Chapter 61 (1/2)
儿 | er | (lit. child) diminutive marker used as a form of endearment
The Yun brothers had gone to Lan Zhou, and Lu Piao Xiang attended to official matters all day long and only came back home once every few days.
Ruan Zhu couldn’t bear to remain idle. Besides taking care of her child, she practiced writing and learned how to embroider from Nuan Chun to pass the time. Using a war painting as a base, she started embroidering a cloak for Lu Piao Xiang. On the black fabric, she stitched a golden eagle striking the sky with outstretched wings, and with the help of a sketch, the eagle’s majestic appearance and demeanor were all realistically embroidered. On the side of the cloak was also a domineering verse: Men are like steel until death, using their hands to repair the cracks in the sky.
When Lu Piao Xiang received it, he was exceedingly fond of the cloak and showed it off the very next day. Just as he returned in the evening, Ruan Zhu was in the living room, learning how to cut fabric from Nuan Chun. The weather was gradually becoming warmer, and she planned on making her child a onesie with a split pant as that would prevent the upper garment from separating from the trousers when he was being held by someone.
During the time she had gone to the southern border with Yun Shi Yi, she had bought white cotton cloths on the way back, and a few days ago, she had gone to a dye workshop to stain them in beautiful colors.
Cotton cloth was soft, very absorbent, and also beneficial to the skin–perfect to make clothing for children with. Picking out a light blue dyed piece, she handed it over to Nuan Chun to trim while she looked on from the side.
Lu Piao Xiang stepped inside and saw the master and servant–one asking and the other answering–in a harmonious atmosphere. Nuan Chun was taller than Ruan Zhu by a head and the eyes in his lowered head as he looked at his master were filled with affection.
Lu Piao Xiang became thoughtful as an unfathomable and strange feeling rose within him.
Ruan Zhu saw that he had returned and her eyes sparkled with joy. Putting down the needlework, she walked over to remove his cloak and jacket before handing them over to Nuan Chun and offering her husband a towel: “I thought you weren’t coming back tonight so I ate ahead of time. You’re hungry, right? I’ll have the kitchen prepare something.”
“No need, I already ate in the barracks. Wife, if there’s nothing important, let’s retire for the night. I’m tired.”
The corner of Ruan Zhu’s mouth curved into a smile. He said this every time but would become a lively dragon and animated tiger once they got into bed, making it so that her waist would be sore when she woke the next morning. “Nuan Chun, you can return to rest. These clothes can be done tomorrow.”
“This servant is not tired and will take it back and finish it this night so the Young Master can wear it tomorrow.” Nuan Chun tidied up the material, bowed to the two people, and left.
“Wife, if you like Nuan Chun, there is no harm in receiving him, all right? Whether I am home or not, it is good to have someone taking care of you.”
Ruan Zhu pouted playfully: “What sort of disgraceful words are you saying? Isn’t my appetite satisfied? I don’t have feelings between a man and a woman towards Nuan Chun and the thought doesn’t excite me. Don’t bring up this matter in the future.” She thought about how Nuan Chun and Nuan Qing had all become older. Should she find them a home of their own? But she had to hear the opinion of the two involved first as she could not force them.
“Not having is also good. While the two Yun brothers are not home, let me have this chance to have my share and then we’ll see.” Lu Piao Xiang picked Ruan Zhu up, a smile across his entire face: “I wore that cloak and many people kept asking me who embroidered it. Those great old menfolk in the military were all full of envy and admiration. After returning from the morning court, I chanced upon a court painting master. He looked at the embroidered design and offered a very large sum of money to buy it, saying he wanted to study the style for more inspiration and to form an exclusive school just for that style. Holy shit! When have I, Lu Piao Xiang, ever been short of that little bit of silver? The painting master was anxious, and also wanted to pay respect to you as his master, that motherfucker.”
Lu Piao Xiang had an elegant temperament and very rarely used foul language. These few days, he had spent too long in the barracks with the other military men and had caught certain bad habits.
Ruan Zhu pursed her lips in a smile. Her design had a forceful quality that was not seen in this era, so it was no wonder that even a court painting master wished to study her work. However, it was merely that the style was different; her painting skill could not be compared to the experts of this era.
“You must not tell anyone I painted it. If everyone were to come begging for one, I’d be exhausted to death.” When she had studied fine arts in her past life, she had been in charge of several classes’ bulletin boards[a] and also did not dare go against the teachers. That had been extremely depressing.
“I, your man, am intelligent and will not say anything. I’ll let them be anxious and let them be envious.”
“The season has changed. Either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I’ll make a few clothes for you. If you like it, I can embroider some other things on them.” She thought of Yun Shi Yi and longing welled up in her heart. He was still traveling on the ship, right?
“Wife, you truly are skilled. Piao Xiang being able to have you as a wife in this life is from the good luck accumulated in my past life.”
Lu Piao Xiang carried her into the bedroom and stripped her of her clothes. Every time he undressed her, it would leave her without a stitch of clothing but his hands would be very gentle. When it was his turn, his clothing would be removed in two or three tugs.
“I’ve been thinking of you all day.” He placed her on top of the bed for a kiss and sucked on a red plum on her chest for a while before griping: “Why is there no milk?”
Ruan Zhu’s cheeks became faintly red: “It stopped yesterday.” Breast milk was the most nutritious during the first three months after delivery, and in any case, the amount she had wasn’t enough for her child to eat. Three months had already passed, so why not dry up her milk? The process was not at all painful. Nuan Chun had filled a prescription from the medicine hall, and the morning after she had drank the boiled concoction, she had stopped producing milk.
“Unfortunate.” Regret was all over Lu Piao Xiang’s face.
“Unfortunate what?” Ruan Zhu had had enough of him. Her son’s food had been taken by him as a beverage to drink.
“Nothing. Having not seen you for a day, my heart felt as if it was lost and holding you just like this makes me extremely content.”
“I’ll make you more satisfied; how about that?” She smiled mischievously before slowly lowering her head to kiss the red bean on his chest. Extending her tongue, she naughtily drew circles on his chest before using her teeth to gently bite down while one of her hands pinched the other, lonely red bean; gently pulling, not being partial to either one.
“Oh……” Lu Piao Xiang’s vision blurred as he placed his hands on top of her chest.
She looked towards his crotch. That area had long been raised and a drop had already spilled out.