In less than fifteen minutes, the news that Shen Hanxing and Lin Xingxue slept in separate beds spread throughout the Hou residence. The first to receive the news were Nanny Kang and An Ling, who lived in the servant’s quarters in the front courtyard of the East Transverse Courtyard.
They were both maidservants arranged by Lady Han to accompany Lin Xingxue. Nanny Kang was an elderly servant of the Lin family who, in her daily life, arrogantly considered herself diligent and highly skilled. In recent years, her actions had become increasingly arbitrary and unpredictable.
Lady Han had assigned her to Lin Xingxue with the intention of manipulating this illegitimate daughter. Nanny Kang understood her role and was unwilling to wait idly in the front courtyard.
“You can rest assured that today, I and you will definitely be able to enter the inner courtyard to serve. Being rejected on just the second day of her marriage, she must be eager to seek our help,” Nanny Kang reassured An Ling while sitting in the main chair[1] cracking melon seeds.
The girl in green clothes standing aside shifted away with disdain, afraid that the saliva from the melon seed shells would touch her. She concealed her contempt in her eyes and gently said, “Nanny, Madam may be coming soon. Wouldn’t it be better for you to get up first?”
“Get up? Why should I get up? When she was in the Lin residence, did she dare to give me a hard time?” Nanny Kang spat out the melon seed shell with a disdainful sound, “Just a lowly illegitimate daughter, still under my control.”
Nanny Kang spoke even more recklessly, and outside the window, Wu Tong couldn’t help but take a step forward but restrained herself from rebuking Nanny Kang.
Lin Xingxue remained calm, listening to Nanny Kang’s disrespectful words.
During her time in the Lin residence, she had endured much more offensive and abrupt remarks. Now, just a few casual words like these failed to stir any waves in her heart.
Lin Xingxue approached with measured steps, and Wu Tong composed herself, suppressing any signs of anger.
Inside the room, An Ling heard the approaching footsteps and tugged at Nanny Kang’s sleeve, signaling that someone was coming. However, Nanny Kang ignored her, leisurely spitting out the last melon seed shell. Only when Lin Xingxue and Wu Tong entered did she finally rise, adjusting her sleeves.
On the other hand, An Ling showed a respectful attitude.
“Servant pays respects to Madam,” An Ling bowed to Lin Xingxue and then went to pour a cup of hot tea on the main table before stepping back to the side.
Nanny Kang looked at her with disdain, not understanding why she was being so obedient[2].
Lin Xingxue walked slowly to the main seat. Many melon seed shells were scattered on the floor, and Nanny Kang still had not bowed to her. Lin Xingxue remained unperturbed, picked up the teacup, gently swirled it, brushed away the tea froth, and took a sip.
Today, she wore a bright red dress that accentuated her fair and snowy skin. The pearl hairpin in her hair slightly swayed, presenting an elegant and upright posture.
Nanny Kang looked at her and, for a moment, felt that the once meek and gentle illegitimate daughter had transformed into someone she could no longer easily bully.
“Madam,” Nanny Kang addressed her directly without bowing.
Lin Xingxue, as if just noticing her, looked up at her and smiled gently, reminiscent of her demeanor in the Lin residence.
Nanny Kang instantly suppressed the absurd thoughts she had just entertained. She cleared her throat and continued, “I heard that General and Madam will be sleeping in separate beds today. Is this true?”
Her inquiry carried a tone of interrogation.
Lin Xingxue’s expression turned somewhat unpleasant. She pursed her lips, and lowered her head, unwilling to answer the question.
Seeing her in this state, Nanny Kang became more convinced that their marital relationship was strained. She took a few steps forward, adopting the appearance of an elder comforting a younger one, “I watched Madam grow up. Now, accompanying Madam into this Hou residence, of course, I hope for Madam’s well-being. It’s just that both An Ling and I are in the front courtyard currently, unable to assist Madam. We are uneasy every day..”
Uneasy enough to chew melon seeds every day?
Nanny Kang blabbered nonsense with open eyes, and Lin Xingxue didn’t expose her. She looked at Nanny Kang with a grateful expression.
Wu Tong timely spoke up, “Nanny, you might not know, but Madam is currently isolated and helpless in the courtyard. We thought you and Miss An Ling were unwilling to help, so we didn’t dare to speak up…”
“Willing, willing! How could we be unwilling?” Nanny Kang stood up excitedly, “Madam means for us to enter the inner courtyard to serve?”
Lin Xingxue nodded, “Yes.”
She stood up and walked to Nanny Kang, holding her hand and taking out a key, placing it in Nanny Kang’s hand.
“This is the key to Madam’s storage room. The dowry brought from the Lin residence is stored there. Madam doesn’t know how to handle accounts and is afraid of others coveting it. Nanny is an experienced person in the household and surely can help Madam,” Wu Tong whispered.
With the couple sleeping in separate beds and it was hard to believe the people in the East Transverse Courtyard, that’s why the two people sought help from the people of the Lin family.
Feeling that she had accurately guessed Lin Xingxue’s intentions, Nanny Kang gladly accepted the key, and her smile became much more sincere, “Madam, rest assured, this old servant will take good care of it.”
Having gained some benefits, Nanny Kang’s tone became more respectful, completely forgetting the matter she had promised to An Ling earlier.
An Ling, realizing that the old woman had completely forgotten about her, took a deep breath, maintaining a submissive appearance.
Wu Tong acted swiftly, arranging Nanny Kang and An Ling into the inner courtyard before noon.
Nanny Kang was mainly responsible for safeguarding the dowry and overseeing the small storage room, which made her job relatively relaxed. On the other hand, An Ling served as a maid for cleaning and didn’t attend closely.
Currently, everyone in the courtyard felt that Lin Xingxue had been neglected on the second day of her marriage. The gazes directed at her held a mix of sympathy and schadenfreude.
Lin Xingxue, however, paid no mind to those looks and, in the afternoon, entered the small kitchen in good spirits.
Upon entering the kitchen, she saw Luo Zhi struggling to identify various spices in front of a pile, with the two flower buds on her head slightly loose.
Hearing footsteps, Luo Zhi turned around, immediately becoming nervous. Her back faced the chopping board, and a guilty expression was written all over her face, “Madam, why are you here?”
Lin Xingxue thought Luo Zhi was sneakily eating steamed buns again. As she approached, she took out a note from her sleeve.
When she got closer, she saw a small bowl on the chopping board, its contents looking dark and mysterious. The other side held a larger bowl with noodles that had already clumped together.
Realizing that she couldn’t hide it, Luo Zhi moved aside with evident frustration, sheepishly scratching her head, “I’m too clumsy. I wanted to make a bowl of noodles for Madam, but I just couldn’t remember the steps from yesterday.”
Cooking noodles for her?
Lin Xingxue looked at Luo Zhi in confusion, thinking that the failed bowl of noodles was made for Luo Zhi herself.
“I… I was afraid you would be upset,” Luo Zhi stammered. She had also heard about the separate beds situation and wanted to cheer up Lin Xingxue by attempting to make the spicy noodles from yesterday. “But I’m just too clumsy, and I couldn’t even make a bowl of noodles.”
The young girl looked even more saddened than Lin Xingxue, who should have been the one feeling down.
Lin Xingxue understood Luo Zhi’s feelings and felt a warm glow in her heart. She gestured towards a chair, signaling for Luo Zhi to sit. Once Luo Zhi sat down, Lin Xingxue loosened the two flower buds on Luo Zhi’s head, redoing them into two neat and pretty buns.
Luo Zhi touched the two buns, admired them in the reflection on the water, and turned her head, looking at Lin Xingxue with admiration, “Madam, it seems like I’m starting to like you more and more.”
Lin Xingxue chuckled at Luo Zhi’s teasing and pointed to the messy table.
Luo Zhi understood, swiftly cleaning up the mess. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the spicy and fragrant aroma again.
The scent wafted into the hallway. Shen Hanxing raised his hand, signaling for Luo Yan to stop.
He sat below the kitchen window, observing Lin Xingxue pushing the bowl of noodles towards Luo Zhi. It was clear that there was only one bowl this time.
Luo Zhi finished her meal with satisfaction, and as soon as she cleaned the bowl, Lin Xingxue handed her a piece of paper with detailed instructions.
This time, the main ingredient was potatoes.
“Madam, considering the chilblains on your hands, avoid water, and I’ll take care of the miscellaneous tasks.”
First, Lin Xingxue boiled the potatoes in water with added vinegar to ensure the strips were soft and chewy. Then, she fried them in four batches, finally deep-frying them until the edges turned slightly golden brown.
Luo Zhi couldn’t wait and tasted one immediately.
The fried potato strips were crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Luo Zhi happily finished one with a satisfying “crunch, crunch.”
Lin Xingxue raised a jar of spicy powder, and upon seeing Luo Zhi nodding, she sprinkled it in.
The potato strips, seasoned with salt and spicy powder, had an even more delightful flavor, and the aroma wafted out of the window.
Shen Hanxing caught a whiff of the fragrance, and his brow slightly furrowed.
Unable to resist the temptation, Luo Yan peeked inside to see what they were up to. However, he heard Shen Hanxing whisper, “Let’s go.”
Lin Xingxue had made quite a generous portion, reserving some for Luo Zhi and planning to share the rest with Wu Tong, Ming Wu, and herself.
“Madam, could this servant share some with my brother?” Luo Zhi, who was enjoying the treat, still thought of sharing some with her brother.
Even though her brother had been unreasonable yesterday, she remained a good sister.
Lin Xingxue nodded, carrying the remaining potato strips back to the west side room. She handed Ming Wu’s portion to Wu Tong.
At the sight of the potato strips, Wu Tong knew Lin Xingxue had once again ignored advice and ventured into the kitchen. However, the crispy potato strips successfully sealed Wu Tong’s complaints.
The mistress and servant nestled in the west side room, munching on potato strips while reading their respective books. The Di Long burned brightly, making the room warm and comfortable, akin to a spring day.
On the other side, Luo Yan paced back and forth, returning to the study and couldn’t help but praise, “General, Madam’s fried potato strips are indeed delicious.”
He had just gone out for some tasks and coincidentally ate the potato strips Luo Zhi shared with him.
As soon as he spoke, the study fell into an eerie silence.
Luo Yan belatedly realized that Madam hadn’t sent any potato strips to the General. His heart skipped a beat. He immediately lowered his head to pretend as if he hadn’t said anything, focused on grinding ink.
Shen Hanxing’s expression remained normal, “She gave them to you?”
Luo Yan’s scalp tightened, “No, Madam gave a portion to Luo Zhi.”
Oh, so that maid Luo Zhi had some, but he didn’t have any.
Soon, Shen Hanxing noticed that not only Luo Zhi but even the servant who came with Lin Xingxue had a portion. He watched the servant happily eating, and his calm black eyes gradually darkened.
During the evening preparations for bed, Lin Xingxue keenly sensed that Shen Hanxing’s mood was not quite right.
Particularly when he saw the leftover potato strips on the table, his expression seemed to become even more unfavorable.
Thinking that he might not like those things, Lin Xingxue signaled Wu Tong to take them away. She didn’t say much to him, undressed[3], laid on the chaise lounge, and slipped under the quilt. She used the warm water bottle to warm her feet, facing away from Shen Hanxing, and secretly took out the book hidden under her pillow to read.
Just as she read a few lines, the candlelight suddenly flickered, and then the entire inner room plunged into darkness[4].
[1] chair for the people in authority in the household
[2] 2 seconds of this “Nanny Kang” is already annoying me
[3] not as in becoming naked, but taking off her outer layers and just wearing the inner ones
[4] TLN: so petty LOL, afterall he started it