Returning home at night (repair)
As for Zhiyuan, she had wanted to bring her to the Dou residence, but was unexpectedly refused.
She still remembered that day when she secretly left the mansion, covered her face with a thin veil, and met Zhiyuan at a teahouse on the street.
At that time, Zhiyuan had been working in the flower room for several months. Due to her outstanding abilities, she was highly appreciated by Steward Zhao and became one of the top head maids in the flower room. Everyone below called her Sister Zhiyuan. However, managing the flowers and plants in the entire mansion was inevitably tiring. Moreover, through Zhiyuan, she had already discovered a lot of secret information. Now that the marriage was settled, it would be too much for Zhiyuan to be left alone after she married out of the mansion. Therefore, she couldn't bear it and had the idea of taking Zhiyuan with her.
Unexpectedly, after listening quietly to her intentions, Zhiyuan immediately bent down and knelt on the ground. Because of the many people and attention in the street, she hurriedly helped Zhiyuan's frail body to her feet. Zhiyuan calmly said in a low voice:
“Miss, you need not worry about me. You have always been very kind and caring towards Zhiyuan. Doing these things for you is always my duty and something I do willingly. How can I be tired? Besides, you used to worry that someone in the manor was secretly causing trouble, so you pretended to have a falling out with me to secretly observe. Now everything is still unclear. If I go with you now, all our previous forbearance will be in vain.”
Lin Xu looked at the exceptionally stubborn face in front of him and remained silent for a moment.
As if afraid that she still had concerns, Zhiyuan added, "Besides, Zhuling is now taking care of you, Miss. When Sister Qingwu was still alive, Zhuling and I both received many favors from her. I know her character. She is not only righteous and honest, but also meticulous in her work. With her by your side, she will surely take good care of you."
Lin Xu nodded. "Zhu Ling is meticulous and loyal, so she's perfect. However, if you're willing to come with me to the Dou residence and work as my head maid, it would be more respectable. The chores in the flower room are truly tedious..."
Her gaze lingered on the thick calluses on Zhiyuan's hands, a hint of pity in her eyes. When she was with her before, she had always been pampered and spoiled. Zhiyuan had never suffered such hardship before.
Zhiyuan said knowingly, "Miss, don't worry. I used to do odd jobs in the kitchen. Now that I'm in the flower room, I feel much more relaxed. These jobs are nothing compared to chopping wood and sweeping ashes, so you don't need to worry anymore."
Despite Zhiyuan's repeated insistence, she could not persuade her otherwise and had no choice but to give up. Before leaving, she gave Zhiyuan a large sum of money, enough for her to get by for the next few days.
.
Several days passed in a flash, and the Dou family gradually returned to the calm before the wedding. The bright red curtains that had been drawn up a few days ago were all taken down, with only a few remaining in the courtyard. They had lost their color in the wind and sun. For several days in a row, the fog was heavy, and the sky was like an old garment, leaning against the gloomy clouds and shining with a gray light.
Lin Xu sat by the small window, holding a book in his hand. His fingertips lingered on the line "The vibrant red blossoms have weathered the storm overnight," but his thoughts were tangled like a knotted tangle.
Zhi Yuan's words still echoed in her ears. Just as she had said, the many mysteries surrounding the Lin family remained unresolved. She proceeded cautiously, fearing that the slightest misstep would plunge her into an abyss. Yet, even so, her situation after marrying into the Dou family was even more unpredictable than she had anticipated.
Sun Biying's disappearance, Qingniang's past entanglements with Dou Yanxun—all of this seemed to conceal unfathomable mysteries. And Dou Yanxun, stained with blood at Shaojing Garden that day, was an even more persistent question in her mind. Each event, like a fine thread, wove a complex web, tightly binding her.
Especially the note shot with an arrow on her wedding day, the words on it were incomplete yet contained a hidden warning. Was that arrow shot at Zhou Weikan's behest? If so, why was Zhou Weikan so vague, and what is the connection between this and the "not a good man" on her coming-of-age ceremony?
She tried her best to sort out these clues, but she couldn't make a single move. Each and every one of them weighed on her heart like a huge boulder. So much so that she would often wake up in the middle of the night, struggling to sit up, her heart filled with confusion and doubt, and cold sweat breaking out.
When she woke up in the middle of the night, there was never anyone beside her.
Lin Xu raised his eyes. The cold autumn sun shone through the carved window lattice into the room, leaving a thin light and shadow that barely illuminated a set of celadon teacups on the table. The clear blue tea in the cups had long since cooled.
Since she married Dou Yanxun, apart from a few brief words exchanged on their wedding night, she had hardly spent any real time with him.
For several days in a row, he got up early, saying that he was too busy with trivial matters at the yamen and had no free time. He always returned home under the moon at night, and she could only hear him coming back after she had finished washing up and gone to bed. In order not to wake her up, Dou Yanxun simply stayed in the study.
One night, she finally fought off her drowsiness and waited for him to return home, hoping to exchange a few words with him. However, Dou Yanxun was completely drunk. Large patches of wine stains marred his moon-white straight silk, and the smooth, luxurious satin was wrinkled. He staggered into the hall, casually pulling off his belt and letting a maid remove his boots. Before Lin Xu could even instruct Zhu Ling to prepare a hangover remedy, he had already passed out, leaving her alone in a mess.
After several days of this, Lin Xu keenly noticed that the way the old women and maids serving her in the other courtyard looked at her had changed.
Every morning, Granny Chang would bring her maids to change the bedsheets. She would start with a smile, but upon seeing the spotless sheets, her smile would fade, replaced by a strange expression—a hint of contempt and mockery. It had been over a month since their marriage, and this newlywed second mistress was still a virgin. Even though she felt no problem, rumors of marital discord were beginning to circulate.
The maid Qingmo tiptoed in unnoticed, carefully serving her hot tea and several small dishes of pastries and fruits. The freshly brewed tea steamed, instantly warming her. Lin Xu smiled, about to put down her book, when a few wisps of chilly wind blew in through the half-open window, accompanied by barely audible whispers.
It was a group of maids and servants from the Dou family gathered under the eaves to sort through the newly dried clothes, and the soft rustling sounds came through the half-open window.
"Hey, have you heard? Our Second Master hasn't spent the night in Second Madam's room for several days."
"That's right. When I went to clean the sheets this morning... they were still spotless. They say the master has been sleeping alone in the study."
"They've only been married a few days, how could things have turned out like this? He always seemed so distinguished, but I heard that not only now, but even on their wedding night..."
Another older woman spoke in a hoarse voice, her words full of disdain: "I'm afraid our new young mistress doesn't know how to please the second master yet. The Dou family is not like her maternal family; her airs of a rich young lady may not work here."
Before he finished speaking, low chuckles began to rise from the crowd.
Qingmo turned pale with fright and hurriedly pushed the carved window frame shut, closing it tightly. She then lowered her head and spoke softly, not daring to look at Lin Xu's expression.
"Madam, you've been studying for a long time. It's chilly by the window now. Let's take a proper rest so we don't strain our eyes."
An unloved wife and an extremely indifferent husband—nothing could arouse more curiosity than these trivial everyday matters. Lin Xu's expression remained unchanged. She closed the book in her hand, stood up, and glanced at the few remaining green leaves in the courtyard. She spoke softly to Zhu Ling, who stood beside her:
"After Dou Yanxun returns to the manor tonight, I would like to have dinner with him. You should first tell the kitchen to prepare some wine and dishes, all of which should suit his taste, and also prepare a pot of fine aged wine."
Zhu Ling was indeed intelligent; after a slight pause, she understood her meaning and immediately nodded in agreement.
"Yes, this servant will arrange it immediately."
.
Zhu Ling and Qing Mo were always quick and efficient, and soon the kitchen had prepared dinner neatly and presented it to them. However, no one returned to the courtyard until dusk and the cold moon hung high in the sky.
Zhu Ling watched Lin Xu drawing her eyebrows in front of the mirror and felt a pang of pity, unable to help but say:
"Although he is busy with official duties, Second Master has gone too far. Isn't this a clear sign that he's giving you a hard time? We've only been married into the family for less than a month, and he's already making things difficult for you like this. How are you supposed to maintain your standing in the Dou family in the future?"
The flickering candlelight illuminated the neatly arranged dishes, creating a rich and warm atmosphere. The dishes included several of Dou Yanxun's favorite seafood from the Hexi region, exuding a delicate and fresh aroma. A jade-white wine pot sat in the center of the table, its cups filled with fine wine, gleaming with a gentle, warm sheen.
Lin Xu changed into a light purple gauze dress; the elegant color made her face appear even more gentle. She spoke softly:
"It's alright. They must be delayed by some business at the government office. They'll be back eventually. I'll just wait a little longer."
She waited for another two hours before she finally opened her eyes when footsteps could be heard outside.
Qingmo had already received instructions to invite Dou Yanxun over, and so in no time, the footsteps that had stopped in the courtyard turned a corner and headed straight for the main hall.
The door was gently pushed open. Dou Yanxun, wearing a silver fox fur shawl trimmed with white velvet over a light green straight-collar dress with a slanted collar, and three sachets fastened at his waist, slowly walked in.
The flickering candlelight in the room reflected on his travel-worn face, causing it to sway slightly. His eyes were full of fatigue, but a hint of surprise flashed when he saw the table full of dishes, before his gaze quickly fell on her.
Why aren't you resting yet tonight?
He casually untied his half-open shawl with one hand and asked in a low voice, his words revealing no emotion.
Lin Xu stepped forward, took the cloak from his hand, and smiled slightly, "My husband is busy every day and hasn't had a proper meal with me lately. I thought you like these dishes, so I specially prepared some good wine to warm you up in the chilly night."
Dou Yanxun's brows twitched slightly as his gaze fell upon the table laden with food and wine. He seemed somewhat surprised, but did not refuse. He nodded lightly, walked to the table, and sat down. Lin Xu immediately poured him a full glass of wine, her eyes and brows full of tender smiles.
She said softly, "I heard that the government office has been very busy lately, and my husband has been leaving early and returning late every day. He must be very tired. Let's have a drink together tonight to relax."
Dou Yanxun took the wine glass, his gaze sweeping over her face, lingering for a moment, but he didn't say anything. He raised his glass and took a sip, sitting there silently, seemingly somewhat unaccustomed to the atmosphere.
Seeing him sit down, Qingmo led several maids to take the dishes away and reheat them. Zhuling stepped forward and handed him a steaming hot towel and some tea to cleanse his mouth. She respectfully said to Dou Yanxun, "These dishes were prepared by the kitchen at Madam's request this morning. They were specially made according to your usual tastes. Please try them."
Dou Yanxun's expression remained indifferent, but he still picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of fish, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully a few times, and nodded.
Even in the warm candlelight, that face still radiated a cold chill, giving off an unapproachable air. Lin Xu knew that a good meal and wine alone wouldn't change him, so he wasn't disappointed and simply sat quietly to the side.
Winning over Dou Yanxun is never an easy task; truly entering his heart requires effort that can be achieved overnight.
And what she has no shortage of is patience.
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