“Of course, you can eat it. Just clean it well.” Ji Wujing’s gaze fell on her hand, where her delicate white fingers were tightly clutching the fish bubble.
Gu Jianli frowned as she curiously stared at the soft fish bubble in her hand. She placed the bubble in the water, filling it up with warm water, and it immediately puffed up, becoming plump and round. She repeatedly drained and rinsed it, saying, “How do you eat this? Raw? This isn’t even a kitchen…”
Gu Jianli paused her actions of pouring water and then slowly said, “It looks more like something used to hold things…”
Ji Wujing kicked off his shoes, lay on the bed, and lazily said, “That’s enough. Drain the water inside and let it dry on the edge of the basin.”
“Oh…” Gu Jianli softly responded. But as she looked at the fish bubble in her hand, a strange feeling grew stronger in her heart.
Is this really not for eating?
Gu Jianli heard the faint sound of a lock being fastened behind her. She turned around and saw Ji Wujing letting down the bed curtains. The pink curtains fell layer upon layer, gradually concealing Ji Wujing inside.
When the manor was refurbished, Madam Tao tried to decorate it as it was before. Gu Jianli’s former boudoir was filled with the elegance of a young girl. Not only were the bed curtains pink, but even the quilt on the bed had a light pink base, embroidered with delicate white lilacs.
Even though layers of curtains separated them, Gu Jianli’s mind conjured an image of Ji Wujing’s tall figure lying on the pale pink bedding.
It’s a bit strange.
Gu Jianli lowered her head, focusing her gaze back on the fish bubble in her hand.
She lightly flicked off the remaining water from the fish bubble and was about to hang it on the edge of the basin to dry when she suddenly stopped.
Is it really edible? Why had she never eaten it before?
Gu Jianli quickly glanced back. The bed curtains were closed, blocking her view. Ji Wujing was silent.
Turning back, she curiously lowered her head and gave the fish bubble a lick. The tip of her tongue brushed against it, and the only sensation she felt was smoothness.
So smooth, so smooth.
When it was in the box, it wasn’t this silky. There had been a faint fragrance when she took it out of the box, but after several washes, that faint scent had disappeared.
Gu Jianli’s delicate white fingers slipped into the opening, gently propping up the fish bubble, scrutinizing it closely.
It’s really thin.
“Gu Jianli, what are you dawdling about now?” Ji Wujing suddenly spoke, his tone impatient.
His sudden words startled Gu Jianli. She placed the long fish bubble on the edge of the basin and asked, “And then?”
“Then come to bed.”
“Aren’t we going to eat it?” Gu Jianli asked, feeling strange again.
“It needs to dry.”
Gu Jianli looked at the fish bubble again. It was limp on the edge of the basin, taking a long time to form a single droplet of water that eventually fell into the basin.
When will it dry? Probably not until tomorrow morning. Gu Jianli yawned lazily, feeling a bit tired. She got up and blew out several lamps in the room one by one, then walked slowly toward the bed in the darkness.
She was always cautious, taking small, slow steps even in her own boudoir where she had lived for many years.
When she reached the bed, she could barely make out Ji Wujing’s silhouette sitting at the bedside.
Instinctively, Gu Jianli reached out her hand to support his shoulder, but her fingertips touched Ji Wujing’s cool skin.
Gu Jianli was momentarily stunned.
Ji Wujing extended his hand, placing his palm on the small of her back, and gently pulled her into his arms. Gu Jianli, unable to see anything, stumbled slightly as she sat on Ji Wujing’s lap. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but only managed to slightly part her lips without uttering a word. She reacted, attempting to bend down to take off her shoes, but Ji Wujing was quicker. He bent down first, his ear brushing against Gu Jianli’s cheek, causing her to blink.
“Lift your foot.”
“Oh…” Gu Jianli responded, lifting her foot.
Ji Wujing removed her delicate embroidered shoes, grasping her small foot and pulling off the white silk stockings, casually tossing them aside.
He touched the top of her foot, squeezing her small toes.
“It tickles!” Gu Jianli tried to pull away.
She heard Ji Wujing chuckle softly.
He let go of her foot and moved to remove the shoe and sock from her other foot. Without the confinement of the shoes and socks, Gu Jianli’s feet felt a bit cold, and her toes curled up slightly.
Ji Wujing glanced at her, then slipped his forearm under her knees, lifting her into the bed.
The strange feeling in Gu Jianli’s heart grew stronger. In the quiet night, she could faintly hear her own heartbeat. As soon as she lay down, she turned onto her side, facing inward, and curled her knees obediently.
Soon, Ji Wujing moved closer, his arm reaching over her pillow, encircling her petite body. With his other hand, he gently pinched her earlobe.
It tickled, and Gu Jianli shrugged her shoulders.
Ji Wujing moved closer, nuzzling against the back of her neck, lightly nibbling.
“Don’t…” Gu Jianli’s voice was small.
Ji Wujing paused for a moment.
Gu Jianli bit her lip and added, her voice barely audible and a bit guilty, “Could you… bite a little lower? Don’t leave marks outside the collar, it’s not good if others see…”
Ji Wujing suddenly laughed, burying his face in the back of her neck, his deep laughter resonating.
“Stop laughing…” Gu Jianli frowned and pinched his hand that had come around to her front.
Ji Wujing cleared his throat, stopping his laughter, and spoke more seriously, “Gu Jianli, turn around.”
“I’m sleeping just fine, why should I turn around?” Gu Jianli refused impulsively.
“Because your uncle wants to kiss you.”
“You!” Gu Jianli’s cheeks suddenly felt hot.
She fell silent, and in the ensuing stillness, it seemed like an eternity passed before Gu Jianli slowly turned around. Her eyelashes fluttered as she closed her eyes, waiting. When Ji Wujing’s kiss landed on her eyes, Gu Jianli felt a faint joy spring up within her, a joy hidden in her nervousness, fleeting and elusive.
Ji Wujing’s fingertip caressed Gu Jianli’s chin repeatedly. His index finger gradually moved upward, lightly brushing her soft lips. Gu Jianli’s mouth parted slightly, and his finger slipped into her mouth. Startled, she instinctively said, “You…”
The single word “you” caused her tongue to press against his fingertip.
Ji Wujing’s fox-like eyes slightly narrowed, and his index finger moved subtly, brushing against her moist, soft tongue.
Gu Jianli’s face turned bright red as she grabbed Ji Wujing’s wrist, pushing his hand away.
“Don’t be…”
As soon as she pushed his hand away, Ji Wujing’s cool lips descended, silencing her with a kiss that stopped her playful complaint. When Ji Wujing kissed her, Gu Jianli was always left guessing. She thought he would harshly bite her, but he would instead be as gentle as a silk scarf brushing her face. When she thought he would treat her tenderly, he would suddenly act like a bandit, rough and unreasonable. Not to mention, he would suddenly pinch her ear, tickle her, or even whisper something vulgar in her ear.
Gu Jianli instinctively clutched the pink blanket draped over them, passively accepting his kiss and yielding to his control, occasionally responding awkwardly and gently.
Ji Wujing’s actions suddenly stopped. He leisurely tidied Gu Jianli’s disheveled long hair, then leaned close to her ear, patting her face with a hoarse voice, “Gu Jianli, stop pretending. I’ve taught you so many times, you already know how to kiss.”
“I… I don’t!” Gu Jianli hurriedly denied, her small voice tinged with a slight tremor and rapid breathing.
“Don’t what? Don’t pretend or don’t know?” Ji Wujing chuckled softly, his fingers tracing her lips and gradually moving down to pause at her collarbone, then continuing downward, undoing her clothes. Through the thin fabric, he pinched her small breasts.
“Don’t do that, I don’t like it!” Gu Jianli’s voice rose slightly, mustering all her courage. In the pitch darkness, it hid her evasive gaze.
“Really?” Ji Wujing’s voice was low and lazy, “When I detoxified you last time, you seemed quite pleased.”
Gu Jianli suddenly covered her ears with both hands, but then realizing it was futile, switched to covering Ji Wujing’s mouth, angrily saying, “Ji Zhao, your mouth is so annoying, I should sew it shut!”
“Don’t.” Ji Wujing’s voice was muffled by her hands, “If you sew uncle’s mouth shut, how will uncle lick you?”
Gu Jianli was speechless, her shame turning into anger.
With a slight exertion, Ji Wujing snapped the thin string and easily slipped off Gu Jianli’s tea-white sleeping pants along with her short underpants.
Gu Jianli’s body tensed for a moment, then gradually relaxed, her hand dropping away from Ji Wujing’s mouth.
She actually knew what Ji Wujing intended to do. From the moment she blew out the lights and climbed into bed, resting her hand on Ji Wujing’s shoulder, she knew.
Gu Jianli stared at the canopy above the bed, her gaze vacant and somewhat lost.
She thought about the poison in Ji Wujing’s body.
Her hand, hanging at her side, gently clutched the quilt.
Ji Wujing leaned down, pressing closely against her. His forearm supported him beside Gu Jianli’s ear, while his other hand playfully traced her soft cheek with his index finger, over and over. His gaze was fixed on her face, looking into her eyes.
Gu Jianli’s eyes gradually focused, meeting his gaze.
Their eyes locked, and time seemed to stand still.
After a long while, the hand that was clutching the quilt slowly released its grip, and the tension in her body eased. She had been married to him for a year, and throughout that time, he could have been intimate with her at any moment, especially before she knew the specifics of the poison in his body. It was Ji Wujing himself who later told her that his poison was contagious.
What was there to worry about? He wouldn’t harm her.
Gu Jianli looked into Ji Wujing’s eyes, her lips curving into a slight smile. She softly but earnestly said, “I don’t dislike it.”
Ji Wujing lowered his head, resting his forehead against her brow, and laughed quietly. Then he got off her and lazily lay down beside her, giving her waist a light pat. “Go, fetch the fish bubble for uncle.”
How did the conversation shift from such intimacy to the fish bubble? Gu Jianli was momentarily stunned, not reacting immediately. She slowly sat up, moved to the foot of the bed, and peered out from the canopy to fetch the fish bubble hanging on the edge of the basin.
The smooth, soft fish bubble lay in her hand, and as Gu Jianli gazed at it, she suddenly began to understand something.