[Translator/Editor: otwentyfirst]
[Host: justreads.net]
[August 7, 2018]
When she saw Chu Muqing again she realized something really important, and that was her ability to antic.i.p.ate the future using memories from her previous life. However if the present her didn’t marry Ji Shumo then everything she knew about the future could prove useless, as the course of events would be different. If Chu Muqing had other traps and schemes to use against her then she would be defenseless! Her knowledge of the future was her best advantage. Therefore it would be best to go along with Chu Muqing’s plan and bring Ji Shumo into her House as a husband.
There were a few very good reasons go ahead with the marriage. First, it would be easier to secretly torment Ji Shumo if he was close to her side. To let him go back and be free would be too good for him. Second, it would lull Chu Muqing into a sense of complacency and lower her guard if she thought Xiao Wan was still the same fool easily blinded by beauty. Third, she would be able follow Ji Shumo and find the evidence Chu Muqing planted to frame everyone, and if possible catch them red handed and make them fall victim to their own schemes.
Smile Xiao Wan! Smile. You can’t let anyone see the hatred in your heart. She repeated this mantra over and over again.
Xiao Wan quickly stepped toward the sedan chair in an eager manner, a joyful smile plastered on her face. Everyone broke out in raucous cheer when they saw how impatient Xiao Wan was to greet her husband. Xiao Wan raised up her red boot and lightly kicked at door of the sedan chair. She kept her eyes open without blinking not willing to miss a thing. There was only a slight bit of movement inside.
With the door open the bead curtain swayed slightly in the breeze. A long slender finger poked out and moved it gently to the side revealing a bewitching face. Xiao Wan couldn’t restrain her heart from jumping at the sight. When she looked at those indifferent eyes of his she felt a tw.a.n.g, like a taut bowstring finally snapping.
She thought she could fake it, but it seemed she underestimated her feelings of the past three years. Just watching him lift the bead curtain made her heart go pitter patter and the smile on her face remained fixed, refusing to drop.
So much regret came from this love… still she was unwilling to part from it… even with all the pain and sorrow. But she knew she had to cut out these feelings of affection. She had to guard the Xiao House!
Xiao Wan stood straight and tall with her crimson robe blowing in the breeze. Without all the profusive silky embellishments she normally adorned herself with, the image she presented now was that of a strong tenacious beauty. It was hard to imagine given her usual behavior and habit of excessive extravagance. This way of dress looked very becoming on her. Ji Shumo could only stare blankly in a daze at the sight of her.
Xiao Wan’s eyes shone with tenderness as she gently called his name. “Shumo.” She reached to him and grasped his ten fingers in the palms her two hands. He offered little resistance as she slowly pulled him out of the sedan.
The seventeen year old Ji Shumo was the capital’s beauty, a delicate flower blossom with three years of accomplishment in poetry and five years in songwriting. He was unrivaled when it came to the four arts[notes] and was the undisputed number one Young Master longingly desired by all the ladies in the capital. However this talented beauty was finally marrying into someone’s House. Many lamented in their hearts: If they had half the audacity and brazenness of Xiao Wan, it could have been them taking this gifted scholar home.
Indeed Xiao Wan had chased Ji Shumo for a full three years. At that time she had thought that her sincerity had finally moved him. No one thought she was a good match for Ji Shumo and yet here she was about to be wed to him in a grand ceremony. She had at that time secretly vowed in her heart to always treat him well.
The memories of the past rolled through her mind like a tide and she had to suppress the sorrow that rose up threatening to suffocate her. After several deep breaths she was finally able to calm herself and resist the impulse to cut off Ji Shumo’s right hand. She carefully pulled him out.
Ji Shumo’s natural elegance and refinement complimented the outfit he wore beautifully, making him appear even more charming than usual. He raised his eyes to their joined hands and to the crowd behind. He resisted the tug from her a bit, trying to discretely pull his hands out of her grip.
Xiao Wan had always paid attention to him, so although the movement was tiny it didn’t escape her notice. She used to think it was because he was shy and embarra.s.sed easily, but now she realized it was from a dislike and an unwillingness to be touched by her.
In the past she would never insist if Ji Shumo was unwilling, but now… Ha! Don’t you like Chu Muqing? Didn’t you marry me so you could use me? Such nonsense! Xiao Wan schooled her features and tenderly gazed at Ji Shumo while saying, “You had a long journey and your body must be tired and weak. Here I’ll carry you over to the fire OK?”[notes] Xiao Wan reached over and lifted Ji Shumo up before the other could protest. His body stiffened at the contact but she ignored it. The image of a loving wife carrying her husband was so charming it evoked sighs and applause from the crowd.
Xiao Wan felt a slight tremor from the body of the person in her arms and gazed down to see a panic stricken Ji Shumo.
Meanwhile in the crowd Chu Muqing’s heart was finally put at ease and a smile escaped her lips.
Xiao Wan held onto Ji Shumo as she carefully crossed over the fire. After successfully doing so, instead of letting him down she held onto him even tighter making him knit his brows in a frown. He really wanted to physically break free from her, but because the crowd was there he refrained and instead whispered, “Put me down.”
Release you so you can make flirty eyes with Chu Muqing? Please, I must have been really blind before to not see. Xiao Wan snorted in her heart. She looked on with interest, watching Ji Shumo fidgeting in her arms. She loosened her hold slightly acting as though she was acquiescing. The abruptness of her actions caused Ji Shumo to panic and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her neck.
For a brief moment the two were very close, almost touching, nose to nose, lips to lips. It was a very ambiguous pose and from an observer’s point of view it looked like Ji Shumo was taking the initiative to lean in for a kiss.
His body had the faint familiar scent that most scholars carried with them, the smell of a sweet incense fragrance. Xiao Wan used to think of this scent day and night, just yearning for him. The sadness forming in her heart upon remembering the past was so strong it nearly suffocated her.
Xiao Wan had been completely infatuated with him back then. She had wanted so much to pamper and spoil him, to protect and guard him, just give him the best of everything. She had been overflowing with affection for him, but for him it had only been a game that he and Chu Muqing came up with. Sharp needles of pain p.r.i.c.ked her heart like it was a pincus.h.i.+on and the overpowering feeling of wanting to hack the two b.a.s.t.a.r.ds to pieces flooded her.
Ji Shumo didn’t expect the normally obedient Xiao Wan to deny his request, leaving him momentarily stunned in her embrace. Xiao Wan had never failed to do what he asked of her before, no matter how hesitant she was or how difficult the task. The same went for material goods, no matter how precious something was, he only had to express interest and she would offer it to him. It understandably shocked him that a request as simple as to be put down was refused!
The two remained in their positions, both calculating what to do, trying to probe the other out. From the sidelines Chu Muqing’s smile had turned sullen and her lips were pulled down in a frown, looking like she’d just drunk a mouthful of vinegar. Indeed she was jealous.
Suddenly a sharp abrasive voice rang out. It was a voice Xiao Wan had recently became familiar with. “You all! What’s the big idea?! To actually go so far as to ignite such a huge roaring fire by the gates. What if my Young Master gets hurt. Call someone to take care of this right now!”
The guards at the gate looked over in disdain at the two young men, one dressed in white and the other in red. They even cracked a few jokes about the Young Master’s hair catching on fire.
At this the young man in white didn’t hold back and gave the guards a severe scolding.
The guards opinion of the two dropped even further upon seeing such unruly behavior. “Love to but can’t. Today our House’s Young Miss will take a husband. Why should we bother with you?” As he spoke he raised his hand to add fuel to the fire causing the flames to burn even more vigorously.
“Eh! Take a husband?!” The young man’s expression went from green to white. Livid with anger he cursed up a storm at the two guards. “You… how… how dare you bully us like so! Young Master let’s go! Xiao Wan is only an idle second generation. Why should Young Master have to marry through the side door? To actually leave guards at the gate to humiliate Young Master. Then… then.. to even dare take some other Young Master as a concubine… I...I’d NEVER! The audacity!”
“Zhao-er!” The young boy in red chided the one in white in an urgent tone of voice. His expression did not look good at all. “Go back, go back! I…” His voice faded away as he bit his lip and gathered up the hem that was dragging on the ground in preparation to leap over the fire. As he was about to leap a voice not too far away rang out, “Move the fire pan.”
The red robed young man stiffly raised his head up at those words. His dark obsidian eyes were filled with heat as he looked at Xiao Wan in the waning evening light. They quickly dimmed like he was splashed with cold water when he noticed the intimate way she held onto Ji Shumo. He hung his head down and bit his lip before bracing himself and looking back up at her again.
The sorrowful expression clutched at Xiao Wan’s heart and she unconsciously loosened her grip and released Ji Shumo before taking several steps towards the melancholy young man in red.