Marry a Northern Song Dynasty civil servant

Chapter 80

Lu Ziqi pressed his throbbing temples and tried to soften his tone: "Stop talking nonsense, let me get you down first."

"No! You have to believe I didn't climb the wall first!"

"...But I saw it with my own eyes!"

"You didn't see it! You didn't see it!"

Helpless, he put his hands behind his back and closed his eyes: "Fine, I didn't see anything, is that alright?"

Before the words were finished, a slight sound of clothes slicing through the air was heard, accompanied by Lu Ling's exclamation, Song Wuque's low growl, and Lu Yue's muffled thud as he fell to the ground.

A sudden panic gripped my heart, and before my consciousness could register it, my body had already moved. I took a quick step forward, stretched out my arms, and almost simultaneously, my arms sank, and a familiar body filled my embrace.

At that moment, before I could even open my eyes, I unsurprisingly saw a smiling face, a smile that was... well, to put it another way, incredibly irritating!

Anger surged within him, and he shouted, "You've gone too far with your audacity!"

"That's because I have faith in my man!"

"Nonsense!"

"Okay, okay, don't be angry anymore!" She hooked her arm around his neck and gently stroked his chest with the other: "Who told you to be so indifferent when I was just pledging my loyalty to you?"

When did this happen?

"Fool, climbing the wall has another meaning: it means being in love and having an affair!"

He was taken aback: "Did you climb up the wall and sit there just to explain this to me?"

"I'm not that crazy! Let me tell you, your precious son is bound to be a master thief who can scale walls and leap across rooftops in the future. He's not even a proper novice yet, but he's already got quite the skills to climb high and low. If it weren't for catching him off that tree branch, would I have sacrificed my dignified image as a lady of high society like this?"

Lu Ziqi chose to ignore this unreliable self-promotion to express his contempt, pretending not to hear anything and looking up: "It's so high, how did he get up there?"

"How should I know? Ask that little debt collector yourself... Oh my god!"

Song Xiaohua jumped down from his arms and pointed at the little red ball of flesh that was crawling on all fours and had already reached almost as tall as a person on the tree trunk, jumping up and down: "Look, look! My God, did I actually give birth to a gecko?!"

Lu Ziqi stared in disbelief as Song Wuque single-handedly picked up Lu Yue and carried him off the wall: "Yaoyao, I believe you won't climb the wall, because with this little devil around, you won't have time..."

However, as the saying goes, sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood, and trust won't stop beasts from behaving.

That night, with boundless energy, a dedicated attitude, and with patience, meticulousness, thoughtfulness, and thoroughness, from head to toe, repeatedly devoured Song Xiaohua completely, leaving not a trace...

Author's Note: Yuan Hao has reappeared! Does anyone miss him?

Chapter Seventy-Five: Unchanged

"Mommy, Uncle Piao Piao, look, baby bugs!"

Song Xiaohua's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the caterpillar wriggling in Lu Yue's dirty palm, her hair standing on end. But to maintain her ladylike image in front of the incredibly handsome man, she desperately suppressed the urge to scream, gently and lovingly wiping the smeared dirt from the little face with her handkerchief: "Yue'er, this isn't a baby worm, it's the baby worm's mother. If you bring it here, the baby worms won't have anything to eat and will cry from hunger. So you have to be a good girl and put it back so it can be with its babies, okay?"

Lu Yue thought for a moment, nodded, and then ran off. A moment later, he came running back, five or six caterpillars of varying sizes wriggling in his outstretched little muddy paws: "Baby caterpillars, Mommy, let's go!"

"…………"

Song Xiaohua finally lost her temper and darted three meters away, while Yuan Hao, who had been sitting leisurely drinking tea and watching the show, almost spat out his water.

"Yue'er, where is the baby insect's father? And grandpa, grandma, maternal grandparents, aunts, uncles, and maternal aunts all need to be together too!"

So Lu Yue, who thought Uncle Piao Piao's words made perfect sense, ran off again.

"Yuan Hao, you're aiding and abetting evil!" Song Xiaohua accused indignantly. "If this continues, he'll bring all the caterpillars in the entire mansion here!"

"So what? My son once allowed a family of pythons to reunite in my bedroom!"

"...I was thinking of bringing your son along next time, but now I think it's better not to..."

Yuan Hao smiled, put down his teacup, and stood up: "Brother Lu made an appointment with me, so why have you been so late?"

"He was probably held up by something at the last minute, right? That's just how he is. When he gets busy, he can't think of anything else. I'm sorry to trouble you to wait a little longer."

Yuan Hao, who claimed to have come to Bianjing to pay homage to the Song Emperor in hopes of promoting friendly relations between the two countries, had been on very good terms with Lu Ziqi during this time. The two would often go on trips together, and in just half a month, they had almost visited all the famous scenic spots in and around the capital. The 'Nian Garden' in the Lu family compound had also become a place he knew well and frequented.

During her intermittent bouts of madness, Song Xiaohua felt a sense of crisis because her husband and that lecherous son both seemed to have an excessive fondness for and closeness to this irresistibly charming and handsome man. If the affair became real, what a '3P' relationship it would be—a relationship that would push the limits of human endurance! Pfft…

She had someone brew a pot of fresh tea and bring out two plates of pastries. Song Xiaohua then presented these to Yuan Hao, who was leaning against the door watching the sunset: "Come, try these tea fruits. They were all made according to the recipes in the book you gave me, and they've been very popular with the Lu family."

He picked one up with two fingers, held it up to examine it against the setting sun, and then put it in his mouth: "The skin is thin and translucent like crystal, and the filling is as sweet as honey. It is quite well-made, almost comparable to the local famous chefs."

He said proudly, "Of course! I personally trained our head chef!"

He nodded approvingly: "As the saying goes, the student surpasses the teacher, but this time the student is very blue, while the teacher is not so blue."

"...One should be kind and honest..."

Yuan Hao's eyes crinkled into a smile, and he asked casually, "You still keep the things I gave you?"

"Yes, that's a treasure! Thanks to the Jiangnan delicacies recorded in it, I was able to easily win over Dongqing's aunt, and incidentally, I even gained a reputation for being clever and skilled in cooking. Many people have come to ask me for tips, but I usually don't tell them. If someone else learns this unique skill, wouldn't I lose something to brag about? Wouldn't that be a huge loss!"

She smiled slyly, like a cunning little fox who had just succeeded in her scheme, just like she did back then.

Back then, three years ago.

Every detail is so vivid and clear, as if it happened just yesterday, yet everything has changed, and it feels like a lifetime ago.

I thought the emptiness in my heart had long been filled by the vast palace, the countless beauties, the bloody battles, the unparalleled achievements, and the supreme glory. However, the moment I saw her again, no, the moment I heard her voice again, the hole that had been deliberately ignored and vaguely concealed by the glitz and glamour collapsed with a bang, leaving it empty, bottomless and boundless.

A fierce voice, an exasperated expression, and a large, still-wet ink mark on her face. It's rare to see her looking clean and pretty; every time I see her, she's in such a disheveled state.

So I was relieved, even somewhat grateful to God, that she hadn't changed; she was still the carefree, absent-minded, yet free-spirited woman I remembered.

However, upon closer inspection, there are still changes.

For example, she's taller, has fairer skin, a fuller figure, wears more luxurious clothes, and has a more elaborate hairstyle.

For example, when dealing with household affairs and serving servants, she is efficient, composed, and methodical, showing no trace of her former recklessness and naivety.

For example, a mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old child whose mischievousness is so unpredictable and beyond reason that she seems to have inherited her mother's true nature.

Watching her get furious with her son, watching her rant and ramble on to Lu Ziqi, watching Lu Ziqi helplessly but patiently listen, and then being accused of being 'absent-minded and perfunctory' by her after her pent-up emotions have been satisfied...

This is what ordinary married life is like, isn't it? It's the accumulation and sedimentation of countless trivialities that eventually become the foundation and the pillar of unwavering companionship.

Isn't this a happy life? At least, she seemed to be enjoying it immensely.

Or perhaps, for her, happiness lies in being with Lu Ziqi, regardless of whether it's simple meals or luxurious living, a humble home or a grand mansion.

If... if I had had the chance to take her away back then, could those treacherous palaces have become a place of happiness for her...?

"Oh, right, Yuanhao, I haven't congratulated you on your marriage to Princess Xingping yet!"

Song Xiaohua no longer cared about the spoiled princess with whom she had many past grievances. After all, Yelü Ping hadn't actually done anything too outrageous, and in the end, she could be considered to have sacrificed herself for the national interest. Although, marrying Yuan Hao, this handsome, talented, and wealthy devilishly handsome man, seemed like a win-win situation...

Yuanhao, actually should be Li Yuanhao, the crown prince of the Xia Kingdom and the future king.

But she insisted on using the same terms of address and the same way of interacting as before, without even consulting him. She knew he wouldn't object; in fact, he had never objected to any of her decisions.

He would nod and say 'okay' as long as she liked it.

Being with him is always comfortable; I never feel that anxious, insecure feeling. Moreover, I must be brave enough to admit, even if it's a bit 'dark and evil,' that as a normal, imperfect woman, I feel a little secretly pleased and even proud to have such an excellent man giving to me without expecting anything in return.

However, so much time has passed, and they have both started their own families and had children. Their past feelings must have faded over time, right? Now, he and she are like old friends, drinking tea and chatting, talking about their respective troublesome little devils.

Yuan Hao ate a few more pastries and drank a sip of tea before sighing contentedly, "Thank you."

How is she now?

"I was pregnant when I left."

Wow! Congratulations to you again in advance!

"Thank you again."

"I believe that the child she gives birth to will also be no pushover. When it comes to being fierce and monstrous, I'm no match for her!"

Yuan Hao held up one finger: "Just as you said, one should be kind and honest, and it's wrong to gloat over others' misfortunes."

Then he extended another stick: "Don't underestimate yourself too much, we're all the same."

Just as Song Xiaohua was about to retort, she caught sight of Lu Yue, covered in mud, happily swaying towards them, his little hands struggling to hold onto the hem of his clothes. It must be that the most complete caterpillar family gathering in history is taking place inside...

"Run!"

Startled and without thinking, she grabbed Yuan Hao's sleeve and fled.

Rushing out of the main hall, through the inner courtyard, into a small path, then turning left, exiting through a small gate, there is a grove of lush trees.

She ran as fast as if a fierce demon were chasing her, without looking back. Her pale purple gauze skirt swirled in a fluttering arc, and the pearls and jade ornaments in her hair and the jade pendants at her waist jingled softly, shattering the breeze around her ears.

That day, she ran like that too—no, back then, it should be called a frenzied run. Watching her recklessly tucking in her skirt, I could only think how wonderful it would be if, one day, the person I felt such urgency for was him…

At this moment, she ran again, anxiously, but it was to hide from a little child, her own son, her son with Lu Ziqi.

There was no death, no bloodshed, no war, no life-or-death struggles, no entanglements of love and hate, no life-or-death choices, not even heavy snow or freezing winds.