Seeing her expression, Pei Zhiyan knew he had been a bit overboard just now. He curled his fist and put it to his lips, covering up a light cough. "Be careful, it's hot."
Song Ruotang sipped the tea from his hand. Pei Zhiyan put the cup aside. Seeing Song Ruotang about to get her clothes, he took them and helped her put them on.
Just as she got dressed, Qingxing came back with the heated buns. She put the buns on a plate and respectfully said outside the inner room, "Sir, the buns are heated."
Pei Zhiyan nodded and led Song Ruotang off the couch. "I bought these on my way back from court this morning. Try them and see if they're delicious."
Song Ruotang followed him to the outer room. Pei Zhiyan picked up a bun with chopsticks and held it to her lips. She looked at the bun in front of her and almost laughed. It was so big.
No wonder Pei Zhiyan only bought two.
"I'm afraid I can't even finish one," Song Ruotang said helplessly.
Pei Zhiyan just smiled. "It doesn't matter. Just try it."
Song Ruotang took a small bite. The beef filling inside tasted fragrant as soon as it touched her tongue. A look of surprise flashed across her eyes. "This bun is delicious!"
The corners of Pei Zhiyan's mouth curled up slightly. Afraid that it would be hard for Pei Zhiyan to hold the bun with chopsticks, Song Ruotang asked Qingxing to get a piece of oil paper to wrap the bun so that they could hold it in their hands.
Pei Zhiyan imitated her. Sitting on the stools, each with a big bun in hand, they actually felt like an ordinary couple.
After finishing the buns, Song Ruotang took Pei Zhiyan to the courtyard. Pointing happily at the corner of the yard, she said, "There's a Chinese flowering crabapple tree there. I just found it yesterday. It's starting to turn green."
There was joy on her face for the new life. Pei Zhiyan looked at her. The sun shone on her side face, and he could even see the tiny fluff on it. Her curly eyelashes seemed to be gilded, and a soft veil seemed to cover her beautiful face, making her look a bit ethereal.
Pei Zhiyan took out the crabapple hairpin from his bosom and said softly to Song Ruotang, "A Tang, come here."
Song Ruotang walked over with a smile. "What's up?"
He took out the hairpin. "I bought it on my way back from court this morning."
Song Ruotang's eyes curved into crescent moons. Her eyes sparkled when looking at the hairpin. Her eyes were full of tenderness, like the melting spring water. "It's very beautiful."
Pei Zhiyan reached out his hand to put the hairpin on her head. He bent down slightly and got closer to Song Ruotang. The faint fragrance on her body tantalized him. After he put on the hairpin, Song Ruotang reached out her hand to touch it. She tilted her head left and right and asked with a smile, "Do I look good?"
Pei Zhiyan looked gentle. "You look good." He reached out his hand to hug Song Ruotang and buried his head in the crook of her neck. The fragrance unique to Song Ruotang instantly filled his nose. He looked up and gently kissed her cheek. His other hand gently rubbed her earlobe as he whispered, "A Tang looks good in anything."
Song Ruotang blushed a bit because of his actions. She quickly got out of Pei Zhiyan's embrace and gave him a reproachful look. "Aren't you going to work?"
Pei Zhiyan paused and gave a helpless bitter smile. "Do you really want to drive me away?"
"If you don't misbehave, of course I don't want you to go," Song Ruotang said with a soft laugh. Pei Zhiyan sighed and nodded. "Okay, I got it. Then I'll leave."
It was impossible for him not to misbehave.
Song Ruotang also knew that he had to go to work, so she didn't dare to keep him and could only watch him leave.
At this time, in Lin Yun's courtyard, Yan'er was pouring tea for Lin Yun while complaining discontentedly, "Madam, the master went to that Song Ruotang's courtyard again this morning and even gave her a hairpin."
She handed the teacup to Lin Yun. Seeing that she showed no expression, Yan'er felt indignant for her. "It was actually the Marquis who spoke up for him in court. That Song Ruotang has done nothing and can't help the master at all. Why... "
"Yan'er," Lin Yun interrupted the complaining Yan'er. She used the lid of the teacup to push aside the floating tea leaves and blew gently.
Yan'er bit her lips and finally shut up.
Lin Yun took a slow sip of the tea and then said, "Go and find a way to pass this news to Du Lingxuan."
Yan'er paused and instantly understood what Lin Yun meant. Her unhappy face just now immediately broke into a smile. "Yes, this servant will go and handle it right away."
When Du Lingxuan heard that Pei Zhiyan had gone to Song Ruotang's courtyard again and even gave her a hairpin, her fingernails dug almost into the flesh of her tightly clenched fingers.
The bronze mirror in front of her reflected her scarred face, which was now distorted and hideous because of anger. She looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly overturned the bronze mirror to the ground, making a clear sound.
"Song Ruotang, you bitch!"
She cursed angrily. The malice in her heart kept growing. If it weren't for her, she wouldn't have ended up like this...
But now it was a critical moment, and she also understood that she couldn't act rashly anymore...
Du Lingxuan was punished with twenty slaps and twenty strokes of the rod. She hadn't caused any trouble for a long time, so Song Ruotang's days in the Pei Mansion were much more comfortable. She originally thought that Lin Yun would take some actions, but unexpectedly, she had also been very quiet.
It wasn't until the beginning of spring, when the snow had melted and the green buds on the branches had grown into tender leaves, that someone came to Song Ruotang's courtyard.
It was a fine day. Song Ruotang was originally going to go out for a stroll. Unexpectedly, before she could leave the courtyard, she saw a woman in plain clothes walking in.
This woman was extremely thin. She walked as weakly as a willow swaying in the wind. When she got closer, Song Ruotang recognized her as Du Lingxuan.
She usually liked colorful clothes, but this time she was dressed so simply. Song Ruotang pursed her lips. She didn't know what Du Lingxuan was up to.
"Are you going out, Third Sister?" Du Lingxuan asked, looking at her.
Song Ruotang nodded. "Yes." After that, she said nothing more.
Seeing that Song Ruotang didn't seem to want to say anything else, Du Lingxuan had to continue on her own. "It seems I've come at a bad time. I originally came today to apologize to you, but I've disturbed your mood."
Song Ruotang put on a proper smile. "What are you saying, Second Sister? I can go out now. It's not disturbing my mood at all."
But as soon as she finished speaking, Du Lingxuan pursed her lips and looked sad. "It seems you still mind what happened before. You even refuse to accept my apology..."
She gently bit her lower lip and looked at Song Ruotang with teary eyes. "Sister, in the past two months, I've been devoutly worshiping Buddha to atone for my previous sins. I know I was wrong. I thought today was a good day, so I came specially to apologize. Won't you even give me this chance?"
Since she had said so much, if Song Ruotang refused again, she would be labeled as narrow - minded. So she calmly said, "Sister, you don't have to be like this. Since you've been worshiping Buddha for two months, and the Buddha is merciful, He will surely forgive your sins. Why do you still come to me?"
She could also tell lies.
Du Lingxuan was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect Song Ruotang to fight back like this. But she still insisted, "It won't take you much time. Just let me show my apology a little. Then I can feel at ease, right?"
Just as Song Ruotang was about to say something else, Du Lingxuan had already carried the basket into the room. She walked to the wooden table and took out the things in the basket.