Chapter 16
A few days later, at the Xie Residence.
Only a few days remained until the deadline set by Xie Yao, but Yuli seemed to have thrown caution to the wind, completely putting the matter out of her mind.
She wanted to plant some living flowers in the residence, but the small courtyard of Mingyue Residence was entirely paved with stone slabs, without even a single potted plant. Yuli thought that such an arrangement must have a deeper meaning and didn’t mention her desire to plant anything to others.
Besides, it was now the height of summer, and the heat seemed to melt people away. She didn’t want to go out, and she probably wouldn’t be able to grow flowers even if she tried. She spent her days cooped up in Mingyue Residence.
The weather was hot, and Xuemi didn’t like to be close to her either, only lying at the entrance of the bedchamber, rubbing against the ice chest in Yuli’s room.
Yuli only went out for a walk in the morning and evening to meet Xie Yao.
Freshly picked flowers were still delivered every morning. Yuli had once asked them to stop, but it had no effect, so she didn’t say anything more.
Xie Yao thought she liked fresh flowers and wanted her to see different ones every day. Afraid that Yuli would feel pity seeing the flowers wither, he would have Jingyu throw them away early the next morning.
Yuli finally couldn’t resist and wanted to tell Xie Yao in person to stop sending them. She spent two days drying the fresh flowers in the scorching sun. Although the flowers withered and dried, their shape remained, giving them a different kind of elegant charm.
When Xie Yao came, Yuli pulled him along to arrange the dried flowers in a vase.
These past few days, Xie Yao had come every day, but he didn’t say much. It seemed he was waiting for Yuli to take some initiative. He didn’t rush or force her. Yuli, at her own pace, invited him to watch the stars and write with her.
The only time he mentioned the outside world was when he said that the court had held a special imperial examination this year, and the Zhuangyuan was from the same hometown as her.
Yuli was not concerned with court affairs; everything was under Xie Yao’s control anyway.
Yuli had learned some flower arrangement techniques from Jingyu, and her vase arrangement was quite presentable. Xie Yao watched from the side, not lending a hand.
After finishing the arrangement, Yuli asked him, “Is it beautiful?”
Xie Yao: “Beautiful.”
“I never thought withered flowers could have a different kind of beauty. I don’t think we’ll need fresh flowers in the future. We can just look at this,” Yuli said, watching Xie Yao’s expression.
Xie Yao seemed normal. “You don’t like fresh flowers anymore?”
“Mm,” Yuli took the opportunity to say. “I prefer this, at least for now.”
Xie Yao was noncommittal. He walked to her side, trapping her between him and the table, his chest almost touching her back, his arms propped on either side of her.
“Did you change your fragrance?” he suddenly asked.
Yuli heard his voice was extremely close, almost right behind her ear. His breath stirred her hair, and it was a little itchy.
Yuli hadn’t changed her fragrance; she had stopped using the one Xie Yao had given her. She wasn’t used to using incense in the first place and had only used it to show that she liked his gift. After a few days, he hadn’t said or asked anything, so she had stopped.
Yuli: “Mm, I feel more at ease without fragrance.”
Xie Yao didn’t move away. Yuli could even feel the heat of his body. On such a hot day, it made her back sweat.
“This fragrance doesn’t suit you,” Xie Yao said. “I’ll have someone send some others tomorrow.”
Yuli quickly said, “No need. I’m not used to using fragrance.”
Xie Yao moved his hands away and took a half step back.
The pressing heat disappeared, and Yuli felt a coolness. She turned around and explained to Xie Yao, “I just found it novel at first. After using it, I realized I’m not used to it, and the novelty has worn off. Don’t buy any more.”
Xie Yao lowered his eyes to look at her, noncommittal.
Yuli felt that Xie Yao was a bit strange, but she couldn’t read his emotions. His eyes were deep and inscrutable. Yuli wanted to say something more, but she couldn’t open her mouth.
Yuli didn’t say much, and Xie Yao said even less. He left a little early.
The next morning, while Yuli was still having breakfast, a line of maids and guards came in, holding bouquets of flowers and brocade boxes.
The room was filled with fresh flowers again, dozens of kinds of incense, and various jewelry and treasures, just like the things from their shopping trip. If they couldn’t find the same ones, they found similar substitutes.
Jingyu emerged from the crowd, her face lowered. “The Young Master said, if the Mistress is reluctant to use them, he will send another set tomorrow. If you don’t like them, or are tired of them, he will send all the new goods from the shops.”
Yuli felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles. She couldn’t even force a smile.
She didn’t respond for a long time. Jingyu raised her face and saw her frowning.
This was a sign of dislike, of displeasure.
A flash of panic crossed Jingyu’s eyes. After a moment of calm, she said, “The Young Master is thinking of the Mistress. The Mistress must not be angry with the Young Master.”
Yuli took a deep breath. How could she dare to be angry with Xie Yao? It seemed her expression was not good, and it had even worried Jingyu. It was a good thing Xie Yao hadn’t come to deliver them himself; otherwise, it would be difficult to resolve if he saw it.
He wanted her to use the things he gave her, and she couldn’t say no.
But this time, Yuli really wanted to refuse. It was one thing for him to arbitrarily buy things she couldn’t afford, but to force her to accept them, to like them, in this way… He was not only restricting her personal freedom but also trying to control her preferences.
In her modern life, Yuli was a person with a strong sense of boundaries. She was unwilling to owe others favors. Even if she was short on rent, she wouldn’t borrow money from friends or parents, but would take out a loan from a bank.
Even if a colleague or friend bought her a cup of milk tea, she would find an opportunity to return the favor.
All her interactions were clearly calculated. When she received something, Yuli had already calculated the price in her mind and how to repay it.
But now, Xie Yao was acting like this, forcing her to owe him a debt she could never repay. It seemed he not only wanted her to consummate the marriage with him but also to exert mental control over her.
Yuli finally felt repulsed.
Yuli never showed a smiling face to Jingyu.
After Jingyu left, she didn’t touch any of the things in the room. She planned to wait for Xie Yao to come, explain things clearly to him, and have him take them away.
She would tell him that her entire being was under his control, that she had no intention of leaving, and that he didn’t need to dominate her preferences.
Yuli naively thought that if she communicated with him sincerely, he would listen.
When Xie Yao came in the evening, the main room of Mingyue Residence was filled with things. Yuli had her meal in the small pavilion. She didn’t go to meet him when he arrived but was playing with Xuemi outside the gate.
When he arrived, Yuli hadn’t seen him yet, but Xuemi had already darted away.
Yuli stood properly outside the gate, watching him approach step by step. He looked straight ahead, at the packed main room.
Under the hanging flower gate, Jingyu and the two maids lowered their heads even more. Xiyun also sensed that something was wrong and chose to stand with Yuli.
In an instant, Yuli seemed to see the dead faces of Jingyu and the two maids. In the original novel, Xie Yao didn’t like to see blood when he killed people. He would either feed them to the dogs alive or strangle them with a rope, leaving a whole corpse without any blood.
The original protagonist, Song Yi, was stubborn and opposed him. She was unhappy every day. Once, when she threw a gift he had given her, Xie Yao had all the maids present put to death.
Yuli shivered. Xie Yao’s expression was terrifying. But what had she done wrong?
She had accepted his gifts and even used them for him to see. Wasn’t that providing him with emotional value? Why was he so excessive, forcing her to use them continuously? They had been together for so long. If not lovers, they were at least friends. Didn’t she even have the right to express her refusal subtly?
Yuli felt wronged. She wanted to run away, not speak, and give him the silent treatment.
But she couldn’t displease him.
If she got angry with him and didn’t speak to him, he wouldn’t do anything to her, but it would harm Xiyun and Jingyu and the others.
Yuli’s mind raced. Xie Yao was close now. She first called out “Husband.”
Her voice was heavy with a nasal tone, with a trembling end.
Xie Yao’s steps halted. He looked at her turned profile, saw her pursed lips, looking at the ground.
Xie Yao said, “If you don’t like them, just have them removed. If you want anything in the future, just tell me.”
Yuli turned to look at him, completely surprised.
Xie Yao stared at her. “If you don’t want anything, also tell me.”
Yuli glanced at his expression and said, “I don’t need any of these. Can you have someone return them?”
“Alright,” Xie Yao said, and then ordered Jingyu to have people clear out the things in the room.
Yuli was relieved. She looked at Xie Yao. His expression was still inscrutable, completely unreadable.
But Yuli was familiar with him. As long as he didn’t smile in front of her, he was unhappy. The only difference was the degree of his unhappiness.
Previously, Yuli felt he was very unhappy, a little angry, but now he seemed better.
He suddenly asked, “Anything else?”
Yuli felt it was enough. The other things had been used and couldn’t be returned.
Yuli shook her head.
Xie Yao looked at her for a while. “That’s good. I have things to do tonight. I’ll be here earlier tomorrow.”
After saying this, Xie Yao left.
Yuli felt even stranger. What was he here for? But it was better for him to leave than to stay, so Yuli didn’t dwell on it.
The next day, there were finally no more flowers following her like a shadow. Yuli’s mood improved a lot, thinking that life had returned to normal.
Thinking that Xie Yao would be here earlier, she went to the kitchen to prepare some delicious food for him. She first made some thirst-quenching lemonade for Jingyu and the others. Before she could start preparing, someone came with a message, saying that someone was asking to see the Mistress.
“Who is it?” Yuli was curious. Who could find the secret residence Xie Yao had prepared for her?
“It’s the Mistress’s father and mother.”
Yuli’s smile froze.
She had thought she would never have to face that couple again after getting married. In the original book, the female lead’s parents had never appeared after she got married.
It wasn’t that Yuli hated them that much, but every time she saw them, she would think of her parents in her past life.
But they had come to her door. They were her parents. With so many people watching, it was not good for her not to see them. Besides, there was one important matter she had to see them about. She wanted to get back Xiyun’s indenture contract.
Yuli wanted to see them. After thinking about it, she asked Uncle Hu to prepare some home-style dishes. She didn’t want that unscrupulous father to think the Xie family was so good that he would not only feel no guilt for forcing her to marry, but would also be servile to Xie Yao.
However, Yuli was mistaken. The Song Zhu she saw today was not the bloodsucking father she remembered. He was dressed in luxurious brocade, with numerous accessories, and had transformed into a nouveau riche.
Her mother was also dressed up, but her face still had a bitter look.
As for her brother, Yaozu, he had become a dandy. In the main hall of the Xie residence, he was looking and touching everything, with a frivolous air of someone who had seen a bit of the world and no longer cared for nice things.
The moment Yuli saw them, compared to her previous silent endurance, she now felt a little more disgust.
Song Zhu sat in the main seat, putting on the airs of a father and father-in-law. “Don’t you know how to greet people?”
Yuli thought that she still had to get Xiyun’s indenture contract, so she couldn’t make the relationship too stiff. She called out faintly, “Father, Mother.”
“So you’ve married into a wealthy family and now you think your parents are not presentable,” Song Zhu said sarcastically.
Good, at least he didn’t scold her.
Yuli didn’t ask what they were here for first. She had someone serve pastries and started with some small talk.
Her brother was staring at the maids coming and going, his lust written all over his face.
Her father was drinking tea on the side, slurping loudly and unpleasantly.
Only her mother was like a normal person, telling her, “After you got married, our family’s situation has improved. We’ve moved into a big house. Your father closed the umbrella shop and opened a few better shops, doing some more profitable business.”
“That breakfast stall of yours didn’t make any money at all,” Song Zhu interjected.
She was the only one running it, earning money purely through labor. How could she compare to a nouveau riche like him who hired people to work?
Yuli didn’t ask what kind of shops they had opened. In any case, it had nothing to do with her. In ancient times, especially in a family like the Songs, a married daughter was like spilled water. She was now Xie Yao’s person, and they should mind their own business.
Song Zhu rolled his eyes and glanced at Mother Song. Mother Song forced a pale smile and held Yuli’s hand. “My girl is living a good life now. Your hands are so delicate.”
Yuli pulled her hand away and didn’t even give her a smile. She hadn’t forgotten that when she was getting married, it was this mother of hers who had tied her up.