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墨書 Inktalez
"I heard that once a girl gets her first period, she can have children!"
Shen Muhan certainly knew how to pick his moments. As soon as he spoke, Xia Muxin's chest rose and fell with anger, and she shot him a cold glare. But he merely smirked, a mischievous smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Just stand there and don't move."
After saying this, he turned and walked towards the carriage. A moment later, he returned, holding the cotton cloth she had thrown away that day.
Earlier, she had suspected that her time was coming and had prepared for it just in case. However, when it didn’t arrive, she had forgotten all about it.
Now, seeing him so nonchalantly offering it to her without any hint of embarrassment, Xia Muxin felt a wave of shyness wash over her, her cheeks flushing even deeper.
Noticing that she hesitated to take it, Shen Muhan leaned towards the lake.
"This water will help you right now. Hurry and wash up; I'll find a way to dry your clothes."
A mist rose from the lake's surface, creating a hazy atmosphere. As Xia Muxin felt another surge of warmth below, her face flushed even more. She couldn’t care about anything else and stepped into the water with her clothes still on.
As soon as she entered the water, her eyes brightened. The water was indeed as warm as Shen Muhan had said—warmer than the bathwater at home. The moment she submerged herself, all her tension and pain began to ease significantly.
"Give me your clothes!"
In the misty haze, Shen Muhan seemed to notice her furrowed brows relaxing. He squatted down by the shore and spoke softly.
Upon hearing this, Xia Muxin crossed her arms and looked at him warily for a moment. In the end, she took off her outer garment and washed it clean for him.
Since it had just been soiled, it was still easy to wash. After scrubbing it a few times, it was clean. Seeing her wash the clothes, Shen Muhan got up and picked some Soap Pods from nearby, placing them in his hands. When he noticed she only handed him the outer shirt, he frowned and said,
"Take it all off!"
Xia Muxin was taken aback by his words. After a long pause, she dragged out her tone in a somewhat aggrieved manner and said,
"Uncle..."
"If you don't take it off and wash it properly, do you want to go back in wet clothes? Ant and the others will think I've done something to you!"
Shen Muhan took the outer shirt from her and began washing it with the Soap Pods, not forgetting to remind Xia Muxin.
She loved the lingering fragrance of the Soap Pods on her clothes and cherished cleanliness. So when he asked her to take off her clothes, her first thought was to use the Soap Pods to wash everything again.
Watching him seriously scrub the fabric with his head lowered, Xia Muxin's lips curled into a smile as something deep within her was touched. Ultimately, she stripped down completely and washed her undergarments thoroughly before shyly handing them to Shen Muhan, whispering,
"This... is already clean."
Girls tend to be shy about such things. Shen Muhan reached out his large hand and noticed her alluring collarbone exposed above the water's surface. His gaze darkened slightly, but he teased her instead,
"I've seen all of you now; whether you like it or not, you're mine. So stop being so awkward."
He had once said that every day in the future, every experience would be shared with her, just like today—she would probably remember this for a lifetime.
However, he cleverly distanced himself with the clothes before Xia Muxin could explode in anger.
Xia Muxin glared at him for a long while, yet remained standing in the water with her eyes closed, calming herself.
Shen Muhan did not lose his temper; instead, he used his internal energy to dry the clothes, which took no more than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.
"It's getting late. Do you feel better now? Do you want to come ashore?"
In truth, Xia Muxin had already finished washing up, but the water was too comfortable, and she felt a bit drowsy. She let her hand pour water over her arm, watching as the mist rose. The droplets hitting the lake's surface created beautiful ripples and splashes, captivating her until Shen Muhan spoke, startling her back into the water.
Shen Muhan withdrew his intense gaze and placed the clothes on the Phosphor Stone by the shore before turning and walking a short distance away.
"Change quickly; I'll wait for you here."
Watching his tall figure turn away gracefully and walk further off, Xia Muxin felt a surge of joy in her heart. Her brows and eyes curved into a crescent moon as she hurriedly climbed ashore. The first thing she did was put on her undergarments and quickly donned her outer robe. With the robe covering her, she discreetly adjusted her clothing beneath it before slowly getting dressed.
"Alright, let's go!"
Once everything was in order, she stepped lightly towards Shen Muhan and spoke softly.
Shen Muhan turned around. Under the moonlight, her hair still dripped with water, and her delicate face appeared somewhat pale. He extended his large hand behind her head, using his internal energy to help dry her hair before taking her hand and leading her toward the carriage.
Seeing his attentive care, Xia Muxin found herself at a loss for words. Sometimes she even wished time would freeze at this moment.
Her thoughts were already mature; this sense of vigilance had likely crumbled before him long ago.
"Does your stomach still hurt?"
Seeing her unusually quiet, Shen Muhan turned to glance at her and asked softly.
He only understood this matter superficially, as it was a female issue. Sister Tang had once vaguely mentioned the topic of a girl's first menstruation, but he hadn't paid much attention, only recalling one line: once a girl has her first period, she can have children.
Once they reached the shore, without the warmth of the water, Xia Muxin felt a chill. Her hands quickly turned cold, and her stomach continued to ache in waves. She could sense that what was coming out now was in clumps.
This might be related to her difficult past. Seeing Shen Muhan's gentle gaze, she smiled lightly and shook her head.
Noticing this, Shen Muhan furrowed his brow slightly. With a swift motion, he pulled her into his arms without any warning.
Xia Muxin barely had time to gasp before she felt a rush of wind by her ear; she was already inside the carriage. Then, Shen Muhan snapped his fingers and closed the curtain, causing the carriage to start moving on its own.
Xia Muxin had long suspected that he would have hidden guards around him. She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. The pain in her abdomen surged again, causing her to frown slightly as she crawled toward the inner side of the carriage.
Seeing this, Shen Muhan reached out and pulled her back into his embrace, gently placing one hand on her lower abdomen.
Through the thin fabric of her clothing, Xia Muxin felt a warm sensation spreading from where his palm rested, significantly easing her discomfort.
Lying in his arms, she quietly gazed at his strong and perfect jawline, noticing the smile at the corner of his mouth becoming more pronounced.
"Are you feeling any better?"
Shen Muhan's eyes remained focused on her stomach. Only when he sensed her body relaxing did he slowly ask.
Xia Muxin had already fallen into a deep sleep.
When they returned home, the sky was completely dark. Xia Muxin slept incredibly well, but she was not a heavy sleeper, so she woke up the moment the carriage came to a stop.
Shen Muhan carried her down from the carriage, but the coachman had mysteriously disappeared.
She was not surprised; that was just his style.
Her family had not yet gone to bed, and the oil lamp inside was lit, as if they were waiting for them.
"You're back! There's food left in the pot. Make sure you eat something and get to bed early," Aunt Xia said.
Seeing that the two of them had returned safely, Aunt Xia and her husband sighed in relief and went inside with Summer Forest to rest.
Ming Yi had long since vanished, while Songzi curiously watched them for a while before chuckling to himself and heading to his own room.
This family was peculiar and mysterious, making Xia Muxin feel quite uneasy. She shot Shen Muhan a glare before heading inside to sleep.
"Wait, weren't you still hungry? Do you want something to eat?" Shen Muhan asked as he reached out and grabbed her arm, glancing at the pot on the stove with a gentle tone.
"I told you to catch fish not because I wasn't full, but because you haven't eaten yet," Xia Muxin replied with a light laugh as she followed his gaze.
Hearing this, Shen Muhan smiled slightly and pulled her to sit by the table.
"I'm actually hungry. Given how hard I've worked today, you should accompany me for a meal."
As he spoke, he went to the pot to serve some dishes and brought back two bowls and a pair of chopsticks.
"I can't eat!"
Xia Muxin placed an empty bowl in front of herself and looked at Shen Muhan as he served rice, saying pitifully.
"Well then, drink a bowl of hot soup; it will be good for your health."
Shen Muhan didn't insist further. He took the bowl in front of her and ladled some hot soup into it before handing it to her, speaking gently.
Xia Muxin obediently drank the chicken soup.
After she finished the soup, Shen Muhan set down his chopsticks and looked at the dishes that had barely been touched. Xia Muxin frowned and asked,
"Why are you eating so little? Is the food not to your taste?"
These days, she had been doing most of the cooking, and everyone's tastes had become quite spoiled. Suddenly eating this meal, although it was not even a third as good as Xia Muxin's cooking, should still be edible.
"It's not that; I'm really full. Come on, let me take you inside."
Shen Muhan returned the dishes to the pot and walked over to her, taking the oil lamp in hand as he spoke softly.
Xia Muxin let out a soft sound and got up to walk towards her room. Before Shen Muhan could leave, she said, "Can you give me the lamp?"
Shen Muhan looked at her in confusion, then placed the lamp on her bedside table. After glancing at her again, he said, "Get some rest early."
"Okay, goodnight, Uncle!" Xia Muxin smiled and waved at him. Once he left, she took out a wooden box from beside her bed, threaded a needle, and began to sew fabric strips.
She was working with modern dimensions. Earlier, she had bought some discarded leftover fabric from a sewing shop at a low price and had washed it clean. Now, she was stuffing the cotton cloth inside and sewing it up.
She had initially wanted to use cotton filling, but it clumps when wet. The fabric could be washed after use, making it both environmentally friendly and waste-free.
She worked late into the night, making three night pads and five day pads for convenience during the day.
Finally, when her eyes could barely stay open, she leaned against the headboard and fell asleep, forgetting to extinguish the lamp.
Meanwhile, Shen Muhan was restless throughout the night. He watched the flickering light from Xia Muxin's room with a furrowed brow.
Ming Yi had just delivered medical books about women's menstruation. Using a Night Pearl to illuminate the pages, he flipped through them but found himself unable to sleep after skimming through the content.
This girl had a constitution that was too cold; coming here would be very painful for her. Yet there was nothing he could do...
In the middle of the night, Xia Muxin was awakened by a commotion of curses.
The kerosene lamp had likely run out of oil long ago. With sleepy eyes, she put on her shoes and stumbled out of her room. Through the crack of the door, she could see that many people had gathered in the courtyard of the Zhou family.
There were also sounds of crying coming from outside.
"You Feng Family are being too much! Over here, you have a good relationship with my Gui Lian, but over there, you've gotten my Color Lotus pregnant. What are you thinking?"
"Oh dear, Mother-in-law, we are all family now. Why speak so coldly? My Liulang had no idea what he was doing that day; he thought he was dreaming. It wasn't until these past few days when the village was buzzing about it that he realized it was true. So here we are."
Fragmented conversations like this drifted through the air.
"Xia Muxin, put your shoes on."
Shen Muhan's cold voice came from nearby, startling Xia Muxin. In the darkness, he walked over and took her hand, leading her back to his room.
Once she sat on the bed, Shen Muhan lit the kerosene lamp again, pressed her down gently, and spoke in a tone befitting an elder:
"If you're not feeling well, don't meddle in other people's affairs. Go to sleep; we can talk about it tomorrow."
After saying this, he placed his hand over her lower abdomen as if in a carriage, subtly channeling some internal energy into her.
Xia Muxin felt a warm current flow into her abdomen, and instantly, her entire body relaxed. Already drowsy from sleep, she felt an added sense of security with him there and soon drifted off to sleep.
Shen Muhan listened intently to the ruckus outside, his ears twitching slightly.
After returning, he learned that the fortune teller in Town had misled Feng Liulang, making him believe that he had no choice but to marry Muxin. Coupled with the fact that Feng Liulang had been experiencing a streak of bad luck lately, he began to trust the fortune teller's words. Additionally, there were those with ulterior motives spreading rumors to tarnish Muxin's reputation, causing Feng Liulang to feel both disdain and an unavoidable obligation to marry her.
The person behind this had orchestrated a grand scheme. Originally, he intended for the villagers to catch Xia Muxin and Feng Liulang in a compromising situation on her birthday, leading to a forced marriage. However, things took an unexpected turn; the predator became the prey, and his plans were disrupted, ultimately bringing the two together.
Zhou Qinglian and Zhou Cailian were not easy opponents; they were both formidable in their own right. The sisters could engage in their rivalry as they pleased, as long as they did not disturb him and Muxin.
Seeing that Muxin was fast asleep, he decided to be cautious and pressed on her sleep acupoint before quietly taking a kerosene lamp and stepping outside.
The commotion continued outside, mixed with sounds of crying.
Aunt Xia and her husband, along with Xia Tieshu, were also awakened by the noise and had thrown on their outer garments as they stepped out of their rooms.
"Uncle, Aunt, this is a matter for others; let's not get involved to avoid unnecessary trouble," Shen Muhan said.
The noise outside was quite loud, and it was easy to grasp the gist of the situation from just a few words. Shen Muhan opened the front door while urging everyone to return inside and rest.
Aunt Xia and the others understood that they could not interfere in Zhou's family matters, nor would they want to. With Shen Muhan's suggestion, they nodded and went back inside to rest.
Shen Muhan did not close the door but instead lit a lamp and left it open while preparing the bed.
This way, there would be no gossip tomorrow.
After all, regarding the pond incident, both the Wang family and Zhou family had taken center stage. They had boasted loudly about it, and with so many villagers outside witnessing Xia Muxin's open door and lit lamp, they would surely think that she was afraid of the Wang and Zhou families and dared not come out...
Zhou Guilian's head buzzed with confusion; she could hardly believe that this person was Feng Liulang, the man her sister had set her sights on. There was no way to clear her name now, even if she jumped into the Yellow River.
"By the way, Color Lotus, why did you go to the back of my house that day?"
The Zhou family was known for their unforgiving nature, but deep down, she was calculating. After all, Feng Liulang would be living off royal rations in the future; marrying into his family would definitely not be a loss. Whether Gui Lian or Color Lotus married him, it would be the same.
Feng San Niang was also surprised. Late at night, noticing that Liulang had not returned, she called a few villagers to search for him. They ended up finding him crouched in the back of their house, shivering. Upon seeing them, he immediately knelt and explained everything clearly.
Among those searching was Zhou Changyuan. As soon as he heard what happened, he wasted no time and dragged Liulang over here.
She knew this matter would eventually come to light; it might be better for it to come out sooner rather than later. After all, it was just about marrying a wife.
Her family could afford it.
However, thinking back to that day when everyone heard Xia Muxin's indiscreet remarks and went into the mountains to investigate, how did Color Lotus end up behind her house?
Unless...
When Feng San Niang asked this question, the villagers began to piece things together.
One of them spoke up:
"I say, Sister Zhou, weren't you trying to match Gui Lian with Liulang? Could it be that Color Lotus and Liulang already have feelings for each other but are holding back because of Gui Lian? After all, this concerns a girl's reputation. If that's the case, you adults should be understanding and support this pair of lovers."
Zhou Cailian had been overly sensitive due to her pregnancy. At that moment, upon hearing these words, she felt completely drained. She had never considered marrying Feng Liulang.
She clutched her chest in pain, gasping for breath.
Yet everyone's attention was not on her; instead, they were discussing her marriage to Feng Liulang.
She had schemed to ruin Xia Muxin's reputation and mislead Feng Liulang, hoping to provoke a reaction from Second Sister, making her hate Xia Muxin and target her, leaving Xia Muxin no time to cling to Young Master Shen.
But unexpectedly, she had dug a deep pit for herself and jumped right in.
And this leap would cost her the rest of her life.
Feng Liulang was in a daze, still gripped by fear, his ears filled with the words about marrying Zhou Cailian, while his mind was utterly blank.
Suddenly, a crisp slap echoed through the air.
It successfully silenced the villagers who were still gossiping.
Zhou Cailian fell to the ground, covering her face. She lowered her head, her shoulders shaking, and faint sobs could be heard.
Zhou Guilian was filled with rage; her eyes were bloodshot, and her hands trembled. After a long moment, two streams of tears fell as she cried out in despair:
"Why did you do this? Why? Xia Muxin had finally given up; I thought I was about to succeed. But why you? Why you? You are my own sister! Do you think it makes you happy to do this with your designated brother-in-law? Or have you always coveted the title of Top Scholar's Wife?"
Her words struck Zhou Guilian like sharp knives, each cut piercing deep without revealing any wounds, yet the pain was unbearable.
"You are even more despicable than that Xia Muxin!"
Zhou Guilian felt it was still not enough, pointing at her and cursing with words that seemed to bleed.
Zhou Cailian trembled, her hand covering her face dropped down, and suddenly she raised her head, glaring fiercely at the person in front of her. She stood up and unexpectedly burst into wild laughter:
"Hahaha... Hahaha... Who doesn't covet the position of the Top Scholar's Wife? Aren't you after that too? Otherwise, why would you go to such lengths to deal with Xia Muxin?"
She had truly lost her mind; otherwise, how could she say such things?
The Wu Family had just been knocked out by Xia Muxin's anger, their faces barely recovering when this incident occurred. Their hearts could hardly bear it. Upon hearing Zhou Cailian's words, one of them raised a hand and slapped her across the face.
Zhou Cailian fell to the ground again, and everyone felt unable to watch. After all, she was a pregnant woman now, and if what they had guessed about her relationship with Liulang was true, they couldn't blame her.
Having received two slaps, Zhou Cailian's cheeks swelled up high, and even in the dim moonlight, the five fingerprints were clearly visible.
She gritted her teeth, a bloodthirsty chill flashing in her eyes, but she raised her head firmly and declared:
"I will marry Liulang!"
- End of Chapter -
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