As Ruan Qingli was combing her hair, Fang Shubai came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
Their reflections appeared together in the bronze mirror. Leaning down, Fang Shubai buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply.
“A’Li, you smell wonderful.”
Ruan Qingli found him rather strange tonight. His breathing was heavy, and the way he looked at her seemed as though he wanted to devour her whole.
“Shubai, aren’t you studying tonight? Why did you come back to our room so early?”
Fang Shubai was still only a licentiate candidate preparing for the provincial examination, so he normally spent every evening studying.
“I missed you, so I came back. A’Li, have you made any new dudou lately? I’d like to see them.”
She found the request odd. In the past, whenever she had offered to show him, he had never been interested. Why was he suddenly asking tonight?
Shaking her head, she replied,
“Mother made seven or eight for me a while ago and told me to wear them for you in turn. I haven’t made any new ones recently.”
“Which one are you wearing today? I’d like to see it.”
Embarrassed though she was, Ruan Qingli reminded herself that they were husband and wife. She didn’t think she ought to refuse such a request.
So she loosened her inner robe and showed him the embroidered undergarment she was wearing.
Fang Shubai’s breathing grew uneven.
He stared silently for a long moment before suddenly pulling her robe closed again.
“It’s getting late, A’Li. Let’s go to bed.”
Lying in bed, Ruan Qingli felt strangely uncomfortable, as if she were floating among clouds—unable to rise, yet unable to descend. She tugged the blanket down slightly before finally feeling a little relief.
In the darkness, Fang Shubai lay with his back to her.
His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles whitened, and his eyes were red.
No…
Still nothing.
It still didn’t work.
After learning that Ruan Qingli could not bear children, Madam Zhou’s attitude toward her changed completely.
She couldn’t bear to see Ruan Qingli idle for even a moment, constantly ordering her about and loudly calling her a hen that couldn’t lay eggs. Passersby often slowed down to peek into the Fang family’s courtyard.
Whenever Ruan Qingli went to the market to buy vegetables, people pointed and whispered wherever she went.
“She really has thick skin. She can’t have children, yet she refuses to leave the Fang family. Young Master Fang is such a good man. I’ve heard he won’t even take a concubine because of her.”
“Exactly. Who knows what tricks she used? Young Master Fang won’t even listen to his own mother anymore. His mother tried several times to arrange for my daughter to become his concubine, but it never happened. It’s all because of that little temptress getting in the way.”
“Shh! She’s coming.”
Carrying her vegetable basket, Ruan Qingli stopped before a man selling free-range chickens.
“Uncle, how much is a chicken?”
“These ones are forty copper coins. Those over there are twenty.”
“Why such a big difference? Aren’t they all free-range chickens?”
“They’re different breeds. These ones lay eggs. Those don’t. Chickens that don’t lay eggs can only be raised for meat. Harvests were poor this year, so nobody wants to spend money on meat chickens. That’s why I’m selling them cheap. Even at half price, nobody wants the hens that can’t lay eggs. Miss, would you like one?”
The moment the vendor finished speaking, laughter erupted all around.
The chicken seller was from another town and knew nothing about Liu Town’s gossip. Seeing everyone laugh, he scratched his head.
“Did I say something wrong? What’s everyone laughing at?”
No one answered him.
They simply laughed harder.
Ruan Qingli’s face flushed scarlet.
The vendor didn’t understand what amused them.
She did.
They were mocking her as another worthless hen that couldn’t lay eggs.
Just then, a large hand placed forty copper coins into the vendor’s palm before picking up one of the meat chickens.
The vendor hurriedly said,
“Young master, you’ve paid too much. That chicken only costs twenty copper coins.”
Han Sheng replied,
“They’re all the same in my eyes. I want to pay forty for this one. What? Won’t you sell it?”
The vendor quickly nodded.
“Sell it? Of course I’ll sell it!”
Han Sheng carried the chicken away.
After turning the corner into a side alley, he casually tossed it aside, setting it free.
Ruan Qingli caught the chicken and hurried after him.
“Young Master Han! You dropped your chicken!”
Han Sheng turned to look at her.
“I don’t want it anymore. I can’t cook, so it’d be useless at home. If you want it, you can have it.”
With that, he walked away, leaving Ruan Qingli standing there holding the chicken in bewilderment.
Forty copper coins…
He had simply thrown it away?
That evening, the Fang family stewed the chicken, and the rich aroma drifted over the wall into the Han residence.
Han Sheng had just finished practicing a set of martial arts in the courtyard when he looked up and saw Ruan Qingli standing atop a ladder, peering over the wall.
She held a large bowl brimming with chicken.
“Young Master Han! Here’s your chicken!”
Looking up at her, Han Sheng couldn’t help but let the corners of his mouth curl upward.
“Madam Fang… did you burn down your kitchen?”
His question completely baffled her.
One thing about Ruan Qingli was that whenever she couldn’t understand someone’s meaning, she answered honestly.
“No. It’s just that the wind was blowing the wrong way today, so the firewood was a little difficult to light. But don’t worry—the chicken isn’t burnt. You should eat it while it’s hot.”
Seeing how determined she was to return the chicken, Han Sheng stopped refusing.
With his tall frame and long arms, he simply reached upward and easily accepted the bowl.
“Thank you.”
Ruan Qingli smiled.
“There’s no need to thank me. It was your chicken to begin with. If anyone should be saying thank you, it should be me. Thank you for helping me out today.”
Han Sheng’s lips curved upward once more.
“Madam Fang, sometimes the inability to have children isn’t necessarily the woman’s fault. You should have your husband examined as well.”
Ruan Qingli didn’t understand what he meant, but she politely thanked him anyway before climbing back down the ladder.
When Aunt Zhang came to help carry the dishes, she laughed until she bent over.
“Oh my, Young Madam! What happened to your face? You look just like a little tabby cat. Hurry and wash up. I’ll take these dishes inside.”
Ruan Qingli hurried back to her room and picked up the bronze mirror.
Her face was streaked with black soot from top to bottom, making her look even more comical than an opera clown.
Only then did she understand why Han Sheng had been trying so hard not to laugh.
How embarrassing!
When she entered the dining hall for supper, Fang Xiuxiu asked,
“Sister-in-law, where’s the chicken? I clearly saw Aunt Zhang slaughter one earlier. Why isn’t there any on the table?”
Madam Zhou also glared at her with obvious displeasure.
Ruan Qingli answered,
“We did stew a chicken, but it belonged to Young Master Han next door. Since he doesn’t know how to cook, I helped prepare it for him.”
The moment Han Sheng’s name was mentioned, Fang Xiuxiu’s face instantly turned bright red.
Setting down her chopsticks, she eagerly asked,
“Sister-in-law, Constable Han actually spoke to you? He usually ignores everyone. If you ever bring him anything again, can I go instead?”
Madam Zhou slammed her chopsticks onto the table.
“You’re still an unmarried girl. Why would you meet another man? Your sister-in-law has no sense of propriety, but must you learn from her as well?”
Hearing those words, Ruan Qingli immediately defended herself.
“Shubai was the one who told me to cook the chicken and take it over. He said Constable Han is an official, and it would only benefit our family to stay on good terms with him. If you don’t believe me, ask Shubai.”
Fang Shubai immediately chimed in,
“Mother, it was indeed my idea. In a few days I’m leaving for the county to take the examination, and there’s something I’d like Constable Han’s help with.”