The sound of the piano gradually stopped, and Du Xiang slowly took back his hand and looked at Ji Huai.
He frowned and looked at her, with disappointment in his eyes. After a while, he said again: "Cousin, it's better to play the original song. It's hard to change this one, so forget it."
Du Xiang's expression suddenly changed, and he didn't know what expression to put on.
Some time ago, when they "encountered" each other in the pavilion, she said she wanted to change the song and play it to him again. This time she deliberately made a few mistakes and wanted him to give her opinions or help with the changes. He This look made me shake my head.
"How about I change it again?" Du Xiang quickly asked, did he think her piano skills were clumsy? By now I had a bad impression of her.
"The music has a soothing rhythm, so there is no need to change it in a hurry," Ji Huai said.
He always spoke with a gentle voice and was kind to others. Du Xiang put his hand down again. Seeing that he was about to leave, he called out: "Cousin."
Ji Huai stopped turning around, pursed his thin lips tightly, and looked at her with raised eyebrows. Zhao Qingyue, who was walking forward, also slowed down and said, "Cousin, don't talk about men. Even if she heard it, the tip of her heart was with her." As if being ruffled by feathers.
Du Xiang lowered his eyes and said softly: "I know everything grandma told you."
That day, he had a conversation with the old lady and then came to her room. He must have been hesitant. This time she wanted to test his attitude again. As long as there was a glimmer of hope, she would not back down.
"What do you know?" Ji Huai asked.
Du Xiang bit his lower lip and hesitated to speak, too embarrassed to say anything.
"If I knew it, I should avoid suspicion with you. Grandma is old and confused when talking." Ji Huai seemed to know whether to laugh or cry, "I know that you will definitely not be as comfortable living in the house as at home, and you will think too much. Don't worry, before you leave the cabinet, Now, you can live in this mansion with peace of mind, your cousin-in-law is easy to get along with, if you are free, you can also go and keep her company."
Du Xiang's expression changed slightly. Why did she become a member of the cabinet? Didn't grandma say that he even relented and wanted to take her in? Why did you suddenly want to avoid suspicion
She continued, her tone not exactly friendly: "My cousin had a quarrel with me last time, and I would never dare to go to her."
The last time Zhao Qingyue came to make trouble, Ji Huai had an argument with her. Has he forgotten about this? At that time, the other party rushed directly to her yard.
"I'm afraid I've annoyed her, it's none of your business." Ji Huai said with a helpless smile, and explained, "There are few people in the house. When you didn't come, I took care of her alone. Maybe I neglected her because I was busy. , and a misunderstanding arose. From now on, I will not get involved in these matters. If you have something to do, you don’t have to come to me, just go to her directly, and the relationship will be more harmonious. She has also apologized to you. "
Du Xiang's pupils shrank when he heard it, as if he heard wrongly.
Is this to avoid suspicion, draw a clear line with her, and let her go find Zhao Qingyue, just to make the other party not think too much
"Is my cousin so afraid of my cousin?" The jealousy in Du Xiang's heart had already welled up, and he could barely suppress it.
Ji Huai frowned: "Cousin, what do you mean?"
"Du Xiang didn't mean anything else. My cousin should respect my cousin." Du Xiang explained quickly and smiled.
"She is in charge of the whole family and has a lot of worries. She is actually a few years older than you. Naturally, I respect her." Ji Huai said with tolerance in his words and changed the subject, "I'm afraid she can't be your master in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. If you want to learn how to keep accounts, she can teach you a thing or two, and you will know something when you get married in the future."
Before Du Xiang could reply, a crisp voice interrupted: "Who are you talking about, Lord Marquis?"
Ji Huai turned around and saw Zhao Qingyue walking towards him with a smile on her face. She slowly walked up the stairs and walked up to him. Her eyes met his and she really didn't give in.
He chuckled lowly, "I take that back."
"How can I take back what I said, if others have listened to it?" Zhao Qingyue snorted, "Is it possible that I can only do accounting? I admit that other aspects are so-so, but I can still dance well. If If my cousin wants to learn, I can teach her how to dance. I was praised several times at the Queen Mother’s birthday banquet, but the Marquis chose to forget all about it.”
Ji Huai apologized: "It's my fault."
Zhao Qingyue was satisfied and turned to look at Du Xiang: "What kind of music is my cousin playing? Although I can't teach it, I can listen to it."
Ji Huai said and looked at Du Xiang, "If you want to find someone to listen to music, look for your cousin-in-law." After he finished speaking, he added, "She is not good at composing music, but she is very keen in listening and listening. She can't make mistakes."
In just a few sentences, Du Xiang's behavior of finding him was attributed to his desire to find someone to listen to and change the music. With the words just mentioned, the line was drawn very clearly.
Zhao Qingyue also knew that he was gentle and kind to his family, and Du Xiang had the support of the old lady, so it was impossible for him to fall out. According to his temperament, it was also impossible for him to fall out. She smiled at Du Xiang and said: "So you are looking for someone. Want to listen to music? My cousin will come to see me in the future. The Marquis is busy with official duties, so it’s not good to disturb him. "
Du Xiang didn't know when Zhao Qingyue came and how much he heard. His face turned pale, so he could only reply: "Sorry, cousin."
Qiulan also took the opportunity to say: "In the past, in the Duke's Mansion, the concubine liked to play music for Madam the most. Madam would know as soon as she heard whether the conversation was going well or not."
Of the two girls in the Duke's residence, the concubine plays the piano the best, and the young lady from her family dances the best. In the circles of the aristocratic families in the capital, everyone knows about them.
Du Xiang's face turned ugly again.
Her piano skills were not superb, but she was mediocre. She definitely didn't dare to show off in front of Zhao Qingyue, for fear of only making her laugh. Everything he did was to get closer to Ji Huai.
Zhao Qingyue glanced at her and pretended to be displeased: "Qiulan, you are trying to put a high hat on me again. You are just talking nonsense. I am not a bad player. It seems that I only know how to find faults."
Ji Huai interrupted with a smile: "Just play a song for me today."
Zhao Qingyue knew that these were Ji Huai's strengths and had never played them since he started: "I haven't practiced for a long time and I am already rusty."
Ji Huai still looked at the piano and asked her to play a piece.
Du Xiang looked at the interaction between the two, and his expression became more and more stiff. He felt that he was redundant, and was hit by Ji Huai's words just now, and he was in a trance.
When he said this to his face, he undoubtedly cut off the possibility, or he had never thought about it this way. He only regarded it as a silly thing said by the old lady. He was still comforting her not to think too much, and he dismissed it lightly, and he never even had any objections.
She knew that she was not ugly, but compared to Zhao Qingyue, she was far behind.
And she just had an intention to target Zhao Qingyue, but she didn't know if she was heard.
Zhao Qingyue seemed completely unaware, and even brought the topic to a song Ji Huai had played before, begging him to play it again. I saw him walking to the piano, placing his hands on the piano to play with it twice, then covering it with his hands, and a deep and elegant sound came out.
He has a bookish air, but the sound of the piano is crisp, free and easy, sonorous and powerful. Looking at him, he no longer seems to be a graceful scholar, but like a wanton young man with great ambitions, a sword on his waist, and black boots on his feet.
Zhao Qingyue always felt that he was informal but caring about the world, a gentle but ambitious person. When he played the piano, she kept looking at him, as if there were only two of them. She also said: "The sound of the piano sounds similar but different from two years ago. The melody is profound but more decisive."
He took back his hand and raised his eyes to look at her.
Zhao Qingyue lowered her head and smiled again: "Not only are there brave generals and soldiers galloping on the battlefield, but the strategists behind them should not be underestimated either."
The origin of this song is the battlefield. It was said that warriors charged into battle to protect their families and country, but she felt that compared to the bravery and fortitude of warriors, she preferred a man of letters like him who was brave and powerful.
With a slight smile on Ji Huai's lips, he changed to another song with clear and crisp music, melodious and powerful.
Du Xiang had never heard Ji Huai play the piano before. At this time, he felt ashamed and his face was filled with embarrassment. She originally thought that Zhao Qingyue, as a young lady from the Duke's Mansion, was only interested in having fun, so she didn't think about her piano skills. But now it seems that Ji Huai's piano skills are too superb, and they are inconspicuous in front of him.
Thinking of her showoff these days, she felt humiliated and stood uneasy.
When Zhao Qingyue saw Du Xiang's expression, she just glanced at it out of the corner of her eye, pretending that she didn't know, and said to Ji Huai, "My cousin plays the most beautiful song "This Day". I would like to hear Mr. Hou play it."
Ji Huai played another song.
Compared with Zhao Guibi, his piano sound is free and elegant and more artistic.
The person who just said that he was busy with official duties played one song after another here. Du Xiang finally couldn't stay any longer, found an excuse, and left in a hurry.
Zhao Qingyue walked up to him and poured him a cup of tea thoughtfully: "Master Hou plays so well, he is not afraid of hurting my cousin's self-confidence. How can she ask you for advice in the future?"
Ji Huai picked up the tea and took a sip: "I'll forget it. You should avoid suspicion."
Zhao Qingyue asked deliberately: "Why do you want to avoid suspicion?"
She heard what he just said and was surprised. He also knew how to avoid suspicion.
Ji Huai: "I have no intention of taking a concubine. In order to avoid getting into trouble, I naturally have to avoid suspicion. If she comes to you, just take care of it."
"She won't look for me." Zhao Qingyue didn't pretend to be stupid, "Didn't you listen to her just now? She absolutely didn't dare to look for me, lest I bully her."
Du Xiang would not come to her door. They would only look for her good cousin and treat her as a thorn in their side.
"How could you bully her? There's no point in arguing with her." Ji Huai found it funny, "It's probably because of the child's nature, is he causing trouble? Then just ignore her."
He regarded Du Xiang as an immature and ignorant child.
Zhao Qingyue felt comfortable both physically and mentally. The elders naturally did not care about the children who had not grown up. She approached him and said, "You also said that I am not a few years older than her, and I am also a child at heart."
Ji Huai smiled and said nothing.
She stood up again, took two steps forward, and stood closer to him.
When Qiulan saw it, she hurriedly retreated. She was far away and turned her back, not daring to look.
"What are you going to do?" Ji Huai seemed a little helpless and lowered his voice and added, "This is not in the room. You have to restrain yourself."
Zhao Qingyue didn't think about going too far at first, but seeing him say this, her red lips curled up: "Why are you nervous?"
"When did I get nervous?" Ji Huai denied.
"Really? I'll know just by looking at your heartbeat." She reached out to touch his chest, but she felt him startled, and quickly reached out to grab her hand. Before the words of scolding came out, she couldn't stand still. Jump on him.
He reached out to hug her, and she bumped into his arms, and his body tensed up.
Zhao Qingyue leaned into his arms, suppressing a smile and looking at the hands surrounding her: "It seems that the Marquis missed me very much today. He has never been like this before."
It's really embarrassing in broad daylight.
She thought that he would let go soon and let her get up quickly, but she didn't expect that he just sighed and looked completely helpless with her: "The more I care, the more energetic you become, and you always find ways to see my discomfort." Secretly happy."
Zhao Qingyue was no longer proud of what he was telling her, and even tried to quibble: "Master Hou has wronged me."
"I don't care about the child's character." Ji Huai was very generous and did not move while holding her, letting her go.
"You are a child." She was not convinced and turned her head directly. Because she was so close, his face was so close that even his long eyelashes could be seen clearly. A layer of rouge quietly appeared on her cheeks. .
He laughs.
With this smile, she had a handsome face, gentle eyes, and a hint of crimson on the tips of her ears.
Zhao Qingyue wilted, turned away from him, hid in his arms, put her head on his shoulders and hugged him, with a coquettish tone: "Just treat my child as a good-natured person. This time I am uncomfortable, the sound of my heartbeat It’s like it’s in my ears.”
She never concealed her joy for him. She said she wanted to marry him before they even got married and wanted to get married as soon as possible.
When her emotions were in a state of confusion, he put his hand on her back, patted her gently, and half-joked, "Do you ever feel uncomfortable?"
Her cheeks bulged.
Ji Huai's low-pitched and clear voice came from above again: "I won't make fun of you. There's no one around. You're allowed to mess around this time."
Zhao Qingyue hummed, unwilling to miss this opportunity, she huddled in his arms, leaned her head on his shoulder, and stretched out a finger to poke the side of his face.
He frowned slightly, but didn't hide, looking down at her.
In the past, she would not have dared to stare so openly. This time, her face was also shy and astringent, but she did not move her eyes away.
Ji Huai was handsome, with neat features and beautiful eyes.
Her hand moved up again, with a smile in her eyes, and her slender white fingers touched the bridge of his nose, but he hesitated, but he didn't hide away.
When she succeeded, she made a small stroke, and her eyes turned into half moons with laughter: "Master Hou, you have to work hard, otherwise when will I be able to give birth to a little prince as good-looking as Master Hou?"
"You." Ji Huai pursed his lips and shook his head, "You have to push even further."
Zhao Qingyue said softly: "Isn't that what the Marquis allowed?"
He didn't deny it: "Take your pulse this morning. How are you?"
"I told you just now." She pursed her lips, "If there was, wouldn't you know it? Of course she's not pregnant."
Ji Huai: "I asked how you are."
"I don't know about my body. I'll do whatever the Marquis sees." She spoke in a lazy tone, nuzzling him and dragging out her voice as she spoke.
Hearing this, he smiled, put his arms around her, and said after a while: "It looks good, but I guess it's not going well in my heart. Then change your mood, just do what makes you happy, and it will probably improve." "
She raised her head and looked at him again, meeting his dark and translucent eyes, her delicate and shiny pink lips pursed, looking arrogant and charming.
Seeing his brows furrowed slightly and the smile on his face deepening, he couldn't help but frown again. He hugged him tighter, raised the ends of his eyes, and said in a drawl: "This is what the Marquis said~"
"Um."