"I'll squeeze pomegranate juice for you."
"With your mouth?"
"I guarantee it'll be sweet enough to make your heart flutter!"
Xie Jiang popped a handful of pomegranate seeds into her mouth and chewed. Yi Yan Gen mercilessly cupped her mouth, his hands pinching her lips shut. If he had a needle and thread, he would have sewn her mouth closed.
"Mmmph mmmph mmmph..."
Xie Jiang looked up at him innocently from his embrace, her moist eyes making his head spin. But this time, Yi Yan Gen was utterly unyielding.
If Xie Jiang hadn't smelled of anything other than alcohol, he would have suspected she was drunk.
After she swallowed the infernal pomegranate juice herself, Yi Yan Gen released her hand with a look of disgust. Xie Jiang lowered her head to the crystal-clear pool, her lips bearing the imprint of his fingers.
"Yi Yan Gen, how could you treat me so cruelly?" My jaw nearly broke from your bare hands!
"I have no interest in pomegranate juice."
"If you have no interest in pomegranate juice, do you have no interest in me either?"
"Although this flower hall is secluded, people could come by at any moment. Xu Heng Yan might also return. Aren't you afraid Xu Heng Yan will see and get jealous?"
"When has Xu Heng Yan's feelings ever been important? You're always suspicious of my intentions towards Xu Heng Yan, so why not take this opportunity to put your mind at ease..."
Xu Heng Yan would return? That would be even more exciting! To sneak... with him in Xu Heng Yan's house...
As she leaned in to take the pomegranate from her hand, he tossed it out the window into the pool with a splash.
A dull thud, as if it had hit something. Xie Jiang turned back to look. "Yi Yan Gen, you've killed the fish."
Xie Jiang suddenly burst into laughter. "I'm going to tell Xu Heng Yan that you killed his fish."
Yi Yan Gen's face darkened slightly.
Xie Jiang laughed so hard she slid down the windowsill. "Go on, tell me, what are you really here for?"
Yi Yan Gen: "To celebrate a birthday."
Xie Jiang snorted. "The Regent, who is so busy he can't spare a moment, has time for this? I didn't know the Regent had any dealings with the Duke of Wei's estate either."
She eyed him suspiciously. "You're not here specifically to cause trouble at the birthday banquet because I've stayed an extra two days at the Duke of Wei's estate, are you?"
That large koi belly-up in the pond was the glorious sacrifice before the storm!
Yi Yan Gen saw through her wicked intentions. "Are you just hoping I'll make a scene, perhaps even get into a fight with Xu Heng Yan?"
Xie Jiang rebuked, "Such a petty mind!"
How could she admit to something like that!
Yi Yan Gen retreated into the hall and sat down, pouring himself a cup of hot tea. His gaze upon her held a faint coolness, but deep down, where she couldn't see, there was more worry. "Besides coming specifically to wish Madam Xu a happy birthday, I also wanted to see how comfortable Marquis Xie is living at the Duke of Wei's estate."
"I've only stayed two days. It just so happened that something held me up, and I stayed too late."
"You feel it's not enough? That a day apart from Xu Heng Yan feels like three autumns?"
She wouldn't know that he had lost sleep for two consecutive nights, his mind filled with thoughts of her and Xu Heng Yan spending their days together, doing who knows what illicit things in the Shi An Courtyard. He was more worried about whether the time she was waiting for had arrived. He feared she might act rashly and hurt herself.
Compared to her safety, many things were insignificant.
Although the South Sea Marquis Estate had shown no unusual activity recently, how could he be at ease without seeing for himself?
"How could it be not enough? Two days is more than enough. I couldn't even close my eyes when I stayed overnight at the Duke of Wei's estate."
"Don't tell me you were so happy you couldn't close your mouth?"
"It's not like I've washed you clean and put you on my plate. I don't even have the inclination to open my mouth..."
"Xie Jiang! Xie Jiang—"
Ruan Zi Ji and his companions came running excitedly from the end of the winding corridor.
"You have to come see, I guarantee you'll like it..."
"We've been looking for you for ages. Someone saw you heading this way..."
They rushed into the flower hall and saw Yi Yan Gen sitting upright, their expressions instantly turning like ducks with their throats squeezed.
"Regent Yi..."
The group's smiles froze as they stiffly stepped forward to bow.
Seeing their excited expressions, as if they had found a mountain of gold and were waiting to share it with her, Xie Jiang asked, "What good thing have you found that you want me to see? Do you even know what I like?"
"The Duke of Wei's estate has invited the Cheng Qing Troupe today. We just saw Zuo Rong Chun backstage and watched her apply makeup..."
"You know Zuo Rong Chun, right? The star of the Cheng Qing Troupe. Her figure, her appearance..."
Yin Bo Xuan had already darted in front of Xie Jiang, gesturing how slender Zuo Rong Chun's waist was. "Oh, ho, ho, ho, that little waist is comparable to Hua Fu! We knew Young Master Xie would definitely like it..."
As if he were already holding Zuo Rong Chun's waist and playing with it, Yin Bo Xuan's hands trembled with delight as he gestured.
Yi Yan Gen looked at her. "Marquis Xie definitely likes it?"
That large pomegranate earlier was too good to waste on a koi! If only he had held onto it to shut these scoundrels up!
"I have no interest in actors," Xie Jiang said with a solemn face, distancing herself.
How could Yin Bo Xuan be so lewd at such a young age! Can't you shut up, you're drooling!
"You just haven't seen Zuo Rong Chun. Once you see her in person, you won't be able to control yourself!" Zhu Zhou almost swore an oath.
Everyone knew that Marquis Xie loved beautiful women, he even dared to... the Third Prince.
The Third Prince was of noble status and difficult to obtain. No matter how proud Zuo Rong Chun was, she was still an actress.
"You didn't say that last time in front of Liang Hong Ting. Zuo Rong Chun's looks and figure are even better than Liang Hong Ting's..."
Xie Jiang was already flexing her fingers. Should she pull out this scoundrel's tongue first, or gouge out his eyeballs? Can't he see how ugly Yi Yan Gen's face is!
"Would you like to try inviting Zuo Rong Chun for a drink tomorrow? No matter how proud Zuo Rong Chun is, she'll have to bow to Young Master Xie." Han Zhao looked like he wanted to tag along for a taste.
Yi Yan Gen looked at her, a half-smile on his face. "Does Marquis Xie have that much influence?"
Xie Jiang raised her hand and pinched her cheek. "Don't listen to their nonsense. Look at this small face of mine..."
Han Zhao said with pride, "It's Zuo Rong Chun's fortune that Young Master Xie is willing to invite her. It's the result of good deeds accumulated in her past life. Why wouldn't she agree?"
Ruan Zi Ji had already noticed Yi Yan Gen's displeased expression, but he had no intention of stopping Yin Bo Xuan and the others.
Although Yi Yan Gen's dark face was rather intimidating, he didn't mind if he stayed that way. What did he think he was to Xie Jiang? Why should Xie Jiang care about his expression?
But what was with the damned tacit understanding between these two! With just a questioning glance from Yi Yan Gen, Xie Jiang's eyes flickered with the guilt of being caught red-handed!
Does appreciating an actress require such guilt!
Ruan Zi Ji felt as if his heart was being scratched by cat's claws. He felt there was clearly something going on between Yi Yan Gen and Xie Jiang! Was this fickle Yi Yan Gen forgetting the woman who had stabbed him in the heart!
"Zuo Rong Chun probably hasn't gone on stage yet. How about we accompany you backstage to take a look?"
Han Zhao, with his audacious courage, made him temporarily forget his fear of Yi Yan Gen. He excitedly rubbed his hands and continued to instigate Xie Jiang, "I guarantee you'll have such a good time you'll forget to return."
The few of them had been coveting Zuo Rong Chun for a long time, but Zuo Rong Chun was also temperamental and didn't easily bend her back for them due to their status. They couldn't use force on a good day at the Duke of Wei's estate. With Xie Jiang personally intervening, it would be different. Who couldn't Xie Jiang handle?
What kind of relationship did they have with Xie Jiang? If Xie Jiang got the main course, wouldn't they get to share the leftovers? They didn't mind eating leftovers.