Chapter 90: Fragrant Company
His body pressed closer and closer, until Song Hemei felt she was entirely leaning against Yu Yeqing's chest. Whether it was because his plundering had left her dizzy, or because his heavy, thudding heartbeat stunned her senseless, she found her hands braced on his shoulders, instinctively following his movements.
She didn't know how long it lasted. The sound of lips and teeth moving against each other finally ceased. Yu Yeqing took the opportunity to rest his head against her neck, and she could hear his rough, heavy breaths and the sound of him swallowing.
He held her very tightly.
Song Hemei gently patted his shoulder. "Are you all right?"
Her voice was also somewhat hoarse, tainted with a hint of lust from the kiss just now. The moment the words left her mouth, she realized something was off and quickly cleared her throat twice to suppress this abnormality.
"I'm fine."
Yu Yeqing's muffled voice came from within her embrace, but he only uttered these two words and said nothing else.
This made Song Hemei start to wonder inwardly. Was he planning to continue with something else?
If he really did want to continue, she would have to control him. It was broad daylight—what kind of behavior was this?
Mainly because this was a guest room. She had entered the room and closed the door. If a man and a woman alone together for a while ended up bathing, wouldn't that let everyone know what they had been doing?
If she didn't bathe here, she would have to walk back all sticky and clingy, which would be truly miserable.
But no matter how much she thought about it, Yu Yeqing showed no intention of continuing. He simply held her quietly, as if he wished his very flesh and blood could merge with hers, never to be separated again.
"That's enough. How much longer are you going to hold me?"
Yu Yeqing paused for a moment, then slowly lifted his head from her neck. He still looked at her quietly, as if all desire had become impure at this moment, driven only by the heart's movement, not the body's.
In contrast, Song Hemei felt that her thoughts just now were a bit dirty. It seemed that between them, she was the only one lacking self-control.
She simply raised her hand and covered his eyes. "Don't look at me like that."
He didn't resist her action and tilted his head back slightly with her force. She could see his slightly parted thin lips stained with her lip rouge. Her thumb rested on his straight, prominent nose bridge. With each rough, heavy breath he took, she could see his Adam's apple moving restlessly.
Song Hemei gritted her teeth and said indignantly, "Stop breathing so heavily!"
Yu Yeqing didn't understand what she meant, but he obeyed her first. He held his breath, which only made his heartbeat even more obvious. Song Hemei resignedly raised her hand and pushed against his chest. "I didn't tell you to stop breathing."
She let go of her hand covering his eyes, her palm still feeling the lingering tingle of his long eyelashes brushing against it. She quickly averted her gaze, not wanting to be so close to him any longer. But because he hadn't loosened his grip, she couldn't directly rise from his lap. She could only turn slightly to the side, trying her best to face away from him.
Her gaze wandered randomly, inevitably landing on the official documents placed on his desk. Only then did she remember that when she first entered, he had been busy with work.
"Let me go. Haven't you finished reading these yet?"
At this moment, Yu Yeqing felt a bit reluctant and couldn't bear to let her go. He only said, "I can read them like this too."
Perhaps to prove his point, he released one arm and stretched it out long enough to reach a scroll on the desk. He brought it right up in front of them and even waved it in front of her.
Song Hemei thought he really knew how to find good things. What was this? Was she supposed to be his "fragrant sleeve" companion, adding fragrance to his study?
"So close, I'll see it too."
"It's fine. This isn't anything secret."
Song Hemei took the scroll from his hand. It detailed matters concerning the livelihood of the people in Linzhou... It was written in such exhaustive detail that even she, someone accustomed to reading ledgers, found it dizzying and annoying.
She couldn't help but ask, "Every time you go to a place, do you have to read this kind of thing?"
"Not entirely. But this place is only two prefectures away from Northern Wei, so the people's livelihood needs to be examined in detail."
Northern Wei again.
Song Hemei couldn't help but think of her brother's matter. Her eyes dropped. "Is it related to my brother's affair? Did those warhorses he dealt with cause trouble on the border?"
Yu Yeqing thought for a moment, then took her hand. "If the two sides really did start fighting, then yes, it would be aiding Northern Wei. But His Majesty's intention is not to go to war."
Hearing the word "His Majesty" suddenly come out of Yu Yeqing's mouth gave her a very strange feeling.
She had grown up in Changzhou, far from the capital, let alone anything about the Emperor. Now that she heard him say it so casually, it made the Son of Heaven seem not so distant.
She looked at him, her eyes bright. "You've seen the Emperor?"
Yu Yeqing nodded.
Song Hemei followed up, "Have you been living in the capital all these three years? Since you said you want to go to the Song family to propose, will I have to go to the capital with you in the future?"
Yu Yeqing thought for a moment and answered seriously, "If there are no official assignments, then I'll be in the capital. If there are, as long as you're willing, you can come with me."
His voice paused, and when he spoke again, his tone carried a hint of nervousness. "It's just that it would be unfair to you, having to leave your family."
He seemed worried that this point might make her change her mind about being with him. The strength with which he held her hand increased.
Song Hemei hummed thoughtfully and said to herself, "Speaking of which, it really is quite troublesome. Not to mention others, my only concern is Jilang. If I really leave, I won't be able to see him for a long time..."
Her voice grew softer and softer. She didn't dare to think about what would happen.
Her parents didn't need her to worry about. Maybe if she was always hanging around them, it would just annoy them. But Jilang was very clingy to her when he was little. Although he had grown up now, suddenly having to shoulder the family alone—if she just up and left, it might really crush him.
She let out a soft sigh. These things would have to be discussed thoroughly when the time came.
She turned to look at Yu Yeqing. "Now I can believe what you said a bit. You're always moving around with no fixed abode. You really aren't a good match. No wonder no one has tried to matchmake for you in these three years."
A flicker of something seemed to pass through Yu Yeqing's eyes, but he quickly steadied himself and said stubbornly, "But you've already agreed to me. There's no chance to back out."
Song Hemei didn't notice his thoughts and only humored him. "Mm-hmm, I won't back out. So when can we go to the capital? How much longer will this assignment of yours last?"
"The date isn't fixed, but regarding Linzhou, about five or six more days should be enough. I also need to go to Pingzhou once. On the way, I can stop at the Song residence to pay respects to your father and mother."
Song Hemei thought about how he had been running between three places recently, going back and forth countless times. It really was hard work.
As for her parents, she frankly said, "There's no need to pay respects to Father and Mother. If they saw you, they might still hold a grudge against you. When we go back, it's enough to just see Jilang."
She turned her head and casually flipped through the documents on the desk, feeling that fate was truly hard to predict.
Back then, Father had hoped Jilang would pass the imperial exams and enter the capital, hoped that the Shao family would rise, and that she and the Song family would follow suit.
But now, none of that had come to pass. Those who wanted to enter the capital couldn't, while she, who didn't care, could ride on Yu Yeqing's coattails.
Thinking this, she couldn't help but let out a light, self-deprecating laugh. She shifted her body slightly.
Moving wasn't a big deal, but as she shifted, she seemed to touch something she shouldn't have. Her movement froze instantly.
Song Hemei pursed her lips, suspecting that she might have mis-sensed something. She didn't turn around, but instead wriggled a little more to test. Then she heard Yu Yeqing let out a muffled groan, and his arm around her waist tightened to restrain her.
Song Hemei sucked in a sharp breath. She had almost believed that he was truly a man who could remain unmoved with a beauty in his lap, that she was the only one aroused. Turns out he just hadn't shown it openly, and she hadn't been sitting in the crucial, proper spot.
She braced her hand on the edge of the desk and said firmly, "I really need to go back now."
Yu Yeqing wanted to pull her back, but since she had already discovered him, even if he wanted to detain her, it wouldn't be good to continue. He could only watch helplessly as she rose from his lap, stood up, and looked down at him.
Her expression was natural, not angry—except that her cheeks were a little red.
"I've stayed long enough. You go ahead and work. I'll come see you when I have free time."
With that, she got up and headed for the door. After a few steps, she stopped, didn't turn back, but tossed out a line: "If you miss me, it's the same to come find me at night."
As the words fell, she had already reached the door in a few steps and pushed it open, leaving the guest room.
Once out of Yu Yeqing's sight, she felt the shame subside a little, but her heart was still pounding fiercely.
She bit her lip. Perhaps there was still some sweetness in it.
Although she had been married before, she had never experienced the sweetness of a proper husband-and-wife relationship. When she was unmarried, she had imagined it, but the actual reality was different from what she had thought.
Maybe they would gather together with her adding fragrance to his study—but she had imagined one writing while the other ground ink, not sitting stacked together, pulling and tugging, leading to unwanted reactions.
It wasn't bad, it's just that the proper, steady life had somehow become fragrant and erotic, making her truly embarrassed.
When she returned to her own courtyard, Song Hemei entered and called for Chunhui. "Have someone boil some hot water for me. I want to bathe."
But it wasn't Chunhui's reply that came—it was Shao Wen'ang's voice calling, "Mei'er."
This sudden sound intruded into her ears, and the unexpected shock sent a chill down her spine.
Song Hemei followed the sound and saw Shao Wen'ang standing under the eaves holding Lianzhu, staring at her.
"You haven't left yet?"
She didn't even bother with the fake "husband" address.
Shao Wen'ang's gaze roamed over her face. He could clearly see her slightly flushed cheeks, and... the lip rouge that seemed a bit faded.
He felt a tightness in his chest. Holding Lianzhu, he slowly stepped forward, wanting to see more clearly.
But the closer he got, the more distinct it became. When he was just a few steps away from her, Song Hemei suddenly turned and walked slowly toward the inner room. "It's too hot out. Aren't you afraid of sunning the child?"
Shao Wen'ang followed her steps. "Weren't you delivering mung bean drink? Why do you need to bathe?"
His question was strangely phrased, but Song Hemei stopped her steps before entering the room.
She turned around with interest. "What do you think?"
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