Jiangnan Gaiden - Capítulo 19
"Why did you put out such a big table of food to scare me? It'll kill any appetite I have." Huan'er simply snuggled up to his lap and hooked her arms around his neck. But then she noticed her husband's dazed gaze fixed on her neck. She subconsciously touched her neck and asked him curiously, "What's wrong?"
She was dressed in men's clothing with her collar tied high, so there was nothing unusual about her. But after changing into palace attire, she could no longer hide the many hickeys on her neck.
"Did I hurt you?" His tone was full of tenderness as he gently stroked her soft neck.
She was in some pain, of course, but if she didn't think about it, she wouldn't feel it.
"If I weren't in pain, you would be angry."
“How so? I have no intention of hurting you at all.” He raised an eyebrow.
"If I don't feel pain, it means I'm not a virgin. Isn't that what you men care about most? Injury is inevitable. Would you stop taking me just because I'm in pain? I don't believe it." She assumed he was asking about physical pain, and her words were shocking. Saying this in front of a man would be incredibly embarrassing for anyone else, and even the famous courtesan Ma Xianmei wouldn't dare discuss such intimate matters.
Shi Wuji touched her lips and shook his head; sometimes he wondered where this young woman's strange abilities came from. Su Guangping was an old-fashioned man and wouldn't educate his daughter like this. And Su Huan'er's birth mother was said to be weak and incompetent. So who gave her these thoughts? Explicit and bold words were spoken without hesitation. This was unacceptable to social morality. He didn't mind in private, but it wouldn't be good to spout such nonsense in front of others! Those with ulterior motives might hear it and accuse him of heresy.
"Huan'er! You can't say these things in front of others." He said with some concern.
A few days ago, his tone would have been one of command and threat, but now it was filled with concern! Huan'er was overjoyed, sensing his change and knowing that his chauvinistic tendencies hadn't reached an incurable level. A good sign!
"I can't say this to the world. You're my husband! My lifelong beloved partner, isn't it better to just tell you? Otherwise, tell me what other couples do behind closed doors? Give birth in the dark? Ancient books are taboo about this. They're all about benevolence, righteousness, morality, loyalty, filial piety, and integrity... I say, my dear husband, you didn't come into the room to talk to me about Confucius, Mencius, Li Bai, or Du Fu, did you?" She deliberately spoke bolder, observing Wuji's reaction. She found it amusing that whenever she mentioned anything slightly intimate, he would become a little uncomfortable, and his gaze would lose some of its composure. Ha! He simply wasn't used to someone showing him affection in person. Poor ancient people! Poor heir to a large enterprise, patriarch, always accustomed to giving orders, wielding absolute authority, a good boss, a good elder brother, always standing at the top of the pyramid, when had he ever needed anyone's care? Since Shi Wuji was five years old, he had rarely interacted with his mother, because his father had already arranged a long list of things for him to learn as an heir. Aside from his daily morning and evening visits to his mother, he was extremely busy, so busy that he didn't even have the right to act like a child and be spoiled. Later, when the family suffered a tragic misfortune, he became the pillar of the family, the one they relied on. Of course, the siblings had a deep bond, but the problem was that all the affectionate gestures were "everything is understood without words." Who among them was bold and frank like Huan'er?
As for what other couples do behind closed doors, he of course had no idea. But he did know that some couples had a lot of children, yet they remained reserved and polite when they were together, never making any intimate gestures, as if afraid of being stared at, just like their own parents.
Seeing him deep in thought, Huan'er clasped her hands behind his neck, playing with his hair as if carefully admiring her husband's handsome face. This man couldn't accept her gradually revealing true nature all at once, but by constantly provoking him, he would eventually become addicted, like a drug addict. Who knows, one day she might suddenly stop saying affectionate things, and he would be devastated. This was a brilliant plan! She never wanted to completely disappear to conform to the society of this ancient era. She insisted on retaining her "Yang Yiliu" inner self; she was lucky not to have married a rigid, old-fashioned man, or she would have been in serious trouble! Shi Wuji, a wealthy merchant from the north, had seen much of the world through business, and his magnanimity was undoubtedly greater; he wouldn't call her unconventional.
"Huan'er." Shi Wuji smiled faintly.
"Hmm? Shall we talk about people from the past?" she asked mischievously.
"It's okay to say bold things in the room, but you have to be careful in front of others, understand? You'll scare people."
She wrinkled her nose.
"Only you get to hear it! If others wanted to hear it, I wouldn't even bother." That's giving her too much credit! In public, all she wants is for him to treat her with respect and kindness; she doesn't ask for much else. She won't do anything that would make her lose face.
He laughed out loud.
"Girl? Not last night!"
"Are you sure? Should we check again?" She seduced him, leaving Shi Wuji stunned! She was actually flirting with him!
"Doesn't it hurt?"
Huan'er's face flushed red. She jumped off his lap, walked five meters away, and then teased, "Stop making excuses. Did I drain you dry last night?" The consequences of this were severe! She wanted to arouse his desire. Then she'd tease him from a distance. The consequence of this playful teasing was that she was lifted into the air and carried! Impossible! He couldn't have been that fast! She was more than five meters away from him, and she was rushing towards the door, which was only half a meter away. Before she even touched the latch, she was already in his arms!
His words, hot and clear, brushed against her ear.
"You'll know if I've been drained—you'll know soon enough."