Xiao Ci sat up, taking out a handkerchief to wipe his hands with slow, deliberate movements. One sleeve slipped down a little, revealing half of a small, delicate bite mark.
That was where she had bitten him at the most critical moment.
The quilt beside him bulged; she was hiding underneath, refusing to come out.
Thinking that she must feel quite uncomfortable being all muddy because of him, he put on his clothes and got out of bed. “I’ll prepare some warm water.”
In the kitchen pot, there was barely any warm water left, and the water jar was nearly empty. Xiao Ci scooped out all the water from the pot and carried it into the right side room.
He placed the water on the small table beside the bed, then turned and rummaged through the cabinet, pulling out a clean pair of underpants and placing them by the pillow.
“I’ll sit in the main hall for a while. Change your clothes and call me when you’re ready.”
After about fifteen minutes, he heard her muffled voice, “You can come back now.”
When Xiao Ci returned to the room, she had moved further inside, lying face toward the wall with her back to him, clearly still upset.
He lifted the quilt and lay down beside her, intending to turn her over and hold her face to face, but as soon as he flipped her, she turned back again. Flip again, and she turned back once more.
On the third try, when Xiao Ci turned her over, he applied a bit more force. She struggled more forcefully as well, and with a “thud,” her forehead hit the wall.
The knock wasn’t hard, but she pressed her lips tightly together without making a sound.
“Let me see.” This time, Xiao Ci was more experienced. Once he turned her over, he held her firmly and propped himself up half-standing by the small oil lamp’s dim light to check the spot where her forehead had hit.
It looked a little red now, but he wasn’t sure if it would swell later.
It should be nothing serious.
He scanned downward from the reddened spot and saw her finely furrowed brows, eyes shrouded as if under a layer of mist, glaring at him with grievance.
“You’re bullying me…”
Xiao Ci calmed down and reflected on how he had been a bit excessive just now. “Sorry.”
“I don’t accept that.” Although he had apologized profusely today, his nature was still clearly domineering.
“So how should I make it up to you?” He had only ever comforted their children before and had never tried coaxing her, much less known how a husband should soothe his wife after a quarrel. So, he asked sincerely, “Will you teach me?”
What was he saying? If he needed her to teach him how to comfort her, then how was that different from comforting himself?
Zhong Li closed her eyes in annoyance. “I’m tired. I’m going to sleep.”
“All right, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
He tucked the quilt under her chin and lay down beside her, not forcing an embrace this time.
The next morning, when Zhong Li woke, the space beside her was already empty.
She got dressed and first went to the left side room to check on her grandmother.
Grandmother was still asleep, probably because of illness she had become very sleepy.
She reached out to feel under the quilt—the kang bed was no longer warm. She had to hurry and add some firewood under the stove to heat it back up.
When she came out to the courtyard, she didn’t see Xiao Ci’s figure.
He wasn’t in the kitchen either; she had no idea where he had gone.
Zhong Li wanted to scoop some water into the pot but then remembered the water had already been used up last night.
With no water left, she couldn’t light the stove lest the pot get ruined.
Turning to leave, she planned to go check if the water seller was nearby.
Just as she stepped into the courtyard, the main gate was pushed open, and Xiao Ci came in carrying two buckets of water on a yoke.
He was still wearing yesterday’s clothes—a silver-gray half-sleeve shirt covered by a thin ink-gray robe, with a refined bamboo pattern embossed on it, making him look graceful and elegant. The yoke on his shoulders and the dilapidated courtyard around them clashed starkly.
Startled, he had already come over. “You’re awake, my lady.”
He poured the water into the jar. Zhong Li regained her composure and asked, “Where did you get the yoke?”
She had just moved here recently, and their home was not yet fully furnished, with no yoke in sight.
“I borrowed it from next door.” One bucket was enough to fill the jar. After filling it, he went to return the yoke.
Seeing the sweat on his forehead and nose, Zhong Li reached for the yoke. “I’ll return it. You should rest a bit…”
“All right.”
Next door lived a young couple—the husband worked away, and the wife stayed home weaving. Both were diligent people. Though not wealthy, their lives were peaceful.
When Zhong Li first moved in, the couple helped her move quite a few things. Out of respect, she called them Brother Lin and Sister-in-law Lin.
By this time, Brother Lin had already gone to work. When Zhong Li returned the yoke, only Sister-in-law was home.
She took the yoke and pulled Zhong Li into their courtyard to talk. “Sister A-Li, your husband is truly handsome. His stature, his demeanor—it’s clear he’s no ordinary man. What does he do?”
“He… works in the capital…” Zhong Li was vague, but the other immediately guessed, “I see, he must be an official.”
“Well, not really. I know even if someone isn’t a bad person, it’s best not to get too close when acquaintance is shallow.”
She went on, “This morning he got up early to fetch water, went back and forth three times, all out of breath. His body’s really something. You’re quite lucky.”
Zhong Li felt a bit ashamed, recalling how she’d snapped at him yesterday, complaining he only knew one way of doing things.
Though he only knew one way, he had always done it well.
“Sister-in-law, thank you for the yoke. I need to get back to care for my grandmother. We’ll talk more another time…”
Blushing, Zhong Li excused herself and left through the next-door gate, with Sister-in-law warmly seeing her off.
She glanced back and saw faint smoke curling from her own kitchen chimney.
Sister-in-law also noticed and laughed, “Looks like you’ve started cooking already…”
At Sister-in-law’s teasing, Zhong Li returned to her home but realized the ‘smoke’ was actually thick smoke filling the kitchen.
Had he burned down the kitchen?
She hurried inside and pulled him out.
Fortunately, he hadn’t burned the kitchen—he simply didn’t know how to make a proper fire. He’d stuffed too much wood under the stove, which caught fire all at once and caused the smoky room.
His clothes were dirty and disheveled, no longer the elegant figure of refinement.
“Sorry, I thought lighting a fire would be simple.” Having spent many years in the Great Justice Temple, solving countless cases, and rising to the position of Deputy Minister at a young age, he never thought there were things he truly didn’t know how to do.
Like lighting a fire, like coaxing her…
“That’s enough. Your hands aren’t for this.” Zhong Li took the firewood from him, endured the smoke, and quickly got the fire going.
Once the flames roared up, the smoke began to clear.
Zhong Li added water to the pot, planning to cook some porridge for breakfast.
Just then she saw him walk in and wanted to tell him to change clothes, but remembered he hadn’t brought any luggage when he chased after her yesterday. So she said, “After breakfast, you should return to the inn.”
“I was thinking the same.” His luggage was still there and needed to be retrieved.
“When will you go back to the capital?”
“No hurry.”
“But you’re always busy with official business…”
“You are more important than any official business.”
It was the first time Zhong Li had heard him speak like that, but when she looked at his face—Lord Xiao’s expression was still so upright and serious.
“You don’t need to waste time here. Once I figure things out, I’ll go back myself.”
Xiao Ci saw through her at once. “A-Li, don’t lie to me. This is the last time.”
After breakfast, Xiao Ci prepared to leave for the inn, also to buy some more things.
It was cold. Zhong Li filled a hot water bottle and handed it to him. “Take this.”
Unexpectedly, he took her hand in his. “This morning, when I borrowed the yoke next door, I saw Sister-in-law Lin kiss her husband goodbye…”
Zhong Li’s eyes widened. “Why are you telling me this? You don’t want me to do the same, do you?”
“Aren’t they what you called an ordinary couple? If so, then let’s learn from them. I’m going out now; you should do the same.”
Zhong Li glanced toward her grandmother sitting outside in the sunlight and whispered, “Grandma’s watching.”
“Grandma knows we’re married.”
“Well, then that’s fine.” Zhong Li urged him, “You should go quickly.”
But he stood rooted as if his feet were nailed down. “No kiss, no leaving.”
“Ah, you…” Zhong Li’s hand was firmly held, and she couldn’t escape. Doing a tug-of-war in front of her grandmother would look awkward, so she quickly pecked him on the cheek. “Is that enough?”
She tried to pull away, but he blocked her with a horizontal arm, holding the hand with the hot water bottle pressed against her lower back, lifting her up. Their lips met, and he kissed her deeply.
“If we’re going to learn, we have to surpass them.” Imitating is unoriginal. Next door kisses on the cheek; they would take it a step further and kiss on the lips.
Satisfied, Xiao Ci left. Zhong Li blushed and turned back to see her grandmother smiling warmly at her. “Ah, youth is wonderful.”
Xiao Ci wasn’t in a hurry to retrieve his luggage at the inn but first went to the market to buy some furniture.
Although they wouldn’t live here long, they still needed some comfort. There was no floor heating in the room, but placing a brazier would help keep warm.
They also needed a better bed. The one from last night was too small, with an uneven bedboard and loose legs that creaked with every movement.
So they bought a sturdier bed, and the door to the right side room was sealed. Before, there was only a curtain, which did nothing for soundproofing.
This was much better.
They also bought two sets of bedding made from fresh cotton this year—one for the elderly and one for themselves.
A bath barrel was added, and a larger water jar, so they could bathe at night.
They bought cloth towels, soap beans, candles, charcoal, and other necessities.
Prices in the small town were high, so Xiao Ci bought everything he saw and arranged for home delivery.
By the time they checked out of the inn, it was almost noon. Xiao Ci bought some food and hired a carriage to return.
Passing a bookshop, he had the driver stop briefly and went inside. When he came out, he had a book tucked under his arm.
The journey back took half an hour—enough time for him to read the entire book carefully from start to finish.
Back then, when he and Pei Huaijin were known as the twin prodigies of the National Academy, reading was effortless. Any book he glanced over a few times he could memorize.
But this book, with its simple illustrations, left him dumbfounded.
There were really so many ways?
He flipped through again, then again, then again…
When they married, having only performed the formal rites, he only knew that one way and had stuck to it. He never imagined there were so many variations.
No wonder Zhong Li found him boring.
But then again, how did she know so much?
Had someone taught her?
Zhong Li had thought he’d only gone to the inn to fetch his luggage. She never expected that after he returned, carts kept arriving—ox carts, donkey carts, horse carriages—bringing beds, cabinets, braziers, wooden doors, bath barrels, water jars, bedding…
Before long, the modest house was filled to the brim.
A carpenter waited nearby. Once all the items were moved in, he began installing the door to the side room.
The door was slightly off in size, requiring a lot of effort to fit.
Zhong Li thought it was suitable. After the door was installed, she wondered: what if grandmother called her at night—would she be able to hear?
“If you’re worried, I’ll open the door once I’m done.”
“Hmm… done?”
At night, Xiao Ci lit candles in the kitchen and placed a brazier inside. The stove had hot water on it, making the entire kitchen warm.
The small house had very few rooms, but there was a bath barrel now, so bathing would happen in the kitchen.
They used one and a half buckets of water in total.
Xiao Ci bathed first, and while she bathed, he scooped the leftover water into the pot to keep it warm for nighttime use.
Zhong Li knew what he was thinking. He had said last night that until he learned another way besides that one position, he wouldn’t ask for intimacy from her. So she calmly dried her hair inside the room.
Once Xiao Ci tidied up the kitchen, he came inside and firmly shut the newly installed door.
Zhong Li had just finished drying her hair and asked him to sleep on the inner side of the room, so if grandmother called during the night, she could respond quickly from the outer side.
“Fine,” Xiao Ci thought, whether inside or outside made no difference. They’d be tangled together anyway soon enough.
The new bed was made from locust wood—hard and sturdy. The bedding was soft and comfortable, much better than before, though not comparable to what she’d had at the Xiao estate.
Lying down, Zhong Li sighed in contentment.
However, he only added one new pillow. The old pillow was nowhere to be found. She had searched a long time and ended up sharing that one with him.
No sooner had she lain down than his hand reached under her clothes.
Zhong Li held his hand and asked, “What are you doing?”
His deep black eyes locked onto hers tightly. “Claiming my wife.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.