Chapter 102: Narrow-Mindedness

The water in such a small tub could hardly drown anyone. Even in a moment of panic, the amount of water one could gulp down was limited. After a brief moment of distress, Su Tan’er finally came to her senses, her expression dominated by shyness and a desire to create distance.

Ning Yi patted the water off his body and got up to leave. Su Tan’er sat curled up on the wooden chair inside, wrapped in a towel, biting her lip.

“Husband… how could you… be here…”

Her voice trailed off, growing softer. Ning Yi answered from outside the curtain, “I was planning to take a bath, and you?”

“I… I had Juan’er start the fire…”

Ning Yi was silent for a moment.

“When I returned, there was no one else in the courtyard. Juan’er went out… uh, you were asleep—when did you tell her to start it?”

Inside the bathroom, Su Tan’er had already realized what was happening, her face contorted in a grimace of embarrassment. After a long pause, she whispered faintly, “...At noon… what time is it now?”

Judging by the light outside, it was probably already late afternoon. Ning Yi’s reply came after a long wait, accompanied by a chuckle: “Heh, you go ahead and wash first. Since everything’s wet anyway, I’ll go… change my clothes. It’s nothing.”

Having just helped Su Tan’er out of the tub, his robe was soaked as well. Seeing his own drenched state, Ning Yi turned to leave. Just before reaching the door, a hesitant voice called out from inside: “Hu-husband… wait…”

“Hm?”

“...It’s a bit cold.”

…

After changing his outer robe, Ning Yi hurried to the small kitchen to start a fire and boil water. His constitution was strong enough that even a cold bath in this weather wouldn’t be much of a problem. He simply felt that soaking in a cold tub in that room didn’t quite fit the mood. Besides, there wasn’t much hot water left from earlier, definitely not enough for Su Tan’er.

In the quiet autumn courtyard that afternoon, leaves rustling softly, Ning Yi boiled water while talking to Su Tan’er through the wall about the academy’s closure, Li Pin’s departure, and the luncheon earlier.

“...Second uncle said, we’re all family—there’s no such thing as first or second wives, that’s just outsiders making a fuss. His sons don’t understand, but this family will eventually be best managed by you, so seeing you so tired lately, he asked me to remind you to rest more… Oh, and he said business in the world can never be finished all at once.”

Handing her the hot water, Ning Yi spoke those words. From the other side of the wall, Su Tan’er’s voice carried a slight smile: “Do you believe him, husband?”

“Whether you believe it or not, I do,” Ning Yi replied with a smile and a nod.

Such an answer probably struck Su Tan’er as cheeky, leaving her a bit speechless for a moment. As Ning Yi stepped through the bathroom’s outer door, he said, “The world’s business can’t all be finished at once—that’s sensible if you set aside the rest.”

“But some things are urgent and some aren’t…” Su Tan’er murmured inside before adding, “Regardless of that, what about the rest? Do you believe it, husband?”

“...One must be honest.”

---

Pushing aside the curtain and entering the bathroom, Ning Yi saw Su Tan’er wrapped tightly in two towels and her clothes, curled up on the chair. Though tall and graceful, curled like this she revealed only her face, yet still exuded an unusual charm. Her cheeks flushed, but her gaze was fixed on Ning Yi. “That doesn’t count as an answer.”

“One must be honest... so second uncle seems quite honest.” Ning Yi said, pouring the hot water into the tub and testing the temperature with his hand.

“You’re not honest, husband.”

“It’s only those who aren’t honest who always think others aren’t. As for me, I trust second uncle.”

“Cheeky.”

“The water’s hot now, should be just right… You and your second uncle have issues, but you can’t slander me just because I say he’s honest.”

Su Tan’er smiled and stared at him, enunciating each word: “Husband, you’re cheeky and dishonest.”

“Alright then, women and petty people are the hardest to deal with…”

“You’re the slickest one, husband—cheeky and dishonest.”

“I won’t argue with you.” Ning Yi lifted the curtain and prepared to leave, when a voice came from behind.

“Not telling the truth, dishonest.”

“Alright.” Ning Yi sighed, turned, and withdrew from behind the curtain, showing only his face. He blinked. “I really didn’t come in on purpose earlier.”

His words made Su Tan’er’s eyes widen instantly. Her cheeks flushed from a faint pink to deep red. She hugged herself, sitting there, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. After Ning Yi left and some time passed, Su Tan’er finally lifted the towel and stepped down.

The bathroom was designed with a curtain and a wooden door. Once the wooden door was closed, no one could enter. Su Tan’er had assumed Juan’er was home and hadn’t fully latched the door. Now, she went over and fastened the wooden latch.

She was still dressed in a bellyband, silk trousers, and bare feet, half soaked and naturally unable to dry quickly. Thinking about what Ning Yi might have seen earlier, her face turned red again. She hugged herself against the door panel, imagining him surely laughing outside.

Footsteps sounded as Ning Yi hummed softly, walking past the bathroom corridor to boil his own bath water. Su Tan’er pursed her lips and called softly, “Husband, you’re not honest!”

Her voice was low but probably audible outside. The footsteps paused briefly. She sniffled, then smiled and walked toward the tub.

…

After Su Tan’er finished bathing, it was Ning Yi’s turn. By the time he finished, it was nearly evening. Around five o’clock or so, Ning Yi sat in the pavilion at the center of the courtyard, waiting for his hair to dry in the breeze. Chan’er and Juan’er had returned and greeted him in the sunset. Chan’er came over and shook her head, “Did the master take a bath?”

After a brief chat, she went back to her tasks.

A while later, Su Tan’er approached with a smile. She had simply tied up her long hair and donned a lake-green dress. Sitting down, she squinted at the sunset through the trees. “So, husband, you’re going to Yan Cui Tower with Wen Xing and the others tonight?”

“Yes.” Ning Yi nodded, then tilted his head thoughtfully. “I wonder who the most popular girl there is…”

“The most popular one… is called Lü Xia.”

“How do you know?”

“I went once, disguised as a man.” Su Tan’er covered her mouth, laughing, then added, “Have fun, husband. After all, Young Master Li is leaving soon—give him my regards and wish him smooth sailing. As for those who aren’t very honest, you don’t have to pay them much mind…”

“Hm?”

“Honestly, I think it’d be better if you went with Young Master Li alone than with Wen Xing and those others. It’s no fun; I’m afraid they’ll ruin your mood.”

Su Tan’er’s personality was strong-willed but kind toward family—though the family she acknowledged was only a few. During New Year’s, she dragged Ning Yi around to visit various households, and occasionally hosted banquets. At these gatherings, she always made sure to consider Ning Yi’s presence. From one perspective, Ning Yi didn’t really need such care; but Su Tan’er’s “extra” efforts showed she truly treated their marriage seriously.

Ning Yi, having come this far, did not seek pure romance. To him, Su Tan’er’s role was similar to what he had experienced in his past life: placed in a marriage, one must simply “manage” it accordingly. The term wasn’t unpleasant to him—“You can’t expect two people to fall in love at first sight and start smooching.” Sometimes, you only have one way to view things.

Su Tan’er’s marriage had no ceremony at first, but once accepted, she showed genuine sincerity. She had given a once-stranger respect and earnestness. Ning Yi recognized this sincerity—it was an unspoken agreement: if possible, let’s live this way.

She had very few choices from the start. What Ning Yi saw was a nineteen-year-old woman giving her all with earnestness and effort.

On one hand, she cared about business; on the other, she looked after a family with little choice—this was her sincerity. Ning Yi appreciated this attitude. He had planned to leave if things couldn’t continue, so staying in Huabian was part of the plan if it worked out.

Though their life had once been a somewhat deliberate “arrangement,” now they had some mutual affection, which was ideal. When she said this, she also felt Ning Yi need not tolerate the family’s second-generation wastrels. Ning Yi smiled: “No worries, they won’t ruin the fun.”

“If you go with Young Master Li and the others, don’t let little Chan follow,” Su Tan’er said, pulling out a few silver notes from her sleeve. “You probably don’t have much silver on you. Here’s five hundred taels—take it. If there’s someone you like, support her more. You’re the top scholar; you can’t be stingy.”

She smiled again. “Those brothers from the second and third wives’ sides really aren’t reliable. If the family were in their hands, it would be squandered. Uncle Two and Uncle Three surely know this, but they’re only in their thirties or forties. Like fathers, with grandsons growing up and succeeding, they’re still the ones in charge. So when I say they don’t compete, it means they’re not honest. Uncle Two and Uncle Three compete for themselves, not the next generation. Wen Xing and the others are foolish—they can only be the fathers of the household heads, never the heads themselves…”

Su Tan’er lowered her head, her tone softening: “Husband, please don’t stand with Uncle Two when you speak, alright? Even if it’s deliberate, I want to hear you badmouth the second and third wives’ side… I want you to stand with me. I love hearing you say Uncle Two and Uncle Three aren’t honest. I don’t like hearing you say Uncle Two is honest, even if it’s on purpose—I just don’t like it. I’m petty that way…”

She looked up, pursed her lips slightly, and smiled at Ning Yi with a hint of pleading. The sunset cast its light on her face. In that moment, Ning Yi felt touched by her little jealousy.

Whether true or not, it was undeniably endearing…