Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1290: Disadvantage

Qin San Lang offered a smile, accepting the spoon. He scooped a portion of the yuzu pulp and tasted it, giving Gu Jinli a nod. "Hmm, it is quite sweet."

Indeed, it was exceedingly sweet.

This sweetness mirrored her smile, akin to the joy that blossomed within him whenever he looked upon her, sweet enough to banish all his weariness.

Her action of sweetening the bitter yuzu, compelling it to yield sweetness, resonated with how he had forcefully entwined her with his existence. Though both actions were deliberate, the result had proven unexpectedly delightful.

"Naturally, it required an entire jar of sugar. If it weren't sweet, it would be quite a loss," Gu Jinli replied, scooping her own spoonful of yuzu. Upon tasting, she found it not overwhelmingly sweet, but rather a balance of sweet and tart, with a hint of the yuzu's inherent bitterness, yet still palatable.

Qin San Lang gazed at her, his eyes brimming with profound tenderness. "I would not allow Xiao Yu to suffer any loss."

Her familiar phrase, the principle of never undertaking anything that leads to a disadvantage!

Gu Jinli, hearing his loaded words, let out a soft snort. "It matters not now. We are betrothed; I willingly accept any potential loss."

A warmth spread through Qin San Lang's heart upon hearing this. These simple words conveyed the depth of her devotion to him. In being with him, she disregarded concerns of gain or loss; she was willing to accept a deficit if it meant being together.

"Xiao Yu," he murmured, drawing her into his embrace. He pulled her close and kissed her lips, a kiss that was both passionate and gentle.

His heavy breaths fanned her ear, jolting Gu Jinli back to the present. She playfully struck his chest, thinking, "You scamp, are you truly a man from ancient times? Such boldness! I'm not nearly as brazen as you!"

Yet, Qin San Lang's own heart was far from brazen. As he kissed her, his heart pounded wildly, a tingling sensation coursing from his chest throughout his entire being, leaving him feeling somewhat rigid.

His face flushed a deep red, as if he were intoxicated. Still, he yearned to be near her, an impulse that felt beyond his control, an innate drive.

"Rest assured, no one will intrude," he whispered, his body pressing close to hers, yet he held back, hesitant to alarm her, unwilling to fully commit his weight.

*Bang, thump!*

Two distinct sounds echoed as objects fell from the tree, compelling Qin San Lang to release her. He turned towards the noise, only to see another yuzu fruit lying on the ground.

He clenched his teeth, a surge of frustration rising within him. Did this yuzu harbor a personal vendetta against him? Having already dropped one, and now another!

Gu Jinli erupted into unrestrained laughter, pointing at the fallen fruit. "Perhaps it's attracting insects. I shall prepare some medicine another day to cleanse the tree of pests."

In truth, she was aware of the pest problem. She had merely assumed the fruit was close to ripening and hesitated to apply insecticide, intending to wait until after the harvest for a thorough treatment. To her surprise, this particular yuzu had been so determined to fall at this precise moment, disrupting their intimacy.

She observed Brother Qin's darkening expression.

Qin San Lang looked at her with a resigned expression. Seeing her mirthful laughter, he picked up the fallen yuzu and examined its stem. "The fruit stem is indeed damaged; it likely attracted pests."

He glanced up at the approximately twenty yuzu fruits still clinging to the branches. "This is its first year of bearing fruit, hence the limited yield. With pests present, I fear not many will be harvested."

Gu Jinli, sensing his genuine concern for the yuzu crop, reassured him. "Worry not. This yuzu variety bears fruit later. Tomorrow, I shall concoct a pest-repelling medicine. In about half a month, once its effects have subsided, we can harvest the fruit. They will be fully ripe then, much sweeter and more flavorful than they are now."

Upon hearing her plan, Qin San Lang's smile brightened, revealing the dimple on his cheek. He nodded in agreement. "Very well, we shall proceed according to Xiao Yu's plan."

As he spoke, he moved closer to her once more, causing Gu Jinli to flinch slightly. She asked with genuine curiosity, "Do you wish to continue our earlier activity?"

Qin San Lang let out a chuckle, gently embracing her instead of kissing her. "Just a hug," he whispered.

He relished kissing her, relished embracing her. Simply holding her in silence, watching the passage of time, brought him immense happiness.

More importantly, he noted the encroaching darkness and knew someone would soon call them for dinner.

Gu Jinli returned his smile, lifting her head from his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his waist and declared, "Alright, then let us embrace."

...

Brother Cheng found himself in a quandary. Should he venture out to protect Bai Cai, or stay put and protect Bai Cai?

Recalling the formidable nature of Second Bai Cai, he silently crouched back down, remaining hidden until he had counted past three hundred. It was only when he heard Brother San Lang say, "I shall finish this yuzu, and then we will head over for dinner,"

that Brother Cheng cautiously rose and emerged. "Second Sister, Brother San Lang, dinner is ready. Third Grandma sent me to call you to eat."

Grandpa Qin had already returned earlier, having spent his day working and conversing with Third Grandpa and Grandpa Wu.

Gu Jinli warmly beckoned Brother Cheng over, calling out: "Hurry, hurry, Second Sister has a pomelo for you."

As soon as Brother Cheng scurried near, she plucked the pomelo from the stone table and presented it: "It's Mid-Autumn Festival, you should have pomelo. Here, it's all yours to enjoy."

No need for thanks.

Brother Cheng was initially beaming, but upon seeing his Second Sister's eyes crinkle in laughter, his joy faltered. He inquired, "Second Sister, this pomelo looks a little green. Is it not ripe?"

Gu Jinli dismissed his concern with a wave: "Oh, pomelos can be eaten in the eighth month. You can eat it without worry. If it doesn't taste quite right, just dip it in some sugar."

"Dip pomelo in sugar?" Brother Cheng's face contorted. "Second Sister, just the thought of it makes me feel like you're tricking me."

Qin San Lang chuckled, joining Gu Jinli in teasing Brother Cheng: "Go on, try it. It tastes good."

As he spoke, he scooped another spoonful of pomelo flesh, swiftly emptying the large bowl of pomelo. Then, holding the spoon and bowl in one hand, he took Gu Jinli's hand and led her towards the Gu family residence.

Along the way, he remarked, "After dinner, I must return to the Military Office. The Meng family might take a gamble to raid the office and rescue their people."

Meng Wu and his band of Meng family assassins were still confined in the Military Office's prison. Following the Mid-Autumn Festival, Dou Ke was scheduled to escort them to the Capital. The Meng family would certainly exploit the holiday to dispatch individuals to silence Meng Wu and his companions.

Therefore, he absolutely had to rush back to the Military Office tonight to help repel any attackers. If they could capture more alive, it would greatly benefit Dou Ke.

Although Steward Dou views Dou Ke favorably, Steward Dou wishes to elevate the Dou family's standing. If a Meng son were to inherit the Dou family name, it would transform them from mere Imperial Merchants into a scholarly lineage of Imperial Merchants.

Word has it that after this setback, Meng appealed to the Meng Imperial Censor, seeking to arrange marriages for Second Son Dou and Third Son Dou with legitimate daughters of officials. If these unions were to materialize, it would be detrimental to Dou Ke's prospects.

Dou Ke is exceptional in every aspect, save for the lack of prominent maternal relatives and no elders to arrange a suitable official marriage for him.

Qin San Lang elaborated on these circumstances to Gu Jinli.

Gu Jinli responded, "Then, be cautious. Once everything is settled, have someone send word back so I can rest assured."

She paused in thought before adding, "You don't need to fret over Young Master Dou's marriage. His constant proximity to Master Ouyang clearly indicates a desire for Master Ouyang to assist in securing a prestigious match for him. Furthermore, having demonstrated his contributions this time, if Master Ouyang intervenes, it's quite possible the Emperor himself might bestow a favorable marriage upon him."