Volume 1: Phoenix Hidden in the Northern Domain Chapter 8: Personal Effort and Personal Responsibility

  "What did you say!? The landlord stayed overnight in the new house!?"

  Xueyuan Manor's Four Sides Pavilion Master, South Pavilion Master Zhao Tie, had the loudest voice. At this moment, he suddenly stood up, his face filled with surprise and joy intertwined, and hastily asked Zhu Miaoqi for confirmation, "You didn't see wrong? Really stayed overnight? You know that with the manor master's abilities, it would be easy to leave without you noticing."

  Zhu Miao rolled her eyes at him and said, "Early this morning, Xue Jin passed on the master's orders, telling me to prepare everything the mistress needs for daily life and send it to Meilin Xinghong Pavilion. The kitchen is also preparing the mistress's favorite dishes, and I will be sending up the mistress's report." After taking a sip of clear tea to moisten her throat, she let out a soft sigh. "Even the clothes and accessories have been ordered to be made according to the mistress's preferences, and they are being rushed into production now."

  Xue Jin was the only one who could mobilize Si Ling Gu in Xue Yang Mountain Villa, and once he came out, Zhao Tie would also know that this matter was true and undoubted.

  Song Junqing's jade fan on the chair tapped on the table, and he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: "What is it about Tang Nian that makes her so special?"

  This question, four seats silent.

  Although they were all eager to find a new daughter-in-law for Si Ling Gu Yun, it was really someone who suddenly made Si Ling Gu Yun care about them that they found unthinkable.

  Zhao Tie thought for a moment and laughed: "She's born beautiful, you guys tell me, have any of you seen anyone more beautiful than her?"

  Shu Xiuzhu's gaze swept over him as she sipped her tea lightly. Zhu Miaoqi directly spoke out in disdain, "Is the master the kind of person who is infatuated with beauty?"

  "Hmph!" Zhao Tie also felt that this reason was not good enough, and with his hands clasped behind his head, he shouted: "Then what else could it be? I just can't think of anything."

  Indeed, from an intelligence perspective, Tang Nian's only advantage is her stunning looks; otherwise, she has no other strengths. Her body has been weak since childhood, and she doesn't have the talent for martial arts or even the ability to refine medicine and detect poison like the rest of the Tang clan. She can play some musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but her personality is weak, making her a typical lady who stays indoors.

  Shu Xiuzhu said calmly: "According to the intelligence, Tang Nianian cried and made a scene before her marriage and tried to kill herself afterwards. But from my observations, her temperament is different from what the intelligence says."

  Everyone in the room was well aware of Shu Xi Zhu's observational skills, and upon hearing this, a hint of contemplation appeared on each of their faces.

  Zhu Miaoqi stood up at this time, "No matter what, as long as the master has taken a liking to her, whether it's Tang Nianian or even a beggar on the street, she is the mistress of our Snow Swallow Mountain Villa. And Snow Swallow Mountain Villa is not a place where others can casually interfere." Finally, he waved his hand and tidied up his clothes, smiling at the four people: "The time has almost arrived, I think our mistress should also get up. As the steward, I should go ask her about her needs too."

  Zhao Tie hurriedly followed up, his curiosity deepening in his heart. He laughed and said, "Since she's the mistress, shouldn't we go pay our respects?"

  Zhu Miao's eyes sparkled with amusement as she gazed at the other three, who also stood up, looking like they had expected this all along. She smiled and said, "You'd better show some respect, that is the mistress!"

  The two characters for "mother" have the same pronunciation as the word for "square".

  The eyes of the four people all had some changes.

  That's right, these daughters-in-law were all chosen by them for Si Ling Gu Yun, and Si Ling Gu Yun had never taken it to heart, so they didn't really treat those brides as their masters. However, now that this one has been acknowledged by Si Ling Gu Yun, their attitude will naturally change too.

  Just as the five of them were rushing to Meilin, Tang Nian was slowly waking up from a deep sleep. The high bed and soft pillow, the fragrance wafting gently, the warmth and comfort, this was a comfortable sleep she had never experienced before.

  When Tang Nian initially woke up, she was somewhat dazed and lifeless, a habitual vestige of her past as a drug addict. This was both an aftereffect of the painful ordeal of testing drugs last night and also due to years of being controlled by medication, much like a machine that needs buffering when it's first turned on.

  "Awake?" Shi Ling Gu asked in a low voice.

  Tang Nian's head moved slightly in the direction of the sound source, and she let out a soft "ah".

  Cui Ling's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze fixed intently on her expression, not missing a single detail. His low, husky voice was laced with a hint of amusement as he asked, "Sleep well?"

  "Ah?" Tang Nian's response was dull, her eyes clear and confused.

  "Hmph." Ciling's pale lips curled into a smile, his hand covering the back of her head pulled her into his embrace, his chin resting on her hair, his body trembling slightly.

  Tang Nian's actions were completely driven by instinct at this moment, feeling the chest that was leaning against her was fragrant and comfortable, emitting a thick and intoxicating aura, she couldn't help but rub against it, even doing something she had been hesitant to do all night until she fell asleep - absorbing the external toxic aura.

  "Mmm, delicious, so good, so comfortable!" Green's cheers came suddenly.

  Tang Nian's eyes rippled with a layer of ripples, turning into a clear and calm sheet. After seeing her current situation clearly, she suddenly realized what she had done.

  The lonely goose on his head moved slightly, and Tang Nian's recovered spirit also jumped with it. Then he saw him lower his head, put her out of his arms, face to face, the moonlit frost in his eyes was filled with a smile and softness, his voice gentle: "Awake?"

  "...... En." Tang Nian's eyes blinked. It seems that she hasn't discovered it? In other words, she can absorb this scattered poisonous gas?

  Xie Ling's solitary goose lightly lifted the corner of her mouth, and wrapped her arms around her waist, lifting her up.

  At this time, a soft and beautiful voice came from outside the door: "Master, mistress, are you up?"

  "Come in."

  The door was pushed open, and Zhu Miaoqi led the way in, followed by six white-clad women carrying washing utensils. Zhu Miaoqi's gentle smile instantly changed when she saw the two people embracing on the bed, her eyes rapidly flashing with shock.

  Quickly covering up the expression on her face, Zhu Miao Ti walked to the bedside with a smile, holding a set of snow-white clothes: "The respected master's order, I have already instructed someone to prepare the clothes needed by the mistress. However, as time is short and it cannot be rushed, I took this set of jade-embroidered silk clothes from the Treasure Pavilion. I hope the mistress likes them."

  Cui Ling nodded slightly, one hand around Tang Nian's waist as he sat down beside her on the bed, the other picking up the boots and socks from under the bed to put them onto her bare feet.

  This movement was smooth and natural, making people react slowly for a moment. Zhu Miao's small mouth opened slightly, and she was so shocked that she almost dropped the clothes in her hands. As for Tang Nian, he was also stunned and said blankly, "I can dress myself."

  "I want to help you." Si Ling Gu Hong's eyes naturally drooped when he said this, his dense eyelashes half-covering his pupils. From a close distance, looking down from above, one could see the ink-like outline of his eye corners, and the subtle, uplifting curve of his mouth was almost palpable, making one's heart stir with quiet excitement.

  "Oh." Tang Nian had always understood that those who know how to adapt are the clever ones. This matter didn't harm him, and now he's in charge, whatever he says goes.

  Tang Nian thought about it and became calm, letting Si Ling Gu go with the flow. However, this scene fell into Zhu Miao Ti's eyes, shocking her again and again, her mouth corners twitching slightly. What was going on with this matter-of-fact attitude? What was going on with this composure in the face of favor or humiliation? What unknown miracle had happened that night?

  For Tang Nian, he had put on his shoes and socks. Cui Ling Yu personally took the clothes from Zhu Miao Ti's hand and carefully put them on for Tang Nian one by one. His slender fingers were fastening the golden silk buttons at her chin, his eyebrows lowered. Tang Nian slightly tilted her head back, making his movements even more convenient. The distance between the two was so close that they could feel each other's breath, but their expressions were completely natural.

  "......" Zhu Miao's eyes twitched slightly at the corner. Was there something wrong with her eyes? Did she see this ambiguous and intimate atmosphere that was suffocatingly sweet only by herself?

  He fastened the last cloud-shaped button, and Ciling Gu Yun took a wet handkerchief to wipe her face. Holding the soft-bristled snow-wooden toothbrush for rinsing, he looked at her sitting quietly on the bed like an exquisite snow sculpture doll. A pair of eyes stared at him, seemingly dazed but not dazed. A smile emerged from the bottom of his eyes, and Ciling Gu Yun said, "Nian Nian."

  "Really?" Tang Nian's eyes sparkled with amusement as she looked at him. Was he telling her to rinse her own mouth?

  "Ah." said Ciling Guhong.

  "Huh?" Tang Nian's face showed confusion.

  "En." Ciling Guhong smiled slightly, putting the soft-bristled brush into her slightly open small mouth, with a warm and gentle smile in her eyes.

  Tang Nian understood, but the toothbrush in her mouth was still active, making it impossible for her to speak. She could only look at him with a hint of dissatisfaction in her eyes. Did this guy think she didn't even know how to rinse her mouth? Or was he intentionally teasing her?

  Unexpectedly, the smile in Siling's eyes grew even more intense as he took out a soft-bristled brush and fed her mouthwash, watching her spit it out before handing it to the waiting maid behind him. He personally completed the entire familiar routine from early morning, leaving Zhu Miaotan's face expressionless with shock.