The nights in the county seat were much livelier than in the village. With the new year approaching, the CRACKLE and POP of distant firecrackers could be heard from time to time. If you listened closely, you could even make out the excited shrieks and yells of children, as well as the shouts of adults telling them to go back home to bed.

The weather had been warm during the day, even a little hot around noon, but by nightfall, the cold was enough to make one’s hands and feet go numb.

Chen Wanqing washed up, threw on her robe, and hurried to bed. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the neatly spread-out quilt on the bed, but a moment later she shivered, lifted the covers, and slipped underneath.

When she had come over to tidy up during the day, she hadn’t noticed there was only one quilt on the bed.

When it was time to make the bed and prepare for sleep, she realized the problem and rushed to her mother’s room to grab another one for the time being.

But when she got there and knocked, her mother bolted the door from the inside, blew out the lamp, and even called out that she was already asleep and that Wanqing should hurry back and rest instead of bothering her.

At this point, how could Chen Wanqing not see that her mother had done it on purpose?

She wanted to keep knocking, but she had already disturbed De’an and Yao’an. Not wanting to make a scene, she could only return with her head hung low.

There was only one quilt. Although it was a thick, heavy quilt, it should be enough to get through the night. But the thought of sharing it with Jing later still made her feel very awkward.

Just as she was thinking about Zhao Jing, Chen Wanqing’s sharp ears caught a faint sound from outside the door.

The footsteps stopped at the entrance, and a soft voice called out, "Wanqing, I’m coming in."

Though he said that, he still waited for her to respond from inside before pushing the door open and walking in.

After entering, the corner of his eye caught sight of her already lying in bed. Zhao Jing asked, "Wanqing, should I put out the candle?"

"No, it’s still early. I’m going to read for a bit. You go wash up. We can put out the light after you’re done."

So, Zhao Jing went to wash up.

He had deliberately avoided her while she washed up, just as he had back in the Zhao Village. He would always go to the south room to sit and read for a while after dinner, only returning when he estimated she had finished washing up or had already fallen asleep.

Otherwise, facing each other day and night, he couldn’t guarantee he would have the patience to bide his time.

Only after she was asleep could he allow the desire in his heart to grow, letting himself be consumed by all kinds of emotions.

Zhao Jing had just been hiding out in De’an’s room. However, while he could discuss literature and debate scholarly topics with him there, it wouldn’t be appropriate to wash up in his room.

...

From the study in the east room came a RUSTLING sound—it was Zhao Jing taking off his clothes. A moment later, the sound of SPLASHING water followed, making Chen Wanqing so restless and irritable that she couldn’t take in a single word of the book in her hands.

It was at times like this that Chen Wanqing couldn’t help but resent her mother.

There were three rooms in the back courtyard. Her mother hadn’t thought to connect her daughter’s incense-making room to her bedchamber, nor had she thought to make the three rooms separate. Instead, she had insisted on carving a doorway in the wall between Zhao Jing’s study and the bedchamber.

A doorway would have been one thing, but she didn’t even have a door installed, hanging only a curtain to offer the barest illusion of cover.

The sounds of splashing and rustling carried clearly to her ears. How could her heart not be in turmoil?

Chen Wanqing didn’t know how long she had been lost in thought. By the time she came to her senses, Zhao Jing had already put on a robe and was at the side of the bed.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze burning as he looked at her reclining against the headboard. "Are you still going to read, Wanqing?"

"I’m too tired today, I’m done reading. You can put out the light. Let’s get some rest."

Zhao Jing heard her but didn’t move. He opened his mouth to ask, "Will you and I be sharing this one quilt?"

"What else? Are you going to go ask Mom for another one now? It’s not like there are no other options. Why don’t you go and make do with De’an in the front room tonight?"

Zhao Jing let out a low chuckle, though it was unclear what he found so amusing.

But his voice was filled with delight, which annoyed Chen Wanqing enough that she couldn’t help but shoot him a glare.

She snapped the book shut, stuffed it directly under her pillow, lay down, and rolled herself up in the quilt, giving Zhao Jing her back. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

There was no movement from the edge of the bed for a long time. Then, just as Chen Wanqing was starting to worry that he would get sick from sitting there in the cold, Zhao Jing took off his shoes, socks, and outer shirt and got into bed.

He gave a light tug on Chen Wanqing’s clothes. She asked, "What are you doing? It’s the middle of the night, shouldn’t you be sleeping?"

Zhao Jing chuckled again. "Wanqing, could you share some of the quilt? You’re lying on all of it."

Chen Wanqing: "..."

’Is that so?’

’No wonder I’m so uncomfortable.’

Chen Wanqing arched her back, pulled the quilt out from under herself, and tossed it to Zhao Jing. He immediately slipped under the covers.