My Wife is a Frustrating Genius!!! - Chapter 60

My husband is about to take the imperial examinations for the top scholar title. I hope he can study peacefully at home, so I must ask Miss Xue and your soldier friends not to visit anymore recently. Otherwise, I fear I might do something illegal for my husband’s sake.

Xue Wanning felt awkward upon hearing this and glanced at the person beside her. She had always been the most favored servant under the princess’s care, yet now her mistress was publicly humiliating her for an outsider in front of so many people.

It hurt! Her heart ached terribly!

Xue Wanning raised her hand to clutch her left chest. Her face contorted in pain.

Cheng Yi’s words weren’t just out of consideration for the royal status of the person before her. More importantly, she wanted to warn the other party not to gamble with Lu Jiahe’s innocent future.

If Xue Wanning insisted on using Lu Jiahe to threaten her, Cheng Yi, immersed in love, would do anything for her beloved.

“Alright,” Xue Wanning replied, seeing that her mistress was truly angry, and quickly agreed to the request.

“It’s getting late. Miss Xue should take your people and leave. My husband and I need to rest.” With that, Cheng Yi expressionlessly glanced at the people present, then took Lu Jiahe’s arm and led him back to their room.

After that night, the Lu residence never opened its doors to Xue Wanning and her companions again.

During his study period at home, the young couple argued over recent events, and Lu Jiahe once packed his bags, ready to abandon the exams and run away from home.

In the end, Cheng Yi had no choice but to use her body to strike a deal with him.

With renewed purpose in life and motivation for studying, Lu Jiahe eagerly anticipated the day the exams would end. He even occasionally sent Lu An out to buy illustrated books like “The Day and Night of the Domineering Young Master and His Delicate Wife” for educational purposes.

As the exam date approached, Cheng Yi took Guo’er and the servants they had recently purchased from a matchmaker to shop for provisions Lu Jiahe would need during the examination days.

“He’ll be confined for three days. What food can possibly last in this heat?” Cheng Yi fanned herself with her hand fan, wondering whether to buy some preserved meats that would keep.

Guo’er, walking beside her, frowned at her mistress’s words. “Young Mistress, if he eats too much salty food, he’ll keep wanting to drink water. Wouldn’t that distract him during the exams?”

“Maybe I should go ask the shopkeeper at the Lu family store if they have any contacts—someone who could deliver fresh meals to the young master daily.”

Guo’er, who had been worried about her young master not getting hot, fresh meals, immediately perked up at this idea, returning to her usual lively self.

Cheng Yi shook her head helplessly at the naive girl. “These exams are too important. Probably no one would dare take such a risk to deliver food for us.”

Hearing this, Guo’er’s brows furrowed like little hills. “Our young master has never eaten overnight food since he was a child.” Her voice began to tremble. “Young Mistress, maybe we should ask Miss Xue for help? Doesn’t she have connections in high places?”

“We’ve already publicly embarrassed Miss Xue several times, and we’ve done many excessive things before. Moreover, we explicitly told her not to disturb us these past few days. How can we trouble her just because we want to take shortcuts for our own affairs?”

Guo’er pouted upon hearing this. “Then what about the young master’s meals for these three days? Ah!”

A man and woman who had been following the group overheard every word of their conversation clearly.

They stopped and carefully observed the figures ahead, then turned and walked in another direction.

Xue Wanning, who had been ordered by her princess to stay away from the Lu residence, lay on a recliner in the small courtyard as if under house arrest.

‘Creak’

The side door not far from the courtyard opened quietly, and the man and woman who had been “tailing” Cheng Yi on the street silently approached Xue Wanning.

“My heart aches so. Why does it hurt so much?”

Humming a little tune while lamenting her princess’s neglect, Xue Wanning was completely unaware of the presence of the two people beside her.

The pair exchanged a glance, and then the woman in the dark red long dress leaned down and whispered in Xue Wanning’s ear, “Aunt Xue seems to be in high spirits. Have you encountered something delightful?”

The woman’s tone was clearly dripping with sarcasm.

Having navigated the official circles for over a decade, Xue Wanning immediately detected the disdain in her voice.

However, why did the voice sound so familiar?

“Who is it?” Xue Wanning asked coldly, slowly opening her eyes and fixing the other person with a disdainful gaze.

When she finally recognized the two people standing before her and the others in the courtyard who had already knelt down, she hurriedly rolled off the recliner and knelt before them.

“Your humble servant pays respects to His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress.” Xue Wanning kowtowed to them on the ground.

The old emperor waved his hand, signaling the others in the courtyard to leave. Then, looking at Xue Wanning, he said, “So leisurely today? Even humming a little tune?”

Xue Wanning cautiously raised her eyes to observe the emperor’s expression. “Well, the princess gave me a break and told me not to disturb her during this time.”

The old emperor frowned upon hearing this. “Did she tell you not to disturb her or that boy?”

“Both.”

Xue Wanning’s voice was extremely soft when she uttered these words. The old emperor and empress had to listen carefully several times to make out what she said.

“Hmph!”

The old emperor straightened up with a cold expression and plopped down onto a chair on the other side.

“She’s forgotten who she is, yet she spends all her time clinging to that brat.”

“Alright, that’s enough! It’s good enough that she’s been found and has returned to the capital,” the empress consoled the sulking old emperor from the side.

“Wan’er, take the edict to the examination office later and have them announce at noon that candidates’ families are permitted to deliver ice to the examination compound daily. This will prevent food from spoiling in the heat.”

The old emperor immediately turned his head and glared at her angrily. “Hmph! If they can’t even endure this little hardship, what’s the use of talking about defending the country?”

Frustrated, he slammed the table in a fit of rage, sending the teacup on it crashing to the ground.

The sound of the shattering cup echoed in Xue Wanning’s ears. She stared at the old emperor in terror, praying inwardly that his anger wouldn’t be directed at her.

“Enough already! Yi’er has finally found herself a decent match, and now you’re acting like this? Are you trying to drive her away again?”

The thought of her daughter running away from home several times before made her heart ache. Now that her daughter had finally found someone she loved, if anyone dared to tear them apart, she would personally lead people to wipe out their entire family.

“Hmph! The shortsightedness of a woman!”

“Who are you calling shortsighted? Have I been too nice to you lately that you’ve forgotten your place?”

Kneeling to the side, Xue Wanning listened to the emperor and empress arguing but didn’t dare utter a word to draw their anger. She kept her eyes tightly shut, looking as wilted as a frostbitten eggplant, kneeling obediently to the side, terrified the conflict might spread to her.

By noon, the examination office had released news. This came as a relief to Cheng Yi, who had been worrying about what provisions to prepare for Lu Jiahe.

As the exam date drew nearer, Cheng Yi, like most mothers before exams, prepared different meals for Lu Jiahe every day and voluntarily stayed in the study to accompany her during revision sessions.

Seeing how Cheng Yi had been treating her these past two days, Lu Jiahe decided to drop the act and be straightforward.

“I want a kiss.” Lu Jiahe put down the book in her hands and looked innocently at the person beside her.

Cheng Yi rolled her eyes at this, then spoke with lips already red and swollen from earlier kisses: “Kiss what kiss? How many times have you kissed me just this morning?”

“If you keep using studying as an excuse to act like a hooligan, don’t even think about touching me again!”

Hearing this, Lu Jiahe panicked, “No, no, I won’t kiss anymore.” With that, she picked up her book and continued reading.

Cheng Yi, who was peeling fruit nearby, threw down her small knife upon seeing this. Was Lu Jiahe only interested in her body? The moment she wasn’t allowed to touch, she pretended to be so well-behaved, but if she were allowed.

At this thought, Cheng Yi frowned deeply while staring at her.

Feeling the icy gaze upon her, Lu Jiahe didn’t dare look away from her book. She tightened her grip on the book’s corner, swallowing nervously and fearfully.

Clang!

Cheng Yi put down her knife and walked behind Lu Jiahe, wrapping her arms around her.

“W-what’s wrong?” Lu Jiahe felt the warm breath by her ear and the sensation of Cheng Yi’s hand wandering over her neck. She gripped her clothes tightly, really wanting to just carry the other back to their room right then.

Seeing Lu Jiahe’s increasingly flushed cheeks, Cheng Yi chuckled softly. She held her close, stretched her neck to place a kiss on her throat, then stood up and left the room to prepare a meal.

The startled Lu Jiahe sighed as she watched the disappearing figure outside the door.

Time flew by in the blink of an eye. After suffering through more than ten years of hardship, Lu Jiahe had finally reached this day.

Cheng Yi got up early to make breakfast and then began packing things for her.

“I’ve put all the money in your purse. If you encounter any trouble, don’t hesitate and don’t overthink it, just pay whatever is needed,” Cheng Yi said, sitting on the edge of the bed as she placed the money in the purse.

Lying on the bed, Lu Jiahe felt an itch in her heart watching her. She nodded in agreement, but her hand mischievously began gently stroking Cheng Yi’s back.

“When did you become so unruly, always getting handsy whenever you want?” Cheng Yi blushed and shyly reached back to stop the disobedient hand.

“I’ll be good.” Lu Jiahe threw the money pouch to the ground, then forcefully pulled the woman sitting on the bed into his arms.

“What are you doing?” Cheng Yi placed her hands against Lu Jiahe’s shoulders, feeling a bit frightened. She was afraid this occasionally disobedient chick might actually do something to her.

“Mmm. I want to get close to you. Anyway, we’re going to the examination hall this afternoon.” As he spoke, Lu Jiahe tightened his embrace, rolled over, and positioned her on top of him.

Guo’er and Lu An, having finished packing, stood in the courtyard gazing worriedly at their young master and mistress’s room.

“How long have they been in there? The exam is tomorrow!” Guo’er frowned deeply, thinking to herself that indeed, “lust leads to trouble.”