Chapter 9

Editor: DarkSapphire, Uncia

Xiao Lian thought about his conversation with Li Chengze during the day. He naturally would place his faith in Yan Xixia, but he also really wanted to sort this out. He always felt that while couples should trust each other, when they encounter doubtful situations, they should ask each other questions lest they let their minds wander and gradually drift apart. He thought for a while and informed: “Li Chengze came to me today and said something about you. It was about Zimian, but don’t worry, I don’t believe a single word he said. But I am a little curious. What is your relationship with her?” 

Xiao Lian felt Yan Xixia gently brush his hair aside and feared that his straightforward question hurt Yan Xixia. He turned his head to hold Yan Xixia’s hand, looked at him, and said: “It’s not that I don’t believe you, I just want to learn more about you, including your relationship with Zimian.”

Yan Xixia could feel Xiao Lian’s eagerness. He held Xiao Lian’s hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb: “Although she is the daughter of my family’s housekeeper, we grew up together. In my eyes, she is the same as Xidong. I have always regarded her as my little sister. I know she is interested in me, but I have never responded and never done anything ambiguous to lead her astray. Li Chengze had met with Zimian before coming to the Yan Mansion and expressed his love for her, but he was rejected. He might have fabricated the story since he could never bear the sight of me.”

“I see, I understand now.”

“If madam wants to know more about me, please let me know, but I also want to learn more about you. Would madam tell me more about himself as well?” 

“Of course.” Xiao Lian agreed and recalled: “As you know, I am a concubine’s son, but my mother is now an inner concubine. Xiao Xin doesn’t want to marry you, so I took his place instead. I also took advantage of this, threatening them to promote my mother.”

Xiao Lian was afraid that Yan Xixia would feel that he was using him and squeezed his hands tighter unconsciously. Yan Xixia didn’t take it to heart and smiled: “Then my blindness contributed to two good things, but I didn’t expect that the little bullied you would fight back. You really surprised me.”

Xiao Lian was a little embarrassed by Yan Xixia’s remarks and did not reply. Yan Xixia then asked, heartache in his tone: “Were you bullied often?”

“I won’t be bullied by him again.” Xiao Lian still remembered the day of his marriage when Yan Xixia thought he was Xiao Xin or when Yan Xixia asked him to stop neglecting himself. Sweetness filled his heart.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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Xiao Lian was just an ordinary common folk. He has never been in contact with officialdom. He doesn’t understand the blood-shed in the imperial court. However, hearing Yan Xixia talk of his parents, he felt immense sadness and was angry that he was clumsy at speech and couldn’t say anything to comfort Yan Xixia. He could only apologize: “I’m sorry. I reminded you of these sad things.”

Yan Xixia picked up the cloth towel to care for Xiao Lian’s hair with a gentle expression: “It’s all things in the past. I have nothing to be sad about. My parents chose a better future for me and Xidong. They wanted us to live. Why should I be disappointed in them? Not to mention, in my heart, my parents have never left.”

Xiao Lian looked at Yan Xixia’s perfectly smooth face, but there were blank eyes under his dashing eyebrows. The smile remained on Yan Xixia’s face as he caressed Xiao Lian’s hair. Xiao Lian didn’t know why his eyes were a little moist, and his heart was so pained for Yan Xixia. Why did Yan Xixia have to bear this? Leaving home when he was a kid, losing both of his parents, and when he finally could start a new life, he became blind. 

Xiao Lian leaned forward, hugged Yan Xixia, and quietly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes on Yan Xixia’s shoulders, creating a small spot of water stains: “I am not bright, and I am not good with words. I can’t talk about poetry, but I have a heart that loves you and will do anything for you. You will have me in the future.”

Yan Xixia stretched out his hand, slowly brushed Xiao Lian’s hair with his fingers, and said with a chuckle: “I don’t think madam is bad with words. What you said made me thrilled.”

Xiao Lian didn’t know what to reply with, so he sat up straight: “I am glad you are happy.”

Yan Xixia touched Xiao Lian’s cheek and chuckled lightly: “In fact, Brother Li and Brother Wen also told me about today. They saw you in the teahouse with Li Chengze. I believed in you as well, but I didn’t expect you to confess to me first.” 

Xiao Lian gently held Yan Xixia’s hand on his cheek: “I didn’t want to go with him at first, but I was afraid that he would spread an untrue story in the embroidery workshop. There were other customers in my shop. I didn’t want them to gossip based on what they heard and harm your reputation.”

Yan Xixia dropped a kiss on Xiao Lian’s forehead: “Thank you for believing in me.”

Xiao Lian looked at Yan Xixia: “Thank you for believing in me too.”

Yan Xixia kissed Xiao Lian’s forehead, eyes, and nose—all the way down to his lips. Xiao Lian felt that Yan Xixia gently held his lips as they kissed slowly again and again, which was a bit tormenting. 

Xiao Lian closed his eyes, put his arms around Yan Xixia’s neck, and followed the rhythm of Yan Xixia’s kiss. Their hot breath entangled, making Xiao Lian unable to sit still. He softened and lay in Yan Xixia’s arms.

A few days later, the wedding attire ordered at the clothing store was delivered to the Yan Mansion. Xiao Lian also finished Yan Xixia’s clothes and brought them back to the Yan Mansion in the evening.

Yan Xixia held the outfits to Xiao Lian with both hands: “Madam, please try it and see if it fits you.”

Xiao Lian put on them directly in front of Yan Xixia, knowing that Yan Xixia could not see him changing, but he still felt a little bit embarrassed. Once he dressed layer by layer, fastened the waist seal, and covered himself with the outer robe, he said: “It fits well.” 

Yan Xixia blinked and said with some regret: “I can’t see it. I wonder if madam would allow me to touch and let me imagine it?”

Yan Xixia was obviously talking about touching the clothes, but Xiao Lian’s heart sped up from Yan Xixia’s words: “Alright.”

Xiao Lian stood in front of Yan Xixia and stretched his arms to both sides. Starting from Xiao Lian’s neckline, Yan Xixia stroked his chest, landed on his waist, and patted his waist several times: “This wedding suit really fits you, especially your waist.”

Xiao Lian had never been treated like this before. Being touched by Yan Xixia made his cheeks hot, but he still stood there bashfully and continued to let Yan Xixia’s hand wander. 

Yan Xixia suddenly hugged Xiao Lian’s waist and pulled him hard towards himself. Xiao Lian was stunned and crashed into Yan Xixia’s arms. Yan Xixia lowered his head to Xiao Lian’s ear. His voice was low and pleasant: “I didn’t expect the madam’s waist to be this thin.”

Xiao Lian’s face was buried in Yan Xixia’s arms, and he did not reply.

Yan Xixia immediately bent over and lifted Xiao Lian up: “Madam is wearing a wedding suit, but it’s time to make up for our wedding night in the bridal chamber.”

Because he was suddenly picked up, Xiao Lian instinctively wrapped his arms around Yan Xixia’s neck. Hearing what Yan Xixia said, his heart felt like it was boiled in a pot of hot water. 

Yan Xixia put Xiao Lian on the bed and took off the wedding suit that Xiao Lian had just worn, layer by layer. Yan Xixia continued in his usual style, with gentle and slow movements. Xiao Lian was tortured by Yan Xixia’s movements, each of the slow actions seemed to scratch Xiao Lian’s heart inch by inch.

This late in the evening, there were no petals prepared on the bed, but it was still a night in the bridal chamber.

Translator has something to add:

Teo: I should have added this in chapter 1, but this project do not have a role in CG’s discord because how short it is (even though I think the novel’s acronnym was very clever uwu).