Translated and given permission by MissQ to post on Puretl.com
Edited by Pure

Chapter 41: The Hard Earned Happiness 

“Tired?” Lin Si Yao emptied a bucket filled with warm water into a large basin in a separate room by their bedroom. He intended for Shuilian to take a bath there.  

“I’m fine, thanks for your trouble.” Su Shuilian looked apologetically at Lin Si Yao as he carried the buckets of water into the bedroom and even helped her take out a set of clean clothes and hung it on the hanger. 

“Didn’t we promise not to speak so courteously.” Lin Si Yao frowned as he tested the water temperature, “Ok it’s ready, call me when you are done.” Saying that, he lowered the curtains to the bedroom and walked out of the house. 

From Lin Si Yao’s unhappy mood, Su Shuilian knew it was because she accepted Aunt Lao’s request of helping Xicui with the large embroidery job and thus ignoring him, her newlywed husband. 

However, Aunt Lao had come twice early this morning to request for help. The embroidery also had a quickly approaching deadline, if she, Su Shuilian, would have felt bad if she didn’t help out. After all, Aunt Lao and her family had helped her many times.

But A Yao… Su Shuilian thought as she laid her back on the bath barrel and scooped water on her body. As she thought about Lin Si Yao who she didn’t know what he was currently doing, her eyelids started to feel heavier… 

Lin Si Yao stood under the cherry tree for a while. The bright moonlight passed through the crevices of leaves and shone down on him. He looked like a jade deity beneath the moon, cool and handsome. It was just the wrinkle between his brow that had broken the seemingly calm and tranquil charm/grace from afar.   

Damn it it’s been so long, why hasn’t she called yet? Did she misunderstand his attitude before? Did she think that he was angry at her? Yes, he was angry, but he wasn’t angry at her. This whole day, all she ate was half a steamed bun. She also did not consume much water either, as she was afraid that she would need to urinate and waste time. And even after all of that to conserve as much time as possible to sew, she and Xicui had only finished one-fourth of the piece. If this continued on for three more days, it would be strange if she could still walk.

Lin Si Yao reluctantly listened to any movement in the bedroom. After a long time, there was still no sound. Lin Si Yao wrinkled his brow and quickly made his way to the bedroom and knocked: “Shuilian?”

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Lin Si Yao looked at the scene dumbfounded. She had actually fallen asleep in the middle of bathing. She had rested on the side of the barrel with her hair out, as it reached down to the ground. 

Taking the large towel from the hanger, Lin Si Yao wrapped Su Shuilian in it and took her out of the water before he let her down on their bed. He dried off her body before covering her with a thin cotton blanket. He then started to dry her waist long hair. With a new dry towel, as he rubbed the hair between it to absorb the water. As an extra measure, he used his internal force to dry the hair and stopped after he did the same with both the wet pillow and the blanket. 

Lin Si Yao went to drain the water in the barrel and cleaned the wet floor before taking a cold shower. Afterward, he changed out of his clothes and put them into the wash basin in the kitchen; he planned to wash them tomorrow. When Lin Si Yao came back, he saw Su Shuilian turn, exposing her naked upper body. 

Lin Si Yao held back the warm flow coming from his nose and quickly dressed Su Shuilian before he entered into the blankets. He hugged her as he fell asleep: this was his second night of good sleep. 

---

At the rooster’s third crow, Su Shuilian sluggishly moved her body. Su Shuilian thought back to last night before Xicui had left: she had promised to start working today at Mao-time (5am-7am); Su Shuilian reluctantly opened her eyes.

With the early dawn light that had passed through the thin floral curtains, it was easily discernible what time it was. 

Looking at Lin Si Yao who was sleeping soundly by her side, Su Shuilian held back the impulse to feel his face. She was unclear how she had gone to bed last night. All she remembered was that she was taking a bath… taking a bath… and then… 

“Ah!” Su Shuilian covered her mouth to muffle out her yell, afraid to wake him up. Thinking back to last night, there was a high possibility he had helped the naked her out of the bath barrel and into bed. Su Shuilian was so ashamed and had wanted to hide in the blanket.  

Lin Si Yao, with his eyes closed, tightened his grip on her stiffened body and muttered: “It’s still early.” 

“A Yao...” Su Shuilian said, embarrassed as she allowed him to hold her in his embrace. One of his arms wrapped around her neck and rested at her cleavage bringing her head to his chest. The other hand wrapped around her waist, tightly, making her unable to get up. 

“Still early.” Lin Si Yao lightly spit out the words again, refusing to let her go. 

“I promised Xicui we would work at Mao-time.” Su Shuilian listened to his strong heartbeat as she softly explained. She was embarrassed and ashamed that Lin Si Yao was rushed to do all of the laundry. She then thought back to last night and toward his unhappy reaction, Su Shuilian could not help but ask: “A Yao… you… are you mad at me?”

Lin Si Yao’s heart pained for her obviously saddened and apologetic tone which sounded by his ears. It seemed when he had blamed her for her lack of self care, she had also felt regret. 

 He brought his little woman closer to him and gave her a light kiss on her forehead. After that, his lips trailed down between her curved brows, her high nose bridge, until he made his way to her fragrant red lips and sucked at it.  

 Su Shuilian’s body trembled, she understandingly opened her cherry lips. In the midst of his satisfied sigh, she had deeply entangled herself with his strong overbearing tongue.   

 Until she could not withstand the long duration of intensity, leaving her flushed and breathing heavily. 

Lin Si Yao pointed at her nose and lightly laughed, “How did you forget to breathe?” 

 Su Shuilian hid her face in his shoulder bashfully, as she refused to face his joke.  

 “Shuilian?” Lin Si Yao lifted her chin, making Su Shuilian face him as he seriously said: “I was not mad at you last night. I was just worried, worried about your health.” Some words, if not said will cause a misunderstanding, and with the accumulation of these misunderstandings will turn into resentment and grudge, and then, it would be too late.

 “I know.” Su Shuilian gently placed a finger on his lips, “Just this time, since I have already promised Aunt Lao. But after this, I promise I won’t embroider like this again.” She stroked his lips and quietly promised him. 

 She knew how hard embroidery was. In the past, in order to keep and maintain the title of “#1 Embroidery House”, never once was she pushed, but she was instead provided methods of ways to not waste time. This included having everything provided for her, such as enough maids to heed her every beck and call. Even her mother, although she showed pity in her eyes, her voice never softened, because this was her responsibility as the Eldest Young Lady of Su House. She, herself knew that too, which was why she never voiced out a complaint. 

But now, from Lin Si Yao’s cold voice, he had spoken about his worry for her, Su Shuilian on the verge of tears. The frustration of toil that had accumulated over the many years, her exhaustion suddenly all gushed/flowed out.

 Lin Si Yao kissed the tear that slid down the corner of her eyes. Although he did not understand why even though she was fine just a moment ago, he still wanted to kiss away her tears, her helplessness, her grievances… and with this thought, he gave her a series of gentle kisses.   

However, this soon turned into a heat, and in that instance, the momentum was cut and the two were drawn into a tide of passion.  

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