At the entrance of East Fence Small House.
Lingfei Zhao had one foot inside the door and one foot outside, turning her head towards the tightly shut door of the north room.
Jia Tengying and Fan Yushu were blocked outside by her, neither able to enter nor retreat.
It was extremely awkward.
The two exchanged glances, feeling a sense of inevitable failure.
It was always so perilous, Ziyu, if you aren’t troubled, then who is?
As soon as it was said, quickly it happened—within that moment, they had resigned themselves, contemplating how to confess leniently, subconsciously trying to salvage the potentially swiftly worsening impression of Fairy Zhao...
The next second, the other jade foot of Lingfei Zhao outside the door paused slightly, then stepped inside, and suddenly she turned back.
"Yushu, Teng Ying, did you guys help me take it in?"
Lingfei Zhao’s tone was half puzzled, half relieved.
Jia Tengying and Fan Yushu both startled.
The former, always the doltish type, did not show much change.
The latter, however, only paused for a moment before quickly catching on.
The thought ’This is actually working?’ just appeared in Fan Yushu’s mind when he subconsciously blurted out:
"Ah? Ah, yes...seeing you hadn’t come, just, just helped to take it in, took it in yesterday evening."
"Thank you." Lingfei Zhao looked into his eyes, seriously saying.
"It’s nothing, just a small favor, sister-in-law is too courteous."
Fan Yushu quickly adapted, stabilizing his footing and taking the initiative once.
"However," he sighed, "next time sister-in-law must remember, must gather the bedding before the sun sets; unlike everyday clothes, bedding cannot be left outside overnight, otherwise the dawn dew and insects will make it damp and dirty, ruining the wash."
Lingfei Zhao almost instinctively wanted to stick out her tongue in chagrin, but she held back just in time, given the presence of her husband’s friends. She was to maintain a dignified and prudent demeanor, not the playful one she could afford around her husband and Qian’er.
However, at this moment, Lingfei felt her dignified lady persona was slightly being challenged, it was getting hard to maintain, exposing her slight confusion with the details of household tasks...
The autumn-eyed woman felt somewhat embarrassed and averted her gaze, not looking at Fan Yushu’s resigned smile. But in the next moment, something caught her peripheral vision.
Lingfei Zhao’s attention suddenly shifted, she walked lightly to the clothes rack, pointing at a small Fox Demon’s pink garment, "Whose clothing is this, and why is it hanging here?"
Fan Yushu had just praised his own wit, but the smile that had just risen on his face immediately stiffened.
He braved a smile and said, "It’s...mine, haha, sister-in-law. My yard faces the mountain’s shadow, I brought them here to sunbathe. You wouldn’t mind, right, haha."
But as Fan Yushu smiled, his expression soon froze, because this Goddess-like autumn-eyed woman slightly narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him with a discerning look.
Done for, not easy to fool...Fan Yushu worried inwardly.
The atmosphere between the three became immediately tense; no one spoke as Fan Yushu and Jia Tengying carefully watched the expressions on Fairy Zhao’s face.
"Oh, is that so?" At this time, Lingfei Zhao looked at Fan Yushu’s powdered little white face, smelling a slight fragrance from his body, and gently nodded, "Yushu also likes wearing pink clothing..."
Her crisp voice slightly paused, turning to look at the pink garment in front of her, thoughtfully, "That is rare. Yushu’s taste...is quite unique."
Someone felt the full malice of the world.
Hey hey hey, can you not stare at me like that? What’s wrong with a boy caring about his appearance, applying powder, dressing up? Who said it’s only for girls, who said it meant being effeminate...he felt a bitter cold anger towards these societal prejudices.
However, Fan Yushu thought again, thankfully the sudden sister-in-law was wearing pink men’s clothing. Men wearing pink...well, flamboyant is flamboyant, thank heaven she didn’t hang out girls’ clothing or some special little dresses—after all, there were other men in the yard—or Fan Yushu would be socially dead by now. No, he wouldn’t stand up to take the blame, to hell with it, a scum man on the spot, none of his business...
At this moment, Fan Yushu, burdened with another quirky hobby, forced a cheerful smile, "Sister-in-law mocks me."
Lingfei Zhao smiled faintly and turned towards the courtyard door, walking farther and farther from that tightly closed room.
Fan Yushu and Jia Tengying couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, exchanging glances.
Lingfei Zhao suddenly looked back, her expression calm as she swept over the relieved looks of the two men.
They quickly turned their heads, Fan Yushu smiling awkwardly at Lingfei Zhao, "Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?"
Lingfei Zhao said nothing, her eyes serene like deep still waters reflecting the faces of her husband’s two friends, unfathomable in depth.
She turned again to look at the pink garment for men hanging there, its waistline seemed suitable for a delicate body.
Lingfei Zhao, without another word, turned and walked towards the north room.
Fan Yushu and Jia Tengying were shocked, but it was too late, within their field of vision, the Fairy had already, unwaveringly, walked to the door, and with a slight push,
The familiar sound of the door opening echoed in the courtyard.
She pushed the door and entered.
Lingfei Zhao stood in the middle of the empty yet spotless room, her gaze sweeping over the slightly ajar west window, the clean bookshelf, the bed neatly arranged by Fan Yushu and Jia Tengying, and the four chairs quietly placed under the Eight Immortals table...