On the Wedding Night, Ms. Cui Realized

“This, this can't be..." Mr. Xining muttered in disbelief as he surveyed the run-down room, his eyes twitching with unease. He couldn't believe that he was allowing the prime minister's 'son’ to suffer in such a way.

The word "Father-in-law" created an opportunity for Mr. Xining and Pei Xuan to bond with one another. Seeing that Pei Xuan still insisted on sleeping here, he anxiously winked at Cui Ti, hoping that his daughter could help persuade Pei Xuan. 

But then he realized his mistake, as Cui Ti was blind and couldn't see him.

"Cui Ti, please persuade him. Wouldn't it be better for you two to live in the Chenxiang courtyard?," Mr. Xining pleaded.

Hearing his question, Pei Xuan who usually smiled warmly and was attentive to her wife turned into a frightening frigid person.

She usually had no superiority complex, but now she was really annoyed, and she brought out that noble aura which exerted a lot of pressure on the people inside the room.

This proves the saying: People with a good temper are more frightening when they get angry.

Mr. Xining turned pale with confusement, and his forehead was sweating profusely.

Cui Ti glanced at Pei Xuan who was sitting on the wooden bed from the corner of her eye, and seeing her frowning, she felt distressed and moved towards her for a moment.

Pei Xuan had done everything for her. Besides, if she persuaded him, Pei Xuan truly wouldn’t care about this residence anymore.

She truly loved Pei Xuan, and after considering the situation, she shook her head, saying, "I married Pei Xuan and so I will obey my husband.”

Mr. Xining's eyes widened, and before he could reprimand her, Pei Xuan raised her eyelids and said, "Father-in-law will listen to our request, right?.”

That's right!

The corner of Mr. Xining's mouth twitched, no matter how powerful he is, how can he compare to his rich and powerful son-in-law?,

"S-son in law…"

But, Pei Xuan was indifferent: "See off the guests."

Just as Bai Tang was about to escort him, Ruo held down her hand calmly and stood up with a smile, "Master, please let me.”

Now being part of Mr. Xining’s family and belonging to the Pei family, Pei Xuan’s words carried more weight than Bai Tang’s actions. Although Mr. Xining may hold grudges, he would dare to bear a grudge against his own daughter. Besides, Bai Tang belonged to the Young Madam, and even if they did not interact much in the future, why not avoid trouble if they could?

Today, Mr. Xining had suffered a great deal of humiliation, and surely he had suppressed his anger.

Walking out of the small courtyard, Mr. Xining’s legs and feet were weak and he almost fell down.

Fortunately, the nearby servants quickly supported him, and he looked back at the courtyard silently in the wind.

Naturally, he knew he couldn't blame Cui Ti for her decision, as she was a married woman who couldn't afford to offend Pei Xuan if she wanted to become ‘his’ wife. Thus, he understood her silence during their confrontation

However, what really shocked him was the transformation in Pei Xuan's demeanor. The ‘man's’ smile and coldness were like two different people. At only eighteen years old, Pei Xuan exuded such authority in that humble abode that Mr. Xining couldn't stand upright.

His son-in-law will do great things in the future, but has he already made enemies with ‘him’?.

A wise man is bound to make mistakes, but this mistake could have been avoided!.

As he stared at the dilapidated small courtyard behind him, he thought of the leaky roof and the people inside. The anger inside him grew, and he hurried to the back garden, where he saw a maid and asked in a sullen voice, "Where is my wife?.”

The servant girl was startled by his sudden appearance and quickly said, "Madam went to the Baishao Courtyard."

Immediately hearing the answer, he walked towards the brightly-lit Baishao Courtyard.

Stepping in, Mr. Xining saw the neatly manicured flowers of various colors in the courtyard. He lost his newly-found leisurely mood to enjoy the scenery, and the first thing that popped into his mind was the small broken south-courtyard that he had been to before.

That was the old residence where Cui Ti lived for her entire life.

It is imaginable that tonight's events will severely damage his ideal relationship with his son-in-law. Pei Xuan will no longer hold him in high regard, and the Pei family will reject the Xining relatives. 

If the Prime Minister were to discover that his beloved ‘son’ and daughter-in-law were residing in a rundown courtyard and he treated his own daughter harshly, then Mr. Xininig’s residence would truly be doomed.

As his daughters, why must the eldest live in poverty while the youngest enjoys spacious accommodations?.

"Madam, the Master is here."

Mrs. Xining and Cui Dai were sipping tea together when he entered. The aroma of the tea filled the air, but Mrs. Xining didn't even look up, saying, "Let him in."

Mr. Xining, who was in front of them, said, "Cui Dai, go downstairs."

"Father?.”

"I said, go downstairs!.”

Cui Dai was taken aback by his outburst. She turned to her mother but Mrs. Xining placed her tea cup down and spoke in a gentle voice, "You go down first."

Mr. Xining watched her depart, letting out a deep sigh.

Mrs. Xining poured him a cup of tea, asking curiously, "Why are you acting so crazy when you're not even trying to win over your son-in-law?.”

"Insane?" He moved quickly, slapping the woman across the face. "All of this is insane!.”

Mrs. Xining’s head was spinning from the slap.

Mr. Xining scolded her fiercely, "I leave this house to you to take care of and this is how you manage it? The south courtyard is a total mess!. Why are you trying to drag the Xining family down with you?.”

Hearing his harsh words, Mrs. Xining understood that this must be an important matter, so she held back her resentment for the time being and did not bother with him: "What happened?.”

"Our son-in-law and Cui Ti are sleeping in the south courtyard," he said, frowning. "As a mother, how could you let your daughter live in such a dilapidated house for her whole life? Our family's reputation is at stake!.”

"Is it my fault?...Was it really me who decided for Cui Ti to live in such a crappy house?.”

Mrs. Xining’s face was swollen from the slap, and she laughed bitterly, as if hearing the biggest joke in the world. "You're a father, and you've known for a long time that Cui TI was living in the south courtyard. Have you ever even visited her?.”

"You've ignored her since she was born, so what right do you have to accuse me of being a bad mother? I gave birth to three children, but because my third daughter was born with a disability, I had to hide her because of you. Besides, you were the one who tore out my heart first, but now it's all my fault? Xining, do you have any conscience? Aren't you afraid the heavens will strike you dead for saying such things!?.”

A moment of deathly silence passed, and after the violent argument broke out behind the door, Cui Dai who stood outside shivered and trembled, wondering what was happening inside.

She was at a loss.

Why is Mother scolding Daddy?. Why did it sound like Daddy slapped Mother?.

Cui Dai was so frightened that she held her breath and dared not make a sound.

The argument revealed long-standing dissatisfaction in their relationship. The couple who were normally loving and affectionate were now bickering with each other using ugly words.

Besides Cui Ti, Mr. Xining was unhappy that his wife had not given him a son, while Mrs. Xining resented her husband for being someone who was not humane.

…

Under the starry night sky, the servants had finished cleaning the south courtyard. The once dusty table was now clean, the pillows were neatly arranged, and Ruo had lit incense in the inner room. 

Soon after, Shou fetched a bouquet of flowers from the back garden and put them in a vase, handing it while bowing to Cui Ti and then led the servants outside.

"Husband..."

Pei Xuan was engrossed in his book and did not notice it falling to the ground as he pretended to read intently and said, "Wife, you should bathe first."

She was startled at first, then remembered that Cui Ti was blind and might bump into things without her support so she quickly got up and rushed over to support her, leading her to the steaming tub "Wife, this way."

Fresh petals floated on the surface of the water, giving off a fragrant aroma that Cui Ti could smell but not see.

Pei Xuan's palms felt hot as she gently guided her, "That's right, right here."

She glanced at Cui Ti, then, considering she was blind asked: "Shall I help you undress?.”

Cui Ti held back her smile and nodded.

Pei Xuan took a deep breath quietly and lowered his head, too bashful to look.

After a minute, her clothes were piled up like blossoming flowers near the woman's slender ankles, while also revealing her fair and white calves. Pei Xuan closed her eyes and turned her back to Cui Ti, "Wife, please be careful."

As Cui Ti stepped into the bathtub, the sound of water rippled behind her. Warm water enveloped her shoulders, and delicate petals floated on her fair skin. 

“Husband," she called out softly.

Pei Xuan turned around, but quickly turned back, startled by the sight of her delicate figure, her face flushed as she went towards the window and stared outside.

Drawing down the curtains, Cui Ti giggled softly in the tub, careful not to draw attention to herself.

Hearing her laughter, Pei Xuan's cheeks burned with embarrassment. Her gaze drifted over the semi-clear bath curtains and caught a glimpse of her wife's raised arms, causing her heart to race uncontrollably.

Not knowing how much time passed, Cui Ti stood up from the bathtub and said, "Husband?.”

Pei Xuan raised her head and was taken aback by the beautiful figure reflected on the curtain, which made her ears burn. She struggled to steady her voice, "Do you want me to bring you clothes?.”

"Yes, please.”

Soon, Pei Xuan passed the pajamas through the curtain, but as soon as she got closer, she could vaguely smell the pleasant fragrance, which was emanating from her wife.

She couldn't help but fantasize about spending the night with her, despite their difference in genders.

Before getting married, Cui Ti had been independent and didn't rely on Bai Tang to take care of her personal needs, which helped her develop basic self-care skills.

Once dressed, Cui Ti stepped out from behind the screen, and noticed Pei Xuan deep in thought.

"Husband?.”

Hearing her, Pei Xuan suddenly raised her eyebrows.

Cui Ti was startled by the intensity in Pei Xuan’s eyes, and said softly: "I'll call Bai Tang in to prepare warm water for you.”

"No need." Pei Xuan went towards the bathtub and saw the bath water, and said with a smile: "Let’s not bother them, I'll use the same water as my wife.”

"This, how can I let you bathe like this?.”

Pei Xuan shortly laughed and said whole-heartedly, "Wife, go back to bed and rest first. I will come later."

"..."

Embarrassed in learning the meaning behind those words, Cui Ti didn't dare to look or ask any more, and she went to the bedside and hesitated for a while, her face still burning, as she laid down on the wooden bed, hoping not to think too much.

The warm water still lingered, carrying the sweet scent of flowers and the fresh fragrance of youth. Pei Xuan was both bashful and thrilled, but ultimately, she cursed herself for being indecent.

Cui Ti waited nervously, her heart pounding like a deer's as the wind breezed through the hole in the roof. With Pei Xuan by her side, her heart was no longer filled with worry and unease.

After changing into her pajamas, Pei Xuan grabbed a tiny incense stick from her purse and lit it in the purple gold stove. The fragrance wafted through the air, but Cui Ti pretended not to notice.

The wooden bed was small and could only accommodate one person. Luckily, they were both slender enough to squeeze together. But as soon as Pei Xuan laid down, the bed made creaking noises.

Cui Ti blushed immediately, and explained: "It's just a little noisy, but the bed is still solid, it won't...it won't collapse."

She pulled the quilt over her chest, there was a subtle silence, and she suddenly realized something, as her face turned into a little red lantern.

Pei Xuan chuckled and wrapped her long arms around Cui Ti’s waist, inviting her to rest in her embrace. "I should have come to see you sooner. I caused you so much trouble, and I'm sorry."

"No, I haven't suffered a lot of grievances." Cui Ti replied softly: "It's all fine now.”

For Cui Ti, the ordeal was over, but for Pei Xuan, the memory lingered. In the past, even if she was away from home for just a few days, her mother would send someone to look after her room.

The once lively south courtyard has become a deserted place ever since Cui Ti got married, and it's clear that the Xining couple don’t have their daughter in their hearts.

The cruel indifference of hindsight is worse than neglecting her for being blind.

"Wife~," Pei Xuan's voice was low and husky as she used her hands to skillfully move Cui Ti's arms to the side of the pillow. She then placed one hand on the back of her head and leaned in to kiss her lips.

"I like you very much, wife," she whispered softly and gently.