Chapter 6: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 6: 

 

Although Cui Xingzhou had been drinking wine at the mountain pavilion, he had not eaten any food, and by this time, he was quite hungry.

Therefore, without waiting for Liu Mian Tang to give instructions, he called out, “Li Mama, bring some food.”

Unfortunately, since the master had returned unexpectedly, Li Mama had not prepared anything in advance. In a hurry, and with no ingredients available in the kitchen, she could only bring out the simple fare prepared for Liu Mian Tang’s dinner: radish pickles, which had been soaked and seasoned with a pinch of salt, and a piece of the local specialty, moldy tofu, which was ready to eat after being drizzled with hot oil.

Although Cui Xingzhou was not particular about food, he was taken aback by the rough and coarse meal that Li Mama had brought. If it weren't for the bowl of white rice, it could have been mistaken for the prison food given to convicts.

However, Liu Mian Tang took it in stride. To her, managing a household meant saving wherever possible. Seeing Cui Xingzhou frown slightly, she called for Li Mama to bring some sesame oil and comforted her husband, saying, “Husband, you’ve come to a new place, and expenses will naturally add up. It’s important to be frugal in everyday life. It’s too late to have a heavy meal now; it might upset your stomach. Please make do with this for now. The moldy tofu tastes particularly good with sesame oil. If you can’t get used to it, I’ll have Li Mama buy some glutinous rice chicken from the market for you tomorrow…”

Cui Xingzhou could easily recognize the tone of a wife soothing a spoiled child. He inwardly smirked but took the bowl, silently eating a simple meal of radish pickles and rice.

Liu Mian Tang diligently mixed the moldy tofu with sesame oil and poured a cup of hot tea for Cui Xingzhou.

After finishing the meal, with night having fallen, Cui Xingzhou knew that suggesting to settle accounts at this hour would be hard to believe, even if it were spoken by someone with a clear mind.

Since his intent was to catch her in any act of treachery and determine whether she harbored any ill will, he had to give her the opportunity.

So, after the meal was finished and the dishes cleared, the room fell into silence once more. Cui Xingzhou finally spoke, “I’m a bit tired today. Let’s turn in early.”

Although Liu Mian Tang had long anticipated that Cui Xingzhou would spend the night in her room, hearing him say it out loud still made her heart race. 

Over the past year, she had come to terms with her role as Cui Jiu's wife, accepting it despite her shyness. She knew she couldn’t just send him away.

She quickly moved to the bed, adjusted the bedding, and then turned to ask, “Which side of the bed do you prefer, husband?”

Cui Xingzhou, sipping his tea, replied calmly, “I’ll sleep on the outer side.”

Since there were none of Cui Xingzhou’s clothes in the room, he couldn't change into his usual nightwear. After a simple wash, he removed his outer garments and lay down in his underclothes on the bed.

Even though they were separated by a quilt, he could still sense the slight tension of the fragrant woman next to him, unsure if it was due to discomfort or if she was contemplating how and when she might strike.

Liu Mian Tang was now filled with regret for having asked Cui Xingzhou which side of the bed he preferred. She thought she should have just let him sleep on the inside, as she was now anxious about disturbing him during the night.

After drinking a jug of water due to the overly salty radish dish, she was certain she would need to get up during the night. The thought of repeatedly getting up and down, potentially disturbing her husband’s rest, made her uneasy.

She turned slightly to check on her husband’s condition.

The gentle moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft glow on Cui Xingzhou’s nose. 

He was so close that she could almost touch him with a fingertip. Listening to his steady breathing, she felt a sudden warmth in her heart.

Since her illness, Cui Xingzhou had been very attentive, but they had not shared the same bed. At first, she felt relieved, not wanting to sleep with a husband who had become almost a stranger. However, as time passed, her concern grew.

Cui Xingzhou was a businessman, often traveling and socializing in places where he might encounter other women. Given his good looks, it was natural to worry that he might attract attention from other women, like meat to a hungry beast.

As Liu Mian Tang thought about the possibility of her husband developing bad habits or becoming distant, she felt a pang of worry. If such things were to happen, it could drive a wedge between them and make their marriage suffer.

However, now that they had settled in Lingquan Town, her husband no longer needed to travel incessantly. She needed to overcome her feelings of uncertainty and make a sincere effort to be a devoted wife. Furthermore, given Cui Xingzhou's age, it was about time for them to think about starting a family.

Feeling her face flush with heat, she slowly reached out to touch her husband's hand. 

His large, strong hand was very different from her own delicate fingers. It was capable of completely enveloping hers.

Seeing that her husband was not moving and seemed to have fallen into a deep sleep, Liu Mian Tang felt a sense of relief. She gently placed her hand in his, feeling the warmth and strength of his grip.

After a year of uncertainty, this was the first time she truly felt the sense of being a married couple, of living together as husband and wife.

While Liu Miantang was secretly pleased with the warmth of being close to her husband, she was also preoccupied with a list of things to do: she needed to wake up early the next morning to help her husband with his morning routine. Since there were no spare clothes here, she would have to heat up the fire pit to iron his outer garments. Moreover, she must remember to ask Li Mama to buy some sticky rice chicken for him. With these thoughts in mind, she gently placed her hand in his and drifted off to sleep peacefully.

Once Liu Miantang was sound asleep beside him, Cui Xingzhou finally opened his eyes slowly.

He rarely felt regret, but at this moment, he regretted coming here in the dead of night. He had expected that this woman might take advantage of his slumber to act against him, but instead, she had simply placed her soft, delicate hand in his and fallen asleep.

Under the moonlight, he turned his gaze to her. Here was an eighteen-year-old beauty, her long hair spread out on the pillow, breathing softly, sleeping innocently and unaware of her surroundings.

Cui Xingzhou observed for a while, feeling that the testing had gone far enough. Although it was late, he could still make it to the military camp's morning drills if he left now. However, when he tried to withdraw his hand, the woman beside him made a soft, kitten-like sound, snuggling closer to his arm and continuing to sleep soundly.

Cui Xingzhou glanced at the window and then closed his eyes again, feeling a sudden inclination to stay put. Since he was already here, there was no need to make the journey back in the dark. He decided to wait until the next day to make further arrangements.

The night was clear with a bright moon, but it rained lightly in the early hours, with raindrops tapping on the windowpane, making sleep all the more pleasant.

However, with concerns on her mind and perhaps having slept too long in the afternoon, Liu Mian Tang woke up very early, accompanied by the gentle rain.

During the night, Liu Mian Tang did indeed need to get up. Since her husband was in the room, she felt too embarrassed to use the chamber pot inside. She took an umbrella and went outside to the latrine behind the courtyard.

To Liu Mian Tang’s surprise, Li Mama had not returned to her quarters to rest. Instead, she was sitting under the eaves on a small stool, looking like a dark, intimidating blob in the dim light.

When Liu Mian Tang asked, Li Mama, with bleary eyes, explained that since the master had returned, she needed to be on hand to attend to any needs, in case the master and mistress required water in the night and couldn’t call anyone.

Indeed, the old servant's loyalty was beyond reproach.

However, the need for water at night seemed to carry a different implication, which made Liu Mian Tang blush once more.

In contrast to Liu Mian Tang’s restless movements, Cui Xingzhou slept with much more decorum. His sleeping posture was as refined as his demeanor, remaining nearly unchanged throughout the night, with hardly any wrinkles on his undergarments.

However, he did linger in bed. After Liu Mian Tang got up, he continued to sleep for another full hour before finally waking. When he did, his eyes were bloodshot, showing no sign of having rested well.

When assisting her husband with washing his face, Liu Mian Tang felt a pang of sympathy. Since the decline of the Cui family, her husband must have been extremely worried and tirelessly traveling to make a living, scarcely finding restful sleep.

However, despite waking up, her husband showed no signs of complaint. Even in his underclothes, he maintained an air of elegance and composure as he washed his face and rinsed his mouth, almost as if he were wearing a scholar’s robe.

Liu Mian Tang admired Cui Jiu’s inherent gentleness and refinement. She took it upon herself to diligently iron his outerwear, hoping to make him look more presentable when he stepped out of the house.

However, the charcoal in the iron stove was quite heavy, and Liu Mian Tang’s weak wrists struggled to handle it. Seeing her efforts, Li Mama grew concerned, fearing that Liu Mian Tang might accidentally tip over the iron stove and damage the master’s clothing, thus preventing him from leaving in a dignified manner. So, Li Mama took over the task to ensure everything was done properly.

While Li Mama was ironing the clothes, Liu Mian Tang prepared a bowl of freshly cooked hot porridge for her husband and set out some delicate side dishes brought by the mute servant. She then asked, "Where is your shop? You didn't eat well last night. I'll have Li Mama cook some meat for lunch today and bring it to you."

Although Cui Jiu had instructed a servant to buy a shop the previous day, he had yet to receive a response and could not provide details about this non-existent shop.

Perhaps due to a poor night's sleep, the usually gentle and refined face of the ninth master appeared somewhat sullen. He couldn’t be bothered to concoct a lie and simply replied, "The shop we had arranged for was withdrawn by the original owner, who refunded the deposit. Currently... there is no shop."

Liu Mian Tang was a bit upset upon hearing this and slammed her chopsticks down. "Which merchant behaves so dishonestly?"

Cui Jiu didn’t respond, focusing on drinking his bowl of white porridge.

Realizing she had overreacted, Liu Mian Tang quickly adjusted her posture and, trying to maintain her composure, said, "Husband, please don’t be upset. Sometimes, setbacks are a blessing in disguise. Perhaps his backing out is a good thing after all!"

She spoke sincerely. To her, although her husband was a good person, he seemed somewhat naive, as evidenced by the fact that even a secured shop could be canceled by someone’s whim.

As his wife, she felt it was her duty to support him earnestly and be a true helpmeet, rather than merely observing from the sidelines.

Thus, Liu Mian Tang continued, “Husband, the front street is filled with local residents. You might inquire among them. Selecting and purchasing a shop is a significant matter that shouldn’t be rushed. Since the previous shop owner withdrew, it’s better to consider your options more carefully before making a purchase.”

Hearing her, Cui Jiu no longer needed to concoct excuses to send her outside and responded gently, “I have business to attend to in the neighboring county. Since you have no other matters at hand, I’ll leave the shop selection and purchase to you.”

Liu Mian Tang was pleased to hear this but hesitated, her eyes shimmering with a hint of allure as she said, “I’ve been quite ill recently and have forgotten many things. What if I make a mistake?”

Cui Jiu smiled slightly and reassured her, “It’s only a matter of buying a shop. Even if things go awry, it’s no worse than the troubles of dark alleys and violence. If you find a shop you like, just buy it.”

Liu Mian Tang chose to ignore the subtle jibe in the first part of his statement and was inspired by the confidence in the latter part, admiring his gallant attitude despite their current misfortune. 

Her gaze softened as she looked at her husband’s composed and handsome face, and she resolved to live up to his trust by finding a prosperous shop.

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