Red pomegranates and green dates arranged the food in a circle on the table.

The inner and outer kitchens of the Marquis of Changxing's residence were already preparing for the banquet, and many of the dishes were ready-made. Xu Rong walked to the table and took a look. This table of dishes had been hard to order, but the presentation was quite good, steaming hot, and the color and aroma were perfect.

She instructed Bai Fu to divide the food into three portions: two roughly equal portions and one smaller portion.

"Cover this plate of stir-fried pork, this plate of shredded chicken and tofu, and this bowl of rice and put them in the smoking basket."

Bai Fu obeyed the order, but was a little puzzled: "What is this, Miss??"

"Leave some for the second young master," Xu Rong said. "He goes outside to toast guests, and it's rare for him to have time to eat in those situations. He might come back hungry."

"The young lady is very thoughtful."

Now that she was married into the family, Bai Fu's mindset automatically adjusted. She put out the food, carefully touched the half-person-high incense burner to make sure the temperature was high enough so the food wouldn't get cold, and then walked back.

The other three maids had already cheerfully moved one of the portions of food that Xu Rong had set aside to the kang table in the south-facing warm pavilion. They had food in their bundles, but after such a long day, dry pastries were certainly not as appealing as hot meals.

Incidentally, the main house in this small courtyard, which was used as the new house, had three rooms. In the center was the main hall for receiving guests, and there were two side rooms on either side. The one on the west side was the bedroom. The bedroom was divided in two, and a warm pavilion was partitioned off on the south side. It was small but had all the essentials.

“We’ll stay here.” Xu Rong had already sat down at the table in the bedroom and gestured for Bai Fu to sit as well. Finally, she said to the Xiao family maids, “You can go out and rest for a while. I don’t need anyone here for the time being.”

The Xiao family maids looked at each other, exchanged glances, said nothing, curtsied, and went out one by one, lifting the curtain.

After stepping out of the main room, everything came alive.

"The manor is going to be lively now."

"That's right, you all saw it, didn't you? This second young mistress started to run the household on her very first night after marrying in, tsk tsk."

"Speaking of which, she is indeed not an outsider—cough."

The maid who spoke gave her a knowing look, which earned her nods of agreement from her companions.

A maid with a more mature appearance shook her head to stop them: "Shh, if you want to talk about these things, go back inside. If someone hears you outside now, they might take you in as a scapegoat, which would be asking for trouble."

The sound quieted the maids down a bit, but some still couldn't help glancing at the bright red window of the bridal chamber, and whispered, "I don't think we need to be so careful. No matter how capable she is, once she marries the second young master, that's all she'll ever be."

Several maids gave her approving looks, and one of them laughed, "You never know. I heard that the second young master has been studying very hard lately."

"Could it be that the second young master has been spurred on and is now determined to study hard to become the top scholar in the imperial examination?"

"whee……"

The maids all covered their mouths and laughed, but only one objected, saying, "Although the second young master is not easy to get along with, he has not offended you. Why make fun of him like this?"

"Who's making fun of him? I'm just genuinely curious—you little vixen, you've never spoken up for the Second Young Master before, but now that you're protecting him, you're the one handing him wine inside. I noticed you seemed distracted; are you getting old and starting to feel lustful?"

"Pah! What nonsense are you spouting? I'll tear your mouth off!"

One of them stamped her foot and was about to step forward when the more experienced maid quickly squeezed between them, separating the two. "Alright, alright, I told you not to say anything, but you're only getting more and more excited. On such a joyous day, you're bound to embarrass yourselves."

The two troublemakers fell silent, pouting. Others disagreed: "Sister Xia Ying, you're being too cautious. This second young mistress is not what she used to be. She even has to win over the second young master first. She doesn't have time to cause trouble for us over a few idle words."

“Exactly.” Someone echoed, then smiled knowingly. “Listen to what he just said. How thoughtful. He’s been starving for most of the day, and when he has something to eat, he saves it for the Second Young Master first.”

"Oh dear, please stop talking. I'm not the second young master. I feel so warm inside just hearing this."

"You shameless little girl, it wasn't saved for you, why are you so eager? Oh, I know, you must be thinking about your son-in-law just like Cui Ting. Tomorrow I'll tell Madam and find one for you—"

"You brat, if you want to laugh at her, then laugh at her. Why are you dragging me into this?"

The maid Cui Ting, who had served the wine earlier, also got annoyed, and the three of them started making a ruckus. The more experienced maid, hearing their sweet, girlish voices, thankfully knew to keep her voice down and didn't bother to stop them. She just shook her head helplessly: "A bunch of silly girls—"

Little did they know that those who could humble themselves were the truly formidable ones.

Before she could finish her warning, she suddenly saw a person walk in through the courtyard gate. He was dressed in bright red, festive clothes, but he was as lonely as the night, carrying a chill and the smell of alcohol.

"Second Young Master."

She quickly knelt down to pay her respects, inwardly surprised: they've returned rather quickly.

The maids who were playing around stopped immediately upon hearing the noise and bowed to greet the servants.

Xiao Xin ignored them all and went straight up the steps into the main hall. At this moment, the noise was heard inside. The bright red floral curtain was lifted, and a little maid appeared with a lively smile: "Second Young Master is back! Are you hungry? Our young lady has saved some food for you."

Xiao Xin paused for a moment, then went inside.

The sweet fragrance of cosmetics and the delicious aroma of food, combined with the warmth of the incense burner, gently enveloped him. Xiao Xin stopped and did not move.

He didn't know why, but at that moment he just didn't want to move.

The girl at the table looked up and greeted him with a smile, "Second Young Master, come and sit down. I left two dishes for you. Have you eaten your fill outside? If not, you can have some more."

Xiao Xin then walked over.

Bai Fu deftly took the fresh, untouched food from the smoker and arranged it neatly. Then, she picked up her empty rice bowl and slipped to the south side to help Hong Liu and the others clean up.

Xiao Xin stood by the table: "Where did these come from?"

“I asked the kitchen for it,” Xu Rong replied, offering praise without reservation, “Your kitchen skills are even better than mine.”

This is true. Madam Xiao comes from the Duke of England, whose family has the longest history and rich heritage, surpassing most duke's and marquis's mansions. The affairs of the household, including the provision of meals, that she manages are naturally incomparable to those of ordinary families.

But that's not the point.

Xiao Xin said, "You want them to give them to you?"

Xu Rong laughed and said, "Why not? Your wife went to great lengths to invite me in, so she should at least treat me to a meal."

It's not that simple.

Xiao Xin knew, but the emptiness and burning sensation in his stomach made him realize his presence, so he didn't want to ask any further questions. He sat down, lowered his head, and picked up the bowl.

The maids were numerous and quick; in just a few words, they had cleared away all the dishes, restored the warm pavilion to its original state, and then left.

Occasionally, a firecracker or two would ring out in the distance. Because the courtyard was remote, the sound only accentuated the tranquility of the place. Xiao Xin finished his meal in this quietness. Xu Rong tentatively pushed his half-eaten plate to him. He didn't mind and ate almost all of it.

Xu Rong hadn't expected him to be such a big eater. Thinking of a proverb, he casually said, "No wonder people say, 'A half-grown boy can eat his father out of house and home.'"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xiao Xin's face started to droop—but not quite. He probably realized he had just eaten her food and didn't want to give her a hard time after putting down the bowl.

Xu Rong couldn't help but chuckle and reached out to pour him a cup of tea: "You've just finished eating, don't be angry, have a cup of tea to help with your digestion."

Xiao Xin lowered his eyes, dragged the teacup in front of him, and said, "I'm not angry."

Xu Rong replied absentmindedly, "Okay, that's good."

The tea was warm and palatable. After silently drinking most of it, Xiao Xin held the teacup in his hand and suddenly said, "Miss Xu, you are only one year older than me. You don't need to speak to me like that in the future."

Xu Rong was also drinking tea when she heard this and was taken aback: "What?"

Xiao Xin said calmly, "I am not Young Master Xu."

Xu Rong realized what was happening: "Oh—"

He assumed she was used to disciplining her younger brother, which was why she spoke to him in such an old-fashioned manner.

An eighteen-year-old boy cannot be treated as a fifteen-year-old—no, after the New Year, Xu Huazhang also grew a year older, and he is now sixteen, which means Xiao Xin cannot allow himself to be treated as a sixteen-year-old younger brother.

He didn't know that she was actually not a year older than him, nor three years older, but rather—

Xu Rong tried to control her thoughts and suppress the laughter that was about to burst out.

Okay, one year old is good, it's definitely one year old.

She put down her teacup, stood up, and said with a stern face, "I understand."

She headed south, and Xiao Xin watched her retreating figure suspiciously, feeling that something was amiss. Just as he was looking her over, Xu Rong turned around, pointed to the kang (heated brick bed) under the window in the warm pavilion, and said with a smile in a slightly lowered voice, "Second Young Master, please make do with this tonight, why don't you sleep here?"

Normally, this kang (heated brick bed) should have been used by the maids when they were on night duty, but Xu Rong had already made up an excuse to lure all the maids to the side room in the courtyard.

Xiao Xin immediately forgot his question and breathed a sigh of relief without making it obvious—since it was a fake marriage, he certainly wouldn't share a bed with Xu Rong, but it wasn't appropriate for him to bring up the question; it would be offensive no matter how he did so. It would be best if Xu Rong took the initiative to arrange it.

She seems to be able to handle anything perfectly once it's in her hands.

The thought flashed through Xiao Xin's mind. He nodded in response, and seeing that there was still some tea left in the teacup, he lowered his head and continued to drink. After finishing, he leaned back in his chair, and his back, waist and legs relaxed a bit.

Composure is a contagious emotion.

She remained calm, and the irritability, unease, and even slight regret that welled up in his heart when he was toasting guests in the front yard gradually faded away.

There's nothing to be afraid of.

Even the most difficult future, if planned well, offers a glimmer of hope, which is better than being lost and confused, having energy but not knowing where to direct it.

After calming down, the pent-up fatigue seeped into his limbs and bones, and Xiao Xin's eyelashes began to droop. He felt that there should still be something he hadn't done, but in such a satisfying and warm atmosphere, he was too lazy to move or think, until he heard Xu Rong's smiling voice: "Second Young Master, if there's nothing else, please excuse me for a moment. I'm going to take a bath."

Xiao Xin suddenly woke up with a start, almost jumping up: "—Oh."

He quickly flung open the curtain and went out, as if someone was chasing him.

Young people are so energetic.

Xu Rong shook her head and called in the maids one by one to tidy up the table, move the bath tub, and get hot water.

Hearing that Xiao Xin had taken refuge in the east side room on the other side, Xu Rong also ordered someone to carry a bucket over to him.

Half an hour later, Xu Rong finished bathing and tidying up, then sent someone to invite him, and sent all the Xiao family maids who were still waiting to rest.

This time, they were sent out of the courtyard. Some hesitated, while others couldn't wait to leave: "I don't care, I'm going to rest. You can stay here and continue carrying water, it's up to you."

Two huge buckets!

My wrists are almost broken from exhaustion; this second young mistress really knows how to order people around.

Once one of them took the lead and ran away, the rest couldn't stay any longer. Before long, only Cui Ting and another maid named Cai Die were left. They were assigned to serve here, so they didn't have to leave.

But they couldn't get into the main room. Cui Ting was not convinced and muttered in the corridor: "How can a new bride be like this? She just entered the door and has already taken control of the second young master's food, clothing and shelter. It makes us look like outsiders."

Cai Die yawned and said, "Sister Cui Ting, let's talk about it tomorrow. You're not tired, but I am."

Cui Ting glared at her angrily: "You were originally with the Second Young Master, how come you have no ambition at all?"

“What ambitions do I, a mere maid, need?” Cai Die retorted. “I only ask to stay here peacefully and not offend my master.”

She smiled again and said, "Sister Cuiting, whatever ambitions you have to pursue, I won't get in your way."

Cui Ting blushed—whether it was naturally red or reflected by the red lanterns hanging under the eaves was unknown: "What nonsense are you talking about? I'm just a maid, I only know how to listen to Madam. Madam told me to serve her diligently, so I said a few more words."

Cai Die nodded, then yawned and glanced towards the window of the new house. "There's no rush. Look, the noise inside has subsided, and the lights are off."

The window did indeed darken, but a soft red glow still shone through—the bridal chamber candles, which would burn all night long.

At this hour, the guests in the mansion had left, the firecrackers had stopped, and the courtyards in the night had fallen silent. Two maids stood under the empty corridor, locked in a tense standoff for a moment, when suddenly they heard a little noise again.

The sound was subtle, only perceptible through the window in the stillness of the night, difficult to describe in words, yet intuitively discernible: it was a sound that could only come from the bedside.

rustling sounds.

There seemed to be someone sighing softly and restrainedly.

“This…” Cai Die was the first to come to her senses. “Sister Cui Ting, I dare not eavesdrop on the Second Young Master’s conversation. You can listen if you want, I’m leaving.”

Without turning her head, she strode towards the side room in the courtyard. Cui Ting was stunned. She wanted to stomp her foot, but dared not. She could only quickly follow after her, her face flushed red as she scolded, "What nonsense are you talking about? Who wants to hear it? Am I... am I that kind of person...!"

**

Inside the new house.

Xu Rong sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), covering her face with the wedding curtain, trying hard to suppress her laughter.

She trembled with suppressed emotion, and the entire wedding canopy trembled along with her.

A few steps away, Xiao Xin stood there awkwardly, finally unable to bear it any longer: "Miss Xu, what's so funny about this?!"

Xu Rong's voice trembled as well: "Wait for me a moment—"

Xiao Xin didn't want to wait any longer. He stepped forward and angrily pulled away a cloth that was on Xu Rong's lap. The cloth was originally crumpled up and not very noticeable, but when he pulled it, a large patch of blood was revealed, which was shocking at first glance.

Upon seeing this, Xu Rong grabbed the wedding tent and shook it again.

She barely managed to grab the other end of the cloth, pleading with Xiao Xin, "Second Young Master, wait a moment, listen to me."

Xiao Xin gave her face, let go of her hand, and stared at her coldly.

Xu Rong pinched his palm to calm himself down, then cleared his throat before speaking: "Second Young Master, I know you mean well and have thought things through, but there are some questions you may not have asked clearly—or perhaps you didn't ask at all?"

Xiao Xin didn't reply, neither nodding nor shaking his head—he seemed frozen.

Xu Rong received the answer and smiled, "I understand. Second Young Master, I'm not mocking you. You are virtuous and upright, a true gentleman. It's just that this," she lowered her head and put the cloth aside, then turned to lift the layers of the quilt at the head of the bed, taking out a square piece of silk cloth from the bottom. There was also bloodstain in the center of the silk cloth, but compared to the large bloodstain on the cloth, it was like a small stream compared to a lake or sea.

"The wedding night won't be as the Second Young Master imagines—well, a river of blood."

Xu Rong explained tactfully that she wanted to educate Xiao Xin about physiology, explaining that it's normal for a woman not to bleed if she's fully developed, but when she looked up, she couldn't say anything.

Xiao Xinchu was tall and thin, and Xu Rong always had a psychological advantage in terms of experience when facing him, but this advantage was not so great that she could still talk freely on certain topics.

No matter how youthful Xiao Xin may appear, he is already eighteen years old and legally a grown man.

Xu Rong suddenly felt that the silk cloth in her hand was a bit tricky. She calmly stuffed it back on the bedside table and concluded: "I've inquired about it, and mine will be fine."

"……oh."

Xiao Xin responded, lowered his head, picked up the cloth he had prepared, rolled it up, and quickly left as if fleeing.