Chapter 15  

Her A Chou Was Just Wonderful!  

Nestled in A Chou’s embrace, she blinked hard, suppressing the moisture in her eyes, and whispered hoarsely, “I was just… scared.”  

A Chou didn’t respond. Instead, he lowered his head and kissed her lips.  

Unlike his usual greedy or urgent possession, this kiss carried a soothing tenderness, slow and gentle.  

Xijin felt her heart melt. She responded softly, tilting her face to meet his lips as they lingered in sweet entanglement.  

After a long while, they reluctantly parted, though A Chou couldn’t resist stealing one last taste of her lips, as if savoring honey.  

Xijin flushed.  

Though they hadn’t done anything beyond kissing—something perfectly normal between husband and wife—her heart still fluttered.  

A Chou stroked her cheek and murmured, “Sleep?”  

Xijin: “I don’t think I can.”  

A Chou pulled her closer, letting her rest against the crook of his shoulder. “Then let’s talk.”  

Xijin: “Mm.”  

His long fingers traced the delicate curve of her spine, moving slowly from one vertebra to the next. The faint roughness of his fingertips carried a comforting warmth that gradually eased her tension.  

Curled against him like a languid, boneless cat, she let her lashes droop wearily.  

After a long silence, she finally exhaled softly. “She came to our household when I was six or seven. My mother’s distant relative recommended her—she signed a life-long contract. Back then, we thought she might be older, but at least she seemed honest and dependable. Who could’ve imagined she’d do something like this after over a decade in our home?”  

Honestly, if Sun Momo had just refrained from such schemes—even if she’d been sharp-tongued or harbored petty thoughts—Xijin would’ve tolerated it.  

She wouldn’t have let Sun Momo manage household affairs or given her authority, but she’d still have provided her with a comfortable retirement.  

Yet who could’ve guessed? “You can paint a tiger’s skin, but not its bones; you may know a face, but never the heart beneath.”  

A Chou: “She simply took advantage of our youth, thinking that without elders in the house, she could control everything. That’s how her ambition grew.”  

Xijin glanced up and saw his calm expression—he didn’t seem surprised.  

She asked, “What do you think about this?”  

A Chou: “I don’t have much to say.”  

Xijin: “What do you mean ‘not much to say’? You have to say something!”  

A Chou looked down at her, his eyes faintly resigned.  

Xijin insisted, “You must!”  

After a pause, A Chou finally spoke. “In my opinion, when you stripped her of authority over household matters, she couldn’t accept it. So she deliberately sabotaged Suier. With Suier gone, Qiuling would fear becoming the next target and wouldn’t dare oppose her. If we later bought another maid, Sun Momo would handle the process, ensuring the new girl obeyed her.”  

Xijin murmured, “I suppose it’s my fault. I didn’t expect her to be so ruthless. Taking away her power so abruptly must have provoked her into doing this.”  

A Chou nodded. “If you’re going to demote someone, it must be swift—strike before they can react, ensuring they can never regain control. Otherwise, a cornered dog will leap over the wall, a desperate rabbit will bite. She’s grown accustomed to giving orders in this household. How could she willingly step down? Trouble was inevitable.”  

Xijin: “I understand what you mean. You’re right.”

A Chou sensed the disappointment in her words and raised his hand to gently stroke her soft hair:  

“Managing a household is like governing a country. If the household is not well-ordered, the generous will face chaos, and the frugal will face strife. We’ve never experienced such things before, so naturally, we wouldn’t know.”  

Xijin fell silent upon hearing this.  

She didn’t fully understand A Chou’s words, but she grasped the general meaning.  

With her parents gone, the younger generation couldn’t even properly manage a few servants. It seemed that rushing things would only backfire, and being too lenient might invite disaster.  

This time, they had learned their lesson—fortunately, nothing serious had happened. From now on, they couldn’t afford to be soft-hearted.  

Leaning against A Chou’s chest, her thoughts wandered until she suddenly remembered Huo Erlang. With a sullen tone, she said, “I just thought of Huo Erlang.”  

In the warm darkness, A Chou’s expression faltered slightly. “Hmm?”  

Xijin sighed helplessly. “With all the commotion tonight, I hope he’s alright.”  

A Chou was silent for a moment before replying, “That’s my fault.”  

Xijin: “Your fault?”  

A Chou: “When the disturbance suddenly broke out by the river, I should have acted decisively. It was wrong to risk the greater good for the lesser—”  

As he spoke, he looked down at Xijin, who seemed deeply affected and in agreement.  

A Chou continued, “Erlang has always kept to himself, detached from worldly affairs. Though he excels in scholarly pursuits, when suddenly faced with danger—first, a scholar’s body may not be agile, and second, he might not have anticipated such a situation—he’s likely to suffer this time. I should have thought to call out to him or even taken him with us when we fled.”  

Xijin: “What nonsense! He’s a grown man with hands and feet. In a crisis, should we really have to drag him along?”  

A Chou’s long lashes cast a shadow beneath his eyes, making his expression inscrutable.  

His thumb traced slow circles on Xijin’s slender waist as he murmured, “Still, given our ties, we should have looked out for him.”  

But Xijin wasn’t pleased to hear this.  

Recalling Huo Erlang’s demeanor—though he was undeniably talented and might have a promising future, for now, he was just an ordinary scholar!  

Handsome as he might be, what use was that in a crisis? He probably couldn’t even protect his own wife and children, let alone spare others the worry.  

If he had some official rank, fine—but without it, wasn’t he just another useless scholar?  

And then there was his mother. If Xijin had to endure such a mother-in-law’s control, when would life ever get better?  

After this train of thought, Huo Erlang’s charm faded in her eyes.  

Beauty without wealth or usefulness wasn’t beauty—it was just an empty shell!  

Feeling satisfied, she wrapped her arms around the firm chest of the man beside her, savoring the taut muscles of his abdomen.  

She sighed, “My A Chou is still the best!”  

Her A Chou was reliable in a crisis, capable of protecting his family, while Huo Erlang would only make them worry.  

Besides, A Chou was handsome, clever, good at managing the shop, and—when night fell—pleased her in bed.  

At this thought, it suddenly struck her that Huo Erlang probably wouldn’t measure up in that regard, at least not compared to her A Chou.  

Her joy swelled, and she planted a loud, smacking kiss on A Chou’s rosy lips.

A Chou couldn’t resist any longer. He lowered his head to kiss her while embracing her, letting her straddle him.

Xijin’s soft body kept sliding down like noodles. She felt somewhat uneasy: “This isn’t proper, is it?”

She didn’t want to exert any effort, only to enjoy. Moreover, she feared she couldn’t handle it—this position could reach the deepest parts.

A Chou’s strong arms supported her lower back, preventing her from collapsing.

Lying there in the dim light, he gazed up at the young woman who could barely sit upright. Her delicate body and alluring eyes, though propped up, wore an expression of tearful fear, as if on the verge of crying.

He coaxed her softly, “Be good, Xijin. Try it. You’re the best at this.”

***********

Xijin realized that when her heart loved this man, even the most challenging moments became sweet.

For instance, this entire night—had it been before, she would have been furious, hitting him and complaining. But now, she actually found it quite enjoyable.

It was indeed exhausting, to the point her waist ached. Yet the sense of control while riding him was indescribably wonderful.

Though this man came from humble origins, his refined and handsome looks were rare in this world. Combined with his unwavering loyalty to her, he was already an excellent husband.

She felt more satisfied than ever before.

The next day, the cold wind howled outside, rustling so fiercely that Xijin had no desire to get up.

She thought, *I worked hard yesterday—I deserve to stay in bed guilt-free.*

A Chou, knowing her temperament well, said, “I’ve asked Qiuling to prepare a hand warmer and bring your meal to the bedside. Have some first.”

Xijin was pleased: “Good!”

Seeing the delight in her eyes, A Chou smiled. “Today, I’ll deal with Sun Momo’s matter. Don’t go out or see her. Otherwise, she’ll surely beg and cry, and you might soften.”

Xijin snorted. “Impossible! I won’t. Just kick her out quickly.”

A Chou chuckled but said nothing more before leaving.

In the time it took to finish a meal, A Chou interrogated Sun Momo again. Whatever method he used, she confessed everything—how she had colluded with human traffickers outside, arranging for them to meet her, and how she had been waiting for an opportunity all these days.

In short, it had been premeditated.

While Qiuling cleared the dishes, Xijin hugged her copper hand warmer, listening as A Chou recounted the entire incident.

Xijin then asked, “Did you ask about Xi Yu? Find out if she was colluding with her—what exactly does Xi Yu want?”

A Chou replied, “I did.”

Xijin perked up. “What did she say?”

A Chou: “Only that Xi Yu visited our home several times, asking about you and me. She seemed… rather concerned about us?”

Xijin inwardly scoffed. *Concerned? She’s clearly eyeing my man!*

Before, she hadn’t understood why Xi Yu would covet A Chou—what was so great about him? But now, Xijin saw him as a treasure.

A Chou was hers. She had to hold onto him tightly and not let Xi Yu get her hands on him!

With that thought, she decided it was fine if A Chou remained oblivious.

What if he found out and started thinking Xi Yu wasn’t so bad? A man’s heart was as unfathomable as the ocean—who knew? He might change his mind in a few days and want to take a concubine. Better he never knew Xi Yu’s intentions, lest it go to his head.

As for Sun Momo—

Last night, Xijin still felt some reluctance and helplessness toward Sun Momo. The sudden thought of selling off a momo made her hesitate. But after the inner turmoil of the night, all that remained was weariness.

Such is the human heart—there’s always a process of letting go and parting ways. Once the emotional ties are severed in one’s mind, the so-called past affections vanish completely.

So she said, “That old wretch is truly detestable. Sell her off to some wretched place—let her learn her lesson and regret it for the rest of her life!”

But A Chou replied, “Tomorrow, I’ll fetch a dose of medicine from the pharmacy and make her drink it. It’ll render her mute. After that, we can just toss her onto one of the family’s estates.”

Xijin scoffed, “An estate? That’d be letting her off easy!”

The Ning family’s lands near Ru City were fertile and prosperous. The laborers on their estates lived well-fed lives, their faces gleaming with health.

A Chou explained, “Once she’s mute, she won’t be able to say a word. The estate overseers live comfortably—we’ll just send her there with strict orders to keep her under tight watch. Under our eyes, she won’t be able to stir up trouble.”

Xijin thought it over and agreed, “Fine, handle it your way.”

She didn’t want to see Sun Momo again, didn’t want to witness her tearful pleas. Since A Chou could take charge, she was happy to leave it to him and spare herself the trouble.

A Chou nodded. “Good, I’ll take care of it.”

************

The next day, A Chou rose early and went to the pharmacy. He obtained a dose of medicine and forced it down Sun Momo’s throat. She gurgled and groaned, her voice indeed gone. A Chou then arranged for an oxcart—not the covered one Xijin used for travel, but an open flatbed cart meant for hauling goods—and sent her off to toil on the estate.

After Sun Momo was gone, Suier remained somewhat listless, though she had managed to recover enough to resume her duties.

Xijin called Suier over and said, “After this ordeal, you’d better have learned your lesson. Be more careful from now on.”

Suier knelt, tears streaming down her face. “Madam, I understand.”

Xijin sighed. “You should also know—if not for A Chou’s quick thinking in extracting clues from Sun Momo, and the Ning family’s young masters accompanying us to search for you, who knows what might have become of you?”

Suier whispered, “The master and madam have given me a second chance at life. I’ll never forget it.”

Xijin nodded. “We’re glad you escaped this calamity. Just remember to stay dutiful and work hard from now on—don’t let our efforts go to waste.”

Suier kowtowed repeatedly. “This servant knows. I’ll remember the master and madam’s kindness and serve you both with all my heart.”

After speaking with Suier, Xijin prepared some pastries and sent them to her cousins as thanks for their help the previous night.

Beyond that, she also had Sun Momo’s former side room cleared out—discarding what was useless, burning what needed to be burned, and hiring someone to repaint the walls. The space was now completely renewed, with no trace of Sun Momo left.

She gathered the household staff and warned them to take this as a lesson—or else face dire consequences.

As she spoke, she steeled herself, picked up a nearby teacup, and hurled it to the ground.

Then she looked at them all and declared, “The consequences will be just like this cup!”

This was a trick she’d learned from storybooks. Though Xijin was merely mimicking the act, it effectively cowed the two maids and several servants present.

The way they looked at her now was filled with awe—as if she held the power of life and death in her hands.

Xijin suddenly felt a bit lightheaded. She privately said to A Chou, “I’m starting to feel more and more like the head of the household. What do you think?”  

A Chou nodded firmly. “Yes.”  

Xijin gave him a deep look, then sighed. “Never mind, I suppose I’m just like that.”  

Through this incident, she clearly realized that A Chou was far more complex than she had thought.  

She had never been able to fully understand him before, but now she saw that in crucial moments, his insight, decisiveness, and ability to handle matters were much better than she had imagined.  

When he saw Sun Momo doing such a thing, his expression remained so calm—neither pleased nor upset, without any particular emotion at all.  

It was as if—  

Xijin thought—it was as if he had long been accustomed to great storms, as if such trivial matters were beneath his notice.  

As she studied him, A Chou asked, “What’s wrong? You seem a bit down.”  

Xijin: “A Chou, there’s actually something I’m very curious about.”  

A Chou: “Hmm?”  

Xijin: “Back then, when my mother asked you to enter a Male Matrilineal Marriage, why did you agree?”  

At her words, A Chou lifted his lashes slightly, his gaze settling on her face.  

Xijin tilted her head, studying him. “You could have married properly even without becoming my Male Matrilineal Marriage partner, couldn’t you?”  

After all, he was good-looking. If he had wanted, there would have been some lovely young ladies willing to marry him.  

A Chou was silent for a moment before replying, “Your parents treated me with the kindness of rebirth. They were worried about you and entrusted you to me before they passed. Naturally, I would take care of you.”  

Xijin hadn’t really expected him to say anything revealing, but hearing this still left her feeling thoroughly bored.  

Couldn’t he say something nice? Even a sweet lie would do!  

Truly, he was a man of few words—tight-lipped as a clam!  

A Chou looked at Xijin. “Why ask this all of a sudden?”  

Xijin sighed. “No reason. I just remembered what the Ning family’s tutor once said—that you were quick-witted, eloquent, well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, and had studied the military treatises of Marquis Wu extensively. He said you were a scholar of great learning, a talent fit for the Imperial Academy.”  

This was all from a long time ago. Back then, Xijin had also been forced to study reading and writing, so these words had left a deep impression on her.  

But later, A Chou stopped studying much and became her Male Matrilineal Marriage partner. Familiarity bred contempt, and the more she saw of him, the more she thought him incapable.  

A Chou, however, seemed indifferent. “It was just a matter of reading a few books—empty talk on paper. What does that amount to? You know how I was—good at nothing.”  

Good at nothing… At least he was self-aware.  

Xijin sighed. “Please don’t bring up being ‘good at nothing.’ This time, with our Six-layered Brocade business, I’m counting on you to do well. We need to make some decent money from this. The deal hasn’t even started yet, and you’re already talking about being good at nothing?”  

A faint smile touched A Chou’s lips. “Alright, I understand. This time, it will definitely succeed.”