Chapter 483 - 485: My Woman Cannot Be Wronged
Jiang Yichun’s fingertips had some thin calluses, they weren’t very rough, but he was so flustered at this moment, he lost control of his strength while wiping away Bai Ruozhu’s tears and ended up scratching her face.
Bai Ruozhu glared at him reproachfully; who was the one making her so upset and heartbroken? Didn’t he know how to care for himself a little?
"Don’t cry, really, I’m fine,’’ Jiang Yichun said cautiously.
Bai Ruozhu pouted her lips and sniffled her reddened nose, saying, "It’s no joke, look at your red eyes, and you’ve even got stubble. You’re already worn out from fighting off bandits, why in such a hurry to come back? Don’t you trust me to handle things?"
Although these were words of complaint, they only made him feel warm and cozy inside — she was concerned about him and felt sorry for him.
"Idiot, it’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just that I can’t bear to see my woman treated unfairly. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even have the mindset to deal with those damn bandits." Probably because she had emphasized the curse word so much, he also placed much emphasis on the two words "damn crap".
My woman shall not be treated unfairly...
Bai Ruozhu shot back at him, "No one can treat me unfairly, only you can annoy me to death!"
He took her hand and warmed it in his palm, looking deeply into her eyes, "From now on, I’ll make sure to keep myself energized before meeting you."
Indeed, he couldn’t be so reckless as to worry her in the future.
"Hmm, you didn’t even wake up when Dengdeng was crying, that shows how tired you were. Now, while it’s still dark, catch some more sleep. I’ll wake you up before dawn," Bai Ruozhu said, making room for him in bed.
The mansion with their beds and furniture were all prepared by Lady Meng. Their bed, unlike Bai Ruozhu’s previous small one, was significantly larger, so even if Dengdeng slept on the inside, Bai Ruozhu in the middle, and Jiang Yichun on the outside, they’d all have plenty of room to sleep.
He wanted to say he’d gathered his spirits after a while of sleep, but noticing the warmth of the bed, and Bai Ruozhu’s slightly reddened cheeks, his heart pounded wildly. This was their first time sleeping together — he’d be a fool to refuse!
With that, he took off his boots and lay down still in his clothes.
"Ruozhu, once I become an official officer, I’ll formally ask your parents for your hand in marriage," Jiang Yichun murmured.
"My parents don’t care about that," Bai Ruozhu softly replied.
"I know, but I don’t want you to feel slighted," said Jiang Yichun, mentioning this for the second time this evening.
A smile appeared at the corner of Bai Ruozhu’s mouth, but rather than lying down immediately, she said, "Go to sleep now, I’m watching over you. If you don’t sleep, I’ll kick you out!"
Jiang Yichun laughed bitterly. How was he supposed to sleep beside her? Did she not notice how tense he was, afraid to make a single move in case she found it revolting?
"Close your eyes, keep them shut, and don’t speak!" Bai Ruozhu commanded.
Jiang Yichun obliged, initially lost in random thoughts. When he finally fell asleep, he didn’t even realize it. He truly was worn out these past few days. He’d ridden full tilt since receiving the news in the afternoon, only stopping for his horse to drink water. He hadn’t even stopped for dinner.
Naturally, he himself on horseback was far faster than the horse carriage. Even though the carriage would take four or five hours, he made it back in three. It was obvious how desperately he’d ridden.
Bai Ruozhu looked at his sleeping face with affection, her eyes softening as she smiled. He must feel at ease with her by his side. He was already sleeping.
With a thought, she took out sable fur from her spatial storage and started sewing.
She planned to make a fur vest that he could wear on the inside. But for his ease of movement and comfort, she planned to combine this with hook and needlework. For instance, the shoulders would be too thick if she used fur, and this could look bulky under his outer clothes, especially since he didn’t like to wear padded clothes.
For the underarm area, she planned to connect two pieces of fur with a hooked line. This way, the important parts would be kept warm, but movement wouldn’t be hindered, and it wouldn’t look so thick.
She’d already cut the fur to size. Considering her sewing skills, Bai Ruozhu of her previous life probably couldn’t have managed it. But in ancient times, if you needed clothes sewn, you’d do it yourself. So, she’d learned dressmaking from her mother.
She had found a piece of black silk material for lining. Slowly, she continued to sew until the sky started lighting up, rubbing her eyes and putting the half-completed vest back into her spatial storage.
Although she didn’t have the heart to wake up Jiang Yichun, who was sleeping so soundly, almost childlike, she couldn’t have her mother suddenly come over to find a man in her bed when daylight arrived, could she?
She gently tapped his face, sneakily caressing his handsome countenance, murmuring as she touched him, "It’s only so-so, not as smooth as my skin."
A hand with long, distinct fingers suddenly captured hers while his eyes fluttered open, a hazy look in his gaze.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh. She was used to his cold countenance and his teasing, playful side, but this was the first time she saw his dazed look when he’d just awoken. He looked so adorably clueless, almost matching Dengdeng.
Her laughter drew him back to reality, the haze cleared from his eyes, making them crisp and clear again.
"When did I fall asleep?" he asked a little helplessly. He’d been so determined to stay awake.
"You fell asleep within a few moments of lying down. I told you that you needed to rest well," Bai Ruozhu replied, her face still full of amusement.
He quickly touched his face. Nothing on it, right? What was she laughing at?
"Haha, it’s not drool. It’s your face when you just wake up — you looked as clueless as Dengdeng," Bai Ruozhu chuckled.
"Clueless?" Jiang Yichun said, implying that this was the first time he’d heard this word.
Bai Ruozhu wished she could have taken a picture of his just-awake look to show him, but there were no cameras at this time. Though there were painters who could capture a person’s expression with enchanting accuracy, she didn’t have that skill.
"Later, you can look at Dengdeng’s expression just after he wakes up," Bai Ruozhu could only suggest this.
He suddenly remembered that night when Dengdeng cried a couple of times and Bai Ruozhu fed him in a sleepwalking state. The way he closed his eyes while feeding | on her breast, was that what she meant by clueless?
Unable to stop himself, he blushed — his thoughts wondering to inappropriate places, his body responding with heat and an awkward physical reaction down there...
"Hey, stop daydreaming and hurry up! Don’t let my family see you," Bai Ruozhu urged him, seeing that dawn was breaking.
Jiang Yichun snapped back to reality, stood up with a bent body from the bed, carefully hiding his embarrassing situation from sight, and with an evasive gaze said, "Get some more sleep, I’ll pay a visit during the day."
"Uh? What excuse are you going to use? My family doesn’t know anything," Bai Ruozhu quickly questioned.
Jiang Yichun was already heading towards the window, and turned back to give her a teasing smile before saying, "You’ll know later."