Young widow in her boudoir

Did he come here just for this?

Xie Rutang was pinned down on the daybed by Pei Zhiheng. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and the flowers and leaves outside the window drooped listlessly in the sun. Pei Zhiheng pressed his large hand against the back of her head and kissed her again. Even through the fabric, she could feel the heat of his erection. Xie Rutang's heart pounded nervously.

Having tasted the sweetness, Pei Zhiheng turned his face to kiss her, his large hands massaging her waist, and Xie Rutang was completely unable to resist.

Pei Zhiheng looked down at the person beneath him and saw her in a simple pink dress with peony patterns, which made her look gentle and obedient. He only kissed her earlobe, but she couldn't bear it.

He was born noble, and there was nothing he couldn't get if he wanted it. He kissed her deeply, holding her tightly in his arms.

Xie Rutang accidentally scratched a shallow bloodstain on his neck with her fingernail. Fine, pearly blood slowly seeped out, startling her so much that she withdrew her hand, her face turning pale.

"I didn't mean it..."

But that slight sting did not stop the man's actions.

Her clothes were too conservative. Pei Zhiheng originally wanted to slip his fingers inside her collar and gently remove her clothes, but when he felt her body trembling with fear beneath him, he hesitated because she was a widow.

He simply kissed her cheek gently, then kissed her eyes, and did nothing else.

Xie Rutang was covered in a thin layer of sweat from his kisses.

Even with just her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with moisture, the woman seemed to be innocently enticing him, waiting for him to take advantage of her.

She had a very special, subtle fragrance about her, which Pei Zhiheng couldn't quite describe, but it was faint and very alluring.

His kiss was fierce and forceful, and he only released her when she could barely breathe. He felt a pang of regret because she was menstruating, but he also felt there was no rush; he would stay at the Shen family's house for some time until she became pregnant.

He had sex with her at least several times.

Pei Zhiheng's eyes darkened, and he gently rubbed away the tears from her face with his rough fingertips. "Are you thirsty?"

Perhaps because they had just kissed, his voice was slightly hoarse. "Have some water."

Xie Rutang was kissed by him for a full fifteen minutes, and she was indeed a little thirsty.

She didn't dare look him in the eye, only lowered her head, clutched her skirt tightly, and softly hummed in agreement.

The man poured her water, and she wanted to take the glass teacup herself, but his hand showed no sign of letting go. Helpless, Xie Rutang could only blush and lean over to touch the teacup in his hand, taking small sips.

Alone in the room, facing him, meeting his deep, dark eyes, Xie Rutang's heart skipped a beat. Moreover, she noticed that while she was drinking water, Pei Zhiheng was staring at her red lips.

Xie Rutang hurriedly drank a few sips.

Pei Zhiheng still held the teacup to her lips, and she stammered, "I'm full..."

He didn't force her to continue drinking.

Even when it was time for him to go on duty, Pei Zhiheng was in no hurry to go to the Dali Temple. He sat on the couch and rubbed her palms, which were filled with his scent.

"I've been using the sandalwood-tubed purple-haired brush you gave me in my study."

Xie Rutang looked down at the embroidery on her skirt, feeling very uncomfortable.

She was wondering if, besides having sex, the other times she would have to kiss him if she were to have a sperm donation?

Why does she find this so strange?

Xie Rutang's face was still flushed. "If Second Master likes it, that's good."

Pei Zhiheng then lightly swept his hand across her overly pale face, before landing on her dark hair.

Today, the wives of the Shen and Pei families were all present. The other women were all wearing gold hairpins and jewels, making the whole room shine. Only she wore a plain silver hairpin at most.

Pei Zhiheng's hand stroked her soft, white earlobes, which weren't even adorned with pendants, his gaze indifferent. "Is there a lack of jewelry in the room?"

"Just tell Hongyao what you like next time you see her."

After a long pause, Xie Rutang realized what he was talking about. She quietly and slowly lowered her eyes, "I don't lack..."

"As a widow of the Shen family, I am not supposed to wear gold and jade jewelry normally."

The dappled sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains, falling on her charming eyes and brows. "As time goes by, I no longer care about these jewels and ornaments. They are all external things, why be so attached to them?"

Her voice softened, "Since I'm a widow, I should act like one. A head full of jewels would only bring trouble and criticism. It's better to be simple and plain so that people won't find fault with me."

Pei Zhiheng remained silent, lost in thought. He still remembered that on the second day after she married into the Shen family, she wore a pink dress with auspicious patterns and begonias, bright and elegant, unlike now when she dressed plainly every day without any adornment. Back then, when she stood in the spring corridor, her brocade robes were like clouds, and the new bride attracted the attention of everyone around her.

He didn't speak again, and Xie Rutang didn't dare to utter a sound either.

Pei Zhiheng drank another cup of tea on the couch, then lifted his robe and left.

Xie Rutang blushed again as she watched his actions.

This is the teacup she just used; he didn't wash it...

The Second Master, holding a high position and wielding great power, was a very particular person. His servants would always carry a set of chopsticks for his personal use and would not use the Shen family's tableware. This was the etiquette and rule of a prominent family, and it seems that he had forgotten about it just now.

She thought that Pei Zhiheng would come to her Cuiwu Courtyard to rest from time to time in the future.

Xie Rutang pondered for a moment, then asked Jin Yue to go to the storeroom to get a new tea set and chopsticks for him to use later.

Wait until evening.

Xie Rutang noticed that there was an extra fish on the table today, as well as a bowl of thick and sticky bird's nest soup, all of which were delicacies that only Madam Shen could enjoy in the past.

Jin Yue exclaimed with delight, "Madam, there's bird's nest today!"

Xie Rutang lowered her eyes and remained silent.

She loved drinking bird's nest before she became a widow because of its beauty and health benefits. She not only drank bird's nest, but also the best golden bird's nest.

The table was filled with the aroma of fresh fish and bird's nest. She could only enjoy such a sumptuous meal when Shen Yuan was still alive.

Since Shen Yuan's death, the servants in the mansion's kitchen have become exceptionally snobbish, treating her with perfunctory attitudes and secretly cutting back on her rations. These servants are adept at changing their tune depending on the situation; for example, when the palace bestowed imperial tea and snacks, everyone in the mansion received a share, but Cuiwu Courtyard was the only one left out.

At first, Xie Rutang didn't want to argue, thinking it was better to avoid trouble, so she simply endured it. But after a while, she became unwilling to just passively accept things and learned to fight for her rights. If she couldn't get her share from the kitchen, she would go directly to Shou'an Hall and ask for her rightful share in front of Old Madam Shen.

Xie Rutang silently drank the bird's nest soup, and she already knew in her heart that it must have been Pei Zhiheng who secretly instructed and took care of her to get it.

She held the silver spoon and sipped the bird's nest soup slowly and gracefully. Even when she ate, she was elegant and dignified. The crystal bird's nest in the porcelain bowl was stewed until it was soft and tender.

Xie Rutang suddenly felt that this was for the best.

She was already lonely and helpless as a widow, but now that she had an affair with Master Pei, and he came to Cuiwu Courtyard late at night, she was no longer lonely and could find some comfort.

Most importantly, she had no power or influence in the Shen family and had to live at the mercy of others, but now Pei Zhiheng was taking care of her, a widow.

Xie Rutang lowered her eyes. She was not the kind of woman who was willing to stay by her husband's side for a lifetime, only to end up with the so-called chastity arch bestowed by the government when she was old.

Why should widows have to remain chaste for life, while officials and scholars can still have many wives and concubines even after their wives die? Many high-ranking officials remarry shortly after their wives die, and her father, Xie Chengen, was one of them.

Moreover, her mother-in-law treated her harshly and tormented her in every way, and her sister-in-law was ungrateful and always treated her like a servant. One thing after another had worn away her former gentleness, and she had also become resentful.

Although she deliberately seduced Shen Yuan, Shen Yuan married her because of her beauty. He got what he wanted, and after marriage, she played the role of a virtuous and beautiful wife.

If she could gain the Second Master's favor and Pei Zhiheng's high position and power through surrogacy, she would be willing.

Xie Rutang felt bitter. No matter how many etiquettes and moral codes there are in the world, no matter how many empty titles there are, they are not as real as the benefits that can be held in one's own hands. Only what is in one's own hands is tangible and reliable.