Chapter 11

Page 1/3

He hadn’t yet explained how they were to interact going forward. For instance, whether they needed to display affection in public or simply behave as usual. Also, what she should be mindful of in the future. After all, they were a couple without feelings; if he had any taboos, it was better to make them clear in advance. Otherwise, if she accidentally offended him, it might affect the alliance between their two families.

Wen Jingyi still had many questions unanswered, yet she was forced to hold them back. However, Xie Jinnan didn’t seem inclined to delve deeper into conversation, and she wasn’t about to make a fool of herself. Soon, sensing the steady breathing of the man beside her, indicating he had fallen asleep, Wen Jingyi had no choice but to turn over and try to sleep as well.

She had expected to lie awake as before, but no sooner had she closed her eyes than drowsiness swept over her. The wedding banquet had drained most of her energy, and after a bout of insomnia earlier, she finally fell into a deep sleep through the night, so much so that she didn’t notice when Xie Jinnan got up the next morning.

When she awoke, the side where he had been lying was completely cold; the blanket was neatly arranged, as if she had been alone in the large bed all night.

After freshening up, Wen Jingyi went downstairs and was greeted by the aroma of breakfast. A woman in her forties, wearing an apron and sporting a short hairstyle, was preparing the meal. Her friendly face immediately brightened into a warm smile as she greeted, “Young Madam, you’re awake? I was specially arranged by Young Master to take care of your daily needs. You can just call me Sister Jiang.”

Before the wedding, Xie Jinnan had mentioned the household staff. Wen Jingyi still remembered them.

She politely replied, “I’ll be relying on you from now on.”

Sister Jiang grew more pleased the more she looked at Wen Jingyi. “Breakfast will be ready shortly. Please wait just a few more minutes.”

As she turned towards the kitchen, Wen Jingyi quickly asked, “Where is Jinnan?”

Even if they agreed not to speak of feelings in their marriage, but only of interests, Wen Jingyi knew she must maintain the image of their union in public. They couldn’t appear too distant. Even the way she addressed him required care—no more “Mr. Xie” back and forth as before.

“Is Jinnan not coming for breakfast?”

“Young Master got up early for his morning run in the backyard and should be back soon.”

Wen Jingyi glanced at the time—it was only eight o’clock. After two exhausting days, Xie Jinnan not only rose early but also managed to exercise before breakfast. Such self-discipline.

She wasn’t in a hurry to familiarize herself with the old family residence, which they would be visiting later. Instead, she took a book from the living room to read.

Before long, Sister Jiang called her to the dining room where a grand table was laden with an array of sumptuous dishes, clearly prepared with great care.

As Wen Jingyi sat down, Sister Jiang explained, “Young Master went back to his room to freshen up and change clothes. He’ll be here soon. He asked me to tell you not to wait for him—eat if you’re hungry.”

Wen Jingyi’s eyes were clear and gentle as she thanked her softly, “Thank you for your trouble.”

Sister Jiang was flattered, quickly replying, “It’s no trouble at all. It’s my duty.”

Wen Jingyi smiled faintly and picked up her chopsticks, about to begin when a thought struck her. Raising her eyebrows she asked, “Why isn’t Steward Heru here?”

Before the wedding, Xie Jinnan had mentioned Heru, the venerable steward of the Xie family’s old mansion, known for his prestige and dignity. She met him briefly at the farewell banquet and knew he would be overseeing their daily affairs at the main residence. She wanted to ask about customs and etiquette—how to address elders and relatives, or any important considerations.

Sister Jiang explained, “Steward Heru usually stays at the old mansion and only occasionally comes here to check in.”

Wen Jingyi nodded, “I see.”

Sister Jiang’s tone was exceedingly warm. “Young Madam, both I and Steward Heru were personally assigned by Young Master to take care of you. We’re worried you might not get used to living here. Don’t hesitate to ask us for anything; we’d be glad to trouble you. That way, Young Master will feel reassured.”

So thoughtful?

Page 2/3

Wen Jingyi recalled that last night Xie Jinnan had said he would give his wife the respect and dignity she deserved. Now she understood.

“All right, I understand.”

…

Xie Jinnan came downstairs dressed, just in time to overhear their conversation, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

Since when had Aunt Jiang and Steward Heru been arranged by him?

Had he arrived any later, he wouldn’t have known what kind of husband image they were trying to craft for him.

They were really trying everything to foster their relationship—even putting all this on him.

Sister Jiang kept chatting away, oblivious to Xie Jinnan’s presence. Wen Jingyi was the first to sense something amiss; she turned her head to see the tall, long-legged man approaching with steady steps, his handsome face expressionless.

Following Wen Jingyi’s gaze, Sister Jiang’s smile grew even wider. “Young Master, are you ready? Young Madam has been waiting for you; she wants to dine with you.”

What?

Wen Jingyi almost didn’t respond, glancing sharply at Sister Jiang, who only smiled kindly.

A chill crept over Wen Jingyi’s scalp.

Fortunately, Xie Jinnan, also a victim in this, seemed to understand her feelings. His expression remained neutral as he pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down, eyes falling on Sister Jiang. His voice was calm but firm: “Sister Jiang, if you don’t have other matters, please prepare Jingyi’s clothes for the old mansion visit.”

Wen Jingyi’s clothes and jewelry for the old residence had been prepared over half a month ago.

Sister Jiang knew this and caught the underlying implication—that she was talking too much.

She forced a smile. “I’ll get right on it. Young Master, Young Madam, please enjoy your meal.”

Xie Jinnan began eating gracefully, though not slowly. After Sister Jiang left, Wen Jingyi took a sip of soybean milk and looked at the man opposite her. After a moment of hesitation she asked softly, “Jinnan, is there anything I need to be aware of at the old mansion?”

“Jinnan…”

That was the first time Wen Jingyi called him that. So many around him used that name, almost to his annoyance, yet now, spoken softly by her gentle voice, it carried an unexpected tenderness that sounded quite lovely in his ears.

Putting down his chopsticks, Xie Jinnan took a cup of warm water and answered her question gently, “No, the family likes you. There aren’t many rules.”

Not everyone, though.

Wen Jingyi didn’t bear grudges but hadn’t forgotten Shen Baoning’s strong hostility toward her.

“All right,” she said quietly.

He seemed naturally taciturn and clearly wasn’t interested in chatting. If she pressed further, she feared it might irritate him.

Despite many questions on her mind, Wen Jingyi focused on her meal.

The girl had a low ponytail with some loose strands framing her delicate, fair face. Her gaze was focused during the meal, her manners elegant and refined to an almost excessive degree.

For some reason, Xie Jinnan inexplicably sensed a hint of grievance in her—though it might have been an illusion.

He withdrew his gaze, frowning slightly. “Grandfather likes you, so naturally no one dares to trouble you. Only the family’s aunts might say more, but if you find it unpleasant, you have me.”

Was that his way of backing her up?

Wen Jingyi smiled faintly inwardly, accepting his support silently. “I understand. But I think I can handle it and won’t trouble you too often.”

She didn’t want to rely on her husband from day one; that would only leave her less equipped to cope over time.

In her view, many relationship dynamics could be set from the start. Rather than changing gradually later, she preferred to resolve things once and for all.

Xie Jinnan met her clear, sharp gaze and saw the firm boundaries she set. He pursed his thin lips slightly and said no more.

…

Page 3/3

After finishing breakfast, Wen Jingyi returned to her room to redo her makeup.

On the first day of their marriage, they were to visit the old mansion to meet relatives, and the Xie family paid special attention to this, so Wen Jingyi naturally had to prepare carefully.

The outfit laid out for her was a pink traditional Chinese qipao, entirely hand-embroidered. The collar, cuffs, and hem were adorned with exquisite patterns, crafted with meticulous skill to perfectly showcase a girl’s gentle and graceful beauty—noble yet fresh.

After putting it on, a maid styled her hair into an elegant updo, securing it with a hairpin.

Looking in the mirror, Wen Jingyi lightly touched her temple and gazed at her face, softly made up, feeling somewhat dazed…

The next moment, she noticed Xie Jinnan’s reflection gradually approaching behind her in the mirror. She froze briefly as the man gestured for the maid to leave.

The maid nodded and quickly stepped out.

Wen Jingyi stood and asked, “Are we leaving?”

Xie Jinnan replied, “No rush.”

The curtains were drawn open, and the morning sun streamed through the clear glass, casting a graceful shadow beside the slender figure of the girl. Her hands were folded lightly before her abdomen, her posture dignified and elegant.

Xie Jinnan’s eyes shifted from her to the necklaces on the dressing table.

“None you like?”

“They’re all quite beautiful.”

“Why not choose one to wear?”

Wen Jingyi shook her head slightly. “I don’t know which one suits me, so I decided not to wear any.” She glanced down at the splendid qipao and smiled, “This already looks quite nice.”

“Fine.” Xie Jinnan didn’t press further. He stepped forward, picked up the ring box on the dresser, and took out the men’s wedding band to wear.

Their wedding rings had been prepared earliest of all.

Originally, he was to personally accompany Wen Jingyi to choose them, but he was too busy with work during that time, so the Xie family selected a few styles for her to choose from.

This caused some grumbling from the Wen family.

However, Wen Jingyi didn’t mind, and Xie Jinnan personally apologized by phone, so the Wen family said no more.

After the wedding banquet, Xie Jinnan had taken off the ring at the villa. Now, as they were heading to the old mansion, he naturally put it back on.

As they grew closer, Wen Jingyi could detect a faint, clean tobacco scent on him, very subtle. If not for her sensitivity to smells, she might not have noticed it.

“What is it?” Noticing her gaze lingering on him, Xie Jinnan’s hand still touching his ring finger, his deep eyes carried a trace of puzzlement.

Wen Jingyi, rarely seeing him so perplexed, smiled softly and lightly pointed at his collar. “Your collar.”

“What?”

“It’s not straight.”

Xie Jinnan frowned and looked in the mirror at his collar—a light blue shirt with a turned-down collar, buttons fastened to the top. The front looked fine, but the back was carelessly flipped.

Since the back of the collar was at the nape of the neck, he could only see it in the mirror and had to fix it by feel.

Just as he reached to straighten it, the girl smiled gently, stepped forward, and whispered, “Let me help you.”

Her voice was melodious and pure, free of any other intent, making it especially pleasant to hear. Xie Jinnan was slow to react for two seconds, and the girl was already behind him, reaching up to adjust his collar.

The sudden closeness brought her warm breath brushing against him, subtly teasing; a faint, delicate fragrance swirled around his nose...

Xie Jinnan pressed his thin lips together, tensing his tall frame, suppressing the urge to pull away, but considering their relationship, he didn’t refuse.

It lasted only moments, but to Xie Jinnan it felt much longer.

Wen Jingyi stepped back, satisfied with her handiwork, smiling slightly. “Done.”

His eyelashes lowered slightly, masking the emotions in his eyes. His gaze passed over her bright black eyes, and before leaving the room, he said softly, “Let’s go.”

“All right.” Wen Jingyi picked up her bag and followed him.