Young widow in her boudoir

After staying at her sister-in-law's house for a short time, Xie Rutang decided to set off to return home.

Although she was nominally out managing the family property for her husband, her mother-in-law wouldn't allow her to stay away for too long.

Her sister-in-law's family lived in an old alley near the Dali Temple. When they passed the Dali Temple, Xie Rutang's heart skipped a beat, and she quietly gripped the carriage curtain tightly. Pei Zhiheng was on duty inside at that moment.

She wanted to tell him about her encounter with Kong Xueer that day, but she knew that Pei Zhiheng held the important position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He valued rules and always adhered to etiquette, so he would never allow her to visit him during the day.

Now that he is a widow, he must deliberately avoid any appearance of impropriety towards her.

Moreover, this matter involves the Wu family, the prefect of the capital, and he may not be willing to lend a hand. Xie Rutang was also aware of this. She lowered her eyes sadly, unwilling to let herself be humiliated again.

She knew in her heart that she could not compare to the Crown Princess in his heart. Therefore, from now on, her relationship with Pei Zhiheng would only be mutually beneficial, and she would never develop genuine feelings for him.

Xie Rutang gradually loosened her grip on the curtain. "Let's go."

Upon returning to the Shen residence, Xie Rutang began to bathe and cleanse herself, as Pei Zhiheng was scheduled to spend the night at Cuiwu Courtyard.

After marrying into the Shen family, she learned that the second master was extremely fastidious. As a married woman, and with him being so noble and aloof, Xie Rutang felt a hidden inferiority complex.

As dusk fell, news arrived that Pei Zhiheng had returned to the manor and was currently with the old lady.

Jin Yue had prepared a bath in advance, and put freshly picked roses and wild roses into the tub. The fragrance of the flowers wafted through the air. Xie Rutang took off her clothes, and her straight and slender legs were submerged in the bath. The deep red and bright petals floated on the surface of the water, covering her snow-capped peaks.

Jin Yue's touch was extremely light and gentle, the handkerchief wiping along her back inch by inch.

Jin Yue also took a wooden comb and applied osmanthus hair oil to Xie Rutang's black hair. Xie Rutang's long hair was gathered in her palm, its dark color gleaming with a lustrous sheen.

After bathing, Xie Rutang applied perfume to her fair body.

As Jin Yue wiped her skin, even she, being a woman herself, couldn't help but swallow hard. "Madam's skin is so well-maintained."

It was as smooth as milk, and even she wanted to touch it.

Xie Rutang remained silent. Before her marriage, she had always taken care of herself in this way, hoping to find a suitable husband, please her husband, and satisfy him. But she never imagined that one day she would have to prepare like this for a man other than Shen Yuan.

After applying the perfume, Jin Yue helped her put on a light pink undergarment, finally not the white one worn by widows. This was also prepared by Old Madam Shen for her and Second Master Pei's wedding night.

Only at this moment in the Shen family could she wear her pink, delicate dress.

While waiting for Pei Zhiheng, Xie Rutang was in turmoil, wondering when he would arrive.

As a result, she waited from 7 PM to 9 PM, but most of the people in the Shen household had already gone to sleep, and the man still hadn't arrived in the backyard.

After leaving Shou'an Hall, Pei Zhiheng turned back to Suxue Residence.

Like this long, dark night, Xie Rutang's heart gradually grew cold.

Seeing that it was already quite late, Jin Yue looked at her worriedly. "Second Master will probably be reviewing documents tonight, busy until late. Madam, should we continue to wait for him?"

Xie Rutang touched her clothes at the window, lowered her eyes indifferently, and said, "No need."

She understood.

He won't be coming over tonight.

Xie Rutang was not as disappointed as Jin Yue had imagined; she simply asked Jin Yue to help her to bed.

Once the lady's breathing became steady, Jin Yue blew out the candles in the room, quietly closed the door, and then left the servants' quarters.

Xie Rutang slept fully clothed for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The night was so quiet that even the cicadas were scarce. When Pei Zhiheng arrived, Cuiwu Courtyard was eerily quiet, and there wasn't a single maid in sight.

He wanted a drink of water but no maidservant poured it for him, and Pei Zhiheng's dark eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.

He then went into the inner room.

Then they saw that the light blue bed curtains had been drawn, and the woman was sleeping on the inner side.

The faint moonlight fell on the bed, and his eyesight was very clear, so he saw the woman's graceful and charming back. The beauty was like a flower beyond the clouds, and her long, smooth, black hair, as silky as satin, was draped over her shoulders and fell delicately on the pillow.

Pei Zhiheng smelled that soft, faint fragrance in the room again.

Xie Rutang had a dream about her deceased husband. She vaguely sensed someone's fingers reaching into her clothes, which woke her up.

She suffers from night blindness. When she opens her eyes, she sees a dimly lit room where she can't see her hand in front of her face, and a tall, broad figure looms in front of the bed curtains, dark and imposing.

In her hazy state of consciousness, Xie Rutang thought she was dreaming of Shen Yuan, and her arms wrapped around the man's neck.

Her red lips parted, and the fragrance deepened. "My husband..."

Pei Zhiheng felt his throat tighten and his dark eyes grow dark and heavy.

She had no idea how alluring her calling him "husband" was to men, enough to make them surrender.

Although he knew that the "husband" she referred to was Shen Yuan, since he had agreed to the arrangement of having a child, he didn't hold it against her. On the contrary, he found it a bit of fun. Besides, he knew that he was no less capable than Shen Yuan and would eventually conquer Xie Rutang, this widow, under his control.

Pei Zhiheng then pressed his large hand against her slender waist, puckered her red lips, and, as if he had found nectar, eagerly and fiercely searched for her lips. Xie Rutang felt as if she had lost all her strength from the kiss, and no longer had the strength to struggle. Finally, when she could hardly breathe, he calmly released her.

The man's thumb rubbed her swollen, red lips, which were still glistening with moisture. His hand familiarly slipped under her soft pink skirt, and just like last time, Pei Zhiheng lowered his voice and asked, "What did you call me?"

Unable to resist his teasing, Xie Rutang's eyes became wet and misty from his kisses. She gasped against his chest, "Husband..."

Why is he so intense tonight? She can hardly take it anymore.

The woman's cheeks flushed crimson, and she was too embarrassed to speak.

The man's movements did not stop.

Pei Zhiheng turned her face towards him. "Xie Rutang, open your eyes and take a good look at who I am."

Xie Rutang was very obedient. She slowly lifted her damp eyelashes and, by the faint moonlight, saw Pei Zhiheng's broad figure pressing down on her. She couldn't see his face clearly, but she knew he was the Second Master.

It wasn't Shen Yuan...

Xie Rutang regained consciousness and realized that she had mistaken someone for someone else in her sleep.

Because she couldn't see, she allowed the man's fingers to freely fall on her skin.

Everything was pitch black. Her night blindness made her other senses incredibly sharp in the darkness, each part more sensitive than she had ever imagined.

Xie Rutang felt as if her eyes had been blindfolded; her body tensed instantly, like a taut bow.

Pei Zhiheng turned her over so that she could press closer to his chest and use her for support. His slender fingers reached out again in the night, trying to unbutton her clothes, but he was not familiar with the structure of women's clothes and couldn't unbutton them no matter how hard he tried.

Finally, at night, the shadow that had been looming over her bed came to a stop.

Pei Zhiheng's long eyes were shrouded in a shadow of lust, and his eyes reflected the image of the alluring woman lying on the plain bedding.

His cold voice carried a restlessness unlike his usual aloofness. Overwhelmed by desire, Pei Zhiheng lay on her neck, breathing heavily and hoarsely.

"Knowing I was coming tonight, why are you dressed so conservatively?"