“I’m glad Wife-master likes them.” Meng Jun lowered his eyes shyly.

In his peripheral vision, the sky outside the green gauze window had already darkened.

Since it was dark.

The young gentleman pondered for a moment, then very familiarly leaned into her embrace, slowly saying, “Wife-master, I recently bought a new story book.”

“What’s it about?” Li Ruantang rubbed the top of his head. She was still feeling a bit full, and with the young gentleman leaning so close, she had to be careful not to let him notice.

Otherwise, he would realize. The woman he loved wholeheartedly, setting aside all those titles, was just an ordinary woman.

She took a slight breath and sucked in her stomach, but the young gentleman nestled in her arms was already unable to contain himself. His slender fingers naturally pinched the soft flesh at her waist, “Does Wife-master really want to hear?”

Those beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed mischievously, but he said innocently, “But story books are usually read before bed. Why don’t—”

He looked up, his handsome face blushing brightly, in the dim yellow light cast by the gauze lamp, showing a different meaning, “After Wife-master finishes bathing, we go to the bed, alright?”

“……”

Li Ruantang froze, her arms holding the young gentleman suddenly stiffening, not knowing where to put them.

“Choochoo.”

“Mm?” Meng Jun obediently nestled against her neck, his warm breath gently blowing, eliciting a noticeable pink from the dark color.

The young gentleman looked at her in confusion.

Li Ruantang secretly sighed. It seems she had overthought again. The young man in her arms was clearly just naive, probably not knowing at all that what he just said could have another meaning.

She smiled, curving her lips.

That charming gaze was like a feather landing on Meng Jun’s heart, lightly stirring up an itch. Those illustrations he had seen were like vines constantly spreading, clamoring to tightly entwine the woman before him.

To become hers.

The young gentleman’s ears burned fiercely. He suddenly turned his head, pointing to a corner of the bedroom, his clear voice involuntarily stammering, “Wi-wife-master, please bathe over there.”

Behind that screen embroidered with mountains and rivers, a large bathtub had been placed early on.

Li Ruantang sat comfortably in the steaming water, the gauze lamp bright, casting on her shoulders, softening the misty vapor into a gentle light.

Across the screen.

Meng Jun, afraid she might disappear again, sat properly with his back turned. His scattered hair was still half-wet, clearly having rushed back to the bedroom in a hurry.

The young gentleman’s face still had a faint pink from the bath. He secretly turned his face slightly.

What met his eyes were the colorful water droplets cast by the gauze lamp, slowly falling along her slender neck, flowing down that snow-white shoulder, merging into the layers of ripples in the crevice, no longer visible.

Meng Jun regretfully leaned out a bit more, not yet seeing anything. But Li Ruantang was alert, she turned her head slightly, startling the young gentleman into sitting properly again. His slender fingers interlaced on his knees, his lowered eyes turning disappointedly.

Hmm, if only he had known not to put flower petals in the water.

But still.

How could her hair tucked behind her ear be so black, scattered on that snow-white shoulder. It made one’s heart flutter.

The young gentleman’s throat moved slightly, belatedly feeling some shame, “Wife-master, shall I help you scrub your back?”

Those dense eyelashes like crow feathers lowly shielded those expectant eyes, he happily curved his lips, only glancing at the shadow cast on the ground.

Splash.

The water rippled in layers.

“Choochoo, scrubbing back or—”

The words “wait until later” hadn’t yet left her mouth when the young gentleman sitting in front of the screen eagerly stood up, slipping on his shoes and taking two or three quick steps around the screen, “Wife-master, don’t wor—ah!”

Meng Jun hurriedly covered his mouth, his wide phoenix eyes staring straight at Li Ruantang, who was about to stand up and step out of the tub.

On that celestial-like handsome face, the faint pink of shame seemed to have been carefully painted with brush and ink, layer upon layer of brilliant rendering, flushing that heart full of affection crimson.

He looked openly and seriously, yet his eyes were full of innocence.

Li Ruantang, who had frozen, suddenly felt her face burn hot, and quickly pulled over a nearby undergarment to cover herself.

“Ahem, well, Choochoo, I, you……” She stuttered, not knowing what to say.

The held breath made both hearts beat wildly.

The young gentleman, who had already looked carefully, pretended to turn his head away, his outstretched fingers light yet extremely accurate as they moved forward, removing the two flower petals stuck to her chest.

Meng Jun obediently closed his eyes.

“Wife-master, Choochoo won’t look.”

He spoke sincerely, casually pressing the flower petals in his palm against his eyelids, “See, if Wife-master isn’t at ease, I’ll cover them with these flower petals.”

The young gentleman was obedient, but that secretly squinted eye slit was full of slyness.

“Wife-master?” His voice softly urged her.

“Choochoo, wait a moment.” Li Ruantang hurriedly put on her undergarments, her face already flushed beyond words. She reached out to take the hand of the young gentleman who was obediently standing in place, turned around the screen to let him sit on the soft stool, then went back behind the screen to rustle about putting on her outer robes.

“Wife-master, are you going to be busy?” Meng Jun, who had been listening intently to the sounds, was startled, and as he stood up, he bumped right into Li Ruantang’s embrace, now fully dressed.

Those beautiful phoenix eyes looked at her pitifully.

Li Ruantang rubbed his furrowed cheeks and shook her head, “Silly, this is your bedroom after all, and we’re not yet married. How could I wear only undergarments?”

“Eh?” The young gentleman’s heart eased, but with her dressed so properly, his story book wouldn’t work well now.

“But I haven’t applied medicine for Wife-master yet.”

Meng Jun took out a porcelain bottle he had put in his sleeve earlier, “I know Wife-master’s wounds have surely been treated by a doctor.”

He put on his most pitiful look, “But Wife-master has just finished bathing, so you’ll probably need to apply medicine again. Wife-master, I’ve learned how to bandage wounds, I, I can also blow on them to ease the pain for Wife-master.”

“Wife-master, will you trust Choochoo, please?”

The young man before her was afraid she would outright refuse, those beautiful phoenix eyes showing a hint of tears.

Li Ruantang sighed softly, “Silly child, how could I not trust you.” She was only afraid that those newly added scars on her shoulders and back would frighten her foolish Jiulang.

But how could the rules of this world stop a drop of tear from the moon in one’s heart?

Meng Jun gently led the woman who was about to fall into the trap to sit on the couch, his bright eyes staring at her. After a moment, as if just realizing something, his slender fingers pulled at her waistband, “I just noticed Wife-master’s shoulder is also injured, hmm, then let me help Wife-master.”