Chapter 105: 15. Lingering
He Yi originally planned to marry Yi Liangze in a marriage of convenience. It would be a marriage in name but not in reality. After the marriage, they would still live their separate lives.
But after today’s bombardment, her determination was not so firm. He was quite attentive to her. He considered her feelings in everything, and he had a sense of responsibility.
No matter what, he was able to hold the wedding on time. This was all the credit for his single-handed persistence. Eventually, the children had a complete family.
If there was anything else that she was unhappy about, it was the matter of Qing Xing.
Every time she thought about it, it was a thorn in He Yi’s heart. She wanted to ignore it, but she always accidentally touched it and felt a faint pain.
Apart from that, Yi Liangze was undoubtedly a perfect man. Even if He Yi was picky, she could not find any flaws in him. Moreover, she was not a picky person.
On their wedding night, she soaked herself in the bathtub, unwilling to get up.
She knew that in their wedding room, her new husband was looking forward to her return. However, she was still troubled about the first time in her memory and couldn’t get out.
Their first time was a nightmare for her that had troubled her for many years. Although she had slowly gotten used to Yi Liangze’s physical contact, the thought of being with him... The shadow and fear of the past could not help but surface.
“How much longer do you plan to stay here?” The man’s large hand reached out for her shoulder and gently pressed on it.
He Yi was shocked. She knew that he was anxious, but she did not expect him to come looking for her. Well, she also guessed that this impatient guy might find her, but she remembered that she locked the bathroom door!
“How did you get in!” He Yi quickly sank her body into the bathtub, and thick foam covered her.
“I’m the male owner here, where can’t I get in!” Yi Liangze said and began to take off his clothes.
“Ah!” She was a little flustered. “You... you have to take a bath too! Aren’t you... you haven’t taken a bath yet!”
“I’ve taken a bath, but when you don’t come out after a long time, I’m sweating all over again. I want to take a bath,” Yi Liangze said matter-of-factly and then got into the bathtub. “Excuse me, I’ll lie down for a while too!”
The bathtub was big enough to accommodate two people, but... was it really good to hug each other so intimately? He Yi wanted to run. “I’m done washing!”
“Help your husband wash!” Yi Liangze pulled her into his arms as if it was a matter of course.
He Yi did not have the time to help him wash. Her pretty face was as red as a cooked shrimp. “Yi Liangze... Don’t be a Hooligan!”
“Shh, I’m your husband!” The man did the most intimate thing with her righteously.
He Yi’s mind started to become dizzy. She was very nervous. The pain of being forced in her memories seemed to be vivid in her mind. She could not help but cry out, “No...”
His kiss was very gentle. It was like a drizzle that fell all over her body, letting her relax little by little. “Don’t be afraid, I will be very gentle!”
He Yi leaned on his strong chest. Her two arms wrapped around his strong waist. She closed her eyes and allowed him to guide her into a mysterious paradise of lust.
She believed in him and gave herself to him completely. There were no pains and fear in her memories, only gentle and delicate kisses. Slowly, her tensed nerves relaxed.
“Come, that’s it. Be good and hold me tight!” The man’s deep and hoarse voice contained desire. He loved her in the gentlest way possible.
On their wedding night, in the bathtub, they completed the most important step of their wedding night.
*
He Yi could not remember how she went back to the bedroom.
She only remembered that she was so tired that she could not open her eyes and did not even want to move her fingers. Yi Liangze scooped her out of the bathtub and rinsed her clean. Then, he wrapped her in a large towel and carried her away.
She could not even remember if she had even laid down on their wedding bed. She only felt the sound of a hair dryer, the warm wind drying her hair, and the man’s fingers interspersed in her hair while she was half asleep and half awake.
She probably fell asleep before her hair was dry!
*
When she woke up in the morning, He Yi moved her body. She felt as if her body had been run over by a heavy car, and her limbs and bones were in pain.
The man beside her had disappeared. He Yi subconsciously looked up at the clock on the wall – it was 9:30!
Oh my God! She slept until 9:30!
This made her, who had always valued the concept of time, almost jump up. The moment she moved, she felt the soreness and powerlessness in the depths of her body.
The man’s passion and wildness from last night seemed to have replaced the terrifying experience of the past. When she recalled it, it was his passion and affection that seemed to have burned her completely.
It was just that this burning was a little more thorough. Her entire body was almost burned to the point that she could not even get up from the bed.
There was a light knock on the door. He Yi asked, “Who is it?”
“Young madam, are you awake?” A girl’s greeting came from outside the door.
He Yi recognized that it was a little maid from the Yi family named Xiao Ling. She said as she put on her clothes, “I’m up now!”
Xiao Ling pushed open the bedroom door and walked in. When she went to the bathroom to wash up, she began to clean the bedroom. By the time she came out, the bedroom had already been tidied up.
“Go downstairs and have breakfast!” Xiao Ling said with a smile, “Young Master, Young Master, and Young Miss have already eaten!”
He Yi looked at Xiao Ling and said, “Who transferred you from home?”
“It was the old madam who transferred Yingzi and me here. She said that the two of us are younger and might be more in line with your living habits!”
Hearing this, she had a new impression of old Madam Yi’s thoughtfulness. It seemed that thoughtfulness was also inherited from the family! In this regard, both grandfather and grandson had similar styles.
Indeed, it was more convenient for the two young girls to be ordered around than to order the older maids around.
Old Madam Yi had specially sent two young maids to serve the family’s daily life in Jinxiu Hua Ting. It could be seen that she was very attentive to He Yi and the children.
Downstairs, after she had breakfast, Yi Liangze returned with the two children.
She did not know why this guy was so energetic! Yesterday, she could only be more tired than she was, but he looked energetic and did not show any signs of fatigue.
“Have you eaten? There is a wedding banquet in the afternoon. Are you interested in attending?” Yi Liangze asked with a bright smile.
Her wedding banquet could also be attended based on her being interested? He Yi smiled sweetly and said, “No matter how busy I am, I have to attend my wedding banquet!”
“Ha!” Yi Liangze was amused by her and walked over to kiss her. This time, Baby and Wan Wan also wanted to be kissed. “Don’t be anxious, come one by one!”
Therefore, Yi Liangze kissed the three of them one by one.
When he was ready to go out, Yi Liangze said, “The banquet at noon is for the leaders of the military. Among them, you know director Yang, his wife, and Grandpa Lu, who saved you in Linjiang last time!”
He Yi understood. The people at the banquet at noon were all-powerful figures, of course, they were also important figures.
“Don’t be nervous. They are all grandfather’s old subordinates and are very easy-going!” Yi Liangze introduced, “You’ve met grandfather Lu before! Last time, he went to the airport to pick you up!”
He Yi nodded one by one and asked the names and positions of the other chiefs so that she had a good idea.
After saying this, she saw that Yi Liangze seemed to want to say something but hesitated, so she couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What else do you want to say?”
Yi Liangze’s expression was a little unnatural. He hesitated for a moment and said, “The old chiefs all love tea, so... to give a grand reception, we have to serve a tea girl!”
When the word tea girl was mentioned, both of their hearts jumped at the same time. For a moment, the happy atmosphere was greatly reduced.
“I don’t need a tea girl anymore!” Yi Liangze felt like he had been bitten by a snake once and was afraid of a rope for ten years. “But when it comes to serving the chiefs, the standards are too low and I’m afraid I’ll neglect them!”
He Yi nodded slowly and said, “Just make the arrangements!”
*
The largest tea hall at the banquet was decorated luxuriously with a classical charm.
He Yi discovered that not only were there tea girls but there were also opera troupes. Because most of the old chiefs liked Beijing opera, Yi Liangze specially set up a stage in the Tea Hall and invited a group of Beijing opera troupes to perform.
The stage was performing a classic scene, and the conversation on the tea-table under the stage was even more intense.
He Yi and her two children became the focus of the entire scene. She knew that from now on, she and the children would stand together with Yi Liangze and be prosperous together.
The fragrance of tea curled up, and the sound of bamboo music filled the teahouse with a nostalgic ancient charm. It was a popular factor in the last century. The old people loved to enjoy themselves by drinking tea and listening to plays!
The new tea girl had the same appearance and age. She was skilled and knew when to advance or retreat. The tea she brewed was praised by all the guests present.
He Yi took a sip of tea and looked around. She felt that something was missing. “Why didn’t you light an incense burner?”
“Huh?” Yi Liangze didn’t understand what she meant.
He Yi pursed her lips and said, “I remember that you like to light that incense burner when you drink tea. The incense mist curls up and has a more artistic conception. Don’t the elders like it?”
“Incense burner?” Yi Liangze recalled carefully and said with certainty, “I never use that thing!”
He didn’t like it when it was smoky.
He Yi was stunned. “You never use an incense burner when you drink tea?”
Yi Liangze realized something and narrowed his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
He Yi Thought for a moment but didn’t say anything. “It’s nothing. Sit with the chiefs for a while. I’m going out for a walk!”
*
When He Yi left the tea room, she looked around. There was no incense burner around, which meant that an incense burner was not necessary when drinking tea.
There was a doubt in her heart that was slowly magnifying, forcing He Yi to find out the truth.
She came to the door of Yi Liangze’s exclusive teahouse, called for the foreman to open the lock, and walked in.
The furnishings inside were all the same as before. There was almost no change. It was just cold and quiet, which meant that the owner had not visited it for a long time.
He Yi walked around the teahouse but did not find an incense burner. This meant that Yi Liangze’s special tea room never had this thing!
She was afraid that she had missed something, so she called the head waiter again and asked, “Has young master Yi’s tea room used an incense burner?”
“Incense burner?” The head waiter was a little puzzled. When he understood what an incense burner was, he quickly answered, “No! Young Master Yi doesn’t have the habit of burning incense!”
“I remember that there was a small incense burner here!” He Yi pointed to the imperial consort’s bed near the window and said, “It was made of copper with the shape of a crane. It was very exquisite. Later, where did that thing move to?”
The foreman recalled in surprise for a long time and finally shook his head. “I... I don’t know... If Young Madam wants to check, we can take a look at the surveillance footage!”
*
A disturbing fact – the surveillance footage had been erased!
He Yi had not expected such an outcome! Thinking again, more doubts surfaced in her mind.
The surveillance video was erased. Was it an accident or was it intentional? If it was intentional, what was he planning? What was he trying to cover up?
Qing Xing was already dead. Did she hide the missing incense burner when she was alive, or did someone help her hide it?
*
Returning to the banquet’s tea hall, the guests chatted happily. Baby became a treasure that many grandfathers fought to hold. Wan Wan hid in Yi Liangze’s arms and only responded to the elders’ friendly teasing with a sweet smile.
One was soft and cute, one was lively, one was quiet, and the other was excited. These two children each had their own merits. He Yi looked at Baby and then looked at Wan Wan, and the corners of her mouth could not help but curve.
“Mother, come here!” Yi Liangze waved to He Yi.
He Yi walked over and sat down to chat with the elders. Wan Wan immediately slipped into He Yi’s arms from Yi Liangze’s arms.
This was the second time Mrs. Yang had seen He Yi. She said with a smile, “I like children the most, especially girls. It’s so sad under the knees. Wan Wan is so cute and quiet. Can I hug her?”
He Yi bent down and asked Wan Wan in his arms, “Wan Wan, Auntie Yang likes you very much. Can you go and hug her?”
Wan Wan hesitated for a moment, but she still obediently walked over and let Mrs. Yang Hug her
“Such a good baby!” Madam Yang was extremely fond of Wan Wan. She immediately took off a jade bracelet on her wrist and gave it to her as a welcome gift. “Come, sit beside Auntie. Whatever you want to eat, Auntie will hold it for you!”
Wan Wan was extremely polite and well-mannered. When Madam Yang helped her with the dishes, she would always say thank you. The leftover chicken bones, scraps, and the like would all be wrapped up in tissue paper to make it convenient for the waiter to come over and clean them up.
“As expected of a good seedling from a noble family’s daughter!” Mrs. Yang said to her, “To be able to raise such a child, you must have contributed a lot!”
He Yi was a little embarrassed and said, “Although Wan Wan is quiet, sometimes I feel that... she’s too quiet. She is not too lively?”
This was a pain in He Yi’s heart. Wan Wan grew up by Chu Tianyi’s side and carefully looked up to others. A girl who was too sensible meant that the environment she was in was too harsh and would not allow her to make mistakes.
In comparison, she would rather have some of the wilfulness and stubbornness that a child should have.
But Wan Wan was never willful. She was a child who was so sensible that it made one’s heart ache.
“Although the child is quiet, she is very smart! Look at her big eyes,” Mrs. Yang praised confidently. “Just like her mother, she is an ice-cold and smart woman! She looks weak, but in fact, there are needles hidden in the cotton. No one dares to underestimate her!”