After being dressed and made up, Cheng Chun looked quite exquisite. Even Cheng Chun herself found the person in the mirror somewhat unbelievable.
“Our Wuye has such good taste—Madam is truly beautiful!” Hongdou said with a smile as she looked at Cheng Chun before her.
Cheng Chun did not utter a word, merely lowering her head.
Hongdou did not say anything more either. Naturally, she knew that this madam was born into a farming family and likely had rarely even seen such cosmetics and powders. Before she had even entered the household, the servants in the courtyard were already gossiping, with all sorts of rumors circulating.
When Hongdou was assigned to take care of this madam, she had initially felt displeased. After all, she was merely a concubine, and a waishi at that. Once Wuye married in the future, what prospects could she possibly have?
But when Hongdou saw her timid demeanor, she was reminded of her own younger sister. A daughter from a farming family, who had never seen much of the world growing up, and who had been forced into marriage as a concubine out of necessity. It was then that Hongdou set aside some of her contempt and took good care of her.
After Cheng Chun arrived at this courtyard, she rarely left her room, spending her days inside, often staring blankly out the window. After several days like this, Hongdou couldn’t help but worry: “Madam, would you like to go out for a walk? This side courtyard is quite large, and there’s a small garden. At this time of year, the flowers are blooming beautifully. It would be nice to go out and see them!”
“No, I’m fine here.”
Though worried, Hongdou didn’t press further, merely doing her best to take care of Cheng Chun’s meals.
Wuwuye returned late one night. It happened to be raining heavily that day. When he entered the room, he was dripping wet, standing there in the middle of the room. Half-asleep, Cheng Chun only saw a shadowy figure standing there and was startled, instinctively letting out a loud scream.
Soon after, the entire courtyard lit up. Hongdou rushed in, her hair still half-tied, and saw Su Xubai, his face weary with exhaustion. “Wuye?”
By the faint light of the corridor, Su Xubai saw Cheng Chun curled up in a corner, clutching her blanket. He sighed helplessly and said, “Heat some water. I need to change my clothes.”
Cheng Chun had no idea how to serve someone, so Su Xubai went to the adjacent room to wash up. By the time he returned, the room was already lit, and Cheng Chun had gone to bed, carefully wrapping herself in the blanket and hiding in the corner of the bed.
Su Xubai felt guilty toward Cheng Chun and naturally did not blame her. He simply had someone bring a new blanket and slept beside her.
From beginning to end, Cheng Chun never lifted her head.
By the time the lights were extinguished, it was already the early hours of the morning, and the sky outside was beginning to brighten. Su Xubai lay in bed for a long time before finally speaking: “On the day of our wedding, I couldn’t make it back in time. I’m truly sorry. I rushed as fast as I could, just to make it in time for your Huimen day.”
Cheng Chun, who had been pretending to sleep, slowly opened her eyes.
“That day, I was harmed by bandits… It’s my fault. Not being able to give you the status of a proper wife is already my mistake. I couldn’t let you suffer further humiliation on your Huimen day.” Su Xubai’s voice was pleasant, soft and gentle, quite different from the shadowy figure of that day.
Cheng Chun still did not speak, but Su Xubai was not angered. He simply turned over and gently patted her back. “Sleep now. We have to wake up early tomorrow.”
Su Xubai must have been truly exhausted, as he fell into a deep sleep within moments. In contrast, Cheng Chun, who had been feigning sleep all along, found herself unable to drift off. When she finally managed to doze off, she was awakened less than an hour later to prepare for the day.
Having stayed up all night, Cheng Chun sat before the dressing table, her eyes heavy with sleep and barely able to stay open. Meanwhile, Su Xubai, who was dressing behind her, had slept soundly and appeared refreshed and energetic.
“Madam, did you have a restless night? Your dark circles are practically hanging down to your chin!” Hongdou teased as she helped Cheng Chun with her makeup.
Cheng Chun felt a bit embarrassed. “The rain outside was a bit noisy, so I didn’t sleep much!”
Everyone knew the real reason she hadn’t slept, but no one mentioned it. By the time Su Xubai had finished dressing, he walked over to Cheng Chun and naturally placed his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve had someone prepare the Huimen gifts. Once you’re ready, take a look. If anything is missing, don’t hesitate to have someone buy it. Don’t let yourself feel slighted.”
It was only then that Cheng Chun caught a glimpse of Su Xubai’s face in the mirror. He had a dignified appearance, fair skin, and smiling peach-blossom eyes that made him look exceptionally handsome at first glance.
Cheng Chun stared at Su Xubai’s reflection in the mirror, momentarily captivated. It took her a while to snap out of it. “Alright!”
Su Xubai could sense Cheng Chun’s lingering nervousness around him, so he stepped out of the room.
Only after he had left did Cheng Chun let out a sigh of relief.
Seeing this, Hongdou chuckled. “Madam, are you afraid of the Fifth Master?”
Cheng Chun looked up at Hongdou. “Your Fifth Master truly is as you described—like an immortal descended to earth. It’s hard not to feel a bit intimidated!”
“The Fifth Master is the kindest of all. He treats us servants with great gentleness, let alone you, Madam!” Hongdou said as she finished shaping Cheng Chun’s eyebrows.
Now that she was married, Cheng Chun could no longer wear the hairstyles of an unmarried girl. Instead, her hair had to be tied up. Hongdou, skilled with her hands, styled it into a fashionable Suiyun bun, adorned with hairpins and accessories. Paired with her makeup, Cheng Chun gazed at her reflection in the mirror and felt she had never looked so beautiful before.
Once everything was ready, Cheng Chun stepped out of the room. From head to toe, she was dressed in new attire. For Huimen, a bride was expected to wear red, but as a concubine, Cheng Chun was not allowed to wear the proper shade of red according to tradition. However, Su Xubai refused to let her feel slighted and had a proper red gown prepared for her.
Dressed this way today, she looked even more stunning and eye-catching than she had on her wedding day.
Su Xubai stood in the courtyard and turned around at the sound of footsteps, catching sight of Cheng Chun, now fully prepared. On the day of their wedding, he had been poisoned and in a hurry, so he hadn’t clearly seen her appearance, only sensing she was a delicate and charming young woman. Today, seeing her so radiant and lovely, he found himself momentarily lost in thought!
Songlan, the servant standing beside Su Xubai, glanced at his master and smiled. “Has the Master been dazzled by the sight?”
Su Xubai snapped back to reality and shot Songlan a glare. “You talk too much! Instead of wasting time, why don’t you go check if the carriage is ready?”
“Right away, sir!” Songlan chuckled and dashed off before Su Xubai could get angry.
The commotion wasn’t loud, but Cheng Chun, standing not far away, heard it clearly. She couldn’t help but blush, feeling somewhat flustered as she stood before Su Xubai. “Fifth Master, I…”
“You may call me ‘Langjun.’ If that feels awkward, I am the fifth in my family, so you can also call me ‘Fifth Master’ like the others do!” Su Xubai looked at Cheng Chun and said softly, “I recall your surname is Cheng, with the given name Chun, is that right?”