Ji Yingying stared at him with wide eyes.
Yang Jingyuan smacked his lips, appearing to savor it: “Not bad at all.”
Not bad? Ji Yingying stared at his face, expecting to see some reaction. She mechanically continued feeding him, and Yang Jingyuan drank it all without changing expression.
“Thank you. I definitely won’t have a headache tomorrow. At home, when I drink too much, I love drinking vinegar straight – the sourer the better. How did you know my habit?”
He looked at her curiously, as if genuinely wondering.
Ji Yingying was furious, jumping up to curse: “You’re a monster! It’s so sour and salty, with tons of pepper powder – only a ghost would find it tasty! You’re putting on an act to fool me, aren’t you?”
Yang Jingyuan stood up immediately. He looked at her intently, speaking slowly: “Yes, I’m fooling myself. It tastes terrible. But why would I force myself to say it’s good?”
Ji Yingying said angrily: “You knew I was trying to get back at you, so you didn’t want to give me the satisfaction, right?”
“Why would I think that way?”
“Because you can’t stand me! You think I only agreed to the marriage because your family has the money and power to help my family out!”
“So you’re saying you didn’t agree to the marriage for my family’s power and wealth?”
“…”
Yang Jingyuan stepped forward, staring at her intensely: “Why are you quiet now?”
Ji Yingying bit her lip and turned her face away. Suddenly, she found herself drawn into his embrace, startled. His voice sounded like a sigh above her head: “I’m sorry.”
What? Ji Yingying tensed, thinking she had misheard.
“Yingying, I was angry that I wasn’t here when your family was in trouble.” Breathing in the familiar peach blossom powder fragrance from her, Yang Jingyuan spoke his heart’s words as if hypnotized.
“My mother was willing to propose to your family because she valued your skills. I feared you would feel wronged.”
He was the son of a concubine, wanting to fly free from the Yang family and have his place in the world. Currently, everything he had came from his family. If Ji Yingying married into the Yang family, though appearing grand externally, her life might not be easy.
“When you agreed to the marriage, I always felt you didn’t like me.”
“My words made you angry. Then I feared you would break off the engagement.”
“Even knowing you brought me a bowl of sour soup and a bowl of salty soup, I would gladly drink it if it meant you would stop being angry.”
He wanted her heart too. To stay together through poverty, to share both sweetness and bitterness.
She was like a treasure in his hands, something to be protected so carefully. Ji Yingying was stunned.
She and Zhao Xiuyuan had grown up as childhood sweethearts, and when they were older, their dates were mostly about the joy of meeting secretly. But she had never felt protected in Zhao Xiuyuan’s hands like this. Before, she hadn’t thought she needed Zhao Xiuyuan to treasure and protect her like this. She would sometimes act coquettishly with Zhao Xiuyuan. He would comfort her and apologize. Once he yielded, she would immediately be magnanimous and let it go. She was like a chattering sparrow, and he would always listen with a smile. In her memories, the past Zhao Xiuyuan was gentle and refined, unperturbed. She had one-sidedly believed he loved her deeply. Only now did she understand it had been her assumption.
Ji Yingying realized, dazed, that being carefully protected by someone felt so warmhearted.
Feeling her relax, Yang Jingyuan released his arms. He looked at her intently, a smile slowly spreading across his face. It was as if a ray of sunshine had entered the dim room, filling it with radiance. Ji Yingying heard her own heart pounding.
Suddenly his face was closer, Yang Jingyuan bending down to look her in the eye. Ji Yingying’s face burned, and she turned to run.
“Yingying!”
She stopped, turning to glare at him: “I’m not angry anymore! But if you say those things again, I’ll be angry again!”
Her flushed face and eyes soft as spring water betrayed her feigned anger. Yang Jingyuan chuckled: “Could you trouble yourself to have a servant bring me some tea? It’s really… sour enough to kill me!”
Ji Yingying’s face reddened even more, and she stamped her foot hard: “Serves you right!”
She lifted the door curtain and disappeared. Seeing Ying’er waiting in the corridor, she quickly said: “Tell Ji Ying to bring lots of tea!”
Ying’er lowered her head to hide her smile: “Yes.”
On their way back, Ji Yingying stretched out her hand: “Look, it’s snowing. How beautiful.”
Ying’er sneezed, feeling only the night’s cold.
Early the next morning, snow covered the entire courtyard.
Xiang’er woke Ji Yingying up. Today she would meet her new sister-in-law, so she quickly finished washing up, and Ying’er brought in breakfast. Before Ji Yingying could ask, she said: “Today Madam will have tea with the new bride. Young Master Yang left at dawn, saying it wouldn’t be appropriate to disturb, and left without breakfast.”
Ji Yingying made a noncommittal sound, staring at Ying’er without blinking.
Ying’er collected the tray and said teasingly: “Young Master Yang said besides the wedding gifts, he also brought gifts from Chang’an for Madam and Miss. You’ll know what they are when you go to Madam’s quarters.” She ran out as if escaping after speaking.
Xiang’er ladled her a bowl of porridge, smiling: “This servant knows. Yesterday while serving Madam, Matron Li personally received Young Master Yang’s gifts.”
“Who cares!” Ji Yingying pursed her lips, finished breakfast, and went to the main courtyard with Xiang’er.
Ji Yaoting and Fourth Miss Zhang hadn’t arrived yet. Madam Ji was already dressed and waiting. Seeing Ji Yingying arrive, she smiled: “Young Master Yang brought you a gift from Chang’an. Take a look at what it is.”
Matron Li brought over a huanghuali wood box about half a chin tall.
Ji Yingying took the box and opened it to find a complete set of tools. Jade mortars and pestles for grinding, small scales for weighing, a set of five metal spoons, a three-cun-long knife, and a row of empty glass bottles. She exclaimed “Wow!” and grew excited: “How beautiful.”
Madam Ji peered in and laughed: “This gift certainly went straight to your heart.”
Ji Yingying reluctantly closed the lid and handed it to Xiang’er, then nestled against Madam Ji coquettishly: “What gift did he bring for Mother?”
Matron Li smiled: “A sable fur hand warmer like Zhaojun’s. Perfect for Madam to use in winter.”
He prepared gifts people would like, yet insisted on meeting in the grove to mock her. What a contrary person. Ji Yingying silently complained again.
Madam Ji took the opportunity to instruct her daughter: “Yingying, Young Master Yang is considerate to our family, so I can rest easy. Don’t be temperamental anymore. The Yang family has helped us, and now that you’re engaged, we must show gratitude.”
Ji Yingying made a sound of agreement.
As they spoke, Ji Yaoting escorted Fourth Miss Zhang over.
Zhang Si’niang was plump and graceful, speaking gently and softly – a good-natured person at first sight.
The Ji family was small, and after paying respects to Ji’s Father’s tablet and worshiping the ancestors, she became part of the Ji family.
She gave Ji Yingying a pair of phoenix-headed embroidered shoes. The phoenix was embroidered in five colors. Ji Yingying, being skilled at needlework herself, immediately liked them.
After paying respects, Ji Yaoting went to the dye house, and Ji Yingying followed. They left Madam Ji and Zhang Si’niang to talk.
Ji Yingying wanted her brother to spend more time with his new wife. At the dye house, after mixing the dyes, she shooed Ji Yaoting away. She had two maids with her, and Matron Ji was overseeing the dye house. Twenty-some servants and silk-washing maids began working busily.
Zi’er enviously watched Xiang’er following Ji Yingying, snorting coldly as she and Lü’er carried a basket of dyed cloth to the river for washing.
Heavy snow had been falling since last night. Upon touching the river water, their fingers turned red and swollen, chilblains cracking open with heart-piercing pain. Zi’er cursed under her breath: “She’s so lucky, becoming Miss’s maid. No more working in the snow.”
Lü’er, who had fought with her before, glanced at her with a cold smile: “If you have the ability, go climb up the social ladder yourself.”
Zi’er pursed her lips: “Just wait, someday I’ll never have to do this miserable cloth and silk washing work again!”