“General, everything has been handed over to Madam,” Luo Yan entered the study and reported in a low voice.
“Mhm,” Shen Hanxing responded faintly.
He lowered his gaze to the official documents. After a while, he heard the gradually approaching footsteps outside the study, the deliberate light footsteps of a young girl.
Shen Hanxing’s hearing was always very sharp, coupled with his martial arts training making him more sensitive to his surroundings. This meant that earlier on, in the corridor, he had clearly heard what Shen Li had said in a lowered voice.
He didn’t care whether anyone had proposed marriage to Lin Xingxue, nor did he care what she did.
He could guess the meaning behind Shen Li’s hints, but he refrained from influencing Lin Xingxue’s thoughts.
Shen Hanxing listened to those boring words, without even considering going out to confront Shen Li.
He was just about to leave out of boredom when he suddenly heard the maid next to the young woman saying sternly, “Madam said, the general is kind and wouldn’t kill indiscriminately.”
Lin Xingxue unexpectedly stood up for him.
Not only did Shen Li freeze, but Shen Hanxing also had a momentary distraction upon hearing that statement.
He was accustomed to hearing malicious gossip and didn’t care at all.
Regardless of what those people said behind his back, they never dared to confront him directly. They were just a group of opportunists, and he couldn’t be bothered to exert the effort to punish them, let alone argue with them.
However, he didn’t expect that the slender girl, who had been bullied by him just last night, would defend him in front of others today, saying he was kind.
He thought the girl was probably a bit foolish, or else she wouldn’t see him as a good person.
Thinking like this, he still pushed the wheelchair and moved out.
Even though he spoke such cruel words, the moment the girl laid eyes on him, she still lifted a radiant smile
Shen Hanxing thought that her acting skills were impressive, but it would be best for her not to reveal her true colors. Otherwise, he wouldn’t care about any imperial decree for marriage.[1]
The footsteps from outside the study approached the door, then stopped. It was quiet for a while, before a soft knocking sound broke the silence.
Luo Yan opened the door and saw Lin Xingxue, smiling as he asked, ‘Madam, is there something you need?’
The general usually disliked being disturbed when in the study, so Luo Yan didn’t step aside but instead inquired about Lin Xingxue’s purpose.
Understanding that she wasn’t allowed to enter the study casually, Lin Xingxue realized that this morning, she was probably only allowed in to help grind ink because she happened to be outside.
“Lunch is ready. Madam wanted to ask if the general would like to join for the meal,” Wu Tong asked on her behalf.
Luo Yan turned to look at Shen Hanxing, seeing no response, indicating a negative answer.
“Madam, please go ahead and have lunch.”
That was a polite way of refusal.
Feeling a bit disappointed, Lin Xingxue knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to disturb him any further. She handed a note to Luo Yan and turned away.
Luo Yan placed the note on the desk, and Shen Hanxing casually glanced at it. He saw two words written in an elegant penmanship : Thank you.
Thank you for being willing to burn Di Long, and also thank you for delivering the medicine.
Even after finishing lunch, Shen Hanxing still did not leave the study.
Lin Xingxue took a short rest in the small room on the west side room, but eventually couldn’t bear her impatience and went to the small kitchen.
Luo Zhi was secretly eating leftover steamed buns in the kitchen when she suddenly heard someone coming in. She was startled for a moment, but when she turned around and saw that it was the beautiful new bride from last night, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She quickly finished the remaining steamed bun and her round eyes showed a playful smile, “Madam, are you hungry?”
Luo Zhi was going through a growth spurt, and she had a large appetite herself. Seeing the new bride looking delicate and slender, she thought she might be hungry too.
Lin Xingxue shook her head and handed over a piece of paper with “Cook noodles” written on it.
“Does Madam want noodles? I’ll go call the kitchen maid over.”
Lin Xingxue promptly stopped Luo Zhi, gesturing to herself and then pointing at the paper.
Lin Xingxue nodded, indicating Luo Zhi to look at the other side of the paper. On the reverse side were the ingredients she needed.
Not sure if the kitchen had these items and fearing she might not find them, Lin Xingxue wrote them down clearly on the paper.
Luo Zhi looked at the ingredients and realized that the new bride intended to cook on her own.
Lin Xingxue was skilled, and the kitchen already had pre-prepared noodles. Following the steps, she made two bowls of oil-splashed spicy noodles.
The sizzling sound of spicy oil hitting the fragrant wide noodles filled the kitchen.
Luo Zhi looked at the second bowl of spicy noodles meant for her, swallowed nervously, and couldn’t believe it. She asked, “Madam, is this bowl really for me?”
Lin Xingxue smiled and nodded.
When Lin Xingxue entered, Luo Zhi was eating steamed buns. While preparing for her, Luo Zhi clearly glanced at the buns but refrained from taking more. Thinking that there was plenty of noodles, Lin Xingxue decided to make an extra bowl.
Touched, Luo Zhi looked at the bowl of noodles and couldn’t help but excitedly hug Xingxue. “Wuwuwu, Madam, you’re really too kind.”
It was rare for a mistress to personally cook, let alone make food for the servants.
Lin Xingxue had no air of authority about her; she was approachable, resembling a gentle older sister from the neighborhood. Luo Zhi, overcome with excitement, couldn’t control her emotions. Once she realized her loss of composure, she let go of Lin Xingxue with a bit of guilt, afraid of being scolded.
Lin Xingxue, seeing her remorseful expression, gently patted her head, signaling her to eat.
She put the remaining bowl of spicy noodles in a food container, getting ready to take it back. However, Luo Zhi quickly took it from her, saying, “Let me do it. I’m strong enough.”
Indeed, Luo Zhi had more strength than her peers. She effortlessly carried the food container and walked confidently towards the main house. Upon arriving at the study’s door together, Lin Xingxue knocked on the door.
Luo Yan opened the door and was somewhat surprised to see Luo Zhi accompanying Lin Xingxue. However, he didn’t show it on his face as he asked, “Madam, what’s the matter?”
Luo Zhi handed the food container forward, saying, “Madam made these oil-splashed noodles herself, and they’re delicious.”
Made by Madam herself?
Luo Yan understood that this was probably just a superficial statement.
In prominent households, if the mistress claimed to have personally cooked, it usually meant she was standing by, directing the servants, and rarely getting her hands dirty. Considering Madam’s refined upbringing, it was even less likely for her to do such tasks.
As Luo Yan took the food container, Luo Zhi, seeing his expression, immediately understood what her brother was thinking. She raised her voice to add, “Brother, it’s true. Madam really made it herself. I was just assisting by passing her some ingredients.”
Luo Yan’s hand hesitated for a moment as he took the food container, but he managed to steady it in time.
He couldn’t help but show a surprised expression, not expecting the new Madam to actually be capable of cooking.
“Madam, thank you for your trouble. I will explain it to the General,” Luo Yan expressed his gratitude for Lin Xingxue’s efforts.
The General was often too busy to be disturbed, especially when in the study. Luo Yan wanted to persuade him to have a meal, but it was usually in vain.
However, the General treated Madam differently, and perhaps he would eat the noodles she made.
With this in mind, Luo Yan took the food container inside and deliberately presented the bowl of well-prepared oil-splashed noodles, placing it on a corner of the desk.
“General, these are noodles personally made by Madam. Would you like to have some?”
Luo Yan intentionally emphasized the “personally made by Madam” part loudly enough for Shen Hanxing not to miss it.
Shen Hanxing was about to decline when a pungent and spicy fragrance suddenly wafted to his nose. He turned his head to look at the bowl of oil-splashed noodles. The wide noodles covered in spicy oil looked fragrant and mouthwatering, with green vegetables adding a touch of freshness. The noodles were tinged with red oil, and inexplicably, it stirred his appetite.
After about a quarter of an hour, Luo Yan walked out of the study carrying an empty food container.
Lin Xingxue had been paying attention to the activities on his side. Wu Tong took the opportunity to inquire and came back with a smile, saying, “Madam, don’t worry, the General has finished eating.”
After receiving a positive response, Lin Xingxue couldn’t help but curve her eyes into a peach blossom shape, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.
With the warmth generated by burning Di Long in the room, it was easy for drowsiness to set in.
After dinner, Lin Xingxue prepared the medicinal herbs needed for the calming pill in the west side room while waiting for Shen Hanxing to return. She didn’t realize how tired she was until her eyelids started fighting against each other. In a daze, she walked towards the inner room, thinking of taking a short nap.
As the night deepened, Shen Hanxing, draped in the darkness, returned to the inner room. He glanced around the screen and saw the girl peacefully asleep under the blanket.
He furrowed his brow slightly, finally remembering that he had forgotten to instruct something.
Tonight, he had initially planned for her to sleep on the soft couch.
Shen Hanxing stared at her figure, raising his voice a bit as he called, “Lin Xingxue.”
One call clearly wasn’t enough to awaken the deeply sleeping girl.
He called her again, but she remained undisturbed.
Shen Hanxing felt the same powerless annoyance that he had experienced last night.
Last night, it was because she stubbornly refused to cover herself with the blanket, even though he had taken it. Tonight, it was because she had taken over his bed without any reaction.
With a gloomy gaze, Shen Hanxing felt the impulse to pick up the girl and throw her out.
He reached out from under the blanket, hooked Lin Xingxue’s waist, and moved her to the outer side.
The oblivious girl, still in a deep sleep, had no idea that someone was contemplating throwing her out. She held onto Shen Hanxing’s hand, sweetly sleeping.
As long as Shen Hanxing wished, he could free himself from Lin Xingxue’s grasp and throw her out by the waist.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the candle flame in the inner room flickered and suddenly went out.
On the spacious canopy bed, Lin Xingxue, wrapped in the quilt, slept on the inner side, with her fingers still entwined with someone’s pinky.
Shen Hanxing casually flicked her hand, tossing it away, and turned over to sleep.
The inner room was warm, and Lin Xingxue no longer experienced the nightmares of the previous night.
In her dreams, it was all warm spring days. She and Husband were flying kites on the peach blossom slope. Her husband smiled warmly at her and praised the beautiful kite she had made.
Lin Xingxue blushed shyly and secretly reached for Husband’s hand.
Outside the dream, she kicked away the quilt, reaching her hands into the outer blanket, and hugged Shen Hanxing’s waist tightly.
Shen Hanxing woke up from a light sleep, turned his head, and saw Lin Xingxue rolling out from under the quilt. She then, feeling cold, snuggled into his own blanket.
He pushed away her hands and tucked her back in.
Soon enough, the girl tangled herself around him again.
Gritting his teeth, Shen Hanxing pinched the back of Lin Xingxue’s neck[2], lowering his voice to scold her, “Lin Xingxue, do you want to die?”
The deeply asleep girl couldn’t respond and affectionately rubbed against his arm.
Shen Hanxing suddenly realized how foolish his previous decision was.
He had let this ignorant girl into his bed and allowed her to act recklessly.
He should have thrown her out, letting her endure a night of cold outside.
Suppressing his frustration, Shen Hanxing pulled Lin Xingxue back into her quilt, making sure the quilt wrapped her securely and restricting her movements before letting go and lying back down.
At dawn the next day, Lin Xingxue woke up in a daze. She tried to turn over but found herself tightly wrapped, unable to move.
Lin Xingxue looked bewilderedly at the quilt covering her and found that the quilt had wrapped around her entirely, making it impossible for her to move. She struggled within the quilt for a while before managing to untangle herself.
Lin Xingxue woke early today, and she glanced at the outer side and saw that Shen Hanxing had not yet risen; he seemed to be sleeping deeply.
Quietly approaching him, Lin Xingxue wanted to sneak a peek at him but suddenly noticed that Shen Hanxing’s complexion was not right.
Shen Hanxing looked pale, cold sweat on his forehead, brows tightly furrowed as if enduring immense pain.
Lin Xingxue became anxious. Fearing that Shen Hanxing might be trapped in a nightmare, she pushed him, attempting to wake him up.
Caught between the dream and excruciating pain, Shen Hanxing sensed someone approaching him.
He seized onto the only warmth, pulling the person into his arms with such force as if trying to melt that last bit of warmth into his bones.
[1] despite the fact that the emperor issued the decree for marriage, he wouldn’t care if he disobeyed the emperor and killed Lin Xingxue
[2] lol I’m imagining this in the way a mother cat holds it’s kittens by the scruff of its neck