Cui Jiu, despite drinking on the mountain pavilion, hadn’t eaten a proper meal. As he descended the mountain, he began to feel hungry. Without waiting for Liu Miantang’s instruction, he called out, “Mama Li, bring some food.”
Unfortunately, since the master had returned unexpectedly, Mama Li hadn’t prepared anything. With limited ingredients in the kitchen, she could only serve the evening meal she had prepared for Liu Miantang.
Tonight’s dinner consisted of dried radish bought from the street, soaked and seasoned with salt, along with a piece of local fermented tofu, ready to eat after being doused with hot oil.
Although Cui Xingzhou wasn’t particularly fussy about food, he hadn’t expected such a coarse meal. If not for the bowl of white rice, it would have been no better than prison fare.
Liu Miantang, however, seemed at ease. In her view, frugality was essential in managing a household. Noticing Cui Jiu’s slight frown, she called for Mama Li to bring sesame oil while consoling her delicate husband, “My lord, settling in a new place requires spending money at every turn. We must be thrifty in our daily lives. It’s late, and eating too much might upset your stomach. Please make do for now. The fermented tofu is especially delicious with sesame oil. If you’re not used to it, I’ll have Mama Li buy you sticky rice chicken tomorrow…”
Cui Xingzhou easily recognized her tone as one used to coax a picky child. He inwardly scoffed but picked up his bowl and silently ate a serving of rice with the dried radish.
Liu Miantang attentively prepared the fermented tofu with sesame oil and poured Cui Xingzhou a cup of hot tea.
After dinner, as night fell, Cui Xingzhou knew that suggesting separate sleeping arrangements now would be unbelievable even to the most gullible. He had come to catch her in a trap, to see if she harbored any assassin’s intent. He needed to give her the opportunity.
So, after the dishes were cleared and silence settled over the room once more, Lord Cui slowly spoke, “I’m quite tired today. Let’s retire early.”
Although Liu Miantang had anticipated her husband staying in her room tonight, hearing him say it still made her heart race. Fortunately, in the year following her illness, she had accepted her role as Cui Jiu’s wife. Despite her shyness, she couldn’t bring herself to turn him away.
She bit her lip, quickly walked to the bed, straightened the bedding, and then turned to ask, “Which side do you prefer to sleep on, my lord?”
Cui Xingzhou, sipping his tea, replied nonchalantly, “I’ll sleep on the outer side.”
As there were no clothes for Cui Xingzhou in the house, he couldn’t change as he usually would. After a simple wash, he removed his outer garments and lay on the bed in his underclothes.
Despite the barrier of a blanket between them, he could sense the slight tension in the fragrant woman beside him. He wondered if she was uncomfortable or perhaps planning when to attack him…
In reality, Liu Miantang’s mind was filled with regret. Why had she asked him where to sleep? She should have just let him sleep on the inner side. She had drunk a pot of water after dinner because Mama Li’s radish was too salty, and she knew she’d need to use the toilet during the night. Climbing over him would surely disturb his sleep.
Thinking this, she turned slightly to check on her husband. The moonlight filtering through the window illuminated the tip of Cui Jiu’s nose. He was so close she could touch him with just a stretch of her finger… Liu Miantang listened to his steady breathing, feeling a sudden sweetness in her heart.
Since her severe illness, although her husband had taken good care of her, they hadn’t shared a bed. At first, she felt relieved, not wanting to sleep with a husband who had become a stranger. But as time passed, she fell into deep worry.
Cui Jiu was a merchant, often out on business, inevitably visiting places of entertainment. Given his good looks, wouldn’t other women be attracted to him like moths to a flame? If he developed bad habits, wouldn’t it drive a wedge between them?
Fortunately, now that they had settled in Lingquan Town, her husband no longer needed to travel constantly. She needed to set aside her post-amnesia confusion and be a proper wife to him. Besides, her husband was at the age where they should have children…
At this thought, Liu Miantang felt her cheeks burn. She slowly reached out to touch Cui Jiu’s hand. Unlike her delicate hand, his large palm was sinewy and could completely envelop hers…
Her husband didn’t move, seemingly too exhausted and already asleep. Liu Miantang relaxed, contentedly placing her hand in his large palm.
A year had passed, and only at this moment did she suddenly feel like a proper married couple. Amidst her quiet joy, her mind as a wife was full of plans: she must rise early to help her husband wash up, iron his clothes with a heating pan since there were no clean clothes here, and remember to tell Mama Li to buy sticky rice chicken for him… With these thoughts, Miantang fell asleep sweetly, her hand nestled in his.
After Liu Miantang fell asleep next to her husband, Cui Jiu finally opened his eyes slowly. He rarely regretted his actions, but now he truly felt he shouldn’t have come here late at night. He had expected this woman to attempt something nefarious while he slept, but she had merely placed her soft hand in his palm and fallen asleep.
In the moonlight, he turned his head to look at her. Just a breath away lay an exquisitely beautiful eighteen-year-old woman, her long hair spread across the pillow, breathing softly, sleeping innocently and unaware…
Cui Xingzhou watched for a while, feeling the test had gone far enough. Although it was night, if he left now, he could make it to the morning military drills. But when he tried to withdraw his hand, the woman beside him made a kitten-like sound, hugging his arm and nuzzling it before falling back into deep sleep.
The Prince of Huaiyang lay on his side, looking out the window for a moment. Suddenly feeling lazy, he closed his eyes again: since he was already here, there was no need to trouble himself with a night journey. He’d make arrangements tomorrow.
The night began with a clear moon and sparse stars, but in the latter half, a light rain fell. The raindrops tapping on the window made for exceptionally sweet sleep.
However, either because she had something on her mind or because she had slept too long the previous afternoon, Liu Miantang woke up early with the light rain.
During the night, Liu Miantang did indeed need to use the toilet. With her husband in the room, she was too embarrassed to use the chamber pot inside. She specifically took an umbrella and went to the outhouse behind the courtyard.
To her surprise, Mama Li hadn’t gone back to rest but was sitting on a small stool under the eaves, a dark figure that startled her.
When she asked, Mama Li, with bloodshot eyes, said that since the master had returned, someone needed to be on hand in case the master and mistress needed water during the night.
Indeed, the old servant was loyal, beyond reproach. However, the implication of needing water at night made Liu Miantang blush again.
In contrast to her back-and-forth, Cui Jiu’s sleeping posture was much more proper. Like his own gentle temperament, he maintained almost the same position all night, with barely a wrinkle in his undergarments.
However, he slept in. After Liu Miantang got up, he slept for another full hour before rising.
When he woke, his handsome eyes were bloodshot, showing no signs of having slept well.
As she helped her husband wash his face, Liu Miantang felt a pang of sympathy. After the Cui family’s decline, her husband must have been worrying and traveling constantly for their livelihood, unable to sleep peacefully.
Yet when he woke, he showed no complaints. Even in his underclothes, he washed his face and rinsed his mouth with the elegance of one wearing scholar’s robes.
Liu Miantang admired Cui Jiu’s innate gentleness and refinement. She took his clothes hanging on the screen and diligently ironed his outer garments, wanting her husband to look more presentable when leaving the house.
However, the iron filled with charcoal was heavy, and Miantang’s wrists were weak. She struggled to hold it, worrying Mama Li who feared she might overturn it and burn the master’s clothes, leaving him unable to go out properly. So Mama Li took over the task.
While Mama Li ironed the clothes, Liu Miantang first served her husband the freshly cooked hot porridge, then arranged the delicate side dishes brought by the mute old woman on the table. She then asked, “Where is your shop, my lord? You didn’t eat well last night, so today at noon, I’ll have Mama Li cook some meat, and I’ll bring it to you for lunch.”
Although Cui Xingzhou had instructed his attendant to buy a shop the day before, he hadn’t received any news yet and couldn’t speak of a non-existent shop.
Perhaps due to his poor sleep, the usually gentle face of Lord Cui showed some gloom. Hearing her question, he was too lazy to rack his brains for a lie and simply said, “The shop I had previously agreed on, the original owner went back on his word, returned the deposit, and took it back. At present… I don’t have a shop yet.”
This news angered Liu Miantang, who put down her chopsticks forcefully and said, “Which merchant would be so untrustworthy?”
Cui Xingzhou didn’t respond, focusing on drinking his bowl of white porridge.
Liu Miantang, realizing her loss of composure, quickly adjusted her posture and said demurely, “My lord, please don’t get upset. As they say, good things come to those who wait. Perhaps his withdrawal is a blessing in disguise!”
She spoke sincerely. In her view, although her husband was a good man, he had some of the naivety of a privileged young master. The fact that he was forced to back out of an agreed-upon shop was evidence of this.
As his wife, she couldn’t stand by and mock him. Supporting him wholeheartedly was the mark of a virtuous wife.
So Liu Miantang continued, “My lord, the neighbors on the main street are all long-time residents. We could ask them for information. Choosing a shop is a big decision, we shouldn’t rush. Since that shop owner went back on his word, it might be better to consider carefully before buying.”
Hearing this, Cui Xingzhou was spared the trouble of deceiving her to go out. He said gently, “I need to go to the neighboring county for some social engagements. Since you’re free, I’ll leave the matter of choosing and buying a shop entirely to you.”
Liu Miantang was delighted to hear this but blinked her charming eyes hesitantly and said, “I had a severe illness before and can’t remember many things. What if I mess it up?”
Cui Jiu smiled slightly: “It can’t be worse than attacking someone in a dark alley. It’s just choosing a shop. If you like it, buy it.”
Miantang ignored her husband’s veiled reference to the first part of his statement but found the latter part of his carefree attitude about spending money quite manly.
Although their family fortunes had declined, her husband had grown up in wealth, and his vision and experience were not those of a common person.
As she gazed at her husband’s handsome and calm face, Miantang’s eyes softened even more.
She made a silent vow: she would not betray her husband’s trust and would buy a thriving shop that would bring in gold daily.