The Regent Keeps Flirting With Me - Chapter 25

“Stop rubbing, stop rubbing, the hairpin you just put on will get messed up!” Shen Lingyan was even more concerned about her hairstyle than Zhou Jin, so after teasing her for a bit, she urged Zhou Jin to quickly get up.

Zhou Jin stubbornly lay there for a while before finally getting up and shaking Shen Lingyan’s arm, acting like a child who hadn’t had enough fun.

Shen Lingyan, however, was only concerned with Zhou Jin’s hairpin. Due to the recent playful commotion, it was already quite messy. She took the wooden comb the woman had used earlier and carefully tidied Zhou Jin’s hair again, finally satisfied.

“Alright, let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a tough battle,” Shen Lingyan gently helped Zhou Jin lie down. The injuries on both of them were starting to ache again from the recent activity, and the most severely injured, Zhou Jin, even had a slight fever. Shen Lingyan dared not let her stay up any longer, so she had to hold back the person and meticulously guard her elaborate hairstyle.

“Where are you going?” Shen Lingyan was about to turn and leave, but Zhou Jin grabbed her sleeve. She patiently turned around, wanting to get angry at this childish Regent, but restrained herself, considering she was a patient. She sighed and said, “I’m in pain and can’t sleep, so I’m going out for a walk.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jin’s lips curved into a smile. She immediately pulled Shen Lingyan over and gently lifted her sleeve to check her arm. Shen Lingyan’s face was flushed, and she dared not even breathe loudly.

However, seeing Zhou Jin become increasingly excessive—even attempting to lift her skirt to check her thighs—Shen Lingyan finally got angry. Mindful that the Zhang family was asleep, she lowered her voice and snapped, “What are you doing! Have you become so brazen after just a few days out of the palace?”

Even as she said this, Shen Lingyan knew it wasn’t true. When had Zhou Jin ever not been brazened? Shen Lingyan was already bracing herself for Zhou Jin’s retort, but unexpectedly, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

“Lie next to me, or I won’t be able to sleep.” The sick Zhou Jin was already clingy, and with tomorrow being such an unusual day, the usually aloof and refined Zhou Jin now lowered her guard and held Shen Lingyan.

Shen Lingyan didn’t know how to refuse; more accurately, she didn’t want to. She slowly endured the pain and lay down, placing Zhou Jin’s cold hand in hers to warm it.

Even so, she had to be stubborn: “It’s not because I care for you, I’m just tired too.”

She didn’t know where this reserve came from; she still felt that the Zhou Jin in front of her was the Regent who was her rival. Yet, despite feeling this way, Shen Lingyan, against her better judgment, went to accompany her.

With Shen Lingyan lying beside her, Zhou Jin quickly fell into a deep sleep. Shen Lingyan, having been frightened and overworked all day, also fell asleep shortly after.

The window wasn’t closed. The sounds of summer cicadas drifted into the room, dancing with the moonlight, bringing coolness in the dark night. Neither of them used a blanket. In their semi-conscious state, Shen Lingyan even fanned Zhou Jin a bit.

The next morning, Shen Lingyan was awakened by the heat. She was drenched in sweat. Standing by the window, she saw there was no sun today; the sky was overcast, and the air was thick and muggy. However, the villagers were no longer hiding for shade but were instead gathered at the entrance of the Zhang family’s house, waiting for today’s River God’s Wife.

The man kept advising them to wait a while longer, hoping to let Zhou Jin and Shen Lingyan rest a little more.

Unfortunately, the villagers were impatient, and their noise grew louder. Yun Zhu stood nearby, worried sick.

Just then, Zhou Jin sat up with a darkened face, rubbing her temples angrily. “Why is it so noisy outside?”

Perhaps her expression was too intimidating, as Yun Zhu didn’t dare to answer. It was Shen Lingyan who spoke.

“It’s the villagers. They’re here for… the River God’s Wife.” Shen Lingyan carefully chose her words, but saw Zhou Jin’s face growing darker. She walked to the bedside with a hint of amusement, took Zhou Jin’s hand, which was still rubbing her temples, and, recalling a tender scene from a novel, felt compelled to reach out and smooth the tight frown on Zhou Jin’s forehead.

Zhou Jin immediately put on a bright and cheerful expression. The noise outside seemed not to affect her anymore; her eyes were only on Shen Lingyan.

“Don’t call me the River God’s Wife. I’d rather be… your wife.” Zhou Jin couldn’t be serious for more than three seconds before starting to joke. Shen Lingyan, however, inexplicably blushed. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she immediately turned away to avoid Zhou Jin’s gaze.

Zhou Jin didn’t press the matter. She stood up and handed the wooden comb to Shen Lingyan, pleading with Shen Lingyan to comb her hair again. Shen Lingyan gently combed her hair, stroke by stroke. The troubled Shen Lingyan patiently stroked the ink-black hair.

“For today’s journey, remember to be safe. I command you.” After styling her hair, Shen Lingyan looked at Zhou Jin in the bronze mirror and slowly spoke, her voice gentle yet non-negotiable.

“This subject obeys your command.” This was the first time Zhou Jin referred to herself as ‘this subject’ and the first time she respectfully agreed to Shen Lingyan’s words.

Neither of them lingered any further. Shen Lingyan was the first to push open the door. Having been Emperor for a few days, her aura had subtly filled with imperial majesty. Even without saying anything, it was enough to command respect.

The villagers fell silent instantly, only hearing Shen Lingyan’s voice, clear and cold like a gentle spring: “What kind of ceremony needs to be held?”

The villagers shook their heads. The village chief cautiously stepped forward, peering through the doorway to see Zhou Jin, dressed in red wedding attire, sitting inside. His heart lifted—the appearance was fine!

He retreated back into the crowd, nodding to the villagers, who all sighed in relief and replaced their worried looks with smiles: “There is no ceremony, we just need to send the young lady off to be married before noon.”

They made it sound so pleasant. It was anything but ‘sending her off to be married’; if today were Zhang Yiqiao, it would be sending a person to her death. A rickety sedan chair was parked outside the Zhang house. The “wedding procession” was somewhat grand, but Zhou Jin remained seated inside the house, refusing to come out.

“Our young lady said that since she is going to ‘marry’ the River God, you must treat her with the utmost respect. You must kneel and kowtow to beg her to come out and enter the sedan chair.”

Yun Zhu also stepped out and announced. These words hit the crowd like a thunderclap. The villagers exchanged glances; no one wanted to kneel and kowtow to a stranger they had never met.

One person started an uproar: “We kneel to the Emperor and the Regent above, and to our parents and elders below. Why should we… Ah—”

Before the villager could finish, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Shen Lingyan saw clearly: a silver needle had flown out of the room and pierced the person’s temple, causing him to faint.

It was Zhou Jin. Shen Lingyan knew it well, but she simply smiled faintly, her face full of impatience: “Don’t you see? The River God has already expressed his displeasure. Why are you still not kneeling?”

As soon as she finished speaking, the village chief was the first to kneel, followed by the rest of the villagers. They kneeled solemnly before the Zhang family’s small house, calling out ‘respectful welcome.’ Only then did Zhou Jin lazily emerge.

Under the overcast sky, Zhou Jin’s languid expression stood out sharply. The bolder villagers looked up but felt that a second glance would be sacrilege.

Shen Lingyan didn’t know where the surge of pride came from. She gripped Zhou Jin’s hand and helped her into the sedan chair.

Watching Zhou Jin settle inside, Shen Lingyan was about to leave, but the fair, beautiful hand grasped hers and gently pulled her forward: “Come inside and keep me company.”

Before Shen Lingyan could say anything, the man from the Zhang family unhelpfully walked over, looking frightened: “This… the sedan chair probably cannot hold two people…”

Zhou Jin raised an eyebrow: “And what if this young lady insists?”