"Six thousand taels for one trip! Don't try to fool me—I'm not a three-year-old child."
Shen Qi stared at the swaying horse's tail, pondering for half the journey before earnestly arriving at this conclusion.
"Ah, you saw through it so quickly!"
Xie Yuduo deliberately put on a look of chagrin, making Shen Qi so exasperated that she laughed and punched him.
"Hmph, if it were true, why would your family still run a herbal medicine shop? No shop could earn that much money in a year."
"Well, that's true enough."
Xie Yuduo didn't argue, nodding seriously.
The more unhurried he was, the more anxious Shen Qi grew, forgetting even to help him watch the road.
Originally held in his arms, she managed with some difficulty to turn around, frowning tightly as she threatened him.
"Tell me, tell me quickly! No fooling around!"
Xie Yuduo lowered his head, looking at his wife's face all scrunched up in a frown—utterly adorable—and simply leaned in to give her a firm kiss.
Shen Qi was instantly flustered by the kiss.
This was a public road!
She quickly let go, looking around nervously. Fortunately, this stretch of road passed through farmland, with harvested fields on both sides and no one around.
"Hmph!"
Seeing his wife genuinely annoyed, Xie Yuduo wrapped her securely in his arms again, his tone sincere.
"It's true, I'm not deceiving you. If you still don't believe me, I'll hand over all my private savings to you when we get back, alright?"
Trapped in his embrace, Shen Qi asked hesitantly, "Really… really true?"
"Truer than pearls."
"Then… how much silver do you have in total?"
Xie Yuduo leaned close to her ear again and whispered a number.
This time, Shen Qi was completely stunned. Nestled in his arms, she didn't dare make a sound for a long while.
"No one at home knows. Besides you, I've never told anyone else—not even Father. These past few days, you've seen what the household is like. Aside from our own immediate family, those in the West Courtyard would gladly scoop every coin from a boiling oil pot to stuff into their own pockets. If they knew I had this money, household unrest would be the least of it—scheming for wealth and harming lives would be the real danger."
"Then… why did you tell me?"
After a long pause, Shen Qi finally found her voice again.
"We've only just married, not even three days yet. Aren't you afraid I might be blinded by greed and scheme for your wealth and life?"
"You're different. You and I are husband and wife, bound together in life and death. You're not just my family—you're the one who holds my heart. I respect you, love you, and see you as my heart, my life. In my eyes, as long as you're by my side, I wouldn't fear losing all my silver. How could I fear telling you?"
That low, gentle voice, like a vow yet also like a temptation, was likely to be etched into Shen Qi's heart for the rest of her life.
Seeing Shen Qi silent, Xie Yuduo added, "When we get home, I'll give you the banknotes to keep."
"No, I don't want them."
When Shen Qi spoke again, her voice carried a hint of tears.
"Eh, that's strange, little Yue'er. Why are you crying?"
"I… I'm… I don't dare take them."
Shen Qi secretly wiped the tears from her cheeks, not wanting him to see.
"It's not my silver. I don't want it. You keep it. I believe what you said is true."
Xie Yuduo rubbed his chin against Shen Qi's hair, his tone full of affection.
"Who said it's not your money? Once the silver enters my pocket, it's as good as in yours. Between you and me, do we need to distinguish what's yours and mine?"
As the carriage crossed the stone bridge, Baihe Town lay just five miles ahead.
Shen Qi thought for a moment and earnestly assured him, "Don't worry. Since you haven't told anyone about this silver, I won't tell a soul either—not even my own parents."
Xie Yuduo tilted his head, looking at her.
Shen Qi was serious, not a trace of a smile on her face, only the faint marks of tears from earlier crying.
"That mountain path you mentioned—so dangerous, so far… You traveled it for so many years, made so many trips. This silver must have been earned with your very life. I will cherish it, treasure it, and protect it. What you said about not flaunting wealth—I’ve taken it to heart."
Seeing the tear stains in her eyes, a wave of emotion surged in Xie Yuduo’s heart.
Then, he leaned in and kissed her.
He couldn’t help himself.
He didn’t care if anyone was on the road, didn’t care where the horse was headed—he just wanted to kiss her, to hold her close, heedless of any onlookers or the horse’s path.
Earnestly, fervently, without restraint.
She returned his kiss with equal sincerity, equal passion.
This time, neither held back. By the time the long kiss ended, both were breathless, their hair and clothes disheveled.
…
Fortunately, by the time the carriage entered Baihe Town, Shen Qi had already combed her hair, straightened her clothes, and done her best to regain her composure.
As for Xie Yuduo, although his attire was neat, the smile on his face simply wouldn’t fade, making him look rather suspicious.
Luckily, Shen Qi’s parents were so overjoyed at their daughter’s return that they didn’t notice him at all.
The family was finally reunited, and with the new son-in-law visiting for the first time, the Shen Family treated the occasion with great solemnity. Even the little brother, who was usually as wild as a mud monkey, was tidied up, dressed in brand-new clothes, and his hair neatly combed.
The sumptuous feast prepared by the Shen Family went without saying, and fragrant Jinhua wine had long been readied. Father and Eldest Brother Shen Shao were fully prepared to drink the new son-in-law under the table.
By the time Father, Eldest Brother, and the new son-in-law had drunk their fill, the little monkey Shen Ji had reverted to his true nature, bouncing around without a moment’s peace.
Shen Qi sat in the rear courtyard, showing the gifts she had brought to her mother and Sister-in-law. Once they had looked them over, the three women sat together to share intimate conversation.
Mother held her daughter’s hand and asked her every detail.
From Old Madam of the Xie family, to Father-in-law, to Second Uncle and Second Aunt, then to the elder and younger sisters-in-law, and even the cousins and their wives—she even inquired about the temperament of the household servants and whether Shen Qi got along with them.
Naturally, Shen Qi focused on the positive, emphasizing how Old Lady Wu doted on her, how Father-in-law valued her, and how the elder and younger sisters-in-law all liked her very much.
She spoke with confidence, for it was the truth.
As for Second Uncle’s family, she glossed over them briefly.
Even though Shen Qi painted the Xie family in the best possible light, Mother still listened with unease.
Several times, she seemed on the verge of saying something but hesitated, too embarrassed to ask directly.
Finally, when her daughter-in-law Qiao went outside to fetch some fruit, she leaned close to Shen Qi’s ear and asked the question that worried her most.
Hearing it, Shen Qi slowly blushed crimson.
Zhang Shi feared her daughter might have reservations: "Don't worry, if he truly has any issues, your father and I will annul this engagement for you, even if we have to take it all the way to the county magistrate."
Shen Qi was both amused and exasperated. Seeing her mother's worried expression, she still replied softly.
"He… is very good. We… are very good."