Waking Up Five Years Later on the Wedding Night - Chapter 2

Inside the bathhouse, the room was thick with swirling steam. Yan Zhining stripped off the garish wedding robes and submerged her entire body into the warm water.

She looked down, her gaze passing through the slightly rippling, crystal-clear water to fixate on her own frame.

It was a seventeen-year-old’s body, with long, slender legs and skin as white as jade. Steamed by the hot water, her complexion flushed with a soft, healthy pink, much like a lotus flower emerging from the water.

The ripples swayed, lapping against her flat, taut stomach and grazing her waist, which was so slim it seemed it could be spanned by a single grip.

Summoning her courage, she lowered her head and bit down hard on her wrist. The sharp, sudden pain made her let go instantly.

Pain. It was real pain.

She was alive. She hadn’t died.

Yan Zhining shook her head, then pulled herself together. She dried her body in a hurry and reached for the fresh clothes prepared on the side.

Stepping out of the bathhouse, she walked slowly into the inner chambers and raised her eyes to look at the woman behind the desk.

The light in the inner room was much brighter than in the bathhouse. Under the glow of the bamboo-shaped lamp, the figure sat with a back as straight as a bamboo stalk. The frost-colored deep robes she wore made her appear even more cold and detached.

She bowed her head slightly, her profile carved with a sharp, icy beauty by the lamplight.

Yan Zhining stopped in her tracks, her eyes sweeping from the woman’s broad forehead to her delicate, straight nose, finally resting on her slightly pursed lips.

Huo Mingshu had changed into a different outfit. Her raven-black hair was no longer pinned up in the meticulous style from earlier in the day; it was loose, cascading down her shoulders and back like a waterfall.

As she gazed foolishly at that silhouette, the shock in her eyes slowly transformed into an indescribable emotion. That was her sister-in-law.

Yan Zhining had grown up in Jiangnan. Shortly after she was born, her older brother had fallen frequently ill. A doctor claimed that the two of them were ill-fated for one another, so her parents sent her to live on a rural estate. Her grandmother had taken the initiative to take her to the old Yan family residence in Jiangnan. She lived there for seventeen years, and only when she was older did her grandmother feel it was time for her to return to the capital to get married, ordering her to go back to find her parents.

She never expected that the moment she returned, her parents would seize her to act as a substitute for her brother’s marriage. Her parents only wanted to muddle through the wedding night, planning for her brother to return the next day. If no groom had gone to pick up the bride that day, the Huo family would surely be offended. That was why she had agreed.

“You’re done,” Huo Mingshu said as she set down her brush. Her tone was flat, as if the person before her was not her spouse.

Yan Zhining shuddered, nodding nervously. Droplets of water flew from the tips of her damp hair, sparkling in the lamplight. The pink flush had yet to fade from her face, and her almond-shaped eyes were wide, making her look like a little deer that had accidentally wandered into the human world.

Huo Mingshu stood up. Her posture was dignified as she spoke earnestly, “This is the Prime Minister’s residence. I have been married for five years.”

“Five years?” Yan Zhining’s mouth fell open as she recalled Huo Mingshu’s appearance, “I, I…”

Did I sleep for five years?

Yan Zhining was incredibly nervous. As she opened her mouth, Huo Mingshu had already begun walking toward the outer room. Looking at her elegant, refined back, Yan Zhining felt confused again.

If she had slept for five years, had her brother returned?

Judging by her sister-in-law’s posture and demeanor, it seemed her brother had not returned in all those five years.

Huo Mingshu took two steps, but hearing no movement behind her, she turned around, “Are you coming?”

“Yes, yes,” Yan Zhining scrambled, following closely behind her sister-in-law’s footsteps, “I am coming.”

Huo Mingshu looked at the dazed, foolish girl and inexplicably found her cute. She had seen too many old foxes; seeing this little white rabbit made her want to look twice.

“He has indeed been missing for five years. Currently, I serve as the Left Prime Minister. My parents moved from the Marquis’s residence to the Prime Minister’s residence. I live in the East Courtyard, and you will live in the West Courtyard.”

Her voice was low, sounding like jade striking against jade, clear and resonant.

Yan Zhining listened to her voice, her eyes flickering. She couldn’t help but look up, her gaze tracing every inch of the woman’s face, but perhaps out of guilt, she never dared to meet Huo Mingshu’s eyes.

Since her parents had moved to the Prime Minister’s residence, where was her brother?

Yan Zhining grew more confused the more she thought about it, but Huo Mingshu did not give her time to ponder. “The Marchioness lives in the West Courtyard. You can go see her if you wish. I am going to a banquet now. Do you want to go with me?”

“I can go too?” Yan Zhining was pleasantly surprised, laughing involuntarily, her peach-blossom eyes crinkling, “Since I can, I am willing to go.”

Huo Mingshu nodded, her gaze lingering for a moment on the girl’s smiling eyes before turning to walk out.

Yan Zhining hurried to follow. She wore the new clothes Huo Mingshu had prepared for her—a wide, flowing lanpao robe that masked her slender, small frame. She walked with hurried steps, the hem of her robe swaying like a lotus in the wind, always carrying the soft air of someone raised in the Jiangnan water towns.

The two walked one after the other through the corridor.

“The Left Prime Minister is leaving.”

Someone was walking from the end of the corridor. Huo Mingshu paused, subconsciously blocking the person behind her, “Madam.”

Madam Yan led her daughter toward them, “Is the Left Prime Minister leaving?”

“I am going to a banquet,” Huo Mingshu nodded, “Madam should return to the West Courtyard.”

Such an icy tone made Madam Yan freeze for a moment. Recalling the events of recent years, she smiled slightly and said, “I heard she returned, so I specifically came to see.”

“Go back,” Huo Mingshu said, her tone indifferent as she raised her chin slightly, “Please.”

“Very well.” Madam Yan looked to the side, past the Left Prime Minister, and her gaze landed on the hem of a lanpao. She wondered, Which young master has she brought back?

She had intended to take a better look, but the moment she met the Left Prime Minister’s icy eyes, she was frightened and immediately pulled her daughter away.

Only after they were far away did Yan Zhining poke her head out from behind the Left Prime Minister. Her mouth opened, but she didn’t speak.

She had only seen her mother at most three times: once when she returned, once before the wedding, and once during the bridal night. In the end, her mother didn’t like her, so it was better to see her less.

After the others left, Huo Mingshu started walking again. Yan Zhining immediately followed, muttering, “Should I call you… Left Prime Minister?”

She was afraid that calling her “sister-in-law” would give them away.

Huo Mingshu frowned, not answering her question.

The two of them boarded a carriage one after another. After the carriage started, two people emerged from behind a door.

Madam Yan’s expression darkened. Yan Zhihui asked with dissatisfaction, “Is she going to remarry?”

“Mother, if she remarries, won’t I have to move out of the Prime Minister’s residence?”

Madam Yan did not speak. She had already sold the Marquis’s residence, so she would never move out of the Prime Minister’s residence! She lowered her head, a flash of cruelty in her eyes.

The carriage pulled away from the Prime Minister’s residence, the sound of the wheels rumbling across the quiet, long street.

Inside the carriage, incense curled in the air.

Huo Mingshu leaned against the carriage wall, eyes closed, resting. She seemed completely unaware of the anxiety of the person beside her, who wanted to speak but hesitated.

Yan Zhining secretly sized up her sister-in-law. Without the near-sharp pressure from earlier, she now appeared a bit weary and distant. She held her breath; her sister-in-law’s face was cold, and her long, raven-like lashes cast faint shadows on her eyelids, adding to that sense of detachment.

“Are you looking at me?” Huo Mingshu did not open her eyes, but her voice rang out coolly.

Yan Zhining was startled, hurriedly shifting her gaze, her earlobes heating up, “No, no…”

Huo Mingshu’s gaze flashed across the red face, then moved downward, resting on the hands folded on her knees. The fingers were slender, the nails a delicate pink; they looked like those of a soft young girl.

The carriage traveled for a while longer, and the sounds of a more boisterous crowd could be heard outside.

Yan Zhining was at a loss, but Huo Mingshu had already withdrawn her gaze and closed her eyes again.

When the carriage stopped, Huo Mingshu opened her eyes and spoke seriously, “If someone asks, just say you were knocked out during the big fire that night and left the capital, and only returned recently.”

“A big fire?” Yan Zhining felt a headache coming on, but the Left Prime Minister did not give her time to think, stepping out of the carriage first.

Yan Zhining followed in a hurry. As her feet touched the ground, countless eyes turned to look at her.

It was the Shangsi Festival; the weeping willows by the lake swayed, and the spring breeze was mingled with laughter.

Yan Zhining subconsciously shrank behind Huo Mingshu, but remembering the instruction from the carriage, she forced herself to stop, merely lowering her head to hide the panic in her eyes.

Huo Mingshu paused, her frost-colored robes looking even colder in the warm spring sun. Yan Zhining took a deep breath and stepped forward to follow.

The lanpao was wide, its hem fluttering as she walked. She tried hard to imitate the appearance of the few aristocratic young men she had seen in her memories, attempting to mask the inherent softness in her bones.

“Left Prime Minister, you’ve arrived.” Princess Funing walked over slowly, holding a horse whip, her gaze landing on Yan Zhining, “Oh, Left Prime Minister, did you find a young man who resembles your late husband?”

Huo Mingshu did not respond, heading straight for the seats by the lakeside. Yan Zhining felt lightheaded, looking here and there, eventually choosing to follow her sister-in-law’s footsteps in silence.

After they were seated, Yan Zhining felt restless. Five years was too long, so she clung to her sister-in-law like a small animal lost in the woods, treating her as her only support.

She didn’t dare to think too deeply, feeling only that her hands and feet were cold, and she subconsciously leaned toward Huo Mingshu.

Huo Mingshu gently pushed a teacup toward her, “Drink some tea to settle your nerves.”

Yan Zhining was anxious and fearful. She picked up the warm tea and took a shallow sip, staining her lips with the liquid, making them as red as rouge.

Seeing this, Huo Mingshu’s eyes darkened, and she looked away.

“Left Prime Minister, who is this?” A busybody walked over to investigate, her eyes drifting before finally landing on the young Yan Zhining.

Huo Mingshu said calmly, “My husband.”

Suddenly, Yan Zhining heard the sound of bells ringing. She looked around subconsciously, but no one had bells on their waist.

The person exchanged a few pleasantries before walking away with a smile. She quietly tugged at her sister-in-law’s sleeve, “Did you hear the sound of bells?”

“No,” Huo Mingshu shook her head.

Yan Zhining assumed she was hallucinating and silently bowed her head to drink her tea.

The spring breeze by the lake carried warmth, making her chest feel hot. She looked up, only to find everyone curiously sizing her up. In an instant, she was too embarrassed to raise her head.

“Left Prime Minister, who is this young man?”

Huo Mingshu nodded, “The eldest son of the Yan family, Yan Zhi’an, my husband.”

The bell sounds rang again. Yan Zhining was stunned.

Someone else muttered, “Didn’t Yan Zhi’an die?”

Huo Mingshu smiled faintly, “No, he just left due to a severe illness and only returned recently.”

The bells rang again. Yan Zhining looked at her sister-in-law suspiciously. Is she lying?

Holding her forehead, Princess Funing walked over, pacing closer. Her gaze settled on Yan Zhining’s white, jade-like cheeks, “Is it just me, or does this look like a young woman dressed in man’s clothing?”

Yan Zhining’s eyelids trembled, and she swallowed her saliva in panic. Huo Mingshu’s expression remained unchanged, saying calmly, “You saw wrong, it is a young man.”

Clang, clang, clang. Three sounds rang out. Yan Zhining trembled all over, panicked.

Whenever her sister-in-law lied, she would hear the sound of bells.

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