Gu Beichen felt increasingly stifled as he thought about it, downing cup after cup of wine. In his life, this was the first time he had stumbled at the hands of a woman. It truly lived up to the saying that women and petty people are hard to deal with; there was not a single flaw in that statement.
Lu Shi tragically accompanied Gu Beichen, drinking outside all night. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that Gu Beichen finally calmed down.
Lu Shi quickly had people carry Gu Beichen to a guest room to sleep. If only it were that simple, it would have saved so much trouble.
After settling Gu Beichen, Lu Shi hurried back to his own room to catch up on sleep.
...
The sun was high in the sky, and warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting a golden glow on the floor. Feng Jin, who was sleeping soundly in bed, was slightly bothered by the sunlight and pulled the quilt over her head.
"Young Madam, it's already noon. Please get up and eat something. You can sleep again after your meal," Cai Qing whispered as she squatted by the bed. The porridge on the stove had been warmed over and over, but the young madam still showed no signs of waking.
Feng Jin faintly heard Cai Qing's voice. She effortfully opened her tired eyelids and mumbled, "I know. Have the kitchen make some appetizing small dishes and simmer some plain congee." She was truly hungry now. She hadn't eaten anything last night and had been exhausted for the entire night.
After Cai Qing left and the sound of the door closing was heard, Feng Jin slowly lifted the quilt, revealing her head and breathing in the fresh air. As she propped herself up on the bed with her hands, she felt a pervasive soreness and weakness, as if her body had been taken apart and reassembled. Her body didn't even feel like her own.
Feng Jin had no choice but to lie back on the bed, her mind racing. The events of last night replayed in her mind, one after another. The embarrassing moments lingered in Feng Jin's mind, refusing to dissipate. A blush crept from her neck, gradually spreading across her entire face.
Feng Jin abruptly shook her head, trying to forget all these bothersome thoughts.
"Young Madam, the meal is ready." Cai Qing followed by two maids, who placed the dishes on the table before leaving.
"Young Madam, the kitchen has prepared appetizing small dishes, all your favorites. Your maid will help you get up." Cai Qing picked up a set of clothes and walked towards Feng Jin. When she looked up and saw her, her eyes widened, and her face was filled with astonishment. She exclaimed in surprise, "Young Madam… why are there so many red marks on your neck?"
Cai Qing, having no experience, naturally didn't know the cause of the red marks on Feng Jin's neck and assumed Feng Jin was ill. Hearing Cai Qing say this, Feng Jin reached up and touched the red marks on her neck. She immediately remembered what had happened, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face. She cleared her throat and said, "I scratched myself. I was bitten by mosquitoes and it was itchy."
"Then I'll get some ointment." The naive Cai Qing completely believed Feng Jin's words and really fetched a box of ointment from the dressing table. She dutifully applied it to Feng Jin's neck.
"Eat first. I'm really a bit hungry." Feng Jin quickly changed the subject, asking Cai Qing to help her up. The most important thing now was to fill her stomach; she was truly starving.
"Young Madam, eat slowly, don't choke." Cai Qing quickly poured a cup of water and handed it to Feng Jin, afraid she would choke if she ate too quickly. Usually, the young madam ate gracefully and with decorum. Seeing her devour her food so ravenously today was something Cai Qing had never witnessed before. It seemed the young madam was indeed extremely hungry.
"Please serve more congee." Feng Jin handed the empty bowl to Cai Qing. She didn't know what was wrong with her today, but she felt very, very hungry. There seemed to be no other discomfort. Perhaps she was just too hungry from last night.
After Feng Jin had cleared all the food on the table, she felt about seventy to eighty percent full. To avoid indigestion, she had to stop there for now.
"Cai Qing, go fetch a basin of bathwater." She had sweated a lot yesterday and felt sticky and uncomfortable all over. It was all thanks to Ling Mohan. He, on the other hand, was refreshed and had already left early.
"Yes, Young Madam. I'll arrange it right away."
While waiting, Feng Jin yawned, leaning lazily against the bed. She looked sleepy-eyed, as if she wanted to go back to sleep.
"Young Madam, the bathwater is ready. Your maid will help you undress."
"No need, you go rest. I can do it myself." Feng Jin was still not used to having someone serve her while she bathed; she always felt uncomfortable.
"Then your maid will wait outside. If you need anything, Young Madam, just give the order." After Cai Qing left, Feng Jin got out of bed. Following the previous incident with the assassin, Feng Jin now always secured the doors and windows tightly when bathing.
After shedding her clothes, she immersed herself in the hot water, and all the discomfort washed away. Feng Jin leaned lazily against the bathtub. It was a shame the bathtub was still too small, not comparable to a modern bathtub. She couldn't even stretch her legs. She would have to find a way to create a longer and larger bathtub.
When the water cooled, Feng Jin got up and put on her clothes. The ancient hairstyles were truly troublesome. She couldn't manage to comb them herself, so she simply tied her hair into a bun on top of her head and secured it with a plum blossom hairpin on one side. Compared to the more complicated hairstyles Cai Qing used to do, this looked much simpler and refreshing. The plum blossom hairpin in her hair added a touch of elegance. After applying some powder to her face, she looked much more radiant. Feng Jin looked at herself in the mirror with satisfaction and then pushed the door open to leave.
"Young Madam, why is your attire today different from usual?" Cai Qing's surprise was undeniable. The young madam's hairstyle and makeup today were completely different from before, looking very comfortable and refreshing. Especially this hairstyle, it looked simple yet very elegant, and the plum blossom hairpin in her hair was simply the finishing touch.
"I just invented this. It's very simple. I'll teach you when I get back." Finally, she could get rid of those heavy hairstyles, and Feng Jin immediately felt like she could walk with her head held high.
"Come with me to check on Yun Niang's condition." Considering the time, Yun Niang's wound should be ready for a dressing change. When Feng Jin arrived, Ling Wan was already taking care of Yun Niang.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, you're here." Ling Wan looked up and saw Feng Jin. She was first amazed, and then she felt that Feng Jin's hairstyle today was completely different from before.
"Eldest Sister-in-law, your hair?"
"I researched it myself. It's more convenient for doing things this way." The previously heavy hairstyles made it difficult for her to even walk.
"Madam, this hairstyle is truly simple yet elegant," Yun Niang couldn't help but praise. This made Feng Jin's tail wag uncontrollably, and she said with a smile and self-praise, "I thought of this hairstyle spontaneously. It's very convenient to put up, and most importantly, it's very light and breezy."