Yan Feng'an's head throbbed as if it would split, countless jumbled fragments flashing through his mind. His bleary eyes stared for a long while at the ge'er sobbing his heart out before him before he slowly spoke: "You are… Xi ge'er?"
Wen Xi couldn't tell what state Yan Feng'an was in now, much less whether his mind was sound or broken, and he stood there dumbly, unsure whether to answer.
Under the flickering red candles, his body trembled, his eyes swollen like walnuts, his tear-streaked face still bearing two trails of hot tears that had yet to fall.
He looked truly pitiful.
Yan Feng'an let out a heavy breath, picked up the bridal veil to wipe the tears from Wen Xi's cheeks, and then, just as Wen Xi dared not even breathe, he suddenly wailed and pounded his head with both hands, writhing on the bed as if ten thousand insects were gnawing at his body.
Wen Xi had never seen him like this. His lips quivered as he moved to call for help, but Yan Feng'an seized his wrist: "Don't call…"
The sight was truly terrifying. Wen Xi's head buzzed, and he had no idea how to react, only pushing the man away from him on pure instinct.
But who would have thought Yan Feng'an was as flimsy as paper—pushed lightly, he fainted on the spot.
Wen Xi trembled all over, his small face deathly pale, and hurriedly reached out a hand to check for breath beneath Yan Feng'an's nose.
Thank goodness, thank goodness… he was still breathing!
His marriage here was no different from wedding-luck-bringing. If anything happened to Yan Feng'an at his hands, the Yan family would surely never forgive him.
One mishap after another had turned Wen Xi into a frightened bird. He stared at Yan Feng'an for a long time, and only after confirming he truly showed no reaction did Wen Xi dare to move.
Without the veil, the aroma of the food on the table drifted straight into his nose.
For the past few days, the Wen family had kept him alive on nothing but wild vegetable gruel—just enough to leave him too weak to run, but not enough to starve him. His stomach was completely empty now, and just from smelling the food, Wen Xi's mouth watered uncontrollably.
The fear was real, and so was the hunger.
After a moment's hesitation, he still couldn't resist the temptation of the food and got up to walk to the table.
The Yan family's eldest sister-in-law had not only brought meat broth but had thoughtfully placed a chicken drumstick in his bowl as well.
Wen Xi had never eaten such good food at home. With no one watching, he abandoned all pretense of restraint, picked up his chopsticks, and devoured the meal without a care.
He choked several times from eating too fast in the middle, took a couple sips of broth to recover, then buried his head and kept eating.
The portions were generous. Even when his belly felt ready to burst, Wen Xi gritted his teeth and ate every last bite.
This might be the best meal he would ever eat in his life. If he didn't treasure it, he might never eat this well again.
Outside, the sky had gradually darkened completely, and the sounds of festivity slowly faded. Tonight should have been his wedding night, yet Wen Xi's new husband lay in deep, un waking sleep.
Yan Feng'an's bed looked warm and comfortable, but Wen Xi dared not share it with him. He was afraid Yan Feng'an might go mad in the night and strangle him in his sleep—dying like that would be far too unjust.
Timid as he was, Wen Xi cherished his life. He changed out of his wedding clothes, dug his dowry bedding out of the small chest in the inner compartment, found a corner far from the bed, and made do for the night.
His wounds had yet to heal, and he had spent every day in fear and worry over marrying Yan Feng'an. In such a dangerous, unfamiliar environment, Wen Xi thought he wouldn't be able to sleep—yet not long after closing his eyes, his eyelids grew heavy all the same.
Not until the rooster in the backyard crowed the next morning did Wen Xi wake up. Feeling his warm body, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
How wonderful—he had lived to see another day!
His head felt a bit dizzy when he got up, but he paid it no mind. After tidying the bedding, he tiptoed out of the side room.
The courtyard was silent, without a trace of human voices; only wisps of cooking smoke rose from the roof of the kitchen.
Wen Xi stood at the side room door for a moment, then headed toward the kitchen.
Hearing the movement, He Jin poked his head out. It was his turn to cook today, and the rest of the family wouldn't be up so early, so he wasn't at all surprised to see Wen Xi.
He pretended not to notice Wen Xi's red, swollen eyes and asked, "It's still early. Third Young Master's husband, why don't you sleep a little longer?"
At that form of address, Wen Xi was momentarily dazed. In a single night, he had gone from an innocent ge'er to someone's husband.
Compared to the night before, Wen Xi's emotions had settled somewhat. He said softly to He Jin, "I always get up at this hour at home. I'm used to it."
He Jin said, "I've just finished heating some water. Come wash your face first. Later, when your parents-in-law get up, you'll need to serve them tea as the new husband."
Wen Xi gave a soft sound of agreement and walked into the kitchen with his head lowered.
The face towel and wooden basin were both new. Wen Xi guessed they had been prepared by the Yan family for Wen Liu, but in the end, he was the one who benefited.
He Jin ladled two scoops of hot water into the basin, and while Wen Xi washed his face, he pointed at his own eyes as a reminder: "Apply a hot compress for a while—it should help."
Without a bronze mirror, Wen Xi had no idea what he looked like at the moment. He had cried so hard the night before; he surely didn't look good.
Wen Xi's cheeks flushed red, and he obediently pressed the warm towel over his eyes.
Before the marriage, his parents had taught him nothing. Wen Xi didn't know what he was supposed to do after marrying into another family, nor did he know how the Yan family felt about him.
Sensing He Jin's kindness, Wen Xi felt as if he had found something to lean on. After washing his face, he hurriedly said, "I… I'll help you cook."
He Jin could see his unease and awkwardness, and said in a relaxed tone, "That would be great. I was just saying I can't manage all this alone."
Breakfast was the simplest meal—a bit of thin porridge with pickled vegetables would do. There was no way he couldn't manage alone; it was just a step down he was offering Wen Xi.
"But you don't look too well. Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Maybe you should go back to your room and rest a while longer?"
Wen Xi's wounds ached faintly and his head was dizzy—he really didn't feel well. But he was so used to such things that he didn't think rest was necessary at all.
Besides, Yan Feng'an was still lying in the room. Who knew when he would wake up? Wen Xi didn't dare go back in there.
He shook his head and said no need, so He Jin had him sit in front of the stove to tend the fire and add wood.
When the meal was almost ready, it was time for Yan Feng'an's parents to get up as well.
Serving tea was supposed to be done by the newlywed couple together, but given Yan Feng'an's condition, Wen Xi had to go alone.
Having been beaten into fear by Wen Shishan and Li Qiaozhen at home, he was terrified from the bottom of his heart of elders of that age.
Yan Shichang looked more imposing than Wen Shishan, and Chen Lanfang was often seen quarreling with people over trivial matters. Though Wen Xi hadn't had much contact with them, he had heard some of the gossip from others.
In the mouths of those people, this couple was not kind or easy to get along with, and their household had many rules—who knew if they would deliberately make things difficult for him.
He Jin was still busy in the kitchen and hadn't come over. In this unfamiliar environment with no one by his side to lean on, Wen Xi's heart was filled with nothing but nervousness and fear. Upon entering the main hall, he hastily knelt at the feet of the two elders, trembling like a thief caught in the act.
Chen Lanfang frowned at the sight. He was, after all, the husband formally married into their family—such timidity and cowering was unseemly.
Seeing that her mother-in-law was somewhat displeased, Li Wan quickly picked up a teacup from the table and handed it to Wen Xi, saying with a smile, "Third Brother's husband, kneeling alone won't get you the red envelopes. You still need to serve tea and change what you call them to 'Dad' and 'Mom.'"
Li Wan's timely intervention eased the stifling atmosphere considerably. Wen Xi was no fool—with someone to guide him, he immediately understood what he should do. Gratefully, he took the teacup from Li Wan's hands, held it with both hands, and raised it first to Yan Shichang, then to Chen Lanfang.
"Dad… Mom… please have some tea."
The old couple's attitude wasn't particularly warm, but neither did they deliberately make things difficult as Wen Xi had imagined. They responded mildly, took the teacup, and each took a sip.
After drinking the tea, Yan Shichang said, "All right, no need to keep kneeling. Get up."
Wen Xi did exactly as they said. Once he stood up, Chen Lanfang and Yan Shichang each pulled a red envelope from their sleeves: "This is the name-changing money. Take it."
Wen Xi had assumed Li Wan was only teasing—he never expected his parents-in-law would actually give him money.
Seeing Wen Xi standing there blankly without reacting, Li Wan had to remind him in a low voice, "What are you standing there for? Take it quickly!"
Wen Xi's hands reacted faster than his brain, and he hurriedly took the red envelopes and clutched them in his hands.
The two red envelopes together had some weight to them. Even now, he could hardly believe it, and he murmured involuntarily, "Are these really for me?"
Chen Lanfang found it amusing: "You're the new husband of this family. If the red envelopes aren't for you, who else would they be for? What, you think it's too little and don't want it?"
Afraid of being misunderstood, Wen Xi shook his head repeatedly to explain, "No, it's not that I think it's too little, it's just that I…"
Wen Xi wanted to say that someone like him, married in merely for wedding-luck-bringing, hardly deserved such things, but the words died on his lips and he quickly swallowed them back.
Some things everyone knew in their hearts, but saying them out loud would surely make people uncomfortable.
Having grown up in an environment like the Wen family, Wen Xi wasn't so thoughtless as to speak carelessly without regard for the occasion.
Timid he might be, but at least he wasn't a fool. After observing him for a while, Chen Lanfang said, "Now that you've married into this family, there are some things we need to make clear in advance."
Wen Xi lowered his head. "Please go ahead."
"You married over in Wen Liu's place—that was arranged between the elders of both families. Once the wedding ceremony was completed, you and Feng'an became husband and husband in every sense. As long as you behave yourself and devotedly take care of him, the Yan family will naturally treat you well. But if you dare harbor any other intentions…"
Chen Lanfang didn't finish the rest, but it was threat enough for Wen Xi.
What intentions could he possibly have? All he wanted was to live a good life.
Knowing full well he had no other choice, Wen Xi nodded and softly agreed, "I will definitely take good care of Scholar Yan."
Once everything that needed to be said was said, Chen Lanfang waved her hand. "Tidy up and come eat. Afterward, Wan Niang and Jin ge'er will take you around and show you the ins and outs of our household."
Before eating, Wen Xi first returned to his room to put away the red envelopes.
Yan Feng'an was still sound asleep on the bed, and with no one else in the room, Wen Xi finally couldn't hold back his curiosity. He opened the red envelope and took out the copper coins strung together with red thread, counting them carefully.
The count left him quite astonished. Each red envelope held twenty wen, so the two together made forty—far more than the private savings Wen Shishan had seized from him. The Yan family was truly generous.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't happy, but that bit of happiness was like a wisp of smoke, gone with a single sneeze.
After all, he and Yan Feng'an were not a normal married couple. Wen Xi knew perfectly well that he and the Yan family had never truly accepted each other.
He appreciated the old couple's kind intentions, but he didn't dare use the forty wen on his own. After much deliberation, he tucked the red envelopes into the drawer of Yan Feng'an's desk.
Chen Lanfang and Yan Shichang had three sons, and all three lived with them without dividing the household.
Together with Tiezhu, the eldest son's boy, and Tao'er, the second son's daughter, the Yan family had nine members in all.
With Wen Xi marrying in, the household now numbered a full ten.
They couldn't all fit around one table at mealtimes, so Li Wan had long since picked out food for the two children and shooed them off to the little stools nearby.
Children weren't particular about such things, and they ate with relish on their little stools.
When Wen Xi took his seat, the two children, mouths full, looked him over curiously while mumbling, "Hello, Uncle Xiaoxi."
Their childish voices were sweet and endearing, and their good behavior eased some of the tension in Wen Xi's heart.
Yan Feng'an's two older brothers weren't talkative men either; a nod to Wen Xi was all it took to acknowledge him as their younger brother's husband.
This was Wen Xi's first time eating at the table. In the Wen household, he had only ever been allowed to wait until his parents left the table, then hide in the kitchen to eat their leftovers.
Even then, Li Qiaozhen would curse him as a reincarnated starving ghost, telling everyone how greedy he was.
He supposed he really was greedy—otherwise why would he still feel hungry after finishing a bowl of porridge?
Afraid of leaving a bad impression of gluttony on the Yan family on his very first day, Wen Xi scraped his bowl clean and sensibly didn't go for a second helping.
The kitchen work in the Yan household was rotated among the women and ge'er of the family, and today it was He Jin's turn. Once everyone had left the table, he cleared the table, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks alone, while Wen Xi followed Li Wan to learn the household's other chores.
As a newly married husband, Li Wan hadn't really wanted to put him to work, but Wen Xi simply couldn't sit still. The Yan household was large, yet he felt superfluous wherever he stood. If he didn't find something to do, he feared the family would find him an eyesore.
After feeding the chickens, Wen Xi went to the woodshed to chop firewood. He was used to such chores from his old home, and they gave him no trouble at all. For some reason, though, his head felt especially dizzy as he worked today.
Wen Xi set down the axe to catch his breath. Just as he was about to go to the kitchen for a drink of water, he stood up and felt the sky and earth spinning around him. Before long, his whole body collapsed to the ground like an overcooked noodle, and he lost consciousness.