“It’s not a thing, it’s a person! It’s that girl from the Ye family you left in the courtyard as a maid, your former fiancée, Ye Yunyue.” Gu Jianli spoke all in one breath, making everything clear.
Ji Wujing casually responded with an “oh,” not seeming to pay much attention. He lifted one hand to form a loose fist against his forehead and closed his eyes again.
Gu Jianli pulled at his sleeve, frowning, “She’s someone you left here, and her status is special. I don’t dare to say a word to her. She’s now around Xinglan every day, and I don’t feel at ease. If you intend to take her as a concubine, I wouldn’t say anything, but you let her stay in this ambiguous role, neither a mistress nor a servant. I don’t know how to handle her.”
Gu Jianli pursed her lips, paused, and continued, “But if Fifth Master wants to take a concubine, the Ye family girl isn’t suitable. It’s better to find someone more decent.”
“What nonsense.” Ji Wujing closed his eyes again, a bit tired. “Gu Jianli, disturbing someone’s sleep deserves a spanking.”
Gu Jianli withdrew her hand that was holding Ji Wujing’s sleeve and said no more, just sitting beside him and looking at him.
Ji Wujing stretched out his hand lazily, “Come, let uncle hold you while you sleep.”
Gu Jianli glanced at the window. It wasn’t dark outside yet. Oh well, there was nothing else to do.
She got up, leaned on her crutch, and moved to the window to lower the light-blocking curtain. Then she returned to the bed, lowered the bed canopy, and got into the bed, avoiding her left leg. Ji Wujing had been lying there for half a day, making the bed warm. Gu Jianli crawled in. Due to her leg injury, she had been sleeping on her back for too long. Now that the splint was removed from her leg, Gu Jianli carefully turned to her side, slowly lifting her left leg to rest on her right. She happily rubbed her cheek against the pillow, finding it more comfortable to sleep on her side.
Ji Wujing’s arm slipped under her neck, and he moved closer, hugging her from behind, his other hand resting on her waist.
Gu Jianli felt a bit dazed, vaguely recalling that even before she injured her leg, Ji Wujing liked to sleep this way, holding her from behind as if using her as a pillow.
Gu Jianli’s gaze unintentionally fell on the rattle drum on the inner side of the bed. She looked at the plump baby painted on the drum, and an image of Ji Wujing lazily lying in bed playing with it appeared in her mind. Her eyes fixated on the baby painted on the drum, and she suddenly paused.
Why did Ji Wujing play with this drum with a chubby baby on it for so long?
Could he be wanting a child?
Gu Jianli frowned, recalling Ji Wujing’s interactions with Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou, thinking he didn’t seem to like children much. But could it be because of those two children’s awkward status? Maybe Ji Wujing wanted a legitimate son?
Gu Jianli couldn’t help but think of the poison in Ji Wujing’s body. The parasite temporarily nurtured his internal organs, but its effect would weaken over time. Gu Jianli could tell that Ji Wujing had been getting sleepy again recently.
After a while of random thoughts, Gu Jianli reached out to grab the rattle drum. As soon as she picked it up, the little wooden hammers on both sides swayed, making a “dong dong” sound. She quickly held the drum to her chest to stop it from shaking.
Then she heard Ji Wujing’s impatient voice from behind.
Ji Wujing flicked his finger against the back of Gu Jianli’s head, his voice hoarse, “Sleep.”
“It hurts!” Gu Jianli complained, holding her head.
Ji Wujing barely opened his eyes, recalling Ye Yunyue. Why had he let her stay as a maid? Ji Wujing couldn’t quite remember, perhaps she had pleaded to serve, and he had casually agreed.
Impatiently, Ji Wujing said, “If you don’t want to see her, drive her away. If she refuses to leave, let Changsheng strangle her. Gu Jianli, if you keep bothering me with such trivial matters, I will…”
Will what?
Ji Wujing thought for a moment but couldn’t come up with anything, so he simply closed his eyes again to sleep.
“And then what?” Gu Jianli asked coquettishly.
Ji Wujing ignored her.
After a while, Gu Jianli softly asked, holding the rattle drum to her chest, “Fifth Master, are you asleep?”
Ji Wujing opened his eyes, the dark pupils tinged with crimson. His gaze fell on Gu Jianli’s slender, white neck, and he pulled her clothing down, exposing her shoulder, and bit her.
If this had happened when she first married into the Marquis of Guangping’s residence, Gu Jianli would have been terrified, fearing the infamous, bloodthirsty master of the Xuanjing Sect would kill her. But now, when Ji Wujing bit her, she was initially startled but quickly relaxed. It hurt a bit; she frowned, gripping the quilt, but she did not shy away.
Ji Wujing’s internal organs felt like they were being gnawed by countless tiny bugs, an unbearable itch. The crimson in his eyes deepened, a chilling air emanating from the shadows.
Sensing Ji Wujing’s heavy breathing behind her, and his chest growing hotter against her back, Gu Jianli realized something was wrong. She quickly asked, “Fifth Master, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
She tried to turn around, but Ji Wujing held her tightly from behind, preventing her from moving.
Embracing her, Ji Wujing suddenly recalled Gu Jingyuan’s words—”Ji Zhao, tell me honestly, can the poison in your body still be cured? How long do you have left to live? Three years? I need to plan for a new husband for my Jianli!”
The poison was something he had chosen to ingest. Ji Wujing had never known regret in his life.
“Fifth Master?” Gu Jianli’s soft, worried voice broke through his thoughts.
Ji Wujing placed his palm on Gu Jianli’s abdomen, pulling her closer. Feeling something rigid pressing against her, Gu Jianli was startled and began to understand. In shock, the rattle drum fell from her chest, the wooden hammers hitting the bed and the smiling face of the painted baby with a “dong dong.”
Gu Jianli’s mind went blank for a while, unsure how to react.
Conflicted between resistance and submission, she was left in a daze.
Ji Wujing’s long leg accidentally touched her injured left leg, causing her to cry out in pain, her eyes instantly reddening. Ji Wujing immediately stopped, holding her still. After a moment, he moved his hand along her waist to her front, found her hand, and guided it to the back, making her grasp it.
Gu Jianli’s eyes widened, her heart pounding wildly.
Ji Wujing completed the next actions with her hand, and Gu Jianli, lost in a fog, had no sense of time or place until her hand became wet and dirty, bringing a huge sense of shame. She remained with her back to Ji Wujing, her fingers spread, unsure of what to do.
Ji Wujing wiped her hand, then held it in his palm, placing it on her abdomen. He rested his forehead against the back of her neck, his voice low and hoarse: “Gu Jianli.”
Gu Jianli opened her mouth, wanting to respond, but no sound came out.
Ji Wujing suddenly let out a low chuckle, his breath brushing against the back of Gu Jianli’s neck, tickling her.
Ji Wujing’s fox-like eyes opened slightly, half-closed, the redness fading from his gaze. He asked, “Scared?”
Gu Jianli lay motionless on her side with her back to Ji Wujing, not moving or making a sound. The dimly lit bed after the bed canopy was lowered remained silent and still.
Ji Wujing didn’t sleep, his forehead resting against the back of Gu Jianli’s neck, eyes downcast, also motionless. He stayed this way until he felt a small movement from Gu Jianli’s hand in his palm.
Carefully, Gu Jianli twisted her wrist, slipping her small hand out of Ji Wujing’s larger one. His palm was now empty, but he didn’t move, nor did he try to grab her wrist.
Gu Jianli’s palm felt hot and sore. Though Ji Wujing had wiped it, she still felt it was dirty. She pulled down Ji Wujing’s slightly raised sleeve and rubbed her palm hard against it.
Rub, and rub again, vigorously.
She muttered in a muffled voice, “You are really annoying.”
Ji Wujing laughed, a deep sound, his forehead moving slightly against the back of her neck, making her feel even more ticklish.
“Gu Jianli.”
“You’re always calling me but never saying anything, what do you want!” Gu Jianli’s soft voice carried a hint of small annoyance.
“Gu Jianli.”
Annoyed, Gu Jianli covered her ears with both hands.
Ji Wujing’s gaze fell on her reddened hands, and he said slowly, “Your hands are dirty, you’ll get your ears dirty too.”
Gu Jianli froze, quickly lowering her hands and then lifting Ji Wujing’s hand to wipe her ears with it.
His palm rubbed against her slightly warm earlobe. After a moment of silence, Ji Wujing said, “My hand is dirty too.”
Gu Jianli bit her lip, pushing his hand away, then wriggled under the covers like a worm, covering her head to sleep. As she closed her eyes tightly, Gu Jianli vaguely realized that bugs could be big or small and that they could spit dirty saliva when they had a fever. Men’s bodies were truly terrifying and complex.
Pity that Ji Wujing, with his enchanting looks, had such an ugly part.
Girls are better.
—So Gu Jianli thought.
She expected to be too embarrassed and disgusted to sleep, but in fact, she fell asleep quickly, perhaps exhausted from the journey back to the residence.
Her quick slumber slightly surprised Ji Wujing. In the darkness, Ji Wujing’s lips curled into a peculiar smile.
Gu Jianli woke up earlier than Ji Wujing. They had gone to bed quite early the previous night, so she woke up earlier than usual. Rubbing her sleepy eyes and stretching lazily, she belatedly glanced at Ji Wujing and saw that he was still asleep. She secretly checked her palm.
Even though there were no visible traces, her palm still felt itchy.
She couldn’t think about it anymore.
Frowning, Gu Jianli reached for the crutch by the bedside and quietly walked out. As she reached the outer room, she startled Jixia, who quickly came to support her and helped her sit down, then went to fetch water for her to wash.
Nanny Lin hurried over, looking worried. “Madam, Sixth Young Master has caused trouble again and has been detained by the Old Madam for punishment!”
Gu Jianli had previously told Nanny Lin to inform her if such a situation arose again. After much hesitation, Nanny Lin had finally come to report the matter.
