Chapter 20: Tea Ceremony
And that one person was obviously her.
Her plan backfired spectacularly and the dark circles beneath her eyes already provided the answer.
Early the next morning, Wang Gege sat in front of the dressing table while staring at her reflection in the bronze mirror.
The woman in the mirror stared back. For several moments, neither moved.
Wang Gege slowly raised a finger and poked at the faint shadows beneath her eyes.
After an entire night of worrying about tea ceremonies, family elders, marriage customs, and a certain blindfolded Ancient CEO, she had barely slept.
Now she looked like someone who had spent the entire night fighting ghosts.
Who knew?
The one she had actually spent the entire night fighting was not a ghost at all, but a cruel Ancient CEO.
A cold-hearted one at that.
No matter how sadly she pouted or how pitifully she looked at him, the man had remained completely unmoved.
In the end, he had calmly pointed toward the long wooden chair by the window and suggested that she sleep there if she truly wished to sleep alone.
The memory immediately made Wang Gege grind her teeth.
What kind of husband asked his newly married wife to sleep on a wooden chair?
"Young Madam?" Qing’er’s voice immediately pulled Wang Gege out of her thoughts.
"Ah?" She blinked and turned toward the maid.
Qing’er bowed slightly, "Young Master is waiting outside."
Wang Gege froze. "Outside?"
Qing’er nodded, "He said he would wait for Young Madam before going to greet Old Madam and Master."
Wang Gege slowly turned her head toward the door. A thoughtful expression gradually appeared on her face.
"Should I make him wait a little longer?" The words slipped out before she realized she had spoken them aloud.
The room instantly became quiet.
Qing’er’s eyes widened slightly. "Young Madam?"
Only then did Wang Gege return to her senses. She immediately coughed and straightened her back, " I was merely thinking."
With that, she turned back toward the bronze mirror.
Her gaze slowly swept across the reflection staring back at her. The more she looked, the more impressed she became.
"She really is beautiful..." The words slipped out unconsciously.
Qing’er blinked as she was unsure how she should respond.
In the end, she smiled awkwardly, "Young Madam is indeed very beautiful."
Wang Gege immediately nodded. "Right?"
The confidence in her voice was so natural that Qing’er almost laughed.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege continued studying the reflection in the mirror. A beautiful face, a wealthy husband and a large residence.
If she ignored the poisoning, the complicated family drama, the marriage customs, and the cold-hearted Ancient CEO...
Life was actually not that bad.
The thought immediately made her let out a long sigh. The sound was so dramatic that Qing’er instinctively glanced at her.
Wang Gege slowly pushed herself to her feet, "Let’s go."
She straightened her sleeves and took one final look at the woman in the bronze mirror. Then she nodded to herself.
Whatever happened today, at least she would be facing it while looking beautiful. With that thought, Wang Gege turned and headed toward the door.
The moment she stepped outside, her footsteps slowed slightly. Not far away, Xie Rong was already waiting.
The moment she stepped outside, her footsteps slowed.
It was not because Xie Rong was there but because of what he was wearing.
Her eyes slowly lowered to her own robes then back to his robes.
The colors matched. Not exactly identical, but clearly chosen as a pair.
The pale blue embroidery on her sleeves echoed the darker patterns woven into Xie Rong’s robes.
Standing together, they looked unmistakably like a married couple. The realization immediately caught her off guard.
"Aww..." The sound escaped before she could stop it.
Xie Rong turned his head slightly toward her.
Wang Gege smiled. As though the memory of spending an entire night on a wooden chair had completely vanished.
She looked at him carefully once more. The matching robes made the usually distant man seem slightly less intimidating.
Her smile widened.
’I didn’t know the Tall Ancient Ninja Turtle knew how to be cute.’
"Did Young Master Xie ask my maid what color I would be wearing today?" She asked straightforwardly as she stopped beside him.
The sudden question seemed to catch Xie Rong off guard.
A brief silence followed.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege continued examining him.
"Oh." Her gaze landed on the black silk covering his eyes, "Even the blindfold matches."
She nodded approvingly, "This outfit looks very good on Young Master."
Another brief silence followed.
Then Xie Rong suddenly called out, "Servant."
"Yes, Young Master." Qing’er immediately stepped forward and lowered her head.
Xie Rong remained facing forward, "Did your Young Madam eat something unusual this morning?"
The question was asked calmly, without the slightest hint of teasing.
Qing’er lifted her head slightly. She could not quite understand the meaning behind Young Master’s question.
Meanwhile, Wang Gege understood it immediately.
The smile on her face vanished at once. She took a deep breath. Then another. And after several moments, she slowly closed her eyes.
"Never mind." Her voice sounded unusually calm, "Let’s head there."
There was no point arguing with a cold-hearted Ancient CEO this early in the morning. Especially one who could insult people with a completely straight face and somehow, that made it worse.
As they made their way toward the front courtyard, Wang Gege quietly took several deep breaths.
By the time they arrived, she felt slightly calmer.
Praying inside, she sincerely hoped that the world she had transmigrated into was not the kind where evil mothers-in-law and vicious family elders appeared around every corner.
Unfortunately, the moment she stepped into the courtyard, she realized everyone was already there.
Wang Gege immediately straightened her back.
At the head seat sat an elderly woman dressed in elegant robes. Although age had left its marks upon her face, the sharpness in her eyes remained.
Beside her sat a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance.
Definitely, Xie Rong’s father, The Master of the house.
Meanwhile, standing slightly to the side was Madam Liu. The moment their eyes met, Wang Gege noticed the faint smile on Madam Liu’s lips.
It was not a friendly smile nor was it particularly obvious. Somehow, it carried the feeling of someone eagerly waiting to watch a good show.
Before Wang Gege could think further, the elderly woman at the head seat set down her teacup with a light clink.
"So you’ve finally arrived?" Her gaze swept over the two of them. "Do elders need to sit here waiting for you youngsters these days?"
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew tense.