Chapter 97 Consummation: “Is this an order or a request?”

Chapter 97: Sharing a Bed: "Is This an Order or a Discussion?"

After the opera ended, Xie Tanwei took Tian Qin's hand and led her back to Hua Yuan.

Hua Yuan was Tian Qin's courtyard. Though its layout was filled with meticulously crafted constraints, it was a small world uniquely hers, where Xie Tanwei rarely stayed overnight—in his memory, he had never stayed overnight. It still retained an untainted, original purity.

Nanny Chen and the others were washing clothes by the Little Winter Lake in the bamboo grove of Hua Yuan when they suddenly saw the Lord approaching, filled with awe and fear. Such a small courtyard suddenly hosting such an exalted presence left Nanny Chen, Zhaolu, and the others exchanging uneasy glances, all feeling unworthy of such an honor.

Xie Tanwei moved through the yard as if it were his own—he had designed and built it himself. He took off his outer robe, sat down leisurely by the newly lit coral-red candles, and said, "Your second sister is ill and needs to drink her medicine daily, so we've set up a small kitchen in Qiuju Hall. From now on, it'll just be me and you having meals alone in Hua Yuan."

When Xian Qiu was in good health, the three of them used to dine together in Qiuju Hall. Now that Xian Qiu was deaf and plagued by illness, the others naturally had to avoid her ill fortune.

Recently, Tian Qin had been eating alone in Hua Yuan, and she supposed Xie Tanwei was much the same, dining alone.

Since he put it that way without specifying a time frame, it meant he intended to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even supper with her from now on. With meals more frequent, his stays in Hua Yuan would become more regular as well.

The confinement had deepened significantly.

Tian Qin was extremely reluctant—Hua Yuan was her only sanctuary. But she had no right to refuse. As a dependent in the Xie residence, every inch of the estate belonged to the Lord; no matter how nice Hua Yuan was, it was never truly hers.

Once Xie Tanwei invaded his sister-in-law's room and established an unspoken understanding of free passage, she wouldn't even have a place to cry in secret.

After a moment's deliberation, Tian Qin declined, "I'm a heavy sleeper and wake up late. Having meals together would likely delay Brother-in-law's morning court sessions."

Xie Tanwei cut to the point, rejecting her excuse: "If you want to sleep, just sleep. I'll have breakfast set aside for you. Back when the three of us ate together, you could get up in time. Why not now? Don't talk nonsense."

His tone carried a faint, ethereal seriousness. He saw through her at a glance.

Tian Qin had no choice but to give in.

Thanks to Xian Qiu's deafness, their relationship had incredibly drawn closer. If he hadn't said just two days ago, "Don't really think of yourself as the Junior Mistress," she might have wrongly assumed he intended to take her as a concubine.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, as if a handful of silver dust had been scattered. The night was deep.

Xie Tanwei said, "Time to retire." He undressed, extinguished the candles, and drew the curtains, lying down on the bed in Hua Yuan alongside Tian Qin. The whole process was smooth and natural, as if practiced, without the slightest strangeness of a brother-in-law and sister-in-law sharing a bed.

Tian Qin was displeased, her heart feeling unsettled, as if filled with pebbles. This bed had once been hers alone; lying here had brought her peace of mind. Under the covers, she could cry, laugh, and reassess her circumstances. Now, she still faced the wall with her back, but suddenly there was a man's bony hand on her waist.

If she had a choice, she would rather be elsewhere, anywhere but here.

Xie Tanwei calmly and firmly patted her waist, his meaning clear. Half-dragged and half-pulled, she turned around, and he removed her last undergarments—the heart garment and small shorts. The last of her sanity faded away in his gentle coaxing, "Just once."

He used a contraceptive medicine; they would not have children.

In a daze, she sweated profusely, being forced to take the initiative, unable to tell if she was resisting or sinking together.

...

A spring night's warmth made the cold imperceptible.

When Tian Qin woke, Xie Tanwei was still beside her pillow; today was his day off. Dawn light filtered through the curtain crack in a long strip, crossing his high nose bridge and eyelids, clearly illuminating the floating dust in the air. His eyelashes were black as crow feathers, his breath even and fresh. His skin, naturally cool and pale, was glazed with warm winter sunlight, shining with a divine radiance.

Tian Qin gazed at Xie Tanwei silently for a long moment, fantasizing about driving a hairpin into his heart. Unfortunately, there was no hairpin at hand, nor would he ever sleep completely unguarded. The thought of assassinating him circled vainly in her mind a few times, leaving behind an empty thrill.

She slipped out of bed quietly, wearing slippers.

Her legs were weak, her waist ached, her lips were sore—this was the aftermath of just one night.

Just after she had changed clothes and sat before the bronze mirror to do her hair, Xie Tanwei woke up. His eyes were drowsy, his whole demeanor relaxed and languid, more dazed than when awake. He lazily waved his arm, calling, "What are you doing down there?"

Tian Qin glanced at the sun and admonished, "Brother-in-law said we'd have breakfast, but it's almost time for lunch."

He smiled warmly in the sunlight.

"Rare leisure."

"Mischievous imp," he commented after a moment.

He threw off the winter quilt and rose, padded over to her in his nightgown, resting his chin on her fluffy hair.

Tian Qin felt ticklish and dodged left and right.

Xie Tanwei caught her, looking as if lost in thought or half-asleep, appearing quite human, and said gently, "Don't wake so early from now on. The pillow feels empty without you."

Tian Qin frowned. "Is this an order or a discussion?"

"It's a request."

Xie Tanwei emphasized his tone, took the lip rouge from her hand firmly, smiled brightly, and dabbed some on his finger to apply it for her: "Since Tian'er lives in my residence, I should accommodate."

The rouge was chilled by the night cold, blending with the warmth of his fingertips. The lip itself was soft and sensitive; every subtle shift in his pressure sent an electric current through her, resonating with the Love Gu inside her. Tian Qin instinctively lightened her breath.

Xie Tanwei applied it very slowly, focused and serious. His cool, composed face was only inches from hers, as deep and still as an abyss. His high brow bone cast a small pool of shadow, softened by the morning light. His long lashes flickered, his pupils reflected her image. He worked meticulously until every inch of her lips was covered in crimson.

He leaned back slightly to appraise her, wiped his hand with a cotton cloth, admired his work, and turned her toward the bronze mirror: "There, done."

Tian Qin breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't care how the lip color turned out; the process was too agonizing. She looked in the mirror and saw that her red lips had actually been painted surprisingly well by him.

Xie Tanwei was also observing her through the mirror. His deep, cold gaze was dignified and elegant, without any lewd intent, more like appreciating a collection—a fragile piece he had personally sculpted. Likewise, there was little affection, let alone warmth—almost like a craftsman examining whether every detail of the piece met expectations.

"It looks very good."

He said.

Tian Qin didn't want to accept his care. His practiced technique must have come from Xian Qiu. With a hint of mockery, she asked, "Does Brother-in-law also apply lip rouge for my sister?"

It felt dirty on her lips.

Xie Tanwei did not deny it. "Mm,"

His expression was like the vast sky, covered in faint white mist.

He had no need to lie to her, even kindly. He had two women in his life; the suspicion or jealousy of either should not affect his daily life.

But toward Tian Qin, he inexplicably added, "... Just once or twice."

Tian Qin said nothing more. She finished arranging her remaining hair into buns, put on rings and necklaces, adorned herself as the dignified and pampered Second Miss Xie—gilded on the outside, rotten within.

Xie Tanwei had the day off, so the pace was slow.

He had all the time in the world to wait for Tian Qin to finish dressing up, even personally applying her lip rouge and fastening her earrings.

The two had been up late the previous night, so they woke up late. Then Tian Qin had delayed a long time with her grooming, so it was nearly lunchtime.

She realized he would be by her side all day, felt resigned and called for lunch. But Xie Tanwei casually stopped her, saying, "Come, let's go eat outside."

"Sister hasn't eaten yet," Tian Qin used her sister as an excuse.

"Your sister has her own attendants," Xie Tanwei replied in a similar tone, undercutting her excuse.

Tian Qin was taken to a private room in a bustling capital restaurant, so luxurious that it dazzled her—a single meal costing a fortune. Xie Tanwei had also arranged to drink with a close friend, who gave a mysterious smile upon seeing Tian Qin. Tian Qin alternated between hot and cold, and had her clothes stripped off right in front of her. Indeed, though without an official title, she was no longer his little sister; she had fallen from sibling to lover.

When they left the restaurant, the winter sunlight was blazing and harsh. The weather was perfectly clear, silver-white clouds tinged with a warmth that didn't belong to winter. As winter drew to a close, snowmelt dripped from the eaves, and the warm breeze ushered in the approaching season.

Xie Tanwei smiled and shielded her eyes, chiding, "Silly girl, afraid of a little sunlight."

He took the flowered umbrella handed to him by Zhao Ning, opened it, and gave it to her, allowing her to enjoy lingering in the warm but not harsh winter sun.

She was delicate, and he was happy to indulge her delicacy.

Tian Qin held the flowered umbrella, increasingly feeling like a golden canary preening its shimmering feathers.

Wealth and splendor dazzle the eyes; it's easy to go from poverty to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to poverty. Even a golden canary can be abandoned one day. All she could do was stay clear-headed amidst the fleeting riches, anticipating abandonment and preparing for it.

Xie Tanwei guided her into the carriage, its sides carved with latticework for ventilation—neither too cold nor too stifling. From afar, she could smell the scent of soil and grass roots after the snowmelt, clearing the gloomy, damp mood of winter.

The sunny sky was filled with birdsong. The carriage sped along, blurring the faces of street vendors. Tian Qin felt dizzy after the meal—she was prone to motion sickness—and covered her chest, a sudden panic flashing across her rosy cheeks.

Xie Tanwei noticed and gently drew her by the nape of her neck to lean on his shoulder. The hairpin got in the way, so he casually removed it and tucked it into her belt. They had been sitting side by side, but this made them even more intimate, almost inappropriately equal, like a lord and his lawful wife—when Xian Qiu used to travel with Xie Tanwei, she often leaned on his shoulder like this.

This gesture stirred up disgusting memories in Tian Qin. She tried to move away, but Xie Tanwei skillfully cornered her, forcing her to rely on him. In the carriage were several large bouquets of the earliest blooming camellias of spring, their clear fragrance subtly wafting in the air.

It was hard to believe that the lord, who had been cold and heartless to her in her past life, not even allowing her to see their child, had changed so completely—clinging to her all day, trapping her by his side, and forcing on her unmatched favor and riches.

This attention was anything but a blessing for Tian Qin; Xie Tanwei's devotion was more terrifying than his indifference. In her past life, though he was cold, there was more opportunity to escape—if she had desperately tried to flee, she would have certainly succeeded.

But now, she was trapped, with no escape.

Xie Tanwei toyed with the lines on her palm, his gaze fixed and clear, his heart and eyes focused solely on her.

He brought her palm to his lips and kissed it lightly, like a feather tickling, his smile radiating the warmth of sunlight.

If this scene had occurred in her past life, Tian Qin would surely have been moved, would have found it beautiful.

Tian Qin withdrew her hand, murmuring, "Don't, my hand's itchy."

Xie Tanwei's hand suddenly closed on nothing, and a cool breeze wafted through. She still kept her distance from him, as if a wall stood between them.