Chapter 8 Chapter 8 "Don't drink."

Lunch at the Duke's Mansion wasn't eaten together; the public kitchen prepared the food and delivered it to each room for the owner to enjoy. If they wanted more dishes, each room also had a small kitchen.

Before Xie Yi got married, he usually ate lunch alone. He hadn't noticed any changes after marriage until he saw another person looking at him.

His eyes were sharp and he thought he had concealed it well, but in fact he was like a little bird squatting outside the window, his every move being followed by those eyes, as if every grain of rice he ate was being counted.

Xie Yi: “…”

He stretched out his chopsticks to pick up some food and felt that gaze on his hand again.

Xie Yi paused mid-air, his gaze dropping to the plate of spare ribs below. The chefs at the Duke's Mansion were known for their exceptional skills. The sauce was well-seasoned, the heat was perfect, and the spare ribs looked incredibly attractive.

Due to health reasons, he cannot eat much of this kind of meat and it is rarely seen on the table.

Xie Yi turned his wrist, picked up the vegetables from the plate next to him, and put them into the bowl.

He raised his eyelids and glanced at her calmly: "Is there something you want to say to me?"

Yun Wu was startled and quickly put down her chopsticks. She said seriously, "Husband, I received a few account books today. They are about the expenses of the courtyard. I don't know..."

"Since it's given to you, just take it." Xie Yi said.

Yun Wu opened her mouth and swallowed back the words she had not finished saying.

She carefully studied Xie Yi's expression, but he looked as cold as ever, unmoved by joy or anger. Her ability to read people's expressions was not yet up to par, and she could not read his true feelings from his face, which was covered with frost and snow.

For some reason, Yun Wu was a little afraid of him.

She was naturally afraid of people who spoke harshly. This was a habit she developed in the Yun family. She was used to being cautious in everything, otherwise her mistakes would be pointed out and she would be scolded.

But Yun Wu mustered up her courage and said, "That's true, but we live under the same roof. I don't know your husband's habits. If I insist on doing it my own way, I'm afraid it will make you unhappy. Since we are husband and wife, then..."

"couple?"

Yun Wu nodded in surprise: "Yeah."

Xie Yi raised the corners of his lips, but didn't smile at all. He looked at her with cold eyes, "You married me because of the Xie family background. After all, I'm just a dying man with only a few years left to live. You don't have to waste your time on me and try to please others. It's my habit to mind my own business."

After saying that, he put down his chopsticks, stood up and left the table.

Yun Wu stared blankly at the small bowl on his seat.

It wasn't full to begin with, and now most of it is left.

Yun Wu said nothing, picked up her small bowl and ate slowly.

After lunch, she sat at the stone table in the yard, holding the account book and carefully read it from beginning to end.

Just as Xie Yi had said, as long as she didn't bother him, she could do whatever she wanted. The servants in the courtyard had probably been instructed long ago to listen to her, the Third Young Mistress, and the keys to the account books and storehouses were readily handed over to her, leaving her with complete control.

This is different from Yun Wu’s understanding.

At the Yun family, all matters in the harem were handled by Madam Yun. Although she was the daughter of the Yun family, the maids disobeyed her. When Yun Wu was young, she was cared for by a maid, whose monthly allowance had to pass through her hands first. During that time, the maid's food, clothing, and living expenses were better than hers. As she grew up, she didn't receive even a single copper coin beyond her monthly allowance. If she wanted to buy a book, she had to save money from her scraps.

After she married Xie Yi, she had more money. In addition to her own dowry, even Xie Yi's private money was given to her. When Yun Wu saw the amount in the account book, she was still shocked.

After all, it is the Duke's Mansion, with a large family and great wealth. Unlike the Yun family, even a concubine's son who does not have a regular job is very well-off.

She was like a sparrow that fell into a granary, suddenly dazzled by the wealth she had. But she didn't dare spend it all recklessly, and was trembling with fear, afraid that if she did something wrong, she would be blamed.

Occasionally, when Xie Yi took his eyes off the book and looked out the window, he would see her back, thin and slender, like a squirrel storing food before winter, carefully picking out plump fruits.

Yun Wu sat in front of the stone table for the whole afternoon, and every time he raised his head, she was always sitting there.

He just glanced away, and when he looked up again, her figure was suddenly gone from the stone table. Xie Yi was a little uncomfortable.

He put down the book, sat up straight, and looked around the yard. Before he found anyone, he smelled a familiar bitter medicine.

Xie Yi: “…”

Soon, Yun Wu walked past his window with the medicine bowl in both hands.

The dark medicine was placed in a porcelain bowl in front of him: "Husband, it's time to drink the medicine."

Xie Yi: “…”

He opened the book calmly and said, "Drink later."

Yun Wu: “…”

There was a white mist hanging over the medicinal juice, and the smell of the medicine filled the room and lingered at the noses of the two people.

Yun Wu waited for a long time, until the medicine had cooled down a bit. She saw that he was still calmly flipping through the book, as if he was so engrossed in reading that he had completely forgotten that there was a bowl of medicine next to him. Yun Wu reminded him, "Husband, the medicine is cold."

Xie Yi: "Later."

Yun Wu: “…”

After a while, Yun Wu said: "Husband..."

Xie Yi: "Later."

Yun Wu: “…”

Yun Wu: "Medicine..."

Xie Yi: "Get out."

Yun Wu went out obediently.

Of course, I still don’t drink the medicine.

Xie Yi flipped through the pages of the book, letting the heat from the medicine bowl next to him fade away and stop emitting heat, without even glancing over there.

But after a while, before the medicine completely cooled down, a familiar sound of footsteps suddenly approached and landed gently beside him.

Xie Yi's fingertips paused, and he caught a glimpse of the untouched bowl of medicine. Somehow, he suddenly didn't dare to look up.

But Yun Wu said nothing.

She picked up the untouched bowl of bitter medicine and walked out the same way she came without uttering a word.

Xie Yi felt relieved when he saw her carrying the bowl of medicine into the small kitchen.

The window he was standing in had a wide view, not only allowing him to take in the courtyard scenery, but also allowing him to clearly see what was going on in every room. Because he disliked the presence of servants, when there was nothing important to do, the servants would go out and be lazy. At this moment, Yun Wu was the only one busy in the small kitchen.

Soon after, familiar footsteps approached.

A bowl of steaming, reheated, familiar bitter medicine was placed in front of him again.

"Husband, take the medicine."

Xie Yi: “…”

He looked down at the medicine bowl, then looked up at his newlywed wife.

Although the person in front of me has a delicate and fragile face, softer than the buds on the branches in spring, she has an inexplicable stubbornness, more persistent than the little bird begging for food. She will not leave until she sees food, and will even poke at the window frame with her tender and sharp beak.

Xie Yi closed the book expressionlessly.

Finally stopped refusing.

He said simply: "No."

…

Yun Wu was a little worried.

Even until dinner, she was still preoccupied with things.

Dinner at the Zhenguo Mansion was shared by the entire family, three generations of the family, around a long table filled with people sitting on both sides. With the exception of Xie Yi, everyone was present.

At the dinner table, Yun Wu also saw her two brothers who were out on errands during the day, as well as her nephews and nieces.

The eldest wife had a sixteen-year-old boy named Zhao Ge'er. In the arms of the second young mistress, Chen Qiutang, sat a fair and tender little girl. Nuan Jie'er, who was also quiet, dozed off in her mother's arms with sleepy eyes.

Xie Zhao spent his days in the academy, learning poetry, literature, and etiquette from his teacher. Now, his small body sat upright, and he politely greeted Yun Wu before asking, "Third Aunt, where is my Third Uncle?"

Yun Wu said gloomily, "He said he wasn't feeling well and went to rest."

Meng Qingtong asked with concern: "What's wrong with Sanlang's body? Do you want Doctor Hua to come and take a look?"

Yun Wu lowered her head and murmured, "It's okay..."

Where is the physical discomfort?

It was obvious that he didn't want to take the medicine, and when I asked him a few more questions, he started to throw a tantrum.

Yun Wu had never seen anyone so confident in not taking medicine. She had many ways to coax Old Madam Yun into taking the medicine, but none of them worked on Xie Yi.

When the medicine was brought to him, he refused to drink it even if it cooled down. When his body was used to persuade him, he sneered and said that he didn't need it anyway. If candied fruit was used to coax him... Yun Wu didn't dare to treat him like a child!

The man had a cold and bad temper. After she gave him a few more words of advice, he found her annoying, covered his face with the book, and turned a deaf ear to the rest of her words.

Even when it was time for dinner, Xie Yi refused to get up. Although he looked like he still had strength left, he lay down on the couch, saying that he was very sick and couldn't eat because of the discomfort.

Since you are so sick, why don’t you take medicine?

When he refused to take the medicine, his words were full of energy.

Yun Wu had no way to deal with Old Madam Yun and Yun Xin, her trump card, or Xie Yi.

She poked at the rice grains in her bowl in frustration until Meng Qingtong quietly pulled a corner of her body under the table. Then she came to her senses and realized that everyone was looking at her.

Meng Qingtong reminded him, "You are going back home tomorrow. How is Sanlang's health? Can he go back with you?"

Yun Wu was slightly stunned, then she remembered that tomorrow was the day she would return home on the third day after her marriage.

Logically speaking, the newlyweds should go back together.

But Xie Yi...

Regardless of whether he was ill or not, thinking of what he had done during the day, Yun Wu guessed that even if he could get up, he would make an excuse to hide away, just like he did with dinner today.

Yun Wu lowered her head and said, "It's okay. I can go back by myself. Since Sanlang Jun is not feeling well, I won't make him travel by boat."

She and Yunhui are getting married together. Tomorrow is not only her return home day, but also Yunhui's return home day. Yunhui will go back with Ye Huaiqing.

Thinking that she might meet Ye Huaiqing tomorrow, Yun Wu felt a little unhappy.