An ugly girl starts off, then becomes a beauty

In the following days, under the pretext of playing with and talking about cats, Sang Ling and Nie Guang no longer exchanged silent greetings as before, but could now chat with each other.

They didn't spend too much time together, so it could be said that they met by chance. Therefore, even if they were seen by others, there would not be many misunderstandings - Jingsi Ju was public land in the first place, and it was not uncommon for family members to stay and chat here.

What's more, the imperial court had not yet regulated etiquette for men and women to that extent.

"Brother, you don't know. I read a book a while ago that said there is a place in the west where there is a kind of cat that has no hair at all."

"No hair?" Nie Guang was stunned. He was really curious. For the first time, the face of this young master of the West Mansion showed a curious expression like a child.

Sang Ling couldn't help laughing, "Yes, the skin is the same as ours, but we still have hair, and the cat has no hair on its body."

"What does that look like?"

"It's just a layer of pink skin, just like a newborn mouse, but bigger than a mouse, just like walking on snow." As she said this, she looked at the cat in Nie Guang's arms again, and the smile on her face turned slightly colder.

Nie Guang hadn't noticed it yet, but he was very interested in what someone said. "Isn't that scary? Should we let it die on its own, or eat its flesh?"

"I don't eat it." The girl's pupils gradually warmed up in the sunlight, and she looked up again, "The people over there are just like you, brother. They raise cats like the ones that walk on snow - they raise those hairless cats."

The end of her voice was slow, like a tiny stone sinking to the bottom of a lake. Her words seemed to contain infinite meaning, but if you savored them carefully, you couldn't make out anything.

It's just an introduction to the cat in the west, what other meaning could it have?

Nie Guang frowned and looked at his daughter's garden in front of him again. The plants in the garden were dense and the sunlight was scattered. Under her upturned and delicate nose was a pair of naturally pink lips, which opened and closed, crystal clear and full.

This pair of small mouths must no longer be as pure as they were in their girlhood, and they had never been exposed to dirty things. Nie Ce had already enjoyed them, invaded them, used them, and even made her bend down in front of him and serve her carefully...

The feeling must be so ecstatic that even if it only passes through one's mind, it can make one tremble, as if an electric current is passing through the body.

So when will he be able to enjoy it?

Nie Guangqing couldn't help but take a step closer. The scent of the hibiscus flower lingered around him, as if it could immediately take away all of his thoughts.

He had noticed this fragrance when he was paying his respects in the Hall of Right and Wrong. Now it was right before his eyes, coupled with the beauty's every move, every frown and smile, making his thoughts even more confused.

He couldn't help but lean forward.

But only two low coughs were heard. The girl in front of him quickly turned her head and smiled again, "The sun is getting high. I should go back and rest. I have to go to Yunyue Pavilion in the afternoon." As she spoke, she naturally took a few steps back.

The old lady who had coughed just now came forward and followed her out of the garden.

But after a short while, Nie Guang and his cat were left alone in the garden. The eldest son slowly came back to his senses and looked at the beautiful figure that had long disappeared at the end of the corridor bridge, feeling as if he had lost something...

"You are also impatient. This is how many times you have run into each other?" After entering the bedroom of Wuyuan, Cheng Lao dared to speak. Sang Ling was taking off his coat and pouring himself a glass of cold water. He drank it all in one gulp. Just as he was about to continue, he heard Cheng Lao asking and answering herself again, "That's right. If he has been thinking about it for a long time, it is not uncommon for him to be impatient even if it is the first time he talks. Aren't all men like this?"

She had been feeling a little nauseous at first, but after hearing what the old lady said, she couldn't help but chuckle. She shook her head and sighed twice, then went to the back of the barrier to change her clothes.

What she just said to Nie Guang was true. She really needed to rest during the lunch break these few days. She also had to go to Yunyue Pavilion to work in the afternoon. If she kept holding on, she would not be able to bear it in the afternoon.

After that day, Nie Guang went to the East Palace more frequently. He would often see him in the morning, and come back in the afternoon to see him.

As to whether it was just for walking the cat or for other purposes, it is unknown.

However, Sang Ling's attitude towards his eldest cousin was limited to this. Even if he had something further to say and could chat for a long time, he still kept a certain distance and the smile on his face was not too strong.

And the topics they talked about, except for cats and dogs, never went beyond the rules.

When dealing with Nie Guang, one also needs to strike a good balance, luring him into the trap but not letting him get what he wants.

However, the Second Young Master's wife's ambiguous attitude did indeed make the West Mansion's eldest son visibly anxious.

After half a month, he was able to see the beauty every day and have a very pleasant conversation with her. It seemed that she was interested in him, but whenever he wanted to get closer, she would know when to step back.

It seems that we can only maintain this "appropriate" distance.

Could it be that he is still afraid of Nie Ce?

He was still afraid of the mistress of the household, Madam Zhaoyu.

Every man can be blinded by lust, even the most rational one. However, Sang Ling didn't focus on Nie Guang. If he wanted to take risks, he had to know how to push and pull appropriately. He gave Nie Guang the cold shoulder.

So he searched for a day and went to Zhang's Jingyuan to sit for a while.

Whenever the Second Young Master's wife came over, the Fourth Madam would always entertain her cordially. Zhang led Sang Ling into the house while greeting him with a smile on her face.

"The weather is getting colder and colder. I rarely go out. The doctor said that I have cold blood and need to take good care of it. How are you? Can you ask the doctor to come and take a look? Is there any movement?"

Sang Ling's smile remained the same as always. "I had been taking medicine earlier, but I stopped this year. This matter has not been put on the agenda yet. You know, Xuanwen is always at home."

I used to be embarrassed to talk about these things, but now that I have become closer and closer to my fourth aunt, I can talk about them casually.

Besides, married women in ancient times were all childless, so all they talked about were things that happened in the inner chamber, right?

"Did the medicine you took before conflict with fertility?" Zhang asked.

"I didn't ask specifically, but I was taking a lot of medicine at the time, and I was afraid of taking too much or too many different kinds of food, so I didn't have the energy to think about these things."

The wedding consummation is still a matter of a few months. Sang Ling smiled and said, "But the doctor also told me to walk around more when I have nothing to do. I am different from you. I walk around the back of Jingsi Residence every day."

"Jingsi Residence?" Zhang immediately showed surprise.

That place was close to the front yard, and it was rare to see the girl from the Sang family going to the front yard for no reason on weekdays - not to mention that Nie Guang liked to walk around there.

"Yes, I have seen my eldest brother several times." The second young master's wife still had an innocent look on her face. "The cat he raised is very fat. I guess my eldest brother raised it roughly, so he let it roll around in the haystack. If it was a short-haired cat, it would know how to take care of itself, but if it is a long-haired cat, it still needs to be spoiled. I told my eldest brother that it would be better to find someone to comb its hair and clean it up. It would be so beautiful."

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, it was rare for her to utter so many words in one breath, and she seemed very interested. The muscles at the corners of Zhang's mouth twitched.

"Do you like cats too?" She couldn't help but ask tentatively.

Sang Ling's eyes were full of smiles as he looked at Zhang inch by inch. "Yes, before I got married, I lived at my aunt's house for a year. I also kept a white cat there, but I didn't take as much care of it as my elder brother did. I even took it out to play with it every day."

Every day... Zhang raised her eyebrows, hanging on every word she said, "So you see Guang every day?"

It's almost winter, and he still carries the cat out every day? Even if a human can bear it, an animal can't bear it, right?

"Yes." The second young master's wife's tone of voice inadvertently rose a little, "I was studying geography some time ago, and I read a book that recorded raccoon slaves from various places. I talked to my eldest brother about it for a while. He was also interested, and he would ask questions whenever he saw me."

Does this mean that not only can the two people see each other every day, but they can also chat with each other for a while?

Was this for the sake of animals or for the sake of people? The smile that Zhang always wore on her face gradually faded, her heart trembled, and she immediately fell into a state of uneasiness - there was no ugly son among the sons born by the Nie family, and even though Nie Ce was already a rare talent, the Sang family girl was often alone in the empty room at this time, and it was unknown if she fell in love with Nie Guang.

After all, A Guang is only five years older than her, and is still a handsome and young man in his prime.

She drooped her eyelashes to hide the panic that was bursting out——

"Aunt Fourth, don't you like cats?" Sang Ling kept his eyes on her.

This was the first time I saw Zhang with such an expression. It seemed that her friendship with Nie Guang was genuine.

It was a cloudy day. Cheng Lao, who was waiting in the dark by the wall, raised her eyes and saw Sang Ling looking back. The master and servant then looked at each other and understood each other.

Zhang smiled, as if she had just come to her senses, "I like it. I've seen Guang's cat before."

Sang Ling smiled without saying anything, then he picked up the cup and drank a mouthful of the sweet juice.