Chapter 10
Edward Quan ·
I watched them argue without end and considered slipping away. Then Xie Hui suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Cui Yu jumped, looking bewildered.
“Oh, no. Did I scold him to death?”
“No. It's the drug he took.”
“That wretch! My wife, let's leave him to his fate!”
He took my hand to lead me out, then abruptly stopped and gritted his teeth.
“But… he saved me before.”
After a moment's hesitation, he looked at me.
“My wife, I'll do as you wish. If you want to take him in, I'm willing… to tolerate him.”
“But he can only be a concubine. If he refuses to marry into our household, he can stay outside as your lover!”
I looked at Xie Hui on the floor, his breathing uneven, and softened. In the end, I could not watch a life simply slip away.
Cui Yu kept looking back as he closed the door. Outside, he wept as though a storm had broken.
21
I remained in the room, toiling all night. Only after nearly snapping the leather whip did I finally bring Xie Hui around.
The moment he woke, he embraced me excitedly.
“Miaoli, I'm yours now. You must take responsibility for me.”
I slowly put my clothes in order and said blandly, “Very well. You can be a bedchamber attendant.”
Xie Hui stared.
“Only a bedchamber attendant?”
The door opened. Cui Yu entered, swept me into his arms, and glared at Xie Hui, seething with jealousy.
“You've exhausted my wife like this, and you still dream of entering our household?”
“Dream on!”
Xie Hui scrambled for his clothes and hurriedly answered, “Senior Husband, a bedchamber attendant is fine! I'm very obedient. Laundry, sweeping, examining corpses, solving cases—I can do anything…”
Cui Yu stumbled and almost fell flat.
As soon as we returned to the city, Xie Hui showed remarkable good sense. He packed his own belongings and moved into the Jiang residence of his own accord.
In the main hall, he offered Cui Yu a cup of tea with perfect respect and quietly addressed him as Senior Husband.
I nearly spat out my tea. My eyelids twitched in alarm.
In the days that followed, he did everything attentively. At meals, he quietly served us food, looking after us with meticulous care.
Cui Yu was gentle by nature. After only two or three days, he was already speaking up for Xie Hui.
“My wife, Xie Hui washed the clothes himself yesterday. Just now, he was learning to make pastries in the kitchen. Hot oil splashed over the back of his hand. A large patch is red.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Don't you suspect he's putting on a show for us?”
Cui Yu leaned softly against my shoulder.
“Even if he is, as long as you're happy, I'm willing to tolerate him.”
Warmth filled my heart, along with tenderness.
Cui Yu was so thoughtful and considerate. I would have to let him bear our family's first child.
22
That night, I went to Xie Hui's courtyard.
Alone by candlelight, he was gently applying ointment to the back of his hand. When he heard my footsteps and saw me enter, he hurriedly hid it behind him.
“I'm all right, my lady.”
“Give me your hand. Let me see.”
He hesitated, then held it out. The red burn across it looked alarming.
I sat beside him, took the ointment, and carefully applied it.
“You may stay. But from now on, you must listen to Cui Yu in everything. No more deceiving him or scheming against him.”
Xie Hui's eyes lit up.
“I'll remember!”
I looked up.
“Those people who tried to put a sack over Cui Yu's head in the city—did you send them?”
Guilt crossed his face. He lowered his eyes, unable to meet mine.
“I didn't hurt him at all. I only wanted an excuse to come and see you.”
“There won't be a next time. Never try anything like that again.”
He nodded quickly, obedient as a well-behaved puppy.
Not long afterward, Father was transferred back to the capital.
The moment he came through the gate and found an additional Xie Hui in the courtyard, his vision went dark. He fainted on the spot.
Mother's knees weakened. She had to brace herself against a pillar to remain standing.
“You… you… what on earth have you done?”
Xie Hui stepped forward and bowed with impeccable courtesy.
“Father-in-law. Mother-in-law. I am your daughter's bedchamber attendant.”
When Father woke, his eyes nearly rolled back again.
Mother stood frozen, unable to recover for a long time.
Beside them, my sister watched with shining eyes.
“Miaoli really has brought glory to our ancestors!”
The End