Chapter 12: No Way

At night, Lu Dashan and Li Qingtian both learned that Sutang had exchanged her secret recipe so her young husband could attend school.

Li Qingtian was stunned.

Lu Dashan spoke in a gruff voice, “How can this be right? A promise is as firm as a nail driven in wood. Since we already said he’d go to school, we shouldn’t go back on our word. Why use so much silver for this? Tomorrow I’ll go to the village chief—no more trading the recipe!”

“Father-in-law, that’s not how it works,” Sutang replied. “You saw today how that official spoke without restraint. At its root, I believe it’s because of the recipe. Besides, if my husband is to study, he needs a good teacher. Teacher Li is the finest in Peaceful Town. With his guidance, my husband is sure to achieve something.”

Lu Dashan glanced at the young gentleman, scratched his head, and said, “I don’t understand, but that recipe is something we can rely on.”

Sutang smiled gently. “Father-in-law, you’re right. But the recipe isn’t exactly a secret recipe.”

“What?” Lu Dashan was bewildered.

The young gentleman also looked at Sutang.

Seeing the confusion on her family’s faces, Sutang’s smile grew softer. “It truly isn’t a secret recipe.”

****

Night enveloped the house. In the glow of candles, Li Qingtian’s eyes were red as she glared at Sutang. Sutang, half amused and half helpless, said, “I’m not deceiving you—it’s really not a secret recipe. Sister Li, do you think, with our family’s background, that a simple street food could possibly be a secret recipe?”

Li Qingtian choked for a moment. “I know the young mistress always has a plan. Even if it were a secret recipe, if the young mistress handed it out, I’d have no right to say anything. But why must the young mistress have this gentleman study? You could study yourself.”

“Young mistress, you’ve already read every book in the house. Even if you took the exams, you’d do no worse than this gentleman—he’s only read a few books.”

The more Li Qingtian spoke, the more indignant she became.

The more Sutang listened, the more guilty she felt.

In Great Qian, there were women who became officials, even generals and marshals. But the original Sutang’s learning was barely half a bucket’s worth; even the books her young husband read, she’d be grateful to understand half. With this level, even disguised as a man, she’d never pass the exams!

She couldn’t fathom how the original had managed to hold a book every day and still ended up like this!

“Sister Li, I can’t show my face,” Sutang interrupted.

Li Qingtian paused, her eyes instantly reddening. “I know. I just can’t accept it.”

Sutang took Li Qingtian’s hand. “Don’t be disheartened. We’re all well now, aren’t we? Though we lost more than two thousand taels of silver, at least we won’t be troubled anymore. The young gentleman remembers everything he sees—maybe in a few years, he’ll pass the provincial exams. Father-in-law and the young gentleman rescued us sisters; we must repay them. What matters most is that we have more silver on hand. No matter what we do in the future, we’ll have some capital, right?”

“Yes, I’ll follow your lead,” Li Qingtian answered.

Sutang’s smile was gentle.

Yet deep within her heart, crimson blood still dripped, drop by drop.

How could it not be a secret recipe?

It absolutely was!

Back in her foodie homeland, her spicy hot pot recipe was a true secret, worth not just two thousand four hundred taels, but twenty-four thousand.

Two thousand four hundred taels of silver! The whole issue of showing her face or not—if she could pass the exams, she wouldn’t waste a single coin.

Sob, sob.

Sutang left Li Qingtian’s room, and as the door closed behind her, she nearly burst into tears.

Thankfully, she held them back, for as soon as she turned, she was startled by a shadow in the courtyard.

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In the courtyard’s center, the young gentleman sat on a bench, chin resting in his hand, watching her.

Above, moonlight poured down like water, and his eyes shone as brightly as the stars in the sky.

Beside him, the big black dog wagged its tail, loyal as ever.

“Husband?” Sutang quickly suppressed her tears and forced a smile. “Is Blackie pestering you again?”

Blackie snorted.

Sutang was surprised. “Has Blackie caught a cold? We should have the doctor see him tomorrow.”

“Woof—” Blackie growled low.

The young gentleman tapped Blackie’s head, and the dog closed his mouth, no longer grumbling.

Sutang praised, “Only you can handle him.” This dog must understand human speech.

A good dog~

Then, Sutang heard the young gentleman say softly, “Waiting for my wife.”

Eh?

After all that exchange with Blackie, Sutang realized her husband was finally answering her first question.

But he said he was waiting for her.

Sutang broke into a radiant smile.

The pain in her chest eased.

This young husband, at least, had some conscience.

...

They returned to their room.

After a simple wash, as before, the young gentleman took the inner side of the bed, Sutang the outer.

Men inside, women outside—it was tradition.

Sutang found it convenient, easy for her to get in and out.

But just as she finished gathering all the silver into the chest, she turned and saw her husband undressing.

Under the dim lamplight, as he moved, the collar on his shoulder slipped, revealing part of his shoulder and chest...

Sutang’s eyes widened, and she rushed over, swiftly pulling the collar together and wrapping it back around him.

“Husband, the nights are getting colder. You must keep warm,” Sutang urged.

Her husband used to sleep in two inner layers; tonight, he was about to take them off!

No way!!!

The young gentleman started, “Father said…”

“Whatever Father said, it’s for your good—but he doesn’t know what you need,” Sutang replied solemnly. “You’ll soon be attending school. These days, you must rest well, study the family books, and tomorrow I’ll buy you some new ones. You can’t let your classmates look down on you.”

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The young gentleman said nothing, but his hands relaxed from the collar.

Sutang felt the pressure lift.

She suspected Father-in-law had instilled some questionable notions in him.

Too risky~

Children don’t know better.

It seemed Sutang had relaxed too quickly; as she took off her outer garment, she noticed her husband was still watching her.

He never used to look at her at all.

Sutang tied her collar and belt, and said matter-of-factly, “I’m cold too.”

The young gentleman: “…”

His face was half-hidden in the room’s shadows, but Sutang could still feel his gaze fixed on her.

She ventured, “Will you warm my side of the bed?”

The young gentleman turned his head slightly.

He seemed unwilling.

Sutang smiled, “I know you’re tender-hearted, and I cherish you as well. But do you know, ‘The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from enduring bitter cold; a sword’s edge is honed through hardship.’ One must not fear the harsh winds and cold to achieve anything. Not fearing cold is just the beginning.”

The corners of the young gentleman’s mouth tightened ever so slightly.

Sutang grinned, “Husband, sleep now~”

She extinguished the candle, lifted the bedding, and lay down with her back to him.

Soon, there was a gentle rustle behind her as he lay down as well.

They kept the same distance as before—about a palm’s width.

Thank goodness, her husband didn’t make a move.

Sutang closed her eyes.

Her young husband was indeed handsome, and clever.

But far too young and tender…no, no, what was she thinking? Even if they were of similar age, it wouldn’t be right. Their careers were yet unfulfilled; anything said now was empty.

Money, money.

Sutang drifted into sleep.

Moonlight filtered through the thin window paper like a gauzy veil. Sutang’s breathing was soft and shallow on the outside edge of the bed, while the young gentleman inside opened his eyes.

…She really didn’t seem to have any intentions.

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