The Slender Waist-Chapter 631 - 456: How to React

Such times have been sorely missed.

Feng Yun ate with grace, chewing slowly and thoroughly, while Pei Jue neither ate nor moved, seated behind the desk like a wooden carving devoid of emotion, staring at her.

A person devoid of much interest.

Yet, not out of place.

Even in this tranquility, Feng Yun felt extremely relaxed, and the weariness from chasing down the path from Huaxi seemed to dissipate.

She glanced at him with a smile.

"What is Your Majesty looking at me for?"

Pei Jue’s throat moved, "You’re beautiful."

She hadn’t even had the time to bathe, dressed in the simplest and most unadorned tunic and petticoat, without a touch of makeup, a plain face to the sky, with a visage of tiredness and haggardness. What was there to be beautiful about?

She smiled, pushed the bowl away, and stood up.

Pei Jue looked up at her, "Where are you going?"

Feng Yun, "To change clothes... Let the maidservant attend to me."

Pei Jue hesitated for a moment, then slowly clasped her wrist and pulled her into his arms, his voice husky.

"I will attend to you."

How was he to do this? This wasn’t something a husband should do. Feng Yun was taken aback for a moment and realized when she came to her senses that Pei Jue had already led her to the side of the respectful tub...

It was evident that he had arranged everything in anticipation of her arrival.

The tub was cleaned thoroughly, and the room was faintly scented.

This fragrance was not her usual Laughing Lotus, serene and elegant, which unexpectedly made Feng Yun think of Plum Blossom in the Snow...

Since Li Sangruo fled to Yecheng, Plum Blossom in the Snow had vanished, and Feng Yun still felt some regret.

She asked, "What is this scent?"

Pei Jue glanced at her, "Provided by the post house, I do not know."

Feng Yun knew that he usually had no love for such elegant things as burning incense and brewing tea, and could not elaborate on it, so she pursed her lips and smiled at him.

"As if a tree laden with blooming flowers, opening the heart and refreshing the mind. Very nice."

Pei Jue didn’t say anything, carefully straightened her clothes, and made sure she was comfortable...

But if he showed no restraint, how could Feng Yun have the heart to do so?

She would never display such a posture in front of Pei Jue.

Once her clothes were properly arranged and she saw that Pei Jue had no intention of leaving, her eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Your Majesty can wait outside for me. If needed, I will call for you."

Pei Jue looked at her deeply, did not insist, and left with large strides, casually lowering the curtain behind him.

Feng Yun, watching his retreating figure, heaved a sigh of relief.

After changing, she tidied her clothes herself, washed her hands, wiped her face, and then came out slowly.

"What’s that sound?" she asked.

Pei Jue stood by the window, watching the banana leaves sway in the courtyard.

"It’s raining."

At first, it was just a sporadic light rain, but in the blink of an eye, it quickened its pace, drops falling on the eaves, tapping lightly, as if a beautiful lady played a melody that wafted back and forth in the night sky...

Feng Yun stood beside Pei Jue and smiled, "Lucky for us to have arrived a step earlier, otherwise getting caught halfway would have turned us into drenched chickens."

No sooner had she spoken than she thought of the sisters Jin Shuang and Pin Shuang whom they had met on the way, and her expression darkened slightly.

"If the rain had started earlier, the fires in Baihe City might not have been able to ignite."

Pei Jue had just heard the report of the fire from Jiu You, and with a comforting motion, he smoothed his hand over her back, his silent gaze filled with solace.

He actually understood her.

The silent Pei Jue, whether in his past life or this one, often frustrated Feng Yun.

At this moment, he stood tall, silently being there to soothe, looking extremely handsome and particularly pleasing to her eye.

Feng Yun looked at him, silent for a long while.

Pei Jue in a low voice, "I will have someone prepare water for you to wash up, so you can rest early."

His breath fell by her ear, warm and ticklish, causing Feng Yun to shiver involuntarily and nod.

Pei Jue went out the door, and Feng Yun stirred the fire in the stove and sat at the wooden table to look over the official documents he had been reviewing.

She casually flipped open a sheet of paper.

Written on it,

"Waist."

All sorts of "waist" danced before her eyes...

Feng Yun curved her lips, pressed the paper under the official documents, and pretended she hadn’t seen it.

Footsteps echoed in the corridors of the post house courtyard.

Soon, they all returned to the tranquility of the night.

Everyone in the post house had gone to sleep, leaving only the sound of the rain, rushing and quick...

Feng Yun lay drenched in Pei Jue’s arms, her head resting on his shoulder, and couldn’t stop trembling while her teeth chattered softly.

Pei Jue didn’t speak but wrapped her a bit tighter and tucked in the corner of the blanket.

It was bitterly cold in winter, and the post house, unlike Changmen, lacked coal for heating and an underfloor dragon for warmth; bathing for even a short while left one feeling chilled to the bone.

Luckily, Pei Jue’s body was warm.

Feng Yun, unapologetically, rubbed her hands and feet all over him, seeking warmth wherever she could find it...

Pei Jue looked down at her, "Why are you so afraid of the cold?"

Feng Yun shivered gently, "You just realized I’m afraid of the cold? If you can’t stand it, I’ll call Aozai over to warm me up..."

With a fire burning before the couch and another him upon it, why would there be any need for Aozai?

Pei Jue glanced over to the dozing Aozai by the fire, who had just poked its head out only to tuck it back in, resting on his leg.

"I’ll have someone heat up a hot water bottle," he said.

"No need," Feng Yun refused, wrapping her arms tightly around him, "Just hold me, I’ll be okay in a bit."

She couldn’t help shivering as she spoke, feeling utterly disheveled. But it was indeed too cold; after growing accustomed to the luxury of Changmen, suddenly shifting to this place, with its hard, cold bedstead and the tap-tap of the rain, seemed enough to freeze her solid...

She was in discomfort, her brow furrowing.

And that look was somewhat petulant.

Pei Jue held her, hugged her, patted her, and cooed, but instead of getting better, she shook even more fiercely. He fell silent for a moment, then suddenly grabbed her ankle and placed it on his waist, turned to the side, pressed down on her diagonally, cradled her face and leaned down to kiss her.

Feng Yun widened her eyes, "Hm?"

He was forceful as if he wanted to devour her alive.

After a struggle, the original chill in Feng Yun began to dissipate, her soul felt as if it had flown away, and she was no longer conscious of being cold...

The two tangled together, neither speaking. In the end, Feng Yun couldn’t bear his silence and reached out to tug at his belt. At this touch, her soul seemed to transcend.

He was already aroused, yet he held still, waiting for her...

Feng Yun pushed him away dissatisfied, mumbling the words "Pei Gou."

Pei Jue’s throat caught, and he gasped for breath, suddenly pressing down on her hand, not giving her a chance to resist, and directly lifted the hem of her dress...

Hmm! The engorgement made Feng Yun spontaneously jerk, and she let out a sound, about to say something, but Pei Jue deeply kissed her again, swallowing the remainder of her voice.

So-called lightning strikes and earthshaking fire, it probably looked like this.

This couch was far from as spacious and comfortable as the one in Changmen. For someone with Pei Jue’s height and build, it was even a bit cramped, but precisely because of that, the two held each other tightly, their movements intense and seamless...

Soon, Feng Yun’s skin was burning hot, as if a fireball had ignited. She no longer felt cold...

The rain grew heavier, accompanied by a howling cold wind, as if to flip the entire post house upside down...

Feng Yun breathed heavily, like a boat swaying in the storm, unknowing where the shore was.

"Lady Yun..." Pei Jue gently pecked her forehead, "Are you alright?"

Feng Yun’s ears burned.

She knew what he was asking.

He was worried she couldn’t take it because he was so eager tonight.

This subtle understanding between husband and wife, known only to themselves, made her even more restless...

"Hmm," she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his head down to meet hers forehead to forehead, and asked in a soft voice, "And you?"

"I am, of course, fine." His hand cradled the back of her head, twirling her black hair, slowing down considerably.

"You asked why I didn’t sleep last night..."

His voice deepened, almost drowning in the roaring rain outside.

"Just thinking about doing this..."

Feng Yun’s eyelashes trembled, her body involuntarily shivering, the familiar sensation building up within her once again, rising higher and higher, until it broke like a dam, spilling out in her broken, soft cries...

—

Puyang Yi had already noticed Feng Yun had something to say to her the day before, and had spent a restless night thinking about it.

Early the next morning, she got ready and brought along two maidservants with some food to find Feng Yun.

Huanhuan was waiting outside, telling her, "My lady asks that the County Lord please wait a moment, she has not yet risen..."

Puyang Yi’s brows twitched slightly, her expression a mix of a smile and not, "I was wondering why the rain was so heavy last night, it seems it was all for your lady."

Huanhuan, being young, did not understand the implication and gave a naive smile, then heard Feng Yun coughing from inside.

"Come and help me get dressed."

Puyang Yi bit her lip, secretly amused, sitting down to wait with tea.

As she pondered how to tease Feng Yun, she was utterly shocked when Feng Yun presented the silk handkerchief sent by Wen Xingsu. Her expression was a mix of surprise and doubt, her face cycling through several emotions in an instant.

"Is this handkerchief... really a gift from General Wen?"

Feng Yun was also curious about the meaning behind Wen Xingsu’s gift, so she was quite curious as well.

"It was my elder brother who had someone bring it from Nanqi."

Puyang Yi remained incredulous, eyeing her skeptically, filled with doubt and uncertainty, "Ayun, you wouldn’t... be trying to deceive me, would you?"

"Why would I deceive you?" Feng Yun looked at her amusingly, taking out Wen Xingsu’s letter, "Take a look."

Indeed, it was addressed to the Lord of Pingyuan County.

There was no mistake.

It was a gift from Wen Xingsu to her...

Happiness arrived so abruptly that Puyang Yi didn’t know how to react, feeling light-headed, with the urge to jump around in excitement. The words that came out were trembling...

"That day I mentioned in passing that I liked the textiles from Gusu... I never dreamed that General Wen would remember it in his heart, and send me a silk handkerchief upon returning to Nanqi..."

Before she could finish, she suddenly grasped Feng Yun’s wrist, gazing eagerly at her.

"Ayun, what do you think... what does General Wen mean by this?"

This question truly stumped Feng Yun.

She had been pondering it all the way here already.

"Why not... write and ask him?"

Puyang Yi seemed hesitant, "Can I really write to him?"

Feng Yun gave a mischievous smile, "Of course you can. Not only should you write to him, but you also need to think about how to reciprocate the gift for your beau..."