The Duke House's Ideal Daughter-in-law
Chapter 35
If it’s just accidentally grabbing it, it would be fine, but Zhao Huanxi seemed to be stunned; once he grabbed it, he wouldn’t let go.
He wasn’t fat, with slender hands and long, slim fingers. When he grabbed her hand, he almost enclosed her entire hand within his.
The warmth of his palm pressed warmly against the delicate skin of her hand back, making Xu Nian’an feel uncomfortable. She tensed her little face and asked him, “How much longer are you going to hold it?”
Zhao Huanxi’s clear eyes lifted, his eyelashes trembling slightly, with a hint of ripples in his eyes. He reached out his other hand, pulled the round fan handle from her hand, and let go of her hand, saying, “I thought Dong Jiejie’s hand was nice to hold, so I held it a little longer. If Dong Jiejie feels disadvantaged, just hold mine back. Why being so hostile to me?”
Xu Nian’an listened to these strangely familiar words, her eyes widening, but she couldn’t say a word.
Zhao Huanxi, feeling triumphant as if he had won a game, smiled like a flower swaying in the wind. He waved the round fan in his hand and said, “I have fanned it, so it counts as having my share now (he shares the ownership for it now).”
“Childish! No wonder your Si Jiejie said I should treat you as ‘childish talk with no reservation’!” Xu Nian’an said intentionally.
Zhao Huanxi froze, “What did you say?”
But Xu Nian’an didn’t say anything more. She just turned her face to look out the window and smiled.
“You’re making fun of me!” Zhao Huanxi insisted, grabbing her sleeve, seeking justice for himself.
“I didn’t, it was your Si Jiejie who said that,” Xu Nian’an said, pulling her sleeve back and still smiling as she turned her face away.
“Hmph!” Zhao Huanxi threw the round fan into her arms and turned his face away, ignoring her.
When Xu Nian’an turned back and saw him like this, she asked him, “What were you thinking when you bowed to Wu Furen just now?”
Zhao Huanxi wasn’t really angry. He paused when he heard her question and said, “I wasn’t thinking anything.”
“You must have been thinking something. Your expression was different from usual,” Xu Nian’an pointed out.
Zhao Huanxi thought carefully and said, “When I saw her, I thought of my Si Jie and felt angry that the Wu family was treating her unfairly. But then I remembered that she is my Si Jiejie’s mother-in-law, and I should show respect as her junior. So, I just thought about that.”
Xu Nian’an praised, “You thought well and behaved very well at that time, neither arrogant nor rash, neither humble nor overbearing. You showed the demeanor and elegance that a young master from a prestigious family should have.”
Zhao Huanxi’s cheeks turned slightly red, and he looked at her with a slightly shy gaze. “Really?”
Xu Nian’an nodded and advised, “In the future, when you go to the Imperial Academy, behave like you did just now. Don’t show the look you have right now.”
Zhao Huanxi’s expression froze.
Xu Nian’an raised the round fan to cover her face and laughed.
When they returned to the Jing Guogong Residence, Zhao Huanxi was still sulking, looking all out of sorts. He didn’t go with Xu Nian’an to Yin Furen but went back to the Shenhui Courtyard on his own.
Xu Nian’an went to report the progress of the matter to Yin Furen at Jiaxiang House. Yin Furen heard that the Wu family had dealt with the maid of the concubine and that Xu Nian’an had also comforted Zhao Jiaxian, so she felt a little relieved. She then asked about Zhao Huanxi, wondering that since he said he was going to pick her up, why he didn’t come along with Xu Nian’an?
Xu Nian’an said that he heard that his Si Jiejie was fine, so he went back first to practice calligraphy.
Yin Furen felt greatly relieved and asked Xu Nian’an to go back and rest. She also had many fruits and snacks sent over. Then, she called the maidservant who was going with Xu Nian’an to the Wu Residence to come over and asked for details.
The maidservant sent by Yin Furen was undoubtedly clever. She recounted everything she had seen and heard at the Wu Residence, as well as how Xu Nian’an confronted Wu Residence’s Lao Taitai and Wu Furen, leaving no detail untouched.
After dismissing the maidservant, Yin Furen looked at the sunlight outside the threshold, and tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.
Nanny Su also remained silent, just refilling her tea cup.
Yin Furen dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief, then smiled and said to Nanny Su, “When I first heard that Guogong Yé intended to marry Xu Shi to Xi Ge, I thought he didn’t value First Branch and completely gave up on Xi Ge. But now, perhaps it’s not the case?”
Nanny Su said, “That’s definitely not the case. After all, San Yé is Guogong Yé’s eldest legitimate grandson.”
Yin Furen nodded. “If a man can’t stand tall, it’s useless to marry him to a woman with a good background.” She was a living example. As the eldest legitimate daughter of the Marquis Jinling, she came from a good background. However, she married Zhao Mingkun. The father is a tiger but the son is a dog… If it weren’t for Guogong Yé valuing her and allowing her to manage the household, pressuring Zhao Mingkun to have a legitimate son with her, who knows what First Branch would have become by now.
Although Xu Nian’an’s background is not as good, she handles internal and external matters with ease. Even if Huanxi cannot be as useful as his grandfather, with such a capable wife by his side, life will not be too difficult.
This is better than marrying a noblewoman with a prestigious family background. The Fifth Branch’s second daughter-in-law, despite her high birth, is far inferior to Xu Nian’an in terms of managing her husband.
“You go to my private storehouse and pick out five pieces of fabric suitable for Nian’an. They should be the latest fashionable patterns that were just sent up this year, bright and lively. Nian’an dresses too plainly; it doesn’t suit her status. From now on, follow this rule: for every new set of clothes, both Huanxi and his wife each get eight pieces. Three pieces are paid for by the household treasury, and the cost of the remaining five pieces will be covered by me,” Yin Furen instructed Nanny Su.
Nanny Su acknowledged and was about to leave when Yin Furen called her back. “Also, send someone to Xiangfeng Tower to make three sets of hair accessories for Nian’an. The styles… let Jiazhen decide; she understands these things.”
Nanny Su smiled and said, “You are getting accessories for the daughter-in-law but not for the daughter. Aren’t you afraid San Guniang will feel left out?”
Yin Furen laughed and scolded, “She can still feel left out? She has so many jewels that even with ten heads, she couldn’t wear them all!”
✦
In the main room of the Shenhui Courtyard, servants from the Embroidery Room were measuring Zhao Huanxi and Xu Nian’an for their clothes.
The Guogong Residence makes clothes four times a year, with each person receiving three pieces according to the regulations, and the cost is covered by the household. If they feel it’s not enough, they can spend their own money to make more.
The summer clothes should have been made earlier, but Yin Furen was busy with Zhao Huanxi’s wedding recently and didn’t have time to attend to them, so they are a bit late.
Zhao Huanxi stretched out his arms, letting the Embroidery Room’s stewardess measure him while glancing sideways at Xu Nian’an. She hadn’t come to coax him since they returned, and he was still upset.
As soon as Xu Nian’an turned around, Zhao Huanxi quickly averted his gaze, lifted his chin slightly, pretending not to want to look at her.
“O yo, San Yé has grown much taller than in spring. In another two years, might be taller than **Da Laoyé,” the stewardess praised as she measured.
Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but smile.
Zhao Huanxi felt embarrassed and annoyed. As soon as the people from the embroidery room finished measuring, he was about to leave in a hurry.
“Is Sanlang going to have a cold war with me?” Xu Nian’an asked, looking at his back.
Zhao Huanxi paused for a moment, then turned around with a stiff face and asked, “What do you mean by ‘cold war’?”
“It means you ignore me, and I ignore you.”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Huanxi was still seriously considering whether to have a cold war with her. Then he heard her say, “If Sanlang has decided to have a cold war with me, then I’ll just spend the afternoon in Mom’s room.”
Zhao Huanxi immediately walked back. He didn’t want to be alone.
“Let me ask you, I kindly went to the Wu Residence to pick you up. Why were you teasing me all the way back?” Since there was no one else in the room, he could ask such a question.
Xu Nian’an sighed. “You’re about to go to the Imperial Academyto study, and I was just testing if you had taken my words to heart. The result…” She looked at Zhao Huanxi, emphasizing each word: “No improvement at all!”
Zhao Huanxi was stunned again. “Are you saying you were just testing me?”
Xu Nian’an glanced at him and turned away. “What else? What’s fun about teasing you?”
Zhao Huanxi was suspicious: I clearly saw you were laughing happily at that time!
But since Xu Nian’an said it was just a test, Zhao Huanxi didn’t take it to heart. The two of them had lunch together and then strolled and painted in the small garden.
This time, instead of going to the Guanyu Pavilion, they went to the Jiming Pavilion on the other side. They went upstairs and opened the windows on all four sides. The gentle breeze made people feel drowsy.
Xu Nian’an usually woke up early in the morning and always took a nap in the afternoon. When she was busy at home, she had no choice. But now that she had plenty of free time, she didn’t care much. Instead of going back to the Shenhui Courtyard to sleep under the sun, she simply lay down her head on the table in the pavilion.
After finishing a painting, Zhao Huanxi looked over at Xu Nian’an and saw her lying her head motionless on the table. He put down his brush and walked over to her.
Seeing her eyes closed, he called out, “Dong Jiejie.”
Xu Nian’an didn’t respond, so he realized she was fast asleep.
He turned back to the desk, picked up a brush and a palette of colors, and quietly painted a flower on her smooth forehead. After finishing the flower, he painted some leaves, then branches, and soon he had painted a whole bunch of flowers and plants on her forehead.
All his pent-up frustration dissipated completely.
He calmly returned to the desk and continued painting.
Xu Nian’an slept until she woke up naturally, feeling quite comfortable except for her arms being numb from being pressed.
She sat up and shook her numb arm, then turned her head to look towards Zhao Huanxi.
Zhao Huanxi saw her with a bunch of flowers and plants on her forehead and smiled brightly, “Dong Jiejie, you’re awake.”
“En.” She walked over to him and saw that he had already finished two fan paintings. She couldn’t help but praise, “You paint really well.”
Zhao Huanxi felt a little guilty and looked at her. “Dong Jiejie, I’ve figured it out.”
“What have you figured out?” Xu Nian’an looked up.
Zhao Huanxi looked at the flowers and plants on her forehead, trying hard not to laugh, and said seriously, “I think one should be generous. If someone jokes with me again in the future, as long as it’s not too much, I won’t take it to heart.”
Xu Nian’an nodded. “You’re right.”
“Dong Jiejie also think it should be like this?” Zhao Huanxi asked.
“Of course,” Xu Nian’an replied. She looked at Zhao Huanxi with great satisfaction and said, “Sanlang is becoming more sensible.”
Zhao Huanxi curved his lips and smiled, his lips red and his teeth white, looking very handsome.
After finishing their paintings, the couple came downstairs. When Xiaowei and Mingli, who were chatting downstairs, turned to look, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Xu Nian’an was puzzled. “What’s so funny?”
Mingli laughed and pointed to her own forehead. “Xiaojie, on your forehead…”
In front of the pavilion was a lake. When Xu Nian’an saw her reflection in the water, she became furious. She took out her handkerchief, wet it in the water, and wiped her forehead clean. Then, she turned around and was about to settle the score with Zhao Huanxi.
Zhao Huanxi had already thrown his things to Xiaowei and Mingli and ran out several yards away. He shouted back as he ran, “We agreed to be magnanimous, right?”
“I was wondering how you suddenly became sensible. Turns out, you were setting a trap for me to fall into. You stop right there, don’t run!” Xu Nian’an lifted her skirt and chased after him.
“Look at your fierce face, why wouldn’t I run? I’m not stupid!” He turned and ran in a hop, but as soon as he reached the corner of the path, he abruptly stopped, instinctively taking a few steps back.
Xu Nian’an hurriedly walked over to where her father-in-law, Zhao Mingkun, was coming out from the banana grove, his face dark.
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