CHAPTER 162: CHAPTER 155: CHUBBY AND ROUND

Song Fang visited the Xu Family once, and directly settled the "life-long matter."

Back home, Wen Wan still had a look of disbelief on her face.

She originally thought these two were poles apart, and even though it’s fake, it’s incredible that they could become a family after fighting like that.

Song Wei brought hot water for her to soak her feet.

Before pregnancy, Wen Wan was the one serving him most of the time.

After getting pregnant, especially after deciding to keep the baby, Song Wei paid even more attention to her.

The kitchen floor was slippery, and he wouldn’t let her in unless it was necessary.

Wen Wan took off her shoes and socks, and soaked her feet in the wooden basin.

Even though she hadn’t walked much during the day, soaking like this still made her feel completely relaxed.

Song Wei sat nearby, already prepared with a towel to dry her feet, watching her and said, "The Xu Family won’t hold a wedding, this way, we won’t need to alarm the parents. When we return home, Wanwan has to keep it secret and can’t let the elders know about this."

Especially the mother, who would certainly be furious if she heard her daughter fake-married someone.

Wen Wan nodded obediently, feeling amused inside, knowing that even if she wanted to say it, the father-in-law and mother-in-law wouldn’t understand.

In that family, the only ones she could talk to were Yuanbao and her husband.

——

The "wedding" was set for August first. Xu Shu requested leave from the Imperial College, saying there was a family matter.

The Xu Family didn’t make much noise externally, just put up some red silk where the elderly lady could see it, and everything looked joyful.

Xu Shu took a carriage to the alley courtyard to pick up Song Fang. When they reached the Xu Family, the house steward symbolically set off two bundles of firecrackers outside the main gate.

The elderly lady’s health wasn’t fully recovered, and Mrs. Xu said it wasn’t suitable for her to be in crowded and lively places, so they kept her in her own courtyard, saying the next morning, her eldest grandson and granddaughter-in-law would come to pay respects to her.

The elderly lady sat by the window, listening with ears pricked for a while, feeling something amiss, and asked the nurse, "Why didn’t I hear the sound of the wedding drums?"

The servants, who had earlier been instructed by the General and Mrs., were cooperating seamlessly. Hearing the elderly lady’s question, they immediately responded, "It’s your hearing, you probably didn’t catch it, the sound of the wedding drums passed long ago. Now the groom and bride are bowing to heaven and earth in the hall!"

The elderly lady let out an "Oh," then sighed, "Getting old, my ears are failing."

——

Song Fang entered the General Mansion, where Mrs. Xu had already arranged her room. To prevent a surprise inspection from the elderly lady, she was arranged to be in the same courtyard as Xu Shu, but in different rooms. Several new outfits were custom-made for her, and new hairpins and jewelry were added.

Song Fang sat at the dressing table with a maid combing her hair. She looked at the rows of jewelry before her, feeling overwhelmed, like dreaming and unreal.

All her life, she had only considered not marrying back to the countryside, never imagining she would one day enter a prestigious General Mansion. Though the glory and wealth were temporary, it still gave her a small inner shock.

The maid combed her hair into a married woman’s style, as agreed before - in the General Mansion, she’d have the marriage hairdo, and when at Hongwen Academy, she’d return to a maiden’s hairstyle.

Once she was prettied up, Xu Shu arrived, eyeing her from top to bottom, making Song Fang feel uncomfortable. She waved the maid out and asked him, "What are you here for?"

Xu Shu said, "I’m here to remind you, although my parents have briefed the household servants ahead, you mustn’t drop your guard. Regardless of whether the elderly lady is present or not, you must call my parents correctly to avoid accidentally slipping up. If the elderly lady gets upset, the General Mansion would be uneasy."

Song Fang nodded, saying she understood.

Xu Shu assessed her again, raising his eyebrows, "I have to say, with this get-up, when you’re quiet, you actually look a bit like my wife."

Song Fang pinched his arm, "Feeling annoyed, huh?"

"Hey hey hey! Talk is one thing, but could you stop being so hands-on?" Xu Shu winced in pain, rubbing the spot she pinched, and muttered, "This isn’t even out of the mansion, you’re originally my wife. I just greeted you, then you forget about it. I’m doubting whether you can act at all and play the part well?"

Song Fang eyed him, "I think you’re just trying to take advantage of me!"

Xu Shu sneered lightly, "If not for appeasing the elderly lady, with someone as feisty as you? Taking advantage? I usually can’t be bothered to engage with you."

His ideal wife had to be gentle as water, virtuous and generous, easy to cuddle, easy to squeeze, certainly not like Song!

"Stop putting gold on your own face." Song Fang said as she pushed him out, "If it weren’t for getting into Hongwen Academy, who’d be overeager to deal with you?"

Xu Shu stood outside, hearing the door slam shut heavily, shouted inside, "Isn’t it supposed to be the wedding night? Letting your husband sleep on the street, huh?"

A nearby servant kindly reminded, "Young Master, your room is next door."

Xu Shu kicked him, "You find yourself everywhere, get out of here!"

——

The marriage was fake, and the next day’s "tea ceremony" for the in-laws was just going through the motions. The most important was the elderly lady’s side.

The two who were bickering all the way suddenly became a loving couple when they saw the elderly lady. Xu Shu’s gaze toward her was as gentle as could be.

Song Fang felt a shiver down her spine but pretended to look back at him.

The old lady, seeing this, was satisfied. She smiled as she took the tea Song Fang handed her and asked if she was comfortable spending the first night at her in-laws’ home.

Song Fang, inexperienced in these matters, failed to catch the deeper meaning behind the question. Afraid of accidentally saying too much, she simply nodded and said everything was fine.

The old lady then turned to Xu Shu, "My dear grandson, girls are delicate. Don’t bully her too much."

Xu Shu, also clueless, immediately protested, "Who’s bullying her? Grandma, you personally chose this granddaughter-in-law. Even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn’t dare bully her!"

The old lady was amused at how cowardly her grandson seemed, feeling a bit sorry for him, especially since he even seemed wronged on his wedding night. She coughed and excused him from the room, saying she had something to discuss with the granddaughter-in-law.

Xu Shu, puzzled, pushed the door open and stood outside waiting.

Inside, with her grandson not present, the old lady found it easier to talk. She took Song Fang’s hand and mentioned she had seen the handkerchief from the wedding night and found it satisfactory. She advised that women should not be too assertive in bed; being gentle would earn more affection from their husbands, and encouraged them to hurry up and have a chubby baby.

It was the first time Song Fang had heard such talk, and she blushed in embarrassment, awkwardly agreeing.

Even after leaving the room, the blush had not faded from her face.

Xu Shu’s gaze fell exactly on her rosy cheeks, growing curious, "What did Grandma say to you?"

Song Fang ignored him and walked ahead.

Xu Shu called out, "Hey, as long as you haven’t left the mansion, your husband is still your husband. If you keep ignoring me, do you believe I will..."

Song Fang turned around, "What?"

"I just want to know what Grandma said to you. Why can’t I hear it too? Why the discrimination?"

Song Fang sighed, "You’re already a twenty-year-old man, why are you acting like a kid? By your logic, Grandma can’t even share private words with me?"

Xu Shu touched his nose, feigning innocence.

It’s not that he’s childish; it’s just that he’s been overly protected, having never interacted much with women due to his father’s constant injuries from battles, sparing Xu Shu from following the same path.

Compared to Song Fang, having grown up as a "poor kid," Xu Shu was indeed rather naïve in worldly matters.

Song Fang walked a little further and suddenly asked, "When can I go to Hongwen Academy?"

Xu Shu replied, "New students enroll after the autumn examination. Be patient for a little longer!"

Song Fang asked again, "Can I use the brushes, ink, and paper in your study?"

Previously, only her third brother, Song Wei, could afford to use such precious supplies, and she never dared to touch them. But seeing the study in their courtyard this morning, she felt quite eager.

Xu Shu, realizing something, cleared his throat and feigned authority, "Is this how you ask your husband for something?"

Song Fang turned and left.

Whether he gives or not, she’s not begging him! Not happening!

Despite the minor disagreement, it wasn’t long before Song Fang was comfortably seated in the study. She had the maid fetch a calligraphy book and spent the entire morning practicing.

When learning to recognize characters from Song Wei, she hadn’t used a brush much. She could read but her writing wasn’t pretty. Now, picking up the brush, she found her strokes chubby and round, like little balls.

The maid grinding ink often found it hard to suppress laughter but managed to hold it in.

Song Fang didn’t find anything wrong and just placed her finished work to the side to dry, continuing to write.

She forgot to tidy up when she left, and later that afternoon, when Xu Shu saw it in the study, he was initially stunned but soon clutched his stomach, laughing hard, and asked the maid, "Did the Young Madam write this?"

The maid confirmed.

"This lady truly has talent," Xu Shu said, rolling up the papers himself to show them to Song Wei.

When he met Song Wei, Xu Shu didn’t mention that it was Song Fang’s writing, only asked him to take a look.

Song Wei showed no reaction.

Xu Shu couldn’t help but ask, "Don’t you think someone who can write like this is a real talent?"

Song Wei didn’t need to think to know it had to be Song Fang’s work. He gave Xu Shu an indifferent glance, "For a husband to let his wife write like this, how useless must he be? What do you think?"

Xu Shu: "..." He felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.

Song Fang’s writing, at first glance, did indeed seem quite amusing. However, Song Wei had seen even rounder before.

Back when his young wife, Wen Wan, was learning to write, she displayed quite the "versatile talent," capable of producing characters of all shapes.

He, too, had refrained from laughing in front of Wen Wan then, waiting until she left before he chuckled helplessly.

Thinking back now, Wanwan’s writings were quite endearing. But now she’s learned to write neatly and prettily, and getting to see those round, plump characters again seemed like an impossible wish.