CHAPTER 347: 0220 DECEIVING ONESELF AND OTHERS DOES NOT WORK.

Time passed, not sure how many hours went by, maybe one, maybe two.

Xu Chang’an stretched lazily, feeling quite helpless.

Though he was clearly resting, he felt an incredibly real fatigue.

He’s destined to be busy.

Not sure when he’ll ever be free.

"Alright, let’s see... what surprise the young lady has prepared for me." Xu Chang’an looked up at the floor above.

Whenever he thought of Yun Qian, he felt his entire body relaxed, as if he had endless energy.

Xu Chang’an didn’t rush upstairs; instead, he washed his hands first, then moisturized his fingers in front of the Incense Burner on the table before ascending the staircase.

Standing before the door of the young lady’s boudoir, he could hear the sound of his accelerated heartbeat. He lowered his head, trying to hide his embarrassing nervousness with a playful smile on his face.

"Miss, I’m here."

——

"Hmm."

From close proximity came Yun Qian’s voice, as if... she had been waiting at the door all along.

Xu Chang’an pushed the door open, and as it swung open, a slight warm glow mixed with a pleasant scent brushed across his cheeks.

"..."

His exaggerated fake smile stiffened as the scenery unfolded before him. Soon after... Xu Chang’an slowly closed his eyes.

What did he see?

Ah yes, he saw the best scenery in the world, worthy of a grand toast.

The young lady indeed was very fair-skinned.

——

Xu Chang’an sighed with his eyes closed, and amidst Yun Qian’s somewhat dazed gaze, he raised his hand and slapped himself across the face.

"Smack!"

The slap was loud and crisp, not holding back at all; he even used Spiritual Power.

Soon, a red imprint emerged on Xu Chang’an’s face.

"What are you doing?" Yun Qian pulled him over the threshold, then let her long fingers fall on Xu Chang’an’s face, trying to smooth out the redness.

"I deserved it." Xu Chang’an didn’t open his eyes but could smell the pleasant fragrance from Yun Qian.

He was indeed losing his mind, daring to humiliate the young lady even in his dreams.

"Why." Yun Qian looked at Xu Chang’an’s closed eyes, then glanced down at her outfit.

"Does Miss want to hear the truth or a lie?"

"What’s the lie?"

"The lie is that I feel I’m excessive, shouldn’t have thought of you this way, Miss." Xu Chang’an sighed.

"The truth." Yun Qian lowered her eyelids.

"The truth..." Xu Chang’an pressed his fingers against his brow, and said seriously, "After slapping myself, Miss can no longer tell if I’m blushing from the slap or from being moved."

"Really?" Yun Qian’s grip on her skirt loosened as she calmly said, "But you slapped the left cheek, yet the right cheek is blushing."

"Is there such a thing?" Xu Chang’an raised his hand, "Then let me fix it."

"No." Yun Qian grasped Xu Chang’an’s hand, and after a moment of silence, she said, "I thought... you don’t like me dressed like this."

"Don’t like it? How could I not?" Xu Chang’an recalled the thrilling glimpse he had earlier, feeling his heart heavily pounded.

"You like it, just say you like it. It’s meant for you to see." Yun Qian said puzzledly, "Besides... I haven’t never worn it before."

Why is there such a big reaction this time?

"It’s different!" Xu Chang’an shook his head. "As a steward or a husband, whatever the young lady wants to do... it’s her freedom, I only think it’s nice... but this time is different."

Xu Chang’an opened his eyes, then blushed before quickly closing them again, "You’re not the young lady, just my dream."

The real Yun Qian can do whatever she wants, but in the dream... it’s his imagination, hence calling it "self-deprecation."

"Dream..."

Yun Qian seemed thoughtful, like she somewhat understood, she took a small step back and said, "Is it your dream, or mine?"

"What do you mean?" Xu Chang’an was taken aback.

In his mind, rather than conversing with Yun Qian, it seemed more like he was dialoguing with his own inner self, hence the slight sense of discord.

"Zhuang Zhou Dreams of a Butterfly." Yun Qian recalled the poems Xu Chang’an had copied.

This is not just his dream, but hers too.

"Wang Di entrusted his spring feelings to the cuckoo?"

Xu Chang’an instinctively followed with a line, then reluctantly opened his eyes, "No wonder you’re the Miss in my dream, using this kind of trick to reason. But this move won’t work on me, I clearly understand it’s my dream, Miss probably hasn’t heard of lucid dreams."

Under the lamp, Yun Qian’s red corset complemented her slender figure, a light-colored embroidered top and a skirt as thin as mist below.

"I don’t understand these things." Yun Qian shook her head and asked, "Do I look nice?"

"...Nice." Xu Chang’an couldn’t lie.

The young lady always reminds one of willow branches swaying in the wind, even if wearing the unseemly garments meant to be seen only between spouses... it refuses to evoke even a sliver of lust.

Unclean thoughts, they have been solely his.

Xu Chang’an’s gaze swiftly swept over the sheer fabric on Yun Qian, and before meeting her gaze, he quickly diverted his eyes, pretending to look out the window, as if he’d never glanced her way.

Yun Qian took all this in, gently biting her lip.

The atmosphere gradually stabilized.

Normally, in a quiet room, with the young lady wearing sheer fabric, silence could be awkward, but... not for the newlyweds.

"Miss, is this the surprise you meant for me?" Xu Chang’an’s heartbeat resonated within, driving the heat in his ears slowly.

"Hmm." Yun Qian nodded.

"Not cold?" Xu Chang’an asked.

"I lit the brazier." Yun Qian pointed to the corner of the room, calmly saying, "Two of them."

So wearing less is no problem.

"..." Xu Chang’an’s tone froze, face covered.

Indeed.

Earlier Yun Qian wore a long dress and sweated from the heat, he asked, but the young lady said she wouldn’t be hot soon... Turns out she was waiting here.

Wasn’t she?

Wearing this little, naturally, she wouldn’t be hot anymore.

Xu Chang’an realized something.

The mood... has set.

He was indisputably moved, the young lady was undoubtedly beautiful, and... her sudden attire certainly hinted at doing something, otherwise why bother?

A faint scent of lotus lingered in the air, like summer blooming lotus flowers, and Xu Chang’an felt for a moment she truly resembled a butterfly.

A dreaming butterfly.

Initially thinking he was conversing with his inner self, but upon opening his eyes to see the young lady, he couldn’t help but involuntarily treat her as the real Yun Qian.

"Miss, have you eaten? I’ll prepare some lotus seed cakes." Xu Chang’an lifted his head, smiling.

Yun Qian shook her head, turned to sit on the double bed, patting the mattress beside her, her cherry lips parted, and her tone carried a hint of resentment: "Do I always have to spell it out for you?"

"..."