Wen Tang raised his eyelashes slightly, glanced at him, then gently placed the safety lock in his hand on the table, pushed it to the center inconspicuously, and then slowly stood up.
He was really tall, standing in front of her, like a wall.
She reached out and slowly touched his buttons. Her fingertips first brushed against the slightly cool buttons on his chest, and then slid down along the lapel.
Qin Gong stood there, not knowing what he was thinking, but he clearly felt that the place where his wife's hand touched was a little itchy.
He wanted to say something, but his wife had already unbuttoned the first button, her fingertips exploring downwards deftly, occasionally looking up at him. Qin Gong's Adam's apple rolled, and the irritation he had just felt dissipated a little.
Wen Tang took off his outer robe and hung it on a huanghuali wood hanger beside him. Just as he was about to continue to feel for the laces of his middle coat, his slightly hoarse voice rang out, "I can do it myself."
Qin Gong undressed himself, his movements were much faster, and soon his upper body was naked.
Wen Tang's gaze went to his lower abdomen. There was a shallow line there, and traces of color were almost visible.
She slowly shifted her gaze, picked up the celadon teapot on the table, and filled a bowl of tea for Qin Gong. "Master, moisten your throat before you go in for a bath."
Qin Gong picked up the tea bowl, tilted his head back and drank it, then spit it all out.
"Master, what's wrong?" Wen Tang's frightened voice sounded in his ears.
Qin Gong's mouth was numb from being burned and he wanted to speak, the veins on his forehead throbbing faintly, but when he raised his eyes and saw his wife's panic-stricken expression, he suppressed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.
"...Nothing." Qin Gong calmly put down the teacup in his hand and said lightly.
Wen Tang immediately turned around and steadily poured a new cup and handed it to him, "Husband, you choked because you drank too quickly just now. Drink slowly this time."
Qin Gong looked at the new tea in silence. He didn't want to refuse his wife's kindness in public, so he reached out to take the teacup, then turned around and placed the tea on the low table farthest from Wen Tang. With his back to her, he said, "I'm not thirsty now. Take a shower first and drink the tea later."
"Okay." Wen Tang responded readily, turned around, and sat down comfortably in the large armchair. Then he took the hot wet towel out of his palm and put it aside. His eyes fell back on the table, and he reached out to fiddle with the safety lock a few times.
When Qin Gong came out of the bath, the wet nurse also brought the children in. The two children were sleeping soundly, and they were just brought in for the master to take a look.
Qin Gong, wearing his underwear, walked over and touched the two children's chubby faces with his hands.
They were all sleeping soundly.
very good.
After a moment, he waved his hand and the wet nurse quietly left.
Wen Tang was still sitting in the chair. Seeing him walk towards her after coaxing the child, she picked up the safety lock and her slender white fingers played with the red rope, turning it and twisting it. The safety lock was small and exquisite, with a strong sense of presence.
She felt his eyes fall on the safety lock.
"Does your hand hurt?" he asked.
Wen Tang paused as he wound the rope around the lock:
"I feel unwell. Let the doctor come and see me."
What's that look in his eyes?
Wen Tang didn't beat around the bush with him and handed it to him directly, "Master, this is a safety lock." It was given to you by your childhood sweetheart.
Qin Gong sat down, his eyes finally landing on the safety lock. He studied it for a few breaths, then looked at Wen Tang: "Did you hear the servants gossiping? It's just a scratch on the skin with the knife tip, not even a wound. There's no need to go out of your way to ask for a safety lock for this."
Qin Gong finally understood why his wife had sat absentmindedly the entire time he'd returned home. She'd been agonizingly slow in undressing him, even handing him the wrong cup of scalding tea. His mouth was now numb. It was all because of the servants gossiping about her. Qin Gong didn't even consider these scratches a wound. The arrow in his abdomen that had nearly killed him, the blood gushing out like a fountain, the struggle to survive in the countryside, that was a true wound.
Qin Gong looked at the safety lock in her hand, then looked at his wife's frown, as if she disagreed with what he said. He was speechless, thinking that she was making a fuss out of nothing, but he still reached out to take the safety lock.
Wen Tang looked at him, his movements were so casual as if he was taking an ordinary object, and for a moment he couldn't tell whether he was pretending or not.
After all, according to Wen Zhiyi, this was a token of friendship between childhood sweethearts, but Qin Gong's reaction made it seem like he had no impression of it at all.
Is he pretending?
The thought was extinguished by her as soon as it arose. Who was Qin Gong? Why did he have to pretend in front of her?
While she was thinking, a pair of big hands with warm and wet hands after bathing suddenly passed through her knees and back, and suddenly picked her up sideways. Wen Tang reflexively hugged his neck.
The old woman came in at the right time and snuffed out the candle.
In the darkness,
Wen Tang was gently placed on the inside of the bed. Qin Gong, who was next to her, took off his undershirt in a hurry, then immediately turned over to his wife, with Wen Tang pressed down by him.
Wen Tang was thinking about something and was annoyed by his rough behavior. Anyway, at night, his temper was always surprisingly good, so Wen Tang bent his leg impatiently and kicked his strong calf. As soon as he kicked it, it was as if he pressed a switch.
The man who was passionate and had clear intentions just now suddenly stopped moving, and then turned over without hesitation.
Wen Tang's body suddenly relaxed, but he felt cold underneath, and his panties were still hooked between his fingers.
Give her the panties back.
However, Qin Gong was holding her panties in his hand and lying on his side with his back to her.
After a while,
A faint voice came from his side, "You earlier..."
Wen Tang frowned.
But Qin Gong said a few words and then stopped talking. He even moved sideways to the outside, putting some distance between them.
"Nothing." He turned his back to her, "Go to sleep."
--
The next morning, birds were singing on the branches in the courtyard.
Several maids and old women came in carrying copper basins, towels, and clothes, and helped their masters get up.
Qin Gong straightened his clothes in front of the mirror, then picked up a few pieces of exquisite pastries. As soon as he put them in his mouth, he felt the numbness at the root of his tongue being aroused again. He frowned and took a few sips of cold tea to suppress it.
The maid came forward, holding an object in her hand, which was the golden peace lock from last night.
The maid asked, "Master, should I tie this around my waist?"
Qin Gong was about to say that it was not necessary, but he looked at the safety lock and shook his head. These safety locks were what women like to ask for. Qin Gong never believed in the protection of ghosts and gods, he only believed that everything depends on human efforts.
When the maid saw the master shaking his head, she thought about putting the things away, but just as she turned her head and took two steps, she heard the master's order, "Tie it up."
Qin Gong looked indifferent. He didn't want to refuse his wife's kindness.
He shouldn't have treated his wife so coldly on the bed yesterday. He woke up early this morning and found himself still holding her underwear. Meeting her sparkling eyes, Qin Gong felt a rare sense of guilt. She had been with him since she was a little girl, giving her body to him, bearing children for him, taking care of the household, and taking care of everything for him. As for that country bumpkin...
"Master, it's done." The little maid fastened the safety lock and stepped aside.
Qin Gong came back to his senses, frowned, and strode out.
Outside the mansion, Fu Jiu was already waiting with a horse. The tall, brown-jujube steed snorted loudly. When the master climbed onto the horse, the safety lock around his waist swayed slightly with his movement, shining brightly.
Fu Jiu looked at it curiously. If he was not mistaken, it should be a safety lock. The master never wore such items. The ones given by the Duke's wife and the current emperor in previous years were all kept in the bottom of the box.
Fu Jiuduo took a closer look and felt that it looked familiar, like an old item.
"Master, are we still going to Linjiang Tower today?" Fu Jiu asked, holding the reins.
"No need."
Fu Jiu hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Jiang Dao's wife has been waiting there for a long time."
The eldest daughter of the Wen family had been coming to the restaurant on time for several days in a row. She looked calm and even in a good mood. Even Fu Jiu was almost shaken. Could it be that her husband from Jiangnan was really innocent and they were looking in the wrong direction?
--
Wen Tang went to the old lady's courtyard to pay his respects and came back to have breakfast in the flower hall in his own courtyard. Several windows were half open, and outside the windows were lush and green bamboos.
There were several exquisite side dishes on the table, pickled cucumbers sprinkled with white sesame seeds, fried rolls that were golden and crispy, and steaming crab roe soup dumplings that had just come out of the oven. The thin skin was translucent and the soup swaying inside could be vaguely seen.
Just finished trying some fresh meat buns,
Baochun from outside came in and said a few words to Mrs. Zhou who came forward.
Then, Mrs. Zhou walked up to Wen Tang and told him everything about the letter sent by the fourth lady and the scheduled meeting.
"Fourth Miss is truly bold in doing such a thing." Old Mrs. Zhou frowned. If it worked, she could cover it up and make it sound like a story of a talented scholar and a beautiful woman, and it would work. But if it didn't, and someone with ulterior motives used it as a handle to gossip about her, it would bring disgrace to the family and implicate all the unmarried sisters.
"I've been busy all this time, and she's taken advantage of me. What should I do with the people I sent to keep an eye on her?" Wen Tang picked up a clean handkerchief and carefully wiped the oil off his fingertips.
"The fourth young lady is doing it in a very secretive way. It seems like she has someone helping her outside the mansion."
"The letter has been intercepted." Mrs. Zhou handed over the letter that Baochun had just brought. "Judging from the skilled maids in her courtyard, it must have been some time."
Wen Tang reached out and took it.