Chapter 5: Picking Flowers? Tempting Fate?  

A Chou assisted from the side, helping Xijin wash up.  

After washing, Xijin felt refreshed and in high spirits. She reclined on the low couch, holding the Red Fragrance Box, picking out some dried Fragrant Medicine Fruits and pastries to eat.  

Earlier, while entertaining the Hu family, she had been too busy talking and hadn’t eaten much herself.  

Seeing this, A Chou said, “Don’t eat that—it’s cold and too greasy. Be careful not to upset your stomach. Let Suier heat it up first.”  

Xijin replied, “Never mind. Everyone else has gone out to enjoy themselves, and Suier is the only one left at home. I can’t keep burdening her with tasks.”  

A Chou asked, “Then what would you like to eat?”  

Xijin thought for a moment. “I’d actually like some of Old Woman Hu’s Milk Crisp Honey.”  

Old Woman Hu’s Milk Crisp Honey melted in the mouth—homemade versions could never compare. But it had to be eaten fresh; once cooled, it lost its appeal.  

A Chou said, “Then have Suier go to the street and send word for Xian Han to deliver it. She’s been cooped up at home anyway—let her run the errand and then go play afterward.”  

Xijin considered this and agreed. “That sounds perfect. I’ll have Old Woman Hu’s Milk Crisp Honey, along with the Trotter Clear Broth from the shop at the east end of the bridge, and the Fried Liver from that snack stall over there.”  

These places weren’t far apart—just a short walk—so Suier could easily place the orders in one trip.  

A Chou immediately stood up, fetched a handful of coins, and went out to instruct Suier. Suier, who had been eyeing the lively scene outside with envy, was delighted to receive such a pleasant task. She took the coins and hurried off.  

For a while, the house fell silent. With nothing else on her mind, Xijin idly picked up her storybook, lazily nestling against the pillow as she flipped through the pages by the light of the incense candles. She couldn’t resist nibbling on the snacks beside her—just one or two wouldn’t hurt.  

A Chou, having nothing else to do, sat down beside her and joined her in reading.  

The book was crudely made, far from respectable literature, filled with erotic illustrations and tales of scholars and beauties eloping and engaging in illicit affairs.  

At a glance, A Chou saw that Xijin was currently reading a passage titled: *Pretty Woman Alone in Empty Room, Lonely in Her Boudoir, Poor Student Hunting for Beauty Under the Moon After Ten Years of Hard Study.*  

He frowned. “What is this?”  

The phrasing was awkward, and he couldn’t fathom who had written such a story.  

Hearing this, Xijin quickly covered the book with her sleeve, eyeing A Chou warily. “What are you doing? I’m reading. Don’t disturb me.”  

A Chou said, “Let me see.”  

Xijin retorted, “No way!”  

A Chou pressed, “Doesn’t it say something like, *Parting a Thousand Layers of Lotus, Sucking a Mouthful of Honey*? I’d like to see how one parts and sucks.”  

Xijin: “!!!”  

Her face flushed as she widened her eyes, staring suspiciously at A Chou. Yet he maintained his usual composed and aloof demeanor.  

With such an upright and serene appearance, who would believe he had just uttered such words?  

She took a deep breath. “What’s the point of you reading this? You won’t learn anything useful—you’ll just pick up vulgar talk.”  

A perfectly good gentleman would be corrupted!  

A Chou, however, replied, “I could learn a thing or two.”  

Xijin wasn’t convinced. “Forget it. You shouldn’t learn from this.”  

She tried to move away from him.  

She enjoyed reading these storybooks—they were written with such vivid flair—but she had no intention of trying any of it with A Chou.

A Chou was like a starving wolf, as if he hadn’t eaten in eight hundred years. Once he got a bite, he wouldn’t let go, fearing he might not get another after this one, practically wanting to swallow everything in one gulp.

She simply couldn’t handle it.

But then A Chou suddenly lowered his head and said hoarsely, “Last time I helped you eat, you cried like crazy. I thought you didn’t like it.”

Xijin’s face instantly burned hot.

Biting her lip, she glared at him softly, “You’re different from others!”

A Chou: “How am I different?”

Xijin: “My mother said a girl’s body is most precious and mustn’t be harmed—it’s a lifetime matter. But you—who could possibly endure you like that!”

A Chou’s gaze fixed intently on her: “Like what?”

Xijin suddenly grew annoyed: “Ah, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. What’s the point of asking?”

She then stretched out her arm and rolled up her sleeve: “Look at this, just look! It’s all because of you!”

A Chou glanced down and saw faint red marks on her fair, lotus-like arm.

Clearly, they were from their earlier tussle.

She was like this—the slightest touch left marks, though thankfully they faded by the next day.

A Chou: “Fine, let’s not talk about that. But there’s something else I want to ask you.”

Xijin relaxed slightly: “What?”

Just then, a knock came at the door—it was the delivery boy with their meal.

A Chou went to get it, bolted the door behind him, and returned to the room.

The food was delivered in a white porcelain warming tray—thin upper layer, thick lower layer, with hot water filling the hollow space in between to keep the dishes warm.

A Chou unpacked everything and helped Xijin eat.

As she popped a Small Abalone Conch Crisp into her mouth, Xijin asked casually, “By the way, what did you want to ask me earlier?”

A Chou: “You mentioned the Emperor before. What did you mean when you said I should have some thoughts?”

Xijin lightly licked her fingertip and replied offhandedly, “Oh.”

A Chou: “At the time, you said—”

He looked into her eyes and continued, “You said I should consider my current status and situation… Why bring that up suddenly?”

Xijin wiped her hands with a nearby soft cloth before answering, “You really have no idea what you should be thinking about right now? And you’re asking me?”

A Chou’s expression turned serious, his dark eyes deep and unreadable as he stared fixedly at her.

Sensing this, Xijin paused and looked at him in confusion: “What? The Emperor is advanced in years now—he’ll surely appoint a new Crown Prince soon. Shouldn’t you be thinking about your plans? Or are you just going to pretend it’s not happening?”

Hearing this, A Chou’s expression shifted strangely.

His lips moved slightly as he said with difficulty, “I don’t know what I should be thinking, Xijin. Tell me.”

Xijin nearly laughed in frustration at his words.

Hopeless!

She sighed deeply: “A Chou, what kind of family are we?”

A Chou held his breath: “What kind?”

Xijin: “We’re merchants. Generations of merchants.”

A Chou watched her: “Hmm?”

Xijin: “You’re our family’s Male Matrilineal Marriage, so naturally you should manage our shops well. The imperial court is about to undergo major changes. If a young Crown Prince is appointed, his investiture and grand wedding will be celebrated across the land. Just think of all the procurement involved—from silks and fabrics to banquet supplies, from firecrackers to ceremonial gifts. Can you imagine how huge this business opportunity would be?”

A Chou silently gazed at his wife.

After a long pause, he averted his eyes and said, “That makes sense.”

Xijin: “Makes sense?”

Her delicate brows furrowed even tighter.

She was utterly dissatisfied with this Male Matrilineal Marriage!

Taking a deep breath, she earnestly lectured him: “A Chou, don’t just say it makes sense. You need to think for yourself. You’re handling all the external affairs now—you should be more diligent, uphold our family’s reputation, and at least earn some silver to bring home and make me happy.”

She sighed: “Must I always remind you of everything?”

How did she end up with such a Male Matrilineal Marriage!

Lowering his eyes, A Chou admitted his mistake: “It’s my fault. I didn’t consider this.”

Somewhat appeased, Xijin continued: “Of course, the imperial procurement isn’t for us—that’s monopolized by the royal merchants. But as the contracts trickle down, even the scraps from their fingernails could benefit us. And it’s not just the imperial purchases. On such grand occasions, all the nobles and imperial relatives will spend lavishly—riding fine horses, wearing silver stirrups. The stewards will flaunt their authority, and the prices of all kinds of silks will naturally soar. Don’t you think?”

A Chou’s expression turned serious: “You’re right. Such a nationwide celebration means even ordinary officials will dress in new finery. It’ll be massive consumption—silks, jewelry, and other goods will surely rise in price.”

Seeing he’d finally grasped it, Xijin relaxed slightly.

Sighing, she spoke candidly: “A Chou, look at our situation. Outwardly, we appear prosperous—everyone knows the Ning family is powerful and wealthy. But only we understand the bitterness in our hearts.”

A Chou’s dark eyes met hers: “Why bring this up during New Year’s? Is it because of the rice wine incident?”

Xijin nodded: “It’s not that we desperately needed that rice wine. But we’ve maintained good relations—they distributed a whole barrel to the east and west families, promised us some, then left us out. Had they just informed me they ran out, at least it’d show they remembered us. But they didn’t even mention it. What does that mean?”

A Chou: “Hmm?”

Xijin: “It means we don’t even register in their eyes—they don’t take us seriously at all!”

A Chou fell silent.

Recalling this, Xijin couldn’t help feeling melancholy.

She’d been her parents’ pampered darling, but now they were gone, leaving only this Male Matrilineal Marriage as her support.

True, there were women running businesses publicly—but they were either elderly matrons or plain-looking. A beautiful woman opening shops would inevitably earn labels like “the Tofu Beauty.”

A prominent family like the Ning household shouldn’t have to resort to such measures.  

For now, Xijin could only urge her Male Matrilineal Marriage partner to strive harder, so that he might one day become a reliable support for her and Mang Er.  

She sighed and said, “Our Ning family may be wealthy and influential, but as a woman, I doubt much of the family fortune will come to me. All we can do is manage these few shops we have properly, then acquire more properties in the future to leave Mang Er a decent inheritance.”  

Beside her, A Chou watched silently.  

In the distance, firecrackers crackled, and laughter from other households drifted through the air. Yet at this moment, the courtyard of the Ning family’s fifth branch was quiet—servants and maids had all gone out to enjoy the festivities, and the nursemaid had fallen asleep with the child.  

Amidst the citywide celebrations, Xijin reclined on the daybed, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she spoke anxiously about their family affairs.  

The afternoon sunlight spilled in, casting a glow on her translucent, fair cheeks. He noticed her long, thick lashes drooping slightly, her clear eyes veiled with a faint melancholy.  

A Chou lifted his hands, fingers interlacing soundlessly, his fingertips pressing lightly together.  

Perhaps the quiet of the moment made sorrow feel sharper, or perhaps the silent comfort from the man beside her only deepened her sadness—tears slowly welled in Xijin’s eyes.  

She bit her lower lip lightly and murmured in a soft voice, “If only we had more wealth, we wouldn’t be looked down upon within these high walls. Then, when our Mang Er takes a wife in the future, she wouldn’t have to suffer over a few bowls of rice wine like I did. That’s the least we can do for him.”  

Her damp lashes fluttered as she lifted her gaze to meet his, her eyes shimmering with tears, delicate and vulnerable. “A Chou, don’t you think so?”  

A Chou replied, “Xijin, you’re right. I’ve failed you in the past—I haven’t given you a good life. From now on, I’ll put my heart into managing the family shops and build a better fortune for Mang Er.”  

He paused, and his usually indifferent expression softened slightly. “And I won’t let you suffer over rice wine again.”  

Xijin said, “It’s fine if I endure some hardship, as long as you understand. I expect the shop managers will arrive soon—you should talk to them first. Right after the New Year, most households have some spare silver, and no one’s in a hurry to make big purchases. Prices should be at their lowest now, so we should stock up quickly.”  

She suggested, “Why don’t you review the accounts first and calculate how much we can spend?”  

A Chou considered for a moment before nodding. “Alright, I’ll go tally them now and figure it out as soon as possible.”  

After exchanging a few more words, A Chou left for the study to examine the ledgers.  

Xijin leaned back on the daybed, idly nibbling on Fragrant Medicine Fruits while replaying in her mind the way she had just skillfully handled her Male Matrilineal Marriage partner.  

She felt she was becoming more and more capable—truly her mother’s daughter.  

Unable to resist, she took out her mother’s Silk Book to study it again.  

Her mother was truly wonderful!  

She would rely on her mother’s Silk Book for the rest of her life!  

Yet, in the midst of her satisfaction, Xijin suddenly recalled A Chou’s earlier words and the look in his eyes.  

Had he misunderstood something? Had she worried for nothing?  

Chewing on the Fragrant Medicine Fruit, she frowned. What was that about?  

Had he been flirting? Gambling? Or getting into trouble?  

No, she’d better study her mother’s Silk Book again!