[Translator/Editor: otwentyfirst]
[Host: justreads.net]
[August 16th, 2018]
Because she had hesitated so long in kicking the door of the sedan open and carrying Ji Shumo through the front gates, the timeline shifted a little. Her tardiness allowed her to meet Xie Chuchen before he leapt over the fire pan, thereby avoiding disaster. At the same time her voice had attracted the attention of the crowd and they all walked over to her. Their gazes first locked on her noting her tense expression before swiveling to Xie Chuchen in his festive red robe. Those in the crowd began whispering.
Ji Shumo looked on with a dark and gloomy expression. He’d been so abruptly released by Xiao Wan a moment ago he barely managed to right his balance and avoid falling down. He had to admit he was disturbed at the turn of events. He felt like something had quietly changed without his knowing.
“Yes. I’m sorry.” Xie Chuchen panicked and was unable to face Xiao Wan’s anger directly. He could only quietly apologize with his head down. He kept biting his lip and fidgeting with the fabric of his robe in nervousness. He knew that she really disliked him and didn’t want to marry him.
Would she drive him away because he broke the agreement and made a scene? So many people were alarmed by him. The more he thought about it the more apprehensive he became and the courage he gathered to cross the fire vanished like smoke. Tears filled his eyes making his vision hazy. He slowly raised his head and tried to appease her by apologizing again.
“I’m sorry for disturbing so many people.”
Despite Xiao Wan’s quick reaction earlier, the fire still burned away part of Xie Chuchen’s robe exposing a pair of deliciously smooth creamy legs. Afraid he would suffer injuries like in the previous life she called out to Zhao-er. “Zhao-er carry your Young Master back home.”
Zhao-er was so surprised to be called out by name that he could only stare blankly, not sure how to react. How does this good for nothing woman know my name?
Xie Chuchen looked at Xiao Wan with a stubborn defiance in his eyes. His eyes brimmed with tears but he refused to let them fall, instead he spoke up in a clear voice interrupting Xiao Wan. “I already crossed over the fire pan… so… that means... I am your official husband now… I will not go back! Xiao Wan, you promised to marry me!”
Xie Chuchen’s loud declaration startled the crowd and they couldn’t help but speculate amongst themselves. Xiao Wan felt a blunt ache in her heart at his stubborn desire to be married. Her brow wrinkled in consternation.
This young man in front of her had been the last rays of warmth in her previous life. Even now, if she closed her eyes she could clearly remember being led to the execution grounds after the Xiao House fell. She remembered how despite being discarded and neglected, despite his poor health, he still appeared in front of everyone and declared he was her husband. His words at the time had etched themselves into her memory: “My wife! My Lord!” She also remembered his heartbreaking sobs as he cradled her body, how he completely ignored her stench and his own obvious panic to be near her.
She had kept him a secret in her previous life, not telling anyone about him or the position he held in the Xiao House. To the outside world she made sure to always assert that Ji Shumo was her main husband. The only ones who knew the truth were Xiao Yurong and Great-Grandfather Chen.
She had hated Xie Chuchen to her very bones, had treated him like the plague and isolated him in a desolate and dilapidated tiny courtyard. She ruthlessly ridiculed him every time they met. Everything about him was fair game, from his poor understanding of etiquette, his lack of skills in the four arts, his clumsiness[notes] to his slow wit and stupid expression.
She would curse him out and remind him he was only able to marry her because he had the fortune of finding the jade pendant. He was only worth anything because he had the jade. She found it hard to breathe remembering how viciously she had spoken to him in her previous life.
She owed him a debt. How could she repay it by letting him into the Xiao House?[notes]
Someone in the crowd finally recognized Xie Chuchen. “Isn’t that the Young Master of the Xie House?”
Even though the Xie House had gone into decline recently, it was still an incredibly rich House and he was a well known figure. In fact as the great-grandchild of the Xie House and the only direct heir, Xie Chuchen was pretty much the richest man in the capital. Someone had jokingly said that marrying Xie Chuchen was like the equivalent of getting half the national treasury.
Ever since he was twelve people had been knocking down his door asking his parents for his hand in marriage. Everyone near and far knew of his unruly behavior and his lack of accomplishments. He was an arrogant and prideful, constantly rude and unreasonable Young Master. However he suffered no repercussions and always got away with it because his parents heavily doted on him.
His whole world changed when he turned fourteen. That year his mother was running some errands when she met with an accident and passed away, leaving behind an orphan and a widowed husband. The once large business empire broke up as the concubines fought to get a piece of the wealth left behind. Today the Xie business was comprised of many small and disjointed enterprises, owned by many differnt individuals.
Without his mother’s protection Xie Chuchen went from being a highly sought after beauty coveted by many to just an unruly youth who no one bothered with. These past few years the only ones to propose marriage were those older ladies who desired his sweet sweet flesh.
Rumors had it that Xie Chuchen’s maternal aunt was in the process of selecting a recently widowed middle-aged woman for Xie Chuchen to marry. Even though he’d only be the second husband[notes] the dowry would be substantial.
Another rumor said Xie Chuchen was promised to a high official, to serve her as an attendant.
Although Xiao Wan’s reputation was no better than Xie Chuchen, she was still the first born daughter of the main wife. Everyone was shocked that Xie Chuchen would crash her grand wedding by walking in through the side door dressed the way he was dressed.
People began whispering ferociously.
“He actually demanded she marry him!”
“Wait! Does Xiao Wan intend to take Xie Chuchen as a concubine?!”
“Even his fantastic looks can’t make up for that reputation of his.”
“Xiao Wan must be really greedy[notes] to accept even Xie Chuchen as a husband.”
“To pick today of all days… isn’t that just slapping Ji Shumo in the face?”
“Maybe Xie Chuchen came here on purpose to cause trouble, acting this way to deliberately force Xiao Wan to marry him?”
In an instant everyone’s gossipy heart ignited with desire. Their hungry gazes kept switching between Xiao Wan, Xie Chuchen, and Ji Shumo. The one husband was still in the process of formally entering the House, yet another husband already appeared through the side door! This was the biggest scandal of the year!