Chapter 45: My Husband Adores You

“Alright, what you carved is a lotus flower—bud—” Lin Xihe deliberately drew out her words.

She dominated Wen Zhixu’s field of vision like a busy bee, buzzing back and forth before his eyes.

The sparkling white jade hairpin in the “little bee’s” bun looked exactly like—

A freshly steamed soup dumpling.

He grabbed the dazzling pom-pom accessory dangling from her waist, preventing the bee from fluttering about: “It’s all your nonsense—now it really does look like a dumpling.”

“Ahem…” Oops, she had talked too much and led him astray.

Under the bright, sunny sky, the young woman showed no shyness about the imperial marriage arrangement.

“Peaches!” She ran to the peach tree, reaching for the largest fruit, but frustrated by her height, she jumped twice unsuccessfully before turning to her rescuer: “Wen Zhixu, help me pick it!”

Wen Zhixu: She’s becoming increasingly skilled at ordering him around.

Yet his hand reached toward the peach tree almost involuntarily. After a moment’s internal debate, he convinced himself: A gentleman doesn’t quibble with others, especially not his future wife.

“Wait.” He carefully brushed the fuzz off the fruit with his sleeve. “Here, the peach has fuzz—it’ll make your hands itch if it gets on them.”

Lin Xihe felt a soft warmth in her heart. She never expected the second young master of the prestigious Wen Country Duke Manor to be so considerate.

“How did you know?” She took the peach, rolling it in her palm.

“I break out in rashes when I touch this fuzz.”

“That’s an allergy,” Lin Xihe immediately checked his hands, indeed seeing red patches. “Why did you pick it if you’re allergic!”

The young woman huffily pulled him to the pond. The pond water, drawn from mountain springs, was clear and fresh. Under her fierce glare, Wen Zhixu was forced to roll up his sleeves.

Two bare forearms were exposed to the daylight, entering the young woman’s view. The faint blue veins traced upward, disappearing into the sleeves.

If one were to judge, this man’s mind must contain quite a few feudal remnants. Thinking about the impropriety of physical contact between men and women, Wen Zhixu felt his face grow warm inexplicably: “I’ll have servants fetch water to wash up.”

Lin Xihe was much more rough-and-tumble, impatient with his dawdling. She grabbed his hand and plunged it into the pond.

“Allergies require copious clean water rinsing—do you even know that?”

In the shallow pond, two hands—one large, one small—shattered the reflection of blue skies and white clouds. Clusters of water plants swayed, while small fish darted between their tender wrists.

“As long as you know.” Wen Zhixu grasped her hand in return, his fingers slipping like swimming fish between hers.

Lin Xihe’s fingers stiffened, and he curled his hand more firmly around hers. The pond water was cool, but his palm was the only source of warmth, steadily enveloping her hand, wrapping around her, continuously transferring warmth to her.

Beneath the hidden spring currents, a unique warmth belonging to him covered her heart.

His serious expression reflected on the water’s surface: “If the Emperor hadn’t arranged our marriage, would you be willing to marry me?”

Lin Xihe lowered her gaze, looking at their reflection in the water. His handsome features appeared even more distinct through the rippling water. When he was quiet, he always reminded her of green pines in snow.

Wen Zhixu gently swayed their joined hands in the water: “You don’t need to answer immediately. We have plenty of time—you can think it over slowly. There’s just one thing I must let you know.”

Lin Xihe’s voice was slightly hoarse: “What?”

He lifted his face: “I adore you.”

The Lin residence was filled with guests.

The same hand that had intertwined fingers with her underwater was now calmly exchanging formal greetings with several high-ranking court officials. Lin Xihe averted her gaze and turned to share tea cakes with Xie Lan.

Young women of similar age quickly grew familiar over a few delicate pastries. Moreover, Xie Lan was the younger sister of Wen Zhixu’s close friend, with an endearing round face and straightforward temperament that Lin Xihe found delightful.

“Why is your face so red?” Xie Lan poked her soft cheek.

“Not at all.” Lin Xihe cupped her face, inwardly cursing: It’s all Wen Zhixu’s fault, playing in water and with hands…

Xie Lan, yet unbetrothed, was full of curiosity about such matters: “What’s it like being engaged to such a rigid person?”

Old stickler? Lin Xihe snorted softly. More like Wen-three-years-old, at most!

If she had to describe the feeling.

It was like the day before vacation, when the teacher suddenly separated you from your desk mate. At first, it didn’t seem like much, until the long holiday ended and you walked into the classroom, plopped down, and suddenly realized.

The person beside you was no longer him.

It was a slow, damp sense of loss, like the humid southern spring.

Until the imperial decree was announced and she learned she was betrothed to him, a thought surfaced in her heart: Fortunately, it’s him.

Lin Xihe looked up and met his gaze. He mouthed: Are you bored?

She shook her head.

Xie Lan tugged at her: “Dear He’er, you still haven’t told me how it feels!”

Lin Xihe: “Since I have to marry someone anyway, rather than some random fellow, I might as well marry the old stickler.”

“Is that so?” a deep voice chimed in timely.

“…”

Seeing Xie Lan’s “I’d rather be dead” expression, Lin Xihe sensed trouble.

A shadow loomed over her head, and she pressed her lips tight.

“Am I worse than cats or dogs?” Wen Zhixu sounded aggrieved, lowering his voice. “I merely sent a dog to retrieve the letter of annulment. It was indeed less than honorable. But how could you call me a dog? I’m your future…” husband.

The girl whipped her head around like a puppy guarding its food, glaring fiercely at him: “You trained a dog to steal? Wen Zhixu!”

Amidst the hall’s splendor, faint blushes spread across both their faces, hearts pounding, the air thick with unspoken palpitations.

After who knows how long.

Lin Xihe couldn’t hold back: “Pfft.”

Wen Zhixu looked down just in time to catch her making a face: “What are you laughing at?”

“At you,” Lin Xihe replied, then asked, “What about your precious Emerald Phoenix? It can fly. Wouldn’t training it to steal be undetectable?”

“Failed.” Admitting the truth was somewhat embarrassing; his cheeks warmed, tingeing even his ears pink.

But Wen Zhixu thought, making a fool of himself in front of the girl he loved wasn’t so bad after all.

“I tried luring it with dried insects dozens of times. That glutton got so full it couldn’t even carry the lightest piece of plain paper.”

“Then it needs to lose weight.”

“Mm, bad bird. Starve it for two meals and it’ll learn.”

The bird at the Wen residence, Emerald Phoenix, being disparaged by its two owners: …

The air around them was sickeningly sweet.

Xie Qi got goosebumps, rubbing his arms as he said to his sister: “Has Lady Lin been possessed? And Wen Er too—is he haunted?”

“They’ve formed their own barrier; no one else can get in,” Xie Lan chimed, cheeks propped in her hands, with an understanding expression.

On the first day of love, every minute and second is spent wanting to stick together. How the birthday banquet ended, the protagonists hardly noticed. Lin Xihe trailed like a shadow behind the Wen grandparents, intending to see them out of the estate.

Dragged along by his daughter, Lin Zhaoheng was most unwilling. Being made to see off his archrival from the court? This was simply turning the world upside down!

Lin Xihe gave him a gentle push. “Father, hurry and see your in-law off.”

Lin Zhaoheng glared, his beard bristling. “Me? See him off? Do you know how he publicly denounced me at the court assembly the day before yesterday?”

“Tsk, don’t bring work into personal life. If you won’t see him off, I will.”

“Hmph,” Lin Zhaoheng fumed, thinking how daughters grow up and drift away. “I think what you really want is to see that wretched boy off!”

Lin Xihe: “Hehe.”

All feasts must end. Under Wen Hongyuan’s profound gaze, Wen Zhixu stepped through the main gate of the Wen residence according to propriety.

As the vermilion gate closed, Wen Hongyuan cast a heavy glance at the shut doors before turning to stroll toward the side gate.

Uncertain of the reason, Wen Zhixu had no choice but to follow closely behind.

The current prime minister, who solemnly admonished the emperor before all officials in court, now acted like a thief as he cracked open a narrow gap in the side gate and peered out.

Wen Zhixu looked through the crack.

Before the main gate of the Wen residence, a slender figure was pressed against the vermilion door, tilting her head this way and that, straining to see something through the gap.

Wen Zhixu: “…”

Ahem, ahem. An aged cough suddenly sounded.

Lin Xihe turned in fluster to see Wen Hongyuan standing nearby with his hands behind his back. When she glanced further and noticed Wen Zhixu was also there, her dark eyes instantly brightened.

Despite his imposing dignity, facing the girl’s clear, luminous eyes, Wen Hongyuan’s stern expression quietly softened.

He spoke slowly: “The night is deep, Miss Lin. Shouldn’t you return to your residence?”

Being straightforward by nature, Lin Xihe blurted out: “I’m seeing you off.”

Wen Hongyuan glanced sideways at his grandson beside him and teased: “If he weren’t here, would Miss Lin still be willing to see this old man off?”

“Of course! Definitely! Respecting the elderly and cherishing the young is a virtue!” Lin Xihe nodded vigorously, her sincerity almost alarming.

Wen Hongyuan: “…”

Never mind. What did he, an old man halfway into the grave, understand of a young girl’s tender thoughts?

Wen Hongyuan looked up at the sky, where stars clustered thickly, the Orion constellation particularly bright. Suddenly he remembered how his late wife had loved watching the stars with him.

He felt a pang, as if through these two young people, he saw his own youthful self.

Wen Hongyuan sighed and yielded the space to the younger generation.

“Escort Miss Lin back to her residence. Remember to observe propriety and boundaries,” he reminded his grandson before leaving.

Once the old devil was gone, Lin Xihe bounded over to Wen Zhixu like a rabbit, thrusting out her arm with fingers splayed: “Hold hands.”

Fresh from his grandfather’s admonishment, Wen Zhixu said: “It’s improper…”

Having received the imperial marriage decree, etiquette dictated that the betrothed should avoid intimacy until their wedding day.

Hmph, old fossil. Lin Xihe thought. When no one was around during the day, clearly he was the one who started it. Now he’s pretending to be proper?

Without another word, she stuffed her hand into his palm.

Wen Zhixu closed his fingers, giving her hand a restrained shake. Not to be outdone, Lin Xihe vigorously swung their linked arms high.

In the deserted alley, their shadows overlapped and lengthened, the moon following close behind, eavesdropping on those unwritten murmurs.

Returning to Tinghe Courtyard, Lin Xihe felt as if her heart were finely wrapped in sugar threads, even her mouth rinse tasting sweet.

After lying down, she felt an emptiness inside, itching with longing for her phone. Thinking she had no proper reason to meet him tomorrow made her even more restless.

“Qingwu, go fetch a ladder.”

“Miss, I’m afraid that’s against the rules…”

Indeed, what proper young lady would climb over someone’s wall? If word got out, she’d become the biggest laughingstock in Shengjing.

Even the night watchwoman had fallen asleep, leaving only Lin Xihe wide-eyed, tossing and turning in bed like a pancake on a griddle.

In the dead of night, Wen Zhixu was awakened by faint scratching at the door: “Mo Hu?”

This dog, emboldened by his extraordinary feat during the day, had grown increasingly presumptuous. He’d swaggered into his master’s bedchamber to rest, and when shooed away, would play dead on the floor.

Now the dog wanted out again.

Wen Zhixu cracked open the door. The dog shot toward the backyard like an arrow from a bow.

Throwing on a robe, Wen Zhixu followed and heard digging sounds from the corner of the wall. Such furtive movements suggested a thief had infiltrated the residence.

Wen Zhixu: “…Who’s there?”

The noise ceased abruptly.

Growing more certain by the moment, Wen Zhixu felt both exasperated and amused: “Lin Xihe, what are you doing digging at the wall in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?”