A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 42

Determined Not to Divorce

A Lamb into the Tiger’s Mouth

Jiang Chenyu cradled Shen Hetang’s cheeks with both hands, stroking her long hair. For a moment, she was at a loss for where to look; everything about this felt incredibly novel.

            

“Have you really thought this through? If we do not divorce, once you pass this village, there will be no other inn¹. Do you truly have no regrets?” Shen Hetang looked at the person on top of her, her eyes bright. She spoke very slowly, as if trying to brainwash her.

“I only know that I missed you terribly, and I do not want a divorce.” As she spoke, Jiang Chenyu leaned gently against Shen Hetang’s shoulder, wishing she could grow onto it.

“Besides, you have always dressed as a man, which means there must be a reason for it. With looks as alluring as yours, you are bound to be pursued, and your secret would be exposed sooner or later. Wouldn’t having a wife at home shield you from plenty of trouble and suspicion? What do you think?” Jiang Chenyu’s mind, which had been in a daze, felt clearer the more she thought about it. Spending the rest of her life like this with Ah Tang did not sound bad at all!

            

Shen Hetang looked at the woman who was clicking away on her mental abacus like a little fox, and she let out a soft laugh.

“I do not want a fake wife!” She tilted her head and rubbed her cheek against Jiang Chenyu’s earlobe and neck. Seeing a pale green jade bead dangling from the plump, fair earlobe—glistening like a peeled grape—Shen Hetang parted her red lips and took the cool bead into her mouth. She rolled it back and forth with the tip of her tongue, gradually drawing half of the earlobe in as well.

“Do not move… If you move, you might prick me.” Even while busy, she did not forget to coax her.

            

Jiang Chenyu lay with her face turned to the side on her shoulder, not daring to move an inch. The strange, tingling sensation made her grip Shen Hetang’s robes tightly, her breathing growing hot.

“It has been twenty days. I missed my niangzi² terribly too. Why don’t we rest first?” She lifted Jiang Chenyu in her arms and carried her back to the canopy bed. Blushing furiously, Jiang Chenyu let herself be carried away in a daze.

She had slept in this large bed alone for too long, having nightmares almost every night. If she wasn’t killing this person, she was killing that one—severed limbs and decapitated heads, intestines, lungs, and hearts, with blood pouring out everywhere. The dreams were like man-eating monsters. Her entire body radiated a freezing chill; she truly needed Jiang Chenyu to warm her up.

            

The heavy bed curtains were drawn tight, shutting out every speck of light. Once the atmosphere grew thick with intimate, lingering passion, how could anyone still spare a thought for whether she was a man or a woman?

Thinking that as long as they did not divorce, everything else could be warmed up, Jiang Chenyu’s mind was teased into a complete blank within this enclosed space.

With pitch-black darkness wherever her gaze fell, all of her senses seemed magnified twofold, leaving her incredibly sharp and sensitive.

            

Today she wore clothes sewn with light gauze, which felt slightly coarse like grains of sand under her touch. Long, nimble fingers flexibly unfastened the frog closures.

Her clothes were reduced piece by piece. She… did not know what Ah Tang was going to do… Normally, when they were intimate, Ah Tang wouldn’t undress her. In the pitch-black space, she couldn’t see anyone, leaving her with no sense of security.

“Ah Tang… is that you?” Jiang Chenyu could not help but speak when the slightly cool air brushed against her skin.

            

“Heh… What foolish words are you saying? Can you even doubt this?” Shen Hetang casually tied her long hair back with a cord, then leaned down to capture her moist, tender, cherry lips.

There seemed to be an embroidery stitched with gold thread on her dudou³, and long fingers traced the contours of the design, yet could not quite guess what pattern it was.

“Ah Tang… don’t… it’s so ticklish,” Jiang Chenyu pleaded in a small voice, turning her body to dodge her.

            

“What is embroidered on it, then?” She pulled her back with a sudden tug, persistently questioning her as her hand found the edge of the dudou and slipped upward. Her five fingers spread wide, closed together, and tightened.

Jiang Chenyu could not answer her question. She could only bury her face in the quilt, unable to bear it as she bit her lip and hummed softly, her body growing damp.

In the end, the obstructive dudou was also gone. A pair of hands with slight calluses felt back and forth over her like a peeled egg, distinct in curves, smooth and plump.

            

A slightly forceful hand was clamped onto her slender, soft waist. The owner of the slender waist parted her lips, her breathing slightly rapid, finding the wet, hot lips and tongue unbearable. She pushed at the head in front of her with soft, weak fingers, her body instinctively dodging.

The one deeply immersed in the moment, finding herself constantly interrupted by these light yet persistent protests, pinned a pair of slender, pale wrists above her head with one hand. With her other hand, she forcefully supported her slender, beautiful back, pressing her close.

Her delicate body was held firmly in check. A tingling, stinging sensation spread from a single point to her entire body, leaving her so helpless that even her toes tingled. The messy bedding was twisted and rolled into a tangled heap.

            

With great difficulty, her hands finally regained their freedom, and she instinctively tried to push her away. Yet, seeing her pitiful whimpering, that person moved upward to kiss her bewildered cherry lips. The hands that had intended to push her away ended up resting on her distinct jawline, and before long, her senses were completely stolen away…!

On the pitch-black bed, lightly calloused fingers slowly moved up her smooth, delicate thighs. A moment later, a strange, trembling sensation caused Jiang Chenyu’s exposed skin to break out in shivers. Her fingers clutched weakly at Shen Hetang’s arms, but she could only be forced to sway along with her…!

Sometime after midnight, a sliver of light filtered through the thick bed curtains. The shadow of a long, slender leg was stretched out, raised in the air, seeming as though it might touch the other person’s back with the slightest movement.

            

The light on the bed was too bright for Jiang Chenyu to open her eyes, but a strange yet familiar sensation washed over her once more.

Against the dark green brocade quilt, the woman’s entire body was snow-white. The marks left behind by the recent chaos were fully visible under the bright light—deep and shallow spots scattered in an intimate, eye-catching display.

Her black, shiny, smooth hair was spread irregularly beneath her body. A faint, rosy blush dusted her exquisite, lovely face. Her delicate brows twitched slightly, and her long lashes fluttered as she tried to open her clear, autumn-water eyes.

            

Her figure was soul-stirring; her skin was so white, her blush so pink, making it impossible to stop. From top to bottom, she was as perfect as a work of art. Shen Hetang’s eyes darkened, utterly captivated; she felt as though she had missed out on a hundred million by keeping it pitch-black earlier.

Shielding her eyes from the light with her hand, Jiang Chenyu managed to open them, only to find that her hips seemed to be resting between the other’s thighs. Shen Hetang’s long, beautiful fingers rested against the skin of her thigh, while her other hand was boldly offending her.

The visual impact was quite powerful. The fine sweat that had only just receded slowly crawled back, leaving her damp from top to bottom. Her fingers clutched the brocade quilt tightly, trembling slightly with her movements.

            

“You… Why didn’t you take off your clothes?!” after a bout of helpless, soft weeping, she demanded in grievance.

“Next time, I will,” Shen Hetang coaxed, leaning down with a smile. With her mind and body filled with pleasure, her voice became much softer and clearer.

Jiang Chenyu glared at her in dissatisfaction. Her voice still carried a soft, breathless gasp from being ravaged. In her half-open peach-blossom eyes, she was still radiantly dazzling, yet carrying a faint touch of innocence.

            

“Does this count as consummating our marriage? You won’t bring up divorce again, will you?” After a long pause, she finally recalled this crucial matter.

“As long as you do not drive me away, I will never leave.” Shen Hetang wrapped her snugly in the quilt and gently wiped away the slightly cool, fine sweat on her forehead.

Jiang Chenyu slipped her smooth arms out to wrap around Shen Hetang’s neck, clinging to her affectionately. Outside, the sky slowly developed a faint light from the pitch-black, but inside the thick bed curtains, there was no distinction between light and dark, leaving only a room full of romantic passion.

            

The next morning, the window frames were opened. In the courtyard, various early spring blossoms swayed gently in the breeze. Their rich fragrance, diluted in the open air, drifted into the room, saving the owner even the trouble of incense.

Inside the carved canopy bed, a pink dress with light gauze and a white dudou embroidered with emerald-green and gold lotus leaves were thrown carelessly on the rug.

Shen Hetang got out of bed, cleaned up the messy remnants of the night before, and fetched a fresh set of undergarments to place inside the bed. After washing up, she grabbed a bun, closed the door behind her, and headed to the yamen⁴.

            

No matter what her true identity was, the instinct of a modern wage-earner⁵ was deeply engraved in her bones—as long as one is a monk, one must keep tolling the bell⁶. She still had to show up at the yamen for a few more days.

With the heavy boulder finally lifted from her heart, the way she walked was practically flying. She had saved her wife, and this time, she was a genuine wife!

As for the past of the original owner, she would just avoid it day by day—when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally steer straight⁷.

            

In her excellent mood, she even stopped to buy peanuts, melon seeds, and pineapple cakes for her colleagues at the yamen, carrying the square little paper parcels as she made her way there.

When Jiang Chenyu finally woke up naturally, the memory of last night’s wild behavior rushed back. She buried her face in her hands and screamed in her heart, This, this, this… aside from not being able to have children, how is this any different from any other married couple? She only loved Ah Tang, and she had loved her since they were young. She wanted no one else, nor would she ever allow Ah Tang to have anyone else. They could only belong to each other.

After being busy for nearly a month, she finally had some free time to rest. She could have two new outfits made for them, change the bed curtains, and perhaps visit their country estates to unwind for a while. Once this period passed, Jiang Ning would likely arrive to settle the accounts of the overseas trading fleet. Looking at the countless piles of silver she would have to count, she felt she could buy the stars and the moon for Ah Tang if she wanted. Hahaha! Clutching her dudou as she sat on the bed, Jiang Chenyu’s thoughts drifted further and further away.

            

Dressed in a white mamian skirt⁸ with subtle woven patterns, a light green short shirt with a small standing collar, and a white-ground sleeveless bijia⁹ fully embroidered in two colors, she was clothed entirely in shades of green. Yet, she looked as alluring as spring itself—as vibrant and delicate as a Chinese rose swaying in the breeze.

Jiang Chenyu set out to prepare today’s side dishes. The kitchen had freshly rolled some spring pancakes¹⁰, which, paired with assorted side dishes for wrapping, made for a perfect meal on a lovely spring afternoon.

Estimating that it was about time for Shen Hetang to return, she occasionally peeked outside. As it turned out, her timing was impeccable.

            

Clad in greyish-blue, tight-sleeved martial attire, Shen Hetang strolled casually around the corner. A gust of wind shook the apricot tree at the corner of the wall, sending a shower of blossoms straight onto her head and face. She quickly brushed away a small white blossom that was blocking her eyes, completely unaware that several more still clung to her hair.

“Ah Tang, you’re back!” Running out from the doorway while holding up the sides of her skirt, Jiang Chenyu bounded to her side. Seeing the blossom nestled in her hair like a hairpin, she smiled sweetly and deliberately chose not to tell her.

Shen Hetang took her hand as they walked inside together. “Do not run out like that tomorrow. Just stay home and wait for me obediently.”

            

“Mmh… All right!” she replied, exceptionally obedient.

Six small plates were neatly arranged in a circle on the round table: shredded potatoes, shredded green beans, shredded cucumbers, mung bean sprouts, stir-fried pork, and fresh coriander segments. Beside them sat a stack of thin spring pancakes, a spread guaranteed to whet anyone’s appetite.

After washing their hands, the two began their dinner. The sky was still bright, and they could easily take a walk nearby after they finished.

            

The heavy bed curtains on the huanghuali canopy bed had been replaced. In their stead hung double-layered, pastel-pink gauze drapes, adorned with tinkling bead tassels that lent the bed a dreamy, ethereal quality.

When both of them looked toward the canopy bed at the same time, they recalled the romantic passion of the previous night. Lowering her flushed, delicate cheeks, Jiang Chenyu stood up awkwardly and said, “I am finished. Take your time.”

And turned to leave.

            

“I’ll take you out for a stroll in a bit!” Shen Hetang’s voice rang out behind her.

“That sounds wonderful. Can we visit the family shops? I haven’t been in a while.”

“Of course!”

            

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