Chapter 034: Stop It, I’m Exhausted

Chapter 034: Stop It, I’m Exhausted

The bed curtain opened, revealing Ruan Qinghuan's flushed face, filled with anger. After sleeping for a day, her small face showed a hint of lazy redness. Her eyes, containing a trace of anger, looked up as she sat on the bed with her legs curled up, her back straight as she glared at He An.

"Rest assured, from now on, I'll have Jiang Ming and Jiang Qi guard the courtyard. No one will be allowed to disturb me."

"Not even my mother?"

"Only family can enter; no outsiders are allowed."

Ruan Qinghuan: "He An, when did I ever give you a sachet?"

"I don't want hers."

"If you don't want hers, then just say you don't want it, right?"

"But I want yours, my lady."

Ruan Qinghuan instantly felt a bit embarrassed. "I don’t know how to make one."

"It's alright, even if you don't give me one, as your husband, I can't accept anyone else's."

Ruan Qinghuan: "..."

His words were surprisingly charming.

These days, Ruan Qinghuan felt both muddled and deeply entangled. At first, she had always thought about living independently, waiting to divorce in two years. But at some point, the situation had changed.

How did He An, this cold and ascetic Prime Minister, become someone who doted on his wife without limits?

Unable to figure it out and with debates with him going in circles, Ruan Qinghuan lay on the bed helplessly, thinking, let him do whatever he wanted.

Half-asleep, half-awake, a warm palm embraced her. Ruan Qinghuan murmured, "Stop it, I'm very tired."

But He An, as if he hadn't heard, got closer. Ruan Qinghuan subconsciously pushed him.

Feeling something firm, she instantly woke up and warned, "He An, you better behave."

He hadn't been poisoned today, and besides, after the exhausting half-day and night yesterday, her whole body ached.

The breathing behind her became heavier as He An buried his face in her hair, a faint fragrance surrounding them. His hoarse voice pleaded, "Just once."

"No."

Initially intending to sleep peacefully, He An found it hard to control himself when tempted.

"My lady, I might get a nosebleed."

Ruan Qinghuan forcefully turned around, one hand pressing against He An and the other feeling his nose. There was no blood, but her action further stimulated He An, who easily moved her hand away and tightly held her in his arms.

"He..." Ruan Qinghuan didn't get a chance to finish her words.

He An, as if he had found a trick, realized that every time he kissed her, she would soften in no time. This method never failed.

Ruan Qinghuan felt dazed from the kiss, her consciousness gradually fading. He An whispered in her ear, "Thank you, my lady."

Ruan Qinghuan was speechless. Every time he pulled a stunt like this, he would say that.

"He An, you’re such a jerk."

He An: "Madam is right."

Ruan Qinghuan: "..."

Oh no, the Prime Minister is acting foolishly.

Men’s promises are as unreliable as ghosts; he said it would be just once, but it turned into multiple times, until even the bed was making creaking sounds, which were particularly harsh in the night.

"He An, the bed is going to break if this keeps up."

She thought he would show some restraint, but instead, he simply carried her to the soft couch, without the bed curtains, under the faint moonlight, Ruan Qinghuan couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes.

In the next room, Wei Mingxi was so angry she couldn’t sleep. She heard what sounded like a mouse, a creaking noise that frightened her into calling a maid to search.

The two searched for a long time but found that the sound seemed to be coming from outside, all the way to the wall, opposite Changchun Garden.

They strained their ears to listen; the sound disappeared, but just as they were about to return to their room, it appeared again. It was certain that the sound was definitely coming from her cousin’s room.

The maid immediately blushed. "Young miss, don’t listen anymore, please go back."

Wei Mingxi didn’t react. "Is there a mouse in my cousin’s room?"

"Oh dear, it’s not a mouse, please don’t listen anymore."

Inside the room, Ruan Qinghuan was furious. She said the moonlight was too bright, and He An carried her back to the bed. Listening to the creaking of the bed, Ruan Qinghuan was angry but couldn’t do anything about it.

It wasn’t until after midnight that He An finally calmed down, then carried her to bathe, and afterward, brought her back to sleep.

Lying back in bed, He An still wanted to hold her, but Ruan Qinghuan turned away. He An said, "Madam is tired, let’s rest for the night."

Ruan Qinghuan: "..."

That comment felt oddly awkward.

Rest for now, and then pick up where we left off?

The next day, the weather was perfect, the light blue sky was clear and pristine, with white clouds moving slowly with the gentle breeze.

The usually quiet Huating Lane was bustling today; many dignitaries and their families were arriving at the Crown Prince's estate for a banquet.

The officials were all led into the estate, while a group of young gentlemen and young misses gathered at the entrance.

A banquet at the Crown Prince's estate was a rare event. Countless people were vying fiercely for invitations, and those who could come were certainly not ordinary figures.

There were many sons of officials and numerous noblewomen, each with their own secret plans.

The officials thought more deeply about it; after the embarrassing incident at the *Crown Prince’s* flower-viewing event, the Crown Prince held a banquet, clearly intending to overshadow the Crown Prince.

Now that the Crown Prince was under house arrest, and the disaster relief efforts in Lu City were entrusted to the Prime Minister, it was clear that the Emperor favored the Crown Prince more. After all, legitimacy comes with a rightful claim, and although the Crown Prince was born of Consort Miao, he was ultimately not the Empress’s son.

Moreover, in terms of virtue, the Crown Prince was too arrogant and ruthless.

As soon as the Prime Minister’s carriage arrived, an old maid from the Crown Prince's estate came forward, greeting Ruan Qinghuan. "The consort ordered this old servant to wait for Madam. Please follow me."

Ruan Qinghuan looked at He An, who nodded, signaling her to go ahead.

Indeed, this was the Crown Prince's estate, not the Second Prince's retreat; there shouldn’t be as much intrigue here.

Following the maid through the corridors and winding paths, they finally arrived at a lakeside pavilion, where voices could be heard from within.

The nursemaid said, "Madam, please come in."

The curtain of the open pavilion was lifted from inside, revealing a familiar face, equally surprised as Ruan Qinghuan. "Why is it you?"

Consort: "Do you two really need to speak from opposite sides of the door?"

Chu Li quickly stepped down the stairs and gently pulled Ruan Qinghuan to her feet, bringing her into the pavilion.

"I greet you, Consort, and Miss Chu."

The Consort waved her hand. "Qinghuan, no need for such courtesies. Although we've only met a few times, I've heard much about you."

Chu Li gently pulled her to her feet. "I didn't expect you to be the wife of that cold-hearted He An. I'm really puzzled—how did you manage to win him over?"

Ruan Qinghuan bit her lip, thinking, Miss Chu sure has a no-nonsense attitude.

This likely stemmed from her family background; a girl from an ordinary family wouldn't dare to say whatever came to mind.

The Consort stifled a laugh. "Qinghuan, please sit. Don't listen to this girl's nonsense. She's just trying to learn from you."

"Learn?" Ruan Qinghuan was confused.

The Consort continued, "If Lord He An is cold-hearted, then Ji Lingchuan is a wooden block."

Ruan Qinghuan smiled. "The Consort's analogy is quite fitting."

Chu Li noticed Ruan Qinghuan's dress was quite unique and wondered, "It's getting warmer, aren't you hot in such an outfit?"

She gestured subtly at her own neck.

Ordinary dresses had collars that were only two fingers wide, but Ruan Qinghuan's collar almost covered her face.

"This is a design I created myself, just finished making it, so I wore it. I hope you two don’t think it looks silly."

Ruan Qinghuan sighed inwardly. It wasn't exactly a lie; she did design the dress, but she had to wear it to hide her scars.

Chu Li didn't press the matter further and sat next to Ruan Qinghuan. "Madam, I asked my cousin how she won over the Crown Prince, but I didn't understand a thing. Can you tell me, how did you win Lord He An's heart?"

The Consort shook her head. "Shameless."

So Chu Li and the Consort were related; Ruan Qinghuan found this surprising.

In the original story, Ruan Qinghuan was either quarreling with He An or on the verge of it, almost never attending any events together, including the peach blossom viewing and today's estate banquet at the Crown Prince's estate.

Naturally, she had little interaction with the Consort and Chu Li.

"Come on, tell me. If you do, I'll treat you to pork knuckle and crispy chicken at Mingming Tower..." She shook Ruan Qinghuan's arm. "How about it?"

Since Ruan Qinghuan had helped her in the peach forest, Chu Li treated her like an old friend, showing genuine warmth.

Ruan Qinghuan looked troubled. "I... I just got married not long ago, and He An isn't exactly good to me, is he?"

She didn't want to highlight her strengths by pointing out others' weaknesses, so she tried to brush it off.

Besides, she and He An were supposed to live their own lives, and in two years, they would divorce and be done with it. As for how they ended up in this shameless state, she really couldn't explain it.

Chu Li wasn't happy with that and ran to the Consort. "Cousin, look, He An and Ji Lingchuan are just the same. He married Ruan Qinghuan but hasn’t been kind to her."

"Why can't they learn what it means to be a proper husband and a gentleman?"

Consort: "His Highness the Crown Prince is gentle, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a temper, Chu Li. Relationships need to be mutual, Chu Li. Both people have to want it. You can't force love... and you..."

"No, no, no! Ji Lingchuan said it himself—he wants to marry me!"

Ruan Qinghuan: "Wait, what?"

Is this really happening?

Consort: "You're taking a kid's words seriously?"

"So what if he was a kid? He said it, so he should stick to his word." Chu Li said firmly.

Ruan Qinghuan frowned. "Chu Li, when Ji Lingchuan was six or seven, you were barely two. How could you possibly remember that?"

Chu Li bit her lip, looking flustered.

The Consort explained, "She couldn't possibly remember that. She must have overheard the Duke and Ji Lingchuan's father talking about it once, and she took it to heart."

Ruan Qinghuan: "Can you believe this?"