Li Yiren was shocked to learn that heartbroken Wang Daxia was marrying a little widow—Wei Caiwei had become the rebound. She felt intense guilt toward both Wang Daxia and Wei Caiwei.
She instructed Lu Ying: “Part on good terms. Wang Daxia is still your subordinate after all. Since he’s engaged, you should send a generous gift. After all, you dumped him first, and he’s marrying the neighbor widow out of spite. Who knows if those two can make their life work.”
What a sin.
Li Yiren represented the ordinary person’s viewpoint—she wasn’t optimistic about marriages between mismatched social classes.
Li Yiren had prepared all the gifts, handing her daughter two thick gift lists: “For their engagement—one portion for Wang Daxia, another for Doctor Wei. She once saved your father.”
Lu Ying opened the gift list and saw it was indeed generous. This time her mother felt guilty—gifts for the engagement once, and again for the wedding later.
However, the Lu family was wealthy, so even generous gifts were just a drop in the bucket.
Lu Ying went to the northern city to deliver gifts. Behind her, sedan chairs carrying red paper-lined chests stretched over ten bearers in a grand procession. She wore men’s clothing and rode a large horse—those who didn’t know might think she was delivering betrothal gifts to a girl’s family.
At Tianshui Lane, the alley entrance was filled with gunpowder smoke as if a battle had just ended. Firecracker debris covered the stone-paved lane. The two neighboring households competed in setting off firecrackers, with fireworks prepared for the evening.
In short, the more lively and festive, the better.
Lu Ying first visited the Wang mansion to congratulate her subordinate on his engagement, presenting the gift list to Wang Daxia. Opening it, his eyes lit up with greed, his smile stretching almost to his ears: “Li Yiren is so generous! How did you convince her? Why is she treating me even better than before?”
Wang Daxia had expected Li Yiren to angrily scold him for his fickleness—even his father Wang Qianhu’s position as Assistant Regional Commander in Jiangxi might be at risk, since it relied on nebulous nepotistic connections.
To avoid exposure, Lu Ying told the truth: “I just said I changed my heart and dumped you. You got so angry you tore up expense reports, saying ‘if you don’t want me, others do,’ and married Doctor Wei out of spite. This way, Li Yiren not only doesn’t resent you but won’t affect your father’s career either.”
Wang Daxia laughed: “Commander Lu truly understands me—even tearing up expense reports shows real anger.”
Lu Ying then went next door to deliver gifts. Neighbors watching the excitement saw the famous Scarred Pretty Young Master leave the Wang gate only to enter the widow’s door. They didn’t dare say anything openly, but privately, the teahouses and taverns near Drum Tower West Sister Xie’s exploded with discussion:
“Did you see? Former lovers meet with smiles to bury their grudges! The little widow once miscarried for Scarred Pretty Young Master, and now Scarred Pretty Young Master openly delivers gifts to both newlyweds. Does this show care or indifference to old feelings?”
“Shh, both Wang Yanei and Scarred Pretty Young Master aren’t to be trifled with—don’t talk about it.”
“Is Doctor Wei easy to mess with? She’s a favored figure with the palace’s beloved consort Shang Zhaoyi.”
“So what’s the relationship between these three now?”
“I think the engagement is too sudden—probably a shotgun wedding.”
“I think Scarred Pretty Young Master sent generous gifts to both sides—what’s in Doctor Wei’s belly might not be Wang Yanei’s seed.”
“Makes sense! Scarred Pretty Young Master is still in mourning. Having a child during mourning would be greatly unfilial, but if her belly shows, the child needs legitimacy. Hence this marriage.”
“I think that’s wrong. Wang Yanei isn’t the type to be a convenient father and raise someone else’s child.”
“Hmph, why do you think Wang Qianhu went from dismissal to double promotion as a high official in Jiangxi? Isn’t it from sucking up to Scarred Pretty Young Master?”
“Brilliant insight—admirable!”
“The truth!”
“Exactly so!”
After three years, the northern district residents’ gossip ability, imagination, and logical coherence remained first in the capital.
After three years, the iron triangle of Wang Daxia, Wei Caiwei, and Lu Ying remained the northern residents’ after-dinner entertainment.
Consuming the juiciest gossip, producing the wildest rumors, convincing all of the capital’s people—this was the truth.
Passersby now automatically imagined a green hat on Wang Daxia’s head.
When rumors reached Li Yiren in the western city, she felt even more guilty. It was all her daughter’s doing, so she doubled the future wedding gifts to compensate the new couple.
Lu Ying was generous with gifts. When hers arrived, Wei Caiwei’s small building had almost no room to walk. The palace’s Shang Zhaoyi also sent congratulations, delivered by Chen Jingji.
Prince Yu’s mansion also sent someone with congratulations for Wei Caiwei. The narrow Tianshui Lane bustled with traffic. Such grand engagement ceremonies for widow remarriages were rare in the northern district, attracting many onlookers. The commotion lasted all day until evening brought cool autumn rain that finally dispersed the crowd.
Swish—swish—swish
The sound of large brooms sweeping firecracker debris echoed through Tianshui Lane. Wei Caiwei lifted her skirts and raised her steps high, struggling through the mountain of gifts piled in her house to reach the back courtyard to boil water.
Wang Daxia rolled up his sleeves to move chests, clearing a pathway: “Tomorrow we’ll have people move everything to the new house at Shichahai. The three-courtyard mansion has enough space for your chests.”
Having gotten engaged today, Wei Caiwei had removed the mourning clothes worn for three years, changing into bright red full-sleeve robes and red skirts. With makeup applied and wearing a horsehair wig topped with circlet gold-inlaid gemstone jewelry, her neck ached from the weight after a full day.
She removed all the jewelry from her head. Wang Daxia said: “It looks good—why not keep wearing it?” I’d love to wear it but can’t.
“My head feels heavy.” Wei Caiwei removed the wig, loosely pinning her black hair atop her head with a red ribbon. Smelling gunpowder smoke on her clothes and finding it unbearable, she went to the bathhouse: “I’m going to bathe. Water’s heating on the stove—when the bath water cools, I’ll call you to bring hot water to add.”
“What?” Wang Daxia, moving a chest, nearly dropped it on his foot.
Wei Caiwei said: “It’s autumn—the water cools quickly and needs hot water added.”
“No, no… not that.” Wang Daxia’s heart raced, speaking incoherently: “I… I deliver it?”
Wei Caiwei looked around: “If not you, then who? We got engaged today—you’re my fiancé. Is bringing hot water so difficult? Forget it then.”
Wang Daxia quickly put down the chest: “No, no, no, not difficult at all. When water cools, hot water must be added promptly to prevent catching cold.”
Even if he couldn’t eat it, seeing was good too.
Wei Caiwei went to bathe. Hearing the splashing water next door, Wang Daxia fanned the stove with a palm fan. The flames shot upward as his inner fire became a prairie blaze.
Because he fanned so rapidly, the pot boiled quickly. Steam rattled the lid like his racing heartbeat.
“The water’s cool—bring some hot water over.” Wei Caiwei’s languid voice came from next door.
“Coming right away.” Wang Daxia poured boiling water into a wooden bucket, added cool water and stirred, tested the temperature with his wrist, then carried the hot water over and knocked.
“Come in, the door’s unlocked.”
Wei Caiwei lay in the bathtub with her back to him, only her beautiful head visible. The steamy bathhouse carried rose fragrance.
Wang Daxia walked like a zombie, slowly approaching with hot water. The bathtub held dried roses normally used for tea, now water-soaked and blooming anew like freshly picked ones. The roses completely covered his fiancée’s body.
No wonder the room smelled fragrant.
Wang Daxia said: “I… I’m adding water now. Test the temperature—how is it?”
An arm like fresh lotus root emerged from the water, reaching into the hot water bucket: “Mm, good, pour it.”
Wang Daxia lifted the bucket, tilting it into the bathtub.
Splash!
Hot water rushed into the tub, scattering the floating roses and revealing all the parts absolutely impossible to describe in Jinjiang Literature City.
Wang Daxia quickly turned his face away but couldn’t resist stealing glances from his peripheral vision at those indescribable parts, comforting himself: It’s not my fault—the hot water moved on its own. Blame the hot water if anything.
To look longer, Wang Daxia deliberately poured slowly, like a mountain valley’s trickling stream—bright moon shines through pines, clear spring flows over stones.
However, hot water was limited and would eventually run out.
The flow changed from splashing to dripping until not a drop remained.
Wang Daxia reluctantly set down the bucket: “Soak for now. The stove is still heating water—call me when it feels cool again.”
Water-delivery worker Wang Daxia prepared to leave.
Sigh, still as clueless as at the beginning of the previous life, not understanding romance. Even with such blatant hints, he still couldn’t read the signs. Wei Caiwei sighed inwardly, having to take initiative as in the previous life, grabbing Wang Daxia’s wrist.
Wang Daxia: “You… do you have other instructions?”
Wei Caiwei selected a large rose from those floating and handed it to Wang Daxia: “Do you like it?”
Wang Daxia accepted the rose: “I like it.” I love pink, flowery things most.
Wei Caiwei asked: “Where on my body would you like to place this rose?”
Without thinking, Wang Daxia placed the rose in Wei Caiwei’s hair pinned atop her head!
Wei Caiwei: “…”
Wang Daxia remained oblivious, thinking he’d done right, praising: “Flowers for a beauty—truly beautiful.”
This blockhead just wouldn’t get it. Wei Caiwei gave up on guidance, choosing simple directness. She removed the rose from her hair and hid it below: “Let’s play a game—very simple. Find the rose from just now.”
Author’s Note: Tonight is Mid-Autumn Festival—sending 100 red envelopes, wishing everyone becomes wealthy ladies.