RATMOFANF: Chapter 62

 Glossary

· Shen Jingxiu: The female protagonist, Li Ling's wife.

· Li Ling: The Heir of Zhenguo Duke Manor, Shen Jingxiu's husband.

· Ziyun: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Danzhu: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Bilü: Shen Jingxiu's maidservant.

· Lingxiao: Li Ling's attendant.

· Shen Xing: Shen Jingxiu's younger brother.

· Official Cai: The Chancellor of the National University.

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Chapter 62: If I Upset You, Tell Me Directly

Dawn broke in the east. Jingxiu woke up in Li Ling's embrace to find him already awake, propping his head up and quietly watching her. "Why didn't you go for martial practice?" she asked groggily.

Li Ling didn't answer. He lay back on the pillow and tightened his arm around her.

Jingxiu lay against his chest and repeated in a muffled voice, "Not going for martial practice today?"

Li Ling stroked her back and replied, "Not going today. I'll stay and keep you company a while longer. It's still early; sleep a bit more."

It was freezing cold outside. Jingxiu was very fond of the feeling of being held tightly by Li Ling under the warm covers. Hearing he wasn't getting up, she couldn't help but curl up and burrow deeper into his embrace. But she was no longer sleepy, merely squinting her eyes and enjoying this cozy warmth.

The little wife in his arms rubbed against him like a kitten. Li Ling leaned close to her ear and said, "My wife worked hard last night."

Hearing this, Jingxiu's face flushed with shy embarrassment. She simply buried her head tightly against his chest.

Li Ling pulled the quilt up over both their heads and said quietly, "It's still early. If my wife feels it wasn't enough, should your husband 'behave' well one more time?"

Jingxiu struggled free, pushed the quilt aside, and sat up, retorting at him, "If you keep fooling around, I'm getting up."

Li Ling quickly pulled her back under the covers and tucked the quilt tightly around her. "Don't move around; be careful you don't catch a chill."

Having suddenly left the warm covers, she naturally felt cold. Jingxiu shrunk back under the quilt and chided Li Ling, "Then behave properly."

Li Ling released her, lay flat on the pillow, and also closed his eyes.

The winter sun rose late. The world was enveloped in misty haze. The two of them nestled together warmly, listening to the snowflakes falling softly outside.

"By the way, there's something I haven't had a chance to tell you yet," Li Ling said, lying flat on the pillow with his eyes closed.

"What is it?" Jingxiu asked, nestled beside him.

Li Ling opened his eyes. "About your brother Xing'er attending the official academy, I've already spoken with Official Cai. He agreed that Xing'er can go anytime."

Hearing this, Jingxiu was quite surprised. The night they returned from her parental home, he had overheard her conversation with Ziyun, gotten angry, and left in a huff. That was only two days ago. Moreover, he had been at the camp yesterday; when did he find the time to handle this?

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

"When did you speak with Official Cai?" Jingxiu lifted her head and looked at him.

Li Ling said, "The day before yesterday, he happened to visit a clansman at the camp, and I mentioned the matter to him."

The day before yesterday?

He had been angered by her the night before that. Wasn't the day before yesterday precisely when he was still sulking with her? And he still remembered her brother's matter.

"What's wrong?" Li Ling, sensing a change in the person in his arms, opened his eyes and looked at her.

Jingxiu gave him a slight smile. "With all the quarreling lately, it's rather commendable that you still remembered my brother's matter."

Li Ling looked at her, gritted his teeth slightly, and pretended to be annoyed. "The things you said that day were truly infuriating, and you made a fool of me like that. I really felt like giving you a good spanking at the time."

Jingxiu covered his mouth with her hand and coquettishly said, "Wasn't I just provoked by you then?"

Li Ling removed her hand and looked at her. "That incident happened back in summer. It's already winter now. You actually kept it in your heart for over half a year, just focusing on being angry with me, not explaining it clearly, and every day going through the motions with me hypocritically. My wife's patience truly makes your husband admire you."

He reached out and stroked the stray hairs on his little wife's forehead, saying earnestly, "From now on, if I do something that upsets you, tell me directly. Don't torture people indirectly like this again, alright?"

Jingxiu cupped his face, gave his lips a light, fleeting kiss, and said with a smile, "The things I said to Ziyun and the others that day were all spoken in anger. Don't take them to heart."

Li Ling shot her a reproachful glance. "Of course I knew your words didn't come from your heart. If you truly dared not care about me, I would have dealt with you long ago."

Jingxiu retorted, "How did you know my words didn't come from the heart?"

Li Ling smiled with a hint of pride. "If you truly didn't care about me, why would you have sent Lingxiao eagerly to deliver a blanket to me the very next day? It was only when I saw you knew you were wrong and were trying to make amends that I came back. Otherwise, I would have definitely given you the cold shoulder for eight or ten days."

Told Lingxiao to deliver a blanket?

When did that happen?

She vaguely remembered Ziyun mentioning it in passing, but she had been angry at the time and certainly hadn't agreed to it.

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

In that situation, she wouldn't have taken the initiative to make amends.

"What? Was it not you who ordered Lingxiao to deliver the blanket?" How could Jingxiu's guilty expression escape Li Ling's sharp eyes? He looked at her, his voice no longer holding the pride it had moments before.

Jingxiu squinted her eyes and gave him an awkward smile. "Who sent it is all the same. Weren't you back obediently the very next day anyway?"

Jingxiu pinched his firm nose and said triumphantly, "And you eagerly accompanied me on the night rounds, backing me up and helping me establish authority. I remember all that."

Li Ling, annoyed, gritted his teeth and leaned over her. "You woman, you are truly infuriating."

The two of them fooled around until the sky was fully bright before finally getting up.

After washing up, Ziyun, along with Danzhu and Bilü, set out breakfast.

The two sat opposite each other eating. One was radiant with happiness, smiling sweetly and charmingly. The other, though still maintaining the dignified, serious demeanor of the head of the household, had joy that could not be concealed in his eyes and brows, and his glances towards the person opposite held an indescribable gentleness.

Jingxiu personally served Li Ling some soup, looked at him, and said, "Since Official Cai has already agreed that Xing'er can enter the official academy anytime, and there's nothing major happening in the manor lately anyway, perhaps I'll take him there today."

Li Ling replied, "That's fine."

Jingxiu asked, "Should I bring a gift for Official Cai? What do you think would be best to give?"

Li Ling took a sip of congee and replied, "In my study, there's an authentic work by Yan Zhenqing. I'll have Lingxiao wrap it up later; you can give that to him."

Jingxiu said, "That's your favorite piece. Are you just giving it away like that?"

Li Ling picked up a piece of crispy pastry and placed it in her bowl. "He also admires Yan's calligraphy. Let's give him that. From now on, Xing'er will be at the official academy; we'll need him to look after him more."

Jingxiu gave him a.gentle smile. "Thank you, husband, for taking such trouble over my brother."

Li Ling was drinking his congee. Upon hearing this, he threw her a "why stand on ceremony with me" look.

After breakfast, Li Ling left for the camp. Before leaving, he said to Jingxiu, "I might not be back for dinner tonight either."

(read @cherrybombbertranslations.blogspot)

Jingxiu nodded and waved at him. "Hurry up and go."

Li Ling added, instructing her, "If you go to the official academy, be careful on the road..."

Jingxiu nodded at him. Only then did Li Ling turn and leave the room, striding away with vigorous steps.

After Li Ling left, Ziyun looked at her mistress and finally revealed a relieved smile. Danzhu covered her mouth and snickered mischievously. Bilü looked at one, then the other, and muttered, "What's going on today? Everyone is suddenly so happy."

(End of Chapter)

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Translator's Note: check out my other work— My Younger Sister Insisted On A Marriage Exchange Wanting To Make Me The Wife Of A Marquis and The Marquis’s Beloved is a Black-Hearted Lotus (⁠*⁠＾⁠3⁠＾⁠)⁠/⁠～⁠♡

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