A Quiet Homecoming

Then Lady Pingyuan went on to ask a great many questions about her daily life in the Xie household.

"Morning greetings? Apart from the first day when I woke up late and went to serve tea, Xie Qingyan said I don't need to go anymore," Chen Yao said.

Lady Pingyuan frowned. "Even though Qingyan has spoken with them, as a new bride, you should at least put on a show at the beginning and leave a good impression on your in-laws. How can you simply stop going to pay your respects just because he said you don't have to?"

She sighed inwardly: her daughter had truly been spoiled by her, utterly ignorant of the ways of the world.

"But I can't get up early. Since they said I don't need to, why exhaust myself?" Chen Yao blinked lightly, looking perfectly content.

Lady Pingyuan had no choice but to explain patiently, breaking it down in detail for her simple-minded daughter.

But Chen Yao simply didn't want to listen.

She covered her ears and shook her head repeatedly. "Mother, stop nagging. It's so complicated, it gives me a headache. Anyway, I've never gone before, and it's already like this. Besides, I really can't get out of bed."

Lady Pingyuan was so angry she wanted to reach out and pinch her daughter's little ear, to lecture her face to face.

Fortunately, it was soon time for the midday meal.

Chen Yao let out a huge sigh of relief, feeling that her ears could finally have some peace.

Although she knew her mother meant well, she had been this way since she was a child, and it wasn't about to change now.

She thought carelessly: if the Xie family really couldn't accept her, they could just divorce her.

System 04 couldn't help but speak up. "Host, since your mission failed, you've been letting yourself go more and more."

"And what else am I supposed to do?" Chen Yao said with utter confidence.

While conversing with System 04 in her mind, she also pursed her lips and picked up the braised mutton that Xie Qingyan had placed in her bowl, putting it back in his. "I don't want to eat this today."

In ancient times, mutton was meat that only nobles could regularly enjoy, while pork was considered inferior meat. To Chen Yao, of course, any meat was fine as long as it tasted good.

But the roasted meat was acceptable—at least when the spices and heat were right, the gamey smell of both mutton and pork could be suppressed, and it tasted decent.

But this braised mutton...

She felt it had brought out the mutton's gamey flavor to the extreme; she didn't want to try it at all.

Having grown used to it in Fufeng Courtyard, she instinctively gave her picky leftovers to Xie Qingyan.

Lady Pingyuan held her breath, clearly seeing that Chen Yao was doing this out of habit, and couldn't help but cast her a warning glare.

Chen Yao lowered her head, pretending not to see, and continued eating her other dishes.

At the same time, she continued multitasking in her head, speaking to System 04. "Anyway, with my status, even if I divorced Xie Qingyan, it wouldn't matter."

Given how the Pingyuan Hou couple doted on their daughter, after a divorce she'd only have a slightly worse reputation; it wasn't like she'd lose a piece of flesh.

System 04 was at a loss for words.

After one meal, the Pingyuan Hou and his wife Lady Hou had clearly seen that their daughter had been utterly spoiled beyond measure.

Even if Xie Qingyan truly loved and tolerated her, it was only because the newlyweds were still affectionate now. If she continued like this forever, it wouldn't last.

Lady Pingyuan worried inwardly, feeling that it would be necessary to remind her daughter more often.

*

Although the mission had already failed, as long as she kept a calm mindset, Chen Yao's married life was actually quite comfortable.

Husband and wife were loving, and her in-laws were harmonious. Even if she was unreliable, Xie Qingyan took care of everything, and she could just enjoy life.

But after nearly three months passed like this, the landmine in her constitution soon began to show signs.

"Miss, this is the medicinal cuisine that the Lady sent over," Chuntao said.

In her hands, she carefully carried a bowl of dark, black medicinal broth, and even from a distance, one could smell its bitter scent.

She looked at her young lady with some reluctance and said softly, "I heard it's a special secret recipe, prepared specifically for your constitution, and it's said... if you drink it, you'll soon conceive a young master."

Chen Yao waved her hand, indicating she should put the so-called medicinal cuisine aside, and frowned. "I know, just leave it there."

Since entering the household, her belly had shown no signs of movement, and it seemed that Madam Xie, who was eager for a grandchild, was getting anxious.

Earlier, she had dragged her to the temple to burn incense and pray for a child, which Chen Yao didn't take to heart, treating it as an outing.

But now they had even brought in folk remedies; Chen Yao thought she'd be a fool to go along with that suffering.

But having a child was simply impossible, so she would just wait for more of this fuss, and probably within a year or so, it would all come to an end.

"Miss, why not try a sip? What if it works?" Chuntao was bold enough to urge her on because she was close to her mistress.

Madam and the young master were deeply in love after marriage, but they still hadn't conceived a child, and she was anxious in her heart too.

"Mm, I'll drink it later," Chen Yao said absentmindedly as she continued reading the travelogue in her hands.

Seeing her lady's attitude, Chuntao knew she wouldn't touch the medicinal broth, and she sighed inwardly. "Then this servant will go report back to the Lady."

Chen Yao nodded, still carelessly. "Just say I've already drunk it."

"Yes," Chuntao lowered her head in acknowledgment.

Naturally, when Xie Qingyan returned from the office in the evening, Chen Yao still had to make a fuss.

That bowl of dark, bitter medicinal broth was set aside, already completely cold; the liquid seemed to have evaporated quite a bit, leaving a ring of dark brown stain on the originally white bowl.

Xie Qingyan was sensitive to his wife's moods, and the moment he entered the room, he felt she wasn't in the best of spirits.

He sat down on the couch and, with practiced ease, lifted the young woman beside him onto his lap, making her face him. "What's wrong with my wife?"

"Nothing," Chen Yao turned her face away.

But soon, the man gently pinched her little face and turned it back. Xie Qingyan lowered his head and gave a light kiss to her slightly pursed red lips. "Tell your husband, and I'll go get justice for you, alright?"

His tone was gentle and doting, and his dark eyes looked at the wife in his arms, filled with a smile.

Chen Yao looked up to meet his gaze, gave a soft "Oh," and pointed at the medicine bowl not far away, her tone cool. "There's a bowl of fertility tonic over there. Drink it for me."

Xie Qingyan's movements paused slightly, and he immediately realized this must be Madam Xie's arrangement. He frowned imperceptibly.

Then he replied, "Alright."