The Beauty Within the Gates
Chapter 81
After resting for a night, a new round of liveliness began again as soon as day broke the next morning.
When the Third Young Lady Wen and Eldest Young Master Wen came to visit, people from Mingxiu Pavilion, a famous ready-made clothing shop in the Eastern Capital, had also arrived. The proprietress had personally come over and was currently inside measuring Wen Shuse.
“This old woman has taken measurements for people all her life, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a fine figure as Madam’s.”
Those who did business had mouths that spoke human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts, praising people until flowers seemed to fall from the sky. Not a single bit of it could be trusted.
But when such words entered one’s ears, who would not be happy? Wen Shuse was also a straightforward person. “All right then. Bring up all your patterns and silks for me to look over. If they’re good, I’ll pay the deposit today…”
The proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion immediately had people present all the colors and patterns. Wen Shuse sat in a round-backed official’s chair, choosing them one by one. “This color is good. Make two round-collared robes for my husband…”
As she was speaking, a maidservant came in from outside to report, “Eldest Young Master and Third Young Lady Wen have arrived.”
Wen Shuse looked up, not showing the slightest surprise on her face. Still smiling, she said, “Quickly invite them in.”
—
Eldest Young Master and Third Young Lady Wen both knew about what had happened when Wen Shuse last went to the Wen residence. Each of them felt too ashamed to come to the door again, but since their mother had specifically named them, they could only brace themselves and come today.
After the Eldest Young Master Wen entered, he handed the gifts to Aunt Qing and asked, “How is Young Master Xie’s injury?”
“It’s nothing serious now. He’s recuperating.” Aunt Qing led the two of them toward the front courtyard. “Eldest Young Master, Third Young Lady, please wait a moment. Our young lady is currently seeing the seamstress, and she’ll be finished soon…”
The Eldest Young Master nodded, his steps following Aunt Qing, while his gaze could not help but begin taking stock of the place.
Just as his wife had said, the courtyard was indeed larger than theirs, and the covered corridors on both sides were twice as wide.
The entrance hall leading into the courtyard was spacious and bright, swept perfectly clean. More than a dozen bamboo baskets were piled inside the courtyard, filled with fresh fruit and dried fruit, while maidservants and young servants were still continuously carrying more in.
When they reached the front courtyard, they saw more than ten embroiderers holding bolts of silk, standing neatly in the courtyard. The door before them was wide open, and lively voices came from inside.
“Since I like them all, I can’t be bothered to choose. Leave one of each color and make a few more sets…”
“Madam is the one who truly knows how to live. You don’t wrong yourself; when money ought to be spent, you spend it. I’ve seen plenty of noble people who keep silver in their hands and can’t bear to spend it. In the end, what happens? Either someone else spends it for them, or when they finally want to spend it themselves, they no longer have the fortune to enjoy it…”
Seeing Aunt Qing walk in, Wen Shuse knew her visitors had arrived and said no more. She rose and escorted the proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion to the doorway. “Thank you for making this trip, Auntie Zhang.”
“Madam honors this old woman too much. To be able to serve Madam is this old woman’s good fortune. If Madam later thinks of any other requests, simply send someone to inform me…”
“Very well.”
Stepping over the threshold and lifting her head, she saw the Eldest Young Master and Third Young Lady Wen, who had just entered. She greeted them warmly, “Elder Brother, Third Sister, come inside quickly…”
As soon as the proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion came out, the Eldest Young Master recognized her almost at a glance. Among his colleagues, being able to wear ready-made clothes from Mingxiu Pavilion was something they secretly competed over.
He had heard that a single garment cost over a hundred taels…
But after another thought, now that Third Young Master Xie had achieved merit and fame, he indeed had the standing for it.
The Third Young Lady beside him was also staring at the silks in the embroiderers’ hands. Having grown this old, she had never seen such fine silk before, and her gaze could not help growing entranced.
Only when she heard Wen Shuse’s voice did she lift her head. The last time she had seen her was at the Wen residence in Fengcheng. This second sister of hers had always left her with the impression of being bright, vivid, and lively. Today, dressed in a light gauze half-sleeved pomegranate skirt, with a string of jade-bead tassels hanging from her high, swanlike coiffure, gently swaying as the wind beneath the corridor brushed past, the brilliance about her was even greater than before.
The Third Young Lady was shy by nature. With just this one glance, her face reddened, and she called, “Second Sister,” before following behind the eldest young master into the room.
Aunt Qing went to brew tea, and Wen Shuse led the Eldest Young Master and Third Young Lady to sit.
As soon as they sat down, she smiled warmly at the Eldest Young Master. “How has Elder Brother been recently? Since coming to the Eastern Capital, I haven’t had the chance to find you for a proper talk. Today, I’ve instead made Elder Brother come to my door first.”
“It was Elder Brother who was negligent, only coming to visit today.” He then asked her, “Is Brother-in-law’s injury somewhat better?”
Wen Shuse said that Elder Brother need not worry. “As for him, he’s full of life and vigor. He’s been clamoring to get out of bed since early on. But yesterday, His Highness the Crown Prince sent over an imperial physician, and he’s not easy to talk to. He insists that he must lie down for a full half month before he can get up. With his restless temperament, it’s a wonder he hasn’t been stifled to death.”
The Eldest Young Master smiled. “There is nothing wrong with listening to the physician. Injuries to the tendons and bones, especially wounds as serious as this, should be properly rested and recovered from.”
Before leaving home that morning, the Eldest Young Madam had once instructed him, “Once you arrive at the Xie residence, speak more with Xie Shao. With your father’s rule-abiding nature, who knows how long it’ll take for you to get promoted…”
He had seen plenty of people in officialdom who fawned on the powerful and clung to influence, and he was extremely weary of such things. After hearing what Wen Shuse said, he actually let out a breath of relief.
Aunt Qing served tea to the two of them, and Wen Shuse asked the Third Young Lady, “Has Third Sister grown used to living in the Eastern Capital?”
The Third Young Lady nodded. “I have.”
After answering, she remembered to return the courtesy and asked haltingly, “And Second Sister? Are… are you living comfortably?”
“Very comfortably.” As long as one was with Wen Shuse, regardless of whether one knew how to speak well or not, she could always carry the conversation along. Smiling, she asked her, “Has Third Sister gone to the bustling market street by Old Cao Gate?”
The Third Young Lady nodded.
“I went there too. I wonder if Third Sister saw the stall selling rouge at the head of the street corner. The powder cakes were made to look just like little pastries, and they were even displayed outside the stall. I nearly ate one.”
The Third Young Lady burst out laughing with a “pfft”, finally not so nervous anymore. “Second Sister can’t be blamed. Many people have been fooled by them.”
Seeing the two of them begin chatting, the Eldest Young Master only listened with a smile and did not interrupt again. His gaze fell on an incense burner on the small table.
A wisp of green smoke curled upward. What was burning was heart- shaped incense.
The last time he returned to the Wen residence, he had even given Wen Shuse a box of it as a gift. Now, in this room, at least three burners’ worth had been lit, and this was only one room in the front courtyard…
Thinking again of the gifts his mother had prepared today, he instantly felt as if needles were pricking his back, unbearably embarrassed.
Helplessly, the Eldest Madam had instructed them in advance that the two of them must stay until dusk before leaving. Seeing that the Third Young Lady had begun chatting with Wen Shuse, and that Wen Shuse herself had taken the initiative to invite the two of them to stay for a meal, he no longer refused.
He had originally thought that the residence’s cooks would prepare the meal. But when noon arrived, he saw people from Mixian Tower walking in one after another, each carrying food boxes.
Once the lids were lifted, everything placed on the table was a signature dish from Mixian Tower.
He had been in the Eastern Capital for more than half a year, yet the Eldest Young Master had only been to Mixian Tower once, and that had been because a colleague had invited him. Forget having dishes delivered to one’s door; if one wanted to eat Mixian Tower’s signature dishes, one had to make a reservation in advance.
A considerable wave stirred in his heart. He could only wonder what this one meal must be costing.
When they came out at dusk, the two of them sat in the carriage, both lowering their heads without saying a word. Only when they reached the Wen residence gates did the Eldest Young Master glance at the Third Young Lady. “If Mother asks you, just say whatever you saw. There is no need to hide anything.”
Mother was short-sighted. With her temperament of despising poverty and loving wealth, only knowing how to seek profit and refusing to suffer even the slightest loss, she truly ought to learn a proper lesson.
The Third Young Lady had been timid since childhood. Even if she were told to fabricate something, she would not know how to lie, so she quickly nodded. “All right.”
As soon as the two of them entered the door, the Eldest Madam immediately called them over.
First, she asked the Eldest Young Master, “How was it? Did Young Master Xie see you?”
Since childhood, his father had taught him that filial piety came first, and he had engraved it in his heart. Even knowing that his mother was sometimes wrong, he had never disobeyed her. But today, he finally could not hold back. “Young Master Xie is severely injured, nearly lost his life, and is still lying in bed recovering. For Mother to be this impatient, your intentions are rather too obvious.”
The Eldest Madam froze, looking at the Eldest Young Master in shock. Her sons and daughters had all been sensible since childhood and had spared her much worry. When had she ever seen them speak to her like this? She could hardly believe those words had come from the Eldest Young Master’s mouth. Only after a long while did she react, so angry that her heart tightened. “Is this how you speak to your mother?”
The Eldest Young Master looked at her. Though there was self-reproach and guilt in his eyes, he did not concede. “What Mother is thinking in her heart, this child need not say more. If Mother wants this child to become someone who curries favor with the powerful, I fear I cannot do it. Mother should find someone else.”
The Eldest Madam watched as the Eldest Young Master stormed out without looking back. She stood there dumbfounded for quite some time before finally dropping onto the couch and pounding her chest. “Fine, fine! Now, even he has come to despise me. Who am I doing all this for? Every one of you is so lofty and noble. I am the vulgar one, I am the one who looks down on others! But don’t I only want the whole family to live good days? If we rely only on the Eldest Master, he is already forty now and still only a deputy minister. That Xie Shao is only twenty-one, isn’t he? Yet he is already Commander of the Imperial Guard, a third-rank official. The Second Master Xie is also Chancellor, the Left Chancellor of the current court. Can we compete with them by ability?”
After wailing and crying for a while, she kept saying how bitter her fate was, completely forgetting how she had previously rejoiced over not being tied to the Xie family. “If the Old Madam had not been biased back then and insisted on switching the marriage, then today this fortune would have belonged to the Eldest Young Lady…”
What would any of this have had to do with Wen Shuse?
This was all fate.
After steadying her emotions, she looked toward the Third Young Lady, who was standing to the side with her head lowered, and said irritably, “The Eldest Young Master thinks it’s shameful. Don’t tell me you felt humiliated, too? What did you see there…”
The Third Young Lady did not dare conceal anything. After she finished recounting everything she had encountered and seen from the moment they entered the gate until they left, the Eldest Madam’s expression had already become unbearable to look at.
Mingxiu Pavilion. Of course, she had heard of it. That day when Madam Wu came to the residence, she had been wearing a garment from there. The smugness on her face had been insufferable.
But she had been reluctant to spend the silver, thinking they still needed to buy a residence and prepare the Eldest Young Lady’s dowry, so she had never been willing to buy even one piece. Yet that wastrel had actually invited the proprietress to her door…
Mixian Tower, she knew of that, too. Even a single plate of peanuts costs one tael of silver.
Even if Third Young Master Xie had received a reward of a thousand taels, he probably could not withstand her squandering it like this.
Back in Fengcheng, she had already squandered away his family’s entire fortune. This time, he had only just received an official post, yet she actually dared to be so extravagant and wasteful.
The Eldest Madam’s heart felt both ached and stung. “A wastrel’s nature probably can’t be changed. Can the Third Young Master Xie really continue letting her spend recklessly like this? Just wait and see. Let’s see how long she can stay happy.”
The Third Young Lady lowered her head and could not help murmuring softly, “Young Master Xie doesn’t seem to blame Second Sister. The household’s silver is all managed by Second Sister.”
Those words nearly made the Eldest Madam choke again.
After spending so much effort sending two people over, it had done nothing except add more frustration to her own heart. Once she dismissed the Third Young Lady, the Eldest Madam found it even harder to close her eyes that night.
—
Wen Shuse’s free spending had finally caught Xie Shao’s attention as well.
He looked at his little wife sitting beside the bed, her brows dancing with excitement as she planned their future with him. “This courtyard is still a little too small. It’s suitable for you and me to live in, but once Grandmother and your father and mother arrive, it will be somewhat tight.”
She had already thought it through. After all, this was the Eastern Capital, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. Besides, for the second branch of the Xie family alone, there was no need for a residence as large as the one in Fengcheng.
“Let’s live in a residence with seven courtyards, with a rear garden.”
She had already gone to look at one of the residences Uncle An had bought last time. It was about the same size as the Wen Mansion in Fengcheng and was very suitable.
Xie Shao was half-reclining on the bed, having just drunk the medicine she had handed him. The bitterness spread from his mouth all the way into his heart, and for a long while, he could not say a word. He knew about everything she had been busy with outside these past two days.
All three meals a day were delivered from Mixian Tower. Quite a few furnishings had been added to the room as well. He had also heard that the proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion had come to the door.
No matter how expensive these things were, the thousand taels of gold should be enough for her to fuss with for a while.
Had he not worked so hard precisely so she could eat well and dress well? But he hadn’t anticipated her suddenly wanting to buy a house.
Naturally, he knew what housing prices in the Eastern Capital were like. Not wanting to extinguish her hopes with a single blow, he asked tactfully, “How much is a seven-courtyard house?”
“The one we’re buying has a good location and a good environment. It’s not far from Xiangguo Temple, so even without leaving the house, we can hear the sound of sutras being chanted. In the future, it’ll also be convenient to go worship the Bodhisattva and burn incense…”
So, she had already picked out the location.
His heart hanging in suspense, he asked again, “How much silver?”
“Three thousand eight hundred eighty-eight guan. The residence is newly built and hasn’t been decorated yet. If Husband thinks it’s suitable, I’ll have people start work tomorrow…”
Xie Shao’s eyelid twitched, and his heart sank sharply.
A thousand taels of gold was equal to ten thousand taels of silver, altogether ten thousand guan. And only two days had passed…
With this sort of budgeting from her, he feared that before his injury had even healed, his wallet would already be empty again.
Though he didn’t want to pour cold water on her dreams, after having lived through days when he had only a few taels of silver to his name and couldn’t even afford to buy her a few new sets of clothes, he could only harden his heart and first cut off her dream.
“Chancellor Xie holds the highest first-rank office, and his salary is even higher than mine. Second Madam comes from a great incense-and-spice merchant family in Yangzhou. When they come to the Eastern Capital, do you really think they’ll have trouble finding a place to live?” Her husband looked like the very picture of an unfilial son who forgot his mother once he had a wife. “If they want to live somewhere, can’t they buy one themselves?”
Seeing the shock on his little wife’s face, the young master seemed to realize his reaction made him look a bit too much like an ungrateful son. He touched the tip of his nose with the back of a finger and cleared his throat lightly, then asked her, “Do you like living with them?”
His little wife didn’t understand what he meant.
Was that even a question? When her parents-in-law arrived, could they really live apart?
The young master continued, “Isn’t it nice, just the two of us? The more people there are, the less convenient it is, no matter how big the courtyard. Second Master Xie and Second Madam have strange temperaments and have always been difficult to serve. Even I, their own son, get treated as if my nose is not a nose, and my eyes are not eyes when I spend too long with them, let alone you as their daughter-in-law…”
The young lady stared blankly at him. A faint nervousness and fear slowly crept onto her face, and she was clearly beginning to hesitate.
To frighten her like this before she had even met her parents-in-law was truly a sin. But he had no other choice. For now, preserving their money was what mattered most. “This residence is perfectly fine for the two of us to live in. If you want to buy it, then go tell Aunt Qing. We’ll buy this place.”
Only after quite a while did Wen Shuse pull herself back from his words. Her expression was not very good, and she shook her head, murmuring, “I’m afraid this residence can’t be bought. It can only be rented to you.”
It belonged to the Wen family.
“Then we’ll keep renting it. It’s not like we’re short on money.” Now, for some reason, he suddenly spoke with utter shamelessness.
After recuperating for three days, the imperial physician came today and released the stagnant blood inside the wound. By night, he felt much more at ease. Taking advantage of this, he lay down on the bed. “There have been many guests these past two days. It has been hard on Wife to handle them all alone. Rest early.”
This time, Wen Shuse was quite straightforward. She nodded and rose. “Husband should rest early too.”
She walked out in a daze, her heart already thrown into turmoil by his words.
This was her first time being someone’s daughter-in-law, and she had absolutely no experience. After hiding away and enjoying peace for so long, the ugly daughter-in-law finally had to meet her parents-in-law. How could she not be nervous?
Her own mother had also passed away early, so she did not know how she should get along with a mother-in-law. Besides, she had heard no small number of stories about matters between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, sisters-in-law and aunts by marriage.
It was precisely because of this that she had wanted to marry into the Ming family. With Madam Ming and Ming Wanrou there, she would not have had to worry.
What should she do now?
Was Second Madam really that difficult to get along with? So difficult that even her own son could not bear seeing her?
Her heart grew more and more panicked, and she asked Aunt Qing, “If my parents-in-law don’t like me, what should I do?”
Though Aunt Qing had also never met the Second Master and Second Madam of the Xie family, she thought the principle should be the same and comforted her. “Our Miss is beautiful and has such a good personality. Who wouldn’t like such a lovable person?”
Taking ten thousand steps back, she added, “As long as Young Master likes you and supports Miss in front of Second Master and Second Madam, what parents would refuse to give their son face…”
These words stumped Wen Shuse.
Young Master liked her?
Did Xie Shao like her? It seemed he had never said so before…
Should she go ask him?
It was truly unbearable.
Whenever something weighed on her heart, she had never been able to let it sit overnight. Only then did she recall that she had just been muddle-headedly chased out again, and so she gathered her belongings in her arms and turned back toward the inner courtyard.
These past few days, quite a few servants have been added to the residence. Seeing her come over with such imposing momentum, they hurriedly lowered their eyes and curtsied. “Madam.”
“All of you, leave.”
“Yes, Madam.”
The lamp inside the room was still lit. Wen Shuse held a gauze lantern in one hand and her clothes in the other, standing before the door as she first called out, “Husband…”
Xie Shao had been lying in bed all day. Having slept too much, how could he still be sleepy? Once his little wife left, he could no longer sit still either and called Minzhang inside. “How much silver has Third Young Madam spent these past few days?”
Turning his head to look over, his gaze suddenly paused.
Minzhang had just finished bathing and had changed into a new bright sapphire-blue outfit. The fabric was good, but the style and embroidery were very ordinary, and at a glance, the waist was too small.
Minzhang also seemed somewhat uncomfortable. He drew in a breath. “I will have to go calculate…”
“Come back.” They had been poor all this time, and Minzhang had suffered alongside him. Now that they had finally gotten through it, he could not treat him unfairly either. “Who made these clothes? The measurements don’t even fit. Don’t wear them anymore. Throw them out. Tomorrow, go to Third Young Madam and collect some silver, then have a few more sets made for yourself…”
Minzhang stood there without answering, his expression somewhat troubled.
“What’s wrong?”
“It was made by the Third Young Madam a few days ago.” Minzhang lowered his head and glanced at it, feeling that it was actually quite nice. “Aside from being a little tight, I like it very much.”
Xie Shao furrowed his brows. His gaze moved from top to bottom, looking over the robe once more. The embroidery at the lapel, though the stitches were not careless, was only a few ordinary bamboo leaves. At a glance, one could tell it had been rushed to completion…
But these were all secondary. Xie Shao asked, “When did Third Young Madam give it to you?”
Minzhang did not notice anything unusual. “Before Young Master was injured, she gave it to me, saying that my clothes were old and that she had made a set for me.”
So, it had already existed before he was injured…
She really was considerate. She had even thought of his young servant, yet to this day, he himself had still never worn any new clothes she had made.
And he had thought of buying clothes for her as soon as he entered the city. What about her…
“That outfit doesn’t suit you. Take it off and give it to me. You can go have a few more sets made for yourself.”
Tomorrow, he would wear it himself and let her see exactly how she had been mistreating him.
Minzhang froze.
“What, unwilling?”
It was only one outfit. No matter how much he liked it, if his master wanted it, he had to give it. Minzhang nodded. “Very well. I will go change out of it now.”
The clothes had been seized, but his heart felt blocked in waves. That heartless wife had never had him in her heart at all…
Speaking of the devil… He had only just finished cursing her in his heart when his little wife’s voice sounded outside the door.
His forehead throbbed twice. For the moment, he truly did not want to deal with her, so he lay on the bed and pretended not to hear.
But the young lady did not give up. One call after another came from outside. “Husband, Husband… I know you’re not asleep. You lie down for so long during the day, so you definitely can’t sleep either. I can’t sleep either. I just want to come in and talk with my husband for a while. I don’t mean anything else.”
Talk about what? Talk about how she had thought to prepare new clothes for Minzhang, but had not thought of him?
After not hearing his response for a long time, the young lady began knocking on the door. “Husband…”
Minzhang, having changed his clothes, returned from the outer room. He had neatly folded the robe from earlier and placed it on the small wooden table. Raising his head to glance at the person feigning sleep on the bed, he said, “Young Master, Third Young Madam is calling you.”
Xie Shao opened his eyes in an instant.
Did he not have ears? Could he not hear? Did Minzhang need to tell him?
“Go to sleep.”
Minzhang did not dare make another sound. He went to the outer room, keeping his eyes open and waiting to see how long his master could hold out.
The young lady outside suddenly stopped knocking. She went to the window lattice of the inner room. “Has Husband gone to sleep? Then sleep peacefully. Don’t mind me at all. I’ll just sit outside the room. The wind tonight happens to be strong and cool. I’ll enjoy it for the whole night.”
After that, there was not the slightest sound.
Xie Shao turned his head. Outside, everything was quiet.
She had even thought of using this relentless, pestering tactic. But when it came to this stubborn little donkey of a young lady, there seemed to be nothing she could not do.
He endured for a while, but in the end, he still could not hold back. Too embarrassed to call Minzhang, he remembered that across from the inner room, there was a window, opening it would let him see what was going on outside.
On light feet, he made his way to the window. There was still not the slightest movement.
Removing the wooden latch, he pushed outward, and the window opened. Sure enough, at a glance, he saw his little wife sitting on the steps before the door.
Hearing the movement, the young lady turned back in time. Their eyes met through the hazy night. The next moment, he heard the young lady cry out in alarm, “Why has Husband gotten up? Hurry and go lie down. You mustn’t touch your wound, and don’t let the wind blow on you either. Be careful not to catch a cold.”
From the moment he opened the window, Xie Shao knew he was finished. At this moment, he looked at her in defeat. “What do you want now?”
“I’m enjoying the wind. Can’t Husband tell?” Wen Shuse twisted her neck to speak to him. “I haven’t made any noise either, so I shouldn’t be disturbing Husband. Go back to sleep. Don’t mind me.”
This shameless, clingy manner of hers was a level above even his own.
One could only say that he had committed too much evil in the past, and retribution had finally come. She had clearly come to suppress him. He steadied his emotions and said gently, “Go back and sleep. Whatever it is, we can talk about it tomorrow.”
“Why must Husband insist that I go back? I’m sitting here enjoying the wind and not interfering with your sleep. The wind blows down from heaven; it doesn’t belong to Husband. If you act like this, don’t blame me for letting my thoughts run wild.”
He actually wanted to hear how she was going to let her thoughts run wild, so he stood there and waited for what she would say next.
She did not disappoint him either. Turning around to face the person inside, she asked, “Let me ask Husband. If I sit here tonight, will Husband truly be unable to sleep?”
Was that not nonsense?
With her sitting in front of the door, how could he sleep?
Seeing that he did not speak, as if tacitly admitting it, Wen Shuse became even more spirited and continued asking him, “Does Husband now feel as though you can’t stop worrying? As if you can hardly resist coming out and dragging me in from this cold ground?”
She was so silver-tongued that Xie Shao was already out of moves.
“I understand now.” The young lady smiled at him. “You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”
She had finally discovered her conscience and understood his feelings. “Since you know, then get up.”
“All right.” The young lady instantly rose from the ground, hugged the clothes in her arms, and came to the window. Facing her husband across the window, her eyes shone brilliantly in the night. “I heard Elder Brother say, when you worry about someone, that means you like them.”
She suddenly leaned closer to him, lifted her head, and looked up at him. “Does Husband like me?”
It was too sudden.
As if someone had caught hold of the secret hidden in his heart, his chest thudded, missing two beats.
The young lady’s gaze was both expectant and confident.
He could be certain that as long as he nodded, that face of hers would bloom even brighter than a flower. If this had been yesterday, or before he had discovered Minzhang’s outfit, he would definitely have surrendered on the spot and admitted it, letting his little wife be happy to her heart’s content. But right now, there was clearly still a breath of resentment in his chest that had not smoothed out. His gaze lightly met the depths of her eyes. “And what about you, Wife? Do you like me?”
After saying it, his heart began to thump without his noticing.
“Yes, I like you.”
Too fast.
So fast there was no hesitation at all, and not the slightest bit of shyness either. It made one unable to see even a trace of sincerity. Unwilling to give up, he probed, “And Minzhang?”
Sure enough, the young lady said without any hesitation, “I like him too.”
The moment those words fell, Minzhang, who had been listening carefully next door, instantly changed expression. He flipped up from the couch and stood there nervously, not even daring to breathe.
Her husband’s mocking voice by the window drifted into the night wind. “What a generous heart my wife has. Like the sea accepting a hundred rivers, vast because it is tolerant. You certainly like so many people.”
With a bang, he shut the window panel without mercy, locking the young lady outside.
Eh?
Again? How many times had this happened now?
Last time, it seemed he had also shut her outside like this.
Wen Shuse stared at the tightly closed window before her, took a deep breath, and no longer had any good temper left. “Third Xie, are you being reasonable or not? Weren’t you the one who asked? Did I say anything wrong? I do like you, and I also like Minzhang.”
Before the storm had even settled, she poured more oil onto the fire. In the outer room, Minzhang wished he were dead.
He could only pray the Third Young Madam wouldn’t bring him up one more time.
Wen Shuse no longer wanted to reason with him. She stood directly before the door. “Third Xie, open the door. This is my room. On what grounds are you occupying it alone? The proprietress of Mingxiu Pavilion personally took my measurements today. My waist is only one chi and eight cun, very slim. The bed inside is at least more than five chi wide. I refuse to believe it isn’t enough for the two of us to lie on…”
Once she started making a fuss, the commotion was too great and drew the people outside in as well.
Several gauze lanterns slowly approached from behind. She knew it was most likely Aunt Qing and the maidservants from the residence.
At this point, she no longer cared about losing face. Better to embarrass herself tonight than to have her in-laws arrive tomorrow and find out they were sleeping in separate rooms, that would truly be humiliating.
Wen Shuse set the gauze lantern and her bundle of clothes in her arms onto the ground, rolled up her sleeves, adjusted the high coiffure on her head, then wound the silk shawl around her arm, fully preparing herself. One last time, she called out to the person inside the door. “Third Xie, are you opening the door or not? If you still don’t open it, I’m going to ram it down! I’m counting to three. One… two…”
The gauze lanterns behind her had also arrived nearby.
Wen Shuse drew in a breath and was just about to lift her foot.
“Daughter-in-law, step aside. I’ll do it!”
A hand beside her suddenly grabbed her arm and gently pulled her to the side. Before Wen Shuse could react, she saw a tall, slender woman step in front of her.