Chapter 37: Theft – Ex-Husband

Lin Xihe wasn’t refusing to come – she simply hadn’t gotten up yet.

Lounging among soft cushions with her feet propped up, she exclaimed: “The Wen family’s chef is absolutely marvelous!”

Qingwu reminded her: “Miss, you haven’t cleaned your teeth yet.”

Turning a deaf ear, Lin Xihe pointed at the jade-green bowl: “What are these green dumplings called? They’re surprisingly chewy.”

Having never seen such exquisite pastries before, Qingwu could only urge: “Miss, it’s time to wash your face.”

Puffing her cheeks like a hamster, Lin Xihe continued chewing: munch munch.

This brunch had arrived at the perfect time. Feeling completely content, Lin Xihe thought helping Wen Zhixu find his bird was totally worth it.

“Alright then,” she stuffed the last half of the porcelain cake into her mouth, “ex-husband it is.”

All the recent displeasure was swallowed along with the pastries, one bite at a time.

In her delight, Lin Xihe inevitably overate. The four-tiered food box was completely emptied.

“Burp—”

Wen Zhixu, unable to find the letter of annulment, was in a foul mood. He immediately summoned Wen Qi: “The food box? Go retrieve it.”

Wen Qi was momentarily speechless. For the prestigious Wen family to demand the return of a gifted food box – wouldn’t this become a laughingstock if word got out? When had the Second Master become so petty? Wen Qi truly couldn’t understand.

Soon after, Wen Qi returned with the food box to report.

“Well?”

Wen Qi shook his head: “Second Master, the Lin family servants are very tight-lipped.”

So no information had been gathered. Wen Zhixu’s original intention was to ask whether the pastries were to her taste, and if there were any particular favorites, the chef could note them for future preparation.

He pulled open the food box compartments – all four tiers were completely empty.

This wasn’t unusual. Leftover pastries from the master were typically given to servants.

“I heard you and that maid from Tinghe Courtyard are childhood sweethearts?”

These words struck Wen Qi like sparks, making him jump and raising goosebumps on his arms: “…Yes.”

“Interact with that maid more from now on.”

Wen Qi’s face fell. Second Master, if you want to know Miss Lin’s preferences, why not just ask her directly! Must you take such a roundabout approach?

For his master’s sake, he would have to engage with Qingwu somewhat. But having already endured plenty of scorn and sarcasm there today, Wen Qi still felt apprehensive and needed a couple days to recover.

Wen Zhixu: “Go interact with her now?”

“…”

Wen Zhixu stored Lin Xihe’s several handwritten letters in his cabinet. The second shelf of the cabinet displayed ink works left to him by his mentor Xie Yan.

“She clearly promised to gift me a shawl.” Now that he had returned to the estate, given her silver, provided pastries, the promised return gift remained nowhere to be seen. Could it be that what she wrote in the letters was just polite empty talk? How was this different from being untrustworthy?

But how could Lin Xihe remember this matter! She had long since abandoned her “revenge on ex-husband” plan. That promised “surprise gift”? Canceled!

As noon approached, Wen Zhixu’s most capable attendant was waiting in the Lin family’s main hall.

When servants and housekeepers heard that Second Master Wen had actually sent someone to demand something back, they all found it strange and gossiped privately.

Min Shi’s face darkened: “Is this true?”

Housekeeper Wang replied: “Second Madam, it was personally stated by Second Master Wen’s attendant, saying the young miss had previously promised to gift Second Master a shawl.”

Min Shi wondered: “Does Wen Zhixu not know about the news we spread?”

Lin Xihe had already been secretly involved with another man, cuckolding Wen Zhixu. Yet instead of shunning her, he openly sent someone to retrieve his cloak?

Wen Qi hadn’t expected to encounter Lin Xihe but instead met the Lin family’s concubine.

Min Shi sat leisurely, casting a sidelong glance at him: “Why hasn’t Second Master Wen come in person to discuss matters?”

Wen Qi knew well that Min Shi was no easy opponent. He stood respectfully to the side, his words carefully measured.

Min Shi finally lost her composure: “Some words shouldn’t come from me. He’er, after all, grew up under my watch. Now she’s secretly exchanging letters with an outsider through pigeon post… As her aunt, I can’t bear to let Second Master Wen remain in the dark.”

Within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Wen Qi grew weary from the exchange, his scalp tingling with tension.

This was bad.

Second Master’s reputation would surely be ruined here today.

Wasn’t the “outsider” Min Shi spoke of none other than Second Master himself?

Seeing Wen Qi still standing with his hands at his sides, showing no intention to leave, Min Shi thought him foolish. Hadn’t she spoken plainly enough? Why hadn’t this fool rushed back to report to his master?

“Is there anything else?”

“Replying to Second Madam, my master sent me to retrieve something of his.”

Min Shi grew wary: “The repair costs were already compensated to the Wen residence. I owe your family nothing.”

“It’s something Miss Lin owes.”

“…”

In the blazing May sunlight, Min Shi ignored the shaded corridors and took a shortcut straight to Tinghe Courtyard.

She wanted to see what grand gift Lin Xihe had prepared that warranted Wen Zhixu sending someone to claim it.

Wen Qi counted every agonizing second, straining to catch any sound. The cloudless sky was eerily silent.

Until a terrifying scream pierced through the Lin residence.

Soon, scattered footsteps approached from inside.

The Lin family’s concubine stumbled out, knocking over a screen and colliding with a maid carrying a tray. Wen Qi saw her panicked, pale face.

“?” But she had chosen to retrieve the item herself, and she had frightened herself witless.

Then, Lin Xihe came running from the corridor, dragging something long and banner-like.

As she drew closer, Wen Qi’s mind buzzed with disbelief.

His mistress, who was terrified of even flies, was clutching a snakeskin! The smooth scales shimmered with an eerie coldness under the harsh sun.

“Ah, Stepmother, don’t go! Weren’t you going to help me get something?” Her clear voice carried a hint of confusion. “Wen Qi, you’re here?”

“Miss Lin, what is that you’re holding?”

Lin Xihe stretched out her arm, proudly displaying the snakeskin: “Well, I wasn’t going to give this to Wen Zhixu. But since my stepmother insisted I bring it out, it would be impolite not to gift it now.”

She paused, her gaze flickering toward Min Shi, who had curled into a ball. Wen Qi suspected Lin Xihe’s next move was deliberate. The young lady shuffled over to Min Shi: “Stepmother, look! See? A snakeskin, from a giant python. Sss… sss…”

The snakeskin cast a fleeting shadow before Min Shi’s eyes. Too weak to scream, she slumped sideways, her head hitting the teapot a maid was clutching protectively.

Scalding tea spilled everywhere.

Wen Qi returned to the Wen residence trembling.

Seeing him carrying a cloth bag, Wen Zhixu smiled faintly: “From Lin Xihe? She does have a conscience after all.”

Perhaps fearing his master’s disappointment, Wen Qi quickly shook open the bag. Wen Zhixu’s smile froze: “Empty? What does she mean by this?”

“Where’s the promised cape? Even if it were just a torn cloth, as long as it wasn’t the three-foot white silk for hanging oneself, he’d dare to wrap it around his neck! He’d even wear it during the hottest summer days!”

“You’ve misunderstood, Second Young Master. That isn’t a cape.” Watching his master’s expression darken like an approaching storm, Wen Qi inwardly cursed his misfortune—this was a job that should have fallen to Wen Ba. “That’s… snakeskin… from a giant python.”

Wen Zhixu refused to believe it. He took out the painting from Lin Xihe’s letter and examined it repeatedly.

The figure resembling him in the small painting had what looked like… a snakeskin wrapped around its neck?

After all his consideration toward her, was she actually trying to strangle him?

“Second Young Master, the Second Madam of the Lin residence fainted at the sight! Miss Lin was afraid you wouldn’t be able to handle it either, so she didn’t dare send it to you.”

“Her!” She should have sent it! If she dared to send it, he’d dare to accept it!

“This pouch was sewn by Miss Lin herself.”

Wen Zhixu took it and examined it closely. Compared to the old pouch that previously held the flower stamen stones, this was indeed newly made.

Seeing his master’s expression soften slightly, Wen Qi eagerly fed him what he wanted to hear: “Miss Lin stayed up all night sewing this pouch.”

The truth, however, was: How would a modern person know embroidery? This pouch had been hastily made overnight by an old woman from the Lin residence. As for staying up all night—that was true, but she had been busy counting silver coins instead.

On the pouch, the strange bear with black and white circles around its eyes had disappeared, replaced by another bird.

Wen Zhixu recognized it at a glance—it was a ch?xi?o (owl).

He recalled how he had once teased Lin Xihe with this bird, mocking that she could eat xiao meat (owl meat).

Now… this return gift had become a boomerang, flying straight back at him.

Wen Ba had just returned from the Xie residence, bringing back the calligraphy rubbings that Xie Yan had prepared for Wen Zhixu, suggesting he practice them in his spare time.

The moment he stepped into the study, he felt the atmosphere turn icy. Wen Qi, seeing him as a savior, quickly found an excuse to slip out.

Wen Ba: “Second Young Master, besides the calligraphy rubbings, Lord Xie also prepared you some oil-soot ink.”

Wen Zhixu didn’t respond, his fingertips slowly caressing the pouch Lin Xihe had given him.

Having grown closer to his master recently, Wen Ba gathered his courage and leaned in, asking, “Second Young Master, is this a ch?xi?o?”

Remembering what Lin Xihe had said, Wen Zhixu’s features lifted: “This is called a ‘cat-headed eagle’ (owl).”

“?” What in the world was a “cat-headed eagle”?

“Have you seen that embossed stationery I left on the desk earlier?” Wen Zhixu knew Wen Ba was illiterate, so he didn’t specify the content.

Wen Ba thought for a moment: “One of them was delivered to the Lin residence.”

“Not the one with my writing, the other one.”

The other one? Wen Ba walked to the cabinet where his master stored calligraphy and paintings: “I placed it here.”

Taking out that piece of embossed stationery and unfolding it, Wen Zhixu suddenly felt as if an invisible hand were gripping his heart.

This was the piece he had written specifically for Lin Xihe, agreeing to her request.

“You delivered the other piece of embossed stationery to the Lin residence?”

Wen Ba looked confused: “Ah, yes, because you had instructed me earlier, young master.”

“…”

This illiterate servant had actually delivered the letter of annulment!

When all the pointed confrontations connected end to end, forming a complete loop, Wen Zhixu finally glimpsed that crucial starting point.

His playboy demeanor had always been a disguise. Stripped of that outer layer, his underlying nature was one of transparent intelligence. After a moment of quiet reflection, it dawned on him: No wonder Lin Xihe had always been so hostile toward him.

That cartload of aphrodisiac tonics—how had they arrived? It was shortly after Lin Xihe received the letter of annulment.

But why was she so composed? Why hadn’t she revealed even a hint so far?

Could it be that she…

He fell silent, the violent thumping of his heart spreading from his chest to his ears, her figure flashing through his mind.

Just the thought made his breathing unconsciously quicken.

“Second Young Master,” Wen Ba hastily added, “Since you don’t like Miss Lin, and Miss Lin has no interest in you either, why not take this excellent opportunity to call off the marriage? Then both parties can go their separate ways peacefully.”

“Which eye of yours saw that she doesn’t like me?!”

Wen Ba subtly conveyed a question mark with his expression: ?

The personal attendant was driven away by Wen Zhixu.

He walked to the courtyard wall, wanting to speak with Lin Xihe, but currently had no opportunity.

From the dog passage connecting the two mansions, Mo Hu struggled to squeeze out.

Seeing the dog holding a poorly stitched cushion with the characters “Bu Bu” embroidered in the middle, Wen Zhixu immediately recognized it as Lin Xihe’s handiwork.

His breathing grew slightly feverish: “How dare you steal her things?”

The dog tucked its tail between its legs, and Wen Zhixu knew he had guessed correctly.

“Don’t run,” he crouched down, bringing his gaze level with the dog’s, forcing a stiff smile, “Could you fetch something for me from Lin Xihe’s room?”

“Woof!”

Mo Hu excitedly turned in a circle: A mission has arrived!