Gu Beichen felt increasingly stifled as he thought about it, downing glass after glass of wine. In his entire life, this was the first time he had stumbled at the hands of a woman. It was true what they said, that women and petty people are difficult to deal with; there wasn't a single word of it wrong.
Lu Shi pathetically accompanied Gu Beichen as they drank cold water 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. That would have been better, saving 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 glow on the floor. Feng Jin, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, felt slightly uncomfortable from 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 you've eaten," Cai Qing whispered as she crouched by the bed. The porridge kept warm on the stove had been reheated again and again, yet the Young Madam showed no signs of waking.
Feng Jin vaguely heard Cai Qing's voice and wearily opened her heavy eyelids, mumbling, "I know. Ask the kitchen to make some appetizing small dishes and simmer some white porridge."
Her stomach was truly hungry. She hadn't eaten anything last night and had been exhausted for the entire night.
After Cai Qing left and Feng Jin heard the closing of the door, she slowly lifted the quilt and revealed her head, breathing in the fresh air.
She propped herself up on the bed with her hands, about to get up, when she felt a dull ache all over her body, as if she had been taken apart and reassembled. Her body didn't feel like her own.
Feng Jin had no choice but to lie weakly on the bed, her mind racing. The events of last night replayed in her mind.
The embarrassing scene lingered in Feng Jin's mind, refusing to dissipate.
A blush crept up from her neck, filling her entire face.
Feng Jin abruptly shook her head, trying to forget all these bothersome thoughts.
"Young Madam, the food is ready," Cai Qing said. She was followed by two maids who placed the dishes on the table before leaving.
"Young Madam, the kitchen has made some appetizing small dishes, all of your favorites. This servant 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 eyes widened, and her face was filled with shock. She quickly exclaimed, "Young Madam… you… why are there so many red marks on your neck?"
Cai Qing, having no experience, naturally didn't know what those red marks on Feng Jin's neck were. She thought it was because Feng Jin was sick.
Hearing Cai Qing say that, Feng Jin reached up and touched the red marks on her neck. She immediately remembered what had happened. A hint of embarrassment flashed across her face, and she cleared her throat, saying, "I scratched myself. I was bitten by some insects, and it was itchy."
"Then I'll get some ointment." The naive Cai Qing directly believed Feng Jin's words and truly fetched a box of ointment from the dressing table drawer, applying it to Feng Jin's neck with proper care.
"Eat first. I'm really a bit hungry." Feng Jin quickly changed the subject, asking Cai Qing to help her up. The most pressing matter was to fill her stomach; she felt like she was starving to death.
"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.
In the past, when the Young Madam ate, she was always elegant and dignified. This was the first time Cai Qing had seen her eat so ravenously. It seemed the Young Madam was truly starving.
"Please pour some more porridge." Feng Jin handed her empty bowl to Cai Qing. She didn't know what was wrong with her today; she just felt extremely hungry. Other than that, she felt no other discomfort. Perhaps she was just really famished 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 decided to stop there.
"Cai Qing, go fetch a basin of bathwater." She had sweated a lot yesterday and felt sticky and uncomfortable all over. All of this was thanks to Ling Mohan; he, on the other hand, was refreshed and had already left early in the morning.
"Yes, Young Madam. I will arrange it right away."
While waiting, Feng Jin yawned and leaned lazily against the bed, her eyes half-closed. She looked as if she wanted to go back to sleep.
"Young Madam, the bathwater is ready. This servant will help you undress."
"No need. You can go rest first. I can do it myself." Feng Jin was still not used to having someone serve her while she bathed; she always felt uncomfortable.
"Then I will wait outside. If Young Madam needs anything, just give me a command." After Cai Qing left, Feng Jin got out of bed. Following the incident with the assassins last time, Feng Jin now tightly secured the doors and windows whenever she bathed.
After shedding her clothes, she immersed herself in the hot water. All the discomfort in her body melted away, and Feng Jin leaned lazily against the bathtub. It was a pity the bathtub was too small; it couldn't compare to a modern bathtub, and she couldn't even stretch her legs. She decided she needed to create a longer and larger bathtub.
When the water cooled, Feng Jin got up and dressed. Ancient hairstyles were so troublesome. She couldn't manage to style them herself, so she simply tied her hair into a bun on top of her head and affixed a plum blossom hairpin to the side. Compared to the more complex hairstyles Cai Qing used to do, this looked much simpler and more refreshing. The plum blossom hairpin in her hair added a touch of elegance. She applied some powder to her face, which significantly improved her complexion. Satisfied with her reflection in the mirror, Feng Jin pushed open the door and went out.
"Young Madam, your appearance today is different from usual." Cai Qing's surprise was evident. The Young Madam's hairstyle and makeup today were different from before, looking very comfortable and refreshing. Especially the hairstyle, which looked simple yet very elegant, and the plum blossom hairpin at the bun was a perfect finishing touch.
"This is something I just invented. It's very simple. I'll teach you when I get back." Finally free from heavy hairstyles, Feng Jin felt she could walk with her head held high.
"Come with me to see how Yun Niang is doing." Considering the time, it was time to change Yun Niang's dressing. 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. First, she was stunned by Feng Jin's beauty, and then she noticed that Feng Jin's hairstyle today was completely different from usual. "Eldest Sister-in-law, your hair?"
"I researched it myself. It's more convenient for me to work like this." The heavy hairstyles of the past made it difficult for her even to walk.
"Madam, this hairstyle is truly elegant in its simplicity," Yun Niang couldn't help but praise. This made Feng Jin's tail wag with pride, and she said with a smile, boasting, "I came up with this hairstyle on a whim. It's very convenient to put up, and most importantly, it's very light."