Chapter 17 - Bewitched
The bright red middle garment slid past the jade white shoulders of the young lady. Pei Xuan was momentarily bewitched, feeling that the mountains, rivers, sun and moon, and all the splendors of the world could not compare to this single lowering of her brows.
Cui Ti suffered much hardship in her childhood, abandoned by her cruel parents in a broken-tiled hut in the south courtyard. Her only companion was a Bai Ge of similar age. They struggled through the years in poverty and hunger, barely surviving.
She was somewhat short with a petite build. Though several months older than Pei Xuan, her quiet demeanor resembled a cat with damp fur hiding in a corner on a rainy day.
As Pei Xuan's astonishment arose, she could not restrain the spreading pity. Love at first sight, growing harder to let go the more she knew.
What of being blind? What of being unloved? She liked Cui Ti, cared for Cui Ti. No one could stop her from treating her well.
Dispelling the monkey-like thoughts that lacked propriety, she removed the middle garment and steadied her gaze, not peeking at the snowy peaks. "My lady..."
Cui Ti's fingertips trembled as she obediently extended her hand to her.
Pei Xuan's profile was serious, single-mindedly dressing her without impure thoughts.
This was the first person Cui Ti had seen in two lifetimes. Her nose was refined, lips red, skin white, just like the bright wind and shining moon, matching the beautiful words in poems perfectly, making one's heart and mind comfortable like a spring breeze.
But why was she not shy?
Cui Ti's heart almost leapt from her throat. While initially displaying some slight panic, Pei Xuan later calmed after some thought, steady hands not glancing her way again.
Cui Ti restrained her emotions, leaning her arm on Pei Xuan's shoulder, fingertips gently twirling her black hair.
Pei Xuan was startled, eyes darting aside, not daring to be improper: "What's the matter?"
"Nothing."
She spoke hoarsely, seeming to choke back grievances, soft and compliant, even her sulking extremely gentle and smooth.
It was only their wedding night, Pei Xuan didn't know how she had upset her. Enduring the turmoil in her heart, she finally willing placed her sights on Cui Ti's face—a faint blush on her cheeks, hair slightly disheveled, shapely lips, round lip pearls.
Her heart skipped a beat and she hastily lowered her head, inadvertently catching a glimpse of the new bride's protruding peaks, the meandering gold thread embroidering the mighty lotus, golden lotuses blooming on the beautiful garment, locking endless spring charm, winding gracefully.
The always calm and composed Pei Xiujian blushed seeing the rounded arc, at a loss.
Staring blankly, somewhat silly, lost in fascination.
Yet very refined, which Cui Ti liked from the bottom of her heart.
"Wrong, wrong, improper to look, improper to look..."
She mumbled indistinctly. Cui Ti heard the first two words "wrong", her gaze clouding in faint confusion, where was the wrong? Just looking at her a few times was wrong?
Why then did Pei Xuan marry her?
She tilted her head, watching as she pinched her clothes absently like a headless fly, seeming to forget what to do next.
This Pei Xuan was very novel, more refreshing than plum wine.
She blinked. In a few moments, Pei Xuan took a deep breath, regaining composure. Her slender hand went to Cui Ti's waist, closing her eyes as if to pull down the snow white underpants.
Now it was Cui Ti who was flustered, hurriedly covering herself, blushing face pressed against Pei Xuan's warm, sturdy hand. "I, I'll change it myself."
"...":
Heat rose in a swoosh, Pei Xuan's face flaming red. Fortunately her lady could not see her current awkward state.
But Cui Ti not only saw it, she saw it clearly, watching as she reddened from face to neck, rubbing her face then ears. Taking advantage of Cui Ti's blindness, she had made many interesting little gestures that Cui Ti saw completely.
With underpants changed, Cui Ti peeked out from the brocade quilt with her round head. "Husband...clothes."
Still dizzy, Pei Xuan handed her the clothes, inadvertently catching sight of the golden lotus on her chest again, heart thumping.
One room, one bridal bed, one stirred, the other skittish. Poor Bai Ge waiting anxiously outside.
Bai Ge was nearly panicking.
Seeing the time to serve tea to the elders approaching, they still hadn't emerged. Her ears were pricked like a rabbit but she could only hear faint sounds inside. They were awake, so what was taking so long!
A new bride missing the time to serve tea would get scolded.
She knew her young miss's blindness made her slow and clumsy. Why was her husband playing along?
Heart aflame, she knocked urgently on the door. "Young Master, time to get up!"
The white tender feet swiftly retracted under the covers. Pei Xuan wanted to laugh but held it in, unable to keep from chuckling out loud. Cui Ti silently fumed at her laughter, and more at how three years of their past life made her unable to fully adapt to her husband being female.
How could a woman show her feet to a man? Even her husband should only see a glimpse at night.
She bit her lip, angry at Pei Xuan for genuinely dressing as a man when she was a girl, angry that her eyes worked well, ogling her feet.
After her anger dissipated, Pei Xuan had already properly gotten dressed and out of bed.
A stretch of red piled at her ankles, contrasting more beautifully with her fair as jade skin. Catching an unexpected glimpse of her tiny soft waist, Cui Ti hurriedly closed her eyes, chest heaving, somewhat restless.
"My lady."
Having changed into robes, Pei Xuan lifted her skirt and squatted to put on Cui Ti's socks and shoes as she sat on the bed.
Holding the exquisite jade feet in her hands, her breathing grew chaotic, raising her eyes to see Cui Ti even less able to endure the shame. The refined and proper Pei Langjun's eyes filled with shallow laughter. "It will be quick."
The smile hidden in her words was unclear to others, but how could Cui Ti not hear it? Yet hearing it, what could she do? She could only obediently sit there, silently watching the top of Pei Xuan's head.
The feeling of fingertips brushing over her soles was too obvious. She endured without making a sound, her heart like it held a restless furball, the furball with wings hopping in place, shouting: "Hooray! She likes you! She likes you!"
Cui Ti's neck grew red, chest swollen, viciously kicking away the thing messing with her heart. But it shouted again: "You're shy! You're so dishonest! Hypocrite!"
"Nonsense!"
Pei Xuan suffered a kick for no reason. "I, I didn't say anything untoward."
The familiar voice sounded by her ear. Cui Ti realized what happened, secretly ashamed, toes slightly curling. "Husband, I wasn't talking to you."
With just the two of them here, Pei Xuan didn't understand. She sincerely said: "My lady, you are most beautiful to me."
It turned out Pei Xuan was praising her looks earlier.
Cui Ti felt undeserving.
"It's true because I said so." She carried Cui Ti off the bed. "Stay here and don't move. I'll go open the door."
She walked away.
Cui Ti listened to her footsteps, then the sound of the door opening as the servant girls filed in, Bai Ge running fastest, holding her arm and whispering: "Miss, how was it?"
"How was what?"
"Of course the wedding night!" Bai Ge looked at the busy grooming Pei Xuan anxiously. "The young master didn't bully you, did he?"
Realizing her words were improper: "No no, I mean, did the young master bully you?"
She spoke incoherently, tiptoeing to peek at the bed.
Cui Ti knew she was looking for the bloodstained handkerchief. Facing Bai Ge, she saw only a vast white fog.
Besides Pei Xuan, she still could not see anyone else.
The immortal who opened her spirit eyes did so according to her deepest desire at the time—to see her refined gentleman husband from her past life.
Her gaze unconsciously searched through the thick fog for Pei Xuan.
The monotonous white suddenly had a trace of brightness.
Found her, heart assured.
The newlyweds both wore bright red, red as fire.
She whispered to Bai Ge: "She didn't bully me, rather I took liberties and bullied her."
Bai Ge's eyes widened, barely swallowing back "Amazing!".
Knowing her words would mislead Bai Ge, Cui Ti still said them.
She liked Pei Xuan, liked people misunderstanding their extreme intimacy, as if blood-bound, or like lips and teeth, the more who misunderstood the better.
"Awesome, Miss is awesome." Bai Ge whispered to her.
As mistress and servant whispered, Pei Xuan had washed her face, fresh and clean, water dripping from her jaw, elegant neck and delicate fair skin like porcelain. Cui Ti strode forward, startling Bai Ge. "Miss, Miss where are you going, I'll take you."
"Don't call me Miss anymore." Cui Ti considered. "Call me Young Mistress."
"Oh oh! Young Mistress!" Seeing her wholeheartedly enamored with her new husband, Bai Ge's face reddened, unable to keep from imagining how the Young Miss bullied Pei Langjun at night. Pei Langjun was a grown man, bullied by a blind girl, who'd believe it if word got out?
But her Young Miss was really wild, using woman on top her first time. Didn't it hurt?
She looked at how Cui Ti walked, nothing like someone who'd been penetrated.
"These were arranged by Mother to serve you. The one on the left is called Hao Zhong, the right one is called Rao Liang. They will attend you along with Bai Ge from now on."
"This servant greets the Young Mistress."
"Rise."
Watching her converse casually with the servant girls, the smile at Pei Xuan's lips never diminished.
Hao Zhong and Rao Liang were famed ancient zithers. Cui Ti pondered and decided to also give Bai Ge a new name.
Changing one's name held changing one's fate. Bai Ge in the past life suffered much following her. Later with great difficulty she let her marry, but it was to a non-human.
That man, afraid of her status as Pei's wife, hid it from her, saying Bai Ge was living well. When she never came to greet her, Pei sent someone to investigate and learned Bai Ge had died.
Regrets from the past life lingered in her heart. She must change Bai Ge's name, though attending her in-laws came first.
Pei Xuan sat on a chair, watching the servants dress her.
The matron came in, paid respects, then went straight to the bed in search of the bloodied handkerchief, smiling as she took it away.
Cui Ti could not see her but guessed from the sounds and past experience, face instantly flushing.
Head lowered, perfectly demure.
The maid responsible for styling her hair and makeup saw this and was stunned by the Young Mistress's bashful beauty. Glancing at the ardent gaze from the groom in the bronze mirror, she suddenly felt as if she had stumbled into a honey pot.
These two...
Cui Ti was completely unaware of the object Pei Xuan had faked.
Thinking deeper, remembering further back to when drunk Pei Xuan touched her in the past life, what feelings did Pei Xuan harbor for her then?
A stone thrown into the calm lake, ripples spread across the water. Cui Ti's heart, just settled, was disturbed again.