“Young Madam!” Yu Qian’er stomped her feet in embarrassment and ran off.
Ji Cheng, however, was startled. Had this girl understood? And not just the literal meaning, but… could she have already been intimate with Da Hei?
Girls indeed grow up too fast. Ji Cheng had originally planned to wait a bit longer, but now she had no choice but to advance Yu Qian’er’s marriage plans.
After all, Ji Cheng and Shen Che had only recently reconciled. She wasn’t sure if Shen Che had completely let go of his grievances, or if he might settle both old and new scores in the future. Ji Cheng couldn’t be blamed for being overly cautious. She always felt that Shen Che had forgiven her too quickly, and the dramatic reversal was bewildering.
These days, Shen Che had been exceptionally good to her—so good that Ji Cheng felt uncomfortable. She feared that if Shen Che ever lost this patience and tenderness, she would suffer tremendously from the loss.
Ji Cheng was quite rational. Such intense passion never lasts in this world. It’s fine if it settles into a calm, but she feared love turning into hatred. So Ji Cheng had originally planned to observe for a few more days. However, seeing that Yu Qian’er seemed somewhat impatient, she couldn’t be the master who held back a young woman’s future.
So in the carriage, Ji Cheng quietly said to Shen Che, “Liu Ye’er and Yu Qian’er are not getting any younger. I’ve been idle lately, so I was thinking of arranging their marriages.”
Shen Che pulled Ji Cheng onto his lap and played with her fingers as he said, “It’s about time. Yuan Yong has been pleading with me several times already. I’ve been delaying, and he’s almost getting impatient with me. But you shouldn’t exert yourself now. Let’s just set their engagements for now.”
Ji Cheng thought that wouldn’t do. She truly feared Yu Qian’er might give in to Yuan Yong’s advances, and if they ended up like Shen Cui with a child, it would be too embarrassing. Ji Cheng shook her head, “I won’t exert myself. Yu Qian’er’s parents are still alive. I’ll just provide the money, first buy her a small house, then have her parents and siblings come to arrange the wedding.”
Ji Cheng wasn’t foolish. She hadn’t even arranged Shen Rong’s marriage, how could she busy herself with Yu Qian’er’s wedding at this time?
“Why such a rush?” Shen Che immediately sensed something amiss.
Ji Cheng hesitated, then said, “Well, young men should marry, and young women should wed…”
Shen Che laughed, lowering his head to nibble on Ji Cheng’s earlobe, “That’s true. Emotions may arise, but they shouldn’t go beyond propriety. It’s better to marry early.”
Ji Cheng turned her head, forcefully pulling her earlobe from Shen Che’s mouth. This man had become addicted to biting.
Shen Che didn’t mind and started nibbling on Ji Cheng’s fingers instead. “Yu Qian’er’s matter is easy to handle. As for Liu Ye’er, do you have anyone in mind for her?”
Ji Cheng truly didn’t have anyone in mind.
Seeing Ji Cheng’s expression, Shen Che understood. “I have quite a few suitable candidates for Liu Ye’er on my side. If you agree, I can arrange for her to choose among them.”
Truthfully, this was only because Liu Ye’er was Ji Cheng’s headmaid. Otherwise, how could Shen Che’s men be chosen so casually?
However, Ji Cheng didn’t want to accept this favor. Yu Qian’er’s future already depended entirely on Shen Che’s kindness. Ji Cheng didn’t want Liu Ye’er to be under Shen Che’s control as well. If she and Shen Che were to fall out in the future, it would be her maids who would suffer.
Ji Cheng said, “Let me think about it. I still need to ask Liu Ye’er’s opinion.”
Shen Che asked, “What’s wrong? Afraid my men aren’t good enough for your Liu Ye’er?”
Ji Cheng quickly shook her head, “How could that be? We just need to ask Liu Ye’er’s thoughts first.”
Shen Che stared at Ji Cheng for a long while. Ji Cheng felt so guilty under his gaze that she had to lower her head. Shen Che bit Ji Cheng’s neck, “You ungrateful little thing, do you think my men are cabbages for you to pick and choose?”
Ji Cheng found Shen Che annoying. Couldn’t this man be a bit dumber? He was making her feel so awkward. Ji Cheng bared her teeth and bit back, “Who’s fault is it that I’m so insecure? It’s all because of you. Beautiful women all over the world, probably one in every province and prefecture. No, probably one in every pleasure house in the capital.”
Shen Che smiled and let Ji Cheng bite him. “I love it when you’re jealous.”
Ji Cheng was so angry she fell back, but at least she had managed to dodge the issue of Liu Ye’er’s marriage.
The carriage stopped in front of the Bashu Guild Hall on Jin Yang Street. Shen Che took the veiled hat beside him and put it on Ji Cheng before carrying her down from the carriage. The veil of the hat was very long, reaching Ji Cheng’s ankles and completely covering her. It looked quite comical from the outside.
A waiter with a thick Bashu accent came running up. “Second Young Master, your private room is ready.” He was professionally trained and didn’t even glance at the lady Shen Che had brought. These waiters had to work for at least three years before they could greet guests at the entrance, and they knew very well who they should and shouldn’t look at. So even though Ji Cheng’s appearance was strange, he didn’t show any curiosity.
Shen Che nodded and led Ji Cheng directly to the second floor. The private rooms on the second floor had windows facing the main hall, allowing guests to enjoy the opera performances from their seats.
After they sat down by the window and the waiter had served tea and snacks, Shen Che finally lifted Ji Cheng’s veil. He whispered in her ear, “Today they’ve invited the Sichuan opera master Luo Jiafang to perform in the capital, along with Liu Xin, who excels at playing comic roles. Later, there will be his ‘Nine Streams Gentleman,’ which is always a full house.”
Ji Cheng hadn’t expected Shen Che to bring her to watch an opera. She had never seen Sichuan opera from the Bashu region before, so she immediately became interested.
The makeup of Liu Xin, who played the Nine Streams Gentleman, was very comical. His nose was painted white, and his eyeballs rolled around. Even before he opened his mouth, he had people holding back their laughter.
At first, Ji Cheng thought “Nine Streams Gentleman” meant the lowest class of man, but she soon learned that “Nine Streams” was the character’s name, and his wife was called Ninth Wife.
Nine Streams put on a brave face in public, acting very manly, but in front of his wife, he was like a mouse seeing a cat. His wife punished him by making him “hold up the lamp.” He had to arch his back and crawl under a long bench while balancing a lamp on his head, which required considerable core strength. He even had to roll on the bench while keeping the oil lamp on his head from tipping over, which was almost like acrobatics.
Ji Cheng laughed heartily. Although there were some parts she didn’t quite understand, it didn’t matter with Shen Che explaining beside her.
Ji Cheng was very engrossed in watching the opera, while Shen Che was engrossed in watching her. He rarely saw Ji Cheng so openly joyful. Usually, she always maintained a composed face, and even when she smiled, she was careful not to show her teeth. Ji Cheng was very suited to smiling. When she smiled, her large eyes curved into a very charming arc that made people’s hearts flutter with joy.
However, Shen Che wasn’t the only one attracted by Ji Cheng’s smile. In the private room opposite, two men hadn’t been watching the opera at all. Instead, they had been staring at Ji Cheng’s box, whispering to each other from time to time.
Of course, Ji Cheng couldn’t hear what they were saying, and she hadn’t noticed them at all. However, Shen Che’s ears were exceptionally sharp. He casually said to Ji Cheng, “I’m going to the restroom. Sit here for a moment, and don’t wander off, alright?”
Ji Cheng waved her hand at Shen Che without turning her head, meaning “Stop nattering.” Shen Che laughed, annoyed, and pinched her cheek before getting up to leave.
When Shen Che returned to Ji Cheng’s side, the opposite box was already empty. Ji Cheng, of course, was oblivious. Shen Che sat down, carefully wiped his hands with a nearby towel, and then put his arm around Ji Cheng again.
Ji Cheng turned her head to look at Shen Che and said, “I can’t believe there are men in this world who are so afraid of their wives. It’s unbelievable.” Ji Cheng’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Shen Che’s ears. Shen Che raised his hand to cover his ears and said, “Don’t get any ideas.”
Ji Cheng attacked Shen Che’s uncovered ear with lightning speed, and she managed to pinch it. Ji Cheng knew that Shen Che was deliberately indulging her, so she imitated the Ninth Wife, putting one hand on her hip and saying to Shen Che, “If you make me angry in the future, I’ll punish you by making you hold up the lamp too.”
“No problem. I can show you how to hold up the lamp tonight when we get back. I’ll do it better than him,” Shen Che said with a smile.
After watching the opera, Shen Che wanted to take Ji Cheng to a newly opened restaurant in the capital called Jade Spring Tower for dinner. As they were walking out, chatting and laughing, they encountered a man and a woman coming up the stairs.
The man was fat with a big head and a potbelly like a prime minister’s, while the woman was petite and delicate, as beautiful as a flower. When she saw Shen Che, her watery eyes looked as if they were about to start flowing with tears.
Ji Cheng thought she looked familiar but couldn’t place her at first. After a while, she remembered that the woman seemed to be the one she and Shen Rong had encountered at the Dragon Boat Festival a few years ago—Wang Liniang, Shen Che’s former lover.
When old lovers meet, tears are naturally expected. Before Ji Cheng could react, she saw Shen Che raise his hand to lower the veil of her hat, obscuring her view.
Wang Liniang bit her lip and stared at Shen Che without moving. She had imagined reuniting with Shen Che many times, but never like this.
Wang Liniang had already seen Shen Che earlier. She and the pot-bellied man had been sitting in the box diagonally opposite Shen Che’s. She couldn’t believe that Shen Che hadn’t seen her, but his gaze had merely swept over her casually.
Wang Liniang was consumed with jealousy, her heart aching and swelling with the urge to burst into tears. Later, when she saw Shen Che bowing his head and allowing the woman beside him to pinch his ear, Wang Liniang suddenly realized that the man she had placed on a pedestal in her heart could also lower his head for someone.
Shen Che’s gaze swept over Wang Liniang as before, and then he took Ji Cheng’s hand and went downstairs.
Wang Liniang followed Shen Che’s footsteps for a couple of steps, then slowly stopped, tears streaming down her face. However, the pot-bellied man beside her was truly broad-minded. He just said softly, “Let’s go.”
Wang Liniang wiped her tears with a handkerchief and silently followed him.
The specialty of Jade Spring Tower was a hot pot with lamb. Of course, Ji Cheng didn’t have to do anything herself. Shen Che cooked the meat for her and put it in her bowl. He was just short of feeding her directly.
Ji Cheng ate the lamb while staring at Shen Che as he cooked the meat. But whenever Shen Che turned his head to look at her, she quickly averted her gaze. This happened several times.