Lu Zhi suspected Yu Xi might have some strange fixation on physical intimacy.
Watching her like this, Lu Zhi couldn’t help but lecture her. “You’re a cabinet minister’s wife now, every word and action of yours represents the Lu family’s reputation and mine, why do you still act so childishly spoiled?”
Yu Xi felt somewhat wronged, thinking he was being unreasonable. “But you said you’d thank me. Besides, we’re in the carriage right now, no one can see, so why can’t we?”
Lu Zhi warned her, “Walls have ears, whether in the carriage or at home, you must always keep this in mind. What can’t be done, can’t be done.”
Yu Xi didn’t want to deal with him anymore, truly didn’t want to.
She glanced at Lu Zhi’s face, glanced again, and only then managed to console herself. “Fine, whatever you say, husband.”
Seeing her looking so dejected, Lu Zhi pressed his lips together, Yu Xi was young, but she was already seventeen, old enough to understand things.
He turned his head away, not looking at her. Yu Xi studied his profile for a good while, then decided that next time she’d just kiss him herself, straight up, no matter what, he wouldn’t hit her for it, surely!
If he scolded her for it, in one ear and out the other, hmph!
They’d been married this long, and he wouldn’t even let her kiss him, so annoying!
The two of them rode home the rest of the way in silence. Yu Xi even forgot about taking Lu Zhi out to eat, and once back, ate several pieces of pastry out of frustration.
Xique comforted her nearby. “Miss, even heroes struggle before a beauty. The young master is just putting on airs for now, once he realizes how good you are, he won’t be able to live without you.”
Yu Xi nodded, quite in agreement. “I really am a beauty.”
“That’s the right way to think about it, Miss, there’s still plenty of time ahead!” From what Xique had observed lately, she’d noticed that although the young master was cold, he was cold to everyone, not specifically toward Yu Xi. “A rope can saw through wood, water can wear through stone, the young master only has one wife, you. If he doesn’t cherish you, who would he cherish?”
Yu Xi felt better, and ate another crispy pastry before saying, “That’s right! He only has me as his wife, of course he’ll cherish me!”
Xique quietly breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully Yu Xi was easy to coax; anyone else in her place would probably have fumed to death by now.
Not to mention anything else, the two of them still hadn’t consummated the marriage yet, and she hadn’t dared send word back to the marquis’s residence about it. She’d have to think of some way to handle it quietly later.
It had rained today, making for especially good sleep that night. When Yu Xi woke up, she went back to visit the Marquis of Xuanwen’s residence.
Yu Xi’s sudden return caught the whole Yu family off guard, fearing she’d suffered some mistreatment at her husband’s family.
Madam Chen pulled Yu Xi close, looking her over anxiously. “Why did you suddenly come back? Did he mistreat you? Mother will send word to your father right now to come home at once, we’ll go demand an explanation from the Lu family!”
“He didn’t mistreat me,” Yu Xi was only mildly troubled. “Mother, sigh, let me tell you quietly.”
Madam Chen pulled her into a room and asked, puzzled, “What’s going on?”
Yu Xi pouted her red lips slightly and said quietly, “Mother, husband won’t let me hug him, and he won’t kiss me either, hmph.”
Madam Chen understood at once, ah, so it was that kind of matter.
She glanced around, closed the door and windows, then asked in a low voice, “So does he touch you at all?”
Yu Xi thought about it, then huffed again. “He doesn’t touch me, only holds my hand, and lets go right away.”
Madam Chen frowned, unable to understand what was going on with Lu Zhi, her daughter was pretty, had a fine figure, everything she should have, skin like jade all over her body, so pale it was practically luminous. What kind of heartless man wouldn’t even touch or kiss her, and just went straight to the deed itself?
And besides all that, wouldn’t it hurt Yu Xi terribly that way? Did Lu Zhi feel nothing at all? Only caring about his own pleasure?
Madam Chen didn’t want to be too blunt about it, and after cursing Lu Zhi a couple of times in her head, said, “This isn’t a one-person matter. He’s going too far.”
Yu Xi drooped her eyes. “Yeah, I just wanted him to kiss me. He’s so handsome, and he won’t kiss me, and won’t let me kiss him either. So annoying.”
“Have you told him that?”
“I did. Husband said I have no manners, but we were in the carriage, no one could see, why can’t we?”
Madam Chen: “…”
Madam Chen looked at her daughter twice, hadn’t she had all that nonsense from the romance novels torn up? Could it not have all been torn up after all?
But it had only been a few days since the wedding, and already wanting to do it in the carriage, that was indeed a bit, ahem… too much.
Seeing her mother not saying anything, Yu Xi grew anxious, shaking her arm. “Mother, say something, what should I do?”
They’d been married this long already, and not only had she not gotten to sleep hugging Lu Zhi, she’d only even held hands twice. Yu Xi was unhappy, in her mind, her mother always had the best ideas, so coming to Madam Chen was sure to help.
“Wait, good daughter, let Mother think…”
After a good while, Madam Chen finally dug out a book from the bottom of one of her chests. “This has some techniques in it, take it and keep it safe. But it really won’t do for him not to touch or kiss you, otherwise you’ll suffer for it. In Mother’s view, you should talk to him about it, you’re married now, no need to hold back on these things.”
Back when her daughter was young, Madam Chen had been cautious and never discussed such things with her, but now that her daughter was married, these matters mattered a great deal, and couldn’t go unsaid.
Yu Xi took the book, and seeing not a single character on the cover, curiously went to flip through it. “What kind of romance novel is this?”
Before she could turn even one page, Madam Chen stopped her hand. “Look at it secretly once you’re home.”
Yu Xi was about to say something when she heard Yu Qing’s voice outside the room. “Mother, I heard my sister’s back?”
Madam Chen tucked the book meant for Yu Xi aside. “Mother will have someone send it to you later.”
Yu Xi nodded. “Okay!”
She knew it, this must be the latest romance novel her mother had found for her, to comfort her troubled heart!
Madam Chen and Yu Xi went out together, and Yu Qing asked, “Sister, why did you suddenly come back? Did something happen at the Lu family?”
Madam Chen glared at him. “Can’t your sister come visit us without something being wrong?”
“Of course she can,” Yu Qing still hadn’t quite adjusted to his once-chattering little sister having suddenly married into another family, and asked Yu Xi, “Have you seen Grandmother yet?”
“Not yet,” Yu Xi looked at Yu Qing’s official robes. “I just got back not long ago. Brother, shouldn’t you be at the Court of Judicial Review? Why are you back now?”
Yu Qing had passed the imperial exam last year and now served at the Court of Judicial Review.
“I have to travel out of the capital tomorrow with Minister Zhou, so I came back early to pack.”
Madam Chen asked, “How long will you be gone?”
“At least a month.”
“That’s quite a while,” Madam Chen said. “But it’s good to gain more experience out there. I’ll have someone help pack your things, go let your grandmother know as well.”
Yu Qing said, “Okay.”
The siblings walked together toward Old Madam Yu’s courtyard.
On the way, Yu Qing asked Yu Xi, “Has anything been hard to adjust to at the Lu family? Is Minister Lu treating you well?”
“Everything’s fine,” some things could be said to Madam Chen but not to Yu Qing. Yu Xi smiled and pulled a banknote out of her money pouch. “Father gave me pocket money yesterday. After we see Grandmother, let’s go eat out, I’ll treat!”
Yu Qing naturally wouldn’t let Yu Xi pay for him, but said with a smile, “Alright, I’ll benefit from your generosity today.”
After seeing Old Madam Yu, the two headed straight for Xunwei Restaurant.
Yu Xi had already decided what she wanted to eat, braised pork knuckle, chestnut chicken, and fish with pickled chili!
Although the cooks at the Lu residence were decent enough, restaurant food was still the tastiest.
The siblings had just gotten out of the carriage and walked up to the second-floor private room when Yu Xi heard a very familiar voice.
She looked closely and saw it was Jin Yao coming out of the room next door, tears still on her face. “You scoundrel Zhang Gao, I’m breaking off our engagement!”
Right behind her came Jin Yao’s fiancé, Zhang Gao, with a pretty woman peeking out from the doorway behind him.
Zhang Gao strode forward to grab Jin Yao. “Stop making such a scene, you’ve made me lose all face!”
As his hand reached out, Jin Yao flinched back in fear, and suddenly a tall figure stepped forward and kicked Zhang Gao flat to the ground.
Jin Yao froze. The young man tilted his head slightly, his features handsome and clear, a lingering sharpness still in his eyes. “Are you all right?”
Jin Yao’s face flushed instantly. “I’m, I’m fine.”
“Are you okay!?” Yu Xi ran over to support Jin Yao, then turned to Jin Yao’s maid. “Go back right now and send word to Uncle and Auntie Jin, tell them Zhang Gao laid hands on their daughter. Go quickly!”
The maid nodded hurriedly and ran off to deliver the message.
Zhang Gao, on the ground, climbed back up. Seeing it was the Yu siblings, though resentful inside, he didn’t dare offend them, and only said, “This is a matter between Yao’er and me, aren’t you two overstepping a bit?”
As he spoke, he looked at the still-stunned Jin Yao, his tone turning gentle. “Yao’er, come here, I already told you, that was just a maid. You startled me so badly just now that I got a little harsh with you.”
Jin Yao, however, pursed her lips, clinging to Yu Xi’s arm, not even glancing at him. “Let’s break it off. I have nothing more to say to you.”
Seeing the crowd growing, Zhang Gao threw out one harsh line before leaving. “Fine, just don’t regret it!”
Zhang Gao left with his maid, and Yu Xi took Jin Yao to her and Yu Qing’s private room.
Yu Xi couldn’t help remarking, “You’ve finally decided to break off the engagement, that wasn’t easy.”
Jin Yao blushed, glancing at Yu Qing, and cleared her throat. “I’ve wanted to break it off with him for ages, I just held back for the sake of both families’ reputations. A man that fickle isn’t even fit to carry my shoes.”
Yu Xi: “?”
Yu Xi was quite surprised, just a couple of days ago Jin Yao hadn’t had this attitude at all. Had she suddenly seen the light and had a complete change of heart?
Yu Qing, once they’d finished ordering, went downstairs first to settle the bill. Jin Yao, seemingly lost in thought about something, leaned her head against the still-bewildered Yu Xi’s shoulder and smiled.
Yu Xi truly couldn’t make sense of what had happened, and went back to the Lu residence after the meal, still thoroughly confused.
She opened the romance novel Madam Chen had sent over, but before she could make out what was written on it, a servant announced that Lu Zhi had arrived.
Yu Xi tucked the novel under her pillow, and still somewhat sulking over yesterday’s matter, didn’t go greet him.
Lu Zhi knew she’d been in a bad mood yesterday, and hearing from the servants today that she’d gone back to her mother’s family, came to check on her.
Seeing Yu Xi not looking at him, Lu Zhi asked, “Still upset?”
“You know I’m upset,” Yu Xi wasn’t wrong to feel wronged, and hugged her pillow, turning her face away. “I hate you, hmph.”
Lu Zhi stood up. “Then I’ll go.”
With that, he walked toward the door.
Yu Xi clenched her fists, both angry and anxious, shouldn’t he be comforting her? Why was he leaving again, this was too much!
Just as she was thinking this, she saw Lu Zhi’s steps stop, and quickly turned her head away again, pretending to still be sulking. “If you don’t coax me, I’ll never pay attention to you again.”
Lu Zhi looked at her, Yu Xi said she wouldn’t pay attention to him, but was still secretly studying his expression.
Never mind, indulging her this once wouldn’t hurt.
Lu Zhi said, “Then how would you like me to coax you?”
Yu Xi immediately brightened, patting the spot beside her. “Then sleep with me tonight.”
Lu Zhi paused. “Fine.”
A quarter hour later, having washed up, Lu Zhi lay down beside Yu Xi, preparing to have a proper talk with her, even if she couldn’t be a virtuous wife, she needed to learn to rein in her temper, and stop throwing tantrums like this all the time.
And also… the matter of sleeping together or kissing shouldn’t be brought up so constantly, he had his own plans in mind for that.
Before he could speak, he felt a soft little hand take hold of his.
Lu Zhi turned his head and saw Yu Xi had shifted closer to him, then carefully rested her head on his shoulder.
Author’s note:
Girl: hate you, hate you, hate you! (secretly peeking, he’s so handsome, whimper) Minister Lu: shall I coax you then? Girl: fine, I suppose I’ll grudgingly forgive you (grabs on and nuzzles nuzzles nuzzles, such an easily coaxed soft sweet cake of a girl!