The night grew deeper, and the sky was filled with stars of every hue, like a Milky Way paved with fine diamonds.
A gentle breeze lifted Lin Aiyun’s hair, twirling it before letting it fall back to her shoulders. Her hand was firmly held by Xiao Cheng’s as they walked toward their room, chatting along the way.
The invitations that Zhou Jin had brought back earlier were to be delivered personally by the couple—of course, only to close friends and relatives who had close ties with the family and held significant status in the capital. For the less important ones, Zhou Jin and the others could handle the distribution.
“Perfect. When you go to the Zhangs’ tomorrow, I’ll come with you—we can deliver the invitation there as well.” Xiao Cheng remembered and mentioned it casually.
Lin Aiyun nodded in agreement, then took the initiative to bring up Xiao Juan’s situation. Xiao Cheng sighed and told her about the old days.
Xiao Juan had liked Jiang Yan ever since she was a child. Perhaps because they had grown up together in the Xiao household, with no other companion her age nearby, she was very clingy to him, following him everywhere.
At first, the elders in the family had taken it as childish affection and hadn’t thought much of it. They figured having Jiang Yan act as a little bodyguard, looking after her safety and occasionally serving tea, was a good thing.
After all, their statuses were worlds apart—one was the young lady of a prominent family, the other the steward’s son. No one had ever thought of them in that way.
That was, until Xiao Juan’s fourteenth birthday, when their father had “caught them in the act.” Both of them reeked of alcohol—they had clearly snuck drinks from the banquet, and quite a lot at that.
Though nothing substantive had happened, their father flew into a rage. Unwilling to strike his own daughter, he took a whip to Jiang Yan instead. He had intended to tie him up and drown him in a pond, and no one dared to plead for mercy—not even Jiang Yan’s own father, Jiang Guojun, who remained silent throughout.
In those days, a common life was worth nothing.
But Xiao Juan had begged Xiao Cheng. Somehow—perhaps through whatever he’d said to their father—Jiang Yan was only expelled from the household, not killed.
“What did you make A-Juan promise you…” Lin Aiyun paused, rephrasing, “in exchange for saving Jiang Yan?”
They had just reached the door of their room. The dim lamplight in the corridor fell on Xiao Cheng, softening his cold, rigid edges—but the words he spoke still carried a layer of frost.
“She promised she would never be with Jiang Yan.”
Every word was crystal clear. Lin Aiyun stopped in her tracks, her heart racing. A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes. Given Xiao Cheng’s character, he wasn’t someone who valued social status in a match—that much was clear from how he’d married her and given her endless respect and affection.
So why was he so opposed to Xiao Juan and Jiang Yan? If it weren’t for his interference, they would have been together long ago.
Perhaps sensing her bewilderment, Xiao Cheng pressed his lips together. As those memories surfaced, his eyes gradually reddened, his gaze turning sharp and vicious as he let out a cold laugh: “If it were true love, how could I possibly keep my only sister from being with the person she loves?”
“But the one she loves is nothing but a scheming wolf cub.”
Lin Aiyun’s heart clenched with fear. She tightened her grip on his hand as he continued.
“He was the one who coaxed A-Juan into drinking that wine. He carried her to the bed. He even orchestrated it so our father would walk in on them. He dreamed of rising to the top in one leap—but he never expected our father wouldn’t fall for it. In the end, he only brought ruin upon himself.”
“He was only fifteen then, still a child. How could he…” be so calculating? To think he would ruin A-Juan’s reputation to achieve his own goals—and A-Juan had trusted him so deeply. It was nothing short of betrayal.
Lin Aiyun murmured in disbelief, unable to accept what she was hearing. She had interacted with Jiang Yan before, and he had always seemed quiet but polite, greeting her respectfully whenever they met.
Now she saw—you could know a person’s face without knowing their heart.
Then she wondered: since Xiao Cheng knew what kind of person Jiang Yan was, why keep him around at all? Why keep him so close?
She voiced her thought.
“Uncle Jiang saved my father’s life.”
There were many ways Xiao Cheng could have cut ties completely, but too many complications were involved. Sometimes he had to turn a blind eye. In any case, he had no intention of keeping this father-and-son pair around for much longer.
“From A-Juan’s reaction today, does she not know about any of this?” Lin Aiyun hadn’t expected so many complications. After thinking for a while, she realized that if she were in Xiao Juan’s shoes, she wouldn’t know what to do either.
“I never told her. With her temperament, if she found out, who knows what she’d do?” Xiao Cheng scoffed, knowing all too well his sister’s stubborn nature.
Hearing this, Lin Aiyun couldn’t help teasing him: “And you’re okay with her resenting you for it?”
To spare Xiao Juan the heartbreak, Xiao Cheng was willing to play the villain. As an older brother, he’d gone above and beyond.
But whether that was for better or worse, she couldn’t say.
And most of the time, he had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Though his intentions were always for his sister’s good, things often backfired.
“Let her resent me then.” Xiao Cheng waved a hand, seemingly unconcerned—but the brief flicker in his eyes revealed his true feelings to Lin Aiyun.
“A-Juan will understand someday.”
Lin Aiyun comforted him, then suddenly threw her arms around his neck, hanging off him like a koala. She deliberately softened her voice and cooed: “Our handsome, kind-hearted Mr. Xiao Cheng—stop thinking about all that. How about a smile for me?”
A large hand caught her waist, steadying her so she wouldn’t fall.
Xiao Cheng helplessly curved his lips. Just as he was about to say something, his breath caught. Looking down, he met a pair of innocent, clear eyes that seemed to overflow with a bewitching charm.
“So generous with that smile—and it’s so beautiful too. Shouldn’t I give you a reward for that?”
The moment the words left her mouth, he sucked in a sharp breath. He could feel her delicate, boneless little hand slowly wandering, and his breathing grew ragged. He couldn’t even speak—all he could think about was claiming those restless red lips.
But she kissed him first, her pink tongue tracing the shape of his lips, again and again—lush and alluring—while her hands kept moving.
It was maddening.
A cool breeze from outside finally reminded them they were still standing at the door.
“Husband, shall we go inside?” She leaned against his ear, her warm, fragrant breath fanning into his ear, tingling and numbing. How could Xiao Cheng refuse? He didn’t forget to close the door behind them.
The heavy slam of the door was accompanied by the faint clatter of a stool being knocked over.
On the large round table, Xiao Cheng’s gaze was fixed solely on her. His eyes darkened as he caught a glimpse of her bare shoulder. She lay gracefully across the tabletop, one leg bent over the other, her elbow propping her up, her silky black hair cascading down—indescribably alluring.
The words “a feast for the eyes” flashed vividly through his mind. He felt the thread of reason stretch and stretch, finally teetering at the breaking point—until she hooked her slender finger around his belt and pulled him close.
Everything after that spun out of control.
Her bright eyes sparkled, her cherry lips burned. The sounds of swallowing, of water, intertwined, stirring an inexplicable restlessness.
A reward indeed—it left a man clear-headed and rejuvenated, as if adding twenty years to his life.
“Is your mouth still sore?” Xiao Cheng wore nothing but boxers now, his smile impossible to hide. Having experienced the ultimate pleasure last night, he was like a victorious general—radiant and high-spirited. He held Lin Aiyun as they washed up, his hands wandering, his mouth just as restless.
Hearing this, Lin Aiyun shot him a look and deliberately said coldly: “Mm, so I’m never doing that again.”
“…” Xiao Cheng paused mid-motion, wiping her face, utterly stumped. He couldn’t argue back, but he couldn’t agree either. He could only coax and soothe her until she finally laughed—then he realized he’d been played. He grabbed her and kissed her several times before letting her go.
“Hurry up—let’s go eat breakfast. We have real things to do today!” Lin Aiyun lifted her head, pushing away the towel he held. The friction had left her nose slightly red and adorable.
She went to the wardrobe to pick out clothes—there were many new additions, but none felt quite right. Finally, she turned to ask Xiao Cheng: “Which one should I wear? More mature, or more youthful?”
“You look great in anything.” Xiao Cheng seized the chance to flatter her, adding before she could get upset, “Auntie likes well-behaved young girls.”
“Then I’ll wear this?” Lin Aiyun pulled out a white shirt and lotus-pink trousers, holding them up in front of her. Seeing Xiao Cheng nod, she ducked behind the small folding screen to change.
They fussed around in the room a little longer before heading to the dining hall for breakfast.
“Sister-in-law! You look so beautiful today.” The moment she walked in, Lin Aiyun was greeted by Xiao Juan’s warm enthusiasm. She smiled and went over to explain: “I’m going with your brother to deliver wedding invitations later.”
“Oh, I see.” Xiao Juan nodded, complimented her a couple more times, and then, as if just noticing Xiao Cheng, spoke up with a hint of awkwardness: “Brother, good morning.”
Xiao Cheng had only meant to nod in acknowledgment, but the next second he caught his wife’s icy glare. So he replied in a strained, unnatural tone: “Good morning.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Xiao Juan’s eyes went wide as if she’d seen a ghost. She nearly stepped forward to check if her brother had been possessed. Was this really him? Usually, she had to grovel for ages before he’d even acknowledge her existence and offer his “forgiveness.”
Why was it so easy this time?
But then it dawned on her—this had to be her sister-in-law’s doing. There was no other explanation.
“Thank you, sister-in-law.” Xiao Juan leaned in and whispered her thanks. The two exchanged a meaningful look before heading to the breakfast table. The millet congee with bok choy was sweet and refreshing—not heavy at all—and everyone had a big bowl.
After the meal, Lin Aiyun followed Xiao Cheng to the storeroom to pick out a few gifts. They grabbed the invitations and set off.
This was her first formal visit, and she was essentially asking for a favor—so she had to show some sincerity.
Standing at the Zhang family’s gate, Lin Aiyun took several deep breaths before barely managing to suppress her nerves. Xiao Cheng found it amusing and teased her: “You weren’t this flustered yesterday. Is Auntie some kind of monster?”
“Pfft, shut up—what if someone hears you?” Lin Aiyun rolled her eyes. “Easy for you to say—you’re not the nervous one.”
Just as she was speaking, the door swung open from the inside. Lin Aiyun quickly schooled her expression into a gentle smile—her face-changing speed so fast that Xiao Cheng couldn’t help but curl his lips again. But this time, he didn’t tease her.
They must have known they were coming—Zhang Boli and his wife were already waiting in the living room. They stood up when they saw the couple approach. Zhang Boli was calm as always, but Yang Xueyan was different—she couldn’t help standing on tiptoe to get a better look.
After all, she had watched Xiao Cheng grow up. She and his mother had been close friends, and since his mother had passed away in childbirth, she almost considered him her own son.
So when she’d heard he had gotten married in another province, she’d nearly fainted.
If it were just the marriage itself, it wouldn’t have been so dramatic. But the rumor mill had churned out all sorts of stories—half-truths and speculation. The only thing confirmed was that Xiao Cheng’s wife was a country girl.
Everything else was unknown.
In those days, people had unflattering stereotypes about rural folks—uneducated, coarse, unreasonable, dark-skinned, yellow-toothed, scrawny…
Some even whispered that she had climbed her way up through unsavory means.
Though she knew something of Xiao Cheng’s character and taste, first impressions were powerful—and Yang Xueyan couldn’t help but worry.
She had actually wanted to visit the moment they arrived in the capital, but her husband said that would be too hasty and might come across the wrong way, potentially straining their relationship with the couple. So she’d held back.
She could wait until the wedding banquet to meet her.
But then Zhang Boli told her he’d run into Xiao Cheng’s wife a couple of days ago, saying she was a well-mannered, beautiful girl. That completely piqued her curiosity. So the next afternoon, after returning home, she’d gone out and wandered around several times—but she hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse.
Just when she was feeling disappointed, Zhang Boli mentioned that the girl was skilled at embroidery and would be coming over the next day for some guidance.
Now, after all that emotional rollercoaster, the moment had finally come. Yang Xueyan unconsciously tightened her clasped hands. The distance between them grew shorter and shorter.
When she got a clear look at the girl’s face, a flash of admiration crossed Yang Xueyan’s eyes—dark hair, fair skin, rosy lips, a dainty nose. Truly a beauty.
She wore a crisp white shirt and trousers, her dark hair pinned up to reveal a slender neck and delicate face. Her posture was impeccable—no slouching—and her bearing was superb. In Yang Xueyan’s view, this young woman could hold her own even among the capital’s socialites.
Setting aside her wandering thoughts, she stepped forward and spoke first with a smile: “Xiao Cheng, aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Auntie, long time no see. This is my wife, Lin Aiyun.” Xiao Cheng, unfazed by Yang Xueyan’s enthusiasm, pushed Lin Aiyun forward without ceremony.
“Hello, Auntie.” After so many years, meeting Yang Xueyan again, Lin Aiyun suppressed the surging emotions in her heart and greeted her with a smile.
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