The next day, as soon as it was light, Lu Zhi opened his eyes.
This had been his habit for years, rise at dawn and practice martial arts for half an hour, without a single day’s interruption except during the one month at year’s end when performance reviews were checked.
Lu Zhi had just sat up when he felt his sleeve being pressed down. He turned his head and saw it was Yu Xi, sound asleep, who had grabbed hold of his sleeve again without him noticing.
Lu Zhi frowned and pulled his sleeve free. Yu Xi reached forward and grabbed again, caught it again, and kept sleeping.
If not for her steady breathing, Lu Zhi would have suspected she was only pretending to sleep.
Seeing that the hour was getting late, Lu Zhi spoke. “Wake up.”
Two breaths passed. Yu Xi showed no reaction at all.
Today was the day for the post-wedding visit home; she should get up too.
Lu Zhi pulled his sleeve free again. Yu Xi startled, missed grabbing it, and opened her eyes in fury. “Annoying, annoying, annoying!”
Yu Xi had a bad temper upon waking, an extremely bad one, but just then, having finished her sweet scolding, she saw in the gray morning light Lu Zhi looking at her with that refined, dignified face like a god’s statue, and her temper melted away at once like spring water.
Yu Xi’s breathing slowed, and she quickly reined in her temper, rubbing her eyes and saying softly, “Husband, you woke up so early. Mm, I thought I was having a nightmare, it startled me a little.”
Lu Zhi said, “…Since you’re awake, get up.”
She must have really been startled by him, otherwise how could she switch moods so smoothly in such a short time.
Having said this, Lu Zhi turned and got out of bed.
Yu Xi burrowed back into the blankets, just about to laze a bit longer, when she heard his voice.
“Come dress me.”
Yu Xi propped herself up, slipped on her shoes, and walked over to Lu Zhi, glancing at his broad shoulders and narrow waist wrapped in his nightclothes, not knowing for a moment what to do.
She tried hard to recall, but found there was nothing to recall at all, no one had ever taught her how to help dress a husband.
Lu Zhi had already put on his outer robe. Seeing her standing there blankly, he held out his hand. “Sash.”
“Oh, oh,” Yu Xi hurried to pick up the black sash embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns beside her. “Is it this one?”
“Mm.”
Seeing that Yu Xi still wasn’t moving, Lu Zhi fell silent for a moment, just how unfamiliar with everyday matters was the wife he’d married.
Lu Zhi said, “Tie it for me.”
Hearing this, Yu Xi pressed her red lips together slightly, looking at his slim waist in front of her, and her face heated up at once.
She cleared her throat, then carefully wrapped the sash around Lu Zhi’s waist.
The instant she drew close, Lu Zhi stepped back slightly, then quickly stopped himself, never mind, since they were already husband and wife, this was something Yu Xi would need to do sooner or later.
He lowered his eyes to look at the top of Yu Xi’s head. She seemed flustered by the heat, her whole small face flushed, her fingertips fumbling with his sash for a long while without getting it right.
Lu Zhi waited a moment, then finally took the sash from her hands and quickly tied it himself. “The steward has already prepared the gifts for the visit home. Check if anything’s missing. I’ll go with you in an hour.”
With that, he left the room.
It seemed hoping Yu Xi would learn such things in a short time was simply wishful thinking, it would be faster to just do it himself, otherwise he might even be late for morning court.
After Lu Zhi left, though Yu Xi couldn’t quite understand why he wouldn’t let her do it after all, she didn’t dwell on it either, stretching lazily, there was still an hour before the visit home, she’d nap a little longer.
The Lu residence and the Yu residence weren’t far apart; it took less than half an hour by carriage to get there.
Because today was the day for their daughter and son-in-law’s post-wedding visit, Yu Guanhai and his wife, Madam Chen, had started having things prepared early.
Yu Guanhai had never approved of this marriage to begin with, and ever since his daughter married in, he hadn’t had a single good night’s sleep, either dreaming that his daughter had been scolded by Lu Zhi and was hiding somewhere crying, or dreaming that she had to watch people’s faces just to eat a meal at the Lu house. In short, he never once had a good dream.
At that moment, he was pacing circles in the main hall. Madam Chen, seeing this, comforted him. “Don’t overthink it. Our Xi’er is the cleverest, most quick-witted girl, she definitely won’t be bullied.”
Yu Guanhai glanced at her, as if it hadn’t been her who’d gotten up in the middle of the night to cry in his arms.
Clearly just as worried sick about their daughter, yet pretending to be unbothered here.
Yu Guanhai snorted coldly. “I think she’s like this because you’ve spoiled her!”
Madam Chen, unconvinced, scoffed at him. “As if you’re one to talk.”
On the matter of doting on Yu Xi, neither husband nor wife had any room to blame the other.
Yu Qing, who had just come from the kitchen, couldn’t help saying, “Father, Mother, don’t argue. Actually, the way my sister turned out is everyone’s fault a little…”
“Whose fault? I think it’s yours for spoiling her!” Yu Guanhai didn’t dare scold his wife, but he did dare scold his son, and now pointed at his son’s nose, scolding, “It’s because all you do every day is study and never keep your sister company that she got her head turned by some wild man outside!”
Yu Qing said, “…Fine.”
Parents were always right; whatever they said, Yu Qing accepted it.
Fortunately, Yu Guanhai’s anger didn’t stay pointed at him for long, as someone else in the family better suited to being scolded appeared.
Yu Chao, coming out yawning, hadn’t even walked over yet when Yu Guanhai’s scolding jolted him awake.
“Sleep, sleep, sleep, all you know how to do all day is sleep! Last time at your school’s monthly exam you were dead last again! If you weren’t so lazy about your studies all day, how would your sister ever have been fooled by that Lu Zhi!”
Yu Chao, clearly not yet catching up on what had happened, scratched his head. “Father, are you misremembering? Didn’t sister choose to marry him herself? When did brother-in-law ever fool her?”
Yu Chao remembered it very clearly, that day, his brother-in-law had come to apologize on his former brother-in-law’s behalf. His sister had still been crying in her room, but the moment she heard his voice, she stopped crying, ran to peek at the front courtyard, and came back having decided to switch her marriage.
The five family members, young and old, hadn’t managed to talk her out of it.
Yu Guanhai choked for a moment, not yet sure what to say, when Old Madam Yu swung her cane over. “Stop arguing. Xi’er is about to come back with her new husband any moment now. You’re the head of this household, don’t make a fool of yourself in front of others.”
Yu Guanhai instantly straightened up. “As Mother says.”
Old Madam Yu sighed. “Don’t overthink it either. That Lu Zhi is a good child, hasn’t had a single scandal in all these years, even the Emperor has praised him. Xi’er marrying him won’t be a bad deal.”
Although Yu Guanhai still had complaints in his heart, he didn’t dare say another word aloud. “Mother is right about everything.”
Madam Chen shot him a look, and seeing the steward hurrying over, knew that Yu Xi and Lu Zhi had arrived, and hurried to the front gate herself.
In the carriage, Yu Xi lowered her head, saying nothing, twisting her handkerchief. She glanced at Lu Zhi and said, “Husband, I really didn’t mean to oversleep.”
She’d really only meant to nap for a quarter hour, but somehow ended up sleeping a whole hour, and even Xique forgot to wake her.
Lu Zhi was resting with his eyes closed, and hearing this, said flatly, “As long as your father and mother don’t mind, it’s fine.”
Yu Xi relaxed at once. “My parents definitely won’t mind!”
As she spoke, the carriage stopped. Yu Xi opened a crack in the window and looked out, saying cheerfully, “Husband, we’re here.”
As she spoke, she was about to lift the curtain and get out.
“Wait,” Lu Zhi said, raising a hand to stop her. “I’ll get out first.”
Yu Xi didn’t think much of it. “Okay!”
The Yu family, waiting at the gate, first saw Lu Zhi, wearing a turquoise round-collared robe, get out, and only then Yu Xi, getting out with a face full of smiles.
Yu Xi looked at Lu Zhi’s large hand in front of her and, without a second thought, placed her small hand on it, using his support to step down from the carriage. “Husband, you’re so nice.”
Lu Zhi looked at the ground beneath her feet. “Watch your step.”
Yu Xi was his wife, whether or not he actually liked her, when out in public, he would give her the dignity and respect she was due.
Seeing the two of them seemed to be getting along, the Yu family’s hearts eased somewhat.
Madam Chen embraced Yu Xi, then looked at Lu Zhi.
Lu Zhi bowed to her and Yu Guanhai. “Your son-in-law greets Father-in-law and Mother-in-law.”
Madam Chen said, “Good, good, good, come in and talk.”
Yu Guanhai eyed him coldly, putting on the full air of a father-in-law, and without a word, walked toward the central hall.
Yu Qing said to Lu Zhi, “My sister is young and has been spoiled at home, so she’s a bit inconsiderate at times. Please bear with her.”
Lu Zhi glanced at Yu Xi, who was saying her goodbyes to Madam Chen and Old Madam Yu, and said, “My wife is quite sensible and considerate. You needn’t worry too much. If there’s ever a disagreement, I’ll be the one to give way.”
Hearing “sensible” and “considerate,” Yu Qing paused for a moment, unable to tell whether Lu Zhi was being sincere or sarcastic, when had his sister ever been sensible or considerate?
Yu Guanhai, however, was delighted to hear it. “Good that you know it. Our Xi’er is the cleverest, most sensible, most adorable, quick-witted girl there is. You’re the lucky one, marrying her.”
Yu Qing: “…”
Yu Chao, eavesdropping nearby: “…”
Lu Zhi nodded. Yu Xi was young, and with an old husband and young wife, they truly weren’t a great match, but he ought to give way to her a little too.
Once the two of them got into the carriage, the Yu family finally headed back inside.
Whatever the case, having seen the two of them together today put their minds considerably more at ease.
In the carriage, Lu Zhi saw Yu Xi looking somewhat downcast out the window, and figured she was feeling a bit reluctant to leave too.
“If you’re reluctant to leave, just come back often in the future.”
Yu Xi wasn’t actually feeling reluctant to leave, it was close by anyway, just a few steps away. She was thinking of all the romance novels at home she hadn’t read yet, and had forgotten to bring them.
She looked at Lu Zhi. “So will husband come with me next time too?”
Lu Zhi answered honestly, “No. I’m busy with official duties, I won’t have time to accompany you.”
“Oh, all right,” Yu Xi had been about to say something else, but suddenly her attention was caught by something outside the window. “That’s crispy pastry cake, stop the carriage, I want to buy some crispy pastry cake.”
Lu Zhi followed her gaze and saw what looked like an ordinary shop. He asked, puzzled, “What is crispy pastry cake?”
Yu Xi handed over some silver, sending the driver to buy some. “It’s got a crispy outside but a soft, sweet cake inside. This shop just opened this year, usually there’s a long line of people buying it. Husband, don’t tell me you’ve never had it?”
Lu Zhi shook his head, he rarely ate pastries, so he truly didn’t know.
Soon, the driver had bought two packages of crispy pastry cake. Yu Xi immediately unwrapped one and held it up to Lu Zhi. “Husband, try it, it’s so good!”
Inside the oiled paper wrapping were about a dozen pieces of cake, neatly arranged, sprinkled with dried osmanthus flowers on top. Lu Zhi frowned. “I don’t eat it.”
This kind of pastry was usually overly sweet and rich; he didn’t care for it.
“Eat it, eat it,” Yu Xi said, squeezing onto his seat, picking up a piece and feeding it to him. “Husband, try it quickly!”
The crispy pastry really was very flaky, and as soon as Yu Xi picked up a piece, crumbs scattered all over Lu Zhi’s clothes.
Lu Zhi could only reach out to catch the crumbs. “You’ve dirtied my clothes.”
Before he’d even finished speaking, Yu Xi had already brought the cake up to his mouth.
Lu Zhi frowned and took a small bite, too much flaky crust, too dry, and it caught in his throat, very unpleasant to eat.
Yu Xi, however, looked at him expectantly. “Husband, is it good?”
Lu Zhi brushed the crumbs off himself. “Mm, it’s all right, but eating too many sweets is bad for the teeth. Eat less of it from now on.”
Yu Xi didn’t care about any of that, she’d wanted to eat crispy pastry cake for a long time. Right then, she stuffed the remaining half of the piece in her hand into her own mouth. “It’s so good!”
Before Lu Zhi could recover from the shock of watching her eat the half piece she’d left over, her hand landed on his chest, patting it lightly, then patting again.
“Husband, let me help pat off the crumbs.”
“That’s enough,” Lu Zhi said, catching her hand as it reached toward his waist, a bit of a headache coming on. “I’ll do it myself.”
Yu Xi felt a bit of regret, she hadn’t gotten to pat enough yet. Lu Zhi’s body really was hard and firm, quite fun to pat, she wanted to pat some more.
She blinked, then looked at his large, dry, warm hand holding hers.
Lu Zhi quickly let go of her hand. “Sit back.”
Yu Xi reached out again. “Let me pat you a little more.”
Lu Zhi moved to the other side and looked at Yu Xi. “Don’t move.”
Yu Xi said, “Oh…”
Fine, not moving then, hmph!
Although Yu Xi didn’t move again, her mouth kept going nonstop. “Husband, I want to send a share of this crispy pastry cake to Mother, do you think she’ll like it?”
Lu Zhi didn’t expect her to have such thoughtfulness, and nodded approvingly. “It’s the thought that counts, Mother will like it.”
“But I only bought one package, will it be enough for Father and Mother?”
“It’s enough. Too many sweets are hard to digest, you shouldn’t eat much either.”
“Then should I send a share to Third Brother too? I’ll split mine in half for him, since I only bought two packages. Husband, do you think that’s all right?”
Lu Zhi closed his eyes. “Either is fine.”
Seeing Yu Xi about to say more, Lu Zhi, at the end of his patience, said, “Until we get back to the residence, you’re not allowed to talk anymore.”
Yu Xi said, “Then can I talk again once we’re back?”
Lu Zhi said, “…Yes.”
Lu Zhi took a deep breath, looked at Yu Xi, and seeing her watching him with her large eyes, said, “When you go out and socialize from now on, every word and action reflects on the Lu family’s reputation. Remember to be careful with your words and actions, speak as little as possible. Understood?”
Having said this, seeing that Yu Xi wasn’t answering, Lu Zhi paused, then asked again, “Do you understand?”
Yu Xi was silent for a moment, then suddenly pointed at her own mouth and shook her head, saying in an extremely tiny voice, “Husband, I can’t talk.”
A vein twitched on Lu Zhi’s forehead. “…Fine.”
He glanced at her again, only to see her looking utterly innocent, and upon noticing him looking, tilted her head curiously, obedient as a rabbit.
Having confirmed she wasn’t deliberately being contrary, Lu Zhi had nothing more to say, and could only console himself, never mind.
The carriage stopped at the gate of the Lu residence. After entering, Lu Zhi went straight to the study, and Yu Xi returned to the back courtyard.
On the way, Lu Zhi ran into Lu Fan, who had just come back from school and was wandering around.
Lu Zhi called him over. “Finished your schoolwork today?”
Lu Fan nodded hurriedly. “All finished, and I even wrote two pages of calligraphy practice.”
Then, Lu Fan spoke up carefully, “Big brother, I got first place in this month’s exam! Tutor said my essay was well written, very much in your style.”
“Good,” Lu Zhi said, a trace of a smile in his eyes, patting his head. “But don’t get arrogant or complacent. Keep working hard. Understood?”
“Understood!”
Having been praised, Lu Fan couldn’t help laughing bashfully, his big brother had praised him, hehe!
Seeing him like this, Lu Zhi silently thought, such a child’s heart. “Your sister-in-law bought crispy pastry cake and was planning to send some to you. Go get it, so she doesn’t have to send someone over.”
Hearing there was crispy pastry cake, Lu Fan’s eyes lit up. He thanked Lu Zhi and ran off quickly.
Watching his retreating figure, Lu Zhi couldn’t help wondering, why did children all love such overly sweet things? Was it really that good?
·
Yu Xi had just had someone deliver a package of crispy pastry cake to Madam Lu, then split off four pieces for Xique, planning to keep the remaining seven for herself.
She’d just taken one bite when she heard Lu Fan’s loud voice approaching. “Sister-in-law! I’ve come to eat the cake!”
Yu Xi frowned, she had never intended to send him any, so where had he come from?
Lu Fan entered the room, saw the six pieces of cake in the oiled paper wrapping in front of Yu Xi, and reached out with a smile. “You don’t need to share with me, I’ll just finish it and go.”
Before his hand even reached it, Lu Fan got smacked.
Yu Xi guarded the crispy pastry cake in front of her. “Who said you could have any?”
She still remembered this brat saying she and Lu Zhi didn’t match!
Lu Fan begged her. “Give me just one bite, big brother told me to come, give me one bite quickly!”
“No,” Yu Xi said, and not only refused but ate one piece after another right in front of him. “Just no.”
Lu Fan’s mouth was watering. He wanted crispy pastry cake so badly, but his father only gave him two coins of pocket money a month, and one package of crispy pastry cake cost thirty wen.
“Please,” Lu Fan cupped his hands together, begging Yu Xi. “Sister-in-law, dear sister-in-law, please just give me one bite.”
Boys his age were the best at reading the room and switching sides, Yu Xi had grown up scheming against Yu Chao at home and had long since seen through such tricks.
Giving cake to Lu Fan would be like throwing a meat bun at a dog, gone forever with nothing in return. So Yu Xi wouldn’t give him any.
Seeing that Yu Xi wasn’t moved, Lu Fan stood up angrily. “Stingy! You won’t even give me one piece of crispy pastry cake, I’m telling big brother!”
As soon as he said this, he was grabbed by the back of his collar. Yu Xi’s voice rang out from above his head. “If you dare tattle, I’ll beat you into crispy pastry cake.”
Lu Fan immediately caved. “I was wrong, I absolutely won’t say another word.”
Before, when Yu Chao said his sister was terrifying, Lu Fan hadn’t thought much of it, always arguing that his own big brother was the scariest.
Now it was settled, the two of them were a matched pair in this family. His whole life was ruined.
The moment Yu Xi let go, Lu Fan immediately scurried off in embarrassment, not forgetting to cling to the doorframe and toss back one last line. “You’re nowhere near as good as my cousin Zhengyu! I hate you!”
Yu Xi shook her fist at the direction he’d left in, if she’d known, she’d have given that little brat a beating!
But who was Cousin Zhengyu?
Yu Xi thought about it for a moment, then quickly put it out of her mind, whoever, who cares.
That evening, after washing up, Yu Xi waited in her room for Lu Zhi to come. She’d already decided, tonight, she was absolutely going to sleep leaning on his shoulder!
The sky was fully dark and Lu Zhi still hadn’t come. Seeing Yu Xi still craning her neck to look for him, Xique couldn’t help saying, “Miss, why don’t we send someone to ask? The young master might still be busy.”
“No need,” Yu Xi said, getting up and throwing on a robe. “I’ll go ask him myself.”
Meanwhile, in the study.
Lu Zhi had just finished the last document and was about to turn in when he heard footsteps outside.
Then came Yu Xi’s voice. “Husband, are you asleep?”
Yu Xi was peering into the study, it was so late, why was the light still on? He should be resting.
The door opened, and Lu Zhi asked her, “Why did you come?”
Yu Xi said with a smile, “I came to call you back to sleep!”
As soon as she said this, the servants around them all lowered their heads.
Lu Zhi glanced at her loosely wrapped outer robe. “Come in and talk.”
Yu Xi happily entered the study, and as soon as she stepped in, smelled the scent of ink. There were so many books in the study, she looked around and thought, no wonder it’s called a study!
Lu Zhi closed the door, then said to her, “From now on, I’ll come to the back courtyard once every ten days. I’ll have the attendant notify you in advance, you don’t need to come looking for me specially.”
“Once every ten days?” Yu Xi looked at him and shook her head immediately. “No, that’s too little.”
Lu Zhi paused, not expecting her to say this. “Then how often would you want me to come?”
“Every day, of course!” Yu Xi said, twisting her handkerchief as she looked at him, not seeing anything wrong with what she’d said. “Everyone sleeps together every day.”
In the romance novels Yu Xi read, the male and female leads slept together every day. Once every ten days was far too little.
Lu Zhi had no idea who this “everyone” she spoke of referred to, but to him, once every ten days was already enough to give Yu Xi due respect and dignity, any more than that, he simply couldn’t manage.
He lowered his eyes. “Once every ten days. No more discussion.”
Seeing him like this, Yu Xi drooped her head, dispirited. “Fine.”
She’d find a way somehow! She would definitely manage to sleep together every day!
Having said his piece, Lu Zhi saw she still hadn’t left. “What is it?”
He saw Yu Xi fidgeting, a blush rapidly spreading across her cheeks. “Husband, I want that… you know, that! Can we do it one more time?”