Chapter 20

◎Farming Couple◎

On their wedding night, the two were preoccupied with their own thoughts. Some stared blankly at the ceiling, while others pretended to sleep. The night passed in a daze.

As dawn broke, Pei Xueyan opened her eyes to find herself all alone.

That was her "good young master" and "good third uncle," but now the "good husband" she should have called him is no longer in bed.

The blanket was tucked in tightly around her, and surprisingly, she managed to get a pretty good night's sleep.

The sound of chopping wood drifted in from outside the window, and Pei Xueyan was completely wide awake.

She propped herself up and sat up. Her gaze fell to the corner of the bed, where a set of clean clothes was neatly folded.

This husband is quite thoughtful.

She stared blankly for a moment before reaching for the clothes, slowly unbuttoning them and putting them on.

After dressing and stepping out of the inner room, I noticed that the wooden basin in the side room was already filled with clear water, with a few fresh mint leaves floating on the surface.

Pei Xueyan stepped forward and gently dipped her fingers into the water. The warm water temperature was just right, making her feel refreshed and comfortable as she washed her face.

She straightened her hair in front of the bronze mirror. The girl in the mirror had curved eyebrows and a blush on her cheeks. She had the shyness of a bride and the charm of a young girl. Even she was slightly taken aback by the sight.

Stepping out of the room, I saw Jiang Qiye stacking wood next to the woodshed in the corner of the courtyard. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and his forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat. He moved very nimbly, and a sizable pile of firewood had already been stacked on the ground.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around: "Awake?"

Pei Xueyan nodded, her gaze falling on the pile of firewood. She asked curiously, "It's not winter, why are you storing so much firewood?"

Jiang Qiye wiped the sweat from his brow and replied with a faint smile, "The harvest season will start in a few days, and we won't have time to chop firewood then. It's good to have some extra for you. I'll pick out some good stuff to send over tomorrow, and also prepare some for Father's side."

"......"

It's still strange that someone who used to be so upright and disdainful is now doing farm work.

They did it quite well.

She was furious last night and planned to confront him this morning, but he took the initiative and she didn't know how to start the conversation.

He was busy chopping firewood, cooking, and boiling water early in the morning. He also thoughtfully prepared a change of clothes and water for her to wash her face. He even thought of her father's side. He was so considerate that she couldn't find any fault with him.

She stood there, watching the wisps of smoke rising from the kitchen chimney. The sweet aroma of steamed buns, mixed with the rich fragrance of cured meat, gradually filled the air, whetting one's appetite.

Pei Xueyan was at a loss, not knowing what to do. After thinking for a moment, she turned around and went to the well in the courtyard. She struggled to draw a bucket of clean water, carried it to the woodshed, put it down, and said softly, "When you're done with your work, use this to wash your face."

Jiang Qiye stopped what he was doing and looked at her slightly flushed cheeks.

He quickly went over, took the bucket of water from her hand, and softened his tone: "You've worked hard. Go inside and sit down to rest for a while. Breakfast will be ready soon; it's your favorite brown sugar steamed buns."

She doesn't like brown sugar steamed buns.

It's probably his father who told him that "A-Bao" likes these things.

He hesitated for a moment, then simply responded with a soft "Mmm".

He had barely finished his work when Jiang Qiye came out with breakfast.

He seems particularly comfortable being the groom.

He skillfully set out the bowls and chopsticks, placing the bamboo basket filled with brown sugar buns in the center of the stone table.

Then, two hot dishes, stir-fried cured pork with bamboo shoots and stir-fried seasonal vegetables, were arranged, and finally, two bowls of warm millet porridge were served.

Judging from his practiced manner, it seemed as if he was already used to being a groom, without the slightest hint of awkwardness.

The first day of our marriage was truly lavish.

The stone table in the courtyard was already fully laid out; these were dishes she couldn't enjoy in the Zhu Family Village.

This kind of breakfast was something she rarely got to enjoy when she was in Zhujiazhuang.

Since he can play the role of husband so openly and honestly, what do I have to be afraid of?

Pei Xueyan picked up a piece of the tenderest bamboo shoot with her chopsticks and put it into Jiang Qiye's bowl. A smile curved in her eyes, and her voice was soft and sweet: "Husband, eat more. You worked hard today chopping wood and cooking. You also have to deliver firewood to Father. You need to eat more to have the strength."

From the moment she met this man, he had always appeared composed, calm, and collected. But when she naturally called him "husband" for the first time, it finally stirred something within her.

Seeing that he had reacted, Pei Xueyan immediately spoke in an even more shy and gentle voice: "Husband, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face? My dear husband, please don't look at me, I'm really embarrassed."

"......"

Jiang Qiye paused, holding the chopsticks, and lowered his eyes to put some food on her plate.

He picked out a piece of cured pork with a good balance of fat and lean meat and put it in her bowl, carefully removing the skin: "Try it, I stewed it a little longer, so it's not dry."

Pei Xueyan took a bite of the cured meat. The meat was tender and savory, just the right taste for her.

As she lowered her head to drink her porridge, she caught a glimpse of Jiang Qiye watching her out of the corner of her eye. The more she was stared at like that, the more wicked thoughts surfaced in Pei Xueyan's mind.

She put down her porridge bowl, winked deliberately, and said in a sweet voice, "Husband, the food you picked for me is so delicious, so incredibly delicious! It's much better than what I pick for myself!"

Pei Xueyan could see it clearly: whenever he called him "husband" or "my husband," the man in front of her would become very shy and uncomfortable.

Even so, he pretended to be nonchalant.

Pei Xueyan suddenly realized what was wrong with Jiang Qiye.

He agreed to marry her, but on their wedding night he did nothing, not even uttering a single inappropriate word.

Actually, she didn't quite understand what her wedding night should be like, but seeing him asleep like that, she just had a gut feeling that something was wrong.

He gets up before dawn to busy himself, chopping wood and carrying water diligently, and he is always gentle and polite when he is with her.

She could clearly feel that his body and mind were far away, never truly close to her.

He was definitely afraid that she would call him "husband," but Pei Xueyan wasn't quite sure why.

After breakfast, Pei Xueyan insisted on clearing away the dishes and washing the utensils.

While saying "I can't always keep you busy," he secretly had another idea in mind: to see what he would do after finishing his farm work.

Unexpectedly, this person went to town and didn't return until noon.

When Jiang Qiye returned, he saw Pei Xueyan cooking over a fire.

Pei Xueyan really can't do it, but "A Bao" is really amazing.

Although she didn't understand her past life, she still thought that since she was married, she should live a good life.

Jiang Qiye placed the large bag he was carrying on the table in the main room, and without stopping, walked straight to the wood-fired stove, his gaze falling on the fire poker in her hand: "Do you know how to cook?"

Pei Xueyan was adding firewood to the stove when she heard the sound. She looked up and a faint smile appeared on her face: "My mother passed away early, and then my father fell ill. I've been cooking for the family ever since. What, does my husband think I'm still the pampered young lady I used to be?"

As she spoke, she raised her hands and placed them in front of him.

These hands were rougher than Xue Lian's, with some calluses from farm work.

He's a bit more famous than "Chen Weian," perhaps because he's always exposed to cold water and charcoal fires.

They look the same, but their temperaments are completely different.

In stark contrast to Xue Lian's delicate nature and Chen Weian's innocent charm, she possessed a resilience honed through the trials of life.

Jiang Qiye's gaze fell on those hands, and whether it was genuine heartache or a deliberate display of gentleness and composure, he lowered his voice slightly: "You don't need to do it anymore."

Pei Xueyan didn't stop what she was doing and continued to add a piece of firewood to the stove.

“I didn’t realize my husband was so considerate. But before I married into this family, my father specifically told me that after I got married, I should serve my husband well, manage the household well, make our life prosperous, and be a good wife.”

Unexpectedly, Jiang Qiye laughed after hearing this.

Who would have thought that the ruthless character who was once Ye Xiuluo's personal disciple and who didn't blink an eye when killing his enemies would now say "be a good wife" to a man?

It's really a bit strange.

He didn't know much about Pei Xueyan, this new demon, but Ye Xiuluo had heard his master mention her many times.

Master said that Ye Xiuluo was a ruthless female philanderer who would use drugs to knock out handsome men and commit lewd acts.

Some even say that she would dig out men's hearts and livers, and that she would trample on the dignity of others with her stunning beauty, making her a wicked woman whom everyone in the martial arts world would want to kill.

Utterly despicable.

Yet this disciple of the infamous female demon is now trapped in this illusion, single-mindedly trying to learn how to start a fire and cook, hoping to become a dutiful and obedient wife.

After listening to her words, Jiang Qiye remained silent for a moment, then simply replied, "Yes, whatever you say."

The flames in the stove burned brighter and brighter, and the steam, carrying the aroma of burnt firewood, wafted onto Pei Xueyan's face, making her cheeks flush red.

She reached out and lifted the lid of the iron pot on the stove. The beans and peanuts inside were already plump and full, and the sweet potatoes were stewed until they were slightly cracked and placed in a wooden frame.

"Just cook one more dish, and this will be enough for us for lunch today."

For these farmers, this kind of food is considered a top-notch delicacy.

On the second day after the wedding, when she saw so much leftover grain from the previous year stored in the Jiang family's cellar, her eyes lit up as if she had seen the finest delicacies in the world.

They're rich, really rich.

Jiang Qiye hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over her eyes, which were slightly smoky from the smoke, and said softly, "Take it out first, there's too much smoke here."

It's such a pity that such a beautiful woman is suffering.

Pei Xueyan stood up, carrying the wooden frame, and sweetly added as she turned her head, "Husband, you'd better hurry, or it won't taste good if it gets cold."

"Hmm... okay."

I've gotten used to hearing the word "husband" in just one day.

While the two were eating, the matchmaker came over. When Aunt Wang saw how loving the two of them looked, her lips curled up in a smile.

She came to see the newlyweds the next day, firstly to see how they were getting along, and secondly, according to custom, to wait for the groom to give her some money as a thank you gift.

Jiang Qiye was very generous, taking out fifty coins from his pocket and handing them over.

"What a perfect match!" Aunt Wang held the copper coin, looked the couple up and down, and smiled so much that her eyes narrowed. "Why didn't I think of pairing you two up all these years? Young man Jiang is strong and tall, and he can do all the work in the fields and at home. Miss Abao, you can cook, sew, and weave. Your future is sure to be prosperous! Besides, you two are both so good-looking, you must have a few more children."

Jiang Qiye was never good at dealing with such enthusiastic praise, and when he heard this, he would just lower his eyes and not respond much.

Pei Xueyan readily chimed in, "Aunt Wang, you've worked so hard these past few days preparing for my and my husband's wedding. My husband and I will definitely visit you in person to express our gratitude."