203: Warmth of the morning light

When Shen Xingwan walked into the outer room, half-supported and half-assisted by Situ Jun, Little Lotus was just coming in carrying a bronze basin.

Seeing the two of them with their sleeves touching and in such an intimate posture, the little maidservant's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and she hurriedly lowered her head:

“Manor Lord, Young Miss, it is time to wash your faces.”

Fine white steam rose from the hot water in the bronze basin, misting half of the bronze mirror. The handkerchief soaking in the water emitted a faint, bitter fragrance of Spiritual Plants, which, mixed with the cool morning air, was exceptionally tranquil.

Situ Jun took the handkerchief and wrung it dry, personally wiping Shen Xingwan's face. When his fingertips brushed across her jawline, the movement was as light as a spring breeze stroking a lake's surface, causing even the stray hairs behind her ears to tremble slightly.

“Husband, I can do it myself.” Shen Xingwan wanted to take the handkerchief, but her wrist was held down by him.

“Don't move, let me do it.”

A fragmented smile rippled in the depths of Situ Jun's eyes. His fingertips inadvertently grazed the corners of her lips, causing a thin blush to rise on her neck.

Little Lotus watched from the side, pursing her lips in a secret smile before turning to retreat quietly to wait under the corridor. The shadows of the pomegranate flowers in the corner of the courtyard fell upon her skirt, rustling and swaying.

Shen Xingwan felt completely uneasy being served by him, yet she also craved this rare intimacy, so she could only let him have his way with a red face.

When he combed her hair, his fingertips passed through the strands with a cautious treasuring. He gathered her long hair into a simple bun and secured it with a jade hairpin.

After finishing her grooming, Shen Xingwan changed into a moon-white ruqun and layered a water-green beizi over it.

In the bronze mirror, her complexion looked excellent. Her eyes and brows carried a hint of the charming naivety of being pampered, and even the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly, as if she were holding a piece of undissolvable honey.

“Let's go, let's go eat osmanthus cake.”

He took Shen Xingwan's hand, the warmth of his palm seeping in through her skin.

The two walked out of the room side by side, the morning light falling upon them, warm and cozy.

The pomegranate trees in the courtyard swayed gently in the morning breeze. The tree was in full bloom with fiery red flowers, their petal edges shimmering with a golden glow like clusters of dancing flames.

Looking at those pomegranate flowers, Shen Xingwan suddenly remembered the words Situ Jun had whispered in her ear last night—'From now on, you have me.' A surge of warmth flooded her heart, and she subconsciously leaned closer to him, her sleeve brushing against his wide sleeve, bringing a faint floral scent.

When the two entered the main hall together, it was already filled with the sound of laughter and chatter.

The long table was covered with steaming breakfast dishes:

Translucent crystal shrimp dumplings, soft and sweet osmanthus cakes, thick and fragrant green jade rice porridge, and several plates of refreshing pickled vegetables.

Embroiderer was smiling as she placed snacks into Tang Tang and Xiao Rou's bowls. The two little girls ate until their cheeks were bulging like two little hamsters, making everyone laugh.

Lan Yanliu and Chen Yufei were huddled together whispering something. Seeing them enter, they immediately called out with a laugh:

“Oh, the Manor Lord and Sister Xingwan have finally arrived! If you hadn't come, these osmanthus cakes would have been cleared out by these two little gluttons!”

Liu Xuaner sat a bit further away, her pale purple gauze dress accentuating her snow-white skin, still maintaining that seductive appearance.

Hearing the movement, she looked up and scanned the two of them. Her gaze lingered on the soft warmth in Situ Jun's brow that hadn't yet faded, then fell on the unmistakable shimmering light in the depths of Shen Xingwan's eyes—and her cheeks, which were redder than usual, like freshly peeled lychees.

Liu Xuaner's eyes flickered slightly. Thoughtfully, she picked up her teacup and took a sip, the corners of her lips curling into a meaningful smile.

Embroiderer stood up and walked over with a gentle smile to greet them:

“Sit down quickly, we were just waiting for you.”

Her gaze was like the finest silk thread, quietly brushing over Shen Xingwan's face—the lingering, lazy amorous air in the corners of her eyes and brows, soaked in love and a deeper joy, and her skin tone which was more radiant than usual, none of it escaped her eyes.

The smile in Embroiderer's eyes deepened with understanding and relief. She personally pulled out a chair for Shen Xingwan and then naturally picked up the serving chopsticks, placing a piece of freshly steamed, piping hot osmanthus cake onto the small plate in front of Shen Xingwan.

“Sister Xingwan, try some quickly. It was made fresh this morning, and I specifically added more honey; it's even softer than yesterday's.”

Embroiderer's voice was gentle and soft.

“Thank you, Sister Embroiderer.”

Shen Xingwan thanked her softly, picked up her chopsticks, and took a small piece of osmanthus cake, carefully putting it into her mouth.

The osmanthus cake was soft and sweet with a faint fragrance of osmanthus; it was indeed the flavor she liked.

She looked up at Situ Jun and saw him watching her with a gentle smile in his eyes. Her heart warmed, and she took another large bite, some osmanthus crumbs sticking to the corner of her mouth.

Tang Tang and Xiao Rou had finished eating and ran hand-in-hand to play in the courtyard.

As Embroiderer cleared the dishes, she suddenly remembered something and said to Shen Xingwan:

“Looking at your complexion, Sister, you must have slept well last night. Come with me to the storehouse later to pick out some fabrics and make some new clothes to dress up beautifully.”

Shen Xingwan's face heated up at her words, and she lowered her head with a blush:

“Thank you, Embroiderer.”

“Silly girl, what is there to be shy about?”

Embroiderer patted her hand, her eyes full of gentleness:

“Husband and wife should be like this. The Manor Lord looks cold and hard, but he is truly good to you.”

Upon hearing this, the smile on Situ Jun's lips deepened. He reached out and brushed away a crumb of cake from the corner of Shen Xingwan's mouth, his movements natural and intimate:

“Embroiderer is right; Xingwan deserves to be well-cherished.”

Being treated this way by him in public, Shen Xingwan's cheeks burned even hotter. Her fingers holding the chopsticks curled slightly, yet she couldn't help but steal a glance, meeting his eyes filled with laughter, and her heart skipped a beat.

Lan Yanliu was delighted watching from the side and teased:

“Look at this lovey-dovey display; it's truly enough to make others envious. Manor Lord, you are so good to Sister Xingwan, aren't you afraid we'll get jealous and deal with you?”

Chen Yufei also laughed along:

“Is Sister Yanliu envious? How about having our husband cherish you like this tonight?”

Lan Yanliu gave her a mock-reproachful glare: “Get out of here, I'm not envious at all.” Though she said that, her eyes were full of laughter.

Jiang Ya, holding her porridge bowl, also chuckled:

“I think Sister Embroiderer's words hit the mark. A few days ago, the Manor Lord was still quite stiff around Sister Xingwan, but now he's personally washing her face and combing her hair. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was a different person.”

Shen Xingwan's cheeks were burning. She tried to shrink behind Situ Jun, but he firmly held her shoulder.

He picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and held it to her lips, his voice low and amused:

“Eat quickly and shut their mouths.”

Shen Xingwan bit into the cake and gave him a muffled glare, but the bashfulness in her eyes couldn't hide her joyful smile, like she was holding a piece of laughing candy.

Liu Xuaner put down her chopsticks and spoke with a coquettish laugh:

“It is a good thing the Manor Lord is so attentive to Sister Xingwan. However, Sister Xingwan's body is weak; the Manor Lord should also exercise some restraint.”

As she spoke, her gaze drifted seemingly unintentionally over Shen Xingwan's reddened earlobes, her smile deepening.

Shen Xingwan's face turned beet red instantly. Just as she was about to defend herself, Situ Jun had already laughed and replied:

“Xuaner, if you continue to be so outspoken, I will go to your courtyard tonight and give you some thorough guidance on your Cultivation issues.”

Hearing this, the smile on Liu Xuaner's face stiffened, and her face flushed as she said:

“Come if you want, who's afraid of you? Hmph!”

Though her words were tough, her earlobes quietly turned red.

Mei Shuang, who was nearby, gave a gentle smile and hurriedly smoothed things over:

“Look how beautiful the morning light is. After breakfast, why don't we go for a walk by the lake next to the courtyard? I heard the lotus flowers there are in full bloom, their pink and white petals contrasting with the green leaves; it's quite a sight.”

Embroiderer also nodded in agreement:

“Yes, it's a good chance for Sister Xingwan to get some sun and replenish her Origin Qi.”

...The group chatted while they ate, with Situ Jun listening with a smile and interjecting a word or two from time to time.

However, this warmth did not last for long.

Hurried footsteps came from the main gate, getting closer with a sense of urgency, breaking the warmth within the hall.

“Manor Lord, Lord Zhu Changpo is at the gate, saying he has urgent matters to report!”

It was Cao Guang's voice. His usually steady tone now carried a hint of undeniable gravity.

Situ Jun's brow furrowed instantly, the gentleness in his eyes vanishing and being replaced by a layer of frost.

Zhu Changpo was stationed at the Northern Border. Unless it was a matter of extreme importance, he would never personally rush back from there.

He gently patted Shen Xingwan's back and said in a low voice:

“Xingwan, and you all, keep eating. I'll go take a look.”

Shen Xingwan keenly sensed his aura sinking and the flash of sternness in his eyes, and her heart tightened as well.

She nodded obediently. Though there was worry in her eyes, she did not ask much and only said softly:

“Go ahead, Husband, don't worry about us.”

Embroiderer and the others also pulled back their smiles, their faces turning slightly somber as they nodded to Situ Jun. The laughter in the hall quietly dissipated, leaving only the soft sound of the pomegranate flowers outside being blown by the wind, making the atmosphere feel increasingly heavy.