The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 24

Zhou Jin didn’t know that Shen Lingyan, who had never done manual labor, had actually become very skilled at these things.

Yun Zhu heated some water for her and mixed it into a wooden basin. Under the bright moonlight, Shen Lingyan washed the dresses in the courtyard. She didn’t know when she would be able to return to the palace, so her clothes had to be spotless.

Thinking this, Shen Lingyan scrubbed harder. She fiercely rubbed away the almost dry bloodstains. By the time dinner was finally ready, Shen Lingyan had finished washing the clothes.

As soon as she stood up to hang the dresses, she looked behind her and found Zhou Jin. She didn’t know how long Zhou Jin had been watching. Her eyes were fixed on Shen Lingyan’s hands. Zhou Jin walked forward and gently took them in hers: “Does it hurt?”

Shen Lingyan was baffled by the question, thinking Zhou Jin was referring to her own injuries. So she replied carelessly: “It doesn’t hurt, it hasn’t hurt for a while. The herbal medicine you put on actually worked wonders.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jin’s gaze finally moved away from Shen Lingyan’s hands, and a smile appeared: “I didn’t expect the seemingly intelligent little Yan Yan to also have a silly side?”

“What’s silly? That’s disrespect!” This time, Shen Lingyan reacted quickly, snapping back directly. Her look was exactly like a small, newly-emerged beast, which Zhou Jin cherished like a treasure.

Zhou Jin resisted the urge to rub Shen Lingyan’s head. She just continued to hold her hands, her voice gentler than ever: “I mean, you were washing the clothes so hard just now, does it really not hurt?”

At this, Shen Lingyan used the moonlight to look at her palms, which were already slightly red and swollen. She felt as if she had been intentionally or unintentionally training her strength. The appearance of the men in black today made Shen Lingyan fully understand the importance of martial arts. It seemed practicing martial arts had to be put on the agenda after returning to the palace.

Meanwhile, the family had already set the meal on the table and didn’t dare to start eating, waiting for Shen Lingyan and Zhou Jin to join them.

The two didn’t delay. Shen Lingyan simply gave a quick “It hurts” and quickly shook off the hands Zhou Jin was holding, hurrying one after the other to the main house.

The two of them had the highest social standing in the entire house, though the family didn’t know it. Unfortunately, neither of them was very happy right now; the vexations of the past few days were weighing on their hearts, making it hard to breathe.

Yun Zhu sat with the family and glanced at their reactions. The family’s smiles were barely contained; their mouths were practically splitting into grins. Yet, throughout the entire meal, only her own mistress, Shen Lingyan, and the Regent, Zhou Jin, looked unhappy.

“In that case, we won’t disturb the three of you from resting.” The man respectfully stood up. Zhou Jin, Shen Lingyan, and Yun Zhu were then led to Zhang Yiqiao’s room to rest. Zhang Yiqiao was thus forced to sleep in the same bed as her parents. Before sleeping, the woman even brought the phoenix coronet and bridal robes to have Zhou Jin put them on.

Seeing this, Shen Lingyan quickly declined: “Yun Zhu has been attending to these matters since she was young; there’s no need for you to worry, Madam.”

The woman didn’t insist upon hearing this. She placed the wedding robes and phoenix coronet down in a heap and then leaned towards Zhou Jin, taking her hand. This intimate gesture didn’t upset Zhou Jin, but it made Shen Lingyan feel unhappy.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Lingyan also moved closer to Zhou Jin, linking her arm in hers, looking very affectionate, and watched the woman proudly.

The night was deep now, and the moon outside was still bright. Shen Lingyan could tell what the woman wanted to say to Zhou Jin, so she sensibly stood up and went to the window to look at the scenery.

“Girl, although I don’t know where your home is or where your parents are, you did this to save my daughter… Tomorrow is also your wedding day. How about you let me help you get dressed?”

The woman finally spoke. She held Zhou Jin’s hand as if it were her own daughter’s, her eyes glistening with tears.

Even though Shen Lingyan had just said Yun Zhu would attend to her, the woman had no intention of leaving. She looked at Zhou Jin very stubbornly, as if her refusal would leave the woman with a lifelong regret.

Zhou Jin understood. With an inscrutable expression, she nodded and also reached out to stroke the woman’s hand. It was rough and covered in calluses. Zhou Jin found it hard to imagine a woman having such calluses, but looking at the farm work, she understood.

Shen Lingyan also turned around at this time. She watched Zhou Jin sit in front of the inferior bronze mirror, letting the woman braid her hair and put on the bridal robes. In the dim candlelight, the bridal dress was exquisite and beautiful, and the gold trim seemed to be faintly glittering.

Shen Lingyan watched in a daze until Zhou Jin began acting flirtatiously toward her again, which finally made her snap out of it slightly.

“Alright, stop talking. You’re still not being proper at this hour.” Shen Lingyan held back an eye roll, looking at Zhou Jin with a feigned look of disgust, yet she couldn’t help but look at her out of the corner of her eye even after turning away.

“This phoenix coronet, it should originally be the husband who puts it on the girl.” The woman seemed a bit downcast. The phoenix coronet was held in her hands, and she delayed placing it on Zhou Jin. Shen Lingyan didn’t know why, but she instinctively stepped forward and took the coronet.

“How about I do it?” Without waiting for Zhou Jin and the woman to agree, she securely placed the coronet on Zhou Jin’s head. The coral-red tassels and beads on the coronet gently clinked together with her movement, and the golden hairpins scattered a soft glow in the faint candlelight. Shen Lingyan stared at Zhou Jin in the bronze mirror, completely mesmerized, unable to look away.

Zhang Yiqiao had also worn this same crimson bridal dress, but besides the incongruous innocent face that left an impression on Shen Lingyan, it was the fact that her petite figure couldn’t fill out the dress.

But it wasn’t until Shen Lingyan saw Zhou Jin that she truly understood the meaning of skin as white as snow and breathtaking beauty.

The crimson bridal dress set off Zhou Jin’s hands like beautiful jade. The swaying coral earrings near her cheeks added vitality to her whole person. In this shabby little house, she was as rare and stunning as a fairy who had just descended from the heavens.

The woman finally left contentedly. Only Shen Lingyan and Zhou Jin remained in the room. Neither of them felt sleepy, especially Shen Lingyan, who dared not even blink while looking at Zhou Jin like this, carefully scrutinizing her, afraid that Zhou Jin would fly back to the heavens like a fairy at any moment.

“You silly goose…” Zhou Jin mumbled softly. She stood up from the bronze mirror and walked over to Shen Lingyan, forcibly pulling and dragging her to the bedside. The two sat facing each other and blew out the candle. The moon outside was very round, a full moon, as it was near the fifteenth day.

The moonlight slowly streamed in, spilling onto the window lattice and shining on Zhou Jin’s phoenix coronet. Shen Lingyan, who had been dazed all evening, finally managed to organize her thoughts: “Very beautiful.”

Zhou Jin looked at her, knowing Shen Lingyan was talking about her. She playfully rubbed the phoenix coronet against Shen Lingyan’s cheek. The touch of the cold beads was distinctly different. Shen Lingyan blushed and dodged, but ended up lying down on the bed.

Zhou Jin immediately lay down with her. The beads persistently rubbed against Shen Lingyan, causing her to laugh constantly.