Xia Chunyu couldn’t go back to sleep after all that ruckus so he just got up and got dressed. He was primping himself when Ye Jinxuan came back, holding a roll of paper in her hand.
“What is that?”
Ye Jiayao replied, “The gift that Chunguo gave us. He said we must hang it up. I think you should take it to your study room.”
“Really? What did he write?” Xia Chunyu took the paper and was immediately stunned when he read the writing. “Who taught him this?”
“It must be Aunt Gui!” she said. She couldn’t help but laugh at his expression as she could imagine that was exactly what she looked like earlier too.
He thought about it for a second before saying, “This is not suitable for my study. I will hang it above the bed so we can see it every night. It’ll encourage us.”
“What? No! No way! This is not in the contract!” she protested loudly.
He smiled teasingly and asked, “What if you get pregnant?”
Without thinking, Ye Jiayao said, “I will get an abortion.”
Xia Chunyu’s smile fell and his jaw tightened. He placed the paper on the table and left without saying a word.
She watched him walk away, confused. Was he angry? What for? Their marriage wasn’t for forever, why would he want to bring a child into it? Stupid Donkey.
Ye Jiayao headed over to Xia You’s room, but when she got there, Qiao was already there, serving her tea.
When she saw Ye Jiayao, Qiao smiled apologetically and said, “I was going to come with you but I didn’t realize that you would come here so late.”
Ye Jiayao held in her eye roll. Sure, I bet that’s the real reason why you raced over here. She merely smiled at her and asked Xia You about her welfare.
Because of her help last night, her mother-in-law’s words and tone towards her were less harsh. Progress.
“This is the third day of your marriage. You have to go back to your home according to the rules. The gifts have been prepared for you. After breakfast, you will go to the Helian Mansion with Chunyu.”
“Yes, Mother,” Ye Jiayao acquiesced.
“Sister-in-law, you are blessed to have such a close relationship with the Old Ancestress even though you are not related by blood,” Qiao commented with jealousy.
Ye Jiayao maintained a gentle smile, wanting to give Qiao an illusion that she was a mere meek woman. Besides, these were all snide remarks. She would only retaliate if Qiao decides to play tricks or deliberately sabotage her standing here in the mansion.
“What about Chunyu? Why didn’t he come?” Xia You asked.
“He has something to do and told me to say hello to you for him, Mother,” Ye Jiayao lied.
Xia You nodded in understanding and said, “You are busy yourself, too! Go. You don’t need to serve me.”
As soon as the two daughters-in-law were out of the room, Qiao turned to Ye Jinxuan and commented with a faint smile, “You are so kind. I heard that you gave Mother some food last night.”
“Yes, I made her something to eat since she’s not feeling well.”
“It seems as though you have many skills. Your future is limitless with how skilfull you are,” Qiao told her with a sarcastic smile.
Ye Jiayao pretended not to hear the underlying tone in her words and responded, “There is no need to talk about the future to a woman. I will be greatly satisfied if I can just serve the parents-in-law, the husband, and the family well.”
“Yes, you’re correct,” Qiao agreed.
Ye Jiayao made up her mind; she didn’t like Qiao. That woman was underhanded, mean, and envious.
Qiao finally had a bit of understanding of Ye Jinxuan.
The famous woman of Jin Ling was no simple fool. She managed to survive the bandits, travel to Jin Ling from Ji Nan, become a chef in Heavenly Residence, and become the wife of an Heir-son Lord.
She heard that Ye Jinxuan made their mother-in-law food last night and that she actually ate it. Was that the reason why her attitude towards Jinxuan improved this morning? Was her cooking that good? Or… was there another reason?
It seemed that she should watch Jinxuan more carefully in the future. She did not expect to become the Mistress of the mansion as she was only the wife of an illegitimate child, but what she expected was a better treatment from Lady Xia You. If her mother-in-law liked her, the servants would presume that her position’s higher than it really was.
Qiao just didn’t want to get upstaged by Jinxuan so soon. Besides, her skills with embroidery were far better than her cooking skills.
Xia Chunyu ate breakfast alone, stewing in his anger. How could she say that she would get an abortion so callously? The more he thought about her willingness to kill an innocent life that they created together, the angrier he got.
To be fair though, he has no plans to have children right now since she was still only seventeen years old. Of course, many women were already pregnant at her age, but he knew it was kind of risky. When he was in the palace, there was a new concubine who died because of dystocia. She was also seventeen years old then. He had heard from the imperial doctors that the stress was too much for her young body. That was his reminder to control himself every time. He was going to wait for another year or two before actually starting trying for a child.
But what if she doesn’t want to have children at all?
She brought up their contract as the reason for not having kids. Couldn’t she see that the contract was just an excuse?
Song Qi suddenly came in to report that the carriage was ready. Although Xia Chunyu was still angry, he knew he still had to take Yaoyao to the Helian Mansion.
He ordered, “Call the Second Young Mistress and tell her that I am waiting for her outside.”
Ye Jiayao came out and saw Chunyu on the back of a big black horse by the carriage. He didn’t even look at her, busying himself with sorting the saddle.
Is he not going to take the carriage? Is he still angry with me?
Ye Jiayao huffed and got in the carriage.
Xia Chunyu proceeded to follow the carriage on the back of his horse. Ye Jiayao opened the curtain and saw that his face remained stoic over the ride. He looked handsome and powerful, though. However, despite how good he looked, it didn’t lighten Ye Jiayao’s mood.
The Helian family knew that they were coming back today, and they have been ready. General Manager Liu greeted him at the door and Helian Jing even took a leave from work today to be there.
Ye Jiayao shook herself off and pasted on a smile. She couldn’t let them know that she was upset otherwise they’d just worry, especially Little Jing.
When she got off the carriage, she saw that Chunyu was already talking to Little Jing, a fake smile on his face.
“Little Jing,” Ye Jiayao greeted.
The sight of their smiling faces shot a sharp bitter arrow through Little Jing’s heart. It seemed that they were really happy with each other. Although he was jealous, he was happy that Yaoyao was in good hands.
“Hello, the Old Ancestress is waiting for you inside,” Little Jing said.
Xia Chunyu asked, “What about your brother?”
“He hasn’t come back from the military department since last night. The condition of the battle is worsening,” Little Jing told him.
Xia Chunyu frowned. He was on vacation so he hasn’t been paying attention to government affairs for the past few days. It seemed that in that period, things have taken a grave turn. The Emperor should’ve sent Helian Xuan instead of General Huo. General Huo was good at the jungle battle in the south, but the northwest was the desert, completely different terrain and different way of warfare.
“Why didn’t you send someone to brief me about it?” Xia Chunyu was worried because Helian Xuan used to go to him in regards to matters like this.
Little Jing shook his head and looked at him as if he had lost his mind. “You just got married!”
The group of them proceeded to greet the Old Ancestress.
The Old Ancestress was so happy to see Ye Jinxuan that she immediately launched into questions in front of their entire audience. “Did your mother-in-law cause you any trouble?” She knew about Xia You’s temper and snobbishness with people coming from the lower class.
“No, Old Ancestress, my mother-in-law is kind to me,” Ye Jiayao assured her.
Yu De smiled and chimed, “Old Ancestress, she is your granddaughter. Who would dare to go against her?”
The Old Ancestress chuckled. “You’re right. I won’t spare anyone who tries to hurt you.”
“Old Ancestress, everyone likes her. We treat her as a precious jewel,” Xia Chunyu promised her.
“I am not a precious jewel,” she protested.
He responded, “You are to us.”
The Old Ancestress laughed happily. “Chunyu, love your wife and always treat her well, okay?”
Xia Chunyu agreed without hesitation.
With this lighthearted banter, Ye Jiayao’s spirits lifted.
After a satisfying lunch, the couple bid their goodbyes and left.
Xia Chunyu made a move to get back on the horse but when Yaoyao passed by him, he heard her say, “I will sell this ugly horse the moment I get back.”
He looked at her, delighted. “Is my horse annoying you?”
Ye Jiayao snorted. “I couldn’t care less about your horse.”
He continued stroking the horse’s head.
After a few beats, he followed his wife into the carriage.
