Chapter 22 Of course I want to spend my days happily with her...
Lou Xueying was led to sit down beside Li's mother. Li's mother asked her if she slept well last night. Lou Xueying blushed and said she did. Li's mother then said that her son Shitou was a rough man and told her not to mind. Lou Xueying quickly shook her head and said no, no, the Marquis is a man of character, and a good man should be like this.
Li's mother was overjoyed by her daughter-in-law's flattery. The more she looked at her daughter-in-law, the more she liked her. She felt as if a pie had fallen from the sky and exclaimed, "Good child, with a daughter-in-law like you, our Marquis's mansion is finally saved!"
Lou Xueying was immediately startled: "Has something happened to the Marquis's residence?"
"No, no, this old woman speaks without thinking, she's exaggerating a bit," Mother Li quickly corrected. "But to be honest, I'm a rough woman, and I'm getting old. I can't even read many words. Since coming to this capital, I haven't dared to leave the house, for fear of making a mistake and being ridiculed. Although Lü Gui has seen more of the world following the Marquis, he doesn't know much about the capital. If it weren't for your parents' help, we wouldn't have been able to manage this wedding so well. Although the wedding is over, the Marquis's mansion needs to be tidied up quickly. I can't help, and Lü Gui is willing but unable. Fortunately, you've married into the family. You know more than we do, you'll definitely be able to manage this mansion well!"
Lou Xueying was flattered: "Mother-in-law, you flatter me. I have never managed a household before, so I dare not say that I have managed it well. I can only say that I have done my best to share the burden with the Marquis and Mother-in-law."
Li Pan lifted his eyelids and glanced at her. Why were her words different from last night? Last night, when he handed over the power to manage the household to her, she didn't have so many polite words.
But Li Pan remained silent.
Li's mother chatted with Lou Xueying for a while longer. Lou Xueying spoke softly and smiled gently. Li's mother looked at her with such loving eyes that it was almost heartbreaking. Li Pan got goosebumps all over and finally couldn't help but interrupt them: "Aren't you hungry? Aren't you going to have breakfast?"
Li's mother slapped her forehead, realizing that they hadn't eaten yet, and hurriedly called Cuicui to serve the dishes.
"Look at me, I got so excited that I forgot all about the important matter," Li's mother said with a smile. "Is Xueying hungry?"
Lou Xueying shook her head: "I'm not hungry."
She was actually hungry, because she had only eaten a few pieces of pastry all day yesterday, but she didn't say so.
Li's mother couldn't help but touch her slender wrist and said, "You're so thin, you should eat more. Being too thin makes you more susceptible to illness."
Li Pan: "Why don't you ask your son if he's hungry? He's really hungry!"
Mother Li glanced at him and snorted coldly: "You got up early this morning and ran around the Marquis's mansion twice. No wonder you're hungry! I really don't know what's wrong with you. Instead of spending time with your beautiful wife, you went to eat the wind!"
Li Pan thought to himself that he wanted to keep him company, but the other person was busy sleeping and might not want him to.
Lou Xueying spoke up for Li Pan: "Mother-in-law misunderstands. It was the Marquis who was considerate of me. He was awake, but I wasn't. He was afraid of disturbing me, so he went out first."
Li's mother was deeply moved: "Shitou is so lucky to have married such an understanding and kind wife like you. Xueying, if he ever offends you in the future, just come and tell me. I will definitely stand by your side!"
Li Pan: "Whose mother are you anyway? And I didn't offend her at all, so why are you making such wild assumptions?"
Li's mother glared at him: "I wish I could be Xueying's mother, but unfortunately I don't have that blessing!"
Lou Xueying smiled and said, "Now that I'm married into the Marquis's mansion, my mother-in-law is also my mother." As she spoke, she called out "Mother."
"Oh my!" Li's mother had never had a daughter before. Being called "Mother" so gently by such a beautiful daughter-in-law made her feel relaxed and happy. She smiled like a flower. "Good, good, good! Now I have both a son and a daughter! Xueying is so good. That brat only talks back to me and never says such sweet words to coax me!"
Li Pan smirked, deciding not to stoop to his mother's level.
Lou Xueying added, "I have a nickname, Susu. My family calls me that in private. If you think it's convenient, you can call me that too, Mother."
"Shushu?" Mother Li asked, puzzled. "Which shushu?"
“My mother said that when I was born, it was deep winter and snowing. She glimpsed the dim lanterns outside the window, like a firefly in the snowy night, so she named me Xueying (Snow Firefly). When I cried, the sound was so loud that it startled the snow on the leaves outside the window, so she gave me the nickname Susu.”
“Shushu.” Mother Li read it once, then laughed, “Oh my, no wonder you’re a family of scholars. Even your nickname has such a story behind it. It sounds much better than our Stone.”
Lou Xueying then laughed.
"Shh." Li Pan repeated it as well, but then said, "I can't believe it. You used to cry so loudly when you were little. How come you look so frail now?"
"Do you have to argue? Are you afraid people won't know you have a mouth?" Now that she has a native daughter-in-law from Beijing, Li's mother dares to talk back to Li Pan.
Just then, breakfast was delivered from the kitchen, and Li's mother stood up and said, "Alright, aren't you hungry? Eat more, it'll shut you up!"
The three sat down at the table. Lou Xueying glanced at the breakfast at the Marquis's residence. It wasn't fancy, but the portions were generous: three bowls of glutinous rice porridge, a plate of pickled black vegetables, a plate of pickled mustard greens, a plate of spiced beef, a plate of stir-fried asparagus, and... a plate of large white steamed buns.
Lou Xueying stared at the three plump steamed buns, each bigger than a fist, on the plate, and was slightly startled. She couldn't help but wonder, with steamed buns, porridge, and so many side dishes, would she be able to eat anything for lunch? Although she had barely eaten anything yesterday, that didn't mean she could eat this much in one go!
But she remained silent and picked up the porridge spoon to start eating.
After eating for a while, she noticed two people staring at her from both sides. She stopped, puzzled, and subconsciously touched her face; there was nothing sticky.
"Is it not to your liking?" Mother Li asked her kindly. "The cooks at the Marquis's mansion used to cook according to my and Shi Tou's tastes. If you don't like it, just say so. Please don't try to accommodate us and make yourself suffer."
Lou Xueying was puzzled: "It's not to my liking." She wasn't a particularly picky person, and besides, the cooks in the Marquis's mansion were quite skilled; the food was acceptable. Did she look unhappy? Why was her mother-in-law asking her that?
Li Pan: "Even a raccoon can eat faster than you. If you don't like it, just say so. I'll have someone go to the street to buy you food. There's bound to be something you like. Don't get even thinner than before while you're in the Marquis's mansion."
Lou Xueying then realized that she had only drunk a little less than half a bowl of porridge, while Li Pan's bowl was already empty. He also had a steamed bun in his hand at some point, and had already bitten off most of it.
Lou Xueying stared in disbelief, then looked at Li's mother. Li's mother didn't eat as fast as Li Pan, but her bowl of porridge was almost empty.
Lou Xueying: "..."
Feeling extremely embarrassed, she could only whisper, "I... I've been eating so slowly."
"Oh!" Mother Li exclaimed in realization, then smiled sheepishly. "They're still so refined, eating slowly and deliberately, unlike us, who don't follow so many rules. They used to eat quickly so they could get to work in the fields right away."
Lou Xueying said somewhat shyly, "My lord and mother, you don't need to wait for me. I, I'll eat quickly."
"It's not the cook's fault. Take your time eating, no one's rushing you," Li Pan said, chewing on his steamed bun. "Anyway, I haven't finished eating yet."
As he spoke, he broke the remaining steamed bun in half, stuffed in a few slices of beef and pickles, and put it in his mouth in one bite.
Lou Xueying: "..."
She held the porridge spoon, absentmindedly sipping her porridge while secretly glancing at Li Pan.
He finished one steamed bun and picked up another, while Li's mother on the other side had already finished her porridge, leaned back in her chair and wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, clearly looking like she was already full.
Lou Xueying then realized that the steamed bun wasn't meant to be given to each person.
When Li Pan noticed her glancing at him, he said, "Eat if you want, why are you looking at me?"
Lou Xueying asked timidly, "These three steamed buns...were they all eaten by the Marquis?"
"No, I usually only eat two," Li Pan said, turning to Cuicui and asking, "Why are you eating three steamed buns today?"
Cui Cui replied, "The kitchen said they didn't know what Madam's tastes like, so they prepared one for her as well."
Lou Xueying: "...Thank you for your kindness, but I can't eat that much."
"Then take this steamed bun back," Li Pan said. "I'll reheat it at noon and eat it."
Cui Cui: "Yes."
Lou Xueying: "..."
What a simple family tradition. Thinking about it now, she really did live a life of extravagance and debauchery before.
After finishing breakfast, Lou Xueying wanted to quickly review the situation in the Marquis's residence and establish rules for personnel management, so she shared her thoughts with Li's mother and Li Pan. The two naturally had no objections, and then summoned Lü Gui to discuss various matters with Lou Xueying.
This was the first time Lou Xueying had done these things. She had only ever watched her mother manage the household before, so she took it very seriously when she was doing it herself.
Li Pan, however, was impatient to listen to such trivial matters. He glanced at his mother and, seeing that she was almost asleep, patted her, signaling her to come back to the inner room with him.
Li's mother followed him back to the inner room, muttering, "So you're leaving Susu all alone there?"
“There’s no point in you and me staying there,” Li Pan said. “Why don’t we come here and chat?”
Li's mother perked up and quietly asked him, "So, are you quite satisfied with this daughter-in-law? You can't find fault with her at all!"
Li Pan gave a vague reply: "It's alright."
Li's mother chuckled: "Didn't you say before that you couldn't serve that rich young lady and that your family couldn't afford to hire a high-ranking official? What do you say now? Shouldn't you listen to your mother and marry her?"
Li Pan nodded perfunctorily: "Yes, yes, yes, yes, we should listen to Mother. Mother is always right."
Li's mother slapped him and then asked in a low voice, "I think Susu has a good temper, and so do Lord Lou and Madam Lou. They don't seem like the kind of people who would force someone into marriage. Have you figured things out? The marriage is already done, but you still have something on your mind. That's called being estranged from your spouse."
Li Pan: "I understand."
Li's mother: "What happened? Didn't they just fall into the water by accident? You're just being paranoid."
“No.” Li Pan put his foot up and raised his lips. “There was indeed someone forcing me into marriage, but it wasn’t Lord Lou, Madam Lou, or His Majesty who were forcing me. It was someone else.”
Li's mother asked in confusion, "Who is it?"
Li Pan's smile deepened: "It's your good daughter-in-law herself. She has a crush on me and won't marry anyone but me, so she deliberately fell into the water without telling her family and lured me to save her."
Li's mother: "...Are you still hungover from drinking yesterday?"
Li Pan scoffed, "Don't believe me if you don't want to."
Li's mother asked suspiciously, "Really? She doesn't seem like the kind of person who would do something like this."
Aren't the young ladies in the capital supposed to be the most reserved and proper? Why is she behaving like a woman from the Northwest? But then again, the people of the Northwest are known for their simple and bold nature. Saving someone from drowning wouldn't necessarily lead to marriage. If they really like someone, they wouldn't go through all this trouble; they would simply offer themselves up.
Li Pan: "I never expected that there would be such a proactive young lady in the capital. You can't tell from her appearance at all."
Li's mother pursed her lips: "What kind of good men haven't she seen? Why did she fall for you? Did you hear something and misunderstand her?"
“What hearsay? I overheard her talking to her maid yesterday and that’s how I found out why she fell into the water. I asked her directly, and she admitted it,” Li Pan said. “No wonder her methods were so flawed and didn’t seem like the Lou family’s style. It turns out it was all her doing, so it’s understandable.”
"You were eavesdropping, fine, but you even went and asked her!" Li's mother was speechless and kicked him. "If she really had a crush on you, she would be so embarrassed. You're the one who's having fun. What kind of person are you!"
Li Pan: "I asked what happened. Shouldn't we get to the bottom of this? Now that's settled, I believe in the Lou family's innocence. As for Miss Lou's schemes against me, she's just a young girl, and although her methods were a bit clumsy, I can't let her down because of her deep affection. Let's leave it at that."
His tone was so rude that Li's mother couldn't help but kick him again: "Look at your face. You were pretending to be a decent person just now, not daring to show it in front of your wife, but you've completely given yourself away in front of your old mother."
Li's mother still found it unbelievable: "Could it be that our Li family has secretly used some kind of magic underground? Otherwise, why would such a good young lady from the Lou family, who has never even spoken to you, be so eager to marry you?"
Li Pan chuckled and said, "How many times have I told you, Mother, let's not be so humble. Your son is secretly admired by a celestial being, which means your son is capable. Otherwise, why would she choose to marry me instead of so many handsome and talented men in the capital? Even her maid said that she has a discerning eye!"
Li's mother: "..."
She clicked her tongue twice, secretly marveling at the wonders of fate, when she glanced at Li Pan's smug expression and frowned, reminding him, "Shi Tou, although Su Su insists on marrying you, you must remember one thing: she's only eighteen. She doesn't understand many things. The fact that she dared to marry you without ever having met you suggests she's likely been influenced by too many stories of heroes and beauties. If she later discovers you're not what she imagined, that would be terrible."
Li Pan: "I told her last night not to have any unrealistic fantasies about me."
"You..." Li's mother was speechless for a moment, and she covered her chest in anger and sighed repeatedly.
Li Pan glanced at his mother, then regained his composure and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. She's not stupid; she can sense whether I treat her well or badly. Right now, she's just infatuated with me, but once that passion fades, her attitude towards me will depend on how I treat her. Husband and wife are one, sharing both fortune and misfortune. Of course, I want to live a good life with her. Otherwise, how can we bring peace to the world if our family is in turmoil?"
Li's mother finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Half an hour later, someone knocked on the door of the inner room.
Li Pan went to open the door, and Lou Xueying was standing outside.
"My lord, Mother, Steward Lü and I have almost finished discussing things. I'll have him go to the Lou family this afternoon to pick a few clever maids to take a look at and see if they can serve you well," Lou Xueying said. "Also, my lord and I are short of some attentive servants in our courtyard. Let's see if there are any clever ones in the manor. If they can be trained well, we'll keep them. If not, I'll have someone inquire if any household is dismissing their servants, and we'll pick a few to train."
Li's mother: "I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you."
Li Pan said, "You're quick on your feet. You've been busy all morning, only managing the people in the Marquis's residence. You probably haven't even seen what the residence looks like yet."
Lou Xueying smiled shyly: "Steward Lü showed me the map of the manor, but I haven't walked through it myself yet."
Upon hearing this, Li's mother immediately nudged Li Pan: "Yes, Susu hasn't had a proper look at our Marquis's mansion yet. Quick, Shitou, go show her around. This mansion was recently renovated, and there are still many things we can discuss. Let Susu see if there's anything she wants to change."
Li Pan looked down at Lou Xueying: "Shall I show you around?"
Lou Xueying nodded and said gently, "Okay."
Li Pan was about to leave when he saw his mother frantically giving him meaningful glances and gesturing with her hands.
Li Pan's eye twitched, and he looked at Lou Xueying, who was looking at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and reached out his hand.
"Then let's go."
He acted as if nothing had happened, took her hand, and strode outside.
Lou Xueying was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed behind, feeling the calloused tiger's mouth rubbing against the back of her hand, which was quite rough and itchy.
She looked at his profile, which was staring straight ahead with no expression, and suddenly smiled. Then she gently took his hand in return.
Li Pan paused for a moment, slowed his pace, and let her walk alongside him.
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