She handed the object in her hand to Nangong Mo, saying, "Needlework, embroidery, I'm not good at it. If Ninth Imperial Uncle finds this item very ugly, you can refuse it..."
Before her words could finish, her hand was empty.
It was a sachet embroidered with colorful silk threads, with only the character "Mo" stitched on it, and no other patterns. It seemed indeed simple, and the embroidery was slightly clumsy. However, as Nangong Mo held the item, his icy gaze seemed to melt like frost meeting warmth, filled with tenderness.
"Where is it ugly? I find it extremely beautiful." Nangong Mo looked at the sachet in his hand, which was actually a bit ugly in appearance, yet he cherished it. His gloomy mood of several days finally lifted a little.
"The sachet contains Bai Zhi, Chuan Xiong, Cang Shu, Shan Nai, Xiang Fu, and other common herbs that soothe emotions. Their fragrance can also calm the mind. If you like it, keep it. If you don't, feel free to dispose of it."
Gu Qianying knew her embroidery was terrible, so it was natural for others not to like what she presented.
"I like it very much, and I will wear it often." As he spoke, he even put the sachet on his waist in front of Gu Qianying.
Gu Qianying looked at him, speechless.
Was Nangong Mo treating her this way simply because she resembled his beloved?
"Ninth Imperial Uncle, Qianying has been married into the Ninth Prince's Mansion for so many days, but I haven't returned home for a visit. Would you accompany me for my homecoming tomorrow?"
Gu Qianying walked to the table, picked up a plate of pastries, and brought it to Nangong Mo. She picked up a pastry and offered it to him.
Her slender jade fingers were right before him. Nangong Mo looked up at her. She wore a faint smile, as if the punishment of confinement for the past few days had never happened. Her sudden gentleness completely ensnared him.
His thin lips curved upwards, "Good, tomorrow, I will accompany you for your homecoming."
As he finished speaking, he opened his mouth towards her, his intention as clear as could be.
Bai Qi, standing behind Nangong Mo, cleverly turned his face away.
Cai Xia, following Gu Qianying, did the same.
Gu Qianying looked at the person before her, who was like a child asking for a reward or food. Her lips twitched. She took a deep breath and stuffed the pastry into his mouth.
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, as her jade finger entered his mouth, he accidentally bit it.
A tingling sensation surged through her.
Gu Qianying's face instantly turned red.
"Ninth Imperial Uncle!" she gritted her teeth.
Nangong Mo released his mouth.
Gu Qianying immediately withdrew her hand and turned away.
Bai Qi and Cai Xia quietly retreated.
The door closed.
Nangong Mo looked at the graceful figure with her back to him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "When did my wife learn to be shy?"
Gu Qianying, still with her back to him, said, "When did Ninth Imperial Uncle learn to take advantage of people?" But under her gaze, which he couldn't see, it was icy cold.
The finger that had been bitten into his mouth was quickly wiped with a handkerchief when Nangong Mo wasn't paying attention. The poison powder remaining in her fingernails had vanished.
"Hahaha..."
Nangong Mo burst into laughter.
He reached out and tugged at Gu Qianying's dress, "Turn around."
Gu Qianying did not move.
He raised his voice slightly, "Quickly, turn around, let me have a good look at you."
Gu Qianying turned around and looked at him.
Their eyes met again. More tenderness appeared in his eyes.
"When did you learn embroidery? I remember you hated embroidery the most?"
Gu Qianying frowned slightly. How did Nangong Mo know she hated embroidery?
However, she quickly relaxed. With Nangong Mo's methods, it was reasonable for him to send people to the Gu Mansion to investigate her thoroughly, especially since, on that day, she was ostensibly the person the Ninth Prince of the current dynasty fancied.
Gu Qianying extended her ten fingers, palms open. If one looked closely, they could see several needle pricks on her fingertips. The small wounds were stained red but not obvious, and indistinguishable from afar.
Seeing this,
Nangong Mo's body trembled slightly. He suddenly grabbed her hand and gently blew on it, saying, "You silly girl, you're not good at needlework, yet you insisted on learning. Look at you, your hands are all injured. It must have hurt a lot, right?"
Gu Qianying stood frozen. She had intended to withdraw her hands, but Nangong Mo held them tightly, making it impossible. She looked down at the man carefully blowing on her fingers, her feelings complex. The lingering resentment from her past life flashed in her mind, calming her complex and wavering emotions.
"It doesn't hurt. Compared to the pain of being pricked by those long, thin needles when I was playing with them in front of my mother when I was young, it's much lighter." Gu Qianying took the opportunity to retrieve her hands.
Nangong Mo's hands, which were holding Gu Qianying's wrists, paused. He looked up at Gu Qianying, then released her. When he looked at her again, his eyes were filled with anticipation. "You remembered things from when you were young?"
"Things from when I was young? I naturally remember them. I wonder what Ninth Imperial Uncle is asking about?"
Although she was somewhat puzzled by Nangong Mo's inquiry about her childhood, she did not voice it.
Seeing her bewildered expression, Nangong Mo's hopeful eyes turned to disappointment once more. She must not have remembered yet, otherwise, why would she have such an expression?
"It's nothing. I have some official business to attend to. You should rest."
Unsure of what he was thinking, Nangong Mo called for Bai Qi and instructed him to push him out.
Gu Qianying called out to him from behind, "Tonight, Qianying wishes to get drunk with Ninth Imperial Uncle. Will Ninth Imperial Uncle grant me this favor?"
Bai Qi's action of pushing the wheelchair paused. Bai Qi secretly glanced at his master.
Nangong Mo turned back, "Are you merely asking me to drink with you?"
Gu Qianying smiled charmingly, turned around, walked to the bed, and sat down, deliberately leaving an empty space. She raised her jade finger and gently tapped the spot beside her. "If Ninth Imperial Uncle wishes to do something else with Qianying, Qianying can cooperate wholeheartedly, but... I'm afraid... Ninth Imperial Uncle... you..." The rest of the words were unnecessary; everyone present understood.
Cai Xia, who was waiting outside the door, blushed like an apple.
Bai Qi, standing behind Nangong Mo, touched his nose and silently lit a candle for his Princess in his heart.
Nangong Mo's face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, "Bai Qi! Get everyone out of here. Do not disturb us without my order!"
"Yes, Master!"
Bai Qi trembled, accepted the order, and quickly slipped away, also signaling the hidden guards to withdraw. Cai Xia and the other maids also retreated.
Only Gu Qianying and Nangong Mo remained in the room.
Nangong Mo waved his sleeve, and the room door closed again.
*Whoosh!*
The candlelight in the room was suddenly extinguished by a gust of wind.
Complete darkness.
Gu Qianying sat in place, unmoving, but the two silver needles held between her fingers under her sleeve gleamed in the darkness.
In the darkness, a pair of hands suddenly embraced her, pressing her down, and kissing her simultaneously.
As their lips met, Gu Qianying's silver needles were about to be thrown.
"Since my wife is so cooperative, how can your husband disappoint you?"
Gu Qianying narrowed her cold eyes and retracted the silver needles in her hand.
As she closed her eyes, the doubts in her heart found their answers.
She raised her palm and waved it forcefully.
The candlelight was relit, and the room went from dark to bright.
Nangong Mo's kiss paused. Gu Qianying turned her face away.