I Am A Husband Curser, And You Are A Wife Curser. - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: About to Earn Some Merit

“Ha~ ha~ ha!”

Once Yang Tongchuan understood what Xiangxi meant, he laughed so hard his whole body shook.

“It’s not embarrassing, not at all! My Xixi is the best, the most well-behaved. It’s not shameful in the slightest.”

If Yang Tongchuan could have held back his laughter, his words might have been somewhat convincing. But that laugh ruined any attempt at sincerity. Xiangxi began to cry even more sorrowfully.

“Xixi? Are you up yet?” The eldest sister-in-law, Ming Le, knocked on the door, carrying a bowl of freshly brewed medicinal soup. Over the years, she had taken so much herbal medicine in her quest for a child that she was undoubtedly the most skilled at brewing it in the house.

“He’s up. One moment, Sister-in-law.” Yang Tongchuan set Xiangxi down, dressed quickly, and opened the door to take the tray. On it was a bowl of medicinal soup, a cup of warm water, and a piece of rock candy.

“Thank you for your trouble, Sister-in-law.” Yang Tongchuan expressed his sincere gratitude.

“I heard Xixi crying. Is he still unwell? I’ll have Yanzi call the doctor again,” she said, still worried because Xiangxi’s complexion had been truly frightening the night before.

“He’s fine. He’s just thin-skinned and cried out of embarrassment,” Yang Tongchuan whispered.

The sister-in-law laughed at that. “Tell Xixi it’s alright. After he takes his medicine, wait half an hour before eating. I’ll make him some noodle soup then.”

After seeing her off, Yang Tongchuan tended to Xiangxi’s medicine. “Don’t sip medicine like this. The slower you drink, the more bitter it tastes. Come on, down it in one go.”

Xiangxi looked at the bowl of Chinese medicine, which smelled bitter enough to make his face wrinkle like a bun.

“Be good. Once you drink this, your stomach won’t hurt.” Under Yang Tongchuan’s coaxing, Xiangxi really did finish the bowl in one gulp. He followed it with a large bowl of water while Yang placed the rock candy in his mouth and gently patted his back.

“Good boy. Rest your stomach for a bit, then we’ll eat.” Xiangxi felt like Yang Tongchuan was coaxing him like a child, but he enjoyed the attention immensely.

Xiangxi stayed in the room for a whole day, only coming out to join the family for dinner that evening. The meal was significantly lighter, and everyone was considerate enough not to mention the previous night’s incident, which made him feel much more at ease.

Now that the New Year was over, the curfew had resumed, so there was no going out at night. However, Yang Tongchuan wasn’t one to stay idle. In the west wing, he lit several extra candles, brightening the room. At the desk, Xiangxi sat in Yang’s lap, accompanying him as he drew.

This time, the drawings were “proper.” Xiangxi loved hearing about the outside world, so Yang told him about cases at the yamen, sketching as he spoke. Whenever Xiangxi didn’t understand something, Yang would stop and explain patiently.

“I’m going back to duty tomorrow. Don’t be afraid at home. Mother and Sister-in-law are easy to get along with.”

“What do Mother and Sister-in-law usually do at home?”

“I don’t know. If you’re bored, go play with Sister-in-law or take a stroll. The pocket money is in the box by the bed; take it if you need it. The large sum is hidden at the bottom of the chest for the future.”

“The future?”

“Little dummy,” Yang whispered secretly. “Even though my brother and I get along well, neither of us has children yet, and the house is big enough for now. But in a few years, as the family grows, we’ll eventually have to split the household. The money at the bottom of the chest is for that day. Keep this to yourself—don’t tell anyone, not even Mother. Do you understand?” This was the first time since their marriage that Yang had spoken so seriously.

“I understand.” Xiangxi knew that to have a good life, he and his husband had to be of one mind.

The next morning, Xiangxi rose early to help Yang into his yamen uniform. Though Yang said it wasn’t necessary, Xiangxi insisted; he liked doing it. After breakfast, the two brothers went out to earn a living, and Father Yang took his tobacco pipe to find old friends for chess.

While Yanzi was working in the back and the sister-in-law was airing out quilts in the courtyard, Mother Yang spoke up. “Xixi, change your clothes and come out with me.” Seeing him in better spirits, she planned to take him around to introduce him—and to show those gossips that her second son had married a much better spouse this time.

Xiangxi put on his formal wear, including his silver bracelet and hairpin. After the tour, his face was stiff from smiling. He hadn’t remembered many people, but his face had been patted several times by the elders.

Returning home at noon, he smelled the scent of medicine. His own medicine was finished, so he wondered who was unwell. Mother Yang took it in stride. “It’s nothing, just your sister-in-law’s tonic for her body.”

Xiangxi thoughtfully brought a cup of hot tea to Mother Yang as she rested. “Xixi, go tell Yanzi in the kitchen that we can start lunch.”

In the kitchen, Yanzi was busy alone. “The meal is almost ready, Young Master. Just one fish left.” Xiangxi helped carry the dishes to the hall, mimicking his sister-in-law’s helpfulness. On the way, he bumped into her.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it! You just got better, don’t work,” she said, her eyes red as if she had just cried.

“It’s fine, Sister-in-law.”

As Xiangxi entered the hall, he overheard Mother Yang whispering to Father Yang: “Ming Le’s period came again this month. Still nothing.”

“Sigh, don’t mention it anymore,” Father Yang sighed helplessly.

“Father, Mother, the food is ready,” Xiangxi announced loudly, preventing the sister-in-law behind him from hearing their conversation.

With the two men away for the day, the lunch was simpler. Afterward, Xiangxi returned to the west wing while the elders napped. He thought about what he’d heard. Gers were naturally less fertile than women, which was a major reason why their dowries were often lower. If the eldest brother and his wife are so in love and still can’t conceive, what will happen to me and my husband?

When Yang Tongchuan returned from work that evening, he immediately started looking for his husband.

“Stop pacing. Your mother sent Xixi out to buy brown sugar,” Father Yang said, his eyes dizzy from watching his son circle the house.

“Dad, I’m going to go find him.”

He hadn’t walked far when he saw Xiangxi running back, breathless, clutching a package of brown sugar. “Why are you running? You’ll fall!”

“I wanted to get back early to see you,” Xiangxi said happily. Yang Tongchuan beamed; the frustrations he’d faced at the yamen today suddenly didn’t seem like a big deal.

“What is it? Are you unhappy?” Xiangxi sensitively noticed that something was on Yang’s mind.