Chapter 14

Editor: DarkSapphire, Uncia

Bai Zhu gave Yan Xixia acupuncture treatments daily. By the time the first snow fell, Yan Xixia could see spots of light in his eyes. It was no longer complete darkness. But it was too soon for him to be exposed to light, so Bai Zhu wrapped Yan Xixia’s eyes with a bandage. 

A few days before the new year, when Yan Xixia unwrapped his bandage, he could see blurred shapes. This good news deepened the joy of the Yan Family during the New Year. But, after a while, Bai Zhu re-wrapped the bandage over Yan Xixia’s eyes. Unless he was fully recovered, he would have to wear the bandage at all times.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Yan Xidong wished Yan Xixia and Xiao Lian happy new year and asked for his New Year’s money. The word for money was a homonym for “evil spirit” or “sui” so the purpose of giving money was to keep away evil spirits. Yan Xixia asked for some more blessings, so Yan Xidong provided more auspicious wishes—he wished for things like Yan Xixia and Xiao Lian having a long and happy life together. Content with the additional blessings, Yan Xixia dropped the subject and had Xiao Lian give Yan Xidong his New Year’s money.

Xiao Lian was now accustomed to Yan Xixia’s teasing and would no longer blush as he did at the beginning. He held a bunch of New Year’s greeting cards that were just presented by a servant. From the pile, they picked out a card from the Yu Family which was written by Jian Bao. A few words looked like a trembling scrawl, but Xiao Lian could sense Jian Bao’s happiness from the card: “Jian Bao’s New Year’s greeting card has arrived, so the one we sent to them should’ve too.”

The Yu Family was in the neighboring city, but it was still difficult to travel and visit on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so they sent a servant to send a New Year’s greeting card for New Year’s Eve. These greeting cards are called “Fei Tie” or flying letters. A red paper bag was hung in front of each house with the words “Jie Fu” written on it. The two words mean to receive good fortune, and they were used to collect the flying letters. 

“Yes, Brother Yu should have received it.”

“But Jian Bao doesn’t know all the words.”

“If he doesn’t know them, Brother Yu would read it to him just as madam would for me.”

“You’re right.” Xiao Lian lowered his head and smiled. After looking at the pile of New Year’s greeting cards, he opened and read them one by one to Yan Xixia.

Yan Xixia’s eyes were covered. He had a smile at the corner of his lips as he listened to Xiao Lian’s gentle voice. After Xiao Lian finished reading, Yan Xixia grinned: “Madam’s voice is so pleasing to the ear. Once my eyes are better, I won’t be able to hear Madam reading for me. That would be such a pity.”

“If you like it, I will read it to you in the future.” Xiao Lian looked at Yan Xixia’s expression and asked straightforwardly: “Why do you always speak words of love?”

Yan Xixia pretended to be surprised: “Oh? Madam thinks I’m always speaking words of love? But they are only words from the bottom of my heart. Maybe when faced with someone like madam, I just uncontrollably say these things.”

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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The snow during the night was enough to create a layer of thin snow on the ground and covered the sweet osmanthus tree leaves that fell off to the courtyard’s ground. There was also snow on the branches, but it melted off under the morning sun. Although the scenery was not covered by the beauty of silvery-white, it was still a gratifying sight—a sight of another prosperous year.

After arriving at the Xiao Family mansion, they first paid a New Year call to Xiao Nuofu at the main room, according to the etiquette and customs. Then, Yan Xixia stayed in the main hall while Xiao Lian visited his mother’s courtyard. He met Xiao Xin on the way who blocked his path. He looked at Xiao Xin blankly: “Step aside.” 

Xiao Xin was amazed: “Oh, you grew a backbone?”

Xiao Lian, after spending time with Yan Xixia, did not look like before: “In what way?”

“Do you need me to remind you that you stole these from me?” Xiao Xin already knew that Yan Xixia’s eyes were on the road to recovery. If he had known that, he would have just closed his eyes, married Yan Xixia, and counted the days. So, faced with Xiao Lian who got the better end of a deal, he became more irritated.

“Pay attention to your wording. I did not steal. It was you who gave up and forced it on me.” 

“If you had persisted in refusing to take my place, wouldn’t it still be me who marries him?”

“Why would I keep refusing? Besides, if I had insisted on not marrying in your place at the time, would you really go through with the marriage? Or would you behave unreasonably and create an unnecessary scene so your mother would figure out a way to cancel the marriage contract for you?”

Xiao Lian’s words irritated Xiao Xin, so he raised his hand to strike Xiao Lian almost like before. However, he  was reminded by the small servant beside him that Xiao Lian was now the wife of Young Master Yan. He put down his hand angrily: “Anyway, you stole from me, so you owe me.”

Xiao Lian looked at Xiao Xin who was a few months older than him, but he was still as unreasonable as an inexperienced child: “I don’t owe you, and no one in this world owes you.” 

“I will make you compensate me. Do you think you really claim the position of Madam Yan? Don’t you forget your status and the status I have over you.”

“My status is not as good as yours, but you are not as good a person as I am.”

“You dare to say this to me? How am I inferior to you? Wait until I let my mother know. She will help me make Yan Xixia divorce you. Thenwe will see if you continue with your wild behavior.”

“Please do as you wish.” After saying this, Xiao Lian walked past Xiao Xin from the side and continued on his way to his mother’s courtyard. He had dealt with Xiao Xin for so many years. He knew how firmly he needed to be against Xiao Xin. If he refuted too eagerly, Xiao Xin would only be pleased with himself. If he acted as if he didn’t care, Xiao Xin would jump in anger instead. 

As expected, Xiao Lian heard Xiao Xin yelling behind him. He picked up his pace and Xiao Xin’s voice went out of range behind him.

Xiao Xin cursed and continued toward the main hall. Today his parents would reclaim Yan Xixia back for himself. When Xiao Xin arrived at the main hall, they were just discussing this topic. Madam Xiao stood up to greet Xiao Xin: “Xin’er, we were just talking about you, come here beside your mother.”

Yan Xixia had listened to the Xiao couple’s conversation earlier, and asked: “Weren’t we talking about the ideal, appropriate match?”

Xiao Nuofu replied sincerely: “Of course, when two people are together, it is necessary for them to be well-matched in social and economic status. You are still young, so you may not understand this. But we, as the seniors, would never do things to harm their juniors.” 

Yan Xixia smiled: “I don’t know what father-in-law has to say about an appropriate match. This son-in-law thinks that it shouldn’t only be about social or economic status, but also about the nature and character of the person. I understand my wife’s nature, and I had no problem with his character. I would even say we are connected in spirit. I know my wife deserves to be and can bear the role of being my equally matched partner.”

Xiao Nuofu asked again: “But what does he bring to you?”

Yan Xixia thought of what Xiao Lian had done for him, and his tone became gentler: “He could give me everything.”

“Everything he has?” Xiao Xin interrupted abruptly, completely ignoring the proper etiquette, “Everything he has does not even amount to one ten-thousandth of what I have.” 

Yan Xixia said with a gentle expression: “If I was referring to money, he indeed has less than one ten-thousandth of yours, but if it was other aspects, you can’t compare with him at all. And I also believe that if my wife had the wealth equivalent to that of an entire nation, he would give me everything freely, asking for nothing in return.”

Seeing that her son was wronged, Madam Xiao sarcastically said: “So near-sighted for a scholar.”

Her words did not upset Yan Xixia. Instead, he replied to Xiao Nuofu with a straight face: “They are both your sons. For the sake of your first wife’s son, you would destroy the life of a concubine’s son. I didn’t know you would be this biased between the first wife and the concubine. I am not begging you to treat Xiao Lian fairly, but I hope you could at least give him some of your love, even the smallest amount.

Yan Xixia had always been very polite, but he didn’t call Xiao Nuofu his father-in-law or use any honorifics. After speaking, he summoned Jiu Si to assist him away, regardless of etiquette. 

Yan Xixia asked Jiu Si to take him to find Xiao Lian. When he arrived at Xiao Lian’s mother’s courtyard, Xiao Lian was sitting under the small pavilion and talking. Yan Xixia overheard Madam Chu’s nickname for Xiao Lian. He had never heard Xiao Lian mention it, but now that he heard it, it immediately quenched his burning rage.

Yan Xixia joined Xiao Lian in his conversation with Madam Chu. They talked for a long time, but because the New Year’s visit didn’t end peacefully, they didn’t stay for lunch and went straight back to the mansion by carriage at noon. In the carriage, Yan Xixia held Xiao Lian, while Xiao Lian hid his hands inside his robe to warm them up. Yan Xixia pressed against Xiao Lian’s ear and whispered: “Xiao Guai?”

Hearing his pet name from his mother, Xiao Guai or “good boy,” Xiao Lian rubbed his red ears: “Yes?”

“Why haven’t you mentioned it before?” 

“That’s my pet name my mother called me as a child. I didn’t see a point in bringing it up.”

Yan Xixia pressed against Xiao Lian’s ear again and repeated with a smile: “Xiao Guai, Xiao Guai, Xiao Guai.”

Xiao Lian felt completely different when Yan Xixia used his pet name compared to his mother. Xiao Lian was overwhelmed by being called “Xiao Guai” repeatedly: “I am past that.”

“You can be called by your childhood nickname no matter your age. Right, Xiao Guai?” 

Xiao Lian didn’t answer. He buried his head between Yan Xixia’s neck and shoulder. Yan Xixia leaned closer to Xiao Lian’s ear and whispered his pet name until Xiao Lian answered.