The Powerful Minister I Forcefully Married Won't Warm Up; After Rebirth, I Give Up the Chase - Chapter 32

Nian Xi had already washed up and was preparing for bed when she received the message from Old Woman Wang.

Gu Ci rarely sought her out in the garden by the corner gate.

Unlike Pei Jian, his noble birth and excellent family background made his character gentler. He was undoubtedly ambitious, but he didn’t have the constant, strained urgency that Pei Jian possessed.

He had plenty of time to spend with Nian Xi and did not need to wait in the garden by the corner gate.

Especially since they had met during the day, he would be even more considerate of Nian Xi’s comfort and wouldn’t easily disturb her.

Nian Xi hadn’t put up her hair, merely loosely gathering it into a braid down her back, wearing a half-new, informal ruqun (a style of clothing).

Seeing her, an expression of annoyance immediately appeared on Gu Ci’s face. “It’s my fault for disturbing your rest so late.”

Nian Xi chuckled, patting his hand. “Don’t be silly.”

Her gesture conveyed the intimacy of lovers. “It’s hot; I couldn’t fall asleep anyway. You just happened to show up to keep me company. Tell me, what kind of reward do you want?”

She naturally noticed that Gu Ci’s mood was off.

From a distance, she had seen him standing alone beneath the Osmanthus tree, looking dejected, like a large, stray dog.

So, both her words and actions were more intimate than usual.

Visibly, Gu Ci’s expression improved significantly.

He took her hand, leaned down slightly, and said softly, “I don’t want a reward. I just want to give you a gift.”

Nian Xi smiled softly. “What is it?”

Gu Ci handed her a box. “It’s a pair of pearl earrings.”

Nian Xi’s heart pounded rapidly.

She recalled the white jade earrings Pei Jian, in his fit of madness, had given her during the day. She had been so angry that she threw them away without a second thought and hadn’t paid any attention to them since.

Naturally, she had an unpleasant suspicion.

She cursed Pei Jian ten thousand times in her heart, but her face expressed delight. “A surprise even this late at night.”

“They’re so beautiful! Help me put them on quickly.”

Gu Ci had never put jewelry on a woman before, and earrings were even more difficult. Furthermore, it was nighttime, the visibility was poor, and he was constantly afraid of hurting Nian Xi, so he hesitated to proceed.

Nian Xi’s earlobes tingled from his handling, but he was so clumsy he couldn’t get them on properly.

She shot him a look, took the earrings from his hand, and put them on quickly before Gu Ci could even figure out how she had done it.

She smiled and asked, “How do I look? Am I beautiful?”

In truth, the stars in the sky were sparse, and the light was dim; it was impossible to see whether she looked good or not.

But Gu Ci felt that Nian Xi, with her bare face at this moment, was more beautiful than at any other time.

He could no longer restrain himself and pulled her slender, graceful body into an embrace, lifting her so her feet left the ground.

Nian Xi wrapped her arms around his neck, lowering her gaze to meet his eyes.

His gaze was full of adoration. “Very beautiful. Beautiful like a dream.”

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Nian Xi was extremely busy. This was the first major undertaking in her two lives. She pored over the account books Wang Muyi had sent, mapping out the vision for her perfumed beverage shop.

A small building, and Cousin Mu wanted her to manage the entire operation.

Pear-wood tables and chairs, pine bonsai, water lilies, and koi fish—it all needed to be adorned with the finest materials. Any guest who walked in could order a fragrant drink, read a few books, and pass the hot summer with cicadas chirping and a quiet forest—how elegant would that be?

Even in winter, when snow covered the city, pushing open the window to sit by a small red clay stove, holding a cup of warm tea, would have its own unique charm.

Wang Muyi rested her chin on her hand and smiled. “I can already foresee the scene of our perfumed beverage shop being full of customers and bringing in huge profits every day.”

That day, Nian Xi was discussing the shop’s renovation details with Wang Muyi. After hearing Nian Xi’s ideas, Cousin Mu instantly praised them profusely.

Nian Xi was a little shy. “There are so many successful businesses in the East and West Markets. I honestly don’t know if this will work.”

“It absolutely will!” Wang Muyi was now blindly confident in her.

Nian Xi raised her cup of tea as if it were wine, and the two clinked their cups.

“Then I’ll take your blessings.”

Nian Xi couldn’t hide her excitement.

Since her rebirth, she had taken a completely different path from her past. Initially, she was anxious, but gradually, her direction for the future became clearer.

It wasn’t that the perfumed beverage shop absolutely had to make a lot of money.

The effort she was putting into this endeavor, the daily hard work, was still a leap into the unknown. Yet, through it, she was finding a stronger sense of self.

This might sound like an empty cliché, but it took Nian Xi almost half a lifetime to truly grasp its meaning.

Love others, but love yourself first.

Never live as an appendage to another person.

After finishing the business discussion, Wang Muyi glanced at Nian Xi and laughed. “All the young ladies in the capital now envy your good fortune.”

Nian Xi asked, “Why?”

Wang Muyi put on a look of envy. “Young Master Gu is so handsome and well-born, yet he was willing to compete alongside a group of helmsmen just for you. What woman wouldn’t be touched by such devotion!”

Nian Xi laughed and immediately hit back. “Didn’t the Heir send you a storefront for your birthday the other day? Turns out you like this kind of thing, Sister. How about I have a word with the Heir?”

The Heir of Pingyang Marquis was a typical military man. His way of doting on his wife was simple and grand.

Wang Muyi blushed, spat at Nian Xi playfully. “Pah! And here I was thinking of you, intending to open a branch shop there if our business does well, since that location is also excellent.”

Nian Xi immediately fawned. “Good sister…”

As the two were laughing and joking, Gu Ci arrived.

He was wearing a dark blue changfu (everyday attire) with narrow sleeves. He was broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted, tall, and straight, looking neat and refreshed. After exchanging greetings with Wang Muyi, his gaze fell onto Nian Xi, the smile on his lips unwavering.

Wang Muyi teased, “I was inconsiderate. The business is done, yet I’m still monopolizing Nian Xi and being completely tactless.”

Gu Ci’s smile deepened. “I’m just a clerk; I have to follow the manager’s orders.”

Nian Xi immediately nodded, pretending to be serious and winking at Gu Ci. “Perfect. Go settle the tea bill for today.”

Gu Ci smiled, his gaze gentle. “Yes, ma’am.”

Wang Muyi felt that the scene before her was extremely pleasant for both her eyes and her mood.

In terms of looks and demeanor, the two were truly well-matched, like a pair of celestial lovers who had stepped out of a painting.

The two were sitting very close. Nian Xi’s sleeve rested casually on Gu Ci’s forearm. She asked Wang Muyi, “There’s a new shadow puppet troupe performing at the North Tile of Zhong’an Bridge. Do you want to go together?”

Wang Muyi refused without thinking. “I’ve been out for a while. I need to go back and serve my mother-in-law for supper.”

The Marchioness of Pingyang was very strict. Whether dining or going out, she required her daughter-in-law to be by her side.

Nian Xi didn’t press the matter.

After Wang Muyi left, Gu Ci immediately declared, “My mother is the most reasonable person. She would never wear out a new daughter-in-law or set rules for a new bride.”

Nian Xi gave him a sidelong glance. “Why are you telling me this?”

Gu Ci, now trained by her to be thick-skinned, retorted, “Who says I’m talking to you? I’m talking to my future wife, of course.”

The two laughed and walked toward the exit, running directly into Pei Jian and Qin Lang, who were just entering.