she said this, covering her mouth and hissing.
“What’s wrong?” Chang Yuncheng put down his bowl and looked over, reaching out to grip her wrist that was covering her mouth.
She almost bit her tongue off. Serves her right – this was the consequence of saying things she shouldn’t say.
Qi Yue covered her mouth, only breathing in without speaking. Her face wrinkled in pain.
“Really stupid, biting your tongue while talking,” Chang Yuncheng frowned, while reaching out to pull away her hand and pinch her mouth open, “Let me see…”
Qi Yue made muffled sounds. Unable to resist his strength, her mouth was pinched open.
“You bit it open,” Chang Yuncheng said, frowning.
Qi Yue finally recovered.
“It hurts so much,” she said with a thick tongue, trying to close her mouth but finding that Chang Yuncheng’s hand was still pinching her cheeks.
To examine her tongue, Chang Yuncheng stood very close, almost touching her, looking down from above. Warm breath blew on her face, and the fingers pinching her face transmitted an unfamiliar sensation.
This woman actually looks quite good…
This thought flashed through Chang Yuncheng’s mind. His gaze circled around the woman’s face.
The room quieted down, with only the sound of wind and snow hitting the window. Candlelight flickered. The night was hazy, and the atmosphere became strange.
Qi Yue shivered.
“Drink some cold water to stop the bleeding,” she said, her tongue instantly returning to normal, while stepping back to get away from Chang Yuncheng’s hand.
“Then drink cold water,” Chang Yuncheng said, shaking his hand and turning to leave, “I’m going to sleep. Don’t bother me again.”
Good, good. Because he was too disgusted by Qi Yueniang, he wouldn’t be impulsive enough to do something inappropriate just because of her looks…
Qi Yue sighed in relief.
What’s with the hand shaking? I haven’t even complained about you yet.
Qi Yue raised her hand to rub her face twice, then touched her tongue and hissed, quickly going to find cold water to drink.
The night passed without incident.
When dawn came, Qi Yue was still curled up in her bedding.
Earlier there had been maids walking around outside and quiet conversation. She knew it had started snowing.
Heavy snow day. Bed-lazing day. Although there was no heating, the charcoal brazier in the room burned warmly. It didn’t feel too cold and unbearable.
Chang Yuncheng opened the door, pacing back and forth in his room, and finally simply walked around in the main hall.
This woman was still sleeping? She couldn’t have also slept poorly last night…
Chang Yuncheng muttered, somehow his heart beat accelerated twice, then he saw the head in the bedding move. He hurriedly turned his gaze away, pretending to admire the snow outside the window.
But there was no sound of the woman talking or getting up. He couldn’t help but glance over with his peripheral vision, and actually saw the woman leaning out and stretching her arm from the arhat bed to reach for something on the table…
Chang Yuncheng was dumbfounded.
“You, you…” he didn’t know what to say.
Qi Yue had contentedly gotten the book she wanted. She grinned at Chang Yuncheng who was staring stupidly, then shrank back into the bedding.
This woman really… indeed because of her background, she was truly too crude…
Chang Yuncheng stopped avoiding and walked straight over.
“Excuse me, help me pour a cup of water,” Qi Yue said from inside the bedding, flipping through her book.
Chang Yuncheng resisted the urge to throw off her blanket.
“What kind of behavior is this? Get up already,” he frowned and shouted.
Qi Yue shrank further into the bedding.
“Aren’t you going out for a run today?” Chang Yuncheng asked.
“I don’t want to go out today. If you don’t want to see me, I’ll trouble you to go out and avoid me. This is your territory – you can go anywhere. I can’t. I can only be trapped here,” Qi Yue said, showing half her face to look at Chang Yuncheng.
She went out because he had said seeing her made him sick…
Chang Yuncheng was stunned, feeling a strange taste in his heart.
So it wasn’t because she didn’t want to see him…
Chang Yuncheng’s mouth corners couldn’t help but lift slightly, while his heart also felt slightly sour…
In any case, it was a strange feeling.
“Lord, Young Marchioness, may this servant come in to serve?” came A’Ru’s inquiring voice from outside.
Chang Yuncheng composed himself and walked away as two maids pushed the door open.
Madam Xie finished her daily prayers and stood up with Nanny Su’s support.
“The first snow of the day,” Nanny Su smiled, while placing hand warmers and foot warmers for the seated Madam Xie.
Madam Xie glanced outside the window. The snow in the courtyard had been swept clean, and birds occasionally landed to forage. Her gaze returned to see plum blossoms on the table that were freshly arranged and budding.
What a refreshing day indeed.
“The Marquis rested at Concubine Zhu’s place yesterday,” Nanny Su said, “Earlier Concubine Liu brought Fourth Miss over. I sent her away.”
Madam Xie’s mouth showed a trace of mocking smile, unwilling to mention those women again.
“What is the Lord doing today? Has he gone out again? Poor child, it’s clearly his own home, yet he has nowhere to stay,” she sighed, her brows showing deep dissatisfaction and resentment.
Nanny Su sent a maid out. Soon the maid ran back.
“The Lord and Young Marchioness are in the room reading and writing,” the maid said.
Madam Xie was drinking tea when she heard this and choked, unable to catch her breath.