After Rebirth, My Aloof Husband Can Hear My Inner Thoughts [Transmigration & Rebirth] - Chapter 55

The night wind rose again, causing the green gauze curtains to flutter like a maiden’s skirt. Suddenly, a pale, delicate hand grabbed the curtain, then slipped down a few inches as if unable to hold on.

Xie Zhizhou had placed a soft pillow beneath her knees. Her pair of knees, fair as the bright moon, were tinged with a faint red, sinking into the crimson satin embroidered with golden chrysanthemums. The colorful butterflies pecking at the stamens appeared even more lifelike, as if about to take flight.

The green gauze curtain swayed precariously. Lin Shengshen let go just in time, but as she leaned against the window frame, Xie Zhizhou grasped her shoulders and pressed her against his chest. His chest was like a wall ablaze with raging fire, and the heat made Lin Shengshen’s spine tremble.

This tremor caused the man to suck in a sharp breath.

“Shengshen… don’t bite me.”

Xie Zhizhou rested his chin on Lin Shengshen’s collarbone, turning his head to punish her by gently nibbling her earlobe, his voice both restrained and seductive.

Lin Shengshen inwardly cried injustice. Leaning on Xie Zhizhou’s strength to rest briefly, she had only caught her breath a few times when this nibble made her shiver again.

“Clearly… it’s you biting me…” Her voice trembled, laced with a seductiveness she herself hadn’t noticed.

Xie Zhizhou’s heart felt like a wildfire sweeping across the plains, nearly burning away all reason. The refined gentleman, the noble and virtuous image, all virtues of gentleness and restraint—he cast them all aside. He only wanted to be a beast.

He wished he could devour her whole, tear apart all barriers between them, make her cry, make her beg for mercy, and cover her entirely with his marks.

But he couldn’t.

In their previous life, he had hurt Shengshen deeply, causing her to suffer nightmares every night, weeping on her pillow. This time, he had to be gentle, careful, suppress his own roughness, and show her the utmost tenderness.

This time, if he was going to do it, he would do it well.

Once she grew accustomed in the future, they could take it slowly… There was no hurry.

“Does it still hurt?” Xie Zhizhou’s hand moved from her shoulder, soothingly rubbing it, yet unwilling to leave, lingering greedily.

Lin Shengshen let out a soft moan, supporting herself against the window frame. The earlier piercing pain had eased considerably after several changes in position and Xie Zhizhou’s persistent, back-and-forth motions.

But the sheer size was truly alarming. Lin Shengshen was on the verge of tears, drifting in a sea of pleasure while navigating waves of dull pain. “How are you still not finished…?”

Her words gave Xie Zhizhou pause. He wondered if he had fallen short somewhere—why else would Shengshen be so eager to wrap things up?

Her spirit had already shattered into fragments. When he lifted and placed her on the writing desk, Lin Shengshen no longer had the strength to feel shy or resist.

The items in the document tray scattered across the floor. The chayote rolled under the bookshelf, several travelogues were stained with moisture and tossed by Xie Zhizhou onto the cloud-patterned chair, and even the small Taihu rock ornament was swept aside.

Xie Zhizhou stood before the desk, gazing at Lin Shengshen.

The window beside the writing desk stood wide open, brighter now in the deep of night when no one was around. Moonlight streamed in, illuminating her glistening eyes and the damp, ink-black strands of hair clinging to her cheeks and chest.

His arms braced on either side of her slender waist, she gripped them, her pink-white nails leaving bloody marks on his skin. Xie Zhizhou leaned closer, cradling her fingers to examine them in the moonlight, ensuring her nails were intact and unbroken before kissing them gently. “Do your nails hurt?”

Lin Shengshen gasped intermittently, only kept from sliding further across the desk when Xie Zhizhou tightened his grip on her waist. “You… you…”

She was at a loss for words. Who would ask if someone’s nails hurt after being scratched raw and bloody?

The ordeal had been too long and exhausting. What began as discomfort had transformed into a floating, sinking dance of half-hearted resistance, culminating in sobbing cries and choked whimpers. Lin Shengshen resembled a weary fish, cradled in Xie Zhizhou’s palms as he kissed and claimed her passionately.

Utterly defenseless.

In the end, she didn’t make him stand before the bookshelf. After fulfilling her “duties” several times, Lin Shengshen finally waited for Xie Zhizhou to finish his. She allowed him to carry her back to the daybed. Her original skirt, damp and crumpled beneath her, was unwearable now. Only Xie Zhizhou’s robes, previously discarded on the floor, had been spared.

Xie Zhizhou held her, kissing away the tears on her cheek before soothingly stroking her back until he accidentally grew hard again…

Lin Shen Shen, sensing something was wrong at her waist, felt both furious and embarrassed. She adamantly refused to stay in Xie Zhizhou’s embrace, mustering all her strength to push him away fiercely. But her limbs were weak, and the effort amounted to little more than a light brush, which only stirred his desires further.

Xie Zhizhou dared not press further. Indulging in momentary pleasure at the cost of future opportunities would be a true loss. He tossed aside the damp, soft pillow, fetched a dry and fluffy thin quilt, and wrapped it around the person in his arms before rising to dress.

The delicate fragrance of bergamot in the room had long been overwhelmed by the heady scent of intimacy. Half-asleep, Lin Shengshen was bundled in the thin quilt and carried back to Tangli Residence. Fortunately, it was already the hour of Yin—the world lay silent, and aside from Peilan, no one else knew what madness had transpired in Young Master Xie’s study, a place usually off-limits to outsiders and meticulously kept in perfect order.

Soaking in the hot water, Lin Shengshen felt her exhaustion dissolve, only to be swiftly engulfed by overwhelming drowsiness. Before Xie Zhizhou had even finished undressing on the other side, she had already fallen asleep.

One last thought lingered before she drifted off:

[Return my letters to me…]

Xie Zhizhou scooped up the slowly sinking figure. Water splashed noisily as he stepped into the bathtub, causing much of it to overflow.

In stark contrast to Lin Shengshen’s weariness, Xie Zhizhou felt entirely the opposite. Though dawn approached in the east, sleep eluded him. He simply gazed, over and over, at Lin Shengshen’s face in his arms—flushed pink from the steam of the hot water.

This sensation was truly marvelous; the physical connection finally gave him a sense of reality. Although Lin Shengshen treated her with indifference and wasn’t particularly attentive, and although this intimate encounter was something he had obtained through some means, in the end, he had forged a bond with her.

This affair was like a flood bursting through a dam, unstoppable and uncontrollable. If someone had told him months ago, at the time of their marriage, that he would one day be utterly captivated by a woman, he would have found it absurd and laughable.

Xie Zhizhou, who had always held little regard for emotional attachments between people, now found a glimmer of hope rising within him. If only this fleeting pleasure could make Lin Shengshen unable to forget him, lingering in his embrace.

Xie Zhizhou gently brushed the stray strands of hair from Lin Shengshen’s cheek, tucking them behind her ear. On her earlobe remained a half-faded crimson mark, like a priceless piece of jewelry. He gazed at it for a long, long time.

After the surging ecstasy came an endless void.

Xie Zhizhou held the sleeping Lin Shengshen in his arms as they lay back on the bed, skin against skin, breaths intertwined, yet he found no peace to sleep.

He looked up at the moon sinking in the western sky outside the window, entangled in boundless melancholy.

What he wanted was not just pleasure, but all of Lin Shengshen, including her heart.

But was her heart with him?

Xie Zhizhou glanced sideways at the dressing case on the vanity and recalled her sparkling eyes under the lanterns a few days ago, along with her whispered prayer—

He didn’t know.

It wasn’t complete possession, nor was it definite loss. It felt like a blunt knife grinding into his flesh, both itchy and painful.

Lin Shengshen, oh Lin Shengshen.

The next day at noon, Lin Shengshen lay in bed for a long time before mustering the courage to move her sore legs.

Memories of the previous night flashed through her mind, and she wrapped herself tightly in the brocade quilt once more.

This… this was just too…

No matter what, how could they have done it in the study? And later, they even ended up on the desk… Wouldn’t Xie Zhizhou be reminded of it every time he sat there to read in the future?

Lin Shengshen vowed never to set foot in the study again.

Hearing movement, Peilan hurried in from outside and asked through the bed curtains, “Miss… are you getting up?”

Lin Shengshen chided, “Why are you hiding so far away? Do you think I’ll tear you apart just because you ran off last night?!”

Peilan timidly lifted the curtains and replied with a coy smile, “How could I dare to ruin your and the young master’s good time?”

Lin Shengshen thought to herself, what good time? It had left her sore and aching all over—clearly, it was a terrible misfortune!

Peilan, still not done, added, “This morning, the young master even rewarded me.”

Lin Shengshen was taken aback. “What reward?”

Peilan carefully pulled a pouch of silver from her bosom as if it were a treasure. “He gave this much to everyone!”

“Everyone?”

“The young master praised me for being clever and efficient last night and even gave me an extra two taels!”

“…” So the entire household knew about it?

The first half of the night had been uneventful, but in the second half, they had stirred up such a commotion and, without anyone noticing, accomplished something monumental.

Furious, Lin Shengshen propped herself up and reached out to pinch Peilan’s ear, but Peilan dodged her.

“Don’t be angry, Miss. The young master knows you’re exhausted and specifically ordered chicken soup to be simmered on the stove. I’ll bring it to you in a moment.”

Lin Shengshen sat up, still wrapped in the quilt, and said resentfully, “Call Baidou in.”

Peilan was horrified, her face falling as she threw all the silver onto the nearby table. “I’ve always been the one to help you dress. Why are you replacing me with Baidou now? Miss, I won’t dare accept any more rewards. Please don’t be angry with me!”

Lin Shengshen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Quickly put the money away, when have I ever been so stingy? I called Baidou in to discuss matters regarding Baoxiang Tower. Go find the clothes I left in the study yesterday, then come back to attend to me later.”

Only then did Peilan feel reassured, putting away the silver as she said, “I went to look for that nightgown and outer garment this morning, but the young master said he had taken care of them, so there’s no need to search further.”

He took care of them? Why would he do that? What exactly did he take care of? And how?

Lin Shengshen was baffled but decided not to press the matter. When Baidou entered, she carefully instructed her, “This design is too intricate and lavish—Golden Branch Pavilion definitely won’t be able to replicate it. But that’s fine. Just deliver the pattern to them and then spread a rumor.”

“What rumor?”

Lin Shengshen smiled faintly. “Naturally, that the Consort’s birthday is approaching, and she’s grown tired of the palace styles. This year, she intends to seek hairpins and ornaments from the common folk. Golden Branch Pavilion’s new designs are sure to catch the eye of nobility. No need to say more—people will draw their own conclusions.”

Baidou grasped the underlying strategy and laughed. “Let Yin Wei keep scheming against others—this time, he can steal to his heart’s content!”

Lin Shengshen joined in the laughter, retrieving some silver from a hidden compartment under her pillow and handing it to Baidou. “Here, use this to grease a few palms. Keep the rest for yourself.”

Baidou pocketed the money cheerfully. “Today, I’ll bring you some glutinous rice and ginseng chicken from East Street to nourish you!”

“…” Lin Shengshen reached out to pinch Baidou’s ear again. “You’re just as improper as the rest!”

After dressing and washing up, Lin Shengshen leaned against the daybed, supporting her waist as she sipped spoonfuls of chicken soup, contemplating the upcoming Mid-Autumn palace banquet.

Xie Zhenhuan peeked cautiously through the window, observing Lin Shengshen’s expression. Seeing she wasn’t angry, she hurried inside.

“Sister-in-law—”

“If you’re here to talk about last night, save your breath.” So what if she had succumbed to temptation and consummated the marriage? Why did everyone seem to know about it and feel the need to ask?

Lin Shengshen’s cheeks burned with embarrassment inwardly.

Xie Zhenhuan was cut off abruptly and had to change the subject. “Then, will you still be able to attend the Yong’an Hou wedding banquet tomorrow?”

Lin Shengshen shot Zhenhuan a glare, retorting irritably, “I just… it’s not like I broke my arms or legs. Why wouldn’t I be able to go?”

Xie Zhenhuan thought to herself how stunning her sister-in-law looked even when angry—her eyes had a mesmerizing effect. How fortunate her brother was to enjoy such charm daily…

“Maybe you shouldn’t go.”

“Why not? You’re usually the first to jump at lively events. Yong’an Hou’s newly renovated gardens are said to have three lotus ponds alone, one fed by warm spring water from Yunlai Mountain, surrounded by vibrant spring flowers in full bloom despite the late summer. Don’t you want to see that?”

Xie Zhenhuan certainly wanted to go, but she had heard that not only would Wen Zhaoya attend tomorrow, but also her brother—the general who would soon depart for the distant campaign.

The northwestern conflict had dragged on, and the general, originally scheduled to leave in mid-June, had been detained by His Majesty until early July. The edict had only been issued recently, setting his departure for the thirteenth of July—the day after tomorrow.

Why would he show up at a wedding banquet right before leaving? Xie Zhenhuan had a clear guess, which was precisely why she didn’t want Lin Shengshen to attend.

But Lin Shengshen had already made up her mind to go tomorrow—not just to witness the rare spectacle of spring flowers in late summer, but also because—

[The arrangements for the August palace banquet are still uncertain. With Wen Lingzhou far in the northwest, if the capital truly faces turmoil… I must warn him that if he’s reassigned to the northern borders, he must be wary of Prince Su’s people.]

Xie Zhizhou paused just outside the window.

Unaware of his presence, Lin Shengshen said to Xie Zhenhuan inside, “I’m going. I have to go.”