Chapter 7

She picked up some fish with chopsticks and fed it to the cat. It was clear that the cat was truly hungry, as it devoured the food in an instant. She picked up some more, placed it in a bowl, and fed it to the cat

He returned early that day. Pushing the door open, he saw her staring blankly out the window again. He walked over and quietly asked, "What are you looking at every day?"

Is that so? She pondered. Does he care about her? No, she shook her head. Not at all. He only does it to torment her. He takes pleasure in tormenting her. But what can she achieve by continuing to fight against him? She is still in the palm of his hand, subject to his whims, whether to be round or flat.

She no longer resisted, allowing him to hold her. After a while, she pointed with her finger to a spot about 30 degrees to the right front and whispered, "Over there!" He focused his gaze and indeed saw a bird's nest, inside which were three hungry little birds chirping. He laughed and said, "How did you find that?" It turned out she had been watching it every day.

She suddenly trembled all over. This scene was all too familiar. She spoke up, saying: "I want to do it myself!" Only after saying it did she realize that this was not his small courtyard in the northern region at all. And he was not Chu Tianlei.

Sister Zhang knocked on the door and said, "Young Master San, have you had dinner yet?" Duan Xulei took her hand and said, "Let's go. First, we will eat." Her hand was soft as cotton, a small bundle, and he could hardly bear to exert any force.

Jingqi's smile gradually faded. Aunt Zhang hurriedly quieted down. Seeing that she did not really seem to be angry, after a moment, she spoke again: "Madam, the young master truly dotes on you. Otherwise, he wouldn't even need to review the menu you use every day. Even if you have something to be upset about with the young master, considering his kindness towards you, you should not hold a grudge." For every meal, even what tea to drink and what snacks to have, the third young master had to inquire about. She had worked at the Duan family for a long time, but she had never seen the third young master behave like this.

The afternoon sunlight was exceptionally bright, lazily shining down. Although it lacked warmth, it still brought a sense of comfort to the heart. During the day, he was mostly absent. Yet, she found joy in this. She closed the book and was about to return to her room when she suddenly heard a series of "mi | mi" sounds at her feet. Caught off guard, she was startled.

He turned over, and his hand began to fumble beside him. After a while, he unexpectedly did not encounter her soft, cotton-like presence as he had anticipated. He usually loved to wrap himself tightly around her when getting out of bed, causing her to be unable to sleep. Over time, it became a habit. Now, with this touch, he found no one there. A sense of panic involuntarily surged within him, and he hurriedly opened his eyes

In fact, it is not easy to find sweet potatoes at this time. Sweet potatoes are not cold-resistant and often spoil in winter. Only a few households bury sweet potatoes in cellars. However, since Duan Xulei had given the order to find them, the subordinates dared not be negligent. Within just over an hour, someone specifically brought the items over.

He sat on the edge of the bed, pulled the blanket over her, and said: "When you wake up, if you're bored, let Sister Zhang arrange a car to take you out for a drive." What is there to see? Even if I go out, there will be Sister Zhang accompanying me, along with two military attendants. Others see this and keep their distance, fearing to provoke trouble. She simply turned over, presenting her back to him.

She smiled faintly at Sister Zhang and said, "Thank you, Sister Zhang!" Sister Zhang had only been speaking casually, but upon seeing her sincere gratitude, she felt a bit embarrassed. She touched her clothes with both hands and squinted her eyes as she smiled, saying, "Madam is too polite." Madam is truly very easygoing. No wonder the Third Young Master is so fond of her.

Her hair was as black as water, cascading like a waterfall over the beige silk pillowcase. A sense of powerlessness deeply seized him. He could command hundreds of thousands of troops, could make people waver between life and death with a mere thought. Yet he had never felt so powerless before

He saw her leaning by the window, peering outside. The curtains were not fully drawn, and the light that flickered in and out under the blowing wind illuminated the room. He took a robe, walked behind her, draped it over her shoulders, and instinctively tried to hold her in his arms

He turned her body around and kissed her forehead, saying, "I know you are bored; I have been trying to come back early every day." She was momentarily stunned, frozen in place. He continued to hold her and, after some thought, said, "Tomorrow, I will have Aunt Zhang and others accompany you for a few rounds of mahjong." In the past, when they were in the north, the ladies would play cards and listen to operas for leisure every day. She would occasionally join in the games. He continued to hold her and, after some thought, said, "Tomorrow, I will have Aunt Zhang and others accompany you for a few rounds of mahjong." In the past, when they were in the north, the ladies would play cards and listen to operas for leisure every day. She would occasionally join in the games.

Sister Zhang was also sent away by him, rolled up her sleeves, and began to work herself. She placed a fine iron mesh on the stove and put a few cleaned sweet potatoes on top. The stove was burning with charcoal, emitting hot steam, and soon the sweet potatoes would be heated and cooked. Every few minutes, she would slightly turn them over, and they would be ready.

Sister Zhang stood by, and upon seeing her smile so sweetly, with a pair of eyes as black as ink, like glazed water, full of brilliance, she was truly captivating. Since entering the residence, this was the first time I had seen her smile. I couldn't help but exclaim: "Madam, you look truly beautiful when you smile. You should smile more often." The madam usually remained silent, and even the third young master wore a tense expression every day.

Jingqi is just playing with the cat. Aunt Zhang continues to advise her: "The young master has such a temperament. If you just indulge him a little, he will surely be extremely pleased. That day, when the lady ate a few more bites of food, the young master was so happy that he specially rewarded the kitchen.

She always liked to eat a variety of things, such as sweets, and never seemed to be willing to have a proper meal. Back when they were in Anyang, during one winter, he often ate roasted sweet potatoes with her. Moreover, they were not the kind bought from a vendor, but rather those they roasted themselves. At that time, they had just fallen in love, and he did not yet know that she was the esteemed Miss Helian from the northern region

She sat on a small chair, staring at the stove, lost in thought. Her lowered profile, with its delicate and gentle lines, seemed as if it had been meticulously drawn with the finest brushwork.

Sister Zhang observed that Duan Xulei's expression seemed to indicate he was about to get angry, and quickly said: "Third Young Master, the Madam mentioned to me this afternoon that in such weather, it is just the right time to eat roasted sweet potatoes." His expression softened, and he turned to give the order: "Then let Shui Gen and Wang Cai go find some sweet potatoes." He turned back to her with a smile and coaxed: "How about having a few more bites to fill your stomach first, and then we can have some supper later."

She turned her head, avoiding his embrace. She turned and sat down on the sofa by the window. He softly said, "Sleep a little longer." She complied and stood up, lying down on the bed. She had become increasingly silent lately; whatever he said was fine. Yet, she was too lazy even to look at him properly.

She picked it up and walked into the hall. She instructed a maid, saying: "Go fetch some food, preferably fish." The maid had no idea it was for the cat. In just a little while, she brought up quite a lot, most of which was fish

The dishes were prepared according to her taste, small in quantity yet exquisite. He selected several dishes and placed them in her bowl. After only a few bites, she set it down. His expression seemed somewhat displeased, but he still made an effort to control himself: "Eat a bit more." She propped her chin on her hand, shook her head, and said: "I can't eat anymore." Looking at those items, it seemed she had no appetite at all

Jingqi was shy, and after being praised by Aunt Zhang, her face turned red as she said, "What is there to look at?" Aunt Zhang replied with a smile, "If the lady were not beautiful, would our Third Young Master return home early every day?" Not only does she look like she stepped out of a painting, but it is also evident that she comes from a good family, displaying a gracious and easygoing demeanor. Aunt Zhang has been with the Duan family for several decades and is very adept at reading people's expressions. She noticed how much Duan Xulei dotes on this young lady, even instructing everyone to address her as 'madam.' Naturally, she dared not be careless and served her with utmost care. Speaking of this young lady, she is very easy to serve; although she does not speak much, she is always polite and never makes things difficult for the servants. However, she wears a stern expression every day, appearing gloomy and melancholic. No matter how much the Third Young Master tries to cheer her up, she does not show any signs of happiness.

The sweet potato was quickly cooked. He picked one up, and because it was hot, he kept switching hands, blowing on it while laughing, "It will be ready to eat soon." She looked up in a daze, softly replied with an "Mm," and reached out to take it. He lightly tapped her hand and said, "You can only use your mouth, not your hands!"

It meowed a few times. She smiled sweetly and softly asked, "Are you hungry?" The cat could not respond, but in a way, it meowed a few more times in agreement

Jingqi shook her head; she did not particularly like these things. He pondered for a moment and said, "Then tomorrow I will accompany you to stroll around the streets. Our southern region is different from your northern area; you might find it appealing. Additionally, we can visit the foreign trading company to purchase some items." She did not respond, and he took it as her agreement.

Looking down, she saw a pure white Persian cat rolling around at her feet, its four paws kicking about. She found it adorable, crouched down, and stroked its snow-white fur, which was soft and very pleasant to the touch. The cat was extremely docile, allowing her to pet it, its tail swaying gently. She smiled slightly and bent down to pick it up.

She did not respond. He thought she was ignoring him again and did not pay much attention. After a while, he heard her softly say, "I discovered it when I was bored." His heart suddenly raced. This was the first time since their reunion that she was willing to truly engage with him and speak.

On weekdays, she would never pay him any attention. Today, however, she unexpectedly replied, "There are a few little birds over there." Although she did not turn her head, appearing disinterested, his mood immediately brightened. He wrapped his arms around her delicate waist from behind and laughed, "Where?" She nudged him with her elbow, trying to make him let go in pain. Yet, he refused, holding her even tighter, resting his chin on her shoulder while looking around, "Where? How come I can't see them?"

I still remember the first time I met her; she was wearing a simple yet elegant white cheongsam with lace trim, and in her hurried steps, she bumped into his embrace. Repeatedly, she apologized, saying she was sorry. When she looked up, there was a face as beautiful as a painting, slightly flushed with a hint of shyness, like a flower just blooming on a branch. His heart suddenly tightened, as if the feeling left behind after her collision was lingering, heavy and quite uncomfortable. Even now, that feeling still persists in his heart.