Chapter 98: Husband and Wife Drifting Apart

After carefully dressing up, Qingyu deliberately lingered on the garden path where Xiang Xiang Junzheng often appeared. Before long, Xiang Xiang Junzheng indeed walked over from that direction.

Qingyu's heart tightened, then she pretended to walk toward him casually. Just as the two were about to pass each other, Qingyu suddenly slipped, her body tilted, and the handkerchief in her hand fell to the ground as if by chance.

"Oh!" Qingyu let out a soft cry, her body leaning forward slightly as if about to fall.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng frowned, instinctively reaching out to support her. Qingyu raised her head, her eyes filled with a mix of panic and apology, and said pitifully:

"Second Master, forgive me; this servant did not mean to."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng's gaze fell upon her face, and he was momentarily stunned. After all, she was a young woman who had carefully dressed herself, completely different from the tigress Wu Shi in the courtyard, and far beyond comparison with the courtesans of the Yihong Courtyard.

The woman before him had slightly upturned, tender pink lips, a hint of shyness at the corners of her mouth, and a touch of seductiveness in her eyes; yet this allure was not vulgar or shallow like those women in pleasure quarters, nor was it a deliberate display of charm. Instead, it seemed to emanate from her very bones, revealing an indescribable grace.

The words Xiang Xiang Junzheng had originally intended to scold her with suddenly failed to leave his lips.

"It is nothing," Xiang Xiang Junzheng replied indifferently, though his gaze could not help but linger on her face for a few more seconds.

Qingyu lowered her head, gently picked up the handkerchief from the ground, her fingers trembling slightly as if still flustered. She bowed slightly and whispered, "Thank you, Second Master."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng nodded, his gaze still fixed on her until Qingyu turned and left; only then did he withdraw his eyes and continue walking toward the study.

On Jun Jun Zijin's side, the Marquis Manor bestowed upon her by the Emperor had become a temporary workshop for processing down jackets; after all, she had not moved in, and leaving it empty would be a waste.

When Jun Jun Zijin returned to the Jun Manor, the sky was completely dark; as soon as she stepped through the courtyard gate, Hanxiao and Miaozhu came forward to greet her, their faces showing a hint of excitement.

"Young Lady, you have finally returned!" Hanxiao said with a smile. "Can you guess what interesting thing happened in the manor today?"

Jun Jun Zijin raised an eyebrow and smiled. "What event has made you so happy?"

Miaozhu leaned forward and lowered her voice:

"Young Lady, Qingyu deliberately bumped into the Second Master in the garden today and pretended to be pitiful; the Second Master actually did not get angry and even glanced at her a few more times!"

Hearing this, Jun Jun Zijin let out a light laugh, a look of understanding flashing in her eyes: "Qingyu does have some methods."

Hanxiao and Miaozhu continued to vividly recount Qingyu's encounter with Xiang Xiang Junzheng. Jun Jun Zijin listened, occasionally responding with a few words; having been busy all day, she treated it as entertainment to relieve her fatigue. She ate a little late-night snack, washed up simply, and then rested.

That night, Xiang Xiang Junzheng did not return to his room again but rested in the study. Lying in bed, the beautiful face of Qingyu constantly floated in his mind, and his heart found it difficult to settle.

The night was deep, and Xiang Xiang Junzheng tossed and turned; that inexplicable flutter in his heart made him feel restless and eager.

Li Shi was also unable to sleep that night; Xiang Xiang Junzheng had rarely returned to the manor to rest, yet he did not go to his room but instead rested in the study.

Li Shi sat in her room, the handkerchief in her hand squeezed so tightly it seemed about to tear. Her face was iron-green, her eyes filled with fury, and her lips trembled slightly as if ready to explode at any moment. She suddenly stood up, kicked over the low stool beside her feet, and shouted in a sharp voice:

"This ungrateful thing! He rarely returns to the manor, yet he does not go to his room but instead goes to the study! Does he still have me in his eyes?"

Li Shi strode to the door, pushed it open with one hand, and roared at the maids and nannies outside:

"You useless things! Are you all dead? The Second Master went to the study; why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you persuade him to return to his room? What good are you for?"

Li Shi's loud wail startled the flying eagle perched on the beam of the Second Master's room, causing it to shiver and nearly fall; he dug at his battered ears, thinking inwardly that the woman's voice was truly loud enough. No wonder Xiang Xiang Junzheng preferred to rest outside every day rather than come home. Feiying adjusted his posture and continued to watch the show.

The maids trembled with fear, keeping their heads down and daring not to make a sound. Seeing them like this, Li Shi became even more furious; at that moment, a small maid timidly entered Li Shi's room.

"Lady, please calm your anger; you know the Second Master's temper; how would we dare to persuade him?"

Hearing this, Li Shi's anger flared even higher; she raised her hand and slapped the small maid, "Useless!" The small maid covered her face and dared not make a sound.

The nanny nearby hurriedly stepped forward to block her and whispered in a pleading tone: "Lady, please calm your anger; perhaps the Second Master is tired and wishes to rest in the study; why must you be so angry?"

"Tired?" Li Shi sneered, her eyes full of mockery. "He is tired? What is he tired from? He enjoys himself freely outside all day, yet upon returning to the manor, he is suddenly tired? I think he has been bewitched by some vixen and has forgotten to return home!"

Seeing that she could not be persuaded, the nanny could only retreat to the side, daring not to speak further.

Li Shi's chest heaved with anger; she turned and went back into her room, grabbed a tea cup from the table, and smashed it fiercely onto the ground, sending shards flying everywhere. She cursed through gritted teeth:

"I will see which shameless wretch dares to seduce my husband! If I catch her, I will surely flay her skin!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became; that fire of rage in her heart burned until she nearly lost her reason. She suddenly stood up, rushed out of the room, and headed straight for the study. Seeing this, the maids and nannies hurriedly followed, fearing she might cause some major trouble.

Li Shi hurried along the entire way, her footsteps stomping heavily on the ground as if to vent all the anger in her heart. She rushed to the study door, raised her hand to push it open, but was stopped by the young servant guarding the entrance. The young servant said tremblingly:

"Lady, the Second Master has already rested; you should not disturb him."

"Rested?" Li Shi sneered, her eyes full of mockery. "He has rested? I will see whether he has truly rested!" She shoved the young servant aside and forcefully pushed open the study door.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng was sitting at the desk, holding a book in his hand; hearing the commotion, he raised his head to look at the door, his eyebrows slightly furrowed: "What are you doing?"

Seeing him like this, Li Shi's anger grew even stronger; she sneered:

"What am I doing? I should ask you, what are you doing? You rarely return to the manor once, yet you do not go to your room at night but instead run to the study; do you find me, your legitimate wife, an eyesore?"

Xiang Xiang Junzheng put down the book in his hand, his tone cold: "I am tired and wish to rest in the study; why must you make such a huge commotion?"

"Tired?" Li Shi sneered, her eyes full of mockery. "You must have hidden a vixen in the study, right? I will see which vixen has bewitched your heart!" Saying this, she took several quick steps to the bed and began rummaging around wildly.