Ma femme escalade le mur

Chapitre 111

Duan Chen's lips curved slightly, his voice soft, carrying a hint of coquettishness rarely seen on him: "The moon." On his first day at the manor, he met his master and Qingzi. The next day, with Zhan's father and master as witnesses, he and Zhan Yun exchanged betrothal vows. And on the third night, it was the full moon of the fifteenth. Looking at the bright moon in the sky, the same tranquil courtyard, the same creaking rattan chair, he couldn't help but recall the days he spent with his parents at the border. Waves of warm currents rippled through his heart, sweet and gradually spreading to every part of his body, making him feel languid and unwilling to move.

She was completely unprepared. But with her master and Qingzi there, the two people closest to her in the world, watching over her, the tiny bit of unease and panic she felt gradually dissipated in their company. Apart from Zhan's father, Zhan Yun's brother and sister-in-law, Xiao Yiyi and Qingzi, and two long-time friends of the Zhan family in Suzhou, there were no other people. Everyone sat around the table, drinking tea and wine, as relaxed and comfortable as a casual gathering on an ordinary day.

After being offered tea, drinking wine, and exchanging greetings, she was now the fiancée of the man behind her, adorned with a pair of jade pendants and rings. This man would accompany her on her adventures, solving cases and helping others; he would be her companion, cherish her, pity her, and spoil her; and one day in the future, he would officially become her husband. Duan Chen subtly curved his lips into a smile and softly spoke, "That time at Wanliu Manor, you were meditating in my room, dressed in snow-white robes, with moonlight casting shadows on your body..."

Zhan Yun's heart stirred slightly, and a hint of joy appeared in her crescent-shaped eyes. Her voice was clear and warm, like the lotus wine she had just tasted at dinner: "That's when you fell in love with me?"

Duan Chen thought for a while, then gently shook her head: "I don't know either." At that time, she just felt that having such a person by her side made her feel inexplicably safe and warm, which wasn't too bad.

Zhan Yun smiled and kissed her hair: "Want to hear what I have to say?"

Duan Chen continued to gaze at the bright, full moon, a faint smile reflected in his clear, cold phoenix eyes, and softly replied, "Okay."

Zhan Yun gently stroked the skin on her neck with his fingers, his gaze following hers as he looked up at the moonlight on the horizon: "The first time I saw you was early in the morning of the winter solstice two years ago, at the gate of the Hangzhou government office. It was snowing lightly that day, and the bluestone slabs on the road were very slippery. When I arrived at the gate, I had just put away my umbrella when I saw you walking out quickly in a blue robe. My first thought was that you must be the Duan family that everyone talks about. I was about to speak to you, but you seemed not to see me at all. You stepped over the threshold and used your lightness skill to disappear in the blink of an eye."

"The second time I saw you was on February 21st last year, on the second floor of Zhuangyuanlou in Bianjing. You were dressed in white, with a light blue bundle slung over your shoulder. I saw you the moment you took your first step up the stairs." Zhan Yun said, his lips curving into a wider smile as if he remembered something. "At that time, Zhao Ting and I saw that you had asked for three sets of bowls and chopsticks and three wine cups. We thought you knew us and wanted to invite us over for a drink." But who knew that throughout the entire meal, you didn't even glance at the two brothers. After finishing your meal and drinking, you left your money and slipped out the window.

"Three days later, Zhao Ting and I met you at the gate of the Seventh Prince's mansion. It was the first time we ate at the same table. I kept trying to talk to you, but it seemed like I always messed things up. Later, when I mentioned your parents, I think I made you angry."

As Zhan Yun spoke, his hand resting on her neck gently stroked her cheek, his clear voice carrying a hint of teasing laughter, "You have no idea how nervous I was back then. In my twenty-four years of life, this was the first time I'd ever had to be so careful about what others thought while eating. Several times I'd dropped half a bowl of rice into my bowl, and I even spilled wine on my clothes... But everyone's attention was on you, and you didn't even glance at me, so no one saw how embarrassed I was..."

Duan Chen's lips curved slightly at his words, his cool phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and a hint of coquettish charm flickered in his gaze, making Zhan Yun's heart flutter. He propped himself up slightly with one elbow, leaned down and kissed her pink lips, but wasn't angry: "Do you think I'm funny?"

A slightly hot breath brushed against her lips, and his uniquely gentle aura washed over her. Duan Chen closed his eyes and smiled, "No."

Zhan Yun continued to support himself on his arm, using his other hand to gently turn her face slightly. His crescent-shaped eyes were fixed on her. "What was that? Tell me, I want to hear." He wanted to hear her tell him her own impression of him back then, to know what her first impression of him was, and to understand when she began to like him…

Duan Chen pursed his lips, thought carefully for a while, and then said softly, "You said that time at the entrance of the Hangzhou government office, it wasn't the first time I saw you."

“Before that, I saw the three of you drinking in a tavern. But I was sitting in a corner seat, and you were chatting happily…” Duan Chen said, glancing at him sideways, a faint smile appearing in his phoenix eyes. Just one glance made Zhan Yun’s cheeks flush slightly, leaving him speechless.

Zhan Yun always had a good memory and was very observant. As soon as Duan Chen mentioned the tavern, he already remembered what had happened. When Duan Chen said "they were having a good time chatting," he felt slightly embarrassed. Because at that moment, they were talking about women…

It was mainly Zhou Yufei who started it, and then he and Zhao Ting each made some teasing remarks. It was already night, and the men were quite drunk, so their words inevitably became a bit frivolous. While this was still acceptable compared to most men, it sounded to the women, especially to someone like Duan Chen, like frivolous and dissolute playboys. No wonder Duan Chen had given them a rather unfriendly look for quite some time…

Zhan Yun hesitated for a long time before finally managing to squeeze out a sentence, but when it came out, he still felt that it wasn't quite right: "Chen'er, back then... we were just talking..." The three of them were all in their mid-twenties, in the prime of their youth, and with their family backgrounds, they had all been to places of entertainment by various circumstances... Although he and Zhao Ting hadn't been as promiscuous as Zhou Yufei, it was impossible for them to be completely inexperienced.

Zhao Ting was always aloof and cold, and most women didn't catch his eye, so after a couple of times, he stopped trying. He, on the other hand, felt that doing such a thing with just anyone would be a desecration of himself and a disgrace to the other person... As a result, until he met Duan Chen, he only did it once.

Seeing that Duan Chen turned her face away and wouldn't look at him, Zhan Yun was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable. In his anxiety, the sentence that had been circling in his mind was blurted out without thinking: "I really only did it once!"

Duan Chen hadn't thought much of it, but hearing him utter that slightly agitated growl, she was momentarily stunned, her face flushing. She pushed his shoulder and tried to get up, but Zhan Yun's arm held her tightly. His crescent-shaped eyes darted around, observing her expression with a hint of panic. Zhan Yun pulled her close and whispered soothingly, "Chen'er, don't be angry with me. I was really confused back then..."

Before she could finish speaking, two soft coughs were heard from not far away, followed by Xiao Yiyi's teasing smile: "Although you're engaged, Young Master Zhan, there's no need to be in such a hurry! I think my disciple wants to get down, but it's not appropriate for Young Master Zhan to force her like this..."

Both of them blushed, and Zhan Yun quickly released his arm, helping Duan Chen sit up. Just as Duan Chen stood up, Qingzi skipped over, causing all three of them to twitch at the sight. Xiao Yiyi grabbed her, raising an eyebrow and glaring at her: "You brat, don't you think about the baby in your belly?! I don't want Jiang Cheng chasing me with an autopsy knife!"

Duan Chen walked up to the two and put his hand on Qingzi's arm, saying, "Master is right. Even though it's been three months, it's still better to be careful." Originally, Zhan's father wrote a letter and sent someone to invite Xiao Yiyi from Qingxi Town. He then went to Hangzhou Prefecture to find someone as she had instructed. However, the person who went there was so frightened by Qingzi's appearance that he forgot the words the master had told him to say. Jiang Cheng couldn't leave for too long because of matters at the prefectural government office. He sent Qingzi to Xingyun Manor and then rushed back to Hangzhou Prefecture overnight.

Qingzi smiled sweetly, patting her belly, then looked at Zhan Yun with fierce, cat-like eyes: "Future brother-in-law, although we've gone through the engagement ceremony, we haven't officially tied the knot yet! You can't bully our Xiaoluo!"

Zhan Yun smiled wryly and bowed to the two men, saying, "Master, Miss Qingzi, I dare not do it."

Qingzi's big eyes widened, and her red lips curled into a sneer: "You're all talk! You seem gentle and easy to get along with, but you're actually the most cunning!" Otherwise, how could you have managed to win over her Xiaoluo in less than two years!

Zhan Yun remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Miss Qingzi, you flatter me. It's late, and Miss Qingzi is pregnant now, so you should rest early. The stew in the kitchen should be almost ready by now; I'll go and urge them." As he spoke, he gave Duan Chen a deep look before turning and leaving the courtyard.

Xiao Yiyi and Duan Chen supported Qingzi on either side, helping her slowly walk towards the bedroom. Qingzi pouted, still somewhat suspicious and dissatisfied, and turned to stare at Duan Chen, asking with unusual seriousness, "Xiao Luo, do you really like him? You've already decided it's him? Won't you change your mind?"

Duan Chen smiled, his expression gentle yet firm, and softly replied, "Mm."

Qingzi was still worried: "Do you think he treats you well? Is he gentle and considerate? Did you tell him that after marrying you, he can't marry anyone else, not even a concubine or a mistress..."

Even Xiao Yiyi was amused this time, pursing her lips and laughing: "I've heard that pregnant women are nagging, but now I've seen it for myself!"

Qingzi wasn't afraid of Xiao Yiyi. She glared at her sideways, her temper even more volatile than before: "Master, you can't be so easily bribed! This concerns Xiao Hou's happiness for the rest of her life. You must find out the truth!"

Xiao Yiyi rolled her eyes: "Why didn't you say this sooner? The engagement is already set, do you want Luo'er to break it off?"

Qingzi stomped her foot angrily, startling the two people next to her. "You know I had a stomachache all day that day! Once I felt a little better, Xiaoluo even changed her clothes and let that person lead her by the hand into the main hall. I can't run fast, and it wasn't appropriate to ask about this in front of the Zhan family!"

"It's alright, it's alright. If you have any questions, Miss Qingzi, please feel free to ask." Zhan Huan smiled and waved his folding fan as he appeared in front of the three of them. His expression was exceptionally sincere and earnest: "Since Miss Qingzi is Miss Duan's fellow disciple, she is also an honored guest of my Xingyun Manor. Please feel free to ask me anything. Hengzhi will definitely answer all your questions to the best of his ability."

Qingzi blushed at his retort, bit her lip, raised her chin and puffed out her chest, asking in a coquettish voice, "Fine! I'll ask the eldest young master of the Zhan family, does your family's tradition of marrying only one person in one's lifetime actually count? What if your younger brother falls for another woman in the future and wants to take a concubine?"

Just as Duan Chen was about to speak, Xiao Yiyi and Qingzi glared at her, signaling her to be quiet. Qingzi even secretly pinched her arm and muttered, "Silly Xiao Luo!"

Upon hearing this, Zhan Huan smiled and said calmly, "Absolutely not. Not to mention that Hengzhi believes his foolish brother would not do such a thing, even if he were to act foolishly and do something to wrong Miss Duan, my father and I would never side with him. This rule is an ancestral precept passed down from my great-grandfather, and violating it will be severely punished."

Qingzi and Xiao Yiyi exchanged a glance. The latter smiled and smoothed her hair. "Both the young master and the old master are people who keep their promises. My disciple and I will remember the young master's words. It's getting late. My disciple is tired. Luo'er and I will take her back to her room first. The young master should also rest early."

After escorting Qingzi back to her room, he accompanied her to drink the nourishing soup. The three of them, one lying down and two sitting, talked intimately for a while before returning to their respective rooms to rest.

Author's Note: There will be an update tomorrow at 9 AM!

98

Chapter Two: Green Hair and Sweet Words...

Early morning.

Since arriving at Xingyun Manor, Duan Chen has reverted to wearing women's clothing, though it remains predominantly light-colored and simple in style. Her hair is always styled in a simple bun, adorned with a silver hairpin given to her by Zhan Yun. Apart from the bracelet she has worn for many years, she wears no other jewelry.

Zhan Ye sipped his light tea, his slightly sharp eyes subtly scrutinizing Duan Chen. His expression remained somewhat indifferent, but inwardly he couldn't help but praise his son's good taste.