Chen Shi felt this was somewhat inappropriate and tried to stop Old Master Wu, saying, “Do you have some urgent matter? Third Master Pei has been inside for a while now. By my estimation, they should be almost finished talking. Why don’t you have another cup of tea and wait a bit longer…”
Old Master Wu hastily interrupted Chen Shi’s words, stamping his feet anxiously as he said, “How could I really be going to ask Hui Li for a cup of tea? I’m just afraid these two might start quarreling!”
When Chen Shi heard this, she became anxious, and Wang Shi directly urged him, “Then hurry and go! Hurry and go see!”
Old Master Wu sighed and left the hall in just a few quick strides.
Yu Tang watched, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and said, “No matter how bad Third Master Pei’s temper is, he couldn’t possibly quarrel with my father!” What’s more, she had just been eavesdropping at the wall earlier, and Pei Yan’s attitude couldn’t be called enthusiastic, but it certainly wasn’t like a rash young son-in-law on his first visit either.
Chen Shi scolded her, “What do you know? Your father’s temperament—when he likes someone, everything about them is good, but when he doesn’t, nothing about them is good. Years ago, that Scholar Lu got into your father’s good graces exactly like this, and your father obeyed him in everything. When the family had no money, he’d borrow money just to help Scholar Lu get through difficult times. What I’m afraid of is that your father will have preconceived notions about Third Master Pei!”
As she spoke, she became extremely anxious.
Yu Tang comforted her mother with a few words, but not only did it fail to eliminate Chen Shi’s worries, Chen Shi actually lectured her instead, “Is it you who understands your father better? Or is it me who understands your father better? Third Master Pei is a reasonable person, but your father isn’t!”
When did her father become an unreasonable person?!
Yu Tang looked at her mother, who was wholeheartedly worried for Pei Yan, and didn’t know what to say.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before Old Master Wu came out from the back courtyard accompanying Pei Yan.
Chen Shi and the others hurriedly ran to the window lattice to look.
Old Master Wu was all smiles, respectful yet affectionate toward Pei Yan. As for Pei Yan, he had also changed from his usual coldness and was chatting and laughing with Old Master Wu. The atmosphere between the two was harmonious, and they got along well.
“What’s going on here?” Chen Shi and Wang Shi looked at each other in confusion. “Where’s A’Tang’s father?”
Old Master Wu smiled as he saw Pei Yan out the door, even standing at the entrance for a while. Only after Pei Yan had walked far away did he turn back.
Chen Shi, Wang Shi, and the others immediately crowded around him, all talking at once, “What happened?”
“Where’s our old master? Why didn’t he see the guest out?”
Yu Tang stood on tiptoe listening from the side when A’Tiao, who had somehow quietly slipped in, tugged at the corner of her clothing and whispered, “Miss, Third Master Pei says he’s waiting for you in our back courtyard. He won’t leave until he sees you!”
Her face flushed red.
A’Tiao had already run off without a trace.
Yu Tang was hesitating between being more reserved and going later or going immediately to ask clearly when she heard Old Master Wu sigh and say, “The Pei family truly lives up to being a scholarly family of farming and reading. Look at that cultivation, look at that character—truly one in ten thousand! Otherwise, how could I have worked so hard to arrange this match? Your family’s young lady has fallen into a nest of fortune.” As he spoke, he began to rattle off details about Pei Yan and Yu Wen’s meeting. “…Hui Li wasn’t polite at all and made quite a few demands. Third Master Pei didn’t even furrow his brow once, not only agreeing to everything but also keeping his attitude very humble, treating Hui Li completely as an elder, speaking very respectfully… Yet Hui Li actually got addicted to putting on the father-in-law airs. When Third Master Pei was leaving, he sat there like a lord and just waved his hand… I didn’t think it looked good, so I helped see the guest out.”
After hearing this, Chen Shi and Wang Shi scolded Yu Wen, “Look how arrogant he’s being! How can he not consider his daughter’s reputation! Even an ordinary son-in-law shouldn’t be treated this way, and Third Master Pei is even a presented scholar!”
Old Master Wu said, “Exactly!”
Though he said this, his tone couldn’t hide his envy.
Chen Shi and Wang Shi felt sweet in their hearts seeing this.
Xiang Shi even nudged Yu Tang with her elbow and said with a smile, “Now you can relax, right!”
Yu Tang muttered quietly, “I was never worried.”
Xiang Shi didn’t believe her.
Yu Tang, however, thought Pei Yan had performed well and decided to praise him.
When she went to see Pei Yan, she wrapped a small package of cherries in a handkerchief. Upon seeing Pei Yan, she handed them over and said, “Here! Your reward.”
Pei Yan accepted them without understanding, examining what they were while asking, “What ‘reward’? What have I done that’s worth your reward?”
Yu Tang smiled, “Rewarding you for not saying anything wrong in front of my father.”
When Pei Yan saw it was a package of cherries, he wasn’t particularly interested, but thinking that this was the first time Yu Tang had given him something, he felt it was quite nice after all. He casually accepted them and handed them to A’Ming, who was serving at his side, before turning to Yu Tang and saying, “Aren’t I doing this out of consideration for you? Didn’t you tell me to be more respectful toward your father?”
Yu Tang smiled radiantly, blooming like a flower under the summer sunlight. “That’s why I’m rewarding you!”
“Rewarding me for what? Rewarding me for listening to you?” Pei Yan said with displeasure.
Yu Tang smiled with pursed lips, thinking Pei Yan’s interpretation wasn’t bad—if he continued to be this “obedient” in the future, she would continue to reward him.
Pei Yan was a bit angry, feeling that Yu Tang’s attitude toward him wasn’t very good—it was rather like how he treated his own pet dog: giving it food when it obeyed, shutting it outside when it didn’t.
His face immediately turned dark as the bottom of a pot.
Yu Tang, however, thought this Pei Yan was too unromantic.
But… quite interesting.
She couldn’t help but laugh again.
Pei Yan watched as her bright black and white eyes curved like a crescent moon, and his heart suddenly softened tremendously. He thought that as long as she was happy, he wouldn’t quibble with her over some things for now.
Wasn’t there a saying “teach sons in the hall, teach wives beside the pillow”?
Yu Tang wasn’t his wife yet. Once she became his wife, he could teach her slowly.
Pei Yan’s heart also began to soar, and his expression naturally became kind and approachable.
Yu Tang secretly cursed “dog temperament” in her heart, thinking that with his personality, she’d probably have to coax him like this for the rest of her life. Her voice involuntarily softened as she said, “Thank you for today. I know that your personality is usually aloof, and it’s all for my sake that you were so good to my father. I don’t know if you like eating cherries or not, but the best fruit our family has right now is cherries. Otherwise, why don’t you tell me what you like to eat? I’ll buy it for you next time. Or what other reward do you want? I’ll prepare it for you next time.”
Her lips were rosy and red, opening and closing, her voice clear and melodious, reminding one of a singing lark or a warbling oriole—utterly adorable!
Pei Yan couldn’t help but swallow and said, “Then will you sing me a song next time?”
Yu Tang was dumbfounded.
Singing—wasn’t that what entertainers did?
Was Pei Yan asking her to do what entertainers did?
Yu Tang felt a moment of discomfort, but she quickly became at ease with it.
If Pei Yan wanted to humiliate her, he wouldn’t be marrying her as his wife with the three letters and six rites. Perhaps he truly just wanted to hear her sing a song, just like when she was still small and her memories were still hazy—she vaguely remembered seeing her father help her mother draw her eyebrows.
It seemed that later she had also accidentally stumbled upon her father kissing her mother.
Perhaps these were just the different preferences between husband and wife in private.
Thinking of this, the parents in her mind’s impression suddenly transformed into her and Pei Yan…
Her face immediately turned red with embarrassment, not daring to look at Pei Yan even once.
As for Pei Yan, as soon as the words left his mouth, he felt he had said something wrong.
Yu Tang was the person he wanted to marry properly through formal matchmaking—how could he say such frivolous words?
He secretly regretted it, and looking at Yu Tang again, her face had already turned red as if blood would drip from it.
Pei Yan’s heart panicked a little.
What should he do?
Apologize or… apologize?!
Pei Yan’s lips moved slightly, not knowing how to begin, when he heard Yu Tang’s weak voice by his ear, “Alright!”
“What?!” Pei Yan’s eyes widened.
Yu Tang gathered her courage and raised her head, her large eyes looking brightly at Pei Yan as she loudly said “alright” again and added, “Next time I see you, I’ll sing for you.” Having finished speaking, she really couldn’t suppress the shyness in her heart any longer, turned around, and ran off.
Pei Yan watched Yu Tang’s retreating figure. Only after a long while did he come back to his senses and understand what Yu Tang had said.
The corners of his mouth couldn’t help but rise high, his heart as sweet as if he’d drunk honey.
No wonder everyone wanted to marry a wife—marrying a wife was really quite nice. Even such unreasonable requests were agreed to.
So next time they met, he could hear Yu Tang sing.
Should he play a flute or xiao, or play the pipa or qin?
It seemed the flute and pipa were more suitable.
After all, it was pleasure in the bridal chamber—there was no need to be so solemn.
Pei Yan was thinking about this until he stumbled through the main gate of the Pei residence, when he suddenly remembered that he still hadn’t told Yu Tang what he needed to say.
He couldn’t help but frown.
In others’ eyes, who knew how stern he looked.
So much so that the servants privately discussed among themselves why he was unhappy today.
Naturally, Old Madam Pei An quickly received the news. She thought for a moment, then called her son over and asked him bluntly, “You went to the Yu family today? I heard it was Old Master Yu who called you there?”
Pei Yan’s brow furrowed even deeper. He felt there were a few too many gossipy people in the household, and that Hu Xing, the head steward, was doing his job somewhat inadequately.
“Yes!” He very casually picked up the nearby tea cup for a sip and nodded toward his mother.
Old Madam Pei An said, “Did they say anything?”
“No!” Pei Yan very much disliked others prying into his affairs, so he wasn’t willing to answer such questions. “Why are you asking about this?”
Old Madam Pei An sighed, “I saw you didn’t look very happy when you came back from the Yu family, so I’m asking you.”
Pei Yan’s brow locked into the character for “river” as he asked in surprise, “I’m not happy?”
Old Madam Pei An looked at him, then suddenly covered her forehead and laughed, saying, “Alright! I understand now. You can go back! I won’t ask you about these things anymore.”
How could she have believed the nonsense of those servants?
In their minds, when had Pei Yan ever been happy?
However, Pei Yan didn’t leave. Yet he also didn’t continue discussing this matter. Instead, he said, “Mother, I have something I want to discuss with you.”
Old Madam Pei An smiled, “Speak!”
Pei Yan hesitated for a moment and said, “I haven’t decided on this matter yet.” In reality, he hadn’t discussed it with Yu Tang yet. “I’m just thinking about it.” In case Yu Tang didn’t agree, there would be a way out. “Miss Yu only has a superficial understanding of our family’s affairs. Before she marries in, I’d like you to help guide and instruct her, so she won’t be unfamiliar with some of our family’s ways of doing things when she marries in.”