GTB Chapter 68

Jiang Jiuchu didn’t expect him to agree so readily. It seemed her face really didn’t appeal to him.

Before she could overthink it, she saw Shí Yan walk to the bed and actually start to undo his belt.

She was instantly stunned and quickly turned to the side, propping her cheek with her hand and looking elsewhere, thinking, “Is he just pretending I don’t exist?”

That was a good thing, but… where was she going to sleep?

Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes darted back and forth, glancing around, trying to find a suitable place to make a makeshift bed on the floor.

Suddenly, a soft shifting sound came. The room seemed to fall silent.

She lowered her supporting arm, her eyes glancing towards the bed.

Huh? Where did he go?

She quickly walked to the bedside and saw only his discarded red wedding robe on the bed. She looked around, puzzled, not understanding where he had gone.

But he clearly hadn’t left! Could there be a secret room in this room… a room within a room?

Remembering the sound she had just heard, like a sliding door, she instantly confirmed her idea.

So he went to sleep in the secret room, leaving the room for her?

Jiang Jiuchu began to look around the room, stopping in front of a sliding door behind the screen. Could it be this?

She reached out and gently opened a crack in the door, peeking inside. She saw a space paved with blue bricks, with a ring of flower troughs built against the wall, filled with various seasonal plants like monstera and lemongrass. In the center, however, was a chamber pot.

She was amazed, it was her first time seeing such an elegant and fragrant lavatory.

She came out, closed the door, and then called out to the outside, “Lu Luo, go fetch some hot water.”

“Yes.” Lu Luo, standing at the door, quickly responded, wondering if the wedding night was over. Why hadn’t His Highness ordered them about? Wasn’t it said that marital affairs were tiring for women?

Lu Luo walked away, confused, thinking that maybe the Seventh Prince was a bit weak!

Before, she had overheard some old maids gossiping when she was in the Jiang residence, and one of them said that the more handsome a man was, the worse he was in that department.

So, could it be that their son-in-law was… very bad?

After giving her instructions, Jiang Jiuchu walked to the bronze mirror and sat down, taking off the elaborate and beautiful phoenix coronet from her head. Then she began to remove the hairpins that held her hair in place. As the hairpins were removed, the black hair piled on the back of her head instantly fell down her back.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t help thinking, was her face really that repulsive? She had never heard anyone say her appearance was unpleasant until now.

Jiang Jiuchu pursed her lips, thinking that although this Seventh Prince had bad taste, it was beneficial to her. Otherwise, even without any affection, as a man, few could remain unmoved in such a grand and opportune moment.

She got up and took off her red wedding gown, worried that if the other servants at the door saw that she hadn’t even taken off her wedding dress, they would gossip about her and think she wasn’t favored, which would lead to them bullying her and Lu Luo.

After all, not every household’s servants were like those in the Jiang residence. She had heard from Ji Shutíng that many unfavored wives and concubines were even treated with contempt by the servants.

“Miss, the water is here. May I come in?”

“Come in.” Jiang Jiuchu walked to the washstand.

“Miss, where is His Highness?” Lu Luo carried a bucket of hot water to the washstand, pouring the hot water into the basin while looking inside, but she didn’t see Shí Yan.

“He… went to the lavatory.” Jiang Jiuchu said, beginning to wash her face.

Lu Luo didn’t think much of it and fetched another basin of water for Jiang Jiuchu to wash her feet, placing it next to the bed. Then she returned and said,

“Miss, it seems there isn’t a basin here for washing your lower body. Should you ask His Highness later, or should I go out and find a new basin for you?”

“No need.” Jiang Jiuchu wanted to say that she wouldn’t wash today, but then she suddenly thought of something and continued, “There should be one in the room. I’ll fetch the water myself later. You can leave now.”

“Okay!” Lu Luo responded and retreated.

Jiang Jiuchu thought that if she hadn’t put on makeup today, she wouldn’t even want to wash her face. Anyway, early this morning, she had been washed from head to toe before wearing this wedding dress.

Looking at the prepared foot-washing water in front of the bed, she sat down and began to take off her shoes and soak her feet.

As she soaked, she turned her head and looked at the red wedding gown discarded on the bed, suddenly thinking that this Seventh Prince might also have gone to wash up!

After all, rather than a room within a room, she thought a bathroom within a room was more likely.

Just as she thought of this, a sound came from the direction of the end of the bed. She was startled and quickly turned her head, seeing Shí Yan walk out from inside in his undergarments, seeming to be still a bit damp.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then looked away.

Jiang Jiuchu was very embarrassed. How could she have been so presumptuous before, thinking about rooms within rooms and secret rooms? Even if there really was one, he should be the one sleeping there! How could he possibly leave the big room for her?

She quickly bent down and threw the foot-wiping towel on the edge of the basin into the basin, covering her fair and delicate feet, and then lowered her rolled-up trouser legs.

Shí Yan, seemingly oblivious to Jiang Jiuchu’s flustered movements, walked straight to the bed without looking sideways, picked up the red wedding gown he had taken off earlier, and threw it over his shoulder without looking back. Then, he took off his shoes and got on the bed.

The wedding gown landed accurately on the clothes rack behind him, but it covered Jiang Jiuchu’s wedding gown.

Jiang Jiuchu swallowed, slightly turning her head to look at Shí Yan lying behind her, and quickly bent down to wring the towel dry, wiped her feet, and put on her shoes.

Then she picked up the foot-washing water and walked behind the screen, thinking that there seemed to be only one bed and no extra bedding for her to sleep on the floor.

Would it be inappropriate if she asked Lu Luo to get her another quilt? After all, in late April, it wasn’t cold at all…

Shí Yan turned his head and glanced at the figure standing motionless behind the screen, a corner of his mouth curving up. He picked up a book from the low table beside the bed and began to read.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Jiuchu walked out from behind the screen, looking at Shí Yan who was leaning against the head of the bed, leisurely reading.

Thinking that although appearances could be deceiving, Shí Yan was the embodiment of the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover,” he had no gentlemanly manners at all.

At least in his eyes, she should be considered an understanding wife who was willing to think for him! Wasn’t he going to help her settle down a bit?

She hesitated for a moment and had to take the initiative to ask, “Um… is there any more bedding?”

Hearing this, Shí Yan raised his eyes and glanced at Jiang Jiuchu, then withdrew his gaze, turning a page and speaking lightly, “There are some in the cabinet.”

“Okay.” Hearing this, Jiang Jiuchu quickly walked to the side and opened the cabinet door, scanning it up and down. She saw two quilts on the top layer.

A look of joy appeared on her face. With two quilts, she could use one as a mattress and one as a blanket.

The top layer was a bit high. Jiang Jiuchu stood on tiptoe, barely able to reach the corner of the quilt. She pulled the quilt out little by little and successfully carried one down, then went to get the other one.

Completely unaware that the undergarment on her body was moving upward with her movements, revealing the perfect curve of the woman’s back and her faintly visible fair waist.