An Xin was coughing quite heavily, she didn’t expect Bai Yichen to suddenly use a tissue to wipe her face, let alone come over to pat her back.

In an instant, her body stiffened, and her coughing became quieter out of shock.

But Bai Yichen wasn’t oblivious. He immediately noticed her rigid posture and the muffled coughing. Without a word, he stood up, giving her a bit of space. He sensed her subtle sigh of relief as he poured a cup of warm water from the thermos. Testing the temperature, he handed it to her, saying gently:

“See? You need to be more careful. Here, drink some water and see if it helps.”

He was fully aware of An Xin’s resistance to their physical proximity. Even after being married for several days, she still seemed guarded around him. Internally, Bai Yichen sighed but decided to keep his distance, not wanting to frighten the young woman further.

An Xin took the cup from his hands and sipped it slowly. Once her coughing subsided, she set the cup down and thanked him softly.

“Thank you.”

Seeing her relax, Bai Yichen returned to his seat across from her and resumed his breakfast, casually commenting:

“Why so formal? We’re married; there’s no need for all these ‘thank yous.’ You’re always making me delicious meals. Should I keep saying thank you every time?”

An Xin remained silent, lowering her head to sip on her water. Bai Yichen continued, his tone light but firm:

“Let’s try to keep things relaxed between us. There’s no need to be overly polite. Let’s aim for a more comfortable and harmonious life together. What do you think?”

His dark eyes locked onto her with a certain intensity. The pressure in his gaze made An Xin feel cornered, and before she could help herself, she gave a small nod, signaling her agreement.

Deep down, she acknowledged that living under the same roof didn’t require excessive courtesy.

After breakfast, An Xin quickly packed Bai Yichen’s lunch. She filled his thermos with corn porridge and cool boiled water, and prepared a meal box with soup dumplings, stir-fried green peppers with eggs, and a cold salad.

If it weren’t for her rush to head to the provincial city, she might’ve made something different for his lunch. But time was tight, and this would have to do.

Standing at the doorway, a cigarette dangling from his lips, Bai Yichen silently watched An Xin bustle around. As the cigarette burned down to the filter, he finally broke the silence.

“Why don’t I skip work today? I can take the day off and go with you to the provincial city to visit Mom.”

He figured that as her son-in-law, it was only right to show his care. Even if he couldn’t always be there for her mother, he should visit occasionally.

Hearing this, An Xin paused briefly, then quickly regained her composure. Smiling, she replied, “No need! You should focus on your work. There are plenty of us there to look after Mom. Dozens of hands can surely take care of one person. Besides, I heard from Chen’s wife that taking time off means a pay deduction. Our whole family depends on your income, so it’s better for you to keep working.”

Her words were well-crafted, putting Bai Yichen on a pedestal while downplaying her own family. The subtext was clear: they were all counting on his income.

In truth, An Xin scoffed inwardly. As if I’d depend on a man for my livelihood! If Bai Yichen insisted on taking the day off, it would ruin her plans for earning money today.

Men, she thought, were nothing but a distraction from making money.

Bai Yichen stared at her with a complicated expression. He wanted to tell her that he could easily support the family without his salary. But the words got stuck in his throat, and he swallowed them back.

Fine, let her think his government salary was their sole source of income. It wasn’t a bad thing for now. After all, his current side business wasn’t entirely risk-free. He’d rather not give anyone false hope.

When the time came, and he had the means to give her financial freedom, he’d let her know everything.

“Alright then. I’ll head to work. You and your siblings take good care of Mom,” he finally said.

Bai Yichen trusted that An Xin would do her best to care for her mother. Since marrying her, she had been nothing but responsible and dependable.

Today, Bai Yichen left for work earlier than usual. If he couldn’t accompany her to the provincial city, he’d at least finish work quickly to pick her up later.

After Bai Yichen left, An Xin tidied up the house. She stripped the bedding and threw the sheets into the washing machine in the space. She took the mattress and quilt outside to air them on the clothesline.

The bedding smelled faintly of Bai Yichen’s woody cologne—a scent so strong that she had grown accustomed to it over time. But she much preferred the fresh, sunlit scent of air-dried blankets.

Meanwhile, Chen’s wife leaned against her doorway, munching on sunflower seeds as she watched An Xin bustling about the yard. Her eyes were filled with disdain.

These young women… married just a few days, and already she’s dragging the bedding out to air? Must’ve had quite the night, huh?

But thinking about Captain Bai’s physique—tall, strong, and robust—he must be quite the forceful type. For An Xin, with her petite frame, to endure a few days and still be full of energy, it’s quite impressive.

She’s also a foxy girl. No wonder the villagers call her a beauty that brings disaster and a jinx. To Chen’s wife next door, the more she looked at An Xin, the less she liked her.

An Xin, of course, had no idea that Sister Chen next door was growing increasingly annoyed with her. After hanging the quilts out to dry, she tidied up again. By then, the washing machine in her hidden space had already finished washing the bedsheets and covers.

To avoid drawing attention, An Xin didn’t dare hang them outside to dry. Instead, she placed a few chairs near the window inside the house, draped the nearly dry sheets and covers over them, and opened a small gap in the window to let in fresh air.

The weather had been scorching hot these past few days, so by the time she returned in the evening, the sheets and covers would probably be completely dry.

Even if they weren’t, it didn’t matter. The bright red sheets and covers made her uncomfortable anyway. In her space, she had plenty of elegant, soft-colored beddings. She randomly picked a light blue set with small chrysanthemum patterns, unwrapped it, and tossed it into the washing machine in her space.

When she got to the provincial city, she could hang them up to dry in the rental house. Then she’d bring them back home, ready to use.