Chapter 11: Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" (Are You the One)

 FlamingoBees 

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 Jiao Cang "Delicate Concealment" / Are You the One

 Chapter 11: 

 

As a devoted wife, Liu Mian Tang couldn't bear to let her husband sleep in such an unpleasant state.

Seeing Cui Xingzhou’s displeasure, she treated it like a child’s tantrum and said, “Husband, just lie still. I’ll take care of it. The new bedding has not been aired out yet, and if it gets smelly, we won’t have anything fresh to replace it with.”

Cui Xingzhou, who had never been so bluntly criticized for his drunkenness, opened his eyes slightly and glared at Liu Mian Tang, tersely commanding, “Get out!”

If a palace maid had been scolded like this, she would have been terrified and quickly withdrawn.

However, Liu Mian Tang took his command as nothing more than the effects of too much alcohol. After all, men tend to behave oddly after drinking, and even her usually polite husband was not immune to such behavior.

She graciously ignored her husband's rude behavior but firmly pressed the warm cloth against Cui Xingzhou's face.

Liu Mian Tang could guess why her husband was in such a bad mood. After all, being stranded in Lingquan Town was a significant blow to him. Losing a thriving business must weigh heavily on any man’s heart.

However, resorting to drunkenness to cope was not a solution. She aimed to comfort him, to prevent him from internalizing his troubles and only finding relief in alcohol.

“The alcohol outside might be poorly mixed, and drinking it can be harmful. Next time you want to drink, I'll have Li Mama buy some sweet potato wine from the local tavern and heat it for you. Warm wine will be better for you, and you'll have a comfortable place to sleep. It’s much better than wandering the streets and catching a chill with a stomach full of cold drink.”

Liu Mian Tang’s voice was as pleasant as her appearance—refreshing and soothing without being overly sweet, with a deep, comforting tone.

Cui Xingzhou saw that he couldn’t drive her away, so he closed his eyes and remained silent, allowing her to continue wiping him down. He still needed her, and it wasn’t worth making her suspicious.

Liu Mian Tang noticed that her husband had stopped resisting and must have taken her words to heart. She continued softly, “As for the other household matters, there’s no need for you to worry. Everyone has their ups and downs, even the Emperor doesn’t have an easy life all the time. Though our family isn’t as grand as in the capital, we’re not lacking in food and clothing. If managing the business tires you out, just rent out the shop and live off the rent. I’ve calculated it, and even without running the business, the rent alone, if we’re frugal, should cover our living expenses. I’ll also take up some sewing work like the other women in the neighborhood. Even if it doesn’t earn much, it will be enough to buy some meat now and then. With this, we’ll have enough to eat and wear, and you can feel free to go out to play chess and visit friends.”

Her words were like a celestial being descending from the heavens to help a poor farm boy. All the worries seemed like myths, effortlessly resolved.

Hearing her speak with such enthusiasm, Cui Xingzhou slowly opened his eyes and focused on Liu Mian Tang, who was massaging his calves.

Feeling his gaze, Liu Mian Tang blushed slightly and asked, “Husband, what are you looking at?”

Although the effects of the alcohol had somewhat worn off, Cui Xingzhou still felt lazy. He replied, “No one has ever told me I can rest. It’s a bit of a revelation… Even small households have their own benefits…”

His words were a mix of truth and pretense, but the feelings behind them were genuine. With a weak mother, he had always had to compete with the concubines and half-brothers who overshadowed him and his mother.

After inheriting his father’s royal title, he had to struggle against court officials who wanted to strip the regents of their lands and powers.

No one had ever told him to "take a break, go and have some fun." Instead, he was always reminded that if he fell, everything would collapse, and there would be no chance for a comeback.

For a brief moment, Cui Xingzhou found himself envying Cui Jiu—although he was a fallen merchant married to a disreputable woman, according to Liu Mian Tang's words, life wasn't so bad after all. In fact, it seemed leisurely and even better than that of the nobility.

Looking again at the woman by the bedside, with her long braid draped by her ear, she appeared particularly lively. Her warm smile and bright eyes seemed to capture the brilliance of the stars in the night sky.

It was just as well that she had lost her memory and didn’t recall the filth she had endured in the bandits’ lair. Once everything here was settled, he would give her some silver. Whether she chose to remarry or enter a convent, it would be up to her.

With these thoughts, the effects of the alcohol resurfaced, and Cui Xingzhou closed his eyes, falling deeply asleep.

He wasn’t worried about her plotting any harm. If she had wanted to, she had countless opportunities before, and as Zhao Quan had said, a woman who escaped from bandits would be more grateful than vengeful. Why would she act against him and risk everything?

The next morning, as the first light of dawn appeared, Cui Xingzhou opened his eyes to see Liu Mian Tang sleeping peacefully in his arms. His heart was reassured of her gentle nature.

But if it hadn’t been for the alcohol, he wouldn’t have shared the same bed with her for the night.

Though her reputation was already tarnished, he would still need to rely on someone in the future. If word got out about the affairs in this house, her path to remarriage would be even more difficult. However, if she were to marry far away, it would be less of an issue.

Cui Xingzhou was a man used to discipline. It was rare for him to venture out on a whim as he did last night.

Every morning, he would perform a set of martial exercises to stretch and invigorate his muscles. Over the years, he rarely missed this routine unless he was exceptionally busy.

Waking up early today, he decided to practice a set of short punches in the courtyard.

Since this was not a martial arts training ground, he chose a simple routine. His tall stature and impressive presence, combined with the powerful, wind-sweeping punches, made for a striking display.

When Liu Mian Tang woke up and didn’t see her husband beside her pillow, she naturally got out of bed and put on her slippers, heading toward the window.

Through the half-open window, she saw Cui Xingzhou practicing his punches, dressed in thin clothing, and drenched in sweat.

Through his damp shirt, it was clear that, although he was lean, his muscles were well-defined—far from the unremarkable physique of a mere scholar!

She had always preferred martial skills over literature. She used to enjoy practicing martial arts herself, but injuries had long since diminished her strength and extinguished her ambitions in that regard.

To her surprise, her husband also had a passion for martial arts and seemed to be quite good at it, which made Liu Mian Tang feel a pang of envy.

With her husband having worked up a sweat, the newly purchased bathtub could finally come into use. Li Mama, who was well-versed in her mistress’ habits, had already prepared hot water in the tub, adjusted the temperature, and added a fragrant lotion, all without needing any instructions from Liu Mian Tang.

After Cui Xingzhou finished his martial arts practice, he was able to relax and enjoy a soothing bath.

When Liu Mian Tang got up to freshen up, she let her long braid down, allowing her hair to flow around her shoulders as she slowly brushed it. After a night's sleep, her once-black hair, now loose and wavy, took on a dreamy, exotic quality reminiscent of a dancer from the Western Regions. Her delicate arms and slender waist were subtly accentuated, adding a touch of allure to her grooming.

As Cui Xingzhou wiped his sweat and walked in, he cast a few casual glances at Liu Mian Tang, who was busy arranging her cloud-like hair.

Liu Mian Tang, feeling somewhat clumsy without Li Mama's help, struggled to manage her hair. She tilted her head and offered a shy smile to her husband. Her naturally red lips, without any rouge, made her pearly white teeth seem even more radiant.

When their eyes met, Cui Xingzhou turned away and headed into a small room adjacent to the inner quarters, where Li Mama helped him with his bath and wash.

Seeing him enter, Liu Mian Tang let out a sigh of relief.

Liu Mian Tang was worried her husband might call her in to assist, and she could already feel her face flushing and heart racing from watching him practice martial arts. The thought of serving him up close while he bathed made her feel like her face was on fire, as if she could cook an egg on it!

While Cui Xingzhou was enjoying his bath, Li Mama swiftly prepared breakfast.

The morning meal was simple yet elegant, with Li Mama setting out several delicacies arranged artfully. In addition to a small bowl of braised eggs and pork, there were stir-fried beans with preserved meat, steamed egg custard with shrimp paste, and the prized preserved radish from Cui's family in North Street. All these were complemented by thick rice porridge, making for a hearty meal.

As they sat down together to eat breakfast, Liu Mian Tang brought up the matter of opening their shop. Cui Xingzhou, while sipping his porridge, casually replied, “You can handle these matters as you see fit. I have recently started studying chess with my new mentor, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to manage these affairs alongside it.”

Such a reason for neglecting the family business for the sake of chess, if spoken by anyone else, would certainly be seen as that of a dissolute young man, deserving of a severe reprimand from his wife!

However, the man sitting before Liu Mian Tang was a refined and handsome youth. Looking at his gentle and profound eyes, such an excuse for ignoring worldly affairs suddenly seemed reasonable.

Liu Mian Tang also felt that asking her husband, who was so gentle and detached, to handle financial matters was somewhat unreasonable.

Moreover, given that he had squandered so many shops in the capital, it was clear that he had little understanding of business. Given this, why burden him?

Since she had the time, she decided to take on these trivial matters herself. Once she had them sorted out, she would hand them back to him.

A couple should be united in heart and mind; how could they be divided so clearly? Reflecting on how her husband had cared for her during her illness, Liu Mian Tang felt deeply grateful for his genuine devotion.

So, hearing Cui Xingzhou say this, Liu Mian Tang immediately agreed: "In that case, leave the opening arrangements to me. I would like to know if there are any of your friends or relatives here. It would be good to send out invitations to them."

Cui Xingzhou did not take Liu Mian Tang's words to heart. After a night of indulgence, it was time for him to return and pay his respects to his mother.

Since his mother, who loved opera, would have stayed up all night, she would likely wake up late. By the time he had breakfast and went back, it should be just right.

After finishing his meal, he drank some tea and said, "There are no relatives or friends to speak of. Save yourself the trouble and just prepare a few firecrackers to announce the opening."

In the future, as Liu Mian Tang took over the business, she would naturally come into contact with more people. If the rebels intended to make contact with his wife, there would be ample opportunities for that.

Thus, Cui Xingzhou was pleased with Liu Mian Tang's management of the shop.

However, Liu Mian Tang valued this matter and thought for a moment before saying, “Dr. Zhao must definitely come. I wonder if he has any family, and if he has children, we should prepare some honeyed fruits for them.”

Cui Xingzhou had already gotten up and was dressing. Without looking at Liu Mian Tang, he said, "He has been busy recently and probably won't be able to come."

Liu Mian Tang walked over to adjust his collar and, with some hesitation, said, "But the doctor sent a servant to the residence yesterday, asking to be informed about the shop's opening and inquiring about the date. I didn’t provide a definite date because we haven’t decided on one yet..."

Cui Xingzhou paused. He hadn't expected that Zhao Quan would be so intent, even sending a servant for this purpose.

[Author's Note]: Liu Mian Tang: A small business is just starting up~~

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