Su Yu slept deeply. When she woke this time, no one was beside her. Sitting up, she felt as though she had dreamed something the night before, yet no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall any of the details. Rubbing her temples, she called out, “Jinglan.”
The door opened, but instead of Jinglan, Ji Xuanyue entered.
“Husband?” She blinked. “Why haven’t you gone out today?”
Ji Xuanyue walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “There’s nothing important to attend to today. I wanted to spend some time with you.”
For some reason, the moment he sat down, Su Yu’s gaze was inexplicably drawn to the tip of his nose. It was perfectly clean, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that the tall bridge of his nose ought to have been damp.
“What’s wrong?” Ji Xuanyue lowered his eyes to look at her.
Startled, Su Yu hurriedly withdrew her gaze and shook her head. She could only attribute the strange thought to lingering grogginess from sleep.
Ji Xuanyue did not press further. “Then get up and wash. I’ll take you out for a walk today, so you won’t feel so cooped up.”
Su Yu nodded lightly.
When Su Yu came to the county town before, she had heard of the Ji family’s businesses but never paid them much attention. Today, however, after visiting one shop after another, she was genuinely astonished.
Besides Renxin Hall, where a single consultation cost a whole tael of silver, there were also the Treasure Pavilion, the grain store, the cloth workshop, and the bookshop. Shops she had once admired only from afar, impressed by their grandeur but never daring to step inside, all bore the Ji family plaque.
At every establishment they entered, the shopkeeper would first bow respectfully and greet Ji Xuanyue with, “Master.”
Then they would turn to her and, with the same deference, address her as “Madam.”
The display left Su Yu feeling somewhat self-conscious and uneasy. Ji Xuanyue simply reached out and took her hand.
“Any piece that catches your eye can be added to the household collection.”
At that moment, Su Yu wore a delicate, little veiled hat and stood in a private room in the Treasure Pavilion. Rows upon rows of dazzling gold hairpins and jeweled ornaments were spread across the table before her. In truth, she had little interest in such things. After a glance, she withdrew her hand.
Seeing this, Ji Xuanyue reached toward the corner of a tray and selected a simple jade hairpin. It was carved from warm white Hetian jade, crowned with a tiny magnolia blossom at its tip, understated yet elegant.
Holding the hairpin lightly between his fingers, he raised a hand and swept aside the gauze veil of Su Yu’s hat. Then, with gentle care, he slipped the jade pin into her coiffed hair.
Su Yu froze for a moment and looked up, only to find him gazing down at her.
“Wife, this hairpin suits you very well.”
The sudden meeting of their eyes made her heart skip a beat. She quickly lowered her gaze.
“Th-then let’s take this one. We don’t need the others.”
The shopkeeper repeatedly agreed, lavishly praising the young master’s keen eye and the madam’s good fortune.
Ji Xuanyue had the cost of the jade hairpin added to his account, then took her hand and led her out of the shop. Thus, they spent the day wandering at a leisurely pace, stopping here and there. Along the way, they dined at a restaurant and listened to tales of strange spirits and legendary marvels at a storytelling house. Only as dusk began to fall did the two finally return to the residence.
This was already their third night sharing the same bedchamber, and Su Yu was no longer as tense as she had been during the first two nights. As usual, she washed up and changed her clothes. By the time she returned to the inner room, Ji Xuanyue was already reclining against the headboard, waiting for her. In the flickering candlelight, what followed had almost become a nightly routine.
Lost in a long, lingering kiss, Su Yu thought hazily to herself that her husband was probably the most honorable and gentlemanly husband under heaven.
Su Yu slept soundly until dawn as usual. When she woke, she found that Ji Xuanyue was already gone from the bed. She sat up. Today was the day of their return visit to her parents’ home, yet she had somehow slept later than her husband. After getting dressed and washing up, she stepped outside and discovered that Ji Xuanyue had already prepared all the gifts for the visit and was waiting for her in the outer room.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
Walking over to him, Su Yu felt a little embarrassed. She didn’t know what had been wrong with her these past few days. The moment her head touched the pillow, she slept straight through until morning. She had never been like this at home before.
“No need to rush. It’s still early.” As he spoke, Ji Xuanyue came over and took her hand. “The gifts for the return visit have already been packed. See if there’s anything we’ve missed.”
Following her gaze toward the courtyard gate, Su Yu indeed saw a carriage already waiting there. Behind it, a flatbed cart was neatly stacked with bolts of brocade, nourishing tonics, medicinal herbs, pastries, and all manner of gifts, piled nearly half a person’s height.
“Isn’t this a bit too much…?” Su Yu felt somewhat uneasy. Since the incident at Renxin Hall, the Ji family had supplied all the precious medicinal ingredients her grandmother needed each day. They had even arranged for servants to be stationed in the countryside to care for her grandmother.
Although she was now married to Ji Xuanyue, she had not yet fulfilled any of a wife’s true duties. Seeing an entire cart laden with gifts, she suddenly felt unworthy of receiving such generosity.
“It isn’t too much. Grandmother is ill, so naturally she should be given the best care.” Ji Xuanyue raised a hand and lightly steadied her back. Through the fabric of her clothes, his palm’s warmth was distinctly reassuring.
“Come, let’s get in the carriage.”
The carriage traveled nonstop toward Lingyin Village, and by the time they arrived, it was nearly noon.
The commotion of horses and carriages entering the village immediately drew the attention of many villagers. When Su Yu stepped down from the carriage, even some aunts who rarely interacted with her stepped forward to greet her.
Madam Chen had been waiting at home for some time. Hearing the noise outside, she sat in her chair and craned her neck to look out.
Su Yu hurried forward. The moment she called out, “Grandmother,” her eyes stung with unshed tears.
Madam Chen took her hand and carefully looked her over from head to toe. Seeing that her cheeks were fuller than before her marriage and that the distracted, troubled look she had worn during those days was gone, she finally relaxed. Nodding repeatedly, she patted Su Yu’s hand and said, “Good, good, good.”
Ji Xuanyue bowed respectfully to Madam Chen. Seeing that grandmother and granddaughter seemed to have private matters to discuss, he excused himself, said he would go outside to enjoy the scenery, and gave them space.
Watching his departing figure, Madam Chen’s smile deepened. “This Xuanyue seems steady and reliable. Does he treat you well?”
Su Yu nodded. “He treats me very well. Please don’t worry, Grandmother.”
“As long as he treats you well.” Madam Chen patted her hand. “Have you gotten used to life in the manor? Do the meals suit your taste? Are the servants respectful?”
Su Yu hesitated briefly before replying, “I’m used to everything. I’ve never lacked food, clothing, or anything I need, and the servants are all respectful. It’s just that the estate feels rather quiet, with hardly anyone around. Other than that, everything is fine.”
Madam Chen sighed. “He’s all alone, with neither father nor mother by his side. These past years, he must have borne everything on his own. But now that he has a wife, things will be different. When you have a child and bring new life and blessings into the family, the house will become lively as well.”
A child.
Heat immediately rose to Su Yu’s face. She couldn’t help but recall that, over the past few nights, Ji Xuanyue had refrained from consummating the marriage because of her fear.
Seeing her granddaughter’s shy, maidenly expression, Madam Chen felt even more reassured. “Looking at you now, it seems Xuanyue truly does treat you well. That puts my mind at ease.”
Embarrassed to discuss such intimate matters with her grandmother, Su Yu merely nodded and asked about her grandmother’s daily life over the past few days instead. Learning that the maidservant had cared for her diligently and that Su Erlang and Wu Xiu hadn’t come to cause trouble, she finally felt relieved.
After the two chatted for a little while longer, Ji Xuanyue returned. “Yu’er, go and check whether the medicinal herbs drying by the gate are ready. Your grandmother and I would like to talk for a moment.”
Su Yu glanced at Ji Xuanyue, answered softly, “All right,” and withdrew.
At the courtyard entrance, bamboo trays were spread with mint and mugwort leaves to dry in the sun. Su Yu absentmindedly sorted through them, but her thoughts remained fixed on the conversation inside.
“Sister Yu.” A male voice suddenly spoke from in front of her.
Su Yu looked up to see Su Yansong standing at the courtyard gate. He had grown noticeably thinner, making his features more pronounced. His gaze rested heavily on her face.
Su Yu immediately rose and stepped back two paces. “Cousin.”
At first, she had been heartbroken over Su Yansong. The affection they had shared since childhood as sweethearts and companions was real. But her grandmother had been right. Even if his feelings for her were genuine, he could not make her his sole priority. He did not dare stand up to his mother for her sake. A love like that, even if it somehow led to marriage, would never bring happiness.
Naturally, Su Yansong noticed her distance. He did not respond to her greeting. From beginning to end, his eyes remained fixed on her face.
Today she wore a new light-green dress, and her hair was styled like a married woman’s. Her cheeks were rosier than before, and those naturally full lips were slightly pursed. Their color seemed richer than before, as though they had been cherished and kissed again and again in the privacy of the night.
The fingers hidden within Su Yansong’s sleeve tightened unconsciously.
“On the day of your wedding, my mother locked me in my room. That’s why I couldn’t come… Sister Yu, I failed you.”
Su Yu listened quietly without showing resentment. “Aunt surely had her own reasons. Cousin, there’s no need to dwell on it. What happened that day is already in the past.”
“Yes.” Su Yansong smiled appropriately as he said, “Seeing that you’re living well now sets my mind at ease.”
His smile was perfectly courteous, and his voice remained calm and gentle. He told himself he could no longer let Su Yu see him as overbearing. He had to be polite, measured, and know when to advance and when to retreat. Only then would she be willing to speak with him. Only then would she stop thinking of avoiding him the moment she saw him. As long as he passed this autumn’s provincial examination and earned the title of juren, he would keep climbing higher. Once he possessed official rank and authority, enough to overshadow Ji Xuanyue…
Even if she were already another man’s wife, he would find a way to take her back.
Su Yu did not respond. Now that she was married, she instinctively wished to avoid any further entanglement with Su Yansong. Just as she thought this, a voice suddenly called out from behind her.
“Wife.”
Su Yu’s heart skipped a beat. Turning her head, she saw that Ji Xuanyue had somehow arrived behind her without her noticing. His expression remained as gentle and composed as ever. When she looked at him, he naturally slipped an arm around her waist.
Su Yu noticed Su Yansong’s gaze fall upon the hand resting on her waist. Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, she nevertheless steadied her voice and looked up at Ji Xuanyue. “Husband.”
After all, it had only been a short time since Su Yansong had openly declared, right in front of Ji Xuanyue, that he wanted to marry her. Yet now she had already become Ji Xuanyue’s wife.
Still unsure how to handle such an awkward situation, Su Yu suddenly felt a cool touch on her cheek.
Ji Xuanyue had raised a hand to smooth the loose strands of hair by her temple. His movements were light. The pad of his finger brushed her earlobe and lingered for a moment before he finally lifted his gaze to Su Yansong, who stood frozen by the courtyard gate.
“Young Master Yansong, my wife and I have returned to visit her family today. Would you like to come in and sit for a while?”
Su Yansong’s lips moved slightly. His eyes drifted uncontrollably to the hand wrapped around Su Yu’s waist.
The hand was elegant and slender, its long pale fingers clearly defined by prominent knuckles. Yet it encircled his Sister Yu with an authority that permitted no challenge.
“N-No need,” he said, forcing himself to look away. “I was only passing by and stopped to see Sister Yu.”
“My wife was just thinking of her grandmother.” Ji Xuanyue smiled faintly and lowered his head to look at Su Yu in his arms, his voice suddenly softening even further. “I’ll accompany my wife inside first. Grandmother must be getting anxious waiting for us. Young Master Yansong, please excuse us.”
With an arm around her, he turned and walked away. After a few steps, however, he seemed to remember something and stopped, glancing back at Su Yansong, who was still rooted to the spot. Those amber eyes remained as warm and gentle as ever beneath the sunlight.
“Oh, right. Young Master Yansong will be taking the provincial examination next month. Allow me to wish you success and the honor of topping the list.”
“When the time comes for you to marry the magistrate’s daughter, my wife and I will be sure to offer our congratulations in person.”
Ji Xuanyue’s smile never wavered. Yet every word struck Su Yansong precisely where it hurt most.