The Runaway Bride in a Substitute Marriage Story 31

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the palace decided to host a Mid-Autumn banquet, inviting all civil and military officials to bring their families to admire the full moon.

This scene was actually in the original plotline as well, but since it was still early in the story, Chen Yao's role as the vicious supporting female character at the banquet wasn't too substantial.

She was mainly used as a stepping stone by the young ladies who had once admired the male lead, serving as a target to attack the substitute bride, the female lead.

After all, it was quite a coincidence—that day, her dress happened to clash with the male lead's, making it look as if the two shared a tacit connection.

Chen Yao rose from in front of the dressing mirror. Today she wore a dark cyan ru skirt, layered with a light green gauze overdress. Chuntao had styled her hair into a gentle cloud bun, delicately adorned with white jade beaded flowers.

Then she looked up at Xie Qingyan, who was seated at the round table, sipping tea as he waited for her.

Sure enough, he was also dressed in a deep green cloud-patterned brocade robe, with a light-colored open-front long coat over it, a white jade pendant at his waist—the very picture of a refined, gentle nobleman.

Ah, this really was a matching couple's outfit...

"Is my lady done with her toilette?"

As if sensing the young woman's gaze, Xie Qingyan set down his teacup, lifted his eyes, and curled his lips in a tender smile.

Chen Yao lightly nodded. "Mm."

She slowly walked over and noticed that what he had been drinking wasn't ordinary tea, but the jasmine milk green tea she had concocted herself.

Small ice cubes floated in the milky-white tea, topped with a sprinkle of green tea powder as matcha, giving it a fresh, verdant look.

"How does it taste?" Chen Yao blinked and asked curiously.

Looking at his wife's sparkling eyes, Xie Qingyan deliberately raised the cup again and took a sip, then offered a detailed review. "The tea fragrance is clear, the milk aroma rich—it tastes quite good."

"Do you really think so?" Chen Yao narrowed her eyes and gave him a skeptical look. "You're not just humoring me, are you?"

It wasn't that she lacked confidence in the tea she'd made; mainly, she remembered that Xie Qingyan didn't seem to have much of a sweet tooth.

Sugar in ancient times was relatively mild, but she herself preferred sweet flavors, so she'd added quite a bit of sugar to this jasmine milk green tea.

"I'm only speaking the truth," Xie Qingyan said with a soft laugh. "Why doesn't my lady taste it herself?"

Before Chen Yao could react, he reached out with his long arm, his palm catching her waist, and with a gentle tug, drew her into his embrace.

Then, very naturally, he leaned in and pressed his thin lips against the young woman's red ones.

"Hey... what are you—"

Chen Yao had barely parted her lips to speak when the man's tongue gently pressed in. As their lips and teeth intertwined, the sweet, rich milk fragrance blended with the crisp tea aroma, flooding into her mouth together.

This kiss wasn't too deep—just a brief taste—and he soon released his wife from his arms.

Then he chuckled softly and asked in a warm voice, "How does my lady find it?"

Chen Yao pursed her lips and couldn't help raising her hand to lightly smack the arm that held her.

She ignored his question and instead glared up at him, a hint of displeasure in her almond-shaped eyes. "The rouge on my lips is almost gone."

"My fault," Xie Qingyan said with a soft laugh, lowering his head to place another light kiss on her moist, full lips. "I'll help you touch it up later."

He was becoming more and more shameless by the day—she wanted the dignified, reserved young nobleman he used to be back.

*

The young couple fooled around for a while before finally tidying their clothes and walking out of Fufeng Courtyard together.

By the time they reached the Xie residence's entrance, Lord Xie and Madam Xie were already waiting there.

Xie Yi'an, who was holding her mother's hand by her side, broke into a sweet smile the moment she saw Chen Yao. "Sister-in-law, and big brother."

"Father, Mother," Xie Qingyan called out impassively.

Chen Yao also curtsied, greeting the elders first, then smiled at the young girl. "Yi'an."

Lord Xie's attitude toward others had always been rather indifferent, but this time, even Madam Xie's expression was noticeably cool.

Chen Yao had never been one to swallow her pride or endure grievances quietly, so she immediately furrowed her brows and put on a sullen face as well.

Even after boarding the same carriage as Xie Qingyan, she remained sulkily silent.

"My mother, she..." Xie Qingyan instinctively tried to say something to ease the tension, but the words died in his throat.

Because of Jiang Chenyao's prolonged failure to conceive, Madam Xie's behavior had become increasingly excessive lately. He had naturally advised her many times in private, but she was impervious to reason and continued to do as she pleased, refusing to restrain herself in the slightest.

"I'll speak with her again," he said in a low voice.

In all fairness, given the ancient context, Chen Yao could understand why Madam Xie treated bearing children as the household's top priority.

But understanding was one thing; being expected to humble herself and endure grievances at every turn was absolutely out of the question.

So, looking at Xie Qingyan's pained expression as he was caught in the middle, she kept her face set and gave a lukewarm "Oh."

Xie Qingyan reached out and drew his wife into his arms, then tilted his head slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

He murmured softly, "I've already promised before that I don't mind about this. Don't worry about it, my lady—leave it all to me."

"Whether or not you really don't mind, it's clear both Father and Mother care a great deal."

Chen Yao spoke slowly; her mentality had always been good. "If we truly can't resolve it, then we might as well—"

"Don't say it, my lady." Xie Qingyan didn't want to hear the word "divorce" from his wife's lips again, so he cut her off quickly.

Chen Yao blinked, looking at the man's taut jawline and his lips pressed into a thin, straight line. She simply couldn't be bothered to say more.

After all, as a task performer, she absolutely could not get pregnant. Since one side would have to compromise in the end, it was better to divorce early and find relief early, rather than pointlessly torment each other.

Xie Qingyan slowly lowered his eyelids, masking the turbulent emotions churning deep within his gaze.

There was always a way, he thought.