Chapter 23 – Love Like Wine

In Baishao Courtyard, Third Miss Cui, Cui Dai, returned to her room after a half-day of feigned smiles. She angrily overturned the hot tea that a servant had presented. The scalding water splashed onto the maid’s chest and the back of her hand, with droplets landing on Cui Dai’s cheek. She hissed lightly, “Are you trying to kill me?”

A Momo standing by tried to calm her down, but Cui Dai, in a fit of rage, pointed at the offending servant and ordered, “Drag her out and give her thirty lashes. Clumsy fool, such bad luck!”

Unable to vent her frustrations beyond her small domain, she took out her anger on the servants. Her chest felt slightly less constricted after this outburst. Just then, another maid came in to report, “Miss, the Countess has arrived.”

Countess Xining stepped into Baishao Courtyard, immediately noticing the chaos. Several stout old women were holding a crying and pleading Xi’er.

Seeing this, one of the women stuffed a cloth into Xi’er’s mouth to silence her cries. The Countess impatiently waved her hand, “Let her go, what is this mess?”

“Mom!” Cui Dai rushed out with a wet cloth in hand. “Why are you helping her? She offended me, and I can’t even punish her?”

The servants wisely retreated, and Xi’er, feeling as if she had been granted a great reprieve, knelt and kowtowed to the Countess.

“Do you even know who you’re punishing? How does that look to others?” The Countess was led into the room by her daughter and was about to continue her reprimand when she looked up in surprise. “What happened to your face?”

“It was Xi’er!”

“It’s nothing serious, let me see.”

Cui Dai, touched by her mother’s concern, approached obediently. She put down the wet cloth, revealing that her face was still perfectly fine. The Countess smiled, “You, making a fuss over nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.”

“Stop fussing. If you must, wait until everyone has left.”

These words hit home for Cui Dai. She gritted her teeth in frustration, “Look at her smug face! A blind woman, marrying the chancellor’s legitimate son, and now she doesn’t even remember who her real parents are. What does Brother-in-law see in her? I just don’t understand!”

She had been humiliated in front of so many people, and thinking about the affectionate display at the dinner table made her want to throw up.

Countess Xining was momentarily speechless. Setting aside other matters, with Pei Xuan’s noble status, a bit of arrogance was to be expected. The Count’s residence was now just an empty shell, with no one holding office in the court, living on an empty title. In contrast, the chancellor’s family was worlds apart.

Pei Xuan’s attitude was as expected, but her kindness towards Cui Ti took everyone by surprise.

The mother and daughter stood in silence, exchanging helpless glances.

In the afternoon, the sun hung high in the sky. Chenxiang Courtyard was silent. Pei Xuan lay on the high bed where Cui Ti had slept before her marriage, admiring the beauty of the Begonia flowers outside the window.

She remembered when she first met Cui Ti, sitting on the stone steps of a dilapidated house in the south courtyard. Dressed in old clothes, her face outshone her attire. Back then, Cui Ti was quiet and serene, as if gentleness was etched into her very bones. Pei Xuan had been stunned at first sight, her heart racing, too afraid to take a second look.

Cui Ti’s serene composure didn’t match that of a blind person. When Pei Xuan learned that the girl in the small courtyard was born with an eye condition, it left her feeling both frustrated and helpless.

Cui Ti, resting her chin in her hands, was drowsy. A pure white silk cloth covered her eyes. The wind gently blew her loose strands of hair. Her head tilted slightly downward, her lips moist and slightly parted, looking as if she could fall asleep contentedly after a meal.

Pei Xuan stifled a laugh.

She rarely engaged in such voyeuristic behavior, but after marrying Cui Ti, all her less-than-honorable actions seemed reserved for her. Silently mouthing “Titi,” Pei Xuan found the name endearing. “Titi,” like the color of tangerines, reminded her of the sun and plump, round orange cats.

Why not come to bed and sleep together?

Pei Xuan was puzzled. She carefully turned over on the bed, the faint scent from the bedding wafting up, reminiscent of Cui Ti’s fragrance.

She realized that, perhaps to her wife, sharing the bed she had slept in before marriage with her new husband was an embarrassing thing.

Suppressing her wandering thoughts, Pei Xuan looked up to see Cui Ti’s chin drooping lower. She got out of bed quietly and tiptoed over. “Niangzi?”

Cui Ti didn’t respond.

She was dreaming. In her dream, Pei Xuan caught her just before she fell, looking at her with deep affection, eyes filled with love and desire…

“Niangzi?”

Pei Xuan called out softly a few more times, but there was no reaction. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her voice was exceptionally gentle, “Niangzi, it’s uncomfortable here. Let me carry you back to bed.”

For a moment, she felt nervous. She slipped her hands under Cui Ti’s ribs, the fresh scent surrounding her nose. Cui Ti was light, almost just skin and bones, her hair brushing against Pei Xuan’s neck, causing a delicate itch.

Just as the mere sight of this person stirred her emotions, a closer look would make her heart flutter with an uncontrollable mix of joy and tingling excitement.

Bai Tang was carrying a vase into the room. Just as she reached the door, she had a sudden inspiration to peek through the window. To her surprise, she saw Gentleman Pei nestled against her lady’s chest, stealing a kiss.

Her face turned crimson, and she let out a silent gasp. She abandoned the vase, covered her face, and dashed away.

Gentleman Pei, who usually appeared so refined and proper, had a surprisingly mischievous side. Though her lady seemed slender, she had all the right curves, and those curves were quite perky. Bai Tang, feeling a bit shameless herself, praised the gentleman’s good fortune in her heart for winning the most beautiful and delicate flower in Xijing City.

“Xingguang…”

Cui Ti woke up, her face flushed, finding herself nestled in her husband’s embrace. Through the thin silk fabric, she could see Pei Xuan clearly. Embarrassed, she asked, “What are you doing?”

“Niangzi, please, lower your voice.”

Cui Ti immediately quieted down.

In her previous lifetime, she had suffered greatly at the hands of Bai Ge, and though surprised by Pei Xuan’s sudden boldness, she didn’t want to push her away, especially after just waking from that passionate dream.

Pei Xuan’s soft fingertips brushed lightly over her chest, causing Cui Ti to bite her lip, still mindful of Pei Xuan’s earlier admonition to keep quiet.

Dazed and feeling a bit dizzy, Cui Ti instinctively arched her chest. Pei Xuan’s face turned bright red. She tightened her grip around Cui Ti’s slender waist, her throat involuntarily swallowing. She had to apply some force to flick away the persistent little bee that had landed on Cui Ti.

Feeling a sudden sharp pain in that sensitive area, Cui Ti winced and let out a muffled groan.

The little bee, unwilling to provoke the fiercely blushing Master Editor, flapped its wings and flew out the window, heading to the back garden to gather nectar.

Cui Ti, unable to see the tiny insect that flew outside, only knew that her husband had likely gotten drunk while drinking with her father.

“I… I didn’t mean to… Niangzi, are you alright?” Pei Xuan stammered, desperately trying to apologize.

Cui Ti didn’t blame her. She wrapped her arms around Pei Xuan’s neck as she was carried to the bed.

Indeed, this was a beautiful misunderstanding.

Seeing that Cui Ti had taken it seriously, the embarrassment on Pei Xuan’s face didn’t fade. The lingering sensation on her fingertips was hard to ignore. Looking down at her wife, whose face was flushed as if drunk, Pei Xuan found it impossible to explain the previous misunderstanding. How could she even begin?

She truly hated that wretched bee.

In just a few moments, she jumped out of bed in a huff and swiftly closed the window.

The sound of the window closing made Cui Ti’s chest tremble. In broad daylight, why close the window?

Embarrassed, she turned her back, leaving only a graceful silhouette for the somewhat latecomer to see.

Pei Xuan touched her nose, belatedly realizing her inappropriate behavior. She found the situation both amusing and mortifying. Would her Niangzi think of her as a lustful rogue indulging in broad daylight?

…

Bai Tang, who had returned, stared at the tightly closed window panels and took a cautious breath. Could it be that the gentleman was overwhelmed by desire?

Hugging the vase she had hidden among the plants, she tiptoed away.

Indeed, she thought, what normal man could resist her lady? Not to mention undressing her, even a glimpse of her face should be enough to arouse anyone.

It seemed the gentleman’s “equipment” was quite effective. Tsk tsk, she teased Pei Xuan in her mind, only a real man dares to do this in broad daylight!

Haozhong and Raoliang were carrying a pot of freshly stewed chicken soup into the courtyard when they ran into Bai Tang, who was grinning lewdly while holding the vase. Haozhong asked, “Why are you still holding that vase? The gentleman needs it—”

“The gentleman doesn’t need it now. He and the Young Madam are busy.”

She winked at Haozhong, whose face suddenly turned red with some unspoken thought. She glared at Bai Tang, “Why are you acting so oddly? Don’t be foolish!”

…

Haozhong and Raoliang walked away together, blushing. Bai Tang, who had just been scolded for no reason, was bewildered. “How was I foolish? Am I not the clever one?”

…

“Fujun…”

Pei Xuan, enveloped in this tender moment, was deeply tormented. To prevent Cui Ti from misunderstanding her as a lecherous fiend, she whispered hoarsely, “Niangzi, your Fujun must be drunk.”

For an elegant drinker who prides herself on never getting drunk to admit to ‘drunken antics’ was more difficult than climbing to the heavens.

Going to such lengths for a kiss, if her drinking buddies found out, who knows how they would mock her.

Pei Xuan had maintained an upright reputation for eighteen years, known far and wide. Yet she couldn’t bear the sweet sound of her delicate wife calling out to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the wine pouch by the bedside. The wine was a treasured gift from Count Xining, who knew his son-in-law loved to drink and had a good tolerance, so he had parted with it to please her.

“Niangzi, would you like to taste the wine?” Pei Xuan asked.

Cui Ti knew Pei Xuan was indirect in her speech and straightforward in her actions. Straightforward people often seemed awkward in bed. She thought this awkwardness was endearing. To avoid making Pei Xuan too uncomfortable, she nodded in agreement, “I would like that.”

With a pop, the cork was removed, and the fragrance of the wine filled the air.

Pei Xuan couldn’t quite understand how things had progressed to this point. She thought of the mischievous bee and furrowed her brows slightly, her gaze falling on Cui Ti’s face. She was grateful that Cui Ti couldn’t see her expression; otherwise, she might be frightened.

When she was eight, Pei Xuan had been stung by a bee and had been in pain for many days. Since then, she had been afraid of these winged, stinging insects. Cui Ti was small and likely timid. As her fujun, Pei Xuan believed it was her duty to be brave.

The brave Pei Xuan took a sip of the fragrant wine and then leaned down to feed it to her waiting niangzi.

The strong liquor rolled on her tongue, its intensity softened by the exchange of lips and teeth. Cui Ti, inexperienced, accepted it all. As the wine went down her throat, a warm flush quickly spread across her face.

This method of feeding wine was quite bold, yet neither of them mentioned it.

To Cui Ti, Pei Xuan had taken the initiative today, and she didn’t want to refuse her, nor could she bear to.

To Pei Xuan, it seemed different. Her niangzi needed her and wanted her company.

“Is it good?” Pei Xuan asked.

The smoothness carried a burning heat. This was the first time in both her lives that Cui Ti tasted wine. Her eyes were dreamy and she softly replied, “It’s good.”

She loved this intimacy, loved the slightly tipsy Pei Xingguang.

Engaging in such intimate acts in her niangzi’s maiden room before marriage made Pei Xuan’s heart itch. She gently brushed Cui Ti’s wet lips with her fingertips. They were soft. The usually sober Pei Xuan felt as if she were floating on clouds.

Her smile was elegant, like the prettiest white pear blossom on a branch. Her eyes carried the gentleness of spring rain, slowly melting Cui Ti’s shy heart.

“Do you want more?” Pei Xuan asked.

Cui Ti whimpered softly, hugging her tighter. In that moment, she was truly drunk. “Fujun, Fujun…”

She was fragile and clung to her with tender whispers. Pei Xuan’s heart felt warm. The earlier passion dissipated, replaced by deep affection. She responded tirelessly by Cui Ti’s ear, “I’m here, niangzi, I’m here with you.”