Is It Forbidden to Bully the Heroine of the Novel? - Chapter 62
Chapter 62
A young girl, drenched in fragrant sweat with a misty look in her eyes, was extremely sensitive. A mere touch would make her tremble uncontrollably. Jiang Yao couldn’t bear to tease her, so she quickly applied the medicine and began to soothe her with hugs.
One phrase at a time, she finally managed to calm her down, making her eyebrows relax and snuggle into her embrace obediently.
She had someone prepare breakfast and gently kissed Song Muyun, asking with a tender and considerate tone, “Shall we have breakfast?”
Song Muyun’s cheeks flushed, and she nodded obediently, “Mm.”
However, she didn’t walk; instead, Jiang Yao carried her to the table.
The surrounding maids were not surprised and respectfully prepared the meal for them.
“Have some porridge first to nourish yourself. Are you tired? If you are, I’ll stay at home with you, okay?”
Jiang Yao was active and usually liked to go out, but knowing the young girl’s clingy nature, she’d want to follow.
It was better to stay at home with her, rather than having her limping behind, making others think she was being mistreated.
“Mm, I’m a bit tired.”
Her chair moved stealthily closer to Jiang Yao, feeling much more at peace with the familiar scent beside her.
She had given herself to her, and she would treat her very well, even better than before.
Song Muyun never denied her longing for this affection.
The young girl squinted slightly, thinking about her staying to accompany her, about the years ahead, her eyes gleaming with joy.
The closeness grew.
“Have a little bun.”
Jiang Yao offered Song Muyun a meat bun, which she loved, especially those where the juice soaked through the dough, delicious at each bite.
What she enjoyed, she always wanted others to try too.
“Okay.”
Muyun, with her small mouth, ate elegantly, nibbling at the bun slowly.
Watching her enjoy the food filled Jiang Yao with satisfaction. Was this the joy of feeding someone?
“Want to try a golden pumpkin roll?”
She offered one, but Song Muyun gently shook her head, “Don’t get me more, I’ll be full soon.”
“Alright, no rush. Eat yours first, and if it’s not enough, we can have more.”
The young girl had a small appetite, far less than Jiang Yao’s, getting full easily.
Jiang Yao consumed two bowls of green stem porridge and two buns, along with some side dishes, finally eating the remaining half of Muyun’s pumpkin roll, feeling seven or eight parts full, then set down her chopsticks to pick up the unfinished book from yesterday, lying back lazily on the couch to read.
Song Muyun, without a word, followed and leaned against Jiang Yao, joining her in reading the book.
Her eyes, dark and glossy, carried a natural misty charm.
Jiang Yao couldn’t resist and gently kissed those eyes.
“Stop it.”
The young girl’s voice was muffled, her hand clutching Jiang Yao’s collar, showing her dependence, staying by her side obediently.
After finishing the book, it was time for dinner, a day for the entire Jiang family to dine together.
Jiang Yao, as usual, brought Song Muyun along at dusk, her imposing father already waiting for them at the head of the table.
“Dad.”
Jiang Yao greeted him, taking their seats with Song Muyun.
Given Song Muyun’s presence, Jiang Heng didn’t criticize Jiang Yao, only nodding his head.
Jiang Ru had also arrived early, her demeanor gentle, greeting them from a distance with a ladylike grace.
Jiang Heng was obviously more gentle towards his niece, inadvertently smiling, “Ru’er is here, sit down. How have you been these days? Should I call the imperial physician to check on you again?”
The incident of Jiang Ru falling from the hunting ground had spread throughout the capital.
Jiang Heng had been furious for a long time, and now the Ninth Prince was without official duties, staying idle at home, partly thanks to his influence.
Touching a member of the Jiang family meant being prepared to pay the price.
Although it was likely the Seventh Prince’s men who caused Jiang Ru’s fall, with the Seventh Prince hiding in the shadows, they took their anger out on the Ninth Prince first.
Jiang Ru, obedient and honest, “No need, uncle, my body is almost healed, and I wasn’t seriously injured.”
Liang Qingyin also disagreed, “A woman’s body is fragile; it’s better to have the imperial physician check to prevent any lingering issues.”
Unable to refuse, Jiang Ru obediently agreed.
Once everyone was seated, Jiang Heng first lectured Jiang Huai on his studies, which were a mess, infuriating him. To save Jiang Huai, Jiang Zhi suggested he learn martial arts with him. Knowing the hardship of martial arts training seen at the Ninth Prince and his uncle’s, Jiang Huai refused, angering both Jiang Heng and Liang Qingyin.
Eventually, Jiang Heng gave up on Jiang Huai, turning his attention to Jiang Yao with a more serious tone, “Your birthday is coming up in a few days.”
Jiang Yao, secretly holding Song Muyun’s hand under the table, responded indifferently, “Yeah.”
“Do you want to celebrate it grandly, inviting some noble sons over?” Jiang Heng suggested, rubbing a wine cup.
The hidden meaning in his words made Jiang Yao pause, instinctively asking, “Why invite noble sons?”
She thought a bowl of longevity noodles at home would suffice; why invite a bunch of men?
Jiang Heng glanced at her impatiently, reminding, “You’re eighteen this year!”
Feeling a slight pain in her palm, it was Muyun gripping her hand tighter.
Jiang Ru, quick-witted, also understood her uncle’s intention, looking worriedly at them. She saw… Sister Muyun, her sister-in-law, looking pale and distressed.
But she quickly lowered her head as if to hide.
Jiang Yao frowned tightly, understanding her father’s intention but utterly unwilling, directly refusing, “Don’t worry about me. I don’t want to marry. In a year or so, I plan to go to the battlefield. Do you want my husband to remain a widower or enjoy himself in the capital? I don’t want either.”
She couldn’t bear the thought of fighting hard while a man lived luxuriously in the capital.
And must a woman necessarily marry?
She believed she could live well without marrying.
The grip on her hand tightened, and for the first time, Jiang Yao realized that Muyun, a seemingly frail woman, could exert such strength.
Thinking this, she prepared to comfort her, but Muyun suddenly released her hand with a cold expression.
This was a sign of anger.
Jiang Yao was upset, blaming her father for discussing her marriage, now facing the task of soothing someone again.
Not just her, but Jiang Heng was also infuriated, his voice and expression darkening, “You’re eighteen this year; you’ll be considered an old maid if you wait any longer. If you don’t want to leave him alone in the capital and still want to go to the battlefield, why
not take him with you? I will arrange everything. Just choose someone you like.”
Jiang Yao: …
She understood; her father intended to abuse his power to send someone with her to the border.
But, “I don’t like anyone. I’ve been back in the capital for several years, and I know all those noble sons. I don’t like any of them. Don’t worry about me. My greatest wish is to serve my parents, fight for the country on the battlefield, and I have no intention of marrying.”
Oh, and to pamper her little treasure.
Jiang Yao silently added in her heart.
Her father was furious, unable to comprehend that his daughter harbored such thoughts. The dinner ended abruptly, and Jiang Yao was dragged to his study.
Standing before the desk, Jiang Yao waited for her father to speak, firm in her stance.
Jiang Heng, filled with anger, finally fixed a stern gaze on Jiang Yao and stopped, “What woman doesn’t marry? Doing this, do you want the Jiang family to be laughed at?”
Jiang Yao retorted, “You’re the Prime Minister. Who would dare to laugh? That would be something.”
……
“Jiang Yao! What woman doesn’t marry?”
Jiang Heng couldn’t accept it, his frown deep enough to trap mosquitoes.
“Must a woman necessarily marry? Is marrying the only purpose of a woman, to marry out of societal pressure even if she’s unwilling? Then what’s the point of being born a woman?”
Jiang Yao’s gaze was firm, showing her annoyance. The mere mention of marriage gave her a headache.
Jiang Heng stared at her, about to speak when he heard her say, “Moreover, if I must marry, can’t I marry a woman?”
“?”
“You mean to take in a son-in-law?”
Hearing this, Jiang Heng breathed a sigh of relief. Taking in a son-in-law was also acceptable, better than her becoming a nun.
But the next second, Jiang Yao said bluntly, “No, I want to marry a wife.”
Jiang Heng: …
It took him a while to comprehend the meaning behind Jiang Yao’s words. Marry a wife? Marry a wife?!!
The Prime Minister, who had navigated the complexities of court politics, finally recalled the rumors spreading around the capital.
They rumored his daughter was a lesbian, and though some had brought these rumors to him, he had dismissed them. How could his daughter be a lesbian!
But today, reality slapped him hard.
His daughter was indeed a lesbian.
Anger clenched his heart.
Jiang Heng, trembling with rage, asked, “You mean that girl from the Song family?”
He immediately thought of the only girl close to Jiang Yao.
Jiang Yao did not deny it, simply stating, “Don’t bother Muyun. This has nothing to do with her. It’s my choice because I am fond of her, not out of gratitude or expectation of return.”
Jiang Heng was infuriated, “She made you like this, and you still don’t want me to confront her?!”
He knew his daughter well; she would never act out of gratitude or be coerced. So, they were mutually affectionate?
Realizing this, Jiang Heng nearly fainted from shock.
“As the Prime Minister, are you really going to bully a young girl? That would be very unbecoming.”
Jiang Yao gave her father a fleeting look.
Once she made up her mind, it was hard to change it. Even if her father didn’t accept it now, he would have to over time, she thought.
But soon, she was sent out of the room, Jiang Heng seething with anger. However, respecting his own dignity, he couldn’t truly trouble a young girl and ended up scolding Jiang Yao instead, telling her to change her ways and not to disgrace the Jiang family.
The Jiang family’s reputation was already tarnished by her, as far as she was concerned, and then she was thrown out, the large teacup almost hitting her face if her father hadn’t regained some reason.
Dare she dodge?
She dared not.
Fortunately, her father’s reason prevailed, preventing her from being disfigured.
Fearing further punishment, Jiang Yao hurriedly left, walking into the night and finding Song Muyun waiting in the garden.
Without asking, it was clear she was waiting for her.
Jiang Yao couldn’t help but smile, walking over and scooping up the delicate waist of the woman, causing her to stumble into her arms.
“Let’s go, it’s all right now.”
After moving slightly, Song Muyun didn’t respond, her gaze fixed on the garden’s flowers, not sparing Jiang Yao a glance.
Jiang Yao was puzzled, “What’s wrong, unhappy?”
Song Muyun remained silent.
Jiang Yao guessed, “Are you upset because my father wanted me to marry?”
Song Muyun’s eyes flickered, continuing to touch the flowers.
Seems she guessed correctly.
Jiang Yao patiently explained, “I’ve talked to my father; he won’t pressure me to marry. It’ll just be us from now on. I’ll always be with you, spoiling my little fairy for a lifetime, okay?”
Song Muyun paused, then looked up at Jiang Yao, her eyes filled with unease, “Did you, did you talk to your uncle?”
“Yes, I did. I don’t hide things from him, nor can I.”
Song Muyun grew more anxious, “Did your uncle scold you?”
Jiang Yao snorted, “Scold? He even wanted to hit me.”
This scared Song Muyun, who quickly checked Jiang Yao for injuries, “Did he hit you? Where? Does it hurt? Don’t anger your uncle because of me.”
She couldn’t bear the thought of causing a rift between Jiang Yao and her father.
Perhaps, she shouldn’t have involved her.
Pulling her into such a difficult situation.
Jiang Yao hugged Song Muyun, inhaling her scent, “Why the rush? My father didn’t hit me. It’s okay. He’ll have to accept it. Don’t be afraid, leave it to me.”
Jiang Yao couldn’t bear to see Song Muyun burdened with this.
The frail girl would be terrified by her father’s fierceness.
Seeing her worried, Jiang Yao whispered, “Shall I take you back? Rest a bit, don’t be afraid.”
Song Muyun nodded, and as she was about to walk away, she felt weightless.
Jiang Yao carried her to their residence, their intimacy growing. If Jiang Yao ever stopped liking her, left her…
Song Muyun’s gaze dimmed, unable to imagine life without her.
Seeing her still distracted, Jiang Yao frowned, then, as if struck by an idea, quickened her pace home, gently removing Song Muyun’s shoes and socks, leaving her feet cold. Song Muyun retracted her feet, “What are you doing?”
Too early for bed, wasn’t it?
Finally, distracted from her thoughts, Song Muyun blushed deeply.
Jiang Yao held her delicate feet, massaging them until Song Muyun couldn’t help but whimper.
She tried to withdraw her feet, hiding them under her skirt, her eyes filled with tears, looking pitiful.
Unable to tease her further, Jiang Yao chuckled softly, “Come here.”
She beckoned Song Muyun over.
Hesitant, Song Muyun slowly moved, but her feet remained hidden, fearing further teasing.
As she approached, Jiang Yao embraced her, massaging her soft shoulders.
Every touch was fragrant and soft.
Jiang Yao wasn’t picky.
Song Muyun blushed all over, and after the massage, Jiang Yao kissed her, her eyes sparkling, “Shall we read a picture book?”
Song Muyun stiffened, nervous, “What kind of book?”
Afraid of the lewd content from the day before, she dared not look.
Jiang Yao pulled out the book that troubled Song Muyun’s heart, “How about this one? I’m quite interested.”
Seeing the title, “The Widow’s Nightly Visit with the Young Miss,” Song Muyun felt stiff all over.
She didn’t want to see, her eyes darting around, shyly pushing Jiang Yao, but she had already decided to read it, ignoring the gentle protests and opening the first page.
The story began on a windy, moonless night, with a widow doing farm work all day, seeking out the delicate and privileged young miss from the wealthy household.
The widow, married into her husband’s family to bring good fortune, tragically failed not only to improve their luck but ended up causing her husband’s death, earning a reputation as a husband-killer. Choosing not to remarry, she lived as a widow, managing a small piece of land, and supporting herself through farming.
One day, while chopping wood in the mountains, the young miss from the wealthy household was playing in the countryside and accidentally fell into the water. The widow, happening to pass by, rescued her. Both of their clothes were soaked, the thin summer dresses clinging to the young miss’s curves.
For the first time, the widow felt a desire she had never experienced before. As they interacted more, they inadvertently discovered the pleasure of being with another woman. They began to sneak out on dark nights for their secret meetings, with the widow always going to a small door at the young miss’s mansion to pick her up.
The book detailed how the widow, accustomed to hard labor, had rough, calloused hands from her frequent wood chopping.
Jiang Yao, holding Song Muyun’s hand, couldn’t help but compare, noting her own hands were also quite rough.
“Ah, martial arts training truly is the best,” Jiang Yao mused, looking down at Song Muyun.
Song Muyun, raised in the conservative Song family, was too shy to even glance at such material. From the moment Jiang Yao spread open the book, Song Muyun had buried her face in Jiang Yao’s embrace, only daring to peek occasionally. But even a brief look at the drawings made her quickly hide her face again, wishing she could disappear into Jiang Yao’s embrace.
Too embarrassed to endure.
Jiang Yao kissed her gently, and despite Song Muyun’s huffing, she pushed Jiang Yao away in a mock upset.
The innocent young girl didn’t want to look at such things; she just wanted to read some decent books with Jiang Yao, but Jiang Yao never led her to those, only allowing her to watch these with her.
Feeling aggrieved, the young girl suddenly sat up, careful not to even glance at the lewd book, and declared with forced calm, “I’m going to make a purse; I’m ignoring you.”
Always looking at these obscene materials, hmph.
“Making a purse? Alright, then make one for me too when you’re free.”
Jiang Yao stretched her neck in request.
Song Muyun was even more annoyed, leaving the couch to fetch her embroidery needle, deliberately opposing her, “I won’t make one for you.”
“Not making it is fine; I can go out and buy one.”
Jiang Yao didn’t mind being refused, lying by the window with her legs propped up, reading her book. The night breeze occasionally blew her hair, scattering it in a carefree manner.
Song Muyun, holding her embroidery basket, stood and watched her in a daze for a while before snapping back to reality. She lowered her head and quietly sat down to embroider the purse.
With the window wide open, the breeze kept coming in, making Song Muyun’s hands and feet ice cold.
But she didn’t say anything, and Jiang Yao didn’t notice at first, not until it was late and time to rest. Reaching out from behind, she grasped the diligently working little fairy’s hand, only to touch her ice-cold fingers.
Shocked, she took the basket of needles and threads from her, rubbing her now chilly fingers with concern, frowning deeply, “What’s this? Why are they so cold? Couldn’t you have told me you were cold?”
Song Muyun had been silent up until then but suddenly spoke sarcastically, “You were so engrossed in that book; how could you have time to care for me? I wouldn’t dare to trouble you.”
Then, she turned her head away haughtily.
Jiang Yao paused, then couldn’t help but laugh, finding her adorable, “Alright, alright, it’s my fault. But you’re mistaken; how could a book be more important than you? I’ll stop reading it now, and will properly dote on you, okay?”
Song Muyun didn’t respond, her eyes downturned. Jiang Yao closed the window and then pressed Song Muyun onto the couch, warming her cold hands against her chest, whispering seductively, “You are the most important. Not angry anymore, hm?”
Song Muyun wasn’t really that upset. After being coaxed, she quickly relented, shyly snuggling into Jiang Yao’s embrace, murmuring a small complaint, “You always look at those things.”
Jiang Yao smiled, “If I don’t look at those, how can I make you feel good?”
She had never learned about intimacy between women; not looking into it, she feared she might inadvertently hurt her!
Righteously indignant.
Hearing Jiang Yao speak so frankly, Song Muyun gasped in shock, hastily covering her mouth.
She couldn’t bear to hear such words.
Jiang Yao let her cover her mouth, her eyes bright and direct, almost piercing into Song Muyun’s soul.
Song Muyun nervously fidgeted, “Don’t say things like that, what if someone hears?”
“How could they? No one in my courtyard knows martial arts; who could possibly have such good hearing?”
Her mouth covered, Jiang Yao’s muffled voice emerged as she gently brushed away a stray lock of Song Muyun’s hair, then pinched her soft, pale cheek.
“So cute, both innocent and adorable.”
Song Muyun puffed her cheeks, glaring at her. How was she supposed to know whether people in Jiang Yao’s courtyard knew martial arts or not!
Jiang Yao, not wanting to further upset her, always knew when to stop her mischievous hands. After preparing water, they both washed up, planning to go to bed.
Their wounds were mostly healed, and the medicine was effective, but in the bath, with clothes off and skin touching, it was hard not to have some thoughts. Jiang Yao thought, and thus saw no reason to hold back.
Without a word, she nuzzled and kissed Song Muyun’s soft face.
Song Muyun’s cheeks flushed as Jiang Yao whispered seductively in her ear, “Yunyun~”
From the start, Song Muyun had softened, leaning into Jiang Yao, breathing heavily, unable to resist, letting Jiang Yao have her way.
As the bathwater cooled, the sound of splashing water filled the air. Jiang Yao lifted Song Muyun out, dressing herself but only allowing Muyun to wear a red bellyband, leaving her otherwise bare. Song Muyun was too shy to agree, but Jiang Yao, with earnest, pleading eyes, made it hard for her to refuse.
With her lips tightly sealed, Song Muyun sat at the edge of the bed, not daring to look at Jiang Yao. Yet Jiang Yao took the initiative, embracing and kissing her.
Song Muyun lowered her head, her eyelashes fluttering, “Don’t move around, I’m tired, can we sleep?”
Lies. She wasn’t tired but couldn’t withstand Jiang Yao’s attentions.
Her body felt hot and tingling.
She was so nervous she shed tears, but Jiang Yao, thinking she was truly tired after their bath, hugged and soothed her, intending to sleep together. However, when she lifted Song Muyun, noticing the damp spot where she had been sitting, Jiang Yao paused.
Really tired? Can tiredness cause that?
Seeing Jiang Yao’s silence, Song Muyun instinctively followed her gaze. Upon seeing the damp spot, her mind went blank. How could this happen… How could she…
After a moment, Jiang Yao chuckled, “Little Yunyun is truly sensitive, more delicate than a budding flower.”