Chapter 4: Did He Not Come Back All Night?

Jiang Xianli smiled, her expression as bright as the peach blossoms in February.

“I’ll definitely remember.”

“From now on, you’ll sleep in this room, and I’ll sleep in the one next door.”

As he spoke, Xie Jingcheng took a blanket from the wardrobe.

Just as he was about to walk out the door, he suddenly turned back, pulled a stack of bills from his wallet, and placed them on the bed. “Since you’re my wife now, here’s two thousand yuan for pocket money. Use it to get your hair done, buy some clothes, and avoid being mocked for looking shabby.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Jiang Xianli’s thanks were sincere. In two lifetimes, she had never had so much money in her pocket.

Two thousand yuan—it was enough to cover her father’s annual salary.

For dinner, Jiang Xianli and Xie Jingcheng ate in their own small villa. The spread included braised native chicken, steamed perch, spicy beef, sweet and sour ribs, celery with black fungus, pickled cabbage, spicy shredded potatoes, mapo tofu, and white fungus soup.

There were exactly nine dishes, symbolizing longevity and eternal love.

At Jiang’s home, they never had so many dishes during the New Year.

Jiang Xianli was very hungry and drank a whole bowl of soup in one go.

Xie Jingcheng couldn’t help but twitch his mouth. “Did you not eat lunch?”

“Mm.”

“You’re as dumb as a stick. There’s no one else here; who would notice if you ate a little more? Besides, many customs are just outdated.”

Jiang Xianli looked at him with some surprise. Perhaps this second-generation heir wasn’t as unworthy as the rumors suggested.

Before she could respond, the phone rang.

Aunt Wang answered the phone, glanced at Jiang Xianli, and said somewhat awkwardly, “Fourth Young Master, it’s for you.”

“Who is it?”

Xie Jingcheng continued eating, not even looking up.

“It’s a young lady named Ye.”

Xie Jingcheng paused, quickly set down his bowl, and went to answer the phone.

He spoke softly, “Don’t worry, I’m coming over now.”

After that, he left without saying another word to Jiang Xianli, putting on his coat and striding out the door.

Aunt Wang opened her mouth, seemed about to say something, but then held back. It was taboo for servants to meddle in their employers’ affairs.

Jiang Xianli didn’t mind. With Xie Jingcheng gone, she felt more at ease eating.

But for some reason, as she ate, large tears began to fall.

At the Jiang family home, if they cooked a chicken, her brother and younger brother each got a chicken leg, and her sister and younger sister each got a chicken wing.

Her father, being the main breadwinner, ate the chicken body.

Her mother ate the chicken neck, while she only got the chicken head.

At the Wu family, it was even worse; she couldn’t even have soup.

Because her mother-in-law—no, Wu Jianping’s mother—said that women who couldn’t bear children didn’t deserve to eat meat.

But was it her fault she couldn’t have children? It was clearly his son who had the problem!

Ha…

On their wedding night, Jiang Xianli’s husband had gone off with another woman.

Yet she was happier than ever before because she had received money she had never had and eaten food she had never tasted.

The next morning, Jiang Xianli got up early.

As she went downstairs, she passed by the adjacent room, the door was open, but Xie Jingcheng was nowhere to be seen.

Aunt Wang was cleaning downstairs. Seeing her, she smiled, “Fourth Young Mistress, why are you up so early?”

“I need to have breakfast and then go to pay respects to my parents and my brother and his wife. I had to get up early. Has Fourth Young Master returned?”

Aunt Wang carefully shook her head, “Fourth Young Master… he hasn’t returned yet. Perhaps he’s really dealing with something urgent.”

Jiang Xianli just smiled lightly, “Mm.”

By eight o’clock, Xie Jingcheng still hadn’t shown up.

Fearing she might miss the proper etiquette, she decided to go to the main house on her own.

Sure enough, in the living room, all the Xie family members had already taken their seats according to their seniority.

“Mom and Dad, Brother and Sister-in-law, I’m really sorry I’m late.”

Mrs. Xie smiled kindly, “It’s alright, it’s alright. Where is Cheng’er?”

“He was very tired last night and is still not awake.”

Second Young Mistress He Xinran had a subtle expression, “Fourth Sister-in-law might be lying. Last night, I was walking in the garden to digest, and I saw Fourth Brother drive away. I was worried you two might have had a quarrel on your wedding night, so I specially asked the security guard this morning. He said Fourth Brother went out last night and hasn’t returned since. Fourth Sister-in-law, did you and Fourth Brother have a fight?”

Before Jiang Xianli could respond, Mr. Xie slammed his hand on the table, “This rascal! When he comes back, I’ll break his legs!”

Mrs. Xie looked at Jiang Xianli with eyes full of sympathy and helplessness, “Lili, I’m so sorry for the trouble we’ve caused you by marrying you off.”

“No,” Jiang Xianli shook her head, “Given my family situation, it’s an honor for me to marry into your family. Having you as my in-laws is even more of an honor.

It’s more of a grievance for him, a person who values freedom, to marry someone he’s never met. For us, two strangers, to suddenly be in love with each other is a bit of an overreach. We both need time to adjust and understand each other.

I believe that as long as I do my best, Xie Jingcheng will eventually willingly come home.”

Upon hearing this, everyone present had different expressions.

To be abandoned on the wedding night, yet this girl did not cry or make a fuss and defended her husband with every word.