143: Morning dew fragrance

The horizon of Northern Border City turned fish-belly white as the thin mist slowly dispersed like light gauze, and the streets gradually filled with pedestrians as the clamor rose and fell.

Situ Jun stood on the city wall, looking at this vibrant tableau, his mood excellent.

A satisfied smile curled at the corners of his mouth, and a faint golden light shimmered around him; in an instant, he teleported into the City Lord's Manor.

At this time, the sky had just brightened, and the City Lord's Manor was already a scene of bustling activity.

Servants moved back and forth, cleaning the courtyard and carrying items, each performing their duties in an orderly manner.

Situ Jun walked slowly past the North Courtyard; the morning breeze brushed past, bringing a hint of coolness and blowing away his fatigue.

From a distance, he saw Hong Mei carrying fresh water for washing, walking over with light steps.

That delicate face became even more lovely under the reflection of the morning light, her pink maid dress swaying gently with her steps.

As she approached, Hong Mei's small face suddenly flushed red, and she hastily bowed, her voice crisp yet carrying a bit of shyness:

“Hello, Manor Lord!”

Situ Jun smiled slightly, his eyes full of tenderness, as he reached out to gently rub her head, his deep voice carrying a hint of doting:

“In the future, call me husband when there are no outsiders.”

Hong Mei smiled shyly, the blush spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, making her look even more charming and lovely as she softly replied:

“Yes.”

“It's prepared for Su Wan, right? Let me help you.”

Saying this, Situ Jun reached out and took the wooden basin from Hong Mei's hands.

Hong Mei opened her mouth as if to say something, but Situ Jun had already turned and walked forward, so she could only follow silently behind.

“Hong Mei, how about you stop being a maid? I'll mention it to Su Wan later.”

As Situ Jun walked, he suddenly turned his head and spoke to Hong Mei.

Hearing this, Hong Mei hastily shook her head, her eyes full of determination:

“Thank you for your concern, Manor Lord, but I like taking care of Madam, and I like being with Madam. Besides, Madam treats me very well; if someone else were to take care of her, she wouldn't be used to it.”

Hearing this, Situ Jun sighed helplessly, shook his head with a smile, and continued walking toward Lin Suwan's courtyard.

At this time,

Inside Lin Suwan's bedroom, the morning light filtered through the carved window lattices, gently spilling in and dyeing the gold-threaded curtains an amber hue.

Lin Suwan lazily stretched her waist, the pearl hairpins hanging by her temples swaying gently with her movements, tracing fragments of light in the morning sun.

When she propped herself up, the collar of her nightgown inadvertently slipped down, revealing shoulders as lustrous as mutton-fat jade; the red marks pressed from her sleep still faintly lingered on her cheeks, like newly blossomed peach flowers on a March branch, delicate and moving.

Her fingertips unconsciously toyed with the black hair scattered on the pillow, the fragrance in her hair mixing with the faint lethargy of morning, unexpectedly more soul-stirring than the Dragon Ambergris in the agarwood burner.

She was dressed in a moon-white Shark Silk Gauze Garment, the sleeves embroidered with twin lotuses that swayed gently in the morning breeze.

The gauze garment was as thin as a cicada's wing, and her slender waist was faintly visible, so delicate it could be held in one hand, evoking pity.

That jade-like skin radiated a warm luster under the reflection of the morning light, as if it were petals condensed with morning dew.

Lin Suwan rose and walked slowly to the bronze mirror.

The bronze mirror reflected her hazy, sleepy eyes, and the tear mole at the corner of her eye flickered in and out of sight in the misty morning light, adding a bit of allure.

In the bronze mirror, her hair was loosely pinned up, with a few strands of black hair falling over her shoulders like lingering mist, beautiful as a dream.

Hearing the door open, Lin Suwan thought it was Hong Mei getting up early again to prepare washing water for her, and she scolded without looking back:

“You girl, you've already become the Manor Lord's wife, so why can't you stay idle? Getting up so early every day.”

Situ Jun approached with the water, his smiling face reflected in the bronze mirror.

Only then did Lin Suwan's eyes widen as she came to her senses in surprise:

“Husband, why is it you?”

Situ Jun set down the basin and gently pinched her cheek, teasing:

“Why can't it be me?”

Lin Suwan gave him a look, then turned to look at Hong Mei:

“Hong Mei, accompany husband to the front hall for tea; I'll be there in a moment.”

After speaking, she rose and moved the water basin, her delicate hands dipping into the fresh water to lightly pat her face. Water droplets slid down her jaw, merging into a crystalline stream at her collarbone, making her look even more pure and ethereal.

Situ Jun chuckled and handed her a handkerchief.

The corners of Lin Suwan's lips curved up unconsciously, but when she caught the heat in Situ Jun's eyes, a thin blush rose to the tips of her ears, just like a freshly ripened Cherry.

She leaned close to Situ Jun's ear and whispered:

“You Spend some time with Hongmei first.， I washed up.”

Having said that, her face blushing, she picked up the water and stepped barefoot onto the cool blue bricks, trailing her skirt as she moved with lotus steps behind the screen.

The morning light cast her silhouette onto the screen, her slender waist faintly visible under the gauze garment, like a swaying begonia under the moon, so beautiful it made one hold their breath.

Situ Jun turned to look at the fidgeting Hong Mei nearby; this little girl was as fresh and sweet as ever, truly lovable.

Seeing this, Situ Jun smiled warmly and gently took her small hand:

“Hong Mei, have you missed me lately?”

Hong Mei's ear tips turned red, and she nodded, her voice soft and sweet:

“I did! Madam also missed you.”

Situ Jun pinched her small face:

“You silly girl, always thinking of Madam; Madam just said to let me accompany you.”

With that, he pulled Hong Mei into his arms.

Hong Mei trembled slightly at the sudden embrace, her fingertips unconsciously clutching the dark patterns on Situ Jun's lapel, her warm breath heating his chest through the fabric.

The morning light slanted across the window lattice, casting dense butterfly-like shadows on her eyelashes; a stray lock of hair brushed against the back of Situ Jun's hand, making his Adam's apple roll from the itch.

“Husband... this isn't good... if Madam sees, she'll tease me.”

Hong Mei's voice was as thin as a mosquito's, but she did not struggle.

When Situ Jun looked down, he met the shimmering light in her eyes, reflecting the swaying bamboo shadows outside the window, looking like a pool of spring water had been shattered.

A soft laugh escaped his throat as his thumb gently rubbed her reddened earlobe:

“What's not good? I am the Manor Lord, and even more so your...”

Before he could finish, the crisp sound of porcelain clinking suddenly came from behind the screen.

Lin Suwan emerged from behind the screen wrapped in moon-white gauze, her hair still damp with moisture, her pearl hairpins swaying with silver light at every lotus step.

She looked at the embracing pair with a half-smile, yet her fingertips quietly tightened on the gauze sash:

“Husband is quite good at coaxing people, turning Hong Mei's face into the color of sunset clouds.”

Situ Jun released Hong Mei but kept her at his side, while his other hand already encircled Lin Suwan's slender waist:

“Is Madam jealous?”

He leaned in close on purpose, his warm breath brushing behind her ear:

“You clearly just said to let me accompany her, yet now it's ‘good at coaxing’?”

Lin Suwan struggled to push him away, but her wrist was suddenly caught by Hong Mei.

The little maid looked up with a flushed face, her watery eyes full of reliance:

“Madam, don't be Life Qi, it's Hong Mei's fault...”

Before she could finish, Situ Jun had already pressed his index finger to her lips, his gaze shifting between the two:

“My two little troublemakers, clearly both of you miss me dearly, yet you insist on yielding to each other.”

He suddenly picked up Lin Suwan and firmly held Hong Mei's hand with the other, striding toward the inner chamber of the bedchamber.

The cushions on the carved bed sank with three indentations; Lin Suwan flusteredly pulled over a brocade quilt to cover her semi-transparent gauze garment, while Hong Mei curled into Situ Jun's embrace, not daring to look up.

The morning light pierced through the bed curtains, gilding the three overlapping figures in soft gold.

After a long time,

Situ Jun held both pairs of jade-like hands, his gaze firm and gentle:

“In the future, there's no need to be so distant or yielding; you are both my wives, both my closest people.”

Hong Mei's face was flushed red, her head buried under the quilt, not daring to show her face.

Lin Suwan gritted her teeth and gently slapped her rounded bottom:

“You dead girl! Did you hear that? No more yielding! Are you afraid husband hasn't bullied me enough?”

Outside the window, the morning glow dyed the entire City Lord's Manor a honeyed hue, the eaves' wind chimes tinkled, startling the white doves perched under the rafters.

The morning light spilled over the threshold, wrapping the entangled figures and murmured endearments inside the room entirely within the waking tenderness of Northern Border City.