Waking Up Five Years Later on the Wedding Night - Chapter 10

Yan Zhihui boasted about how well the Prime Minister treated her, but it was all a lie. Yan Zhining was not fooled. Ignoring the horse, she climbed onto the carriage without hesitation and reached out to pull Yan Zhihui down.

“Older sister, what are you doing?” Yan Zhihui was annoyed, her small face filled with resentment. She turned to the Prime Minister, “Sister-in-law, look at this! She’s kicking me off the carriage because she’s jealous that you treat me so well, and jealous that I’ve lived with you for the past five years.”

The more she spoke, the louder the little bells on her wrists jingled. Yan Zhining’s brows curved, her red dress making her look exceptionally adorable.

The wind was slightly cool, but the sunlight carried a hint of warmth that felt comfortable against her skin.

Huo Mingshu remained silent from beginning to end. Even when Yan Zhihui was jumping with frustration, Huo Mingshu didn’t even glance at her. She was always like this—cold and detached, with a heart that let nothing in.

Ignoring Yan Zhihui’s words, Yan Zhining turned and climbed onto the carriage. She lifted the curtain and looked at the Prime Minister, saying, “Go back first, I need to buy a few things before returning to the manor.”

With that, she urged the coachman to hurry. Seeing that the Prime Minister offered no objection, the coachman cracked his whip and urged the horses forward.

Yan Zhihui stood in place, watching helplessly as the carriage departed. She was supposed to be sitting inside accompanying the Prime Minister, but she had been kicked out at the last moment.

This won’t do, she thought. I cannot let Yan Zhining take the Prime Minister from me. If I lose the Yan family, and then lose the Prime Minister, my whole life will be ruined.

Yan Zhining was just a brother, she shouldn’t be the one occupying the Prime Minister’s time. They weren’t a married couple, so they shouldn’t even be sharing a carriage.

Taking a deep breath and feigning indifference, she slowly walked back to the Marquis’s manor.

Inside the carriage, Yan Zhining lowered her head and opened a money box. The sunlight danced upon her fair skin; to others, she looked like a beautiful, pure girl, untainted by the filth of the capital.

She handed the gathered money to the Prime Minister and spoke earnestly, “This is compensation from the Yan family. Please, take a look, is it enough? The rest of the money is in the bank, and you can go get it whenever you need it.”

She had no status and no connections, only these worldly possessions. She knew these things might insult her pure and noble sister-in-law, but she had no other way.

Huo Mingshu glanced at the banknotes in the box. Just for a moment, her gaze then shifted back to the girl.

Yan Zhining was a merchant; when she felt guilty, she tried to make up for it, without even a shred of desire to take advantage of her. It had to be said, she was not like the rest of the Yan family.

Perhaps she isn’t really a Yan family member at all, Huo Mingshu thought. Unable to fathom the truth, she silently accepted the money box without even saying a word of thanks.

If she didn’t say thanks, Yan Zhining would definitely suspect something was amiss. It was better to say nothing at all than to let her be suspicious.

Seeing her accept it, Yan Zhining was pleased. “Can we be real husband and wife?”

Huo Mingshu frowned, “No.”

The sound of the bells did not ring, meaning she was genuinely refusing. Yan Zhining felt inexplicably dejected, but she asked clearly, “Why not?”

Huo Mingshu looked up, staring directly into her eyes, and kindly reminded her, “There are no men involved, how could there be a husband and wife?”

A married couple consists of one man and one woman, not two women.

Yan Zhining suddenly realized this and laughed immediately, her dimples making her look sweet. “I understand now. Then, would you be willing to accept me and live a life like a real couple with me?”

Huo Mingshu refused, “No.”

The bell did not ring. Yan Zhining sighed. She knew she was unwilling, but she would work hard.

“Alright, then I’ll live like this for now. I need some time to figure out the Yan family’s business in the capital, and I will be here to keep you company.”

Yan Zhining spoke with such gravity, but unfortunately, Huo Mingshu didn’t even look at her. She was too young, too young to care about what people called “feelings.”

There was an eight-year gap between the two of them.

Five years ago, they had been three years apart, but Yan Zhining had experienced something inexplicable, and her body had stopped aging at seventeen. Consequently, the gap in their physical age had widened to eight years.

Huo Mingshu remained silent. Yan Zhining, feeling unwilling to give up, asked quietly, “Do you like Zhihui?”

This wasn’t a difficult question. Huo Mingshu didn’t want to ignore her anymore, so she answered, “I do not.”

The bell did not ring. Yan Zhining pursed her lips, moved closer, and shamelessly sat right next to her, shoulder to shoulder, in a rather intimate manner.

Huo Mingshu didn’t refuse, allowing her to fuss. Her lips curved slightly as she asked, “Giving me so much money, aren’t you afraid your grandmother will be angry?”

Yan Zhining tilted her head, leaning in close, and spoke earnestly, “She won’t. Grandmother told me to make friends when I went out, and to be generous, not to be so unsophisticated that people find me annoying.”

She was a bit naive, perhaps even childish, but Huo Mingshu didn’t find her annoying. In fact, she even smiled.

Yan Zhining relaxed completely. In order to test the boundaries, she chose to rest her head on her shoulder and muttered, “I wonder if Grandmother has missed me all these years.”

“Grandmother is the best to me. She taught me how to do business from a young age, but unfortunately, her son is not filial. The Marquis asks the family for money every year.”

“Grandmother scolds him every time, yet she still sends it. But you know, my grandfather married into our family. Back then, he was a concubine-born son of the Marquis’s house, and after the first mistress died, he became the Marquis.”

“But the Yan family has a family rule: the women do not marry out; it means the man needs to marry into the Yan family.”

She told Huo Mingshu everything she knew. Huo Mingshu began to understand the Yan family’s affairs. The Yan family was from the Jiangnan region, and back then, the old Marquis… wait, she instinctively asked Yan Zhining, “Why is the Marquis surnamed Yan? Why would he change his name after inheriting the Marquis title?”

Would the Marquis’s house really let him just change the family name like that?

Yan Zhining realized, “Oh, that’s right. The Marquis’s house wasn’t originally surnamed Yan…”

They just happened to share the same surname. Huo Mingshu realized, feeling annoyed at her own stupidity, and decided to stop speaking, leaving her to talk alone.

Just as Yan Zhining was talking until her throat was dry, the carriage stopped. They had arrived at the Prime Minister’s residence.

Huo Mingshu had to go to the government office, so she sent her back, instructing, “Stay inside the house and don’t wander around aimlessly.”

“I know.” Yan Zhining stood there, looking up at the person in the carriage. Her slender neck appeared fragile, making Huo Mingshu frown.

Huo Mingshu knew her nature, she had no intention to harm anyone, while the three members of the Yan family were all “old foxes.” So, she added, “You are not allowed to go anywhere, do you understand?”

Yan Zhining didn’t mind the repeated warnings and nodded heavily, “I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Hearing her answer, Huo Mingshu finally lowered the curtain and ordered the coachman, “Go to the government office.”

Yan Zhining waved at her and turned to enter the Prime Minister’s residence.

Inside the carriage, Huo Mingshu looked at the banknotes in the money box, her fingertips gently stroking it. What a fool, giving away so much money the moment she has it. If the old madam of the Yan family knew about this, she would definitely use family law to beat her to death.

She smiled and poked aside the carriage curtain, looking at the spring sky. Her dull life had gained a bit of extra amusement.

Returning to the manor, Yan Zhining ate lunch alone. After the meal, she took a walk around the courtyard. When she returned, Madam Yan was sitting in the room waiting for her.

“Ning’er is back.” Madam Yan stood up to welcome her, putting on a perfect display of a kind mother. Yan Zhining glanced at her, nodded slightly, and stepped into the room, “What is it, Madam?”

Hearing the cold tone, Madam Yan felt dissatisfied, but she reached out to pull Yan Zhining, “Look at you, leaving without a word back then and making me search for you for so many years.”

The bells rang—she was lying. Yan Zhining coldly pulled her hand back, “You’ve seen me now, Madam, and I am fine. You can go back now.”

“Don’t be so hasty. Let me look at you. We are mother and daughter, how could there be any grudges that last overnight? I was angry a few days ago because you left, but now that you have returned safely, that is all that matters.” Madam Yan sighed, her eyes turning red, “My child, you’ve made me so worried.”

Listening to these soft words, Yan Zhining almost believed her. Madam Yan was unwilling to give up, and even appeared eager to please, bringing gifts with her.

“I’ve prepared some jewelry for you. They were just made, one-of-a-kind, not even your sister has them.” Madam Yan immediately brought out the items.

These words were true; the bells did not ring. Yan Zhining lowered her guard slightly, glanced at the jewelry in the box, and nodded, “Thank you, Madam.”

Madam Yan smiled happily and reached out to touch her small face, “It must have been hard following your grandmother. Although I didn’t raise you, I have always thought of you. I had them make some ginseng soup; it’s the most nourishing.”

As she spoke, a maid brought in the ginseng soup. At that same moment, the bells rang.

Yan Zhining shivered. Which part was a lie?

Was the part about “always thinking of you” a lie?

She didn’t understand. Madam Yan brought the soup in front of her, “It’s still hot. Drink it quickly; it’s good for your body.”

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