With Multiple Babies, Who Still Wants to Be the Marquess’s Wife? - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Is She a Flower?

Song Linyuan happened to look at her, their eyes meeting, and he chuckled lightly, “You sure know how to dodge the tough questions.”

Lan Qingxi smiled back, “I just want to survive.”

Song Linyuan assessed her from head to toe, “Interesting.”

“Keep track of the time; when you’ve knelt for a quarter-hour, you can come over to take my pulse.”

Lan Qingxi nodded, “Alright.”

Her obedience made Song Linyuan think favorably of her. He wasn’t worried about her having ulterior motives, just about her being foolish.

Her little schemes were no match for him; killing her would be easier than squashing an ant.

He resumed reading.

Bored from kneeling, Lan Qingxi began mentally rehearsing her interactions with him. After a while, she glanced at the clock and noticed it hadn’t been a full quarter-hour, so she discreetly examined the room.

The layout seemed to consist of a study in the front and a bedroom behind.

Everything in the room, from the furniture to the utensils, was exquisite. Such items weren’t just for the wealthy; most required exceptional taste.

For instance, the celadon teacup next to him looked unassuming, yet it was an offering from a previous dynasty; the current dynasty’s kilns couldn’t produce such pieces.

Then there was a scroll on the antique shelf, a genuine work from a master of the previous era, extremely valuable.

Every arrangement in the room, from the flower vase to the positioning of various objects, was undeniably elegant.

Although the items appeared somewhat simple, each one was exceedingly costly.

Even the scroll he held was a rare artifact from the previous dynasty, worth a fortune.

This was what understated luxury truly meant.

In this room, one could sense the debauchery of treacherous ministers alongside the refined elegance of cultured scholars.

Lan Qingxi hoped to glean insights about his character from the room’s decor, but in the end, she felt she had learned nothing substantial.

The room radiated contradictions: simplicity and luxury, opulence and modesty, ostentation and restraint.

After a quarter-hour, Lan Qingxi slowly stood up, stretched her legs to relieve them, and then asked, “My Lord, may I take your pulse now?”

Song Linyuan replied coolly, “First, wash your hands.”

Lan Qingxi: “……”

She understood he thought she was dirty.

Seeing a porcelain basin with water nearby, she approached and meticulously washed her hands. After drying them with her handkerchief, she walked over to Song Linyuan and said, “My Lord, please!”

He lifted his gaze and eventually extended his hand.

This interaction made Lan Qingxi realize he had a bit of a cleanliness obsession.

Instead of directly taking his pulse, she laid a handkerchief over his wrist. Although she had touched his hand before and they had been in more intimate positions, she felt this gesture would make him comfortable.

She couldn’t afford to offend him again.

Song Linyuan glanced at her again, noting that she was more attentive than he had expected.

Originally, he hadn’t believed she truly understood medicine. He had the ointment she provided examined by a trusted doctor.

The doctor praised the ointment, saying the proportions and quality of the ingredients were just right, and her medical skills far surpassed his.

He had asked the doctor if the ointment was poisonous, and after a thorough examination, the doctor had declared, “This ointment is safe and harmless, with no toxins; it will greatly benefit the master’s health.”

The doctor’s words piqued Song Linyuan’s interest in Lan Qingxi for the first time:

Did she formulate this ointment herself?

If so, how did she know he needed such a remedy? Last night, after using the ointment, he managed to sleep for three hours, a remarkable achievement since being poisoned—his first good night’s rest in a long time.

After finishing his tasks for the day, he had seen the ointment and asked Dao Shisan to bring her over.

Once Lan Qingxi placed her hand on his pulse, she quickly pulled it back, looking surprised. “My Lord, are you injured?”

Song Linyuan pinched her chin, asking, “How did you know?”

Aside from a few trusted subordinates, no one else was aware of his injuries.

Lan Qingxi blinked. “I can tell from your pulse.”

Song Linyuan narrowed his eyes slightly, but she smiled, “So you still don’t believe I have medical skills.”

“To be honest, I’ve loved medicine since I was young.”

“I come from a merchant family where the rules aren’t strict. My father saw my interest and even allowed me to apprentice with a famous local physician.”

These were all facts that Song Linyuan could verify. However, her medical skills now far surpassed those of her teacher.

He released her chin and pointed at the ointment, asking, “Where did this come from?”

Lan Qingxi replied honestly, “I came to see you, of course I brought my credentials.”

“So, I inquired about your condition beforehand and learned that you suffer from insomnia.”

“Only those who have truly experienced insomnia can understand its torment, so I formulated this ointment to treat it.”

Knowing he suffered from insomnia was common knowledge among those in court, so it wasn’t hard for her to find out.

He rested his head on one hand, watching her. “You’ve been married to Yu Junshu for less than a month.”

Lan Qingxi knew he wasn’t finished, and the unspoken continuation was, “In such a short time, you’ve learned about my condition; you truly are a schemer.”

She spoke softly, “I knew he had someone else before I married him.”

Song Linyuan raised an eyebrow, and she continued, “The day after our wedding, the Zheng family had me use my dowry to help with household expenses.”

Song Linyuan glanced at her, and she lowered her gaze. “I once overheard them discussing how to exploit me to the fullest, taking my dowry and seizing my family’s wealth.”

Song Linyuan chuckled lightly, “It sounds like you have it quite hard.”

Lan Qingxi bit her lip, “He still hasn’t consummated our marriage. I initially thought he wanted to remain loyal to his beloved…”

She self-deprecatingly smiled, “Now I realize he not only wants to take all my money but also doesn’t spare my body.”

“He has never treated me as a wife; to him, I have always just been an object.”

Hearing this, Song Linyuan recalled his parents. His mother had been merely an object to his father as well. Yet, his mother was far less self-aware than Lan Qingxi; she had desperately wanted his father’s heart, only to meet a tragic end.

He had also “died” in what was called a turning point in that situation.

With an impassive expression, he said, “So you want me to be your support?”

Lan Qingxi shook her head, “How could I dare to ask you to be my support? I only hope that when I part ways with Yu Junshu, you can lend me a hand.”

After understanding her intentions, Song Linyuan said, “If you can neutralize the poison for me, I can assist you in your divorce.”