A Quiet Homecoming

Chen Yao glared at him, both shocked and annoyed. She hadn't expected that a man who usually seemed so upright and refined could speak so plainly about such intimate matters in broad daylight.

"You—you're shameless!" A delicate blush crept across her fair cheeks.

Xie Qingyan arched an eyebrow, then naturally reached out and drew his shy wife into his arms, seating her on his lap facing him. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her soft red lips, saying unhurriedly, "It's just the private pleasure of a married couple."

The conversation had not only veered off course but also turned indecent.

Chen Yao felt she was growing numb to his frequent stolen kisses, but she still pressed her lips together in displeasure and pushed at him. "Not pleasure."

The newlyweds, alone in the room, spent the rest of the afternoon clinging to each other.

Before long, evening came.

The man, having just tasted such pleasures and clearly hungry for more, naturally spent the night entwined with his young wife once again.

Chen Yao's small hands weakly gripped the man's taut back, and as if unable to bear it, she instinctively clawed at him several times with her fingertips like a kitten.

"Xie Qingyan, you bastard... l-lighten up!"

When her consciousness finally grew hazy, she kept cursing him in a soft, broken voice, and he, full of tenderness, couldn't help but lean down and cover her lips with his own. Again and again, he gently pressed against her full lips, his tongue delving deep and teasing.

*

Having been up all night, they naturally rose late the next morning. Fortunately, Xie Qingyan said he had already arranged with Madam Xie that she needn't come to the main courtyard for morning greetings, so Chen Yao grumbled but let him off the hook.

Since he was now married, Lord Xie intended to delegate more authority to him. Even during the rest period, being at the mansion, Xie Qingyan was still fairly busy during the day.

They had lunch together in Fufeng Courtyard, then took a short nap. When Chen Yao woke up from the bed, she was alone in the room again. But she was naturally a slacker and didn't mind much—she simply thought of it as moving from the Pingyuan Hou Mansion to a new place, still enjoying herself as she pleased.

So when Xie Yi'an came bounding over with a happy expression to see her sister-in-law, she found Chen Yao reclining lazily on a lounge chair in the courtyard, slowly flipping through a book.

"Sister-in-law, I've come to see you," she called out.

Chen Yao looked up and saw the little girl with her two cute hair buns tied with red ribbons, gazing at her with bright, sparkling eyes full of affection.

"Yi'an, you're here," Chen Yao said, sitting up and patting the empty spot beside her with a gentle smile. "Come, sit with me."

"Mm," Xie Yi'an replied, a sweet smile spreading across her face. She smoothed her skirt and sat down beside her with dignified grace.

"Would you like to try the pearl milk tea I've been working on?"

Chen Yao's lounge chair was next to the round table, which was laden with preserved fruits, pastries, and fresh fruit. But most importantly, she had instructed the kitchen to create a milk tea according to her specifications—or in ancient terms, perhaps a milk-based tea.

At this time, goat's milk was quite gamey, the smell so strong that even tea leaves couldn't mask it. Chen Yao had tried all sorts of methods she remembered from her modern life. Eventually, she succeeded by simmering jasmine flowers, red dates, and tea leaves in the goat's milk for half a day, then adding caramel. As for the "black pearls" in the milk tea, that was simpler—mix glutinous rice flour with malt sugar, knead into small balls, and boil them until translucent.

"Did sister-in-law make this herself?" Xie Yi'an looked curiously at the small, translucent balls floating up and down in the caramel-colored tea, then gently sipped through the straw. Her eyes lit up. "It's fragrant and mellow, sweet but not cloying. Your milk tea is excellent."

"I'm glad you like it," Chen Yao said with a beaming smile.

What child doesn't like sweets? Last time on the street, she had noticed that although Xie Yi'an looked politely reluctant, she couldn't help but squint her eyes in delight when eating tanghulu.

Aside from food and fun, Chen Yao didn't actually have much in common with this little talented scholar of the Xie family. But Xie Yi'an proactively brought up the book of stories in her hands, as if trying to match her interests.

Of course, following the principle of not leading children astray, Chen Yao didn't continue discussing the storybook. Instead, she asked about the customs and manners of this dynasty.

As they talked, Chen Yao found herself opening up and began sharing all sorts of strange tales, novels, films, and TV shows she had heard or seen in her modern life. She even casually quoted a few classic lines like "Drunk with flowers, a thousand guests; a sword's cold gleam across fourteen prefectures."

Xie Yi'an listened with sparkling eyes, completely enraptured.

"Where did sister-in-law find such books? I've never heard of anything like them—so witty and grand."

Chen Yao: "..."

She suddenly realized she had been talking too enthusiastically, completely lost in the moment.

Fortunately, although Xie Yi'an enjoyed spending time with her, as a little talented scholar proficient in qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting, her study schedule was still quite packed, so she took her leave politely after not too long.

But at least when the young girl left, her steps were especially light, clearly in a very good mood.

*

It was evening by the time Xie Qingyan returned. The rosy clouds of sunset spread behind him, his tall figure as straight as a pine, even his white robe tinged with a soft hint of red, like an immortal stepping out of a painting.

He leaned down and scooped up the girl still lounging lazily on the chair. "I heard Yi'an came by this afternoon."

"Mm," Chen Yao replied, still rather drowsy and languid.

She instinctively looped her arms around the man's neck and nuzzled her cheek against him, like a well-fed cat seeking affection.

"It seems you and she get along well," Xie Qingyan said, his heart softening. He carried his wife steadily into the room.

Only when the door closed behind them did he slowly lower his head and plant a gentle kiss on her fair forehead.

He sat with his wife on the bed, his lips trailing down along her delicate brows and eyes until they reached the corner of her slightly upturned mouth, where he gave a gentle nip. His warm breath brushed her face, and Chen Yao tightened her arms around him, parting her lips slightly to let his tongue explore her mouth.

Their teeth met, their breaths intertwined. This kiss was gentle and slow, a lingering, deep caress that gradually intensified.