Time and Space Interwoven (if Side Story)
Ye Youqing always believed that the best happiness is a slow and steady flow, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the leaves wither and regenerate, the wind changes from cold to warm, and the days pass slowly and leisurely.
She and Ci Ke bought a house, not in the bustling city, but just a lane away from the center. It is bustling when they go out, but quiet when they retreat. The yard is not as big as those in the capital, but Ci Ke has embellished it full of life, with trees and flowers in abundance, and they even raised a yellow dog.
There were only two maidservants in the house, and they also hired a skilled old woman to be responsible for the meals.
Ye Youqing had almost handed over all the business to Pei Ning and others, she only made some decisions, occasionally attended a meeting, and occasionally donated the earned silver to the disaster victims. Gradually, she became a well-known kind-hearted wealthy person in the market.
She also fulfilled her promise to Ci Ke, traveling around the state of Qi together, enjoying the mountains and waters along the way, and seeing many strange people and events, deserts, heavy snow, long rivers, and high mountains, they had seen almost all of them.
As for Shi Li and Zhou Ziqiu, they did not live with them, but often gathered together. Zhou Ziqiu’s condition greatly improved, her expression became more and more familiar to Ye Youqing, returning to being calm and mature. Ye Youqing guessed that Zhou Ziqiu had recovered some memories, but Zhou Ziqiu did not speak, so Ye Youqing did not ask more.
Anyway, seeing her sticking to Shi Li, there was not much change.
Another two years passed, winter went and spring came, autumn was bleak, but the temperature in the south still maintained the summer heat, only the sky was a bit bluer and higher.
In the courtyard full of flowers, there was a lounge chair big enough for two people, which Ye Youqing specially ordered from a carpenter so that she and Ci Ke could lie together. The lounge chair was covered with a soft blanket, and the two of them were swaying and taking a nap in the sunlight.
A mosquito crawled on Ye Youqing’s face. She fluttered her eyelashes, slapped her cheek, then opened her eyes and brushed off the corpse from her face.
Ci Ke heard the noise but did not open her eyes, instead she hummed and snuggled closer to Ye Youqing. Ye Youqing then skillfully embraced her shoulder, then pinched a blade of grass and stuck it into her nostril.
Ci Ke sneezed, had to open her eyes, her sleepy eyes squinting slightly.
“The sun is almost setting, if you keep sleeping, you won’t be able to sleep again when night falls.” Ye Youqing said, pulling Ci Ke up, wrapping the blanket around her.
Ci Ke yawned, pushed the blanket away: “It’s not even cold, I almost broke a sweat.”
“Then sweat it out, it’s just as well, we still need to bathe later.” Ye Youqing shrugged, wrapped her up again, which earned her a glare from Ci Ke.
“I already said, don’t even think about bathing with me.” Ci Ke pressed her index finger against Ye Youqing’s forehead, pushing her head back, then turned her body and strode into the house.
Ye Youqing tilted her head, following behind her: “We sleep in the same bed, why can’t we bathe together?”
“Who knows what tricky ideas you have.” Ci Ke bit her lip, threw the blanket aside, and sat in front of the bronze mirror to fix her sleep-tousled hair.
“It’s all because Shi Li favors you, that bath barrel is made from snow mountain sandalwood, it’s said that bathing in it makes your whole body fragrant.” Ye Youqing pulled a chair to sit down, slowly tidying her clothes, while smiling.
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“How could it be that magical?” Ci Ke took off her hairpin and placed it aside, turned around to look at Ye Youqing, both angry and amused.
Ye Youqing was leaning against the back of the chair. The weather was not cold, so she was only wearing a light blue dress. After she adjusted the collar herself, it became even more disheveled, revealing a hint of fair skin, which made Ci Ke’s breathing a bit erratic.
Ye Youqing’s body was different from Ci Ke’s own, one was plump and soft, the other had jade-like bones and icy skin. Especially with the faint scars, it added an indescribable feeling.
Ye Youqing noticed Ci Ke’s momentary blush, so she hooked her hand on her collar and tugged at it, making Ci Ke completely avoid looking.
Ye Youqing couldn’t help but laugh, leaning her whole body into the chair, crossing her long legs, and extending her arm: “A bit tired, help me up.”
Ci Ke mumbled something, grabbed her palm and pulled her up with force, but who knew the woman in front of her didn’t stand properly, but leaned on Ci Ke’s shoulder, wrapped her hands around her waist, and snuggled her head into Ci Ke’s neck, humming.
“What are you doing now?” Ci Ke was completely out of patience, lowering her head to ask.
“I said I’m tired, don’t forget I just came back from Yangzhou yesterday, very tired.” Ye Youqing sighed, her phoenix eyes blinked, showing a tired look, her tone carried a bit of disappointment, “Who knew you not only didn’t take care of me, but also scolded me.”
Ci Ke could tell Ye Youqing was pretending, but couldn’t help feeling a bit distressed, so she softened her tone, put her hand on her back and patted her: “Speak with some conscience, when did I scold you?”
“Just now.” Ye Youqing said confidently, then loosened her grip a bit, pressing Ci Ke to take a step back, “Just this little wish you can’t fulfill for me, maybe because I’ve been away for a few days, you have found another lover.”
Ci Ke got anxious upon hearing this: “What nonsense are you talking about?”
After speaking, she tried to push Ye Youqing away, but Ye Youqing clung to her, whining like a stubborn plaster, leaving Ci Ke unable to break free. Ci Ke had no choice but to say irritably, “Alright, alright, I agree, isn’t that enough?”
Having been together for a long time, she finally realized that although Ye Youqing usually appeared cold and gentle, she was actually thick-skinned, full of mischievous thoughts, and always had ways to make her compromise.
Hearing Ci Ke agree, Ye Youqing finally stood up with her hands behind her back, her clothes still disheveled, leaning crookedly against the table and smiling. This annoyed Ci Ke, who pulled her collar straight and turned to call the maid to boil water.
After dinner, the so-called snow mountain sandalwood bath barrel was already placed in the room, steaming hot, making one’s face flush. It indeed had a faint exotic fragrance lingering around. Towels were neatly folded and placed aside, and a few flower petals floated on the water, covering the view of the bottom.
Ye Youqing was lazily lying inside, her black hair spread to one side, the contrast between the black hair and her fair cheeks made her seem somewhat unreal for a moment.
“Join me?” Ye Youqing placed her hand on the edge of the bath barrel, her shoulders covered with petals as she leaned forward, looking up and smiling at Ci Ke.
Ci Ke blushed: “Wash by yourself.”
She was about to leave when she heard Ye Youqing soften her voice, like gentle spring water, with a silky tone: “Sigh, we’ve been married for many years, yet we’ve never bathed together…”
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“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Of course it does, when others get married, they are always inseparable, but you…” Ye Youqing said with grievance, then sighed again.
Ci Ke’s steps hesitated, and after a while, she slowly reached out to untie her clothes, hesitating to lift her leg.
The water temperature was just right, and as soon as it touched her toes, she got goosebumps all over. Ci Ke lay down in the water wearing her inner clothes, and only after the petals covered her body did she completely hang her clothes on the edge of the bath barrel.
She turned her head, and Ye Youqing was pursing her lips and smiling at her. Ci Ke’s face turned even redder, and she wanted to reach out to hit her, but when she touched that smooth and soft skin, she quickly withdrew her hand.
“Who knows where you picked up these tricks.” Ci Ke reprimanded, then endured the tingling sensation from being touched, watching Ye Youqing approach.
Under the steam, her skin was as beautiful as the petals, her lips were red and bright due to the heat, her eyelashes were damp with steam, and her tea-colored eyes were not very clear in the mist, but like a clear deep pool that made people mesmerized.
“Kiss me.” Ye Youqing said softly, and Ci Ke, as if bewitched, involuntarily leaned forward, pressing her lips against Ye Youqing’s, kissing together with the steam.
Slowly, the hot water was no longer as scorching as their own bodies. As dusk fell, the room echoed with soft sobs.
It was unknown how long it took, but Ci Ke finally ran out of strength, breathing shallowly, her body wrapped in a large cotton blanket, being carried back to the bed by Ye Youqing.
Ye Youqing was not in much better condition, her breathing was rapid, her face flushed, and her hands a bit weak, but she still steadily laid Ci Ke down, helped her dry off, and then tightened the inner clothes she had just wrapped around herself.
“Dry yourself first, it will be cooler at night, be careful of catching a cold.” Ci Ke tried to get up, using a cloth to wipe the remaining water off Ye Youqing’s face.
Ye Youqing took the cloth from her hand to dry her hair, smiling as she gently pressed her back down, then turned over to lie down with her, kissing her on the corner of her mouth.
“By the way, the pouch on your waist is worn out. I sewed a new one for you last night but forgot to take it out earlier,” Ci Ke said drowsily.
“You are tired; let’s look at it tomorrow morning,” Ye Youqing said softly.
The two of them slept very soundly that night, and it wasn’t until long after the rooster crowed the next morning that Ye Youqing slowly woke up. Ci Ke was still sound asleep beside her, so she got up quietly, put on her clothes, and went out.
The morning light was faint, and the grass and flowers were covered with clear dew. When the wind blew, it scattered down with a rustling sound. The maid was sweeping the yard and, upon seeing Ye Youqing, bowed her head and asked, “Miss, do you have anything to do today?”
“No, Ci Ke likes the wontons from the street corner. I’m going to buy some for her,” Ye Youqing said with a smile, wrapping herself tightly in her coat as she stepped over the threshold.
Outside, the morning market was already bustling with traffic. Ye Youqing walked leisurely on the cobblestone path towards the wonton stall. The crowd was busy and noisy around her. As she weaved through the people, she suddenly heard a shout, a voice somewhat familiar, calling her name.
“Ye Youqing!” The voice seemed to be right next to her ear, but when Ye Youqing turned her head left and right, all she saw were common folk, no one else.
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Ye Youqing frowned and stopped, but the voice still echoed in her ear, as if trying to wake her up.
“Not good, Ci Ke…” Ye Youqing’s pupils shrank instantly. Just as she was about to turn around, her vision went black, and she collapsed, her knees and elbows hitting the ground, but she didn’t feel any pain at all.
She kept shouting in her mind not to, but her vision gradually darkened, ending in complete blackness. The bright blue morning sky twisted into a gigantic vortex, swallowing the sunlight.
She suddenly sat up.
“Ye Youqing!” Someone beside her grabbed her hand, sighing in relief and shaking her, “If you didn’t wake up soon, I’d have to call 120!”
“What’s wrong with you? You know your health isn’t good. You fainted once before, why don’t you take it seriously?” The person kept rambling, shoving a cup of water into her hand. However, Ye Youqing didn’t catch it, and the glass cup fell to the ground with a crash, shattering into pieces.
Ye Youqing didn’t listen to what she was saying. She just stared blankly at the scene in front of her. The bed beneath her was soft and fluffy, a painting of a mountain road hung on the opposite wall, painted by a foreign artist. The floor-to-ceiling windows on the right were bathed in sunlight, casting dappled shadows on the quilt.
She had returned.
