Gu Jianli was completely unaware.
Ji Wujing let out a “huh” and bent down, bringing his ear close to Gu Jianli’s nose, feeling her even, shallow breaths.
Oh, she had cried herself to sleep.
Ji Wujing was about to lift his head when the sleeping Gu Jianli whimpered, groggily turning her head, her soft, moist lips brushing against Ji Wujing’s ear. Ji Wujing frowned, touched his ear, and his gaze fell on Gu Jianli’s lips. Her pink lips, having been bitten lightly while crying, were red and swollen. Tears had made them glisten with a layer of moisture. The wetness on his ear was her tears? Ji Wujing rubbed his fingertip over Gu Jianli’s lips, picked up some of her tears, and tasted them.
Salty.
His tongue licked his teeth, and amidst the saltiness, there was a hint of sweetness.
Ji Wujing lowered his head, scrutinizing the sleeping Gu Jianli in his arms in the dim light. The tear stains on her face had not dried, and her long, thick eyelashes were completely wet with tears, sticking together in a dense clump. Ji Wujing suddenly remembered how her eyelashes, enlarged by the shadow, fluttered like butterfly wings when she sat by the window. He used his fingertips to separate her glued-together eyelashes.
He inadvertently hurt Gu Jianli, who made a soft sound of discomfort in her sleep, her brows furrowing lightly as she turned her face to the side, burying it in Ji Wujing’s chest.
Ji Wujing’s gaze fell on the small earlobe of Gu Jianli, noticing the tiny earring hole.
Wasn’t she very afraid of pain? Didn’t it hurt to pierce a hole in her ear? How did she do it? Just stabbed it with a needle? That would hurt more than acupuncture on her back.
Ji Wujing tilted his head, rubbing his ear against his shoulder.
He suddenly wanted to pierce his own ear for fun.
Ji Wujing pinched Gu Jianli’s earlobe and pulled it, enlarging the earring hole. He squinted his eyes, looking through the small hole.
Hey, you can really see through this tiny hole.
Interesting, amusing.
This time he truly hurt Gu Jianli. She restlessly raised her hand to push away, slapping Ji Wujing’s face.
Ji Wujing bared his teeth, and with a swift motion, he was about to slap back. Just as his palm was about to land on Gu Jianli’s face, he paused, unable to bring himself to do it. Looking at her delicate face, he feared that a single slap might break her skin like tofu turning into tofu pudding.
Forget it, arguing with a child, and a sleepwalking one at that, was pointless.
Ji Wujing looked again at Gu Jianli’s earlobe, devoid of any earrings or ear studs. He then noticed, belatedly, that the only accessory on her entire body was a bright red crabapple hairpin in her hair. Ji Wujing removed the hairpin, letting her long hair fall loose.
Her tears had dampened the strands at her temples. Ji Wujing’s slender fingers lifted the wet strands and brought them to his mouth, licking away the tears. The hair carried not just the salty-sweet taste of tears, but also a faint fragrance.
Having played enough, Ji Wujing scrutinized the beautiful contours of Gu Jianli’s profile, lost in thought.
Over the past few years, he had used a long sleep regimen to let the parasites in his body devour two types of poisons. He allowed his consciousness to be intermittent, as long as it didn’t endanger his life, he didn’t care much about what happened around him.
The matter of bringing a wife into his household was mentioned in passing by Changsheng. At that time, he was half-asleep and didn’t pay it any mind.
Marrying her? Fine, then.
If she behaved, she’d stay. If she became a nuisance, she’d be killed.
What was the big deal?
A woman wasn’t worth waking from his slumber and disrupting his detox treatment.
But Ji Wujing didn’t expect her to be such a trouble.
The first time he woke up, he was enraged by Zhao Fengxian’s “pissing theory.” After Zhao Fengxian, there was the student Jiang sending letters from the left, and the rascal Zhao Erwang from the right. Now, even his nephew shamelessly and openly demanded her from him.
Tsk, was she that desirable just because she had a pretty face?
Ji Wujing glanced disdainfully at Gu Jianli’s face. Was she that good-looking? Better looking than him?
Ji Wujing snorted and suddenly got angry. He stood up abruptly, causing Gu Jianli, who was nestled in his arms, to slide down onto the carpet. The jolt to her bottom woke her up in a groggy daze. She half-opened her eyes, looking at Ji Wujing in confusion, not knowing where she was.
Her raven-black hair scattered, making her fair skin appear as white as snow. Her tear-streaked face was moist and flushed, and her half-opened phoenix eyes were dreamy as if intoxicated. The off-white jacket she wore slipped to one side, revealing her prominent collarbones and a bit of her milky white shoulder.
Ji Wujing froze for a moment, then bent down again, picking her up and walking step by step towards the canopy bed.
Gu Jianli stared at him in a dazed bewilderment.
He lowered his eyes, meeting her gaze, and glared at her fiercely, his voice hoarse and dark, “Close your eyes!”
Frightened, Gu Jianli trembled, her fear instinctively making her close her eyes.
Ji Wujing cast another glance at her, then placed her on the bed. He stood beside the bed, coughing lightly, feeling a slight itch and pain in his chest and abdomen. He frowned, his fox-like eyes showing a hint of irritation.
Gu Jianli trembled as she opened her eyes to look at him.
Ji Wujing spoke coldly, “Sleep.”
He turned and lowered the drawn bed curtains. As the heavy curtains fell, they shrouded the bed in darkness.
Gu Jianli slowly closed her eyes, her head heavy, her mind fuzzy. She vaguely saw Ji Wujing also getting onto the bed, his silhouette descending, pulling her into his arms. Gu Jianli frowned, not liking being used as a pillow by Ji Wujing. But she didn’t dare to outright refuse him. She thought to herself that she would push him away once he fell asleep. However, before Ji Wujing fell asleep, she was already asleep.
When Gu Jianli woke up, it was already the next morning. She woke up hungry. Yesterday at noon, she ate very little, preoccupied with her thoughts, and in the afternoon, Ji Wujing had carried her to bed, where she slept without having dinner. Now her stomach was growling.
Ji Wujing was not beside her.
She got up and out of bed, but as soon as she stood, her buttocks hurt. She rubbed her backside, recalling the events of yesterday, her brows furrowing.
What happened afterward?
She vaguely remembered losing her composure and crying in Ji Wujing’s arms. After that, he carried her to bed. The rest, she couldn’t recall.
She looked down to check her clothes, wrinkled but still the same outfit from the previous day. She quickly changed clothes and left the room. As she opened the door, she was momentarily stunned by the bright sunny day outside. After days of overcast and snow, it was rare to see such a sunny day.
The courtyard was empty.
Surprised, Gu Jianli walked around the gourd-shaped door and headed to the backyard.
Ji Wujing was lounging in the middle of the backyard, basking in the sun, while Ji Xinglan stood properly in front of him, reciting poems with a bobbing head.
There was a sudden burst of firecracker sounds. Ji Xinglou ran around, setting off a row of small firecrackers.
Ji Xinglan, who was earnestly reciting poems, was startled. Ji Wujing laughed, covering her ears. Suddenly, Ji Xinglan was no longer afraid. She looked up at her father and smiled foolishly.
Ji Xinglou, seeing he had frightened his sister, stopped and looked apologetically at Ji Wujing.
Ji Wujing nodded, “Go on, play.”
Ji Xinglou scratched his head and happily ran to a stone table, grabbing another bunch of small firecrackers and setting them off with more crackles.
Listening to the firecrackers, Gu Jianli slowly realized it was New Year’s Eve, the last day of the year, and tomorrow would be a new year.
Ji Wujing turned his head, looking at Gu Jianli standing by the gourd-shaped door, and drawled lazily, “Awake, huh?”
Gu Jianli paused, meeting Ji Wujing’s sly, smiling eyes. Her buttocks began to ache again. Her face quickly turned red, and she turned to leave.
“Father…” Ji Xinglou mustered the courage to stand in front of Ji Wujing, “I heard she’s going to run away with someone else?”
“If she dares to run, I’ll break her legs,” Ji Wujing said with a cheeky grin.
====
In the evening, Gu Jianli slowly tidied her cloud-like hair in front of the mirror. Tonight, she had to stay up late for the New Year’s Eve vigil, and she would undoubtedly have to go to the main hall. Fortunately, she usually didn’t need to pay respects, only enduring these two days during the New Year. She sincerely hoped that the New Year would pass quickly. But then she thought, after the New Year, the palace might impose new punishments, and she began to worry about her father.
Thinking of her father, Gu Jianli’s mood sank. Even when she joined the others in the Marquis of Guangping’s residence for the reunion dinner in the evening, she remained downcast.
The Marquis’s residence had invited an opera troupe, and the actors were singing operas melodiously.
Several households gathered to listen to the opera, and everyone who wasn’t married today reverted to being children, playing and frolicking to their heart’s content. The young gentlemen set off firecrackers, eliciting giggles from the young ladies.
Listening to the almost ceaseless firecracker sounds throughout Yong’an City, Gu Jianli couldn’t help but feel homesick. She didn’t want to stay here and keep vigil with a large group of strangers. She longed to go home and be with her family. The more lively and noisy others were, the more desolate and lonely she felt, and her yearning grew stronger.
A gust of wind brought Gu Jianli back to her senses. She turned her head to look at Ji Wujing, who had been watching Ji Xinglou playing with firecrackers alone, lost in thought.
Although it was warm during the day, it was now night and a bit chilly. Gu Jianli noticed Ji Wujing’s thin clothes and thought of asking someone to fetch a cloak.
Nanny Lin was watching Ji Xinglou closely.
Jixia, who usually stayed by Ji Xinglan’s side, was not around either.
Gu Jianli said, “Fifth Master, I’ll go fetch a cloak.”
Ji Wujing, thinking she was cold, responded casually, his gaze still fixed on the little Ji Xinglou.
Gu Jianli stood up, avoiding the playing children, and hurried back. As she walked through the cloister and descended the steps, a figure suddenly jumped out from the shadows. Startled, Gu Jianli took a step back. With the steps behind her, she nearly stumbled but was caught by her wrist in time.
“Be careful,” Ji Xuanke whispered.
Gu Jianli, stunned, saw that it was Ji Xuanke and quickly tried to pull her wrist free. However, Ji Xuanke held her wrist firmly, not letting go.
“Let go!” Gu Jianli lowered her voice, a warning tone in her words.
Ji Xuanke glanced at the servants in the distance, avoiding their gaze, and tightly held Gu Jianli’s wrist, pulling her around the corner and into the gatehouse.
The gatehouse, where the servants stayed at night to guard the gate, was empty now as everyone was outside keeping vigil, leaving it dark.
“Please mind your manners, Third Young Master!” Gu Jianli finally broke free from Ji Xuanke’s grip and quickly walked towards the door.
“Nan Nan…” Ji Xuanke murmured softly.
Gu Jianli’s hand froze on the door handle.
Ji Xuanke slowly turned, looking at Gu Jianli’s back, his eyes reddening. His throat choked, and he spoke with a pleading tone, “Just a few words…”
Ye Yunyue quietly walked to the door, carefully bolting it from the outside, a triumphant smile appearing on her lips.