Chapter 16

Given Zhao Yanping’s character, A-Jiao wasn’t worried about him sneaking a peek at her. However, she was more concerned about Old Madam Zhao peeking through the door cracks. The old lady had eavesdropped on them from the wall base the previous night, and she was so blunt with her words that it made people blush. It wouldn’t be surprising if she tried peeking again.

A-Jiao took out her wedding robe and stepped onto a stool to hang it over the door like a curtain, blocking the gap between the two door panels.

The south-facing window was covered with oiled paper, making it sturdy enough to keep out wind and rain. However, it wasn’t very transparent—one could press up against it and still be unable to see inside.

Once everything was set, A-Jiao glanced at the bed in the north and then lowered her head, slowly unfastening the clasps of her clothing.

Zhao Yanping not only lay on the bed with his back to her, inside the bed curtain, but he also closed his eyes.

However, he could still hear the sound of water. She was washing so cautiously, as if she were a thief, and the soft splashing inexplicably tested his patience.

Zhao Yanping quickly redirected his thoughts, forcing himself to focus on the unsolved cases piling up at the county office.

A-Jiao finished washing.

She dried herself off, put on her clothes, and wrapped her still-dripping hair in a towel atop her head. Seeing that the official hadn’t noticed, she walked to the bedside and softly called, “Master, I’m done. You should go now.”

Zhao Yanping’s shoulders tensed. Only then did he realize he had been too lost in thought to even notice she had finished bathing.

Lifting the bed curtain, he saw A-Jiao considerately holding up a side of the gauze canopy for him.

When he looked up, he saw her face, flushed from the steam, delicate and tempting like a ripe honey peach. Her long lashes drooped shyly, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.

Zhao Yanping swiftly left the bed.

A-Jiao climbed in, mimicking him by hanging up a dark bed curtain, leaving only a pair of embroidered shoes with pink uppers and white soles placed neatly on the floor.

Glancing at the door panels, Zhao Yanping instructed in a low voice, “Later, I will pretend to order you to scrub my back. Just ignore it.”

A-Jiao understood—he was going to put on an act again.

Since her hair was wrapped in a towel and she couldn’t lie down, A-Jiao lay on her stomach, resting her cheek against the pillow. She bit her lip and couldn’t help but listen to the sounds outside.

Zhao Yanping was used to washing quickly while standing, but with a woman in the room—even though he knew she wouldn’t peek—he immediately stepped into the tub after undressing, sitting with his back to A-Jiao. His movements were deliberate, causing the water to splash loudly. Occasionally, he even pretended to call her to help scrub his back.

A-Jiao suddenly found this whole act for Old Madam Zhao quite amusing.

But after a while of silent listening, an idea crept into her mind—she wanted to sneak a look at the official.

Someday, she would have to take that step and seduce him. It was better to get a glimpse now than to be too flustered when the time came.

Her heart pounded as she tilted her chin, slowly turning her face toward the bed curtain. She carefully lifted a tiny slit at the bottom.

Beyond that was another layer of white gauze. Through it, she caught sight of the official sitting in the tub. He was so tall that even seated, his broad shoulders and upper back were exposed.

Though the view was hazy, A-Jiao’s heart nearly leaped out of her chest. His shoulders were so wide, and his upper arms were thicker than her thighs.

“Enough.”

The man’s voice suddenly broke the silence, startling A-Jiao as if she had been scalded. She quickly withdrew her hand and turned her head away.

Zhao Yanping’s ears twitched slightly, his cold, stern face tilting ever so subtly. But he never imagined A-Jiao would dare to peek at him. He assumed she had merely shifted her position and continued with his charade. “Hand me the towel,” he ordered.

After waiting a moment, he stepped out of the tub.

A-Jiao clutched her chest, already terrified from just seeing his shoulders. Now, she didn’t dare to peek any further.

Zhao Yanping dressed as quickly as possible.

A-Jiao, her face still flushed, got off the bed and moved toward the pile of clothes they had changed out of.

Zhao Yanping said, “Leave those for Cui Niang. You don’t need to touch them.”

Noticing that his hair was still dripping, A-Jiao picked up another towel. “Let me dry your hair for you.”

Zhao Yanping said, “Alright,” but before she could act, he snatched the towel himself, rubbing his hair a couple of times before calling it done.

He then took down the wedding robe hanging over the door and handed it to A-Jiao to put away. After that, he grabbed the heavy bathtub with both hands and carried it outside in one swift motion. His arms tensed, sturdy like tree trunks.

A-Jiao could hardly believe a person’s arms could be so powerful, as if they contained boundless strength.

As he went to dump the water, A-Jiao removed the towel from her head and sat at the dressing table to comb through her thick, jet-black hair.

Once she finished, she took a small stool and stepped outside, wanting to let the night breeze dry her hair before going back in.

Just then, Old Madam Zhao was about to take her bath. After eavesdropping for a long time, she saw A-Jiao coming out and beckoned her over. “Come help me scrub my shoulders.”

A-Jiao had no choice but to put down the stool and follow her into the western room to serve her.

Zhao Yanping watched from the courtyard and frowned.

“So? Did you two just wash separately?” Old Madam Zhao asked in a low voice as she undressed.

A-Jiao guiltily lowered her head.

Old Madam Zhao glanced at her long, cascading hair and enchanting appearance, her heart sinking. What kind of foolish grandson did she have? Leaving such a delicate beauty untouched—was he an idiot?

Fortunately, she had been prepared for this. She knew that ice three feet thick didn’t freeze in a day. If she wanted to thaw it, she would have to warm it up slowly.

After their baths, the two women went to the backyard to dry their hair in the breeze.

Wanting to please the old lady, A-Jiao proactively stood behind her and began massaging her shoulders.

Old Madam Zhao was thoroughly enjoying herself. Suddenly, she thought of something and called out, “Yanping, come out for a moment!”

Zhao Yanping had been sitting by the open window reading, also waiting for his hair to dry before bed. Hearing his grandmother’s call, he set his book aside and stepped outside.

A-Jiao kept her head down, continuing to serve the old lady.

Smiling, Old Madam Zhao waved her grandson over. “A-Jiao has great massage skills. She’s making these old bones of mine feel young again. Come, let her massage you too.”

A-Jiao looked at Zhao Yanping in surprise.

Zhao Yanping frowned. “If you like it, let her continue serving you. I don’t need it.”

Old Madam Zhao glared at him. “Nonsense! You were chopping firewood just the other day. You must be sore. Get over here! Stop dawdling—what, are you trying to spare A-Jiao some effort?”

With that, she got up and dragged her grandson over, forcing him to sit in front of A-Jiao.

“Serve your master well,” Old Madam Zhao said meaningfully before taking her comb and settling at the doorway to brush her hair.

She wasn’t looking their way, but it was clear she was keeping watch. A-Jiao had no choice but to face the man’s broad shoulders and say, “Master, then… shall I begin?”

Zhao Yanping sighed. “I’ll trouble you.”

A-Jiao’s eyes twinkled as she smiled, stepping behind him and placing her hands on his shoulders.

She had massaged the brothel madam before, and she had served Old Madam Zhao too. Both had narrow, soft shoulders with loose skin. This was her first time serving a man.

She had already seen how towering the official was, but actually touching his shoulders made her realize—they were as firm as two solid tree trunks, radiating a faint heat even through the thin fabric of his undershirt.

The difference in touch made A-Jiao use more force to achieve the desired massage effect.

To Zhao Yanping, however, the two small hands on his shoulders felt incredibly soft, like a kitten’s paws. He could hear her breathing growing heavier, indicating the effort she was exerting, but instead of feeling relaxed, he felt an unbearable itch. The sensation was worsened by the gentle breeze, carrying the faint, indistinct fragrance from her body—a scent that made him think of the small pouch that had once absorbed her warmth.

“A-Jiao, sing a little tune for your Master,” Old Madam Zhao chimed in with another suggestion.

Zhao Yanping’s brows furrowed. He abruptly stood up, ceasing the massage, and looked at the old woman with evident displeasure. “I am in my own home, not at a teahouse paying for a performance. Why would I listen to a song? If you want to hear one, listen by yourself.”

With that, he flicked his sleeve and left.

Both A-Jiao and Old Madam Zhao stood frozen in place.

After a while, the old madam turned to look at A-Jiao.

A-Jiao lowered her head, nervously clutching her sleeve.

Old Madam Zhao was not the type to feel sorry for anyone. Since her grandson had scolded her, she immediately turned her frustration onto A-Jiao. “You don’t even know how to serve someone properly! I have to remind you to massage and sing—are you made of wood? Even Cui Niang is more clever than you. When Master returns home, she asks him about the county office’s cases and chats with him nonstop. And what about you? What do you even know? Such a waste of that pretty face of yours!”

Before A-Jiao arrived, she had often heard Old Madam Zhao scold Cui Niang in this exact tone. She never imagined that, in the blink of an eye, she would be the one being berated.

But who could she blame? The old madam wanted her to win over Master, and since she had failed to do so, it was only natural that the old woman was displeased. She and Cui Niang were both servants of the Zhao household—only their roles differed.

“What are you standing there for? Get inside and serve Master! Do you know what time it is?” the old woman snapped again.

A-Jiao hurriedly went inside.

In the eastern room, Zhao Yanping sat by the window, having heard every word of his grandmother’s scolding. His sharp brows knitted together.

When A-Jiao entered, she went straight to bed, lying with her back to him. Soon, her shoulders began to shake with silent sobs. Zhao Yanping rubbed his forehead, closed the window, latched the door, and walked over to sit by the bed.

“The old madam has a sharp tongue but a good heart. She was only taking her anger out on you because I yelled at her. By morning, she’ll have forgotten all about it. Don’t take it to heart,” he said in a low voice.

A-Jiao wasn’t crying because of Old Madam Zhao’s scolding. She understood the woman well—whether it was her or Cui Niang, as long as they performed their duties well, the old madam would like them. If they failed, she would scold them, but once the mistake was corrected, she would return to her usual self. That was far better than her aunt, who found fault with her no matter what she did.

Still, understanding didn’t make it any less humiliating. Unlike Cui Niang, who had grown used to it, A-Jiao couldn’t easily brush it off.

“The old madam wants me to serve Master, but Master refuses. If this continues, she’ll keep scolding me,” A-Jiao said, pulling out the bed curtain hidden under her pillow to wipe her tears.

Zhao Yanping fell silent for a moment before lowering his gaze. “A shoulder massage is fine, but singing is too demeaning for you. That’s why I refused. You are a proper young lady and should not be at the mercy of the old madam’s whims.”

He meant well, but his words only made A-Jiao’s heart ache more. She choked up and said, “Only Master still sees me as a proper young lady. The neighbors don’t. No one respects me. I don’t blame the old madam for ordering me around—I just want to please her so she won’t scold me anymore. Master knows how difficult it was for me, caught between my uncle and aunt. I don’t want to live like that again in Master’s household.”

Zhao Yanping recalled the insults and false accusations that Jin Shi had hurled at her.

“I understand,” he said softly. “Don’t worry. From now on, I won’t let you be scolded because of me.”

A-Jiao stopped crying. She turned her shoulder slightly, her almond-shaped eyes shimmering with tears as she gazed at him. “Really?”

A beauty with tears in her eyes—so delicate, so pitiful. Zhao Yanping averted his gaze to the bed curtain and nodded.

A-Jiao bit her lip, then suddenly asked, “Master, do you think the old madam will eavesdrop on us again tonight?”

Zhao Yanping stiffened and nodded once more.

A-Jiao slowly sat up, blushing as she tentatively suggested, “Last night, I acted for Master’s sake. Tonight, could Master act for mine? Let me redeem myself in the old madam’s eyes. Please?”

Zhao Yanping looked surprised. “What do you intend to do?”

A-Jiao touched her face and hesitated before saying, “I… I’ll sing for Master. And after I finish, Master can ask me to sing another. If the old madam hears, she’ll believe that Master enjoys my singing.”