Yang Ming kept thinking about what his second older brother had said, and he was restless all day. How was he going to talk to his wife about this? Now, it was hard enough to even hold her hand, let alone...
He decided to give it a try, maybe his wife actually liked him.
At bedtime, Yang Ming took advantage of the time his wife was washing up to move his blanket next to hers, hoping she would understand the hint!
As soon as Xiaoxiao finished washing up and entered the room, she was stunned to see the two blankets close together.
Damn it, she had been getting along so well with Yang Ming these past few days that she had let her guard down again! She hadn’t realized at all that Yang Ming could be doing this because he liked her.
When Yang Ming saw his wife enter the room, his palms started sweating with nerves, and his voice trembled as he called out, "Xiaoxiao..."
Yang Ming, excited by Xiaoxiao’s response and feeling that she didn’t seem to reject him, stepped forward to reach for her hand, but was met with a splash of cold water, "Yang Ming, do you remember what you said on our wedding night?"
"..." He had said he wouldn’t touch her, he had promised she’d remain a widow, and now he really felt like slapping himself.
"So, a promise is a promise," said his wife, pointing at the blanket and elongating her words, "quickly... take it away!"
Yang Ming was left speechless by Xiaoxiao’s blunt response, and dejectedly moved his blanket away, sensing the irritation in his wife’s tone. Well, there would be other chances in the future.
Xiaoxiao hadn’t expected her husband-of-convenience to actually want her! It had really scared her.
Luckily, he was a simpleton, easily dealt with in just a few words. With him being like that, he definitely wouldn’t force himself on her, so Xiaoxiao still felt quite secure.
But being blatantly rejected by his own wife like that, wouldn’t that be too much of a blow to someone? Whatever, she needed to protect herself first.
Xiaoxiao got into bed and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. Should she bring up the topic of divorce again?
It had to be said that staying here was the safest for her, since going back after a long time could reveal that she had time-traveled. Although she hadn’t tried to hide it at first, it would still not be good over time.
But if things continued , that wouldn’t do! Fortunately, her husband-of-convenience would go to the Academy next spring, so she just needed to tough it out a bit longer.
"Yang Ming, An Quan can’t stay in the rented courtyard much longer!"
"His room has been taken by Yang Qiu, he’ll have nowhere to live when he comes back."
"How about, when he comes back, you share a room with An Quan, and I with Yang Qiu, just to make do for now, what do you think?"
"..." She’s suggesting living separately in disguise, that wouldn’t do; not sharing a bed is one thing, but living apart is a no-go.
Having over-thought things the night before, Xiaoxiao overslept the next day. As soon as she got up, she heard a commotion outside. Stepping out, Xiaoxiao asked, "Mother, what’s going on?"
"Oh, third son’s wife, you sure think things through!"
"..." What had she done this time?
"An Quan has no room to live in when he comes back, and third son said you suggested turning this big kitchen into a room for him!"
"That’s a good idea, since every house has a stove now and we don’t need the big kitchen anymore."
"..." This husband-of-convenience must be a schemer, to come up with such a way just to outplay her!
"Mother, it’s the dead of winter, can we even build a kang? Where can we get the earth now, isn’t it all frozen?"
"Third son’s wife, you don’t need to worry about that, third son has it all arranged!"
"..." What else could she say?