В Цзянху есть Сяо Чань

Глава 30

"No, no, this umbrella is too heavy, don't pull on the wound."

"Just use your other hand to hold it, and it'll be fine, right?"

"Huh? Oh right, you still have one hand..."

She held that hand tightly the whole time.

Holding hands...holding hands! This was actually the first time she and he had ever held hands in such a magnificent way!

There was no ambiguous atmosphere, no fluttering heartbeats from flirting and testing each other, and certainly no that tingling sensation from fingertips that makes your heart stop beating...

In a fit of anger, I grabbed him and started walking away. We held hands for so long before I realized what was happening… All I felt was the same thing—

Oh God! Please let lightning strike me dead!

Song Xiaohua looked up at the sky speechlessly, tears welling up in her eyes, while Lu Ziqi watched her with a calm and composed demeanor.

After a moment of hesitation, she thought about it and reluctantly let go of his right hand, carefully taking his left hand in hers.

Long, strong, and warm. Compared to the right hand, it lacks the calluses that have formed on the sides of the fingers from years of holding a pen.

Close your eyes and savor the moment. No fluttering of the heart. No tingling sensation that makes your heart stop. Only a gentle sense of peace and contentment.

"Since you didn't shake me off when you were angry, then from now on, no matter when or what the situation, you must hold my hand tightly, okay?"

A breeze stirred, and fine rain drifted into the umbrella, landing on her long eyelashes, where tiny droplets trembled gently. Her large eyes gazed at her unblinkingly, revealing both unwavering determination and a well-hidden vulnerability.

Her hands were small and soft, just the right size to fit in my palm. They were cool to the touch, but so comfortable; I didn't want to let go.

"good."

This was the first promise he made to her, the one he gave her.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Red Flowers and Green Leaves

After being examined by Doctor Hu, Lu Ziqi's final conclusion was that although the wound was extremely deep, it was indeed not a big problem because of the timely treatment and the precious and effective external medicine. He only needed to take internal medicine and rest for ten to fifteen days, along with a light diet and avoiding certain foods, to fully recover.

While prescribing the medicine, Doctor Hu secretly glanced at the couple who got along so well, clearly not putting on an act in front of outsiders, and marveled at them.

I thought that, given Song Xiaohua's personality, even if she didn't cause a big commotion this time, she would at least make things unpleasant for the three of them. I never expected that she could make Magistrate Lu go home happily with her. All that was for nothing; he spent the whole afternoon repenting for his loose tongue.

Could it be that Song Xiaohua accepted that woman? But if that were the case, how could she be all smiles, looking as if she had encountered something extremely pleasant...?

After much deliberation and failing to grasp the key point, all that remained was overwhelming admiration for the county magistrate and his wife. Regardless of who ultimately "outmaneuvered" whom, they must have possessed considerable skill to have accomplished such an feat…

Thinking about it this way, I suddenly felt that being fortunate enough to witness this dramatic turn of events made my miserable experience of being forced to spend half a day taking care of the baby and being told by the baby that he looked like a big rat that likes to steal rice seem less suffocating and frustrating...

While Dr. Hu was examining Lu Ziqi, Song Xiaohua was so focused on anxiously looking at the wound covered with a layer of dark ointment, and intently listening to the instructions on how to change the dressing and the various precautions, that she completely forgot to take the opportunity to admire his bare chest, let alone experience the electrifying sensation of her small hands touching his tanned skin...

By the time she realized what was happening, her chest and skin were already completely covered by layers of clothing. She was so regretful that she almost pounced on those obstructive garments like a wolf and tore them to shreds, groping them to her heart's content…

Of course, such evil thoughts were eventually suppressed by the remaining rationality. After all, at most two more weeks of patience would allow him to fully enjoy the pleasures of dominating, being dominated, or mutually dominating. As the saying goes, "A small act of impatience can lead to great 'lust'," so let's just consider this current burning desire as the prelude to the day when we can indulge in unrestrained passion...

The circles and crosses haven't been completed yet; the poor tinder still needs to work harder...

Dinner had just been prepared when uninvited guests arrived—the same two burly men who had come to "abduct innocent men" that morning. One of them shoved a cloth bundle into Song Xiaohua's hands, while the other boomed, "This is a gift from the princess!" Then, without a single stammer, they turned and mounted their horses in perfect unison and rode away. A man was left standing there, mouth agape, unable to utter a single syllable, staring blankly at the horse's hind hooves frolicking in the mud.

Completely bewildered, Song Xiaohua opened the cloth bag. A bright green jacket with silver trim shimmered in the afterglow of the setting sun, making her dizzy.

"This was... sent by Princess Xingping?"

Lu Ziqi, who had been waiting by the dinner table and hadn't seen her return for a long time, came out to check on the situation. He was also slightly startled when he saw this thing from afar. He was really afraid that the willful princess might just come over and cause a big headache if she and Song Xiaohua had a falling out.

"She sent someone to deliver it, saying it was a gift for me, but before I could even say anything, it disappeared again."

Slightly relieved, she frankly told him, "Oh... I said this afternoon that I wanted to buy you some clothes, and she offered to help you choose. We were picking them out when you arrived, and then we left. This should be the one she picked out, but in the end, it became something she gave to you."

Her eyes lit up with delight: "So, you were picking out clothes for me at that tailor shop? Aren't you worried about upsetting her at all..." She chuckled inwardly, but outwardly maintained a serious expression, patting his shoulder: "Young man, you did a good job, worthy of praise!" She unfolded the clothes and glanced at them, then couldn't help but purse her lips: "The style and pattern are passable, but..."

Lu Ziqi interjected, "I'm afraid you don't really like this color."

She favored simple, understated colors, the kind that are light and subtle, never as dazzling and ostentatious as these.

Song Xiaohua was surprised: "Wow, I didn't realize you knew me so well!"

Aunt Zhang had told her many times that the new bride must dress festively, otherwise it would be inappropriate, against custom, and unlucky. However, she simply couldn't accept dressing in red and green, making herself look like a traffic light, and finally managed to find a few more understated clothes at the bottom of her trunk. Seeing that Lu Ziqi didn't say anything and seemed neither displeased nor opposed, she continued to dress modestly. She thought he was completely indifferent or simply ignored her, never expecting that he had already remembered her preferences… and even kept her well-being in mind…

"How about I take it back to her tomorrow, and then I'll pick out another one for you?"

"Oh no! Does this mean you'll have another chance to meet?"

With a helpless sigh, he said, "I never said I would go and return it in person."

He grinned and said, "I know, I was just teasing you! I was just worried that your disrespect for the princess might cause some trouble."

"No, I won't. As the saying goes, one shouldn't accept a reward without merit. If I were to accept it, it would truly be against reason, emotion, and law."

"Hmm...that makes sense!"

He completely blocked all avenues for private interactions, leaving everything to the forefront of official business. Upright and without giving anyone cause for criticism, he truly has the heart of iron… But I like this wolf!

As Song Xiaohua folded the clothes and re-tied the bundle, she was quite gloating: "You dressed in bright red and then gave me a bright green outfit, trying to express the idea of 'green leaves setting off red flowers'? Hmph, I don't care if you're a red flower or a green leaf, older sister or younger sister, I'm just not going to let your scheme succeed!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Ziqi could only sigh inwardly. Women really do have so many tricks up their sleeves and hidden thoughts. How come he hadn't thought of this aspect...

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The next day, Lu Ziqi went to work as usual to earn money to support his family, while Song Xiaohua stayed at home as usual to do laundry, cook, and take care of the children.

After finishing her chores, Song Xiaohua took out the painting of a sable fur coat drawn by Lu Ziqi, intending for Lu Ling to copy it. Unexpectedly, he exclaimed in surprise upon seeing it: "Huh? Snow Treader!"

"What do you mean by 'treading on snow'?"

"Uncle Huo once took Ling'er hunting and caught a ferret that looked exactly like this. Uncle Huo said it looked exactly like the ferret my mother used to have. That ferret's name was Ta Xue, and my mother loved it so much. Then, we released that ferret... Oh, by the way, Mom, did you draw this? Have you ever seen Ta Xue? Uncle Huo said Ta Xue was very obedient and smart! Unfortunately, Ling'er never saw it. Uncle Huo said it went to heaven with Mom..."

Lu Ling's words were somewhat rambling, but Song Xiaohua could clearly understand one thing—his biological mother had once owned a pet, and his biological father was using the pet as a metaphor to express his feelings.

His unconscious, casual strokes depicted his longing for her, his deceased wife, Zitong.

He rubbed his nose, trying to shake off the sudden soreness in his eyes: "Ling'er, let's learn how to draw that old duck that loves to eat candy first!"

Chapter Thirty-Four: You Are the Man I Chose

"Princess……"

"Say it again, call me Ping'er!"

"I was unaware of the princess's arrival and have failed to greet her properly. I hope the princess will forgive me."

"you……"

Yelü Ping glared at the man bowing to him and clenched his right fist.

Wearing official robes does not make him appear stiff; being courteous does not make him appear humble; his gentle expression reveals his inner brilliance; and his calm demeanor reveals his unyielding spirit.

She liked this man; she liked him from the very first moment she saw him. Because she liked him, she wanted him; in the past seventeen years, she had never wanted anything as much as she did now.

Why are you returning the things I sent?

"One should not accept rewards without merit."

"This is for my sister."

"My wife is unfortunate and dares not accept the princess's generous gift."

"My dear wife... then why didn't you bring it to me yourself?"

"I'm tied up with official duties."

"What a magistrate who puts the public interest first!"