Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 449

Empress Zhou sent a maid over to give her cherries, and in return, Gu Yin gave her a small jar of dried chrysanthemums. Dried chrysanthemums were best enjoyed when steeped in water, making them a great choice after consuming greasy meat.

Upon seeing the maid accompanying Empress Zhou talking to her respectfully and familiarly, Wu Qingyi couldn’t help but ask, “When did you and the Empress become so close?”

“While you were away, the Empress came out of the palace for a day to eat. Today, when you all went hunting, and her second child was taking a nap, she came to ride the horse with me and chat for a while,” Gu Yin explained. She then remembered what Empress Zhou had mentioned in the afternoon and added, “The Empress also asked me to convey her apology, saying that she shouldn’t have been cold to you and shouldn’t have blamed you for not finding Xiao Ye.”

Wu Qingyi shook his head dismissively, saying, “It’s alright. The Empress may have treated me coldly in the past, but our family has received all the rewards and respect we deserve.”

The two chatted as they enjoyed their meal, and soon, they had finished eating. The bonfire outside was still flickering, but the men had been busy all afternoon. So, it didn’t take long before the families returned to their tents to rest, and the entire camp became quiet, signaling it was time to sleep.

Gu Yin suddenly realized there was a slight inconvenience – she had to share a tent with Wu Qingyi! The tents of each family had been arranged according to the number of people they reported. Three tents were arranged for Duke Ying’s family, one for Mrs. Wang and Wu Zhong, one for Wu’an, and one for her and Wu Qingyi. It was still early, and there were many servants around, but it was too late to add an extra tent. The tents were positioned close to each other, and if they arranged for a new one, it would be clear that she and Wu Qingyi slept in separate rooms, which might lead to rumors.

Seeing her conflicted expression, Wu Qingyi thoughtfully placed a large animal skin on the edge of the bed. Gu Yin didn’t say anything more and headed out to wash. She had sweated a lot in the afternoon, so she removed her bun and slowly cleaned herself. By the time she returned to the bedroom, Wu Qingyi had already finished washing up.

He had just finished washing his hair, and his wet hair clung to the back of his head, shrouded in a veil of water vapor. Wu Qingyi was dressed in a pure white nightgown, and the garment revealed his chest, which bore old scars.

Upon seeing Gu Yin enter the room, he set aside the military book he was reading and reached for the dry cloth on the table. Gu Yin sat down in front of him, her head slightly lowered, and she softly said, “Just dry it gently.”

Wu Qingyi, inexperienced in this task, clumsily wrapped the end of her long hair with the cloth and began to pat it gently.

Gu Yin wore a light blue nightgown, which was conservative and not transparent at all. However, due to the water, the fabric clung to her body, accentuating her fair complexion.

Wu Qingyi glanced at her, feeling a tightness in his throat, and quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look again.

He increased the speed of his hands and quickly wiped the water from Gu Yin’s long hair. With her hair now half-dry, it would be more comfortable for her to sleep.

However, in this intimate atmosphere, sitting quietly felt a bit awkward. Gu Yin decided to do something to pass the time. She got up and opened a box which contained her personal items since other things were taken care of by the servants. She hoped to find something to keep them occupied.

After rummaging for a moment, Gu Yin discovered two boxes of chess pieces and a chessboard. There was just one issue—neither she nor Wu Qingyi knew how to play Go.

But that was not a problem. Since they couldn’t play Go, they could play Gobang instead. Gu Yin explained the rules of Gobang to Wu Qingyi.

Gobang was a simple game, and Wu Qingyi quickly grasped the rules. However, it didn’t take long for his gaze to unconsciously fixate on Gu Yin’s hands. Her long, black hair flowed like satin behind her head, a stark contrast to her fair, makeup-free face.

Gu Yin played Gobang with great concentration and didn’t notice his intense gaze. The smooth jade chess pieces gilded against her delicate fingertips. After a while, a piece landed on the board, and she smiled, saying, “A moment ago, you almost won.'”

After speaking and not getting a response from Wu Qingyi, Gu Yin raised her head and met his gaze. He was just staring at her in silence, but his gaze sent a shiver down her spine.

It felt like he was looking at her as if she were prey, and it made Gu Yin feel a little uneasy.

Caught by his intense gaze, for some reason, she also felt a hint of dryness. She looked down in a bit of a panic and picked up a cherry from the bowl on the table, bringing it to her lips. She bit the bright red fruit in half, the juice lingering on her lips, making them even more alluring.

Wu Qingyi watched her graceful throat move as she swallowed, and his gaze followed her throat.

Gu Yin broke the silence by asking, “Would you like some water?” She pushed the cup toward him.

However, Wu Qingyi didn’t reach for the cup. Instead, he abruptly stood up, said, “I’ll go outside,” and walked away quickly.