The sunlight shifted brightly, its rays cutting diagonally across the eaves and spilling over the bluestone slabs.
Xie Zhi returned to the main hall, where the now-cold breakfast still sat on the table. He glanced at it—aside from a corner missing from the flatbread, everything else was untouched, not a single bite taken.
"Miss, is the breakfast not to your liking?" He tilted his head to ask.
Yuan Yingti truly couldn't stomach it.
But this was something A-Nu had gone through great trouble to buy for her, and she didn't want to spurn his kindness. She shook her head and said softly, "It's fine. It's just that my appetite has always been small."
Xie Zhi thought to himself—her appetite wasn't just small; it was practically that of a bird.
He picked up the peach pastry he'd just bought from the market. Fresh from the oven, it still carried lingering warmth, its golden, crispy surface dusted with black sesame seeds. He took one piece, placed it in the bamboo snack box he'd newly purchased, and handed it to Yuan Yingti. "Miss, have some of this instead."
Yuan Yingti took it and felt it, her brow furrowing slightly. She didn't like peach pastries. She didn't like crumbly snacks of this sort.
But this too was A-Nu's kindness. Yuan Yingti delicately pinched off a small piece with her fingertips and slowly brought it to her mouth, taking a gentle bite.
That one bite made Yuan Yingti feel as though sand had begun to fall in her mouth.
It was so unpleasant—the sand seemed to be spilling all over her.
She fidgeted, patting at her clothes. Xie Zhi sat at the dining table, eating the cold leftover breakfast while watching her.
A few strands of hair had fallen loose at her temples. Her fair cheeks puffed round as she chewed, and "I don't like this" was written plainly all over her face—yet this young lady was still forcing herself to eat it.
How amusing.
Xie Zhi quickly finished off the breakfast she'd left on the table. In truth, it was already about time for lunch. He cleared the square table, rolled up his sleeves, and set about preparing the midday meal.
"Miss, what would you like for lunch?"
Yuan Yingti had already finished that small piece of peach pastry. The rest she truly couldn't bring herself to eat, so she secretly set it back on the table.
The moment she'd placed it down, she heard his voice. Instinctively, she straightened up. "Anything is fine."
Xie Zhi wondered how someone so picky could utter the words "anything is fine."
"Miss, name a dish. Otherwise, I won't know what to make."
Yuan Yingti had just eaten a mouthful of sand, and she wasn't hungry in the least. She thought for a moment, then asked him, "A-Nu, what can you cook?"
Xie Zhi smiled faintly and drawled, "Everything."
Living alone as he did, he cooked often.
Yuan Yingti let out an "oh," seemingly not quite believing him. She frowned in thought for a while, then said, "Why don't we just cook some noodles? Keep it simple, no need for anything elaborate. I eat very little."
She was truly considerate, so thoughtful of him.
Xie Zhi acknowledged her with a sound, picked up the new apron he'd bought, and tied it around his waist in a few quick motions. The cleaver spun once in his palm, then came down in swift strokes, a steady rhythm of thuds echoing from the cutting board.
Yuan Yingti dragged over a small stool and went outside to bask in the sun.
Peach Blossom Town was nestled between mountains and water. The air here was different from the capital—it carried a clean, cool crispness. Even the wind was soft, brushing against her face with a moist, chilly gentleness. In just a single day, Yuan Yingti had already grown accustomed to the place.
She sat quietly, the sunlight warm and pleasant on her skin, though her eyes were somewhat sensitive to the light. So she brushed the stray hairs at her temples forward, letting them shield her eyes.
Now she was comfortable all over.
Xie Zhi heated oil in the pot, and with a sizzling sound, the pork belly entered the wok.
He stir-fried it with a spatula, glancing outside from time to time to keep an eye on his "fortune untold."
His "fortune untold" was very obedient—it was just that her hair was plastered all over her face, and she didn't seem to know to tidy it.
Half an hour later, the noodles were ready.
Xie Zhi ladled them out. The snow-white fine noodles steamed in the bowl, two bright green baby bok choy leaves nestled within, topped with a thick layer of fragrant, crispy diced pork belly.
He set the bowl on the dining table, untied his apron, washed his hands, and called out, "Miss, time to eat."
Yuan Yingti pushed the hair away from her eyes and shuffled in carrying a small stool.
It actually smelled a little good… Her stomach gave a timely rumble—the belly that had just been filled with sand suddenly felt hungry.
A pair of chopsticks was handed to her. Yuan Yingti fumbled to take them, picked up a noodle, and tentatively put it in her mouth. The chewy noodle was wrapped in crispy diced meat and rich broth. Just one bite, and her eyes went wide, as if they had lit up.
"So good!" she praised without stinting.
This was the most delicious bowl of noodles Yuan Yingti had eaten in all her life, completely different from what she usually ate in the Marquis's estate.
The noodles at the Marquis's estate were always fragrant but bland, whereas the noodles before her now were richly fragrant, like… Yuan Yingti thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a fitting word to describe it.
In short, it was so fragrant, so very fragrant.
The kind of fragrant that made you happy when you ate it.
She praised it earnestly. Though her manners remained elegant, she went bite after bite without ever stopping her chopsticks.
Xie Zhi held another bowl of noodles, watching her eat with such relish, and suddenly a tingling, itchy sense of comfort crept into his heart.
He thought to himself that he truly had the makings of a cook, to make even a golden branch and jade leaf accustomed to delicacies of every kind find it delicious.
He couldn't help but say with a touch of pride, "If Miss likes it, A-Nu will make it for you every day."
"A-Nu, you're so good." She lifted her face, her eyes curving into crescent moons.
…
After the meal, Yuan Yingti went back to the courtyard for a stroll. A few empty bowls remained on the table—the young miss had no inclination to wash dishes.
Xie Zhi stacked the bowls and carried them to the stove to wash. Just as he finished, a banging knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Yuan Yingti, who had been strolling leisurely, was startled by the noise.
"A-Nu, who's knocking? Is it Prince Qi coming for me…" she guessed instinctively, hurrying toward the house. In her panic she nearly slipped, but fortunately a sturdy arm caught her in time.
Looking down at her ashen face, Xie Zhi said, "Don't be afraid, Miss. It should be the cloth shop owner coming to take measurements. I arranged this time with her this morning."
Hearing this, Yuan Yingti visibly relaxed. "As long as it's not Prince Qi, then. Go open the door quickly."
Her courage was so small. Xie Zhi looked at her meaningfully. Only after she steadied herself did he let go and go to open the gate.
Outside was indeed Sanniang, who smiled at him and said, "Customer, I've come to take measurements."
Xie Zhi stepped aside to let her in. The moment Sanniang stepped into the courtyard, her gaze fell directly on Yuan Yingti.
Her red lips, painted with rouge, suddenly fell open: "Am I seeing things, or have I laid eyes on a fairy?"
Sanniang wasn't exaggerating. She had lived in Peach Blossom Town for thirty years but had never seen anyone like Yuan Yingti—standing there timidly, with delicate brows and graceful bearing, that face white as a painting, no powder or paint applied, clean beyond measure.
It was as if she saw in her the legendary aura of an immortal.
Her exclamation made Yuan Yingti smile shyly. Sanniang walked up to her in a few quick strides, wanting to take her hand and praise her some more. But for some inexplicable reason, she felt her own hands were too dirty to touch her. She instinctively took a step back and turned to Xie Zhi with a smile and a sigh. "Customer, you are truly fortunate to have such a beautiful wife!"
The moment the words left her mouth, both Xie Zhi and Yuan Yingti paused. Xie Zhi did not speak immediately, but looked toward Yuan Yingti.
Yuan Yingti stared blankly into space. After a long while, she still did not voice any objection—whether she was stunned or simply did not intend to object was unclear.
Sanniang had said that precisely to probe their relationship. Seeing that neither of them responded, she assumed she had guessed correctly, and could not help but praise Yuan Yingti. "Your husband is also of dragon-like elegance and phoenix-like grace, a man of outstanding appearance. You two are truly a match made in heaven, a perfect pair!"
Yuan Yingti was tongue-tied, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just mumbled an "mm" and actually nodded.
Xie Zhi's heart began to tingle and itch again. The feeling was strange—not as comfortable as before. It was as if something wanted to bite a hole in his heart.
Measuring required removing one's outer robe, so Sanniang and Yuan Yingti went into the room together.
Stepping into Yuan Yingti's bedroom, Sanniang looked around before smilingly pulling out a soft tape measure to take Yuan Yingti's measurements. As she measured, the amazement in her eyes grew ever more intense—truly a fairy's figure. How did she come to be shaped like this? Breasts were breasts, waist was waist, hips were hips, delicate and exquisite, comparable to the undulating waves of the Peach Blossom River.
After finishing the measurements and noting down the sizes, she kept looking back again and again as she walked out.
"Customer, you are truly fortunate," she could not help but exclaim once more. Xie Zhi wore a half-smile, neither confirming nor denying, and did not respond.
Sanniang added, "You and your wife must have just moved here, right? I noticed your wife's bedroom—the furniture isn't even fully bought yet."
"What do you think is still missing in there?" Xie Zhi had long felt that Yuan Yingti's room was empty. Hearing her bring it up, he seized the opportunity to ask.
"You need to add a dressing table, and you'll need a larger wardrobe too. I must make this clear to you—Cloud-Rainbow Brocade is extremely delicate. It cannot be squeezed or pressed. The finished garments will need to be hung in a wardrobe. Our shop has many embroiderers, so the clothes can be rushed out by tomorrow. You'd best get the wardrobe sorted as soon as possible."
Xie Zhi nodded and decided to go buy one right now.
He went back to the room and told Yuan Yingti, then locked the door and walked with Sanniang toward the market.
But when they reached the market and Xie Zhi was about to head to the carpenter's shop, Sanniang suddenly blocked his way with a mysterious air.
"What is it?" Xie Zhi frowned.
"Come to my shop to talk." Sanniang led him into the fabric shop, around behind the counter, and took out a set of booklets, handing them over.
Xie Zhi took them, puzzled.
Sanniang smiled and opened one for him. "Customer, help your wife pick out a few patterns for her undergarments."
Xie Zhi looked down and saw the booklet was filled with various styles of undergarments, each drawn in fine detail, even colored in.
A riot of colors—reds and pinks, purples and crimsons filling his vision. The embroidered patterns were even more numerous: lilies and lotuses, red plum and spring peach, mandarin ducks playing in water…
Sanniang covered her mouth and laughed, lowering her voice meaningfully. "Your wife has an eye condition. Why don't you pick for her, customer? After all… you're the only one who will see them."