SGEIRS -Chapter 30 Do You Want to Consummate the Marriage?

“Husband, we’re husband and wife. If there’s something you want to see, why sneak around like that?”

Meng Jinyao hadn’t expected such a situation. After a brief moment of panic, she quickly calmed down. She looked at the man with a half-smile. Since they were already lying in the same bed, there was no need for her to pretend to be some chaste, virtuous woman.

Besides, Gu Jingxi wasn’t capable anyway. Letting him look a little wouldn’t make her lose anything. At worst, they could both take off their clothes and look at each other. She’d never seen a completely naked man before. Gu Jingxi was so handsome—maybe his body was nice too. She could just treat it as eye candy, something fresh to look at.

If Gu Jingxi accidentally became “capable” again, that would suit her just fine. She didn’t like that morally flawed “cheap son” of hers anyway. That unfilial brat wouldn’t possibly take care of her in the future. Having her own child would be perfect.

Gu Jingxi had no idea that in such a short moment, the young lady had already thought so far—even about having children with him.

When those bright, star-like eyes stared straight at him, with teasing in them, as if she had seen through everything, he suddenly felt unable to explain himself.

Silently, he helped her pull the blanket up and covered her properly. Then he replied calmly,
“Madam, you’ve misunderstood. I was just helping you tuck in the blanket.”

Meng Jinyao didn’t believe him. Raising her delicate brows, she asked with a half-smile,
“Husband, do you think that sounds convincing?”

She could understand. Men were lustful by nature. With a beautiful wife lying beside him, who wouldn’t have improper thoughts? But sneaking around like that was unnecessary. If he did it openly, she wouldn’t even laugh at him.

Gu Jingxi fell silent. “……”

If he weren’t involved, he wouldn’t believe it either. But it really was the truth.

Seeing her “I understand everything” expression, he rubbed his temples helplessly and said,
“Madam, you know my condition. What do you think I could possibly do to you?”

Meng Jinyao felt he was pretending to be calm. He must be feeling guilty. Seeing that, she became even more relaxed. A sly glint flashed in her eyes, and she asked boldly, “If you can’t eat it, at least you can look, right? Husband, do you want to keep looking?”

Gu Jingxi immediately choked on his saliva and coughed several times. A faint blush spread across his face—whether from coughing or embarrassment, even he didn’t know.

Looking at her smiling eyes, he saw how she stared at him without blinking, bold as could be. It was probably because she was certain he wouldn’t do anything to her that she dared to tease him like this.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether to be angry or amused. He simply pulled up the blanket and covered her head, blocking her mischief.

“Madam, it’s late. Let’s sleep.”

Meng Jinyao pulled the blanket down, her eyes full of sincerity. “If you want to, it’s not impossible. I’m willing.”

Gu Jingxi laughed in exasperation and refused, “I’m not willing.”

“Alright then.” She stopped teasing him and used her hands under the blanket to pull her open collar closed.

Gu Jingxi was speechless. Why did she sound so regretful? He was being a gentleman, and she wasn’t even happy about it?

After thinking for a moment, he patiently advised, “A young lady should be reserved. Places covered by clothes shouldn’t be shown casually. It’s even worse to offer them to others.”

Meng Jinyao chuckled. “I didn’t expect you to be so righteous and proper, Husband.”

Then she paused slightly, looked up at him, and said slowly in a drawn-out tone, “But you’re not ‘others,’ are you? We’re husband and wife. Which couple doesn’t see each other?”

Her sharp tongue and logical words left him with no way to refute.

After a while, he looked at her and asked quietly, “Madam… do you want to consummate the marriage?”

As soon as he said that, overwhelming guilt washed over Meng Jinyao.

He asked so seriously. She felt terribly ashamed. She knew he had a hidden illness, yet she still teased him. Wasn’t that a disguised form of humiliation?

Consummate the marriage?

With his condition, how could he?

She shook her head repeatedly and said earnestly, “No, I don’t. Husband, don’t overthink it. I don’t care about that kind of thing. I think what we have now is good.”

Gu Jingxi looked at her deeply, then softly replied, “Mmm. Madam, go to sleep.”

She nodded. Her gaze unconsciously fell on his handsome face.

She felt regretful. People said daughters usually resembled their fathers. Such a handsome man—yet he couldn’t have a daughter. What a pity. Why would Heaven give such a beautiful man a hidden illness?

The Next Morning

When Meng Jinyao woke up, her bedmate had already risen.

Still sleepy, she slowly sat up, lifted the blanket, got out of bed, walked to the window, and pushed it open to let the morning breeze wake her up.

It seemed to have rained earlier. The ground outside was damp, and the greenery looked fresh and tender after being washed by rain. The air carried a clean, moist fragrance mixed with floral scent.

Spring mornings were slightly chilly. The cool breeze blew against her face, making her shiver. Her sleepiness vanished completely.

She then called for the maids to attend to her.

After washing and dressing, she went out and found Gu Jingxi already sitting at the dining table, having waited for a long time. Hearing her footsteps, he looked up with a faint smile.

When their eyes met, she immediately remembered last night. Her smile almost couldn’t hold.

Gu Jingxi, however, looked calm and said lightly, “Serve the meal.”

She was slightly surprised. “Husband, you haven’t eaten yet?”

He nodded.

Chunliu smiled beside her. “Madam, His Lordship said he wanted to wait for you, so he asked us to serve later.”

Wait for her?

She remembered that they had eaten together the past few days too, but she had gotten up earlier then. Today she had slept in.

She said, “Husband, you don’t need to wait for me next time. Don’t starve yourself.”

“It’s fine. I’m not very hungry,” he replied, then smiled gently. “But you—didn’t sleep well last night? Why not sleep longer?”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao glared at him resentfully.

She really hadn’t slept well. And the man in front of her was the culprit.

Last night, she had been staring at his face, feeling sorry that such a handsome man couldn’t have a beautiful daughter. After looking for a long time, she noticed how smooth and fair his skin was—without even fine lines.

While he was asleep, she couldn’t resist reaching out to touch it, wanting to compare and see whether his skin was better than hers.

That touch was disastrous.

It was as if she had triggered some mechanism. He suddenly spoke in a cool voice, “Madam, we’re husband and wife. If there’s something you want to touch, why sneak around like that?”

She was so startled that she froze. Caught red-handed, she was terribly embarrassed and had no way to defend herself. She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, wishing she could chop off her own hand.

Gu Jingxi said considerately, “Looks like you still haven’t rested well. After breakfast, go back and sleep some more.”