Chapter 347 — Midnight
Purple Streets of Chang'an Page 2 of 2
The thought burst suddenly into his mind.
He immediately dismissed the thought.
Dou Yan had always been generous and open-hearted—how could he possibly be eaten up by such senseless jealousy?
Yet even as he thought this, his gaze could not help but fix upon Dou Yan.
Dou Zhiwei's expression—no matter how one looked at it, there was a hint of disappointment, the former cheerfulness all gone...
In the old days, when Song Yan was at his uncle's house, he had most detested those cousins who simpered and minced, who lost themselves in wild fancies after a few words, stewing in every kind of petty jealousy—their faces truly odious to behold. But now that the person was Dou Yan, his heart was like the purple-clay teapot on that little red-clay stove, bubbling away with merry little gurgles.
Propping himself on one elbow, he leaned over her and said, feigning deep thought, "I don't know—I've never been. But my father-in-law gave me a bank note for ten thousand taels. I figure that even for the sake of those ten thousand taels, I can't go. Otherwise, wouldn't I be living off my wife's money?!"
This fellow—since when had his mouth learned to run wild like a horse?
Dou Yan could not help but burst into laughter and gave Song Chu a playful punch.
Song Sui suddenly felt an intense itch, and there it stood, a pillar holding up the sky, so hard it ached.
He could not help but sigh softly.
No wonder people said that in the eyes of a lover, his beloved was a Xi Shi—whatever Dou Chi did, in his eyes it all became charm and delight.
There were still seven months until Dou Yan gave birth. Should he move to the study to sleep?
Song Yan was tangled in indecision, while Dou Yan, seeing him suddenly fall silent with a look of melancholy, could not help but laugh. "What is it now?"
Hearing Dou Yan's clear, pleasing voice, Song Yan felt he had been worrying over nothing.
Even if they could not do anything, wasn't it just as joyful to talk and laugh and romp about with Dou Yan like this?
He asked Dou Yan, "Tell me—do you think it's a boy or a girl?"
"Whatever kind of child the Bodhisattva gives us, that's the kind we'll have. What's there to guess about?" said Dou Xin.
"We'll have to name the child sooner or later, won't we?" Song Sui said wistfully. "If we pick a boy's name and it turns out to be a girl, won't she blame us for the rest of her life?"
"Then let's pick one boy's name and one girl's name," said Dou Yan. "Either way, we're covered."
"The due date is next July, right? It'll still be hot then. We should stock up on more ice this year, so the child doesn't get prickly heat."
"All right! I'll tell the household affairs office tomorrow!"
The couple murmured their silly talk, enough to make anyone who overheard them smile, yet the two of them spoke with the utmost seriousness, carrying on until the third watch before they drifted off to sleep.
Like Song Yan and Dou Yan, there were two others who did not blow out their lamps until the middle of the night: the Duke of Yingguo, Song Cen, and the Second Master, Song Han.
If Song Yan bore a son, his position as heir would be all the more secure.
Even if he had a daughter, it would prove Song Yan was capable of bearing children—if not a legitimate son, then a concubine-born son could still be had.
Was it really to be let go just like this?
Even if he was willing to let it go, would Song Yan?
Song Cen tossed and turned in bed.
Song Han, however, was copying the Lotus Sutra by lamplight.
His senior maid, Qixia, urged him, "It's so late, Second Master. You should rest early. You can copy it tomorrow after you get up—it won't be too late."
But Song Han said, "Go pour me a cup of hot tea." There was no intention of retiring at all.
Qixia had been chosen for Song Han by Song Cen himself, and Song Han had always treated her with courtesy. Over time, Qixia had grown somewhat familiar with him, and hearing this, she smiled and reached out to take his brush. "Second Master, do listen to me just this once! You have to study with the tutor first thing tomorrow morning. If you sleep late, you'll be nodding off, and once the Lord Defender of the State hears of it, he'll scold you again..."
"Wretched slave!" Without the slightest warning, Song Han kicked Qixia. "Who is the master here, you or me? Am I no longer able to give you orders? Do you want me to replace you with someone else tomorrow?"
Had anyone else been present, they would have noticed that the way Song Han kicked was exactly the same as Song Cen.
Qixia had never in her wildest dreams imagined that Song Han could wear such a ferocious face.
She shuddered and hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowing. "This slave deserves death! I beg the Second Master to spare me this once—I'll go brew your tea right away."
Song Han gave a grunt of assent.
Qixia scrambled out of the study in a fluster, and only then discovered that her lower belly was twitching with a sharp, searing pain.
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Sisters, I have to go out this Saturday and Sunday, so I need to stockpile two chapters for these two days—I can only do single updates for now. I'll make it up to everyone when I get back!
o(∩_∩)o~
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