Chapter 227: Chapter 227: Shen Hua Bites Her Finger in Aggrieved Silence
The afterglow gradually fades. Twilight strikes, darkness swallows everything.
In the East Courtyard, the room is as bright as day, and Shen Hua’s body alternates between cold and hot. She curls up, facing the direction of Cui Yun.
Cui Yun gently strokes the girl’s back to comfort her.
"Was it Heir Xie who administered the medicine?"
Yingwu respectfully replies, "Yes, the medicine is bitter. When the servant fed her, Miss immediately spat it out."
Heir Xie at that time pinched the girl’s chin, exerting a slight force, her mouth involuntarily opened. Three pills followed, slipped inside her mouth without giving Shen Hua any chance to resist.
Miss Shen, confused by the inebriation, couldn’t help but pout from the bitterness.
However, Xie Xun fetched some sugar water prepared earlier, spoonfeeding her bit by bit.
Skilled in consoling, his movements seemed as if they had been practiced hundreds of times. Extremely proficient.
The air is filled with a rich aroma of wine. Cui Yun frowns lightly but refrains from asking further.
He lifts his eyes slightly, his voice is cold but carries an overwhelming pressure, "This is how you handle your duty to watch over her? Go and accept your punishment."
Yingwu: "Yes."
Cui Yun looks towards Ji Qing, "Bring the backlog of documents from the study."
Ji Qing is slightly startled.
Is the lord planning to work from Miss Shen’s room?
Indeed, Miss Shen needs constant attendance, it’s not proper for the lord to stay here, yet... within the Marquis Yangling Mansion, the lord is the rule.
Ji Qing promptly says: "Yes."
As Ji Qing goes to fetch the documents, Yingwu also steps out of the room, soon to be pulled into a corner by the suddenly appearing Ying Yi.
Ying Yi speaks sparingly, but as the leader of the Shadow Guards, he must admonish. His voice hoarse, "Miss Shen drank the wine, why didn’t you stop her somewhat?"
"Who knew the wine was that strong. It said two jugs, but the jugs were even smaller than my hands. I thought drinking it all would just amount to a few sips, so I just watched over."
"It’s correct for Miss to seek happiness."
Yingwu bitterly complains, "It’s all the Seventh Prince’s fault, why did he send wine!"
"Just punish me directly, I can withstand ten military rods. It’s not a big deal, don’t go easy on me because of that kiss last time."
The talking here naturally wouldn’t disturb the person inside drunk on wine.
She struggles to breathe from the discomfort. Yet, from afar, she hears someone calling her.
"Yangyang."
"Yangyang."
The hoarse voice comes closer, yet it is elusive and intangible.
Unable to discern who is calling her? Yet eerily, the voice seems to cling to her ear, sobbing?
"I wronged you."
"I can only burn more paper money for you, hoping you can be reborn into a good family in the next life. On the Huangquan Road, don’t bear any grudge either."
The voice changes, it’s Ms. Shen Chun smiling as she continues.
"You child, why still hold a grudge against your brother? Why not forgive him this time for Mama’s sake?"
Then, Mama’s voice lowers, filled with an indescribable melancholy.
"One should live this life with openness, though it’s easy to say, how many genuinely live without regrets. It’s a pity that Mama only understood this in the end."
Then it changes to You Qing’s voice.
"Miss, I’m leaving now, probably won’t come back again, do call me Aunt You. After all, I am the servant, and you are the master; it’s proper for me to kowtow. I wish for Miss’s safety and happiness, and maybe... we shouldn’t meet again."
Shen Hua’s eyebrows tightly furrow.
She tries to speak, but despite her efforts, no one responds.
Then, she hears someone’s careless laughter.
"This cat of yours is quite domineering, huh? What, everything you fancy becomes yours? Why not sit on the Dragon Chair in the Imperial Palace then? I reckon, sooner or later this entire world would be yours."
Inside the room.
Cui Yun takes a cotton cloth soaked in warm water and gently wipes the sweat from the woman’s forehead.
Suddenly, someone grabs his wrist.
The girl opens her eyes, her gaze hazy, staring straight at him.
Seeing her like this, Cui Yun feels an ominous premonition.
Indeed, Shen Hua raises her hand, beckoning him closer, "Come closer."
Cui Yun stays still.
"Don’t struggle."
Shen Hua just looks at him.
The two stared at each other for a long while, Cui Yun still didn’t move an inch.
The girl’s temper suddenly shot through the roof as she scrambled up in a daze. Holding her breath, she tightened the corners of her mouth.
"All under heaven is mine, disobedient subjects like you, this palace will later bestow ten feet red upon you!"
Just as her words fell, Cui Yun pressed her down.
"You really dare say anything."
Cui Yun lowered his eyes and covered her with a brocade quilt.
She was persistent though: "Then come a bit closer."
Cui Yun sighed lightly, his body bending forward slightly.
Shen Hua gauged the distance between them and still wasn’t quite satisfied. She whined again, "Closer."
While speaking, the girl’s arm climbed onto Cui Yun’s shoulder. She smiled coyly, as if about to discuss the most serious of scholars.
Cui Yun’s body tensed up, his eyes squinting slightly, his gaze locked on the girl’s drunkenly delicate face.
Shen Hua cleared her throat, correcting her posture.
She lifted her chin, her face smug with a peculiar restraint.
"Guess! What color is the undershirt I am wearing today?"
Cui Yun suddenly straightened up, Shen Hua’s hand touching nothing.
"Shen Hua!" He warned.
"It’s not bright red."
Shen Hua said generously, "I have no interest in being like them. Wei Yingying’s concubine sister is truly cunning."
"It’s..."
She paused.
Then, she looked calmly at Cui Yun.
"I apologize, I forgot."
"But no matter, we’ll see soon enough."
Saying so, she seriously started to undo the ties of her thin undergarment.
Cui Yun’s throat dried a bit, perhaps from the heavy alcohol in the room, causing him, who usually wasn’t easily intoxicated, to exhibit a flush.
The candlelight in the room flickered, and as Shen Hua moved, she inadvertently tugged at the curtain, causing the bells on it to chime crisply.
Especially at this time, it carried a beautiful charm.
Shen Hua spoke unclearly, this time seeing clearly: "It’s aqua green."
Cui Yun’s voice was huskier than usual, "Wrong."
"It’s bud green."
He made no attempt to shy away, nor was he a gentleman.
The girl’s undergarment was embroidered with beautiful begonia flowers. The ties wrapped around her jade-like neck. Her black hair cascaded down to her waistline, outlining her slim waist enticingly.
The man was as clear as the moon in the sky. But at this moment, he seemed utterly drawn into the mundane world.
Cui Yun suppressed the darkness in his eyes.
His Adam’s apple moved up and down.
The thought of marrying Shen Hua crossed his mind, but up until now, he had been nurturing her like he did Cui Rong. Shen Hua had a delicate constitution, and Cui Yun never harbored those improper desires.
It was only at this moment that Cui Yun finally had an epiphany.
It was indeed different.
The room fell silent momentarily.
He absorbed the beauty before his eyes fully.
Only then did he secure the girl’s undergarment ties firmly with a tight knot.
Afterward, his fingertips caressed the girl’s soft lips, pressing down hard.
Shen Hua felt pain.
The man’s eyes were profound, devoid of his usual airiness, now seemingly carrying a warning.
"Don’t provoke me."
Shen Hua felt pain as she leaned back.
Cui Yun withdrew his hand in time, the girl crashing into the soft bed.
She felt wronged.
Shen Hua covered herself with the blanket, biting her finger pitifully.