The morning light filtered through the carved window lattice, sprinkling fine golden spots on the bed.
Pei Cijing was sleeping soundly.
He hugged Shen Ninghuan from behind, one leg pressed against hers, one arm wrapped around her waist, and the other hand had somehow slipped under her neck, pulling her completely into his embrace.
The posture looked exactly like an octopus clinging to a piece of driftwood.
Shen Ninghuan had been awake for a while.
With her eyes open, she watched the sky gradually brightening outside the window. She turned her head slightly to look at the fluffy head behind her, the corners of her lips curving up into a somewhat helpless smile.
This man.
His sleeping posture was truly terrible.
But he was sleeping so sweetly.
She could feel his even breathing from behind, feel his warm chest pressed against her back, and feel him occasionally smacking his lips, wondering what good food he was eating in his dreams.
Thinking of the events of the past few days, the smile on Shen Ninghuan's lips deepened.
Her husband had won the bet they made last time at the Qingyun Temple.
With the three exam paper correction immunities in hand, his tail was practically pointing to the sky. Yet, he still pretended to say, "Don't be sad that you lost, my wife," claiming it was to comfort her while volunteering to write two more essays on the classics and two more policy essays.
Looking at his hypocritical expression at the time, Shen Ninghuan almost couldn't hold back her laughter.
Her husband was the truly cunning one. When she agreed to the bet, she only thought of either doing a few more essays or giving him the three immunities—choosing one of the two.
She didn't expect it.
Her husband was a clever ghost!
He let her know that only children make choices; adults take them all!
But she had to admit.
Protected by the immunity, her husband was visibly much more relaxed when writing his essays. Yesterday, while writing a policy essay, he suddenly sneezed three times in a row, his pen tip trembling and drawing a long ink mark on the paper.
His face turned pale at that moment.
Then, as if remembering something, his face went from pale to red, then to pink, and finally, with a cheeky laugh and a wave of his brush, he drew a turtle hiding in its shell over the mistake.
"I have my immunity anyway," he said righteously. "My wife cannot withhold the reward."
Naturally, Shen Ninghuan didn't say anything. She just took the policy essay with the drawn turtle and read it carefully.
The essay was indeed well written.
The logic was clear, the arguments sufficient, and the classical references were used perfectly. He even achieved what her father valued most: "A policy essay must contain practical insights."
So she fulfilled the bet.
As for the reward...
Shen Ninghuan's face grew slightly hot.
Last night, the two of them tossed and turned for a long time before resting.
She originally thought that after taking the fitness pills her husband had secretly slipped her a few times, her strength and constitution were no less than an ordinary man's, and she should be more than capable of handling him.
But facts proved...
She overestimated herself.
And underestimated Little Pei Cijing.
This man was usually lazy and laid-back, so how could he have boundless energy when it came to that matter?
Just as Shen Ninghuan was thinking, the person behind her suddenly moved.
He didn't wake up.
He smacked his lips and nuzzled into the crook of her neck, his warm breath hitting the back of her ear, tickling her.
Shen Ninghuan chuckled.
She turned her head slightly, looking at the head buried in her shoulder, and called softly, "Husband?"
No response.
"Pei Cijing?"
His breathing remained even.
Shen Ninghuan thought for a moment and tried to move her body, wanting to break free from his embrace. Who knew that as soon as she moved, the person behind her tightened his arms and pressed his leg down more firmly, as if by reflex.
"Mmm..." he mumbled vaguely, muttering unknown words in his sleep.
Shen Ninghuan: "..."
She sighed somewhat helplessly.
This man seemed quite agreeable when awake. How did he become like a dog-skin plaster when asleep, impossible to peel off?
She continued to try to break free.
Little by little.
Carefully.
But her movements, instead of waking her husband up, resulted in—
Shen Ninghuan's body stiffened slightly.
She felt it.
Little Pei Cijing behind her woke up a step earlier than Pei Cijing, full of energy and displaying the vitality of the morning.
Shen Ninghuan closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
This man!
He couldn't even be well-behaved while sleeping!
She bit her lip, suppressing the heat on her face, and continued to push out. This time, she used a bit of force and finally managed to pry the hand wrapped around her waist open a little bit.
And then—
"Wifey..." a vague voice came from behind. "Sleep a little longer..."
Shen Ninghuan paused her movements.
She turned her head and met Pei Cijing's half-open eyes. Those eyes were still filled with sleepiness, dazed, like a cat that had just woken up.
"Husband," Shen Ninghuan said gently, "It's time to get up."
Pei Cijing blinked, then blinked again, seeming not to have processed it.
Seeing him like this, Shen Ninghuan had to say it again: "Today Miss Cousin is entering the manor. Old Madam sent someone to notify us a few days ago, asking us to be at the main hall of Yifu Hall on time to welcome her. If you don't get up now, we'll be late."
Miss Cousin?
Pei Cijing's brain churned, and he finally salvaged a bit of clarity from his sleepiness.
Right.
His wife had mentioned this yesterday, saying that Old Madam sent word that a distant relative was coming, a Miss Cousin, who would be staying in the manor temporarily, and they needed to gather at the main hall of Yifu Hall today to welcome her.
He hadn't paid much attention at the time, treating it as ordinary relative interaction.
But right now...
Miss Cousin entering the manor.
Welcoming.
Late.
These few words strung together acted like a basin of cold water, instantly waking him up from his drowsiness.
Old Madam!
Late!
Family discipline!
Pei Cijing shuddered and became completely awake.
He sat up abruptly, moving so fast that he even flipped a corner of the quilt away. Shen Ninghuan only felt a sudden emptiness behind her. Turning to look, she saw her husband sitting on the bed, his eyes wide round.
"What time is it?" Pei Cijing asked anxiously.
Looking at his appearance, Shen Ninghuan couldn't help but curve her lips: "It's still early. We have time."
Pei Cijing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He wiped his face and rubbed his eyes. The last remnants of sleepiness finally dissipated completely. He turned his head and looked at Shen Ninghuan, his face bearing a sense of relief as if having survived a disaster.
"Wifey, you should have said so earlier," he muttered. "You scared me."
Shen Ninghuan looked at him, amused: "I did say it. You were the one lingering in bed, refusing to get up."
Pei Cijing choked on his words.
He remembered his "sleep a little longer" appearance just now and guiltily touched his nose.
"Well..." he laughed dryly. "I just wasn't fully awake."
Shen Ninghuan didn't say anything more. She just got up, got out of bed, walked to the clothes rack, and took down the clothes that had already been prepared.
Pei Cijing also followed her out of bed.
As he dressed, he silently muttered in his heart.
In front of his wife, he could throw a little temper, and in front of his parents, he could slack off a bit, but in front of that Old Madam...
He didn't dare to step out of line in the slightest.
Don't be fooled by the fact that Old Madam spent her days worshiping Buddha and didn't manage much of the manor's affairs. From top to bottom in the Weiyuan Marquis Manor, there was no one who didn't fear her.
It was said that when the Late Marquis was still alive, the Old Madam was famously decisive and strict. While the Late Marquis fought in wars outside, she managed the household within, keeping the massive Marquis's residence in perfect order without the slightest error.
Later, after the Late Marquis passed away, the Old Madam moved into Yifu Hall, spending her days eating vegetarian meals, chanting Buddhist sutras, and ignoring worldly affairs.
But ignoring worldly affairs did not mean she lacked means.
Those lazy and deceitful servants in the estate, or the restless concubines left behind by the Late Marquis's philandering—once they made a scene in front of the Old Madam, none of them met a good end.
Pei Cijing remembered when he was young, there was a distant relative staying in the estate. Relying on his connection to the Old Madam, he ran amok, bullying servants and harassing maids, turning the place into a foul mess.
Once the Old Madam found out, without a second word, she ordered him tied up. She personally had him slapped twenty times across the face, followed by thirty heavy blows from a military cane. Finally, without giving him time to heal, she had him sent back to his hometown overnight. It was said that he died on the road before even making it halfway home.
Since then.
No one in the estate dared to cause trouble right under the Old Madam's nose.
Thinking of this, Pei Cijing's hands moved a bit faster. He didn't want to experience the Old Madam's "family discipline" just for being late; the rattan cane passed down for three generations was not something pleasant to endure.
After the two finished washing up and dressing neatly, they left Anle Residence and walked toward Yifu Hall.
......
The main hall of Yifu Hall.
By the time Pei Cijing and Shen Ninghuan arrived, there were already people seated inside.
The main seat in the center was empty; that was the Old Madam's seat.
Seated on the lower left was a man in a dark cyan brocade robe and a jade belt. His face was handsome and clear, yet it carried an indescribable sense of cold detachment. This was the heir of the Marquis's estate, Pei Ciling.
Pei Cijing only took one look before withdrawing his gaze.
This eldest brother.
He had arrived quite early this time.
It seemed the lesson of kneeling in the ancestral hall for a month prior had taught him the meaning of "punctuality."
Pei Ciling seemed to sense someone entering and looked up. His gaze swept past Pei Cijing's face, paused on Shen Ninghuan for a moment, and then he gave a slight nod in greeting.
His attitude was polite yet distant.
"Eldest Brother." Pei Cijing also cupped his hands, his tone flat.
Shen Ninghuan followed with a slight curtsy.
There were no extra pleasantries, no extra formalities. Their relationship was only passable on the surface to begin with, and after that incident, they couldn't even be bothered to maintain a facade of warmth. As long as they didn't openly fall out and kept a superficial harmony, it was enough.
Pei Cijing withdrew his gaze, walked to the right side, and sat down on a chair further back.
He sat in the lowest seat on the right.
Shen Ninghuan sat in the chair next to him, slightly further forward than his.
Pei Cijing had no objections to this, even finding it a matter of course.
This was the "rule" of their second branch.
His mother had already handed over the management of the second branch to his wife. She was the matriarch of the second branch, so naturally, she should sit ahead of him. As for him...
Pei Cijing leaned back against the chair, comfortably accepting his "lowly family status."
Anyway, he had no intention of fighting for any status at home.
Lying flat comfortably, happily watching the drama unfold, and occasionally writing an article in exchange for some "rewards"—this little life was quite beautiful.
His gaze swept across the hall and suddenly landed on a person opposite him.
That person was standing behind Pei Ciling.
Wearing a pale lotus-colored jacket, dressed plainly and low-key, she kept her head down, obscuring her expression. Only a section of her fair jawline and slightly pursed lips could be seen.
Shen Ningyue.
Pei Cijing only took one look before shifting his eyes away.
Not out of avoidance, but because—
She was standing.
In a room full of people who were all seated, she was the only one standing.
Concubine.
Pei Cijing silently repeated these two words in his heart.
This was a formal occasion with the entire household present. The Old Madam hadn't arrived yet, and even the younger generation like them had seats, but Shen Ningyue did not.
She was the concubine of the heir, Pei Ciling.
On such an occasion, she wasn't even qualified to sit on a chair. She could only stand behind the heir like a dispensable decoration.
However, this was all her own choice.
Pei Cijing withdrew his gaze, feeling no ripples in his heart. He never had much interaction with this former "fiancée" to begin with, and now they were worse than strangers.
It was just...
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Pei Ciling's upright figure and the silent, beautiful silhouette behind him. Weren't these two madly in love back then? Now their relationship seemed somewhat cold!
The hall was quiet for a moment, and then more people arrived one after another.
The Marquis of Weiyuan, Pei Fucheng, entered with the Marchioness. Pei Fucheng wore a slate-blue everyday robe, his face majestic and his steps steady. The Marchioness wore a purplish-red jacket with her hair worn high in a bun, a faint smile on her well-maintained face.
The two took their seats at the upper left.
Immediately after.
Pei Cijing's parents also arrived.
Pei Fugui wore a dark red brocade robe, a smile on his chubby round face. As soon as he entered, he winked at Pei Cijing and Shen Ninghuan. Madam Zhou followed behind him, wearing an autumn-fragrance colored jacket, her hair adorned with pure gold and kingfisher feather hairpins. Her overall aura immediately marked her as someone of wealth and status.
The two sat down at the upper right.
As soon as Madam Zhou sat down, she beckoned to Shen Ninghuan and asked in a low voice, "Huan'er, did you sleep well last night?"
Shen Ninghuan's face grew slightly warm, but she still replied gently, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. Your daughter-in-law slept very well."
Madam Zhou nodded in satisfaction.
It was good that she slept well!
If she didn't sleep well, how could she give her a big, plump grandson!
The more she looked at this daughter-in-law, the more she liked her.
She was pretty, had a good temper, and treated Cijing with genuine sincerity. She was also smart and had her own ideas, far better than her son who only knew how to lie flat like a salted fish.
Thinking of this.
Madam Zhou cast a glance at Pei Cijing.
Pei Cijing was leaning against the back of his chair, boredly observing the furnishings in the hall. Catching his mother's gaze, he looked up and gave Madam Zhou an obedient smile.
Madam Zhou: "......"
Forget it.
At least he had recently started studying and making progress, willing to write essays and prepare for next year's spring examinations. That was better than his previous "dead pig unafraid of boiling water" attitude.
She withdrew her gaze and continued speaking softly with Shen Ninghuan.
Before long, everyone had arrived.
The hall inexplicably quieted down.
The crowd either sat upright, lowered their eyes, or looked at their toes. No one spoke.
The atmosphere was somewhat subtle.
Pei Cijing boredly counted the pillars in the hall. One, two, three...
Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the back hall.
Everyone stood up in unison.
Pei Cijing also hurriedly stood up, straightened his lapels, and reined in the idle expression on his face.
The footsteps drew closer.
A figure emerged from the back hall.
The Old Madam.
She wore a dark cyan jacket, her hair meticulously combed and adorned with only a single jasper hairpin. Faint wrinkles traced her face, yet there was not the slightest hint of senility in her brows and eyes.
Those eyes were as clear and bright as a deep pool.
As her gaze swept over the crowd, it felt as though she could see right through to whatever everyone was thinking.
"Sit."
The Old Madam spoke. Her voice was not loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
Only then did the crowd take their seats again.
