Xu Nian’an was surprised and asked him, “Where did you get so many silver notes?”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “Mother said it was the monthly allowance she saved up for me over the years. Now that I have my own family to take care of, she gave me all the silver notes. Aiya, how much was it? I counted 41 earlier, but now there are only 39.”

Xu Nian’an saw him frowning in frustration and said, “If the monthly allowance is still 20 taels, as it always has been, then by now you should have 200 months’ worth of allowance. At 20 taels per month, that would be 4,000 taels, so there should indeed be 40 notes.”

Zhao Huanxi carefully counted the notes again and found that there were indeed 40. Delighted, he exclaimed, “Dong Jiejie, you’re so clever!”

Xu Nian’an: “…..”

He rushed over and stuffed the 40 silver notes into Xu Nian’an’s hands, saying, “Although I didn’t earn this, it’s still my property. You can keep it all.”

Xu Nian’an pushed the notes back to him, “I don’t want it.”

Zhao Huanxi widened his eyes, hesitated for a moment, and said angrily, “Then I’ll take these notes out today and spend them all!” After saying this, he glanced sideways at Xu Nian’an, who had just sat down in front of the dressing table.

“It’s not that I underestimate you, but do you even know where you could spend 4,000 taels in just one afternoon?” Xu Nian’an asked while combing her hair.

“Of course I know, at the gambling house! You could lose not just 4,000 taels, but even 40,000 taels there!” Zhao Huanxi said, lifting his chin proudly.

“You dare!” Xu Nian’an turned to glare at him.

“Why wouldn’t I? You don’t care about me anyway, so what would I be afraid of?” Zhao Huanxi stubbornly turned his head away, his neck stiff with defiance.

Xu Nian’an slammed the wooden comb onto the table, walked over, and grabbed his ear. “You’ve really crossed the line! Try it, and I’ll have Zufu break your legs!”

“It’s because you don’t care about me! If you don’t, I’ll just turn bad!” Zhao Huanxi retorted, protecting his ear but still being stubborn.

Seeing his shameless expression, Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but feel helpless. She let go of his now red ear, snatched the silver notes from his hand, and put them into the small box in the cabinet where she kept her savings. She then took out two 10-tael notes and some small pieces of silver, shoving them into his hands.

Zhao Huanxi, holding the pitiful 20 or so taels, grinned happily.

Xu Nian’an, seeing his silly smile, almost wanted to laugh too. But when her gaze fell on his bright red ear, she started to regret it a little. She knew he was just speaking out of frustration, and she probably shouldn’t have used so much force.

“Does your ear hurt?” she asked.

Hearing the question, Zhao Huanxi’s smile faded, and he furrowed his brows slightly, lowering his head and bringing his ear closer to her. “It hurts.”

Seeing his exaggerated act, Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but laugh. “If it hurts, it hurts. Why are you bringing it over here?”

Zhao Huanxi didn’t say anything and just leaned his ear closer to her.

Xu Nian’an, suppressing her laughter, leaned in and gently blew on his bright red ear.

Zhao Huanxi suddenly covered his ear and laughed as he looked up. “It tickles!”

“You silly!” Xu Nian’an playfully scolded him with a smile, turning to walk back towards the dressing table. But before she could get far, Zhao Huanxi suddenly hugged her tightly from behind.

“Dong Jiejie, I’m so happy being with you. I want to be with you forever.” He pressed his still warm ear against Xu Nian’an’s, his voice clear and sincere.

“You want to be with someone as calculating and deep as me forever? Have you thought through the consequences?” Each time she heard him say something like this, her heart stirred a little more, which made Xu Nian’an feel uneasy. She tried to mask it with a casual tone.

Zhao Huanxi let go of her, walked around to face her, and with his head lowered, he said apologetically, “In the past, I didn’t understand the hardships of life, which is why I said such reckless things to you. That day, to protect my mother, I even pushed my father and fought with my shu brothers. It was then I realized that when a person is cornered, they’re capable of anything. I used brute strength to protect my mother, and you used your wisdom to protect your family. We were both forced into it. Neither of us is more noble, nor is either of us worse.”

“Dong Jiejie,” he reached out again, gripping her shoulders tightly, nervous yet sincere, his eyes filled with emotion and a hint of shyness as he looked into hers. “I don’t know what consequences will come from being with you, but to me, whatever they are, they’ll always be better than you leaving me. So, I don’t care about the consequences, I only care if you’re willing to be with me. Dong Jiejie, are you willing?”

Xu Nian’an looked at him.

He waited anxiously for her response, careful and hopeful.

Scenes from the time they met flashed through her mind. This person, naive yet brave, foolish yet sincere. He wasn’t her ideal, but he had brought vivid, lively colours to her otherwise mundane and complicated life.

Xu Nian’an knew that while it wasn’t a love that would mark her soul forever, she couldn’t bear to let him go.

Understanding this, she sighed quietly to herself, feeling both a touch of regret and a sense of relief. Meeting his expectant gaze, she gave a small nod. “I do.”

When Zhao Huanxi heard those two words, he froze for a moment in disbelief, then his eyes burst with indescribable joy. He hugged Xu Nian’an tightly and, filled with excitement, said, “Dong Jiejie, I will treat you well. I promise I will treat you well for a lifetime.”

Xu Nian’an, touched by his emotions, felt an unusual shyness bloom in her heart. To cover it up, she playfully scolded, “You wouldn’t dare treat me badly! You know what I’m capable of!”

Zhao Huanxi let go of her, his face flushed as he nodded repeatedly, “If I ever dare treat you poorly, you must punish me severely, so much so that I’ll be left wishing for neither life nor death!”

Xu Nian’an didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at his words. She raised her hand to punch him lightly, only to be joyfully pulled back into his embrace.

The young couple, having confirmed their feelings for each other, lingered affectionately in the room for quite a while before finally getting ready to head out.

They first went to the private dock by the Bian River to check out the pleasure boat borrowed from the Grand Princess Yongci.

The grand, double-decked pleasure boat, over ten zhang (≈33.3 meters) long, lay moored by the Bian River, exuding both elegance and authority. From afar, one could see the phoenix flag, symbolising royal status, fluttering in the wind.

A number of bystanders on the shore were gazing and discussing the vessel.

As the carriage from the Jing Guogong Residence stopped at the dock, Zhao Huanxi helped Xu Nian’an down. Soon after, a eunuch with a fair, beardless face came out from the boat to greet them.

The eunuch, surnamed Cai, had met Zhao Huanxi before and knew that he would be using the pleasure boat. He courteously welcomed Zhao Huanxi and Xu Nian’an aboard.

The first level of the boat was an open hall, divided into three sections of varying sizes by screens and beaded curtains. With ten large lattice windows on each side, it was bright and airy, ideal for various leisure activities. The second level was divided into three sections as well: a small pavilion at the back, a platform with railings on both sides in the middle, and an enclosed pavilion at the front.

As Xu Nian’an followed Eunuch Cai around to inspect the boat, she quietly discussed with Zhao Huanxi how to arrange the guests for the following day. Finally, they went to the lower deck, where part of the space was used as a storeroom, and there was even a small stone stove for simple food heating.

Yin Furen had already sent over wine, some preserved fruits, and tableware. By early tomorrow, someone would bring over the soups and dishes.

Xu Nian’an walked around, checking for any overlooked details. Before leaving, she took a 500-tael silver note from her sleeve and handed it to Eunuch Cai, saying warmly, “One will be relying on Gonggong to help oversee things tomorrow. Please accept my thanks in advance.”

Eunuch Cai, accepting the silver note, quickly responded, “Zhao Furen is far too kind.”

Xu Nian’an replied, “It’s only proper. There will be many guests tomorrow, so I’d like to send a few maidservants from the residence to assist. Would that be convenient?”

Eunuch Cai responded, “As long as Furen ensures the people sent over are trustworthy, there’s no issue on our end.”

Xu Nian’an nodded. “Thanking Gonggong for accommodating us.”

As they left the boat and got into the carriage, Zhao Huanxi finally asked, “Why did you give him so much silver?”

Xu Nian’an laughed, “Why? Feeling the pinch?”

Zhao Huanxi nodded honestly, “A bit.” It had taken him sixteen years and eight months to save up only four thousand taels from his monthly allowance, and giving away five hundred in one go… That money could’ve been better spent buying things for Dong Jiejie.

Xu Nian’an reached out and tapped his forehead with a slender finger, chiding, “Money shouldn’t be spent recklessly when it’s not needed, but when it’s necessary, you shouldn’t be stingy either. This boat was borrowed from Zhang Gongzhu by Qian Ming for your sake, and everyone on it works for her household. Why would they serve you for free? If Qian Ming needed it, they might not dare slack off, but since it’s for you, there’s a layer of separation. Spending five hundred taels buys us their attentiveness, giving you dignity in front of the guests. As long as tomorrow goes smoothly and everyone enjoys themselves, the money will be well spent.”

Zhao Huanxi held her hand, admiringly saying, “You’re always so thoughtful and thorough.”

“It’s just experience from handling many things. The more you go through, the more naturally thorough you’ll be too,” Xu Nian’an replied.

“I don’t care, you’re just clever.” Taking advantage, Zhao Huanxi pulled her into an embrace.

Xu Nian’an said, “Sit properly.”

Zhao Huanxi responded, “Mm~” and not only did he not sit properly, but he also rested his chin on her shoulder.

Xu Nian’an warned, “If you keep this up, I might change my mind!”

Zhao Huanxi immediately released her and sat up straight with a serious expression, pretending that nothing had happened as he reached out to lift the carriage curtain. “Dong Jiejie, let’s go to the opera house now.”

瓦舍 (wǎ shè) refers to a type of traditional entertainment venue or marketplace. It served as a hub for various performances, including folk art, opera, and other forms of entertainment.

Xu Nian’an: “……”

Zhao Huanxi took Xu Nian’an to the bustling and lively opera house, which was a mix of all sorts of people. He was now a regular here, familiar with the place and able to explain things to Xu Nian’an while they explored.

It was Xu Nian’an’s first time in such a place, and at first, he found the noise and excitement overwhelming. However, after getting used to it, he felt an immense sense of novelty.

Zhao Huanxi, with his youthful enthusiasm and strong emotional influence, held Xu Nian’an’s hand and played in the opera house for half an hour. By then, Xu Nian’an had become just as lively, clapping and laughing at the exciting performances and eagerly dragging Zhao Huanxi to watch the interesting attractions.

Zhao Huanxi looked at Xu Nianan, who was smiling like a blooming flower beside him, and for the first time, he clearly realised that she was only a little over ten months older than him. She actually had a playful and mischievous heart, which had just been suppressed all along.

Half an hour later, Xu Nianan and Zhao Huanxi each held a skewer of roasted lamb, munching as they walked out of the tavern. As the noise faded away, the cool autumn breeze of the Ninth Month brushed against them, and the flame in Xu Nianan’s heart, ignited by Zhao Huanxi, gradually extinguished, bringing clarity to her mind.

She looked at the greasy roasted lamb in her hand and silently lamented: What am I doing? As the Jing Guogong Residence’s legitimate granddaughter-in-law, here I am, gorging on roasted lamb in the street. If someone recognizes me, how will I ever show my face in social circles again?

After lamenting, she handed the skewer of roasted lamb to Zhao Huanxi and said, “Here, you eat it.”

Just as Zhao Huanxi took a bite of the roasted lamb, he looked at her with his cheeks stuffed and asked, “Why? Didn’t you just say you loved it?”

Xu Nianan glanced around and whispered, “Look, where do you see a woman eating roasted lamb on the street? It’s not elegant. You eat it.”

“What’s so difficult about that?” Zhao Huanxi freed one hand and led her to a narrow alley a few steps away. He stood in front of her, blocking her from the gaze of passersby on the street, and said, “Now others can’t see you. Go ahead and eat.”

Xu Nianan smiled shyly and really lowered her head to continue eating.

When someone passed by in the alley, Zhao Huanxi quickly moved Xu Nianan to the wall, lifting his sleeve to shield her face. He protected her carefully the entire time until they both finished the roasted lamb.

“Dong’er, I don’t think it’s inappropriate for you to eat roasted lamb. On the contrary, I find it very cute. I blocked you from view because you didn’t want others to see you eating, not because I think it’s unseemly.”

Zhao Huanxi said as Xu Nianan wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

“I know,” Xu Nianan said with a gentle smile, her bright eyes narrowing playfully. After finishing wiping his mouth, she hooked her hand around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, saying, “Thank you.”