Marry a Northern Song Dynasty civil servant

Chapter 53

Watching her storm off in a huff, Lu Ziqi smiled wryly. He'd really gone against his conscience to praise her, and she was still not satisfied. At least, the word "gentle" had absolutely nothing to do with her…

If I had known, I wouldn't have bothered to prepare clothes for them just because I was worried that they wouldn't have time to shop for clothes after their long journey, and that their attire might not match the current fashions in the capital, which would give them something to gossip about.

The bathroom, connected to the bedroom, is about 100 square meters and has a five-meter square pool in the middle. Bath supplies are placed around the pool, and there is a luxurious copper bathtub next to it. Clean clothes and shoes are placed behind a screen in the corner of the room.

The water was a clear, deep blue-green, at a perfect temperature. Wisps of white mist rose from it, carrying a faint, unidentified fragrance.

Song Xiaohua, marveling at the extravagant lifestyle of the wealthy, swaggered in with a bowl of vegetable and egg noodles. The person in the pool had their back to the door, revealing an alluring neck and shoulders.

"You Rong, I've told you many times, you don't need to serve me with these things anymore. Go to sleep!" The voice was deep, with a hint of displeasure.

He paused, but instead of receiving a response, the person continued to approach. Moreover, the person's light gait seemed to belong to a woman. He was startled and then angry.

He suddenly swung his hand, creating a trail of flying water droplets, and hissed, "Get out!"

At the same time, a soft exclamation rang out: "It's burning me!"

Turning around quickly, I saw Song Xiaohua, her head and body slightly damp, holding a bowl of hot noodles that had spilled some soup because she was caught off guard. She wanted to jump around but didn't dare to, and could only suppress her embarrassment at shouting.

"Yaoyao, it's you? Why aren't you saying anything?" He stood up from the water, wanting to help her, but suddenly remembered that he was naked. His face flushed, and he quickly sat down again, anxiously telling her, "Put her down quickly, be careful not to get burned."

Song Xiaohua groaned and finally put the "hot potato" down by the pool, blowing on her red hand and complaining, "What are you doing? Why did you suddenly go crazy!"

Lu Ziqi grabbed her hand and examined it carefully: "Luckily, it's nothing serious. This is the second time you've been burned, isn't it? Look at you, always so clumsy."

"How can you blame me this time? You haven't answered my question yet!"

After a slight hesitation, he immediately said frankly, "I thought it was some unruly servant."

"Oh... I understand a little now." Song Xiaohua was immediately in high spirits. She squatted down by the pool and patted him on the head from above: "Young man, you have principles, you did a good job!"

Lu Ziqi was both amused and exasperated: "Why did you come to the bathroom to eat noodles out of the blue?"

"Because I'm going to eat this bowl of noodles with you!"

"Why? I'm not hungry."

"Even if it's just one bite or one whole piece, you have to eat it!" Song Xiaohua rarely put on a serious face: "Do you remember the night before we parted, I made a batch of dumplings?"

"Of course I remember. Those dumplings were wrapped so small and short, it took you so much effort."

Do you know why I'm going through all this trouble, and why I won't even let you help me?

“I asked, but you wouldn’t tell me.”

“Now listen carefully.” Song Xiaohua picked out a long strand of noodles from the bowl: “This bowl of noodles was also made by my own hands. Every strand is long and chewy, which means that we will be together for a very, very long time.”

Lu Ziqi suddenly realized: "So, the dumplings we ate as a farewell meal represented the hope that our separation would be short..."

"Very short."

Two voices rang out together, one clear and bright, the other crisp and clear, both gentle and slightly deep, flowing slowly through this space with the wisps of water vapor.

"Yaoyao, we will never be apart again."

"Yeah, I never want to make those awful little dumplings again in my life."

Lu Ziqi chuckled: "How about we split this bowl of noodles in half?"

"No way! You're not hungry right now, and you're going to bed soon anyway. Be careful your stomach doesn't feel good. Just have one as a token gesture!"

"Your noodles smell so good, they've made me hungry. Besides, my stomach isn't that fragile; it's been toughened up to be as tough as steel."

Song Xiaohua thought about it carefully, then nodded solemnly: "Okay, since we're going to exercise later anyway, let's just treat it as a way to replenish our energy. It would be terrible if we ran out of energy halfway through."

"…………"

So, one of them squatted by the pool, and the other sat in the pool, silently sharing the noodles.

As soon as they finished eating, Song Xiaohua couldn't wait to say, "Dongqing, stand up."

Lu Ziqi froze, then instinctively shrank back: "What are you doing?"

Song Xiaohua patted his bare shoulder casually: "We're an old married couple, what's there to be shy about? What part of you haven't I seen or touched?"

Lu Ziqi's face was truly as beautiful as a blooming peach blossom: "Yaoyao, let's go back to our room and talk about it..."

His depraved and beastly behavior was confined to the bedroom; once outside that realm, he immediately reverted to his gentlemanly and refined nature. This contrast truly captivated Song Xiaohua, whose lust was ever-present.

"Hehehe, I just love seeing your teasing little face." She patted his cheek, then casually grabbed a long robe from the side and handed it to him: "Here, take this as a modesty cloth!"

Lu Ziqi turned away, his face flushed, and put on his clothes under her blank gaze. He took a breath and turned back to her, trying his best to appear normal: "What exactly do you want?"

Her black hair was loose and flowing, her face shimmered with pearls. Her white robe floated lightly on the water. There was a beautiful woman in the middle of the water.

Song Xiaohua burst out laughing...

She covered her nose and tilted her head back to stop the throbbing nosebleed. Then she took a few steps closer, so that she could look Lu Ziqi, who was standing in the pool, at eye level. She took his hands and placed them on her waist: "Don't you think I've gotten thinner here, and my clothes are a bit loose?" She slowly moved them up to her pert breasts: "Don't you think I've gotten bigger here, and my clothes are a bit tight?"

Lu Ziqi froze instantly, his voice hoarse: "Yaoyao..."

She pouted, feigning grievance: "You still say I haven't changed at all, that you don't even see me!"

One last struggle: "Don't... force me..."

She opened her arms and wrapped them around his neck, her fingers gently stroking his back: "I'm forcing you, so what?"

Looking at her damp temples, her flushed cheeks in the steam, her slightly parted rosy lips, and her eyes that, though misty with white fog, still held an undeniable cunning, Lu Ziqi finally could not bear it any longer.

Without another word, he lifted her up by the waist and sank her into the water. With a single pull and a wave, her clothes vanished, turning into countless beautiful pieces of colorful satin on the water's surface.

Song Xiaohua sighed softly, "Such expensive clothes, what a pity..."

The couple had longed for the sight of mandarin ducks playing in the water for so long, but for various reasons, their wish had not come true until now.

This feeling is so damn good, so awesome!

Inside the room, a pool of clear water was rippling.

Outside, a full moon hangs in the sky.

May people and the moon be reunited.

The author has something to say: I heard the story about dumplings and noodles during an interview I watched yesterday with an elderly couple in the entertainment industry who have been together for decades. I was really touched at the time, so I just plagiarized it…

To support each other through thick and thin, and grow old together.

P.S.: The editor says a new crackdown has begun, and all intimate scenes, including suggestive and flirtatious ones, must be removed. For example, anything below the neck is strictly prohibited... I'm under a lot of pressure going against the grain! 囧

So let's all go vegetarian...

Chapter Fifty-Six Third Aunt

The next day, Song Xiaohua was so tired that she felt like dying, but she still had to get up at the crack of dawn, amidst Lu Ziqi's persistent, gentle kisses.

Although it was the height of summer and many customs, such as morning and evening greetings, could be waived, and everyone mostly stayed in their own courtyards, cooking and drinking their own meals, the first morning after a new bride entered the household was still a day when she should pay her respects to the elders.

With her eyes almost closed the whole time, Song Xiaohua finished washing and dressing under the care of Xiaoyan and Tingxian. Then, like a little bird waiting to be fed, she opened her mouth and drank a bowl of white fungus, lotus seed and mint porridge. Lu Ziqi, who was watching from the side and laughing, half-dragged and half-carried her out the door.

Over the past six months, Song Xiaohua has been mingling among the wives of officials and wealthy young ladies. She has become accustomed to being served from head to toe like a cripple with missing limbs, and has accepted the differences in status between people, commonly known as class differences.

In this era, people were divided into different classes. Once someone became a slave, they were treated like a commodity, openly bought and sold at a price. Being bullied by their masters was commonplace, and if someone made a mistake, being beaten to death was not a big deal. Therefore, talking about all people being born equal, or wanting to sit on equal footing with servants and address them as sisters, was pure nonsense.

As an individual, trying to defy the rules and regulations of a particular era is not courageous, it's just plain stupid...

All Song Xiaohua could do was refrain from insulting her servants, avoid making unreasonable accusations, and treat them kindly.

However, the distinction between master and servant, and between superior and inferior, must never be abolished. Otherwise, it's not just oneself who will suffer. Everyone has a role to play, and if one crosses the line or transgresses the rules, they will inevitably be punished.

In short, it can be summed up in four words: stay within your bounds.

For example, right now, Song Xiaohua's duty is to play the role of a virtuous and gentle daughter-in-law to the four concubines and Old Master Lu.

It must be said that Old Master Lu's methods of managing his household were truly exceptional, managing to keep his four concubines living in perfect harmony. His basic schedule was 'four days on, three days off,' meaning that from Monday to Thursday they would take turns, and then from Friday to Sunday they would rest, get together to chat and play cards, and so on, treating everyone equally without favoritism.

They're all getting on in years; the past rivalries and strife are now just old news, good only for amusement in their spare time. Their children are all grown up, established in their careers, and quite successful, ensuring a comfortable retirement. More importantly, Old Master Lu has his own plans for how to manage the family business, and no one else can influence that. So what's the point of arguing? Life is short; all the scheming and calculation in youth only leads to companionship in the end, peacefully passing through their final days together.

Each of the four concubines had her own small garden, located in the due east of the entire mansion, arranged in a way that allowed them to face each other from afar yet remain independent. In his youth, this made it convenient for Old Master Lu to linger among the beauties; in his old age, it served as a place to quickly set up a mahjong table…

Song Xiaohua followed Lu Ziqi to greet the second, fourth, and fifth concubines, exchanging polite greetings for a few moments. Finally, they went to the third concubine's quarters. Because Lu Ling had been brought over the previous night, Old Master Lu wanted to spend more time with his long-absent grandson, so he arranged for the third and fifth concubines to switch places for a day—a practice commonly known as a 'day off'…

When the two arrived, they saw a graceful woman watering the flowers and plants in the garden at a leisurely pace. Every gesture she made exuded elegance from within, and her eyes still retained a delicate and refined beauty that could not be erased by the years.

Hearing the noise, he raised his head slightly and said, "Dongqing is here. Quickly take your wife to sit in the inner room. I'll come over after I wash my hands."