Chapter 69: A Lighthearted Everyday Moment

Jiang Chenbi stared at her face and took a step forward, draping her arm over Cui Wangshu’s neck. She lifted her gaze and asked, “Last night… were you happy?”

Cui Wangshu lowered her head slightly and pecked her on the lips, smiling as she said, “Being dominated from below felt… really good.”

Jiang Chenbi curved her lips and commented, “How crude.”

Cui Wangshu narrowed her eyes, placed her hands on her waist, and leaned in slightly. Jiang Chenbi leaned back under the pressure, and Cui Wangshu chuckled softly. “But isn’t it my crudeness that you like?”

Jiang Chenbi turned her head to dodge the kiss and laughed. “You’re pretty self-aware.”

Cui Wangshu’s lips held a smile as she quietly gazed at her radiant expression. A phrase drifted through her mind.

Bright eyes glancing about, radiant with charm.

“It’s the New Year today. Do you have any plans?” Cui Wangshu asked.

Jiang Chenbi smiled. “I came back to be with you, so of course, we’ll spend it together.”

Cui Wangshu curved her lips. “Jiang Ci should be back by now. Would you like to go to Xiaoyun Pavilion with me to celebrate the New Year?”

Jiang Chenbi hummed thoughtfully and pretended to ponder. “I do miss Jiang Ci’s cooking a bit.”

Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened slightly as she asked casually, “Do you really want to eat what she makes that badly?”

Jiang Chenbi looked up and caught the danger brewing in her eyes. She raised a brow and said deliberately, “Yeah, that soy sauce steamed pork ribs she made back then really wowed me for a long time.”

Cui Wangshu tried to force a smile, but it wouldn’t come. The thought of Jiang Chenbi holding someone else in her heart made her feel sour and swollen inside.

Seeing her sour expression, Jiang Chenbi couldn’t hold back her laughter, her eyes curving into crescents. “Alright, I was just teasing. The only one I’ve ever missed is your cooking.”

Cui Wangshu pursed her lips and lowered her eyes without responding. That look made her seem a bit aggrieved.

That aloof, noble face showing such an expression made Jiang Chenbi’s heart skip a beat. She hurriedly coaxed, “I won’t say it again, okay?”

Cui Wangshu turned her face away, her voice a little muffled. “Don’t tease me about stuff like that anymore.”

Jiang Chenbi licked her lips and coaxed her guiltily. “No more teasing… How about I kiss you?”

Cui Wangshu’s lashes trembled lightly, her expression a bit unnatural. The flush at her ear tips betrayed her feelings. Without turning back, she softly hummed in agreement.

Amused, Jiang Chenbi bent down, stepped forward in one stride to face her, approached from below, and pressed her lips to Cui Wangshu’s before straightening up.

Cui Wangshu, who had been keeping her head lowered, lifted it with the kiss and couldn’t help but smile. She pulled her into her arms for a lingering kiss.

By the time the two finally finished their affectionate display and arrived at Xiaoyun Pavilion, Jiang Ci and the others were already wrapping dumplings.

Jiang Ci glanced at the intimate pair and said casually, as if used to it, “You’re here. Hurry up and come wrap dumplings.”

Cui Wangshu turned to Jiang Chenbi and said gently, “I’ll go help. You rest first.”

Jiang Chenbi thought for a moment and hesitated. “I’ll help too.”

She didn’t know how to wrap dumplings anyway, and she’d even mocked Cui Wangshu before…

Cui Wangshu squeezed her hand, her eyes full of tenderness as she winked her right eye. “I’ll wrap your share for you.”

Jiang Chenbi couldn’t help but smile and didn’t push it. “Then I’ll have to trouble the Minister.”

Jiang Ci: “…”

If you can’t wrap them, get out. Don’t make her wrap for you. How old are you two? If they don’t mind being all mushy, I do!

Under Jiang Ci’s resentful glare, Cui Wangshu calmly washed her hands, rolled out the dough with practiced ease, added filling, and wrapped them up.

Jiang Ci happened to glance her way and suddenly felt a flash of brightness that hurt her eyes. She raised her arm to block the light and squinted to look.

What was so shiny?! It nearly blinded her!

Oh, it was Cui Wangshu, strutting like a peacock in full display. Yo yo yo, the red marks on her neck weren’t fully covered—clearly a peacock that had successfully courted its mate.

Cui Wangshu looked at her exaggerated movements helplessly and asked, “What’s wrong with you now?”

Jiang Ci lowered her arm, let out a sleazy “hehe,” then switched to a blank expression. “Nothing.”

Cui Wangshu: “…”

At that moment, a figure entered from outside—it was Wang Xian, with Xun An following behind him.

Wang Xian spotted Jiang Chenbi sitting on the stool right away. Seeing her much improved complexion, he sighed. “It’s been a while. You’ve recovered quite a bit, girl.”

Jiang Chenbi stood and bowed to him, a faint smile on her face. “Thank you for the Nine Revolutions Soul Returning Needle, Elder Wang.”

Wang Xian laughed heartily and waved it off. “No need, no need.”

After greeting her, Wang Xian walked over with the medicinal herbs in hand and added them to the simmering chicken soup. He’d apparently gone out earlier to fetch them.

Only then did Jiang Chenbi’s gaze fall on Xun An across from her, who was also observing her.

Curving her lips into a smile, Jiang Chenbi spoke first. “I’m Jiang Chenbi. How should I address this young lady?”

Xun An lowered her eyes. “Xun An. Just call me that, Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Chenbi smiled warmly and poured two cups of tea, gesturing. “Please, have a seat, Miss Xun.”

Xun An didn’t move, glancing at Cui Wangshu for approval. Cui Wangshu said indifferently, “You two chat. We’ll handle this side.”

Xun An nodded and sat across from Jiang Chenbi.

Jiang Chenbi took a sip of tea and smiled. “If I remember right, I think we met yesterday, Miss Xun?”

Xun An nodded, recalling her first sight of Jiang Chenbi the day before. The woman had been draped in a white cloak, her face veiled, but her exquisite brows and eyes had been impossible to ignore.

Seeing her today confirmed it—she was a stunning beauty.

Jiang Ci glanced at the chatting pair and felt inexplicably uncomfortable seeing how relaxed Xun An was with her. She could chat freely with someone she’d just met today, but with her, it was like striking a stone and getting nothing.

Jiang Chenbi kept smiling, casually probing here and there, and soon pieced together their relationships. Jiang Ci couldn’t help but wonder if Cui Wangshu would get jealous seeing her chat and laugh so easily with others.

Curious, she looked at Cui Wangshu’s face. She hadn’t expected it, but one glance was a shock.

Where was there no jealousy? She looked about ready to burst with it. Her face showed no change, but when wrapping the dumplings, Jiang Ci felt like the wrappers were about to be pinched through.

Jiang Ci: “…”

What a pretender. If you don’t like others chatting with your beloved, why pretend and tell Xun An to go chat?

As Jiang Ci watched Cui Wangshu, her inner complaints flowed like an endless river—until she unexpectedly met Cui Wangshu’s icy gaze.

Jiang Ci: “…”

She looked away and kept wrapping, grumbling inwardly, Why glare at me? I’m not the one chatting with Jiang Chenbi. If you’ve got the guts, drag Xun An away yourself.

Cui Wangshu’s gaze darkened as it fell on Jiang Chenbi’s face, bright with a brilliant smile.

What could two people who’d just met possibly have to talk about that made her smile so happily?

Cui Wangshu didn’t know that Jiang Chenbi was smiling so brightly because she’d quickly sensed Xun An’s feelings for Jiang Ci in just a few exchanges. One less threat—how could she not be happy?

Though Jiang Chenbi had never said it outright, she still cared deeply that Cui Wangshu and Jiang Ci had known each other since youth. Without the mishaps, she and Cui Wangshu could have grown up together from childhood. How could they have been separated for so many years?

Not being part of Cui Wangshu’s past had always been an obsession for Jiang Chenbi. Her feelings for Cui Wangshu were buried deep in her heart—not daring to hold too much, nor to reveal them fully.

She could only pretend it was the same as Cui Wangshu’s: born from the Love Gu, from accompanying each other through life-and-death trials, affection growing over time.

The unspeakable jealousy hid in her heart. Cui Wangshu could express hers openly, but she couldn’t—hers was too complex, too surging.

She was jealous of everyone around Cui Wangshu, jealous of everyone who could see her every day.

But such emotions had been hidden for so long that Jiang Chenbi had grown accustomed to that state, pretending as if nothing was wrong.

Xun An lowered her eyes, realizing she’d been led on, and fell silent.

Jiang Chenbi chuckled lightly. Still a gourd with a sawed-off mouth.

Having gotten the information she wanted, Jiang Chenbi didn’t force more conversation. She looked up at Cui Wangshu and walked over to her side.

This person’s been staring at me for how long now? Jiang Chenbi felt that if she didn’t go coax her soon, there’d be trouble later.

She placed her hand on Cui Wangshu’s shoulder, tilted her head, and smiled. “I miss you so much.”

Jiang Ci: ?!?! Heavens!

The jealousy surging in Cui Wangshu’s head was instantly doused. She pursed her lips, her expression softening obediently. So even while chatting with others, Jiang Chenbi still thought of her.

Jiang Chenbi leaned close to her face, and Cui Wangshu froze in place, her gaze locked tightly on her. She looked like she’d agree to anything Jiang Chenbi did—utterly indulgent.

The other three pretended to busy themselves, but they’d lightened their breathing and perked up their ears to listen.

Amusement in her eyes, Jiang Chenbi teased, “Don’t you miss me?”

She leaned in, filling Cui Wangshu’s entire view.

Cui Wangshu lowered her eyes, a faint shyness showing as she barely audibly hummed in agreement.

The three: !!!!!!

Jiang Chenbi smiled, then suddenly wiped her hand across Cui Wangshu’s face, dusting it with flour. Paired with her stunned expression, she looked like an adorable little puppy.

Jiang Ci, who’d been secretly watching, couldn’t hold back her laugh but quickly covered. “Xun An, take a look—is this dumpling of mine a bit ugly?”

Xun An stood hurriedly and examined the perfect dumpling in Jiang Ci’s hand, frowning seriously. “It looks just like a dumpling.”

Cui Wangshu: “…”

She turned to Jiang Chenbi, who was grinning with neat white teeth, clearly in a great mood as she looked at her. Cui Wangshu’s heart softened, and pursing her lips, she said only, “You look great.”

Jiang Chenbi’s smile was beautiful.

The three: “…”

Wang Xian, who’d been silent, finally couldn’t take it. He coughed and said, “You two, can you stop being so clingy?”

It was pretty pleasing to watch… but not so brazenly!

Jiang Chenbi curved her eyes and exclaimed, “Oh!” Then she laughed. “Elder Wang, that chicken soup you’re stewing smells amazing. You added so many herbs just now—such thoughtful care for us young ones.”

Wang Xian coughed lightly, turned back, stirred the pot, and said contentedly, “It’s not as fragrant as you say. Have more later. You lot aren’t as healthy as this old man.”

Jiang Chenbi noted his upturned lips and silently curved her own.

Jiang Ci shot her an admiring look. Impressive. A few words and you’ve got Elder Wang pleased.

Seeing her look, Jiang Chenbi assumed she wanted praise too. She glanced at the dumplings in her hands and obliged. “Miss Jiang is so meticulous—even her dumplings look perfect. That filling you seasoned is one of a kind in Great Zhao. Last time I went back and told my subordinates, they all said they wanted to try your cooking.”

Caught off guard by the praise, Jiang Ci’s lips twitched before curving up. She stammered, “R-Really? Heh, no big deal. If your subordinates want some, just come find me. On the house.”

Her hands sped up involuntarily.

Xun An and Cui Wangshu: “…”

Cui Wangshu had finished her dumplings. She set down her things, grabbed Jiang Chenbi’s wrist, and pulled her outside.

Jiang Ci waved cheerfully. “Take care, Miss Jiang.”

Dragged along by Cui Wangshu, Jiang Chenbi heard her called by name, turned back with a wink of her right eye, lively and alluring.

Jiang Ci sighed admiringly. “Miss Jiang is such a beauty with a kind heart.”

Xun An: “…” Bought off with one sentence.

Wang Xian set down his tasting spoon and turned. “Those two are young and promising. Quite the match.”

Jiang Ci grinned. “Right?”