Qu Xiaojue sighed but let it go, appreciating the bond they shared. Just then, a servant shouted from the courtyard, “The delivery man has arrived with the new furniture!”
Qu Xiaojue raised an eyebrow; they’d been awaiting this delivery for weeks. “Let’s go see,” she suggested, her mood picked up by the anticipation.
They all moved towards the courtyard, filled with excitement as the servant led them to the new pieces on display: a beautifully crafted wooden table, accompanied by grand chairs that seemed to fit perfectly with their style.
“Look at this craftsmanship!” Xu Wanzhi remarked, examining the intricate designs.
Qu Xiaojue nodded, her expression thoughtful. “We should arrange them in the main hall to showcase them properly.”
As they discussed arrangements, the atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and the sound of furniture being moved around. An’er and Qi’er played nearby with the wrapping materials, their imaginations running wild.
Later that evening, the family gathered around the table. Qu Xiaojue set the dishes, and as they sat down to eat, the warmth of the gathering enveloped them.
“Family time is the best,” Xu Wanzhi said with a content smile, looking around at their happy faces.
“Yeah, just like the stories,” An’er chimed in, causing everyone to chuckle.
The evening continued with tales and laughter, creating cherished memories.
“An’er hung his head, looking somewhat aggrieved, softly calling out and stepping back from Xu Wanzhi. Seeing the child so dejected, he glanced at her, ‘Why are you scolding him?’
‘At this age, boys should learn some manners.’
Xu Wanzhi couldn’t help but snort, too lazy to argue with her. He held An’er’s hand and went inside directly. An’er looked back and obediently followed his father.
Xu Wanzhi had been out wandering all day, and being long-time sleepy and physically weak, it was inevitable to feel drowsy in the middle of the day. An’er, being a child, was excited to see his father and kept clinging to him, talking.
Xu Wanzhi thought of a plan: ‘An’er, have you ever seen a bear with black eye circles?’
‘What’s that?’
An’er immediately looked up with big eyes, curiously looking at him. Xu Wanzhi laughed, ‘This bear, you can’t see it with your eyes open. You must close your eyes, and it’s best if you can fall asleep, then you’ll see it.’
‘Really?’
‘Really.’
An’er saw his father nod and confirm, laughing. Xu Wanzhi seized the opportunity, ‘How about we have a competition to see who can see the big bear in their dreams first?’
‘Okay!’
The schemer immediately picked him up and fell asleep directly. And little An’er also fell asleep just like that.”
Xu Wanzhi vaguely opened his eyes, remembering he had fallen asleep with An’er. Turning to see if he was awake, he unexpectedly saw Qu Xiaojue lying beside him, startled, his voice involuntarily sharp, mouth slightly open, staring directly at her.
“Awake?” Seeing his unsteady appearance, Qu Xiaojue sat up, looking at him calmly. She had heard that her husband was extremely sleepy during this time, and having some doubts, she came to check and indeed found the father and son sleeping soundly together.
She had previously instructed An’er not to nap in the afternoon and had someone carefully carry him away. She was about to wake Xu Wanzhi but hesitated and then lay down beside him.
Xu Wanzhi took a deep breath, his post-sleep voice slightly hoarse, “Clan Leader Qu, do you have something to do here?”
“Husband, you’ve slept for three whole hours,” she looked at him and calmly stated a fact.
“So what?” How strange, did she care how long he slept?
Qu Xiaojue stood up first, hearing his dissatisfied retort, her tone changed to a command, “You’re not allowed to do this in the future.”
With Xu Wanzhi’s temperament, once the conversation reached this point, it became “impossible to discuss”.
He wouldn’t continue to argue, coldly hummed, and directly got up. Grabbing his hair and pulling it back, he quickly straightened his disarranged clothes. Not holding a grudge about her previous intrusion, he said softly, “Do as you wish.”
As he turned to leave the inner room and pull the door, Qu Xiaojue suddenly grabbed him from behind, her brow furrowing as she sighed, “A’wan.”
“Let go,” he struggled with his arm, coldly speaking these two words. She gripped tighter, and he turned, his eye corner sharp, “Qu Xiaojue, let go!”
Ignoring the threatening tone, Qu Xiaojue pulled him to sit at the table. Giving a bitter smile, “A’wan, I’m not trying to control you, just that doing this every day isn’t good for your health.”
This made him seem ungrateful. Xu Wanzhi was stunned. He had never been one to take pleasure in trampling on others’ kindness. Looking at Qu Xiaojue’s slightly furrowed brow and bitter smile, he couldn’t say harsh words. Had he really made her suffer?
He poured a cup of tea and pushed it to her, softening his tone, “Clan Leader Qu, I appreciate your concern, but I know my own affairs.”
Qu Xiaojue naturally understood his meaning, giving him a deep look before standing up and looking down at him, “Husband, I don’t know why you’re so persistent. I’ve carefully thought about what happened before, and in the future, I promise it won’t happen again.”
“Hmm?” This topic seemed inexplicable.
“You don’t need to keep giving me a hard time.”
Remember, I will always be your wife.
Seriously, let’s provoke him! Xu Wanzhi curled his lips, suppressing his urge to complain, and raised his head to glance at her serious expression: “Mistress Qu, I’ve noted your words. What else do you want?”
This impatient way of driving people away seemed natural when he did it. Qu Xiaojue smiled, drinking the cool tea he had just poured. Under someone’s surprised gaze, she grasped his hand and led him outside: “Husband, you sleep a lot during the day, so you’ll surely have trouble sleeping at night. Why don’t we go enjoy the Yuling Young Masters’ Pure Heart Banquet to help you pass the time?”
Xu Wanzhi was dragged along, unable to understand how this woman could be so strong that he couldn’t shake her off. He glared at her: “I’m not interested in your Yuling Young Masters’ Pure Heart Banquet.”
“It doesn’t matter, let’s just take a look.”
She didn’t let go, directly taking him out of the mansion and forcing him onto a horse-drawn carriage. Xu Wanzhi resisted, but she actually embraced him horizontally.
One can imagine how Miss Xu was shocked and angry, jumping up with a “bang”. Qu Xiaojue looked stern, straightened her sleeves, and calmly boarded the carriage. Seeing Xu Wanzhi frowning at her, she smiled softly: “Husband, why be angry?
I just thought you might be bored and wanted to help you pass the time.”
He scoffed: “Thanks for your kindness!”
Qu Xiaojue sat across from him and started teasing: “You’re welcome.” She casually handed him a plate of small plums: “You get motion sickness, right? Eat something sour to settle your stomach.”
Xu Wanzhi glanced at them. He frowned: “What if I say I don’t like them?”
Qu Xiaojue ignored his obvious provocation, opened a large box filled with various snacks, and pushed them in front of him: “Surely my husband won’t dislike these either?”
“You are really—” Xu Wanzhi suddenly felt helpless and picked up a few candied dates to eat.
She smiled silently.
“How far is it?” The city roads were smooth, not as bumpy as imagined. The horse’s hooves clicked on the stone boards, creating a rhythm that merged with the quiet of the evening.
“Not far, we’ll arrive in a quarter of an hour,” she said, pulling out a book to read. As the daylight dimmed, the text became unclear, so she put it down.
Turning back, she saw her husband, who had slept all afternoon, closing his eyes again. She called out: “Husband.”
He didn’t respond, so she called again: “Husband, you can sleep when we get back.”
