CH 2

Chapter 2 – Husband Cui Jiu

At this time, it was almost dusk, and the golden glow of the sunset shines right on the man’s elegant and noble face, making his eyebrows and eyes more profound. The sharp eyes under his dashing eyebrows make people feel his fierce vibe.

This is a super handsome man. Under his high-bridged nose, the corners of his thin lips are slightly curled up, making him seem to be smiling naturally, which dilutes the stern and gloomy aura in his eyes.

Liu Miantang still remembers that when she saw him for the first time recovering from an illness, the first thought that flashed in her mind was: Although he has a good look, he doesn’t look like the loyal type. He has a face that draws the attention of many. Whoever becomes his wife will be tired.

The ancients said that you can’t judge people by their appearance, otherwise, you will be punished by Heaven.

When she was still in a daze on her sickbed, it did not take long till she found out that the retribution for judging others unspokenly has come. The sachet she prepared before her marriage to give to her future husband was strikingly hanging in this handsome man’s mouth.

Hearing that the young doctor who diagnosed her pulse called him “Ninth Master Cui”, she vaguely guessed that she will be that unlucky lady who was destined to be tired.

When she got a definite answer from the doctor, she was filled with mixed feelings and didn’t know how to face her unfamiliar husband.

At that time, she still couldn’t say much. She could only weakly watch Cui Jiu sit aside on her bed and carefully ask the doctor: “How is her condition and how long will she be able to speak normally?”

The man’s low and magnetic voice makes people feel inexplicably at ease…

Just when she was thinking, Cui Jiu had lifted the curtain of the door and strode in. He paused in his steps when he saw her staring at him in a daze. After a moment of silence, he said lightly, “I’m back.”

She recalls that it has been more than a month since both of them last saw each other.

Unfortunately, she and Cui Jiu have been married for several years, but the memories are all gone in her mind now. She can never understand the feeling of bitterness and lovesickness of waiting for a husband that has been gone for a long time.

However, she knew something about the past from the words of others from time to time. She only heard that they had been affectionate with each other since they got married.

Although unfamiliar, she gratefully remembered her husband, Cui Jiu’s effort for the Liu family and her. She got up and walked over, ready to take off his cloak and dust for him.

But before she could get close, Cui Jiu’s long fingers had untied the tie and threw the satin cloak behind him on the bench.

Miantang saw that he had sat down, so she went to the table and poured a cup of water for him: “Servant Li is cooking in the kitchen and hasn’t brought in the hot water yet. This pot of water is too warm to make tea. You should have some of this first if you are thirsty.”

Then, according to the rules learned from the female teacher who taught her “The etiquette of how to become a perfect wife” before she got married, she bent her body in half and raised the water cup to her forehead to serve her husband.

This is the etiquette for a woman to respect her husband.

Cui Jiu’s deep eyes narrowed slightly. Instead of taking her cup of water, he picked up the book scroll on one side and flipped through it. He said with concern: “The highly-skilled Doctor Zhao said that you have just recovered from your serious illness and are most afraid of the cold. You should avoid drinking such cold water.”

With that, he shouted out of the room, “Servant Li, send some hot tea here!”

Servant Li was very handy, she sent a pot of thick hot tea in a very short time.

Cui Jiu took the tea served by Servant Li, naturally and casually rolled up his sleeves, brushed the tea foam with the tea cover, and took a slow and elegant sip.

In the past, when Liu Miantang was practicing tea ceremony with her female teacher, she once heard that the way of drinking tea was exquisite, such as the uncovering of the tea lid, whisking of tea, and grinding of the surface.

At that time, when she saw the master’s natural and smooth demonstration, she had secretly admired it, but now, looking at Cui Jiu’s elegant tea posture, it seemed that the lady was a little crude in comparison.

She only remembered that the Cui family was wealthy in the capital, but they originated as boatmen who made a fortune from selling private salt. Unexpectedly, Cui Jiu, the son of a merchant family, had the charm of a scholar family.

In comparison, as the daughter of a despondent official, she is tactless and impulsive, she doesn’t seem to be quite commensurate with the jade-like gentleman right in front of her…

After Servant Li offered tea, she respectfully stepped out and left Liu Miantang and Cui Jiu to sit opposite each other in the room.

There have not been many times the two had stayed alone together before. When she was seriously ill and lingering in bed, she was always served by the servant girl. Then, when she was well, Cui Jiu went out for business again.

Now in the quiet room, they sit opposite each other, and that’s when she remembers that being a wife, not only does she need to know how to serve her husband respectfully, but they would also need to consummate like intertwined lovebirds…

At the thought of this, she suddenly felt a little nervous. It was getting late now, but she was not ready.

However, after Cui Jiu put down his cup of tea, he gently asked her some questions in regards to her recent recovery and if she has been recuperating properly.

Seeing that her husband was just chatting with her, Liu Miantang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and answered his questions one by one.

After engaging in a few idle talks, Cui Jiu suddenly asked, “You’ve just moved in today. Take some time off to walk around in town tomorrow, if there is anything you wanna buy, by all means, buy it”

Miantang thought for a moment and said, “I don’t lack anything. There are many people on the streets, I’d better stay back at home in peace.”

The Cui family is now in a straitened position, with all the valuable shops in the capital sold, they have come to settle in Lingquan town to do some porcelain business. Everything is difficult at the beginning. Money is needed everywhere. If you don’t save some and spend recklessly like before, wouldn’t they have nothing left sooner or later?

But she didn’t want to hurt her husband’s self-esteem, so she didn’t say anything about being afraid to go out to spend money.

But speaking of this, she got up and took out her jewelry box from the luggage.

There were two banknotes sent to her by her grandfather when she was married.

When she woke up from her serious illness, the other dowries had disappeared. Only the head-ornaments jewelry and the silver box handed to her by her mother that was kept under her cotton mattress were still intact. Later, when her husband’s family had difficulties in the business, Cui Jiu never asked for her marriage dowry.

Now, Miantang did not hesitate to take out one of the banknotes and handed it to him. “I heard from Servant Li that you have bought a new shop in town and your great plans for a grand ambition. I don’t have much dowry, this shall act as the shares to the shop. When the shop opens, I can also share some dividends with my husband.”

When she said this, she also made sure Cui Jiu does not lose face. She can’t just directly say something along the lines of, Husband, you’ve lost all your money now. I’m afraid you don’t have enough capital, so I’ll supplement you some first.

Cui Jiu didn’t expect her to do so. He just stared at her for a while, didn’t accept the note, but said, “You’re not afraid of losing all your dowry to the business?”

Miantang saw that he didn’t accept, so she put the banknote on the table and said with a smile: “There are always losses and profits in businesses. It is unlikely that all the money in the world is only meant for one person to earn? You should use it then to me who lacks knowledge of the business.” She looked at him with a hopeful face, expecting him to accept it.

Miantang is originally beautiful, but if the beauty doesn’t have her thought, it’s just a jade carving without a soul. And when she smiled, the sense of indifference of an iceberg beauty suddenly disappeared, replaced by a smile as beautiful as flowers. The two shallow dimples on her thin white cheeks look very sweet, giving the feeling of a naive innocent girl.

Cui Jiu squinted slightly for a moment before reaching out to pick up the banknote, he then said, “Well, I’ll keep it for you first… But you still have to head out to the market. I’ve ordered some new cloth for you at the clothing store. Go and have a look. If you don’t like it, change it to the ones that you like…”

Since it’s an act of consideration for her husband, Miantang can’t decline again, so she nodded.

At this time, Servant Li came to ask the Ninth Master whether he want to have his meal now. After receiving his order, she brought in the meal with a lacquered wooden tray.

Today’s dishes are all Jiangnan style. The lotus root slices are fried with delicious fresh meat. It is golden and crisp. The dish Beggar’s Chicken emits the fragrance of lotus leaves. There is also a tofu soup, which is topped with crab roe. It was very delicious.

Maybe it’s because the owner, Ninth Master had come back. Servant Li, who usually does a hasty meal on ordinary days, is especially diligent today.

Liu Miantang’s meals are mainly porridge and green vegetables all this while. The moment she saw the dishes with meat, she then realized that she was craving meat and fish, and ate them attentively for a while.

When the fragrant of the meat went into her stomach and lifted her craving taste at the tip of her tongue, did she only realize that she seemed to have lost her etiquette during eating. She immediately filled a bowl of tofu soup in a small bowl, acted as the etiquette practiced before marriage, raised the bowl to her eyebrows again, and presented it to her husband for meal.

She has been too carried away. Back at home before marriage, she was always scolded by her father for eating messily. Since then, every time she had meals with people, she always restrained herself by 70% percent.

But now she really should not be only caring about herself. There is not much money left at home now, and it is rare for the table to be filled with meat and alcohol. Her husband is busy with business every day and must have felt tired. He is the one that needs to take in extra food nourishment. How can she eat more when she’s only idling at home?

At the thought of this, she hastily retracted her chopsticks and chewed rice in small bites.

Cui Jiu didn’t eat much and only occasionally took a few servings of each dish. Most of the time, he looked at Miantang devouring the food deliciously in front of him.

When eating, beauty normally pays attention to elegant manners, such as chewing without showing teeth and drinking soup without making any sound. It’s a pity that although his wife is beautiful, she eats with extraordinary concentration, wide eyes and cheeks puffed.

However, the kind of concentration devoted fully to eating does not make people feel unrefined. On the contrary, it lifts one’s appetite.

He originally did not want to eat more, but after looking at her eat, he also took a few more servings of dishes without much thought. Later, she might have been full as he didn’t see her pick up any dishes again.

The two of them sat opposite each other, and their mind was not fully on eating, so the atmosphere seemed a little cold, and lack of conversation.

After dinner, Cui Jiu rinsed his mouth with fragrant tea and said to her, “There is a new batch of goods at the dock. I have to take stock personally. I probably won’t be coming back tonight. You’ve had a hard time on your journey here. Have a good rest soon.”

Originally, Miantang had been secretly nervous about whether they would sleep together tonight. Hearing Cui Jiu’s words, she greatly breathed a sigh of relief. Her tone was slightly light and said: “Although this is Jiangnan, the weather at night will be cooling. You should wear thicker…”

Then, she took out a small jacket she had sewn these days and handed it to her husband.