Сhеng Сhi сhuckled, рinсhing Zhоu Shаоjin’s perky nоsе. "Closе your еуеs аnd gо tо sleeр!"
Zhou Shaojin felt as if she wеrе in a drеam. Аfrаid thаt thе dreаm wоuld еnd if shе didn't listеn, she hurriеdly closеd hеr eуes.
Cheng Сhi laughed sоftly.
Thе vibrаtiоn оf his lаughtеr rumblеd in his chest, trаvеling into Zhоu Shаоjin’s eаrs, and intо hеr heart…
Shе sеcrеtly squinted her еyes to рееk.
His smilе was so warm аnd bright, likе thе brilliant glоw оf sрring sunshinе.
Zhоu Shаojin suddеnlу felt а pаng of sadnеss.
Hе wаs sо goоd.
Suсh а wоnderful man—why did hе have to encоunter someоne like hеr?
If he hаdn't mеt her, wоuld he at this moment be enjoying the harmony of zither and lute, like a peony dripping with dew?
She grit her teeth and grabbed Cheng Chi’s lapel, whispering, "Fourth Master, I… I can do it…"
Cheng Chi’s heart suddenly throbbed violently, and his head buzzed. He thought he had misheard.
But Zhou Shaojin held onto his lapel firmly and whispered again, "I can."
Cheng Chi pulled the little girl in his arms into a tight, forceful embrace, as if he wanted to embed her into his own chest, making her a part of his body.
His little girl always put him first. She always prioritized his feelings above all else. In her eyes and in her heart, all he could see was himself.
How could there be such a lovely girl!
And now, she was his wife!
How could he be so lucky?
In this vast world, even in her rebirth, she had to meet him.
Was this a blessing from the Bodhisattva?
The Bodhisattva saw his anger, his resentment, and his struggles, so He sent her to his side to let him sink into this tenderness and affection, never to leave. She served to polish his gentleness and humility, to fulfill his grace and nobility, allowing him to remain the Fourth Master of the Cheng family…
Zhou Shaojin felt as if her bones were about to be snapped by his grip. She wanted to cry out in pain, yet she could clearly feel his joy and affection. For a moment, she was reluctant to pull away and could only endure it through gritted teeth. When she finally couldn't take it anymore, she let out a low moan.
Cheng Chi immediately snapped back to his senses.
No one knew better than he did how much strength he possessed.
Cheng Chi quickly loosened his arms and asked urgently, "Does it hurt? Let me see."
Two soft glows suddenly lit up within the bed curtains.
Zhou Shaojin looked and saw that they were actually two night pearls the size of longans.
She was stunned.
Cheng Chi smiled nonchalantly. "I originally had one at home and planned to give it to you to play with. Later, I thought it would be better to have a pair. It took me a long time to find another one. By then, we had started preparing for the wedding, and Fourth Aunt had moved into Elm Court, so I couldn't find a chance to give them to you. I was also afraid that showing them off would bring you trouble if someone grew envious. I thought..." He leaned in and nipped Zhou Shaojin’s soft earlobe, his voice dropping into a low, lingering whisper. "Once I had you... I could use them to coax you... I didn't expect to fail so soon..."
Zhou Shaojin’s throat felt as if it were blocked by something; she couldn't say a word. She stared blankly at Cheng Chi, her eyes unblinking.
She was but a cowardly, timid woman. How was she any different from those girls raised in the depths of boudoirs and inner courtyards? What had she done to deserve such treatment from him...
Zhou Shaojin buried her head in his chest, as if by doing so, she could hide the part of her heart that resisted him so he wouldn't see.
Cheng Chi thought she was being shy.
He chuckled softly.
Propping himself up, he inspected her arms and back, using the light of the night pearls to see if she was injured.
But the moment his gaze fell upon her, he felt a surge of regret.
He had trained his night vision, and those two pearls were of exceptional quality; to him, they were as bright as the clear moonlight. Not only was Zhou Shaojin’s flawless back presented before him like a white jade pipa, but a purple silk ribbon was tied above her willow-thin waist.
Cheng Chi’s breath hitched.
Could she be...
His gaze shifted uncontrollably.
It was indeed a purple dudou, embroidered with pink peonies.
From his angle, he could just see those gorgeous petals.
"Shaojin!" His heart swayed. He leaned down and kissed her fair, delicate, yet exquisitely rounded shoulder.
Her shoulder felt as if it had been scorched by fire. Zhou Shaojin’s body trembled uncontrollably, and she felt a tearing pain that she couldn't suppress.
But this pain was different from the past.
In the past, she felt only fear, shame, and agonizing suffering. Now, she felt indignation, resentment, and a boiling, tumultuous hatred... Why should those memories dominate her joy and sorrow? Why should they dictate her likes and dislikes?
She refused!
She would not give in!
She threw her arms around Cheng Chi’s neck and pressed herself tightly against his chest.
"Take me! Just take me!" she murmured, tears falling like the rains of March.
She wanted that pain—that world-shattering pain.
She wanted the pain given to her by Cheng Chi.
The heart-wrenching pain given by Cheng Chi.
That way, the pain she had suffered before would be overwritten, wouldn't it?
"Take me..."
Thinking back on it afterward, Cheng Chi felt it was somewhat inconceivable.
Was a man essentially a beast, usually hidden behind a facade of refined clothing, only waiting for the right moment to emerge?
He clearly knew what Shaojin meant, yet he still couldn't stop himself from acting.
And he felt good.
No, not just good.
He felt wonderful.
Cheng Chi felt a bit frustrated when he thought of this.
Leaning against the headboard, he couldn't help but glance at the little person beside him.
Her eyes were closed, and she was wrapped tightly in the quilt. Her face was still as pale as before, but a faint layer of pink had surfaced on her cheeks, making her look like an elegant orchid with a delicate beauty.
He thought of the flower he had just ravaged.
Pink and tender, like a bud that had just begun to bloom but hadn't quite opened.
Yet it had let all the beasts in his heart run wild...
He didn't know how he could have been like that.
When he helped clean her up afterward, even his gentlest touch made her shrink back.
Cheng Chi couldn't help but lean over and kiss her cheek, whispering, "Are you very uncomfortable?" He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Should I call a female physician for you?"
"No!" Zhou Shaojin said urgently. She didn't dare open her eyes at all.
How... how did she dare say those things to him?
As if afraid he wouldn't want her, she had even reached into his robes before he could speak...
She must have been mad!
She must have been possessed.
Her body hurt so much.
She thought she was going to die... but she had still embraced him and survived.
But it was also so shameful.
He had seen her clearly.
Even places she had never seen herself.
He had even applied medicine to her and cleaned her body.
Why hadn't she just fainted back then...
But she had been in a semi-conscious state, hadn't she?
Her mind was a bit muddled then, and she thought he was going to go again. She hadn't expected him to be wiping her body...
Zhou Shaojin felt a touch of sweetness again.
Now, she truly belonged to him!
They were a real husband and wife!
They would share a bed, have children, grow old together, and be happy and fulfilled!
Zhou Shaojin really wanted to look at Cheng Chi.
She couldn't help but squint her eyes to peek at him.
Cheng Chi was half-naked, leaning against the large bolster at the head of the bed. His hair was a bit messy, but his features were relaxed. His expression was content, carrying an irrepressible lightness and... satisfaction.
Yes, satisfaction!
Like having a sip of fine tea, a mouthful of good wine, or a delicious dish... he was full of the comfort of the moment.
Zhou Shaojin felt bashful.
Did he really like how she was just now?
But her body still hurt!
A sense of grievance inexplicably welled up in her heart.
She wanted Cheng Chi to hold her, she wanted to cry in his arms... Her body moved toward Cheng Chi before her thoughts even formed.
Watching her move toward him like a cocoon, Cheng Chi couldn't help but chuckle.
He didn't know if he was afraid of startling her or if he was trying to hide his own lust. When he had moved over her, he had been ready to push the two night pearls under the pillow, but she had stopped him... His baser instincts had wanted to see her appearance beneath him, drifting with the tide... but she had kept her eyes open, looking at his face as if she wanted to see clearly who was running wild over her body.
At that time, she probably wanted to forget her past memories, right?
Cheng Chi thought to himself as he proactively embraced her, quilt and all.
Only now did Zhou Shaojin feel an after-the-fact fear.
Under the quilt, she was wearing nothing.
What if she teased Cheng Chi into wanting her again?
Fortunately, there was a layer of quilt between them.
She let out a long sigh of relief, nestled obediently in his arms, and closed her eyes.
Her long eyelashes were like stamens in a breeze, trembling slightly.
Another "flower" surfaced in Cheng Chi’s mind... blood surged downward... the discomfort was unbearable...
He smiled bitterly and covered Zhou Shaojin’s eyes with his hand. "Go to sleep quickly! We have to get up early tomorrow morning!"
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
But his body did not calm down; instead, it grew even more rowdy because of the warm and delicate sensation in his palm.
What a little vixen!
What was he to do tonight?
Touching her again was absolutely out of the question.
Even if she were willing, he had to consider her physical condition.
But if he didn't touch her...
For the first time, Cheng Chi doubted his own self-control.
He muttered to himself in his heart.
Surely they wouldn't have to sleep in separate beds?
Even if they did, that would have to wait until after the honeymoon. Otherwise, how would Shaojin establish herself in the household? And how would his mother view her?
Cheng Chi scratched his hair in frustration.
The consequences of his indulgence became apparent once dawn broke.
Cheng Chi was full of vigor, looking radiant and spirited.
Zhou Shaojin felt pain even when she walked.
Old Madam Guo couldn't hide her smile, especially after Nanny Lu looked at the couple and whispered a few words in her ear. Joy overflowed from the old lady’s eyes and brows, impossible to suppress.
She said to Cheng Chi, "The estate is so large; it takes at least fifteen minutes to walk to the ancestral hall. The relatives are all waiting for you to serve tea, and there will be an opera performance afterward. Have someone prepare a soft sedan chair for the two of you to ride together. After offering incense to the ancestors, go and serve the tea. Once that's done, send Shaojin over to me. I have a group of old sisters waiting to drink her tea! Do you understand? Don't toss her about anymore!"
Because she was a widow, Old Madam Guo could not attend her own son's wedding ceremony.
Naturally, there were other old madams and titled ladies in similar situations around her.
These people would all give Zhou Shaojin arrival gifts when she came to kowtow to Old Madam Guo after meeting the rest of the relatives.
However, his mother's suggestive words still made Cheng Chi’s ears turn hot. He gave a rather unnatural "Yes" in response.
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