Young widow in her boudoir

The man in the darkness stopped.

His fingers were still on her thigh, and he froze for a moment.

Pei Zhiheng's eyes were neither cold nor indifferent, and Xie Rutang couldn't even see what his expression was. He frowned and asked, "Why did you get your period at this time?"

Xie Rutang was so embarrassed that she wished she could crawl under the bed. She wondered if he would be disgusted by her bloody smell, or if it would spoil his interest in sleeping with her.

Moreover, Gui water belongs to Yin, which is a woman's private and unlucky matter. It has always been taboo and should never be seen by a man, for fear of offending him and getting tainted by bad luck. Not to mention that a high-ranking official like him values ​​the purity of his own fortune the most.

Last time, she refused to share a room with Shen Shuming because of her period, but who would have thought that it would happen tonight?

Unable to be satisfied, Pei Zhiheng's eyes fell into a dark shadow, so hot and dark that she dared not look at them.

Pei Zhiheng looked at her intently, never expecting that his first time would end so abruptly, a truly unpleasant experience.

He then grasped the woman's delicate wrist, pulled her onto the disheveled bedding, and kissed her passionately, forcing her to call him "Second Master" over and over again. His movements were urgent and rough, the kisses causing the bed curtains to sway wildly in the night.

The dark bedding made her skin look even more like snow, like a vast expanse of white snow-capped peaks.

After kissing for an unknown amount of time, Xie Rutang weakly placed her hand on his chest and pushed him away with little strength, saying, "Second Master, I need to go change my undergarments..."

Her underpants were already stained with menstrual blood, and if she didn't change her clothes soon, she was afraid she would soil the bedding.

Pei Zhiheng was not the kind of domineering man who disregarded a woman's body; he calmly released his hand from her slender waist.

Xie Rutang was finally able to escape. She sat on the edge of the couch, her slender feet groping for her embroidered shoes on the floor, and put them on.

Pei Zhiheng glanced at her embroidered shoes, which were decorated with begonia flowers and pearls. They were smaller than his large hand. He had just held her ankle, which was more slippery than a fish in the water, making him reluctant to let go.

Just as she was about to get off the bed, a man's strong, firm arm reached out from the air, carrying his pleasant scent.

"Can't you see it?"

He remembered her night blindness.

Xie Rutang shook her head gently, her cheeks still slightly flushed, but the darkness concealed them.

Perhaps they were afraid she would fall.

Pei Zhiheng: "I'll help you."

She froze, then let him help her up.

Behind a screen, she changed her underpants and then laid a soft silk menstrual cloth on top of them.

A faint rustling sound came from the night, and Xie Rutang was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected that such a prominent figure as Pei Zhiheng would be keeping her company in the middle of the night to change her menstrual pads.

Soon, Jin Yue learned that Second Master Pei had come to Cuiwu Courtyard in the middle of the night, so she hurriedly put on her clothes and came to serve him.

Pei Zhiheng forced himself to stop tonight and had no choice but to go to the bathhouse. He went into the bathhouse for a quarter of an hour and relieved himself.

Pei Zhiheng returned just as Xie Rutang was lying in bed, half asleep.

Upon seeing the tall, slender figure outside the bed, she said softly, "Second Master, it's time to rest."

Pei Zhiheng came over and lay down beside her pillow without saying a word.

The two slept fully clothed, with a distance between them, like two unfamiliar strangers.

Xie Rutang felt uneasy all over. Before going to sleep, she vaguely thought about the year when she and Shen Yuan got married. Every night, Shen Yuan would domineeringly hold her in his arms and hug her waist as they fell asleep. But she could no longer feel that kind of warmth and care.

Since ancient times, wives of noble families have been expected to serve their husbands when they get up at night and help them change clothes before dawn. This was the case when Shen Yuan was still alive, let alone Pei Zhiheng who had to attend the morning court. Even if she was just borrowing his seed, she still had to serve him in this way.

Therefore, Xie Rutang dared not sleep too soundly, for fear that Pei Zhiheng would have to get up at night.

Tonight, she was exhausted by the man's ministrations, feeling as if her body was falling apart. She was drowsy and her eyelids were heavy, and she unknowingly fell asleep.

She woke up just as dawn was breaking, and when she sat up, the blankets beside her pillow were already cold.

Pei Zhiheng went to court very early. He was not the kind of person who would be attracted to beautiful women, and he had no feelings for her.

Recalling everything that happened last night, the burning heat of their bodies pressed together made Xie Rutang feel like she was dreaming. His cool sandalwood scent still lingered on the soft pillow embroidered with mandarin ducks.

The first time was such a bad experience for him. Xie Rutang frowned, wondering if it would affect their future intimate encounters.

Xie Rutang sat on the four-poster bed, listening absentmindedly to the chirping of birds outside the window.

She vaguely remembered that when Shen Yuan married her, the bridal sedan chair was parked on the long street, and Pei Zhiheng also came to greet the bride. Shen Yuan was dressed in vermilion, while he wore a crimson robe. The sunlight was bright as spring, and he stood there from afar, overshadowing the groom.

At that time, Pei Zhiheng had not yet been assigned to the Dali Temple. He was young and in his prime, and half of the girls in the capital had a crush on him.

Even Xie Rutang, who only loved Shen Yuan, had to admit that her husband, her brother, had a cold and stunning appearance.

An hour after Pei Zhiheng went to the morning court, an uninvited guest arrived at Cuiwu Courtyard. Upon hearing that Ye Wanyu had come with her maid, Xie Rutang hurriedly told Jinyue to put away a jade belt that Pei Zhiheng had left in her boudoir.

It turns out that although Ye Wanyu is the mistress, the old lady had previously given special permission for Xie Rutang to assist with household affairs on a daily basis, out of consideration for her own son Shen Yuan. Therefore, Cuiwu Courtyard still holds half of the authority over kitchen procurement and scheduling.

Upon hearing that Xie Rutang was unwell and unable to pay his respects at Shou'an Hall, Ye Wanyu rushed over immediately.

Ye Wanyu wore a luxurious Shu brocade dress, the embroidery shimmering faintly in the light. "My sister-in-law heard that my sister-in-law was sick and was worried about her, so she came to visit her."

As she spoke, she also brought over some nourishing gifts: ginseng, bird's nest, and longan paste in a lacquered wooden box. Xie Rutang asked Jin Yue to accept them.

"In my opinion, it would be better to temporarily entrust all the kitchen affairs to me, so as to share the burden with my sister-in-law. She can just focus on resting and recuperating."

Xie Rutang glanced at her, fully aware of her thoughts. If power were given to Ye Wanyu, it might never be taken back.

Xie Rutang, covered with a quilt, said, "I appreciate your kindness, sister-in-law. However, the old lady specifically instructed me to help take care of the kitchen affairs, which shows that she knows I usually live a leisurely life in my own courtyard."

"Sister-in-law, there's no need to worry. If I become unwell, I will send someone to inform you so you can lend a hand and take care of me for a while."

Ye Wanyu's face darkened. She had been rebuffed by Xie Rutang early in the morning. She knew perfectly well that Xie Rutang was subtly implying her eagerness to seize power, and had even brought up the old lady for this reason.

Ye Wanyu could only force a smile: "So that's how it is. I was too naive and shouldn't have made the decision so hastily. Sister-in-law, please rest well in Cuiwu Courtyard. If anything happens, please remember to send someone to Yunyue Courtyard."

She had just gotten up to say goodbye.

When Ye Wanyu's gaze fell on Xie Rutang's face, she paused in surprise.

Xie Rutang was still lying on the canopy bed, her upper body covered with a silk quilt, her black hair loosely draped over the pillow. A light blush spread across her cheeks, like rouge, making her fair skin glow with pink, and even her neck was pink, adding to her delicate and tender appearance as she leaned against the bed.

Ye Wanyu narrowed her eyes and looked at her strangely. Why did she feel that Xie Rutang looked better than usual today?

Like rain nourishing flowers, they unfold delicately.