After Mu Xuan sat back down, the old lady said, “You should really meet the child too, but the little one loves to sleep in, and he’s still not up yet, I didn’t want to wake him. You have no idea, if he gets woken up mid-sleep, he gets terribly fussy and is hard to soothe. I figured I’d just let him keep sleeping. You’re married in now anyway, so you’ll have plenty of time to meet from now on.”
Yun Xi smiled and said, “I understand. Children who are still growing love to sleep.”
“Exactly.”
The group chatted for a while longer. Yun Xi didn’t say much, but she sat there calmly and composed the whole time, which put the old lady, who had been quietly observing her, at ease.
This girl was promising material, with proper guidance, she’d surely grow into a fine mistress of the general’s household.
After chatting a little while, the old lady began “shooing them off”: “You two newlyweds don’t need to stay and keep us company, go back to your own courtyard and have your meal there. Also, we’re a family, no need to stand on ceremony. You don’t have to come pay respects every morning. Just come on the first and fifteenth of the month. Other than that, if there’s something, I’ll send someone to fetch you.”
Yun Xi agreed with a smile.
Mu Sheng stood and said, “Then we’ll head back first.”
“Go on, then.”
Mu Sheng took Yun Xi’s hand and led her away, he was worried she’d feel out of place eating in the main hall. Better to take things one step at a time and let Yun Xi gradually adjust to her new life. He hoped that a situation like last night would never happen again.
On the way back, Mu Sheng never let go of Yun Xi’s hand.
And Yun Xi, surprisingly, never thought to pull away either.
This lifted Mu Sheng’s mood even further. It seemed the warm, loving married life he’d been hoping for might actually be achievable.
By this time, the sky had fully brightened. Yun Xi looked up, the sky was a pure, clear blue, spotless, without a single cloud, the air crisp and clean. Sunlight streamed through, and she could see tiny motes of dust floating within it.
She reached out and caught the sunlight in her hand.
Yun Xi’s mood lifted too, as if the sunlight had broken through the clouds and dispelled the gloom, leaving only warmth and brightness.
A sudden surge of resolve welled up inside her: What was there to fear? Worst case, she’d just start over from scratch!
No, not “start over”, start from zero!
Even if she had to drift through this strange world all alone, she was certain she could live a good life!
Mu Sheng sharply sensed the change in her. He didn’t know what had caused it, but he knew this change was a good one, one he had hoped for, and one he ought to work to preserve.
A beauty looked all the more beautiful in the sunlight, Mu Sheng nearly found himself staring. Why hadn’t he noticed before how beautiful his little wife was?
The two walked the rest of the way in silence, yet a quiet warmth flowed between them.
The two maids following behind exchanged a glance and smiled, happy for their master and mistress.
What had happened the night before could just stay buried. The night before, the young master had already warned everyone that the lady was new and still adjusting, and that no one was to discuss the matter outside, lest it upset her.
As if they’d dare!
Everything was fine now.
With her mood lifted, Yun Xi also had the energy to take in the general’s estate.
She discovered that the general’s household was truly plain! No elaborate scenery changing with every few steps, that simply didn’t exist here. The grounds were so vast, yet the decor was sparse, giving everything a slightly empty feel.
Did this era not have landscape design? Or did the general’s household simply have unusual taste, uninterested in fancy design and preferring this plain, unadorned style?
Never mind, none of that mattered. She could look into it slowly later.
As Yun Xi observed this world, Mu Sheng observed her.
She was curious about this world, he was curious about her.