Chapter 158: Probing
Chapter 158
Qin Chuyuan and Gong Xiaohua went back to the room together. In the eyes of outsiders, they were husband and wife, so they were naturally assigned to live in the same room.
However, when the two of them entered the room, they saw only one bed without any mattresses, and there was only one quilt.
Ever since their wedding, one person had been sleeping on the bed while the other slept on the mattress.
Now there was only one bed and one quilt in this room. In the cold winter, let alone no extra quilts, even if there were extra ones, one could freeze to death sleeping on the floor.
The two looked at the only place to sleep in this room and fell silent.
"I'll go ask if there are any extra quilts," Gong Xiaohua said and was about to go out.
Qin Chuyuan panicked and quickly stopped the other person, "Don't go. Outsiders all know that we are already married. If you go ask someone for a quilt again, what would they think?" His speech was several times faster than usual.
"You sleep on the bed. I can pad some clothes on this mattress," he said, then turned around to take his own clothes from the cabinet, not forgetting to cough once in between.
Hearing his cough, Gong Xiaohua thought about the howling cold wind outside. The temperature was getting lower and lower at night. Not to mention this small mattress, how could an eight-chi tall man sleep on it? So she suggested:
"We should just sleep on the bed!"
Hearing this, the corner of Qin Chuyuan's mouth lifted slightly. If Gong Xiaohua could see his expression at this moment, she would surely find out his little attempt.
They had been married for half a year. This was the first time the two were sleeping on the same bed.
Gong Xiaohua was leaning against the innermost side of the bed with her limbs tightly attached to her body and lying ramrod straight with her eyes closed, breathing evenly.
While Qin Chuyuan, who was sleeping on the edge of the bed, found it hard to fall asleep. Seeing the distance between them that could still fit two people, he was very dissatisfied.
So he slowly moved inward, trying to shorten the distance between them. But as long as he made a slight sound, the other party would become alert, so he had to honestly sleep by himself. Time was on his side, and sooner or later he would conquer that one inch of distance.
Although awake he could control his behavior, but once asleep, it was beyond his control. His body was more honest and knew its master's mind.
Early next morning when Gong Xiaohua woke up, there was no more distance between them.
She had already been squeezed to the innermost side of the bed by a certain person, leaving no room at all. His arm was resting on her waist, and her head was tucked under his chin.
At this moment, he was sleeping soundly. Gong Xiaohua looked at his finely shaped eyebrows and aloof handsome face. It was truly the first time in her two lifetimes seeing such a good-looking man.
She did not disturb him and just let him continue to sleep until he woke up on his own.
Later, when the two had finished washing up, the Crown Prince was waiting alone in the living room.
Gong Xiaohua did not go in with Qin Chuyuan. Instead, she chose to stay outside with the guards.
As soon as the Crown Prince saw Qin Chuyuan, his eyes lit up instantly. He teased with malicious intent, "Reunited with sweet rain after a long drought. Good body ah!"
What he got in return was Qin Chuyuan's death stare.
"Alright, I won't say anymore. Where's Xiaohua?"
"Don't call her name so intimately."
"Stingy fellow. It's getting late, let's go."
Outside the yard, Gong Xiaohua saw Wu Sister-in-law sweeping the floor, and there were two little girls helping her. One looked about twelve or thirteen years old. The other one was smaller. But her face looked very pale, her head was very big, yet her body was very thin. She was probably often sick, leading to poor development.
Seeing Gong Xiaohua, Wu Sister-in-law quickly stopped her work and came up with the two girls to greet her, "My lady, good morning."
Wu Sister-in-law was still wearing the same faded single garment as yesterday. The two girls were wearing cotton clothes.
But without exception, the clothes of all three people were mended everywhere. And their hands were also red from the freezing temperature because they got wet.
Gong Xiaohua took out two taels of silver from her money bag and handed it to them: "Take this silver to buy some warm clothes for yourself and the children. Don't freeze to death, it's not worth it."
"My lady, we can't accept this."
"Just take it. If you get sick, we'll have to find someone else. Also, this is a reward from my husband. He cares a lot about face. Those who work under him can't dress shabbily." Gong Xiaohua found an excuse.
Not far away, the Crown Prince and Qin Chuyuan happened to hear Gong Xiaohua's words and walked over. "Sister, you really understand me well."
Seeing the two very dignified gentlemen come over, Wu Sister-in-law must have realized that this was the lady's husband. She quickly bowed in greeting: "Greetings to the two gentlemen."
"Mm. Take this little money. Keep up the good work, and there will be more rewards later."
"Yes, thank you gentleman!"
"You're welcome."
The three people left with two guards, five people total, leaving two guards to watch the house.
Tianran Residence, the largest teahouse in Liang Capital City, was extremely lively at the moment.
They specially found two tables on the first floor lobby. The Crown Prince, Qin Chuyuan and Gong Xiaohua took one table while the two guards took another table separately.
While the Crown Prince's group was eating breakfast and listening to the gossip around them.
"The weather is getting colder."
"Yes indeed. Have you guys heard that Yinyue Girl from Hundred Flowers Building will perform on stage tonight? And she will also pick someone from the audience to spend a passionate spring night together! "
"Hasn't this Yinyue Girl always been selling her artistic skills and not selling her body?"
"Who knows? I heard that this Yinyue Girl looks as beautiful as a fairy, and her musical skills are fascinating. But no one has actually seen her before. I must go and see what's the hype about tonight. Are you guys going?"
"Of course I'm going! People who've seen this Yinyue Girl all say she looks nothing like an ordinary person. Even someone as high-ranking as Lord Gao is very careful around her, deeply afraid the beauty will be upset. We commoners certainly have to go take a look at this fairy!"
"I wonder what kind of person can catch this Yinyue Girl's eyes?"
"As the saying goes, a talented scholar is attracted to a beauty, and vice versa. For people like us, let's just watch the show!"
"The snacks here in Liang Capital City are really good!" The Crown Prince said loudly on purpose, successfully catching the attention of the gossipers next to them.
"Guests, you are from out of town?"
"Yes, I didn't expect the snacks in the capital city to be so tasty."
"Of course! This Tianran Residence is the most famous teahouse in the capital city, and the snacks here are unmatched."
"I'm convinced today, waiter."
"What can I get for you, guest?"
"Bring my friends here your best tea and snacks."
"Coming right up!"
"Brother, you are...?"
"It's fate for us to meet as friends today. Consider the tea and snacks my treat today!"
"Thank you for your generosity, brother!"
"You're welcome. I just overheard you guys talking about the relationship between Yinyue Girl from Hundred Flowers Building and Lord Gao. May I ask if you could tell me more about it?"
"May I ask why you're inquiring about them?"
"Oh, no reason. My family runs an incense business, and I'm here to participate in the annual incense competition held in the capital city. If I can get in good graces with Lord Gao, then my chances of winning the competition would be... Ha ha ha...."
"I see. Let me tell you, although Lord Gao is in a high position with great power, no man can resist a beauty! Hahaha...."