When the pear was finished, he said, “I heard you made First Madam faint today, so Brother locked you in for reflection.”
Youran glared.
“Are you here to scold me too?”
“No, I came to admire you. You’re brave,” he gave a thumbs-up.
“You’re the one!”
She remained unmoved.
“Oh, so you came to mock me.”
“No, truly I think you’re amazing,” Pei Huaian explained.
“Honestly, last night in Chunxuan Hall, First Madam was strongly against the match. She said you’re not worthy of Brother. I thought she’d bully you, but you’re pretty tough—you actually made her faint. How did you manage that? Tell me in detail…”
So she told him.
Rubbing her not-quite-full stomach, she said, “That’s a long story. I’ll need more food before I can tell you everything.”
He shook his head.
“Alright, come on, I’ll take you to the kitchen to find something to eat.”
“Okay.”
With his help, You Ran climbed out the window and over the courtyard wall, following him stealthily toward the kitchen.
Near the kitchen, they saw a maid carrying a food box.
Pei Huaian told her to hide behind a tree and went in first.
After confirming no one was inside, he beckoned her forward.
The kitchen smelled delicious, but the pot was empty.
“I’m so hungry…” she crouched down, unable to move.
Seeing her miserable state, he scratched his head and pulled out half a bag of flour.
“Hold on a bit longer. I’ll make you some noodle soup.”
Looking up at the richly dressed young master with jade-like fingers, she hesitated.
“You can make noodle soup?”
“I’ve eaten it. Should be simple to make,” he said.
“Just knead the dough, roll it out, and cook it in water.”
The nobleman rolled up his sleeves, scooped half a ladle of flour into a basin, added half a ladle of water, and began mixing.
You Ran watched eagerly, deciding to trust him.
Fifteen minutes later, the dough was still sticky and unformed despite adding more flour and water alternately.
He flicked the gooey paste from his hands and asked disdainfully, “Want some paste soup?”
Hah, I knew he couldn’t even make the simplest noodle soup.
After a moment of silence, she asked, “What’s paste soup?”
“Something I invented myself…”
Starving and about to vomit acid, You Ran said, “Fine, just make sure it’s cooked.”
He gave up on the dough, washed his hands, and gathered firewood to start a fire.
Fortunately, he was good at lighting fires, and the water boiled quickly.
XVJJ XTXT, AI, M, N, KAREINWAYS,
“She made a big colorful stew, just like yours earlier…”
“Was it tasty?”
“No idea, she said it was pig feed…”
Pei Huaian: The boy making his first meal threw the cleaver onto the chopping block, scowling, “I’m kindly cooking for you, and you say it’s pig food?”
“If you don’t want it, forget it. I’m not serving you anymore!”
Pretending to leave, he walked past her, but she lightly tugged his robe.
She tilted her face up, eyes blinking, lips curving into a faint smile.
“Don’t be angry. I’m teasing.”
“When I was little, my father took me to a village. By chance, I wandered into the kitchen and saw the cook chopping…”
“N…”
“Hmm?” “… a bunch of things: potatoes, sweet potatoes, radish, pumpkin, and lots of other veggies I didn’t know. She chopped while throwing them into the pot…”
“Oh?”
“She made a big colorful stew, just like you…”
“Was it tasty?”
“No idea, she said it was pig feed…”
Pei Huaian: He went back, added firewood under the pot, and once boiling, tasted the soup: uncooked and unsalted.
He added salt, boiled longer, tasted again: still uncooked and now too salty.
Added water, boiled again.
This time it was cooked but bland and unappetizing.
He scooped a bowl, hesitated, then offered it to Shen Youran.
“Do you…want some?”
Looking at the dull, flavorless stew, she still gave a supportive compliment, “It smells quite fragrant.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean. I don’t like false praise.”
The bowl was hot, so he put it on the vegetable table and handed her a clean spoon.
“Eat. It’s better than starving.”
Holding the spoon, she blew on the soup and sipped it slowly.
As she ate, large tears fell into the bowl.
Pei Huaian was surprised.
“Is it that bad?”
Bad enough to cry?
“No,” You Ran laughed through tears.
“I’m touched. You’re the second person after Sister who’s shown concern today.”
He smirked, arms crossed, teasing, “Regret it now? You didn’t choose me last night…”
She took a sip of the unpleasant soup.
“Not really.”
He snorted.
“Just admit it.”
Half a bowl later, the hunger faded and her strength returned.
She finally had the energy to talk.
After telling him about this morning’s incident with First Madam, she had a question: “Why didn’t you come with Sister for the morning bows?”
“I…”
Pei Huaian lazily leaned on the table.
“I went out to play.”
“Play at a temple so early? What’s so fun that you’d leave Sister behind?”
“You knew I went to a temple?”
He sniffed and realized he couldn’t hide it.
“Actually, I went to listen to monks chanting.”
“Ah? Are you going to become a monk?”
“What? No way,” Pei Huaian laughed.
“I don’t have that resolve.”
“If you’re not becoming a monk, why listen to chants so early?”
His expression turned uneasy, eyes flickering.
“You’re my sister-in-law now, not my wife. I can’t tell you. Don’t ask.”
The more he refused, the more she suspected he really wanted to become a monk.
After all, she had thought about it last night too.
“Did the match change make you want to become a monk? Don’t! I wanted to become a nun last night. See, I’ve accepted reality now.”
You Ran anxiously and clumsily comforted him.
“Besides, Sister is wonderful—smarter and more elegant than me, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Marrying her is much better than marrying me. Don’t become a monk or she’ll be widowed…”
“Widowed?”
“What nonsense?”
Pei Huaian laughed helplessly.
“Are you worried I’ll become a monk or worried Sister will be widowed?”
“Both!”
He knew what she really meant.
“Don’t worry. Sister won’t be widowed.”
You Ran tested, “So you’re not becoming a monk?”
“That has nothing to do with me…”
The divorce agreement was already signed. Even if he left, Sister could still remarry.
He’d gone to the temple to rid himself of lustful dreams.
The night before, he dreamt of Shen Yunshu, not Shen Youran.
In the dream, Yunshu bit his ear while they were entwined.
He remembered why: last night, when proposing to pretend to be a married couple, Yunshu had whispered into his ear.
That was the first time he had such a dream since meeting Yunshu—back at Fengle Restaurant’s backyard when she sought his help and fell asleep in his carriage.
Back then, she was still his future sister-in-law.
He was shocked to realize he had lustful thoughts about his future sister-in-law.
Unable to accept himself, he rose early, took Qing Wu, and rode to Da Xiangguo Temple, hoping scriptures would cleanse his mind.
He spent the whole day bathed in sandalwood incense—he couldn’t smell it, but Shen Youran could.
“I’m not telling anyone about my temple visit, understand?” he threatened playfully.
But You Ran wasn’t afraid.
“Then swear you won’t become a monk, and I won’t tell anyone.”
He casually held up three fingers.
“I promise. No becoming a monk. Okay?”
Seeing his casual attitude, she didn’t believe him.
“Not serious at all. Swear again…”
“Such childishness.”
He put his hand down, ignoring her demand.
“Have you eaten enough? If so, I’ll take you back.”
You Ran wasn’t full, but the soup tasted so bad she couldn’t drink more.
“I’m full. Let’s go back.”
Night was deep. The moon hung like a crystal disc in the sky.
Pei Huaian led Shen Youran back the way they came.
Halfway there, they spotted a few people carrying lanterns, seemingly searching for something.
They made no noise, and Pei Huaian didn’t know if they were looking for Shen Youran.
Either way, it wasn’t good to be caught alone with her at such a late hour.
“Brrr…”
He pulled You Ran along, dodging and weaving around the searchers, finally hiding behind an artificial rock.
“Are they here for me?” You Ran whispered.
“Brother must know I sneaked out now. I was going to starve in protest, but he’ll probably laugh at me for sneaking out to eat.”
Pei Huaian glanced at the muttering girl.
“Stealing food is small, but if they catch us together, rumors will spread that we’re involved.”
“Is it that serious?”
“Yes.”
His face grew grave.
“After all, we were once a couple.”
“Then…”
You Ran’s heart raced.
“We can’t hide together. You hide somewhere else.”
“They’re nearby. If I leave now, they’ll catch me red-handed.”
“What do we do?”
“Shh, someone’s coming…”
You Ran covered her mouth.
In the dim night, they stared at each other, not daring to breathe.
The footsteps approached.
Pei Huaian judged by the sound it was a single person, light steps of a short, thin figure.
He silently turned, shielding You Ran behind him.
If caught, he planned to knock the person out before being recognized.
The footsteps neared.
His sharp eyes spotted a slender figure emerging.
In a flash, he grabbed the person, muffled her mouth, and collided with the stone wall.
But the warm softness filling his arms made him realize: it was a woman.
Too late to stop, he twisted sideways and bumped the wall with both of them, softening the blow.
The person’s head hit hard, and his shoulder was injured.
Ignoring the pain, he looked down to identify who it was.
Half-hidden by his large hand was a familiar small face, delicate brows, and bright eyes.
It was Shen Yunshu.
“Why you?” he gasped, quickly releasing her.
Yunshu, dizzy from the impact, steadied herself against the wall.
Shen Youran slipped out from behind Pei Huaian, panic-stricken.
“Sister, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
More painful than the bump was the fact that her youngest sister was with Pei Huaian.
“So late, why are you two together?”
“Don’t misunderstand, Sister. Pei Huaijin locked me in, and I was so hungry I snuck out to the kitchen…”
She focused on the pressing matter, planning to explain more later.
“I heard from Danruo that Brother locked you up but maids found you escaping, so I came to find you.”
Yunshu trusted her sister wouldn’t do anything improper, but others might not believe that.
Just as she pondered how to clear Youran’s name and bring her back, footsteps approached, attracted by the earlier noise.
They mustn’t let anyone discover Pei Huaian’s involvement with Youran.
Yunshu pushed her sister behind Pei Huaian and took his hand.
To the still stunned Huaian, she said, “When they come, I’ll hide in your arms. You pretend to be angry and scold them away. Understood?”
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