SGEIRS -Chapter 145 Disturbing One’s Peaceful Sleep

At his words, Meng Jinyao suddenly looked at him. The man’s lips curved in a smile, his eyes playfully teasing her. For a moment, she felt both embarrassed and annoyed and couldn’t help but snap back: “Wasn’t it you who wanted me to act like a maid? I’m just fulfilling your wish!”

Gu Jingxi, sensing it was time to stop, didn’t push further—making the young lady cry would be a mess. Smiling, he replied, “Mm, Madam is right. I do this willingly for you. Now, I still have a little work to handle, so you eat by yourself.”

With that, he placed the lychee peels and pits on the table, took out a blue handkerchief to wipe his hands, and prepared to leave.

Meng Jinyao glanced at the remaining lychee and asked, “Husband, don’t you want to eat some while it’s fresh before you go?”

Gu Jingxi shook his head. “You eat, Madam. I’m not particularly fond of food.” He paused, then added, “But you should still eat it in two rounds. Lychee can cause internal heat; eating too many at once isn’t good. You still have to eat dinner later.”

Meng Jinyao nodded in response: “Alright.”

After he left, a voice suddenly came from behind her: “Madam, the Marquis truly adores you. I’ve never seen him treat anyone so well, except for you.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao quickly turned and realized only Ningdong had gone out to fetch ice as she instructed. Chunliu, Xiazhu, and Qingqiu—the three maids—were still there. Thinking of what had just happened being witnessed by them, the warmth she had just lost immediately returned to her cheeks.

She suddenly wished she could disappear!

Seeing her embarrassed expression, Chunliu giggled: “Madam, this is a good thing. It proves the Marquis has you in his heart.”

Meng Jinyao shot Chunliu a reproachful glance. It wasn’t at all what Chunliu thought.

Chunliu, trying to suppress her laughter, continued, “Shall I peel some more lychee for you? Eat ten or eight more, and save the rest for tomorrow. Otherwise, you won’t have room for dinner later.”

Meng Jinyao nodded.

In no time, it was dinner. Gu Jingxi returned punctually from the study in the front courtyard.

Seeing him seated properly at the dining table, serious and composed, Meng Jinyao felt the lingering embarrassment in her heart finally dissipate.

As Gu Jingxi prepared to pick up his chopsticks, he noticed the young lady stealing glances at him and smiled: “Madam, aren’t you eating? Watching me eat enough for both of us?”

Meng Jinyao stiffened, retorting, “How do you know I’m looking at you?”

Gu Jingxi replied, “A martial artist’s senses are sharper than ordinary people’s—they can perceive things.”

Meng Jinyao: “……”

He added, “Let’s eat first. Whatever needs discussing can wait until after dinner.”

Meng Jinyao replied with a simple “Mm” and focused on eating. During hot weather, most people lose their appetite, but hers was still quite good. As long as the food was tasty, she didn’t lack appetite.

Seeing her eat so heartily, Gu Jingxi thought the young lady was easy to maintain—she’d eat anything, not picky at all.

But he was overthinking. She ate anything not because she wasn’t picky, but because the cooks in the mansion were skilled. Every dish looked and smelled exquisite, making anyone’s appetite stir.

Back when she stayed in the inner chambers, her meals were far from this good. Madam Sun might have seemed kind but was heartless, and since Meng Jinyao wasn’t favored, even as the legitimate eldest daughter, her life was worse than some illegitimate children. The servants were careless, and the food was mediocre.

No one protected her. Even if the young lady wanted to resist, she couldn’t succeed. If her grandmother found a reason to punish her and send her to a manor for upbringing, what would happen to Chengzhang? Chengyu had already been harmed by Madam Sun; she had to stay to watch over Chengzhang.

Having tasted bitter days, now that her life was comfortable, with good food and clothing, what was there to complain about? She was very satisfied with this life.

After dinner, Meng Jinyao walked in the courtyard a bit to aid digestion, then bathed, changed, and prepared to rest.

They said that as a married couple spent more time together, they would become more relaxed with one another, no longer as constrained as when newlyweds.

Gu Jingxi thought this made sense—but it wasn’t him who had relaxed; it was the young lady. When they first married, she was still cautious, sleeping properly, careful not to accidentally touch him.

Perhaps because he hadn’t overstepped these past days, she trusted him more.

Or perhaps she simply didn’t see him as a man.

For example, now, after he bathed and returned to the bedroom, he saw the young lady lying sound asleep on the bed. To keep cool, she hadn’t covered herself with a quilt, wearing only a thin nightgown. The silk was so light that one could even see the pale pink undergarment beneath.

Gu Jingxi glanced at her, then averted his eyes, got on the bed, and quietly pulled a thin blanket over her, covering the faintly visible beauty beneath.

However, not long after, she unconsciously kicked the blanket off with her feet. He replaced it, but it happened again shortly after. He gave up covering her legs, only covering her upper body so her legs wouldn’t kick it off.

It must have been truly hot, because Meng Jinyao woke up from the heat. Groggily, she opened her eyes, pulled off the blanket, and grabbed a nearby fan to start fanning herself. Waking from a deep sleep due to heat left her irritated; the more irritated she became, the hotter she felt, and eventually, sleep completely fled.

Gu Jingxi knew he had caused the problem, disturbing her sleep. Opening his eyes, he reached for the fan in her hand: “Madam, sleep. I’ll fan you.”

Seeing him awake, Meng Jinyao turned her head, glaring at him with a mix of resentment and accusation: “The blanket you covered me with?”

Gu Jingxi cleared his throat, sheepishly: “I was worried you’d catch a chill.”

Meng Jinyao was displeased, her tone sharp: “In this heat, I’d catch a chill? No wonder I felt someone covering me in my half-asleep state, and no matter how I kicked, it wouldn’t come off. So it was you being helpful.”

It was the first time Gu Jingxi saw the young lady mad at him. He spoke warmly: “Madam, don’t be upset. It’s my fault. Let me fan you to make amends, alright?”

Meng Jinyao took a deep breath, too lazy to argue: “Fan then. Put some strength into it—it’s really hot.”

Gu Jingxi smiled, following her wish, and continued fanning her.

;Meng Jinyao couldn’t sleep for the moment, idly chatting with him. Noticing he was fanning her but keeping his eyes closed, she found it curious. Looking down at herself, she seemed to understand why he had covered her with the blanket.

Her nightgown was thin, and she still wore undergarments, so nothing inappropriate was exposed.

She pondered: “We’re married. Even if you wanted to do something, I wouldn’t refuse. Let alone just look for a moment? As a young lady, I don’t mind. So why would you, a grown man, care?”

Hearing this, Gu Jingxi opened his eyes and looked at her: “What?”

Meng Jinyao eyed him strangely, continuing boldly: “Do you expect me to wrap myself up like it’s winter, even in this scorching heat? Since you care about keeping your gentlemanly propriety, why not take some care of yourself? Who knows—I might do something to you!”