Chapter 215

Chapter 219: New Year's Greetings (Part 2)

"Lord, have you had too much to drink?" Despite having bathed, the strong scent of alcohol still lingered.

Lady Shier, clad in her robe, felt uncomfortable being held in his arms and struggled to sit up.

"Wine does not intoxicate; it is the heart that gets drunk." Lord Xu smiled and tugged at her robe.

Catching a glimpse of the mischief in his eyes from the corner of hers, Lady Shier thought of his repeated teasing and decided to let him be, though her face burned uncontrollably, burying it in the large cushion.

Seeing her ears flushed with embarrassment but submitting to his every whim, Lord Xu found it immensely amusing. He whispered nonsense into her ear while his hands never ceased, undressing her until only her undergarments remained...

Lady Shier felt extremely uneasy.

She had been too nervous before to notice, but she hadn’t expected Lord Xu to act so frivolously. It reminded her of when, as a child, boys would whistle or jeer at her on her way to school. Although she later understood it was a way for boys to show admiration, at the time it was incredibly awkward.

She couldn't help but glare at Lord Xu, "Lord..." and pulled the blanket over herself.

Lord Xu saw her face like the morning glow, her eyes sparkling like rippling spring water, beautiful and alluring to the extreme. His heart skipped a beat, and his playful actions turned gentle, tinged with a hint of intimacy, as he softly removed...

Her undergarment revealed her shoulders as white as the first snow and her delicate, petite collarbone.

The sight before him made his heart skip a beat, leaving him breathless.

"Shiyan..." He mumbled, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

Whether it was from sensing Lord Xu's intentions or the coolness of the air, Shiyan shivered slightly, feeling a chill that stiffened her body.

This couldn't go on!

After all, in every aspect, she could not refuse Lord Xu's rights in this matter. Since that was the case, she needed to find a way to resolve it. Avoiding problems was not her way. Besides, she was now Shiyan, and she should live up to that identity... She had always been good at needlework and sewing, hadn't she... Moreover, in this world, many girls married at thirteen or fourteen; surely not all of them were like her.

In the end, she had spent more time being silent...

She took a deep breath, but her hand unconsciously clutched the edge of the quilt tightly.

Lost in his own thoughts, Lord Xu paid no attention to these details.

The faint rose scent lingering around his nose made him restless, yet the smooth, creamy skin beneath his lips made him reluctant to let go... Driven by desire, he followed the trail of the scent with his lips.

Each suckle grew more forceful, causing a slight pain to Lady Shier. She instinctively pushed him away.

Lord Xu jolted awake.

His shoulder now bore the marks of blooming flowers, as if delicate blossoms had unfurled upon snow.

It was just a few gentle kisses...

The thought raced through his mind, followed swiftly by the image of her tender appearance.

She seemed particularly delicate...

Unable to resist, he embraced her and gently kissed her cheek, “Did I hurt you?” Yet his arms tightened around her of their own accord.

The warm breath of Lord Xu, tinged with alcohol, was intense, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

In the past, she would have endured it, perhaps soothing him to let go. But since she had decided to address this issue, communication became essential.

After a moment’s consideration, she lowered her eyes and murmured, “My lord is covered in the scent of alcohol... I find it distressing...” She then wondered if Lord Xu, though generous, could accept this intimate matter between them, and glanced at him again.

Lord Xu was taken aback.

He hadn’t expected this reason. Seeing her avoid his gaze, her expression tinged with fear, like a timid rabbit, he felt a pang of guilt.

He accused her of acting like a young girl... Suddenly, he thought of his brother, Lord Xu Lingkuan—when he was little, he would have the same expression when he saw him.

Then, during their long talks by candlelight, when they spoke of their childhood, he felt that Lord Xu Lingkuan was being evasive and not straightforward in front of him, acting like a young girl, which made him frown whenever he saw him. But Lord Xu Lingkuan said he had always wanted to be close to him, but every time he saw him frowning at him, he didn't know what to do... Perhaps Lady Shier was the same?

Wanting to get close to him, yet fearing his brashness!

Thinking back to those days when he only held her while sleeping, her obedient demeanor; and that time when he teased her, ending up entrapping himself, her compliant appearance...

Lord Xu couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Lady Shier looked up in surprise, seeing his eyebrows arch high: "Just for this!"

Of course, it wasn't just for this.

But one can't swallow an elephant whole; some things need to be said bit by bit.

"Um!" She nodded slightly.

Lord Xu gazed at her slightly upturned red lips, suddenly feeling the urge to capture them. Smiling, he leaned down to kiss her lips.

Lovers kiss...

Lady Shier instinctively turned her face away, avoiding his kiss.

"Eleventh Miss..."

Lord Xu stared at her in astonishment.

Eleventh Miss couldn't help but groan inwardly.

She had just made up her mind, yet...

She could only try to make amends.

Pouting, she pushed him away, "You're drenched in alcohol."

Seeing her act like a spoiled child, the slight displeasure that had risen in Lord Xu melted away like ice in the sun.

"Alright, alright." He roughly ruffled her hair and then suddenly pulled her into his embrace, "Go to sleep!"

His actions were somewhat rough, but they allowed Eleventh Miss, who was pressed against him, to clearly feel the change in his body.

Was it really going to end like this...

Eleventh Miss found it hard to believe.

Then she felt Lord Xu's warm, broad hand continuously wandering around her waist, occasionally kneading, and her body gradually calmed down.

Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat.

Without the memory of Moyan, she might consider him a good husband, wouldn’t she?

Even so, he was still a good lover...

She averted her gaze.

Outside the ginger-hued fine linen bed curtains, the sapphire satin drapes were embroidered with five roundels of longevity, and the soft white light shone on them, like dancing clouds of mist, flickering with a brilliance that waxed and waned.

Eleven Miss bit her lip, rolled over, and nestled into Lord Xu's embrace, her hand softly settling on his waist.

"My lord..." Her voice, clear yet hesitant, carried a subtle ambiguity as her fingertips glided over the smooth satin, finally resting on his heated skin.

Her hand was abruptly seized.

"Go to sleep!" His voice, deep and slightly hoarse, urged, "We have to rise early tomorrow!"

Eleven Miss froze.

Then, she felt her face flush with heat.

She had been rejected...

"I've been drinking..." His voice was somewhat muffled.

Was it due to the earlier rejection?

Lady Eleven, overwhelmed with shame and anger, turned her back.

Lord Xu was surprised.

Then he understood.

He couldn’t help but laugh softly.

"I don’t want to quit halfway like last time..."

He gently kissed her smooth back.

Lady Eleven froze.

Lord Xu noticed her reaction and laughed heartily, his voice filled with unmistakable joy.

This is... so humiliating...

Lady Eleven covered her head with the blanket, but Lord Xu pulled her out forcefully.

"Silent Words..." he kissed her cheek, his voice filled with undisguised joy, "Hurry and grow up!"

*

Nan Yong’s wife cautiously glanced at Lady Eleven, who was sitting upright at the dressing table, and then quickly glanced at Lord Xu, who was half-reclining on the bed. She pinned the gold hairpin with southern pearls into her hair and softly asked, "Madam, does this look alright?"

Lady Eleven looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Indeed, clothes make the person, and gold adorns the Buddha.

Tall peony rings adorned with jade and emerald encircled her, and the magnificent and gorgeous red persimmon-stem patterned brocade robe with wide sleeves enhanced her beauty. With a light dusting of powder and delicately painted eyebrows, she appeared even more stately and elegant than usual after her attire.

She smiled and gave a slight nod to Nan Yong’s wife, taking two sachets from the dressing box on the vanity to reward her: “One is for you, and one is for your daughter as New Year’s money.”

Nan Yong’s wife hurriedly bent her knee in gratitude, head lowered, and tiptoed away until she reached the passageway, where she straightened up and took a deep breath.

What was going on today?

The usually smiling lady had a stern face, while the usually stern lord was smiling... and still lying in bed, watching his lady dress... It felt strange.

As she pondered, she heard someone calling her: “Sister Nan, when did you start serving in the Fifth Young Master’s quarters?”

Nan Yong’s wife was taken aback and turned to see Shuangyu, who was ten years old, holding hot water under the eaves.

Shuangyu smiled and said, “Mother Tao said that Sister Nan will be serving in the Fifth Young Master’s quarters after the New Year. I’ve also been given to the Fifth Young Master by the lady, so we’ll be in the same room!”

Nan Yong’s wife was stunned.

When Lady Shiyi asked if Nan Yong’s wife was willing to serve in the Fifth Young Master’s quarters, she discussed it with Nan Yong, but he scolded her.

A moment of silence: "Lady asked you, it was to give you face, and you actually came back foolishly to consult me. Who do you think you are? Hurry up and go kowtow to Lady in gratitude."

She panicked on the spot: "I was just afraid I wouldn't be able to take care of him properly. The Fifth Young Master isn't from a proper lineage, and he only returned to the manor at the age of three. So many eyes are watching. If I'm too strict, the Fifth Young Master might bear a grudge; if I'm too lenient, I'll fail to uphold the rules and betray Lady's trust. How dare I take this responsibility!"

"Fool. Still spouting nonsense here." Nan Yong, hearing this, flew into a rage, "And you dared to defy Lady?" As he scolded her, he pushed her out the door, intending to go with her to beg for forgiveness from Lady Shiyi.

Fortunately, Manager Zhao's wife from next door held Nan Yong back: "What are you doing? Lady likes your wife for being honest and straightforward. Don't meddle so much. Can't your wife just report to Miss Amber?"

Manager Zhao had standing in the manor, and his wife's words Nan Yong dared not ignore. He urged his wife to go and report quickly.

Nan Yong's wife didn't dare to delay and hurried to report to Amber.

Unexpectedly, within a few days, everyone knew about it.

She smiled at Shuangyu: "We should follow Lady's wishes." Then she changed the subject, "Whose water are you carrying? Be careful it doesn't get cold."

"It's fine, it's for Sister Lüeyun," Shuangyu smiled, "Today, Miss Amber and the others will accompany Lady to visit relatives in Gongxian Alley. Sister Hongxiu is on duty, and Sister Lüeyun is resting."

"Still, don't let the water get cold," Nan Yong's wife smiled and gave her a few more instructions before they parted ways.

Inside, Lady Shiyi chided Lord Xu, "My Lord, aren't you going to get up? We'll be late for Gongxian Alley."