Chapter 13 Returning Home 2: Pretending to be Loving

Night falls.

The copper-bodied cloisonné enamel ice chest was filled with lustrous white ice, and a cool fragrance spread throughout the bedroom. The three-legged hibiscus stone incense burner was filled with the scent of pear blossoms, and the smoke drifted into the red curtains, sweet and calming.

Cui Ying, however, couldn't sleep.

She tossed and turned, unusually wide awake, her mind filled with images of the various scenes she would face on her return to her parents' home the next day.

She knew nothing about marriage, and even less about returning to her parents' home. All she knew was that she was going back to her parents' home tomorrow.

The image of her defying the arranged marriage and climbing a tree to threaten her parents is still vivid in her mind. However, it is also a fact that she and Xiao Qiyu will pretend to be husband and wife for two years. When she goes back this time, should she let things take their course and continue to argue with Xiao Qiyu, or should she pretend to be loving and play the role of a normal couple with Xiao Qiyu?

She was a little unsure about the persona she would be using tomorrow.

The faint chirping of insects outside the window made Cui Ying even more agitated, so she simply sat up.

At the door, Xiao Qiyu had set up his makeshift bed on the floor. He was about to lie down and close his eyes when he noticed Cui Ying's movements behind the curtain. Even though there was more than half a room between them, he was so startled that he sat up instantly, staring at Cui Ying warily, as if he were looking at a lion or tiger that might go berserk at any moment.

Cui Ying could tell what he was afraid of, and rolled her eyes at him: "Don't worry, I won't get out of bed, I won't step on you again."

Xiao Qiyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief, lay back down, and asked in a cold tone, "Then what are you doing?"

Cui Ying's expression immediately turned melancholy. She rested her elbows on her knees, cupped her soft cheeks with her two small, snow-white hands, lowered her eyes, and said pitifully, "I can't sleep."

Thinking back to the morning when he was speaking and she could fall asleep almost immediately, Xiao Qiyu couldn't help but scoff and say sarcastically, "You actually have times when you can't sleep."

For once, Cui Ying did not retort. Instead, she looked up at Xiao Qiyu, blinked her almond-shaped eyes, hesitated for a moment, and finally said abruptly, "My father is a rigid old man who values ​​tradition."

"Although I am angry that he played dirty tricks on me and forced me to marry you, I also know that the marriage was arranged by the Empress Dowager. Even if my father is on my side, it can't change anything."

"At tomorrow's homecoming banquet, many of his colleagues will be invited. If things go wrong on such an occasion, he will lose face and be unable to hold his head up for a long time."

Cui Ying's expression revealed a hint of guilt: "Although I have made him lose face far too many times since I was a child, I don't want to do it this time."

“My mother is used to being timid. Every time I cause any trouble, she has to take ginseng health pills for half a year to regulate her body. She also sheds tears from time to time, worrying all the time that I will cause some trouble again.”

"So I don't want her to worry about me anymore unless it's absolutely necessary."

"As for my grandmother... she's getting old, and even though I know she'll spoil me no matter what I do, I don't want her to worry about me anymore."

"I just hope that my grandmother can play with her great-grandchildren every day, chat with her old friends, and not worry too much about how to deal with my messes. I just hope she can live happily and try to live to be a hundred years old."

Cui Ying kept babbling on and on, her little mouth chattering like she was reciting scriptures.

Xiao Qiyu, who had been lying flat, turned his face slightly after listening for a while. His long, narrow phoenix eyes glanced at Cui Ying, listening quietly to her considerations for her family, while the girl's slender figure was reflected in his eyes.

"So," Xiao Qiyu said, "what exactly are you trying to say?"

Cui Ying: "What I mean is, I don't want them to see that we don't get along and worry about our future marital discord."

The lamplight cast a soft glow, illuminating the fair-skinned, beautiful girl on the couch, her face as radiant as a peach blossom. She looked at him, her eyes bright, yet filled with uncertainty, even a hint of cautious probing.

"So, tomorrow is the homecoming ceremony for my parents' return. Do you think you can perform well?"

Meeting those clear, autumn-water-like eyes, Xiao Qiyu felt a sudden warmth in her heart, but asked coldly, "What are we acting out?"

"What do you think? Of course, you're playing me..."

Cui Ying bit her lip, feeling that the word "husband" was a bit too hot to say. Her fair face flushed red, and she found it hard to associate those two words with Xiao Qiyu.

Xiao Qiyu had clearly understood her meaning. He closed his eyes and said in a lazy, absent-minded tone, "As long as you don't cause any trouble, you don't need to worry about me."

Looking at Xiao Qiyu's profile, Cui Ying was a little incredulous that he could be so reliable: "Really?"

Xiao Qiyu ignored her and breathed evenly, his white Adam's apple rising and falling with his breath, as if he had fallen asleep.

Cui Ying had no time to care whether he was really asleep or pretending; she focused on figuring out how to act "affectionate" the next day.

What do loving couples usually do?

She began to recall her parents, her older brother and sister-in-law, her older sister and brother-in-law, as well as her extended family.

There doesn't seem to be anything special about it.

It couldn't possibly be like what's written in storybooks—"In a corner unnoticed by everyone, Di Xin slowly slipped his hand into Xiaotianquan's waistband, his nails lightly scraping against his muscular physique, then moving down the muscle, grabbing him..."

No, that's not her or Xiao Qiyu's style.

Cui Ying quickly shook her head, trying to shake away all those strange things.

She glanced at Xiao Qiyu subconsciously.

The lamplight cast a soft glow, highlighting the boy's sharply defined eyebrows and the exquisitely sculpted curve of his nose and forehead—a truly exceptional appearance. He possessed a cold and aloof nature; even when he closed his eyes to sleep, his brow was slightly furrowed, exuding an aura of unapproachable seriousness.

Thinking of the unbearable images in her mind, and looking at Xiao Qiyu's icy face that showed no emotion even when he was asleep, Cui Ying couldn't help but shudder. She felt not only creeped out but also a sense of immorality and unease.

She quickly lay down, closed her eyes, and forcibly cleared her mind, deciding to deal with even the most important matters after she woke up.

The night was deep outside the window, while the scent of pears wafted through the tent, a sweet fragrance just like that of a young girl.

The lamplight flickered around Xiao Qiyu's nose, and as he smelled the faint sweet fragrance, he opened his eyes.

Inside the red tent, Cui Ying seemed to be in a dream. Her black hair was piled up around her neck, and her forearm was naturally placed in front of her face. On her arm was a gold bracelet inlaid with red agate, which should have been shining brightly, but it was overshadowed by her beautiful eyebrows and eyes.

Xiao Qiyu intended to extinguish the candle flame with a palm strike, but when he actually used his internal energy, the candle flame flickered twice, and he withdrew his hand.

If Cui Ying needs to get up in the middle of the night, without the light to illuminate the way, he might fall again.

Although Xiao Qiyu was quite pleased that she fell, the commotion she made would surely make him want to die.

So, let's give her this once.

Having made his decision briefly, Xiao Qiyu closed his eyes.

But for many years he had been accustomed to falling asleep in complete darkness, and with the lamplight never extinguished, his eyelids felt like they were being pricked by needles.

After drinking half a cup of tea, Xiao Qiyu still couldn't fall asleep.

He opened his eyes, enduring the heat as he pulled the blanket over his head, his hot and red phoenix eyes glancing at Cui Ying one last time.

"Troublemaker."

...

As the sun rises in the east, a golden sun hangs in the sky above the bustling capital city. The streets are bustling, the willows are green and the flowers are red, and vendors can be seen hawking refreshing soups and drinks everywhere.

Dozens of large, sleek horses pulled the Baodingjinping carriage out of the main gate of the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion, making a grand entrance through the bustling city and attracting a large crowd of onlookers. The scene was incredibly lively.

The most eye-catching figure was the new son-in-law, who led the way on horseback at the very front of the convoy.

The sun was scorching and bright. The young man was dressed in a brocade robe and wore a golden crown. His face was as handsome as white jade, and his figure was as upright as a bamboo. He had an innate noble air and was dignified without being angry.

The news spread like wildfire among the people, and everyone knew that the new son-in-law of the Duke of Wei was as handsome as Pan An. They flocked to see him, and the crowds were so large that the Five City Garrison had to send out patrols to maintain order.

Someone in the crowd, perhaps out of curiosity, raised their voice and jeering, "This third son-in-law is so handsome, the third daughter must be as beautiful as Chang'e to be worthy of him!"

Inside the carriage, Cui Ying was fast asleep.

She was pulled out of bed before dawn to change and do her makeup. She was so sleepy that she couldn't keep her eyes open. She had been catching up on sleep since she got on the bus and didn't even want to eat breakfast.

As the sounds outside subsided, she suddenly sneezed.

Raising his hand to rub his nose, Cui Ying mumbled sleepily, "What goose? Where's the roast goose?"

After muttering to himself, he changed his position and went back to sleep.

Outside the main gate of the Duke of Wei's mansion.

Several old women dressed in silk were anxiously waiting outside the west corner gate, surrounded by maids and servants. When the sound of horses' hooves finally appeared, the old women's faces lit up with joy. They instructed the maids to go to the inner courtyard to announce: "Go quickly and tell the old lady, master and mistress that the third young lady and the third son-in-law have arrived."

The maids, as if receiving a royal decree, vanished in a flash.

In a short while, the sound of horses' hooves drew near.

The bells hanging at the four corners of the carriage swayed and jingled crisply as the carriage stopped.

Cui Ying lifted her head from the embroidered pillow, lazily yawned, and asked in a daze, "Where are we?"

Cui Jin's voice rang out from outside the carriage curtain: "We have arrived at the Duke's Mansion. Miss, you should get off the carriage now."

Cui Ying had no choice but to prop up her tired head, straighten her hair which was larger than her head, and place her hand on the hand that had reached into the brocade curtain.

Because Cui Jin's voice was outside, Cui Ying naturally mistook the hand for Cui Jin's.

So much so that when she peeked out from behind the brocade curtain and saw the flamboyant and bright face of the young man, she was stunned.

The sun shone like a blade, sweat gathered on Xiao Qiyu's eyebrows, and a delicate sheen appeared on his high, straight nose, his thin lips turning red.

Perhaps feeling awkward, he kept his eyes down and wouldn't look at Cui Ying.

Cui Ying also felt awkward.

Even when she felt the burning sensation on her fingertips, she instinctively wanted to pull away.

But she had agreed to ask Xiao Qiyu for help last night, so there was no reason for him to turn his back on her promise at the last minute. She also thought that this was in front of her own house, with so many eyes watching, and her every move would be noticed by countless people.

Today, she's going to be a "loving" couple with Xiao Qiyu.

Cui Ying lowered her eyes, then looked at the hand that was holding her fingertips, and without thinking, she gripped it back.

Xiao Qiyu's eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked up at Cui Ying's face, seemingly surprised that she would cooperate so readily.

He had assumed that, given Cui Ying's quick thinking, she would immediately slap his hand away without asking any questions, then ask him with a smug look if he had fallen for her, otherwise why would she be so eager to hold his hand? Once she had angered him and made him frown, she would pretend to suddenly realize that she had remembered and that they were supposed to be working together today, and that she had just been teasing him.

That's good, she can finally act like a human being again.

He finally didn't have to put up with her little tricks anymore.

I'm sure I'll be able to get through today peacefully.

"You look like a drowned dog."

After getting off the carriage, Cui Ying noticed the hot sweat soaking through Xiao Qiyu's clothes: "Wouldn't it be cooler to sit in the carriage with me? Why do you have to ride a horse?"

Xiao Qiyu: "..."

Xiao Qiyu: "I am a man, and men should ride horses."

Cui Ying rolled her eyes inwardly, then mimicked Xiao Qiyu's tone, muttering under her breath, "I'm a man, and men ride horses!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Qiyu shook off her hand and strode forward on his own.

Cui Ying quickly caught up with him, grabbed his hand, and said with a grin that she was wrong.

The old women on either side witnessed this scene and were shocked.

In the back garden, the Kong family was hosting a banquet for the female relatives.

The homecoming banquet was held at the "Lotus Fragrance Pavilion" in the East Garden of the mansion. The lotus flowers in the pond were in full bloom, filling the garden with fragrance. Male and female guests sat at separate tables. The male guests dined in the open hall, while the female guests dined in the inner flower hall, separated by a winding corridor, so as not to delay the enjoyment of the scenery, but also to clearly distinguish between the inner and outer areas.

The Kong family has always valued etiquette, and their only daughter's homecoming banquet was naturally governed by strict rules. Even the old women serving dishes in the flower hall had to show their waist tokens before entering, all to prevent servants from entering arbitrarily and offending the female relatives. The eldest princess praised this highly.

However, compared to the cheerful smiles on the guests' faces, Kong's expression was rather gloomy, with a lingering cloud of sorrow between his brows, and even his smile seemed forced.

Lin, her sister-in-law, noticed something was wrong with her and secretly pulled her behind the peacock and jade screen, asking in a low voice, "What's wrong with you? On such a joyous day, you don't seem happy at all."

Kong said helplessly, "You saw what happened when Tuantuan got married. You know Tuantuan's personality. I'm afraid she'll make a scene today. I'm worried and anxious, and I can't help but feel sorry for Tuantuan—"

As she spoke, Kong's eyes reddened: "The more I thought about it later, the more I felt something was wrong."

"Although it is a marriage bestowed by the Empress Dowager and cannot be disobeyed, this marriage is too hasty and too rushed. Although Xiao Qilang is a good man, Tuantuan is unwilling. What kind of parents force her to marry? My Tuantuan was just a girl one day and she will become a woman the next. How can she adapt?"

Before Confucius could speak again, tears were already streaming down his face.

Madam Lin quickly helped her sit down, offering kind words of comfort, while also being careful not to be seen by the guests.

Madam Kong wiped away her tears with her handkerchief: "Besides, marriage is preordained by heaven, and it can't be explained away. Tuantuan just doesn't like that boy Qilang. She's never liked him since she was little, and heaven can't change that. Now that they're husband and wife, how will she cope with facing Qilang every day? How will she live her life? Oh God, I'm going crazy just thinking about it."

Just as Madam Kong was about to shed another tear, a nanny came forward and whispered something in her ear.

Upon hearing what the nanny said, tears welled up in Madam Kong's eyes and she asked incredulously, "What did you say?"

"You mean... the young master just shook off the young lady's hand in public, and the young lady not only wasn't angry, but also chased after him with a grin and took his hand?"

A note from the author:

----------------------

There should be another update tonight.