Chapter 6

 The buns were filled with pork and green onions, chubby and soft, with a fragrant aroma.

With Pei Yuan's permission, Bao Ning brought over the buns, garlic, and freshly made cold radish salad from the kitchen one by one, placing them on the small kang table, and finally, she brought a pot of hot tea.

Pei Yuan was stunned by the sumptuous breakfast.

He could still understand the dumpling soup from last night; it was simple to make, and he could learn to do it himself. But today, all of this...

Pei Yuan still found it unbelievable and asked in astonishment, "Did you make these?"

Bao Ning nodded. She could sense the implicit praise in his words, making her smile even wider. Suddenly, she remembered something and exclaimed, "Fourth Prince, wait a moment, there's one more thing."

Pei Yuan watched as she hurriedly ran out, her small face peeking out from under her skirt.

She was wearing a different dress from yesterday, a graceful pink, hugging her waist in a slender line, elegant and slender. Her hair was adorned with a swaying peach blossom hairpin, and upon closer inspection, she even wore a pair of silver earrings. She was dressed beautifully and radiated joy.

Pei Yuan was surprised by her good mood and grooming.

While he was thinking, Bao Ning came back in, holding a chicken egg. Perhaps it was too hot; she flipped it from hand to hand until she finally placed it on the table, letting out a sigh of relief.

Maybe it was because the door hadn't been closed in time, allowing the long-lost sunlight to pour in, but suddenly, Pei Yuan felt that the room, which had always been dark and dreary, was brightening up.

He felt like his heart was brightening up too.

Bao Ning smiled at him. "Fourth Prince, I've boiled an egg for you. I'll cook one for you every morning from now on to keep you healthy."

Pei Yuan had forgotten how long it had been since he had eaten such a meal or had someone speak to him in such a tone. But today, with the help of this new wife, everything seemed possible. His little wife had a good temperament and didn't hold grudges. Originally, he had imagined her to be cunning and vicious, but now, she might really have no ill intentions.

Was it because she was too good at hiding her true intentions, or maybe she really was just a simpleton?

Pei Yuan stopped thinking about it. He picked up a bun with his chopsticks, dipped it in the garlic dish, and put it in his mouth.

The bun was soft, and as he bit into it, the juices from the meat flowed out, filling his mouth with a delicious flavor that was fresh but not greasy, with a pleasant fragrance.

Her culinary skills were truly impressive. Pei Yuan's eyes lit up.

Bao Ning asked, "Is it delicious?"

Pei Yuan nodded.

Bao Ning smiled with narrowed eyes. "Then I'll make it for you every day from now on."

Her words... Pei Yuan's chopsticks paused in midair, his breath caught for a moment. He didn't know how to respond, so he casually picked up some radish salad to divert his attention.

Bao Ning remained silent for a while before suddenly speaking up, "Um, Fourth Prince..."

She only said half a sentence before trailing off. Pei Yuan glanced at her, indicating for her to continue.

Bao Ning's cheeks turned slightly red, her eyes sparkling, finding it difficult to voice her thoughts.

"Fourth Prince, I'm good at cooking. I can do anything. How about we make a deal? I'll cook whatever you want, but can you stop being so harsh on me?"

...

Even after Bao Ning had left and closed the door, Pei Yuan still hadn't recovered from his earlier emotions.

He had forgotten how he had responded just now; he seemed to have simply nodded. Bao Ning seemed pleased with the response, promising to bring him hot water later before leaving.

Was it really that easy to satisfy her?

Pei Yuan felt unsettled. He didn't understand what Bao Ning was thinking or why she was so kind to him. He didn't understand his own feelings either; they were a tangled mess.

According to his original plan, he should have kicked Bao Ning out early on, regardless of whether she had good or bad intentions. But now, how did things turn out like this?

The aroma of the buns on the table wafted through the air in waves, and Pei Yuan told himself not to overthink it. After today, he would still have to send her away.

He was already ruined, and no one would willingly stay with him forever. Bao Ning's kindness to him was temporary; she was only fifteen years old, what did she know? In a few years, or maybe just a few months, she would realize how tragic it was to marry a cripple. She would regret it and leave. What woman wouldn't prefer wealth and prosperity? Who would willingly spend their life in this desolate place?

She would understand sooner or later.

Pei Yuan quickly finished the buns. He thought that after he finished bathing, he would talk to her again and ask her to leave.

...

There was no bathtub here, and even if there was, Pei Yuan's body couldn't fit in it, so he could only use a cloth to wipe himself.

There was only one bucket in the kitchen, and Bao Ning was afraid there wouldn't be enough water. She felt embarrassed to enter while Pei Yuan bathed, so she let him wash in the west wing where there was a pot full of hot water and a stove, keeping it warm.

She handed him a fragrant soap and brought fresh clothes and two towels. After settling everything, she blushed and hurriedly left.

Bao Ning didn't want to blush, but this was a bit too intimate. She and Pei Yuan weren't really familiar with each other, so she felt embarrassed.

The sun was shining brightly, a rare good weather day. Bao Ning stood at the door and basked in the sun for a while, listening to the sound of water gushing from inside the house.

While Pei Yuan was bathing, she took the opportunity to tidy up the things in the east wing, ventilate and clean the floor. Most importantly, she changed the bedding and washed the old quilt, hanging it up to dry.

If she wanted to recover from her illness properly, eating well was one thing, but she also needed to stay as comfortable as possible. Luxury didn't matter; cleanliness was important. Bao Ning thought that from now on, she would sun the quilt for Pei Yuan every five or six days; otherwise, a damp and cool quilt would not be good for his wounds.

As she walked to the entrance of the east wing, Bao Ning looked back at the bright courtyard, making a silent determination in her heart. She would definitely plant a grape arbor and set up a lounge chair to sit under it and cool off in the summer.

...

When he heard the door close with a "click," Pei Yuan sat down and began to take off his clothes one by one.

It seemed like he hadn't bathed in nearly a month. Since the accident, he hadn't bathed, and he had been wearing the same clothes all along, stained with dirt. He turned to take the fragrant soap and rubbed it for a moment. Just as he was about to apply it to his head, he suddenly noticed something was wrong. He brought the soap to his nose and sniffed it, his face turning strangely.

This thing smelled like jasmine. As a grown man, how could he use jasmine-scented soap to bathe? The strange aroma enveloped him, making him feel bizarre! Pei Yuan threw the soap back to its original place. But not using it would leave him unclean. Pei Yuan hesitated for a moment, then picked up the soap again, thinking, "Forget it, just this once."...When Pei Yuan finished bathing and returned to the room, Bao Ning was kneeling on the kang, spreading out the bedding. There were two sets of new quilts in her dowry, one for herself and the other for Pei Yuan. Since they were part of her dowry, they were brightly colored, very festive, and embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in water. Mrs. Xu used the best cotton and fabric, making them incredibly soft and warm. Bao Ning lay down and pressed her face against the quilt, wishing she could lie down and sleep right now. The room looked completely different as if it had changed. The tables and chairs were all spotlessly clean, seemingly glowing, and even the window sills had been wiped down. A small incense burner was placed on the table, emitting a faint fragrance, spiraling upwards. Pei Yuan stood frozen at the door. He suddenly realized that since Bao Ning had arrived, he had been stunned many times. Pei Yuan was tall, blocking most of the light at the doorway. Bao Ning turned her head while hugging a pillow and saw the astonishment in his eyes. After washing his face, Bao Ning finally saw his original appearance: straight nose, narrow eyes, a faint blush at the corners of his eyes as if he had been drinking, a naturally fierce aura emanating from him. He would look even better without the stubble on his lips. Bao Ning thought about helping him shave, but then she realized she didn't know how, and Pei Yuan probably wouldn't like it anyway, so she let it go. He wore a white undershirt, his hair still wet and dripping. Bao Ning suddenly came to her senses, remembering that Pei Yuan was still recovering from his illness and couldn't withstand any wind. She quickly waved at him, "Fourth Prince, come in quickly, be careful not to catch a cold." She wanted to jump down and help Pei Yuan, but then she remembered that he didn't like that kind of help, so her hand hovered in mid-air before she put it down again. There was a faint scent emanating from him, and Bao Ning recognized it as the scent of her soap. She blinked. Pei Yuan's heart was in turmoil, even more so than in the morning. He had originally planned to find Bao Ning and ask her to leave. But now she was standing in front of him, and he opened his mouth but couldn't say anything. He was clearly not a softhearted person. Pei Yuan tightened his grip on the stick, bypassed Bao Ning, and walked straight into the room, sitting on the Kang with a stern expression, staring at her. Bao Ning's heart tightened. She knew that Pei Yuan was asking her to leave. This morning, he had eaten her food, and his attitude had been fine then. How come he changed so suddenly? Bao Ning tentatively asked, "Fourth Prince, should I leave?" Pei Yuan remained silent. Bao Ning sighed, picked up the dirty quilt she had changed, and went out, closing the door behind her. Pei Yuan lay back on the kang, feeling restless, but unable to help but listen to the sounds outside. It sounded like she was doing laundry. Pei Yuan closed his eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but he was genuinely moved, wanting to get closer, yet fearing it was all a deception. He was not one for sentimental attachments, but now he inexplicably found himself caught up in this fleeting tenderness and warmth. Let's wait and see. Even if he didn't say it, maybe in a few days, she would regret it herself....Their relationship fell into a subtle awkwardness. It wasn't until the third night that Pei Yuan still refused to communicate with her anymore. He ate the food she sent over, but other than during meals, he completely ignored her. The candlelight was dim, and Bao Ning struggled to do some needlework for a while before her eyes started to hurt. She thought of Pei Yuan and found herself unable to focus, so she stopped. She put the needle back in the pin cushion and set it aside. Bao Ning suddenly remembered that tomorrow was the time to go back. Thinking of her brother and her aunt, her heart began to pound. But... how could she go back? It was so far from here to the capital city, and she didn't know the way. The Ministry of Revenue wouldn't come to pick her up. She couldn't go back. Bao Ning's eyes dimmed. She lay on the table, lost in thought about what her aunt and her brother were doing now. If she couldn't go back tomorrow, would her aunt be very sad?...Just as she was thinking, she heard a rustling sound in her ear. Bao Ning looked up and met the shiny black eyes of a large fat rat.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Previous                                                                                               Next