The exquisite dishes were reheated again and again.
The man seated at the head of the table grew increasingly grim.
Seeing this, Yun Bai ventured cautiously, "Marquis, the Madam may have been delayed by something. Perhaps I could send a few men to look for her—"
"She promised me she would return at noon to dine with me." The man gave a faint curl of his lips, his brows slightly lowered, carrying an indescribable sense of pressure. "Take the dishes down and reheat them again."
Though the skies outside were clear and bright, cold sweat still soaked Yun Bai's back. After stepping out, he shot a meaningful glance at the two guards by the door, who hurriedly acknowledged and departed.
As for Li Wan, Li Qingchen had taken them to the capital's most renowned restaurant. The first floor was lively and bustling with a mixed crowd, while the second floor was utterly quiet. Naturally, Li Wan and the others were seated upstairs.
On the round purple-glazed table were ten dishes in total—eight of them were Li Wan's favorites, and two were Pei Zhao's: sweet and sour pork ribs and amber-colored roast suckling pig.
With her daughter's soft Wu dialect murmuring in her ears and her elder brother's clear, warm laughter, Li Wan sat stiff as a board in such an atmosphere. Sweat kept seeping from her forehead and palms. She quietly lowered her head and dabbed at her palms with a handkerchief.
This small gesture caught Li Qingchen's attention. His brows curved gently, his voice warm and mellow. "Wanwan, why are you sweating? Is the brazier in the room burning too hot?"
How could Li Wan dare tell him that there was a man waiting at home for her to return for a meal? She gave a faint tug at the corners of her mouth and nodded reluctantly.
Li Qingchen watched her with a composed gaze for a moment, then turned to Pei Zhao. "Zhaozhao, can you go play outside by yourself for a bit? Your uncle has a few words he'd like to say to your mother alone."
Pei Zhao was a very well-behaved girl who knew her boundaries. Though she wished her uncle would continue telling her about military strategy, since he had matters to discuss with her mother, she certainly couldn't intrude.
To give her mother and uncle some private space, she took her little maid downstairs to listen to music on the first floor.
Once they had left, Li Qingchen fixed his gaze unblinkingly on Li Wan and asked, "Wanwan, have you been well lately?"
"I've been quite well."
They had truly grown distant.
Li Qingchen sighed silently to himself, yet his expression grew even gentler. His appearance was entirely different from Pei Qing's—he was refined and composed. He asked, "Then… has he treated you well?"
"Brother, what are you saying? My husband and I are harmonious in our marriage—he treats me very well." At these words, Li Wan grew slightly agitated, her beautiful eyes crinkling as she spoke.
"That's good." Li Qingchen stroked the white jade pendant at his waist and sighed to himself. "Lately, I keep thinking of those days in Qingzhou when you and I depended on each other. Back then, Wanwan always told her brother, 'I can give up anything, but I cannot give up my brother.' I imagine Wanwan has forgotten all about that by now."
"Brother, I was young back then." Li Wan felt a little embarrassed at his words, and her voice unconsciously carried a hint of softness and intimacy.
"So now you're willing to call me brother?" A smile instantly appeared on Li Qingchen's face as he teased her.
Li Wan's eyelashes trembled lightly like butterfly wings. The truth was, the man had been jealous of Li Qingchen far too many times, so in public, Li Wan deliberately kept her distance from Li Qingchen.
Li Qingchen suppressed the urge to ruffle her hair. "Wanwan, your brother has said before—I will always be your support. For your sake, I would give up all fame and fortune. If you are not well-treated in the Marquis's household, I can take you back to Qingzhou at any time."
"He treats me very well—please don't worry, brother." Li Wan shook her head, her brows curving into a smile, her voice carrying laughter as well. "I see it's getting late, so I'll take Zhaozhao home now."
Li Qingchen nodded and watched her leave.
The moment she was out of Li Qingchen's sight, Li Wan immediately gathered up a corner of her skirt and dashed toward the first floor like a fluttering butterfly. Only two words occupied her mind—
I'm doomed.
Downstairs, Pei Zhao was cracking melon seeds and listening to the music. Seeing her mother rushing over so hurriedly that even her cloud-like hair bun was askew, she quickly walked over. "Mother."
This was the first time she had ever seen her mother so flustered.
Li Wan's face was flushed, her breathing erratic. She glanced at the sugar-roasted chestnuts in Pei Zhao's hand. "Zhaozhao, Mother needs to borrow your sugar-roasted chestnuts today. I'll buy you more another day."
Pei Zhao: "…"
She smiled sweetly. "Mother, what are you saying? What's mine is yours."
By the time Li Wan returned to Yongkang Marquis's residence, it was already past one in the afternoon. She guessed the man must have already finished his meal. She wasn't sure if he could still stomach the warm sugar-roasted chestnuts in her hands.
But when she saw the people standing at the residence's gate, Li Wan's heart sank—because she recognized the guards at the man's side.
"Madam, the Marquis is waiting for you in the main hall." Seeing Li Wan, a guard stepped forward respectfully.
Li Wan's smile was somewhat strained as she said she understood. She turned to tell Pei Zhao to return to her room first, then followed the guard back to the main hall.
Yun Bai outside the courtyard saw her as if she were a lifeline, desperately signaling her with his eyes, "Madam, you've finally returned. The Marquis has been waiting for you for a long time."
Li Wan hesitated, not really wanting to go inside.
He still hadn't eaten by now—he must be angry.
The person inside may have grown tired of waiting, and spoke in a gentle voice, "Wanwan is back, why not come in?"
Li Wan knew she couldn't avoid it any longer. She walked stiffly into the room.
Inside, the man was lazily reclining in the armchair, eyes slightly closed, like a solemn and imposing statue.
"Husband, I'm back." Li Wan walked lightly to his side, her voice as gentle as the drizzle of March.
Hearing her soft, tender voice, Pei Qing opened his eyes. His pupils were pitch-black, his smile warm. "Wanwan is back. You've been out for so long—you must be hungry, right?"
Li Wan's lips trembled slightly. She wanted to say she'd already eaten, but meeting the man's calm, obsidian-like phoenix eyes, she chose to remain silent.
At Pei Qing's command, servants filed in one after another, and one exquisite steaming dish after another filled the golden nanmu table. Among them, the Exquisite Peony Sliced Raw Fish and Crab-Stuffed Orange were placed right in front of Li Wan—these were her two favorite dishes because of their refreshing taste. But today, facing these two dishes, she had no appetite at all.
Because she was already full.
Pei Qing, however, was casually peeling crab meat. His fingers were long and slender, with clearly defined knuckles, and even peeling crab was a pleasing sight.
Seeing Li Wan staring at him, Pei Qing's thin lips curled slightly. "Wanwan, why aren't you eating?"
"Husband, you should eat more." Li Wan quickly averted her gaze and placed a few dishes into his bowl.
The smile at the corners of Pei Qing's mouth grew even wider. He put a few pieces of crab meat into her bowl, then added several other dishes. Soon, the food in Li Wan's bowl piled up like a small mountain. If the woman hadn't noticed something was off by now, she would have been a fool.
She silently picked up a piece of crab meat and stuffed it into her mouth, then took a sip of peach blossom porridge. Her mouth tasted nothing at all—she truly couldn't eat any more.
Li Wan furrowed her brows slightly, took a deep breath, and looked at Pei Qing. "Husband, my stomach feels a bit uncomfortable. I'd like to go rest first. You take your time eating."
With that, Li Wan abruptly stood up, about to make her escape, when the man spoke unhurriedly, "Is your body uncomfortable, or have you already eaten your fill outside?"
The man also stood up, his tall and imposing frame completely enveloping Li Wan in his embrace. He reached out, grabbed one of Li Wan's arms, and scooped her up horizontally. Li Wan let out a startled cry and instinctively wrapped her arms around Pei Qing's neck.
Pei Qing took the opportunity to lower his head and kiss Li Wan's lips. Before she could react, he had already pried open her teeth, frantically drinking the sweetness from her mouth. But just for a moment, Pei Qing suddenly raised his head, carried Li Wan back to the armchair he had been sitting in, and gently stroked his wife's delicate red lips with his slender fingertips. "Wanwan, have I ever told you that I don't like you eating red bean cakes?"
"I also don't like you meeting with Li Qingchen."
Red bean cakes were Li Wan's favorite dessert before she married. Back then, every time Li Qingchen went to the academy to study, he would bring red bean cakes for Li Wan.
Li Wan certainly knew, but she didn't want to accept it, and she couldn't possibly accept it. She furrowed her willow-leaf-like slender brows slightly and explained to the man, "But he is my brother."
"Which brother would casually enter his sister's private chambers? Which brother would marry a dying wife after his sister's marriage and never remarry for ten years afterward?" Pei Qing suddenly laughed, amused by his wife's innocence and naivety. "Wanwan, can you explain that?"
Li Wan couldn't explain, her breathing just quickened slightly.
"Be good. Don't meet Li Qingchen anymore from now on." Seeing that she remained silent, Pei Qing's expression softened a little.
His wife—having him and a pair of children was enough. Li Qingchen bore the surname Li, but in the end, he was an outsider.
Li Wan furrowed her brows. "No…"
Pei Qing was still smiling, but his voice was somewhat deep. "Wanwan, do you really want me to say it a second time?"
Here it comes again, here it comes again…
Li Wan's head ached. He really did like to manage her as if she were his daughter, but she had the ability to discern right from wrong, and besides, that person was her elder brother. She struggled to get down from the man's embrace, but Pei Qing pressed down on her wrist, his brows furrowing. "Wanwan, I'm doing this for your own good. We've been husband and wife for twenty years—have I ever harmed you? Are you trying to argue with me today over an outsider?"
They should have been the closest people in this world, but his Wanwan had too many people in her heart. Her feelings for him were far less than what he had given her.
Since she was so disobedient and always forgot whose wife she was, then he would take back from her the part he was lacking.
Pei Qing stopped reasoning with her. With one hand gripping her wrist and the other tapping the round table, he said, "Bring it up."
Bring what up…
Li Wan furrowed her brow slightly and followed his gaze. Outside the room, Yun Bai had already knocked and entered, carrying a bowl of something in his hands. As he drew closer, Li Wan could see it was a bowl of dark, steaming medicinal broth.
Li Wan's face turned pale. She grabbed Pei Qing's rigid arm in return. "Pei Qing, calm down."