The encounter ended with Shen Qingyao unable to bear the shame and anger any longer and kicked Gu Ziyan in frustration.
Gu Ziyan was caught off guard and let out a surprised yelp when he was kicked, but Shen Qingyao ignored him and stormed off, her face flushed red. Back in her courtyard, she felt the heat rising within her. She tried fanning herself with her hand to cool down, eventually managing to calm herself somewhat. However, the phrase ‘go together in clouds and rain’ kept swirling in her mind.
As the evening deepened and the dew grew heavier, Lu Zhao, who had been out handling official business, entered the courtyard under the moonlight. Shen Qingyao was already lying in bed, half asleep after washing up.
“I heard you had an argument with Gu Ziyan this afternoon? And things got physical?” Lu Zhao entered with a smile, asking softly, “Did he bully you?”
Shen Qingyao was surprised that Lu Zhao knew about it. She had only met Gu Ziyuan briefly, yet Lu Zhao seemed to know everything. She was taken aback by the rumors circulating about her, muttering quickly, “No physical fight…” just a kick.
“Oh, no, we didn’t argue at all,” Shen Qingyao corrected herself hastily. Then she muttered, “Who would let that elementary school kid bully me!”
“What are you saying, Yaoyao?” Her voice dropped in volume for the second half, and Lu Zhao leaned closer, his cool body temperature mingling with the scent of dew and fragrance.
Shen Qingyao shook herself out of her daze and pushed him away, clearing her throat nervously, “It’s nothing. Who told you that? Don’t believe rumors!”
“Gu Ziyan said so,” Lu Zhao raised an eyebrow, dropping a name.
Thinking back to the afternoon when he met Gu Ziyan outside, shouting about being kicked by Shen Qingyao, Lu Zhao couldn’t decide whether to be more shocked or amused.
Shen Qingyao froze for a moment, cursing inwardly. How dare Gu Ziyan spread such rumors!
Not only that, now he was fabricating stories in front of Lu Zhao!
Seeing Shen Qingyao’s clearly vexed expression, Lu Zhao chuckled softly. “Seems like our little Yaoyao can be quite fierce.” He reached out and lightly brushed her nose, curious. “What did he do to make you this angry? Tell me, I’ll teach him a lesson tomorrow.”
Lu Zhao’s inquiry made Shen Qingyao struggle for a moment, trying to banish from her mind the four words that had occupied her thoughts for most of the afternoon.
‘Go together in clouds and rain.’
Her face flushed suddenly, and she thought teaching Gu Ziyan a lesson might not be necessary after all. What if she let Lu Zhao go and Gu Ziyan said more nonsense?
Absolutely no way!
“No need! It’s nothing, really! He’s just making things up.” Shen Qingyao reached out and grabbed Lu Zhao’s sleeve, avoiding his gaze. Her attempt to cover up only piqued Lu Zhao’s curiosity further. He squinted and chuckled, leaning closer. “If it’s nothing, why is Yaoyao blushing?”
With his breath tickling her ear, Shen Qingyao swallowed nervously. Now not only her face but her delicate ears were turning red under the lamp’s light. Lu Zhao focused on her earlobe, his expression darkening slightly, his breath growing deeper.
The atmosphere between them suddenly became charged with an inexplicable allure, the temperature rising inch by inch. Even the air around them seemed to thicken. Shen Qingyao buried her head, unable to speak. After a while, she felt a cool touch on her earlobe.
Lu Zhao gently kissed her earlobe. Although they kissed frequently, this was the first time he had kissed her earlobe. Shen Qingyao shivered slightly, and then she heard Lu Zhao’s low, pleasant laughter by her ear, “Hmm? Why is that? Yaoyao still hasn’t told me.”
Why does he keep asking? Shen Qingyao closed her eyes and glared at him. Before she could explain, Lu Zhao leaned in and silenced her completely. She made a muffled sound, soon losing herself in Lu Zhao’s kisses. By the time they stopped, both panting heavily, Shen Qingyao’s clothes were half off, and she looked extremely beautiful.
Lu Zhao calmly gazed at the beautiful scenery before him, his breath warm. He pulled a thin blanket over Shen Qingyao’s side.
“I’ll go wash up. You sleep first,” he said in a hoarse voice, clearly moved but holding back.
Later, Shen Qingyao felt a lightness on her body as Lu Zhao got up and went to the adjoining room. His demeanor showed no abnormalities, but upon closer inspection, his steps were not as calm as usual, instead tinged with panic and disarray.
Shen Qingyao held the blanket, smiling absentmindedly. After a moment, she belatedly felt a sense of loss. She couldn’t help but lower her eyes in thought. Clearly, they were already husband and wife…
Lu Zhao took a long time to wash up this time. Even with her eyes closed, Shen Qingyao could still hear the continuous sound of water and restrained breathing coming from the room next door. She bit her lip, a thought slowly rising.
When Lu Zhao returned, Shen Qingyao lay with her back to the outside, breathing evenly. Seeing this, Lu Zhao inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief, gently lying down beside her. In the darkness, Shen Qingyao quietly opened her eyes, stifling a laugh. The moment he lay down, she turned over and nestled into his embrace.
“Elder Brother Lu Zhao…” Her voice was softer and more tender than usual, perhaps due to nervousness, with a slight tremor.
Lu Zhao paused briefly before carefully holding her and whispered, “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
“I wanted to wait for you,” Shen Qingyao’s heart raced. In the darkness, she felt his eyes meet hers.
Lu Zhao’s heart stirred, realizing keenly what was happening. His breath hitched. After a while, he hoarsely said, “Don’t tease, Yaoyao. Your body isn’t fully recovered…”
“I’m fine!” Shen Qingyao immediately interrupted loudly, then realizing she seemed too eager, she shrunk back and whispered, “Doctor Kong just came today and said there’s no major issue…”
After Shen Qingyao finished speaking, Lu Zhao remained silent for a long time. She could feel the hands around her gradually tightening; Lu Zhao was hesitating.
Shen Qingyao suppressed her drumming heart and thought, why hesitate now? She hesitated for a moment, then said again:
“BElder rother Lu Zhao, I can.”
Lu Zhao still didn’t move. Shen Qingyao gradually calmed down, feeling a bit embarrassed at her earlier words. Just as she was about to say, “Forget it if you still think it’s not possible!” she felt Lu Zhao suddenly move, tilting her head back with the back of his hand and gently pulling her down, his chin slightly lifted to meet hers, answering her question with action.
In the quiet night, no one spoke again. After a while, a few crying voices pierced the night sky, immediately soothed by a few gentle whispers. As the storm subsided, Shen Qingyao was exhausted, regretting her impulsive moment earlier.
When Lu Zhao turned over again, Shen Qingyao, tears in her eyes, pushed him away gently and softly said, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao…” No more, really no more!
Lu Zhao was startled by her call, almost losing control again. He lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, not teasing her again. Instead, he gently picked her up and coaxed her softly, “Good, let me take you to wash up, or you’ll be uncomfortable.”
Shen Qingyao stopped pushing his hand, obediently let him hold her. In fact, it wasn’t very uncomfortable. Lu Zhao had always been very careful, afraid of hurting her. It was her who had become too spoiled. She snuggled and mumbled in his arms, found a comfortable position and closed her eyes in exhaustion.
Lu Zhao looked at the little girl in his arms and slowly revealed a satisfied smile.
On the next day, Shen Qingyao was awakened by voices talking. However, she was extremely tired and could barely keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds before closing them again. She sensed that Lu Zhao had gone out for a while; there was a moment of silence outside, followed by some strange noises and then hurried footsteps.
Shen Qingyao furrowed her brow, half asleep and half awake, thinking irritably, Who is it? So annoying!
After a while, Lu Zhao returned, gently pulling the still sleeping girl into his arms and accompanying her for a while before getting up and heading to the government office.
That night, they called for water in the middle of the night and had Cui Qiao and Hong Yun come in to change the bedding. Almost everyone who served them knew that the Young Master and the Young Madam had finally consummated their marriage.
When Shen Qingyao woke up again, seeing Cui Qiao’s eyes filled with relief and excitement whenever they landed on her, she felt so embarrassed that she wanted to bury herself. Yet she couldn’t help but curse Lu Zhao again.
—That Lu Zhao! He relied on his beauty to commit crimes!
Just as she was cursing, news arrived that Gu Ziyan had come.
Shen Qingyao paused, suddenly remembering that the root of last night’s disturbance was those reckless words spoken by Gu Ziyan! If he hadn’t spouted nonsense, she wouldn’t have been so confused and ended up really going together with Lu Xiaozhao!!!!
“Let him in,” Shen Qingyao gritted her teeth. Let him in and see how I won’t scold him to death!
But before she could speak, Gu Ziyan began to complain, “Why did you just get up? How can you still be lying in bed at your age? Do you know how many times I’ve come over for nothing? In the end, Lu Zhao had to come out and send me away! How can you sleep so much?!”
“What?” Shen Qingyao didn’t understand. “When did I make you come over for nothing?”
“Early this morning! I came several times looking for you, but you weren’t around! In the end, Lu Zhao came out and sent me away! How can you sleep so much?!” Gu Ziyan sat crookedly, although he didn’t say it directly, it was almost as if he had written the words ‘Are you a pig?’ on his face.
Shen Qingyao was stunned, realizing that the voice she vaguely heard in the morning was Gu Ziyan looking for her? Then she thought of why she couldn’t wake up, Shen Qingyao’s heart moved, her face slightly flushed.
“I… I’m sick! I’m not feeling well! What’s wrong with sleeping a little longer?” Shen Qingyao stared, retorting.
“If you’re sick, you’re sick.” But Gu Ziyuan was strange, and he suddenly averted his eyes, scratching his head and saying, “If you’re not feeling well, why are you blushing?”
Shen Qingyao probably didn’t know that after the night before, her eyes seemed to have a touch of water and tenderness, and the whole person seemed to have suddenly opened up. There was a touch of tenderness in her innocence, so that Gu Ziyan, a young man who didn’t know what love was, felt a little hot in his face.
Shen Qingyao’s next sentence got stuck in her throat, and she coughed awkwardly several times in a row. How could she answer this? She couldn’t take that!
To avoid the topic heading in a strange direction, Shen Qingyao cleared her throat and asked, “So why did you come to see me?”
He came several times early in the morning, if it was still about sending the ant’s nest, she really wanted to scold him!
Gu Ziyan gave her a white eye and pointed his chin outside the courtyard, saying casually, “There, those few carts outside are all the things the Consort asked me to bring to you this time. They couldn’t be sent over the past few days, so they’ve been waiting until today.”
“My Eldest Sister brought them for me?” Shen Qingyao’s eyes lit up. If there was someone she liked receiving gifts from the most, it was undoubtedly her Eldest Sister. Her Eldest Sister knew best what girls liked, fashionable clothes, jewelry, little trinkets. Unlike her Eldest Brother, who only knew how to send herbs to torment her!
“Alright, I’ve brought the things over. I’ll take my leave now, I’m quite busy!” Gu Ziyan huffed proudly, got up, and bid farewell.
Shen Qingyao watched his slouching figure, unable to stand straight, and chuckled, “Busy? Are you busy finding an ant’s nest for Lin Wan’er?”
—Wait, an ant’s nest?
She clapped her hands in regret.
Tsk! She actually forgot to scold him!