On the second day of their marriage, Qiao Wan woke up early. Huo Yan was nowhere to be found.
For breakfast, Qiao Wan prepared vegetable brown rice porridge and dressed cucumber with salt.
Just as she hesitated whether to call for Huo Yan outside the courtyard, noises came from the entrance.
Huo Yan returned from outside, holding two plump rabbits struggling vigorously with their legs.
Still feeling awkward from the unpleasantness of last night, Qiao Wan remained somewhat uneasy.
Huo Yan spoke first: “If you’re ready, we’ll head to the county town.”
After saying this, he placed the two rabbits he had caught that morning with those from the previous night, making six in total.
His mother loved braised rabbit meat the most. He remembered when he was very young, his father would always bring back two rabbits whenever he went up the mountain.
Since returning from the military camp, every time he went to the county town, he would bring a few rabbits to his uncle’s house to show filial respect to his mother.
This time was no exception.
“I made breakfast. Let’s eat before we go.”
Qiao Wan served two bowls of porridge and pushed the dressed cucumber toward the center of the table.
Huo Yan washed his hands, sat down at the table, and looked at the simple, light meal without saying a word. He picked up his bowl and ate in silence with his head down.
Qiao Wan took small sips of her porridge, occasionally stealing glances at Huo Yan. In the morning light, the lines of his profile remained sharp and cold, but the terrifying ferocity from the previous night had faded.
The atmosphere between them was subtly quiet, no longer as tense and confrontational as it had been the night before.
After the meal, Huo Yan efficiently cleared the tableware as usual, while Qiao Went into the room to change into the pink dress her father had bought for her. She tied up her hair simply and put on the pair of silver earrings.
Outside the courtyard, Huo Yan tied up all the rabbits and placed them in a bag. The colorful pheasant was put separately into a finely woven bamboo cage, making it particularly eye-catching.
“Let’s go!”
Huo Yan spoke concisely, shouldering the bag and carrying the cage as he strode out.
When they arrived at the village entrance, an ox cart was already waiting there. Several women sat on the cart, holding baskets of eggs and vegetables in their laps.
The small ox cart was packed full.
Huo Yan motioned for Qiao Wan to get on the cart and placed the pheasant beside her, telling her to hold it steady.
After waiting another quarter of an hour, seeing that no one else was coming, the ox cart slowly started moving toward the county town.
The news of Qiao Wan marrying Huo Yan had spread throughout Xiahe Village the previous day and had become a popular topic of conversation during meals and leisure time.
Qiao Wan could feel occasional glances subtly directed her way.
Bored during the journey, she tried to predict which of the aunties would be the first to strike up a conversation with her.
But to her disappointment, the ox cart remained unusually quiet the whole way. The aunties’ mouths seemed to have been sewn shut.
For the thirteenth time, the auntie sitting across from her leaned slightly in her direction. Just when Qiao Wan thought the auntie couldn’t hold back any longer and was about to speak, the woman glanced at Huo Yan behind her, averted her eyes, and slowly lowered her head.
Qiao Wan finally gave up hope. As long as Huo Yan, this intimidating presence, was around, there was no chance these aunties would start talking.
The ox cart ride from the village to the county town took over half an hour. Without even someone to chat or gossip with, Qiao Wan felt frustrated.
Huo Yan, focused on walking, suddenly noticed an intense gaze fixed on him. He turned his head and met Qiao Wan’s resentful almond-shaped eyes.
His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. What was wrong with this woman so early in the morning? Her look made it seem like he owed her a fortune.
Caught under his gaze, Qiao Wan immediately shrank back, quickly averting her eyes and pretending to look at the wild grass by the roadside.
She couldn’t help grumbling inwardly, “What are you glaring at? If it weren’t for you, my journey wouldn’t have been so dull.”
Huo Yan noticed her expression of suppressed anger and furtive demeanor, which only deepened his suspicions. However, being someone who rarely took the initiative to ask questions, he simply assumed Qiao Wan was still upset about last night’s incident. He averted his gaze and continued walking in silence.
The ox cart finally rattled its way to the county gate, where everyone disembarked. Qiao Wan handed the cage to Huo Yan, jumped off the cart, and stretched her numb legs. After paying the fare, Huo Yan said to her, “First, come with me to my uncle’s house to see Mother and deliver these items. Then we’ll go to the market to buy some household supplies.”
“Alright,” Qiao Wan nodded in agreement.
Without another word, Huo Yan turned and strode off, his steps long and swift. Qiao Wan had to jog to keep up, the pair of earrings swaying gently with his movements. After walking some distance, Huo Yan stopped before an imposing vermilion-lacquered gate, its towering lintel setting it apart from the ordinary homes nearby—clearly the residence of a wealthy family.
Huo Yan stepped forward and knocked. Soon, a voice answered from within, and the door was opened by a servant around Huo Yan’s age. The moment the servant saw Huo Yan, a flicker of disdain crossed his eyes. After glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he said impatiently, “Haven’t we told you to use the back door when you come…?”
“Today, I’ve brought my new wife to see Mother. Could you please announce us?” Huo Yan’s tone was calm, even polite, but his back remained ramrod straight.
The servant then shifted his gaze to Qiao Wan behind Huo Yan, scrutinizing her from head to toe. Though she wore new clothes, the fabric was plain, and her looks were far from stunning. His contempt grew more pronounced, and he sneered, “New wife? Hah… Wait here.”
The gate slammed shut with a “bang,” and the sound of footsteps faded into the distance—evidently, he had gone to deliver the message. After a long while, the door reopened, but this time it wasn’t the servant who emerged. Instead, it was a well-dressed middle-aged man who appeared to be the estate’s steward.
His eyes swept over Huo Yan before settling on Qiao Wan, his gaze carrying an uncomfortable mix of scrutiny and arrogance. “The First Madam has just taken her medicine and is resting. She cannot receive guests,” the steward stated flatly. “Leave the items here. As for the new bride… now that you’ve married into the family, focus on living your life. There’s no need to visit specially in the future.”
His words were dismissive, but the meaning was clear: don’t come back unless necessary. They weren’t even allowed past the gate, let alone granted an audience with his mother. Huo Yan fell silent for a moment, his throat moving slightly before he finally handed over the bag and cage. “Thank you, Steward Hu.”
The steward didn’t even reach for the items, merely gesturing behind him for the earlier servant to take them inside. Then he said, “You may go.”
Qiao Wan watched as the gate closed once more, shutting them out coldly. Her eyes then fell on Huo Yan’s silent, rigid back ahead of her, and her heart felt heavy and sour, as if blocked by something unnameable.
Huo Yan stood motionless for a few breaths before turning around, his face still expressionless. “Let’s go,” he said, his voice betraying no emotion. “We’re heading to the market.”
The two walked through the alley single-file toward the market. Just as they rounded a corner, Huo Yan suddenly halted, standing as immovable as a small mountain. From ahead, the sharp, critical voices of two women drifted over, every word clearly reaching Qiao Wan’s ears.
“Pah! What filthy rubbish dares to be sent here? It reeks of the muddy stench of impoverished peasants, truly befouling the ground before our mansion!” a voice spat out, dripping with disgust.
Another voice chimed in with biting agreement: “Don’t even mention it, it’s nauseating. But rest assured, sister, that shameless, lowly creature likely won’t dare show his face here again.”
“Oh? How so?”
“I heard that Evil Star, in a rush to Ward off bad luck by arranging a wedding for the Madam, hastily married some woman and tied himself down. If you ask me, the Madam played her cards brilliantly! Feigning illness was the perfect excuse to push that troublemaker out. Now that he has his own home and a wife, how could he possibly have the nerve or the leisure to linger around here anymore?”
“Amitabha! Thank heavens! The Madam’s benevolence has finally rid us of that wretched scoundrel! What a relief to be free of that burden—our mansion can finally have some peace from now on!”
Their voices faded into the distance as Qiao Wan turned sideways and saw the bag and cage she had just delivered thrown back out, only now the pheasant had its neck slit and its beautiful feathers plucked clean.