The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 262
by Little PandaExtra 37
How Does It Taste?
Xiao Bingying set the notebook down, turned back to see Cheng Xi holding her tea in a daze, walked over, and asked softly, “Wife, what is wrong?”
Cheng Xi came back to her senses, looked at Xiao Bingying, shook her head, and replied, “Nothing.”
Cheng Xi set down her cup. Xiao Bingying followed close behind her. The two of them climbed onto the bed one after the other, and Xiao Bingying gathered Cheng Xi into her arms—the intimacy from earlier still did not feel like enough.
Xiao Bingying breathed in the fragrance at Cheng Xi’s neck, her well-defined fingertips resting lightly on the sash at Cheng Xi’s waist. Cheng Xi noticed and turned to look at her. Their gazes collided for an instant, and Xiao Bingying found herself involuntarily drawn to those slightly swollen, soft lips.
Her palm now reached the inner garment, the fiery temperature and just-right pressure making Cheng Xi unable to suppress a soft moan. Seeing that Cheng Xi did not refuse, Xiao Bingying grew bolder and began another round of pleasure.
After a long while, Xiao Bingying pushed Cheng Xi toward the peak, her lips grazing her porcelain-white ear as she asked with heavy breaths and a smile, “Wife, how is lovesickness cured?”
Suddenly the rhythm broke. Cheng Xi raised her weak arms and wrapped them around Xiao Bingying’s neck. After a long moment, she replied in a hoarse voice, “The one called Bingying can cure it.”
Xiao Bingying heard the answer and was very satisfied. She resumed her earlier movements and soon felt the slight trembling of the person beneath her.
Xiao Bingying sought Cheng Xi’s soft lips for a kiss, and as love surged, she continued into the next round without a second thought.
A few days later, knowing that Xiao Bingying had a day off to consult at the Medicine Hall, Cheng Xi struggled with herself for a long while at midday before finally going to the Medicine Hall.
But this time she went to Xiao Bingying’s side and made her presence known, sitting right beside her and recording medical cases for her.
Xiao Bingying had not heard that Cheng Xi was coming this morning, but she was very happy to see Cheng Xi sitting beside her.
After finishing consultations with the patients, Xiao Bingying looked over at Cheng Xi. Cheng Xi raised her eyes to look at her and asked, “What are you looking at?”
“My Wife is beautiful,” Xiao Bingying said without the slightest inhibition.
Cheng Xi heard this, the corners of her lips curving up as she smiled, “Smooth talker.”
Xiao Bingying laughed along. Their daughter was right—women all loved to be complimented.
In the past, she had always kept things bottled up, too shy to say them aloud. Now she ought to speak up more—both actions and words needed to be expressed.
“Is Doctor Zhao in for consultations today?” Shen Lin asked the clerk after picking up her medicine in the outer hall.
The clerk nodded with a smile, “She is, sitting inside right now, but it is about time for the midday meal.”
Shen Lin thanked him, “Many thanks.”
Shen Lin headed toward the inner hall. At this moment, Xiao Bingying was about to go upstairs with Cheng Xi for the midday meal.
“Doctor Zhao,” Shen Lin called out with a smile.
Xiao Bingying turned at the sound and, seeing it was Shen Lin, smiled, “Miss Shen, here to pick up medicine again?”
Shen Lin smiled and nodded, “Yes.”
Shen Lin walked over and subconsciously took a glance at Cheng Xi beside Xiao Bingying.
Cheng Xi looked at Shen Lin, noting that not only was she quite beautiful, but also very young.
“You must be Doctor Zhao’s wife, then?”
Shen Lin’s single remark made the wariness in Cheng Xi’s heart relax.
Xiao Bingying replied, “Yes.” She then turned to look at Cheng Xi, her voice unconsciously softening, “Wife, this is the Miss Shen I mentioned to you before.”
Cheng Xi nodded and looked at Shen Lin, “A pleasure to meet you.”
Shen Lin looked at Cheng Xi’s cool, immortal-like countenance and felt a sigh of admiration rise in her heart. She smiled, “A pleasure. No wonder Doctor Zhao never stops praising you when she mentions you. Seeing you today, beholding your beauty is truly astonished by heavenly beauty1.”
Cheng Xi smiled, “Miss Shen overpraises me.”
Only now did Cheng Xi realize that Xiao Bingying had already told Shen Lin about their marriage. She had thought…
She had been overthinking it.
“Last time, my mother’s illness was thanks to Lady Zhao’s guidance to Doctor Zhao. Otherwise, her condition might have been delayed. Shen Lin offers her thanks here.” Shen Lin bowed her head as she spoke.
Cheng Xi looked at Xiao Bingying. Xiao Bingying gave a slight nod—she had already told Shen Lin about this.
Cheng Xi understood and smiled, “No need for courtesy. We are both doctors—when Bingying asked, naturally I had to help her analyze the case. Is your mother feeling better now?”
“After taking the medicine from your Medicine Hall, she is much better. The pain has lessened by more than half,” Shen Lin said.
Cheng Xi nodded, “That is good to hear.”
“Since both of you are here today, why don’t I host you? We could go to a nearby restaurant for a simple meal—what do you say?” Shen Lin suggested.
Cheng Xi looked at Xiao Bingying. Xiao Bingying smiled, “Last time, Miss Shen helped us procure some medicinal ingredients. Why don’t we host today and treat Miss Shen instead?”
Shen Lin smiled, “It was only a single medicinal ingredient—how can that compare to the lifesaving help you two gave my mother? Let me treat you.”
Xiao Bingying glanced at Cheng Xi. She and Shen Lin could be considered friends now. Last time, when the Medicine Hall was short on an uncommon medicinal ingredient urgently needed, she knew Shen Lin, being a merchant, had certain connections, and had asked her to help procure it.
Xiao Bingying had not yet mentioned this to Cheng Xi.
“Then better to accept respectfully than decline politely.” Arguing back and forth was not Cheng Xi’s style. She also wanted to chat with this Miss Shen and see what capabilities she had that could draw Xiao Bingying to share meals with her so many times.
The three went to a nearby restaurant, ordered their dishes, and began chatting.
Shen Lin said, “I have always heard Doctor Zhao mention Lady Zhao. I had thought Doctor Zhao was already peerless in beauty, but I never expected Lady Zhao to surpass even her.”
Cheng Xi’s brows curved as she said, “If Miss Shen says it like that, my Bingying might be unhappy.”
Shen Lin caught the teasing in Cheng Xi’s words and smiled, “Doctor Zhao will not mind.”
Xiao Bingying sat to the side listening to their exchange and smiled helplessly. A moment later, the simple dishes began arriving.
Xiao Bingying served Cheng Xi food, poured her tea, and attended to her with meticulous care.
Watching from the side, Shen Lin felt even more relieved that she had given up the idea of pursuing Xiao Bingying after learning she was already married.
She did like Xiao Bingying—still did, even now—but she could only stop here. Compared to Cheng Xi, she could never measure up.
Over the course of the meal, Cheng Xi discovered that Shen Lin did indeed have extraordinary qualities. Though she was a merchant, she lacked the typical merchant’s mercenary air. She did not flaunt her family’s vast wealth, treated people with warmth, and harbored not a trace of hostility toward her.
When Xiao Bingying conversed with her, the most they discussed was where to find good medicinal ingredients. Nothing more.
When Cheng Xi returned to the National Medical Academy, the anxious, gain-and-loss feelings in her heart had finally eased somewhat, but she still could not fully overcome the fear of losing Xiao Bingying at any moment.
At this moment, she also understood that this was how Xiao Bingying had felt about her all along.
This feeling was indeed difficult to endure.
Returning to the residence in the afternoon, Cheng Xi began pondering medicinal cuisine. Cheng Xi, who had never busied herself with household matters, suddenly started learning to cook, wanting to properly make it up to Xiao Bingying.
Zhao Ningying returned from the palace and saw the table full of dishes made by her own mother. She wanted to try them, but looking at the blackened and yellowed pieces floating there, she truly dared not reach for her chopsticks.
“Mother, is this really not poisonous?” Zhao Ningying turned her head and looked at Cheng Xi with an innocent expression.
Cheng Xi sat to the side, cleared her throat, and said, “It is Mother who did not make it well. Next time, I will certainly do better.”
Cheng Xi wanted to take the dishes away, but Xiao Bingying had already washed her hands and come over. Seeing Cheng Xi about to carry the food off, she asked, “Wife, what is wrong with the dish?”
“Mother’s dish does not look very good,” Zhao Ningying said from the side.
Xiao Bingying walked over, looked down at the dish, and smiled, “It does not matter if it does not look good. It should still be edible.” Saying this, Xiao Bingying took the dish from Cheng Xi’s hands and set it back down.
Cheng Xi stood there, hesitating for a few moments before sitting back down with Xiao Bingying.
Xiao Bingying placed the dish on the dining table and said to Zhao Ningying, “Go call Grandfather and Grandmother for the meal.”
Zhao Ningying rose in acknowledgment and went to Zhao Dian’s courtyard.
Xiao Bingying looked at Cheng Xi standing there in silence, her smile gentle, and said, “Wife, it is your first time cooking. To have made it like this is already quite an accomplishment. If Mother and the others will not eat it, I will eat it all myself.”
Cheng Xi raised her eyes to look at Xiao Bingying. This was the first time she had felt this kind of setback, but hearing Xiao Bingying’s words, she felt it was not so bad after all.
Seeing Cheng Xi’s somewhat dejected expression, Xiao Bingying smiled, reached out, lifted her chin, and kissed her on the lips.
It was the first time Cheng Xi had been kissed by Xiao Bingying in the dining hall. She stared at her gentle eyes and brows for a long moment, until even Xiao Bingying grew a bit puzzled and asked, “What is wrong?”
“Kiss me again,” Cheng Xi said.
Xiao Bingying’s gentle eyes filled with a smile. Her gaze drifted down to Cheng Xi’s soft lips, and without hesitation, she kissed her.
Today, her Wife had cooked for her for the first time. Her heart was full of joy—she would have agreed to any request, let alone this one, which was what she wanted most.
Xiao Bingying kissed Cheng Xi, pressing her soft lips, and did not let go for a long while. Today, she had also sensed Cheng Xi’s jealousy.
She could be somewhat dense when it came to emotional matters, but when Cheng Xi came to find her at midday and sat beside her, she understood.
And when Cheng Xi saw Shen Lin today, that look in her eyes—it was clearly jealousy. Xiao Bingying only had to think about it briefly to understand.
Cheng Xi would not lose her temper without reason. It must be that she, Xiao Bingying, had done something wrong or had not explained something well enough.
Xiao Bingying held Cheng Xi’s slender waist, continuously plundering the sweet nectar between her lips and tongue, kissing her until Cheng Xi’s body grew soft.
“Your mother is cooking for the first time—you must not discourage her. Back then, your grandfather even burned a hole through the kitchen pot, and your grandmother never said a word,” Zhao Dian said as he walked into the courtyard.
Zhao Ningying walked alongside, nodding in agreement. She looked up and saw the two of them embracing at the doorway. For some reason—perhaps a lingering aftereffect from before—she suddenly called out loudly, “Was that pot replaced with a new one, or was it patched up?”
Zhao Dian smiled and said, “Of course it was replaced with a new one. The leak was truly severe back then.”
Xiao Bingying was deeply absorbed in the kiss. Hearing Zhao Ningying’s voice, she instinctively pulled back. As her lips parted from Cheng Xi’s, she looked down and saw Cheng Xi laughing softly, and she began to laugh as well.
By the time the three generations—grandfather, grandmother, and granddaughter—entered the room, the two of them had already separated and sat down.
Zhao Dian entered the room and sat down with Zhao Ningying and the others. Seeing the reddened lips of the young couple, he smiled and asked, “You have tasted it—how is it?”
Xiao Bingying paused for a moment, glanced at Cheng Xi, and saw Cheng Xi point at her own lips. Understanding the meaning, she smiled, “Quite good.” Saying this, Xiao Bingying picked up a chopstickful of the dish Cheng Xi had made and put it in her mouth.
Xiao Bingying chewed. Everyone at the table was watching her. Zhao Ningying asked expectantly, “How does it taste?”
Xiao Bingying swallowed and smiled as she replied, “Though the color is not very appealing, the taste is very good. These may be ordinary meat dishes, but the combination is nourishing for replenishing qi and blood. Father, Mother, you should try some too.”
Listening to Xiao Bingying’s introduction, Zhao Ningying grew curious and also tried a chopstickful. She had to admit—it was indeed delicious.
Though Cheng Xi did not know how to cook, she could still control the proportions. It was just that there was a slight difference between a medicine stove and cooking, so she had not managed the heat well, and the bottom layer had scorched a bit.
For a first attempt at cooking, it was still quite successful—this was the family’s verdict on Cheng Xi’s effort.
After the evening meal, Xiao Bingying held Cheng Xi’s hand as they strolled in the courtyard. Before long, Xiao Bingying carried Cheng Xi back to their room.
Tonight, Cheng Xi’s passion was the most fiery Xiao Bingying had felt from her this year and last.
Qu Zhimu and Qiao Jin had been married for some time now. Zhao Jiayu was extremely persistent about having a child. At first, Qu Zhimu did not quite understand, but after a deep conversation with Zhao Jiayu, she learned why she was so eager to have one.
Ever since Qu Zhimu’s marriage, Qu Yu would often zone out. Though Zhao Jiayu did not say it, she worried that Qu Yu was no longer living with the same determination as before.
Therefore, she wanted Qu Zhimu to bear a child, so that Qu Yu, seeing the child’s future, might reignite his will to live.
Today, Qu Zhimu and Qiao Jin came to the Zhao Residence, wanting Cheng Xi to prescribe medicine for them. But they encountered Zhu Ming’an and Jin Mingyi, who had also come to the residence seeking to conceive their second child.
The author has something to say:
Cheng Xi: “That scratching-at-one’s-heart feeling.”
Xiao Bingying: “Then from now on, let us… you know… every night. That way, we can communicate deeply and understand each other’s hearts.”
Cheng Xi: “Alright. As long as you promise to lie down every night, I have no objections.”
Xiao Bingying: “…”
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