Chapter 86: She Won’t Let Him Near

Chapter 86: She Won't Let Him Near

Cheng Yiqiao had been weighed down all day by the heavy phoenix crown, and she couldn't bear it any longer. Without waiting for Meng Ruchuan to return, she instructed the maids to remove it, took a comfortable bath to relax, and then sat on the bed waiting for Meng Ruchuan.

Faintly hearing footsteps outside, she peeked out and locked eyes with someone through the glass window. Meng Ruchuan, flustered, quickly entered.

The usually confident man now hesitated with every step, showing obvious nervousness. Cheng Yiqiao, who had been nervous herself, felt reassured by his awkwardness.

"Have you been drinking too much?"

"No, not at all!" Meng Ruchuan hastily shook his head, standing a few feet away, he stole a glance at her. Seeing his wife in a crimson nightgown, radiant with her lively eyes scanning him, his handsome face flushed bright red.

"Why are you keeping your distance?" Cheng Yiqiao scolded him.

Meng Ruchuan gulped, quickly closed the distance, and sat down beside her, then stared straight ahead, frozen in place.

Cheng Yiqiao looked at the bashful young man and smiled softly. Noticing the alcohol on him, she nudged his shoulder, "Go clean up..."

Her voice was unusually gentle.

It was the first time Meng Ruchuan had heard Cheng Yiqiao speak to him with such tenderness. His eyes locked onto hers, feeling as though he was floating.

He got up and went to the bathroom, his mind filled with Cheng Yiqiao's appearance and tone. He awkwardly doused himself with a bucket of water. Concerned he wasn't clean enough, he even used the water the maid had prepared for Cheng Yiqiao. He sniffed himself to ensure only the scent of soap lingered, then made his way back to the bridal chamber.

The wedding room was now dimly lit, with only a pair of tall wedding candles outside the canopy bed. Their light cast a warm red glow across the room, even the wax drips appeared delicate and charming.

The red mandarin duck curtain had been drawn, and Cheng Yiqiao was lying on the bed.

Meng Ruchuan took a deep breath and slowly drew back the curtain. In the dim light, he saw Cheng Yiqiao lying on her side, turned away from him. He quickly climbed onto the bed, sat down, and gazed at her, "Qiao Qiao..."

His voice also softened.

Hearing this, Cheng Yiqiao's heart surged with warmth. She pretended to be calm, hummed in response, and lay flat. Meng Ruchuan lifted the blanket and lay down beside her, a distance between them.

It wasn't yet mid-autumn, not cool, and the canopy bed was filled with the young man's nervous breaths, making it feel warm.

Seeing her not moving or speaking, Meng Ruchuan actively moved closer to her, his solid arm touching her soft shoulder, his face turning red.

Arm against arm, Meng Ruchuan could feel Cheng Yiqiao's hand beside him, his fingers couldn't help but reach out. This time his fingertip poked her soft hand, hearing Cheng Yiqiao exclaim, Meng Ruchuan panicked, immediately turned over,

"Did I hurt you?"

You haven't even done anything, how could it hurt?

Cheng Yiqiao was both amused and exasperated, shook her head, "No..."

She shyly lowered her eyes.

Meng Ruchuan was now lying on his side facing her, clearly seeing her shyness. The girl was shy now, why was he panicking? So he mustered his courage, boldly leaned over, but being young and inexperienced, he didn't know how to proceed, looking at the delicate girl like a fine porcelain, wanting to touch but not daring to.

Cheng Yiqiao, from the moment he leaned over, didn't dare to look at him, could feel him hovering over her without moving, gently looked up, meeting his dark gaze.

The young man's eyes were unguarded, filled with surging desire and the anxiety of a first hunt.

Cheng Yiqiao, being more experienced, gently bent her leg, "Don't just look..."

Another soft urging, like fire igniting Meng Ruchuan's blood.

His breathing noticeably became heavier, his gaze moved from her cheeks to her snow-white jaw and neck. The tie was undone, revealing an unobstructed beauty. Meng Ruchuan instinctively closed his eyes, his hands fumbling from below trying to embrace her.

Meng Ruchuan started kissing her clumsily, clearly nervous, sweating profusely, but still lingering on her cheeks and neck.

He had touched her, and she felt so soft, but he hesitated to go further.

He was still hesitant.

Cheng Yiqiao sighed, looking at her awkward young husband, and chided gently, "If you want to touch, just touch."

With Qiao Qiao’s permission, there was no reason to hesitate.

Meng Ruchuan leaned in decisively. Though inexperienced, his calloused fingertips from years of martial arts training could drive Cheng Yiqiao wild. She wrapped her arms around his neck, guiding him gently.

"Is this right?" he asked, his voice rough.

Cheng Yiqiao wasn’t certain, but as it started to feel right, she nodded.

Meng Ruchuan’s heart was tender, but his body was like a sharp blade—intense and uncontrolled, nearly overwhelming Cheng Yiqiao with pain. Naturally, their first time ended without much pleasure. Cheng Yiqiao, in pain, thought he stopped because he feared hurting her. Meng Ruchuan, having experienced it for the first time, finally understood the intimacy between a man and a woman. Seeing Cheng Yiqiao in tears from the pain, he rushed to comfort her.

"I’m sorry, Qiao Qiao. Did I hurt you?"

Cheng Yiqiao nodded, still in pain.

They summoned the wet nurse to help her clean, and Meng Ruchuan went to the nearby bathroom to wash up. When he returned to the bed, it had already been made fresh.

Cheng Yiqiao rested against the pillow, her color returning.

Meng Ruchuan lay down and held her, apologizing, "I’m sorry, Qiao Qiao. Give me time. I’ll go slower next time. I won’t hurt you again."

Cheng Yiqiao, having recovered, smiled at him, "It’s fine. The first time is always like this."

Before, she had wanted to hug him but didn’t dare. Now, as his wife, she could hold him openly. Cheng Yiqiao nestled into his arms, gripping his strong shoulders. Meng Ruchuan, brimming with youthful energy, struggled to hold back, but recalling Cheng Yiqiao’s earlier pain, he restrained himself.

After a while, Cheng Yiqiao noticed and met his gaze intently. Remembering how she’d made him stop earlier, she felt guilty and asked, "Should we try again?"

His eyes burned with desire as he asked, "Can we?"

Cheng Yiqiao nodded.

With her consent, Meng Ruchuan held nothing back. Men learn fast; the second time was much smoother. But smooth as it was, the man who had vowed to be gentle soon lost control.

Cheng Yiqiao almost couldn’t bear the pain and had to call for a stop. Unfortunately, the young man was in the midst of his fervor and couldn’t stop. In the end, Cheng Yiqiao did taste pleasure, but it also took half her life.

Ultimately, she cared for her husband. The next day, during the tea ceremony, when Mrs. Meng asked how she was, Cheng Yiqiao shyly said everything was fine.

Meng Ruchuan, however, seemed to have opened up a new world. After lunch, while accompanying Cheng Yiqiao for a nap, he became restless again. Cheng Yiqiao, angry, kicked him away. She could endure during the day, but at night it was unbearable. Thinking she needed to train him and help him gain experience, she gave in once more, but it wasn’t much better.

On the third day, returning to her family, Cheng Yiqiao brought her husband back to the Cheng family.

To avoid the risk of miscarriage from traveling, Cheng Yian stayed at the Cheng family that day. The homecoming banquet was naturally lively, and it was clear that Meng Ruchuan was in high spirits, being especially attentive to Cheng Yiqiao, which pleased the Cheng family.

Cheng Yiyan entertained his brother-in-law in the front courtyard with wine and guests, while Cheng Yiqiao naturally went with her sisters to the grandmother’s courtyard. After dismissing the outsiders, the grandmother only kept the sisters to talk, immediately asking about the son-in-law.

Although Cheng Yiqiao was straightforward, she knew the importance of discretion. In front of her grandmother, she didn’t reveal the truth, only saying that everything was satisfactory.

Cheng Yixin, having been through it herself, was worried about her sister and quietly pulled her aside, "Is everything okay with the marital affairs?"

Cheng Yiqiao smiled bitterly and replied, "It's nothing serious, just a bit impulsive."

Cheng Yixin felt relieved, "Your husband is young and full of passion; it's natural for him to be a bit impulsive."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Cheng Yiqiao thought to herself, since her elder sister has experience, if she says so, it must be true.

Glancing over, she noticed her third sister feasting heartily, and she thought of Lu Xusheng, who also came from a military background...

After lunch, Cheng Yiqiao walked Cheng Yian back to Yining Courtyard. Once inside, she sent the servants away and asked her,

"Third sister, I want to ask you something. Are all men clumsy the first time?"

Though they had been sisters for years, Cheng Yiqiao and Cheng Yixin weren’t as close as they could have been, but when it came to private matters, both preferred to confide in Cheng Yian, who was good-natured and a good listener.

Cheng Yian leaned in closer and whispered, "What's wrong? Did your husband’s clumsiness cause you pain?"

Cheng Yiqiao clutched her stomach and frowned, "Exactly! Every time, it’s so painful it feels unbearable."

Cheng Yian was immediately concerned, "This isn’t acceptable; you need to encourage him to take it slow..."

Seeing Cheng Yian's strong reaction, Cheng Yiqiao couldn't help but be curious, "Your general... isn’t he the same way?"

In Cheng Yiqiao’s mind, both Lu Xusheng and Meng Ruchuan were martial artists, and she assumed they must have been equally rough and heavy-handed when they first married.

Cheng Yian looked at her silently.

Lu Xusheng, having lived two lives, was not comparable to Meng Ruchuan?

He was a seasoned expert, who had treated her so well from the start that she couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

Seeing her silence, Cheng Yiqiao burst into tears,

"That awful Meng Ruchuan!"

Cheng Yian had no choice but to offer a few whispered words of advice.

Cheng Yiqiao looked at her suspiciously, "Really? I'll try it then."

"Take it slow; you’ll get the hang of it."

After her family visit, Cheng Yian prepared to leave. Cheng Mingyu convinced her to stay, citing bad weather. By the tenth day, the weather cleared, and he had to let her go. As Cheng Yian prepared to leave, Cuijie threw a tantrum. Having just lost one aunt, and now her third aunt was leaving, the child refused to let go, clinging to Cheng Yian's arm and crying.

Heartbroken, Cheng Yian discussed with Cheng Yixin, "Since Second Master is away, why don’t you and the child stay with me for a while?"

Cheng Yixin chuckled, "Staying isn’t an option,"

"How about we walk our aunt back?" Cheng Yixin ruffled her daughter's little head.

Cuijie nodded with a smile.

Cheng Yixin wiped her daughter’s nose, dressed her up, and took her out.

From Chengjiabao to Lu Mansion, they passed through the old market in front of Zhengyang Gate. At the crossroads, Cheng Yixin said goodbye to Cheng Yian,

"I’ll take the child for a walk in the market."

Get her some new toys, and she’ll stop fussing when we get back.

The mother and daughter turned south and entered Qi Pan Street, where there was a large shop specializing in calligraphy supplies like brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Back when He Qingyun was passionate about painting, Cheng Yixin opened such a shop. Today, she happened to go out to check the account books, so she told the wet nurse, along with some maids and guards, to take the child to the street to buy snacks and toys, while she busied herself in the shop.

Cheng Yixin had learned accounting from her grandmother since she was young, developing a keen eye. She’d barely flipped through a few pages before spotting several discrepancies. The shopkeeper was scolded until he turned red in the face, and he had to bring out the original ledger for Cheng Yixin to verify.

After working for roughly half an hour, Cheng Yixin rubbed her sore neck and got up to look for the child, only to spot someone standing in the shop’s front corridor.

The person was dressed in a crimson official robe, with a calm and composed demeanor, and sharp, well-defined features. Unlike He Qingyun’s gentleness, he had a sharper edge, perhaps due to years of investigating cases. His eyes were sharp when he looked at people.

Although Cheng Yixin didn’t know him, she guessed his identity.

She stood in the hall and gave him a slight nod.

Pei Ji stepped over the threshold and gave her a formal bow,

"I’ve come uninvited, and I hope you’ll forgive me, miss."

Cheng Yixin was silent for a moment, then gestured towards the private room inside the shop,

"Please come in, sir."

The Pei family had sent matchmakers several times to propose marriage, and she had clearly refused. Pei Ji's appearance today was probably to ask for an explanation, so she decided to lay it out plainly for him.

The private room was modest, facing north and south, with a long huanghuali table in the middle and cabinets on both sides, displaying various inkstones, usually for customers to choose from in the private room.

Cheng Yixin had a matron serve tea and had her close the door before leaving.

The two sat across from each other, and Cheng Yixin actively poured tea for him, pushing it towards him, and smiled,

"It’s not even the end of the workday yet—how did you find the time to come here, sir?"

Pei Ji was not surprised that she recognized his identity. He’d long heard that Cheng Yixin was clever and gracious, and today's meeting proved it to be true.

He took the tea, held it in his palm without drinking, and replied firmly, "To be frank with you, Miss Cheng, I was reviewing documents when my household informed me you’d gone out, so I came to visit," to avoid Cheng Yixin thinking he was being abrupt, he explained,

"It’s just that your family rejected the marriage proposal very decisively, and I couldn’t bear to give up, so I decided to meet you in person. Unfortunately, you live a reclusive life, and I never had the chance until today when I got the news and followed you here."

Pei Ji was very honest, not beating around the bush with her.

At their age, they had both been married before and didn't want to waste time on probing, so they chose to be straightforward and direct.

Cheng Yixin said bluntly, "Your family’s interest is an honor, but unfortunately, I have other plans, and I'm afraid there is no fate between you and me."

Pei Ji's long fingers turned the tea handle, and he frowned, "What plans?"

Cheng Yixin smiled, took a sip of tea first, "Pei sir, I'll be honest with you. I have known He Qingyun since childhood, and we ended up divorcing, which made me very sad. I’ve grown somewhat disillusioned with men in general. My father also doesn't want me to compromise myself. I think if I meet the right person, I'll get married, but if not, then so be it,"

"I also have a child, and I can't let her suffer. If I were to remarry into a prominent family, I can't guarantee that she won't be looked down upon, thinking I, as her mother, had abandoned her. Therefore, I plan to take in a son-in-law to live with me, near the Cheng residence, for mutual convenience."

When Pei Ji heard the words "take in a son-in-law," the corner of his mouth twitched a few times.

He put the teacup to his lips and took a couple of sips, not speaking for a long time.

Cheng Yixin saw him pondering in silence and said apologetically,

"So I’ve let down your kind intentions, sir, please forgive me. You are the eldest son of the Pei family, with a good background and strong abilities, and at a young age, you hold the position of a third-rank minister. It should be easy for you to find a bride with both virtue and beauty."

Pei Ji put down the teacup and smiled bitterly, "My previous marriage was arranged from childhood. Her family was far away in Yangzhou, and I had only met her a few times before the wedding, so we didn't really know each other. Originally, we were supposed to get married long ago, but her family kept delaying it, and then there was a new mourning period, so I didn't bring her home until I was twenty-one. Unfortunately, after the marriage..." At this point, Pei Ji's face showed difficulty, and he didn't continue, summarizing it in one sentence,

"We didn't quite get along, and after struggling for over a year, we separated. To be honest, it has been more than three years since our separation, and there have been numerous matchmakers and suitors, but I never met anyone who felt right until I heard about your separation," Pei Ji recalled that evening when the news reached the Pei family. His father, mother, and he exchanged glances, and suddenly the family's intentions converged.

"As the eldest son, the choice of a wife is not to be taken lightly. My father and mother have deep admiration for the Cheng family and for you. Hearing that you are wise, capable, and gracious, and being the eldest daughter of Cheng Mingyu, there is no one better than you. Hence, we decided to propose to you."

At this point, Pei Ji still felt regret and asked her again, "Is it really necessary to take in a son-in-law? Our Pei family is a large clan, and there have been instances of remarriage. The children are all raised as our own. I heard your daughter is not yet four years old, still young, and in a few years, it will be fine."

"But a father who is not her own is ultimately not the same," Cheng Yixin shook her head. "This matter cannot be hidden. When she grows up, she will eventually know the truth and feel like she doesn't belong. I plan to have her live in the Cheng family all along, with my brother's children as companions, so she won't feel lonely. My villa is near the Cheng family, so even if I marry, it will be convenient for me to move between both places."

The Pei family and the Cheng family are located east and west, separated by the royal city. If she were to marry Pei Ji, the child would have to be taken there, which would be a completely different situation.

Pei Ji didn't know what to say and silently drank his tea.

Cheng Yixin quietly studied him. It must be said that upon this meeting, her impression of him was quite good—more stable than Zhang Weixin and more capable and responsible than He Qingyun. In terms of temperament, he was most similar to her father. If she had met Pei Ji earlier, he would have been an ideal candidate for a political marriage.

Cheng Yixin also smiled regretfully.

Pei Ji was also full of regret.

Years ago, when the Fang family kept delaying the wedding date, Pei Ji knew that his fiancée did not want to marry him. At that time, he had considered calling off the engagement, but his father and grandmother, citing his grandfather's final wish, stopped him.

At that time, he had already thought of marrying Cheng Yixin.

He wanted to marry the best wife, and Cheng Yixin, being the eldest daughter of Cheng Mingyu and the most celebrated lady in the capital, was the most suitable to be his wife as the eldest son.

But just as he was engaged, Cheng Yixin also had her childhood sweetheart.

Now that the opportunity was right before him, it was about to be missed again.

Having already laid everything out clearly, Pei Ji should have left, but he unexpectedly didn't want to leave.

Seeing that he wasn't leaving, Cheng Yixin didn't urge him and offered him another cup of tea. Seeing his troubled expression, she suddenly asked curiously,

"Forgive my boldness, but may I ask why you and your former wife separated?"

Pei Ji's dark eyes swept over her, and he smiled bitterly,

"She had someone she loved and married me reluctantly."

No wonder.

Cheng Yixin was surprised, as there were few women who could refuse Pei Ji given his character and appearance.

"So, she initiated the separation?"

Pei Ji shook his head, "I was the one who proposed the separation."

Cheng Yixin was taken aback, somewhat surprised.

Facing Cheng Yixin's puzzled expression, Pei Ji spoke frankly,

"We were married for a year and a half, but we never consummated the marriage." Pei Ji's eyes were filled with bitterness, "She refused to let me touch her."

Cheng Yixin: "......."