Chapter 250: Bad Luck
Xiao Yanci looked troubled: “Ruyan, I’m afraid…”
Wang Ruyan saw his hesitant expression. Even though she had anticipated this result, she still felt a bit disappointed.
She was the Prime Minister’s daughter, her status second only to that of a royal noblewoman. In noblewomen circles, she was prominent. She was even worthy of the Crown Prince or a prince. Now she was betrothed to Xiao Yanci, a poor scholar. Even though he had good looks and talent, and she truly admired him, the thought of living a poor life ahead made her want to back out a little.
“I truly don’t deserve you right now. You’re so wonderful, this marriage engagement…” Xiao Yanci looked pained. “Fortunately, the news hasn’t spread yet, so it won’t affect your reputation.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. My father betrothed me to you, so I am your fiancée.” Wang Ruyan was somewhat moved seeing Xiao Yanci’s deep affection for her.
It was just poverty, after all. As the saying goes, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don’t bully a poor young man. Xiao Yanci’s talent was unquestionable. Given time, he would surely rise to prominence.
He had no silver now, but she did. When he was at his lowest, she would not abandon him. When he succeeded later, he would not abandon her, his wife who shared hardships.
Besides, compared to those men with a bunch of wives and concubines in the inner chambers, this commoner-born Third Scholar was easy to grasp. She heard he had no family, so she would be in charge, with no need to show filial respect to parents-in-law or worry about conflicts with sisters-in-law. She was unwilling to share a husband with other women, so she could only marry down, and among those options, he was the best choice.
“Young Master Xiao, rebuilding here isn’t cheap, and I don’t have much of my own private savings. How about this: I’ll go back first to make preparations and send it to you soon.”
Xiao Yanci cupped his hands: “Thank you for your trouble, Ruyan.”
“It’s burned like this here, so you have nowhere to stay tonight. Find an inn first, wash and groom, and get a good sleep.” Wang Ruyan took off her bracelet and placed it in his palm. “I hate to trouble you.”
After Wang Ruyan left, Xiao Yanci stroked the bracelet in his hand, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
After returning to the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Wang Ruyan sent her chief maidservant to inquire about Xiao Yanci’s current whereabouts. Soon, the maidservant returned with news that moved her even more.
“Miss, after Young Master Xiao took your bracelet, he didn’t go to a pawnshop or an inn. Instead, he carefully stored the bracelet you gave him and stayed in a ruined temple.”
Wang Ruyan fanned herself, nodding repeatedly: “I was right about him. He truly treats me sincerely; he couldn’t bear to pawn even my bracelet. He also has strong character and will surely achieve great things in the future.”
“Since Young Master Xiao has such promising future prospects, Miss, you should treat him even better to fully win him over and make him even more devoted to you.”
“You’re right. Send someone right away to take him to an inn, serve him the best wine and dishes, and get him a better set of clothes. I’ll go tomorrow; it’s too late today. As the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, I can’t seem too eager. I need him to continue admiring me, not think that the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister’s Mansion should naturally be good to a poor boy like him.”
At the Jiang army mansion, it was a happy reunion. Su Rende drank a few more cups with his son-in-law and leaned entirely into Zhang Zhaodi’s arms.
Su Yaoguang was completely numb.
Was her father now completely letting loose, not caring at all about his hero image?
Zhou Wangshu hugged Su Yaoguang’s neck and nuzzled it, looking like a coquettish puppy.
“Older sister, do you like me?” Zhou Wangshu cupped her cheeks, looking at her with drunken, hazy eyes. “Tell me, do you like me?”
Su Yaoguang glanced at Su Rende not far away. He was similarly drunk, wrapped around Zhang Zhaodi and whispering sweet nothings.
Such a burly, tall, fierce-looking man coquettishly clinging to his daughter-in-law—Su Yaoguang couldn’t bear to watch another moment. She grabbed Zhou Wangshu and supported him as they headed outside.
“Don’t hug…” Zhou Wangshu pushed Su Yaoguang away. Under her glare, he said aggrievedly, “If you don’t like me, then don’t hug me. Do you think I’m that easy to hug?”
Su Yaoguang half-squatted down, looked into Zhou Wangshu’s eyes, and said: “I like you, I like you the most, I only like you. You’re drunk now and need rest. How about coming to rest with me?”
Zhou Wangshu broke into a smile, wrapped his arms around Su Yaoguang’s neck, and left the place with her support.
“Eldest daughter, let this subordinate help support the son-in-law!”
Zhou Wangshu pushed away the reaching hand, looking displeased: “I don’t want your help. I only want my wife to support me. Go away and don’t disturb us.”
“No need, I’ll support him. He’s drunk and won’t listen to anything, just keeps fussing with me.”
Zhou Wangshu leaned in and kissed Su Yaoguang’s cheek: “Older sister, don’t be mad. I’ll kiss you, and you won’t dislike me anymore.”
Su Yaoguang: “…”
Since they wedded and became true husband and wife, Zhou Wangshu had stopped calling her older sister. Now drunk, his true nature emerged, and he called her older sister again. Could this be some quirk?
Su Yaoguang exerted some effort to bring Zhou Wangshu back to the room.
If he didn’t flail around and walk steadily, she could have carried him to the room long ago. However, even drunk, his mind was clear, very clearly refusing to be carried.
Zhou Wangshu lay on the bed, mumbled something, and fell into a deep sleep.
Su Yaoguang sprawled by the bedside, looking at his handsome face, and murmured to herself: “Only at times like this is he the quietest and most handsome.”
Too tired today, Su Yaoguang lay down beside Zhou Wangshu and closed her eyes.
In the middle of the night, Su Yaoguang was woken by tickling. Opening her eyes, she saw the handsome face leaning close. She was half-asleep and went along with it until the hard thrusts made her fully awake.
“You…” Su Yaoguang pinched the soft flesh at his waist. “I was sleeping soundly, and you had to start this. Believe it or not, I’ll kick you off the bed?”
“Go ahead and kick. Worst case, I’ll roll off with you. Maybe it’ll have a different flavor.”
“You…” Su Yaoguang covered his mouth, glaring at him shyly and annoyed.
In her previous life, after so many years as husband and wife with Xiao Yanci, she had never even seen a man’s body, let alone had any intimate contact with one.
This stinking Wangshu had made up for all the carnal desires of her two lifetimes. Whenever there was a moment free, he would cling to her endlessly.
“Wangshu… let me discuss something with you.” Su Yaoguang wrapped her arms around Zhou Wangshu’s neck and said.
Zhou Wangshu buried his head in nibbling her collarbone, igniting fires all over her body one after another, making her go limp like water, forgetting even what she wanted to say.
