20demayo Chapter 126 Sleeping Together
Chapter 126 Sleeping Together
As the new moon rose, the back office gradually quieted down at night.
Standing in front of a guest room, Li Chong said, "The conditions in the yamen are limited, Ziyi, don't feel wronged."
Xie Wenyou naturally wouldn't blame him.
"Brother-in-law, you're overthinking it. I'm not that kind of spoiled brat. This room is clean enough for me, so don't worry."
"Yes, Ziyi is indeed sensible." Li Chong nodded with a smile. "You've been running around all day, you must be tired. Get some rest."
"Brother-in-law, you should go back early too. My sister is still waiting for you in the room. I'm also waiting to hold my nephew."
With a wicked grin, Xie Wenyou pushed and shoved Li Chong out.
"You little brat..."
Li Chong chuckled to himself.
Li Chong turned around, shook his head slightly, and took a deep breath.
In this era, people get married young. With a family background like the Xie family, Xie Wenyou's maids probably taught him everything.
Xie Wenyou might know more about matters of love and sex than Li Chong, since Li Chong has never been to a brothel.
Returning under the moonlight, Li Chong continuously adjusted his mindset.
"Tonight I'm sleeping in the same bed with her, sharing the same pillow. Am I a beast, or worse than a beast?"
Come to think of it, Li Chong only met Xie Wenyu today, and now they're going to be lying in the same bed.
As a man, anyone would be willing to sleep with a beautiful woman.
However, Li Chong had only recently transmigrated, and he couldn't get over the hurdle in his heart yet. Moreover, he had impersonated the original owner's identity and was going to sleep with his wife, which made Li Chong feel somewhat guilty.
"Luckily, they don't have any children yet, otherwise I would have gained a grown son for nothing, which would have made things even more difficult."
Li Chong was still secretly relieved.
However, Li Chong was so focused on feeling fortunate that he completely overlooked why the two of them didn't have children.
In modern times, it's quite normal to be married for several years without having children.
But this was in ancient times, when people valued carrying on the family line, and it was common for people to have children at the age of fifteen or sixteen.
It's really strange that a woman like Xie Wenyu, who is already in her early twenties, doesn't have a child yet.
However, Li Chong was so focused on figuring out how to get through the night that he completely overlooked this point and didn't even consider this suspicious detail.
With some trepidation, Li Chong returned to his small courtyard.
Looking at the houses with lamps still lit ahead, Li Chong composed himself and took a step forward.
"Knock knock knock".
A strange noise came from the side. Li Chong looked in the direction and saw Zhong Mei hiding in the shadows giving him a meaningful look.
After glancing at the tightly closed door in front of him, Li Chong quietly walked over.
"What's wrong?"
Zhong Mei raised her eyes and looked at Li Chong with a complicated expression: "After you left today, your wife pulled me aside and talked to me for a long time."
"She pulled you along?" Li Chong frowned instinctively. "What did she ask you?"
Xie Wenyu pulled Zhong Mei aside and asked her a question, making Li Chong worry that she might have noticed something amiss.
Zhong Mei shook her head: "It's nothing. She just asked me about your daily life, food, clothes, and things like that."
After a long silence, she slowly added a sentence.
"You have a good wife."
Li Chong gasped. Zhong Mei's words were so unlike her, and Li Chong couldn't help but detect a hint of sourness in them.
He gave a bitter laugh: "What have I done to deserve such a wife? I'm just a cuckoo in someone else's nest. I'm ashamed, so ashamed."
"That was a sin committed by our mountain people, it has nothing to do with you," Zhongmei reassured him.
Li Chong shook his head: "It's nothing, I don't dwell on things. Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Another silence followed.
Zhong Mei turned her back: "That's all. A moment of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold. There are still people waiting for you. You should go now."
If Li Chong were to turn around and leave at this moment, he would be a fool.
He gently raised his hand and placed it on Zhongmei's shoulder, causing her to tremble.
Li Chong turned Zhong Mei around, staring intently at her, and said, "I promise, I will not do anything improper tonight. If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning!"
"Hey!"
In her haste, Zhong Mei took a few steps forward, but still couldn't stop Li Chong from making his vow.
She turned her head away and whispered, "Why are you telling me all this?"
She spoke toughly, but her pretty face was flushed, clearly a sign of happiness.
"I was just afraid you'd misunderstand me as a lecher," Li Chong explained with a grin.
"Pah!" Zhong Mei spat. "Touching a woman's body so casually, aren't you a lecher?"
Judging from the relaxed look on her face, most of the anger in Zhong's heart had dissipated by now.
After a few lighthearted banter, she still cautioned, "Since you've already decided to continue as the county magistrate, and your identity hasn't been exposed, then just keep going. If your identity is revealed, who knows what kind of person will be the next magistrate of Yanggu?"
"Yes, you should get some rest too," Li Chong nodded in agreement.
After escorting Zhong Mei back to her room, Li Chong felt much less tense after this ordeal.
After straightening his clothes, Li Chong walked towards his bedroom.
As soon as Li Chong arrived at the door, before he could decide whether to knock or push it open, the door was already open.
A girl with her hair in two buns appeared before them. Upon seeing Li Chong, a hint of joy appeared on her face.
"My lord is finally back. Madam has been waiting for you for a long time."
Looking at the unfamiliar face before him, Li Chong silently recalled for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "Oh, it's Shu'er. Are you settling in well here?"
Cui Shi had mentioned before his death that Xie Wenyu had a personal maid named Shu'er, which should be her.
Shu'er naturally stepped forward to help Li Chong take off his outer robe, pouting as she said, "It's not quite right. Compared to our mansion, this yamen is too small, and there are yamen runners in black everywhere. It makes me very nervous."
Li Chong's muscles tensed. This was the first time someone had helped him undress, and it was a woman he had just met.
His instincts made him defensive, but he had to pretend to be natural, so his body tensed up unconsciously.
"It's alright, just treat this place like your own home. If you need anything, just ask those yamen runners; it'll save you some trouble."
After taking off his outer garment, Li Chong walked towards the inner room.
"My lord, I'll go fetch a basin of water."
Shu'er pushed open the door and went out.
Li Chong entered the inner room and saw a beautiful woman sitting in the dim light, dressed in spring clothes. Although her skin was not exposed, she had a hazy beauty.
Xie Wenyu read a book under the lamplight, her scholarly air intertwined with her delicate and refined lady-like charm, captivating all who beheld her.
"My lord is back." Xie Wenyu stepped forward with a light laugh. "Please have some tea, my lord. Did Ziyi cause you any trouble today?"
Li Chong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At this point, it seemed that Xie Wenyu really hadn't discovered anything.
Otherwise, she probably would have already lost her temper. How could she let a man from another family be alone with her in a room? What about a woman's reputation?
Li Chong immediately went to greet him: "It's alright, Ziyi is so smart, how could he cause trouble? You..."
Li Chong paused, stunned, and stood there.