The Emperor’s Beloved Ugly Girl

111. The New Chair

Translator: Iris Guo

“Don’t…Don’t say that. I was just kidding.” A’Chou felt awkward instead. She scratched her head and looked at Zhong Mingwei: “I know you must be bored sitting here. Why don’t I get you a book?”

The corner of Zhong Mingwei’s mouth twitched: “…No.”

“Why not?” A’Chou puckered her lips, surprised and disappointed, “Aren’t they interesting?”

“Ahem!” Zhong Mingwei honestly didn’t know what to say. How could they be talking about those books again? He pretended to cough and mumbled, “No, they’re good.”

“Good. Which do you want then?” A’Chou got up hurriedly while wiping her hand, “Biography of The Jade Dragonfly or Fate of The Dragonfly [1]? I’ll get it for you.”

[1] Note: Both are pornographic novels from ancient China

“Neither. I’ll read tonight.” Zhong Mingwei felt that A’Chou was about to force himself to become a shameless hooligan.

“Ah? What’s wrong with you? Why you always read at night?” A’Chou got confused, but she didn’t get the book after all. She sat down, continued to do laundry, and talked to Zhong Mingwei randomly: “Read to me some day. I love listening to storytellers. It’s fantastic, but I haven’t heard a story since I left the Yanxi Palace nearly two years ago.”

The corner of Zhong Mingwei’s mouth twitched more severely. After clinching his teeth for a while, he finally answered: “…Fine. Later.”

…

Uncle Chen and his apprentices had been working all day and finished the heated bed. There was less work than that at the Jixian Study since building a bed was easier than pulling it down and repairing.

A’Chou was so grateful that she paid and walked Uncle Chen out. When she was about to lock the door, Uncle Chen stopped her.

“What’s the matter, Uncle Chen?” A’Chou hastened to walk out of the door.

“Oh, it’s just when I prepared to go uphill this morning, Mrs. Chen asked me to give you a message that you should go find her for the embroidery money when you’re free.” answered Uncle Chen with a smile. “It’s very important, but I almost forgot.”

“Thank you so much, Uncle Chen!” A’Chou’s face immediately lighted up.

“No problem! Go home.” Uncle Chen waved at A’Chou and left.

A’Chou bounced into the chamber, and saw Zhong Mingwei stare at a chair.

“Is it…” When A’Chou saw the chair, she was stunned, blushed immediately, and couldn’t finish the sentence anymore.

It was a new chair. However, it was different from normal chairs, with a big hole in the middle. Uncle Chen finished it according to Zhong Mingwei’s description this afternoon while his apprentices were building the heated bed. A’Chou easily realized it was a potty chair without Zhong Mingwei’s explanation.

“From now on, all you have to do is to help me off the bed.” Zhong Mingwei tried to hide the awkwardness and calm down, but it was really hard for him to finished this short sentence.

“Okay. I’ll help you.” A’Chou nodded and tried to erase her shyness. She went to get the scissors from outside, and put Zhong Mingwei’s feet on her lap. “Whenever you want to…Just call me.”

Zhong Mingwei saw A’Chou take off his socks and hastened to stop her: “After I wash them. They smell.”

“They don’t.” A’Chou pushed Zhong Mingwei’s hands away, and continued to remove his socks. She didn’t think his feet stink. Even if they were, she wouldn’t care at all. She just bent slightly, cut his toenails carefully, and frowned: “The last thing I would do is to manicure your toenails. They’re too hard and the corners of them have grown into your skin. I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.”