Lin Yue’s posture had him partially turned away from the door, and his mind was blank, so he didn’t immediately notice Shen Huaizhi’s arrival. This led to the awkward moment where the two of them now stared at each other in silence.

A thought flashed through both their minds simultaneously: Why is today so awkward?

In a split second, Shen Huaizhi whipped around, ashamed that his mind was filled only with the pale expanse of Lin Yue’s neck. He turned his face away in self-reproach.

Lin Yue sat up straight, then sank back into the bathtub with a blank expression, covering his face with a towel like someone burying their head in the sand.

Clearly, this wasn’t a moment for Shen Huaizhi to dwell on his thoughts. His hand reached for the door handle, ready to leave, but hesitated, deeming it impolite. After much internal struggle, he finally murmured, “My apologies. I saw no light in the room and assumed you were asleep, so I didn’t knock. I’m sorry for the intrusion. I’ll wait outside. Call me when you’re ready. The tub is quite heavy; I’ll come back later to empty the water. Just leave it as it is.”

On the wedding day, the red candles in the bridal chamber were lit when the groom departed. Yet their size was limited; while a stub might remain during the ceremony, they burned out by nightfall.

When Shen Huaizhi entered, the candlelight was already faint. Lanterns hung outside, obscuring the room’s interior unless one looked closely.

Hearing Lin Yue’s barely audible response, Shen Huaizhi cautiously opened the door a crack. Peering around, he slipped out only after confirming the doorway was clear.

Almost the instant the door closed, Lin Yue swiftly dried himself and pulled on his undergarments. He truly couldn’t bear being caught again. Crucially, he couldn’t blame the other party, nor did he want to blame himself. He could only silently grumble about whoever chose the date—were their skills lacking? Today looked nothing like an auspicious day, hmph.

After tidying himself up and cleaning around the tub, Lin Yue tested its weight and found it manageable. He hoisted it behind the door, followed by the water jug and wooden bucket.

Though it was the bedroom, Lin Yue felt awkward facing Shen Huaizhi in just his undergarments. He fetched an outer robe from the wardrobe and draped it over himself before approaching the doorway. He called out tentatively, and sure enough, Shen Huaizhi was waiting outside.

“Come in. I’m ready.”

This time, Shen Huaizhi was extremely cautious. He counted to ten in his mind before pushing the door open. He breathed a sigh of relief when he entered and found no one there.

Lin Yue saw his expression clearly and suddenly asked, “Is anyone else out there?” Having witnessed Shen Huaizhi’s entire facial transformation, Lin Yue chuckled inwardly with satisfaction.

Shen Huaizhi, oblivious to Lin Yue’s mischief, replied earnestly, “The guests left before dark. The few uncles and aunts who helped just saw them off. Only Father and Lingzhi are outside now.”

Lin Yue nodded, figuring it was time to rest. But Shen Huaizhi was still wearing his wedding attire. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Are you going back to your room to wash up?”

“I’ll wash in the kitchen. You rest first; no need to wait for me.”

Lin Yue looked up in confusion. “Not done yet?”

Shen Huaizhi paused, then murmured, “I’m done.”

“Then I’ll wait for you.”

Shen Huaizhi had long known Lin Yue’s voice was beautiful. His laughter drifted over the courtyard wall like petals falling upon a passerby’s shoulder—effortlessly stirring ripples in one’s heart. You wouldn’t blame the petals; you’d only worry you’d disturbed them.

But now, the flower didn’t blame you. Instead, it showered you with a tree’s worth of blossoms, telling you it was waiting for you.

Shen Huaizhi nearly couldn’t contain his joy, nodding repeatedly as his hands moved faster. Moments later, he carried the items out, quietly closing the door behind him.

Lin Yue couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He turned toward the bed, lifted the quilt, and sat leaning against the headboard, waiting for Shen Huaizhi’s return.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

By the time Shen Huaizhi entered, it had been a full incense stick’s worth of time since they’d drunk the wedding wine and lain down.

Lin Yue had never heard breathing so distinctly. Though they weren’t touching—objectively, there was even room for another person between them—his partner’s breath felt as if pressed against his ear.

Beneath the quilt, warmth radiated steadily from beside him, enveloping him like a furnace. Though it was only early summer, Lin Yue was already thinking of switching to a cooler blanket.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. Neither of them spoke or moved, yet Lin Yue could sense that Shen Huaizhi was awake. He pressed his lips together, slowly tilted his head, and met Shen Huaizhi’s gaze…

The awkwardness rivaled being caught bathing earlier. For a moment, Lin Yue didn’t know whether to close his eyes.

Following the awkwardness, a flicker of shyness surfaced. After today, they would transform from strangers into, in a certain sense, the closest of people. Such immense change always left one at a loss.

Ultimately, it was Shen Huaizhi who broke the silence filling the room.

Shen Huaizhi gently took the hand Lin Yue had placed over his stomach. Warmth seeped from the back of his hand into his very core. The sound of Shen Huaizhi’s breathing grew heavier beside his ear, and along with the heat came a soft murmur.

“If you’re nervous, we can wait a little longer. This is fine too.”

Lin Yue stared intently at Shen Huaizhi. In a daze, he blurted out, “Is this something we can wait for?”

The moment the words left his lips, regret washed over him. But it was too late. Shen Huaizhi, who had been beside him, straightened up. In the next instant, he towered over Lin Yue. Though there was no physical contact, Lin Yue felt completely enveloped by his presence. The warmth of his breath fell upon his cheek.

Gazing at Shen Huaizhi’s eyes and brows mere inches away, Lin Yue instinctively closed his own, missing the profound affection brimming within those eyes.

A soft chuckle echoed, amplifying every sense in Lin Yue’s body. Images of the Fire-Avoiding Diagram he’d seen that day flashed through his mind, only to vanish swiftly.

Only the lips resting on his forehead remained—warm, moist, and gentle—before gradually drifting downward: eyes, cheeks, nose, finally pausing at the corner of his mouth.

Lin Yue could distinctly feel the fingertips on his nape shift from warm to scorching. As they gently rubbed, the pressure intensified inch by inch, consuming nearly all his awareness. The last shred of his mind lingered at the hem of his robe.

Blending powder and rouge.

Deep into the night, Shen Huaizhi tasted his petals—they were fragrant.

Lin Yue didn’t know when he’d fallen asleep, only remembering waking twice in a daze. The second time was when Shen Huaizhi was washing him; upon seeing him awake, Shen Huaizhi even stroked his back.

The next day, as daylight flooded the room, Lin Yue awoke to find the space beside him empty. Glancing at the soft pillow beside him, the memories of last night surged back. Lin Yue rolled over and buried his face in the pillow.

Before he could recover from this wave of emotion, Lin Yue suddenly remembered something else. Today was his first day as a married man. His mother had repeatedly urged him to rise early to present tea to Shen Huaizhi’s parents, prepare breakfast, and handle household chores to demonstrate his capable and virtuous nature.

He glanced at the window—sunlight was already streaming in!

The little voice inside Lin Yue’s head began screaming in panic. Oh no! He scrambled out of bed, changed into his clothes, pinned up his hair with a hairpin, and rushed out the door.

In the courtyard, Shen Lingzhi was washing up, clearly having just risen as well. Yet this did nothing to ease Lin Yue’s tension. After all, even setting aside distant memories, his aunt treated her son’s husband and her own son with starkly different standards.

To make matters worse, Shen Lingzhi beamed at him. “Brother, you’re up? My brother just asked me to be quiet, so I wouldn’t disturb you.”

The little voice inside Lin Yue’s heart slowly collapsed. This was truly the end. He dared not imagine the expressions on the faces of the Shen couple inside the room upon hearing this.

A bitter smile tugged at his lips. “Yes, just up. No need to worry—I overslept.”

Before he could take another step, Song Xunchun peered out from the kitchen, her face radiant with warmth. “Xiao Yue is up? Why not sleep a little longer? You worked so hard yesterday—today should be for rest.”

Lin Yue tried to decipher whether she genuinely believed he could have slept longer or was subtly criticizing his late rise. He concluded it seemed genuine—Song Xunchun’s smile mirrored Shen Lingzhi’s perfectly, utterly sincere.

Lin Yue opened his mouth, awkwardly calling out “Mother.” Before he could say another word, he was startled by the sudden sharpness in Song Xunchun’s eyes. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this gaze held an inexplicable familiarity.

Immediately, Lin Yue’s tense nerves relaxed slightly, and his tone became less awkward. “Mother, it’s my fault for sleeping in. I’ll be more careful tomorrow.”

Song Xunchun looked at him, puzzled. “Why get up so early when it’s not busy farming season? You young folks sleep so much. Like Lingzhi—he usually gets up around this time too. You should sleep in whenever you can. Just get up early when things get hectic.”

Shen Lingzhi chimed in from the side, “Exactly! Like yesterday, I got up before dawn, so I slept an extra hour today.”

Lin Yue: …

He genuinely didn’t know how to respond. He wanted to follow up, but it felt awkward. So he changed the subject: “Mother, I’ll make breakfast.”

Song Xunchun waved him off. “Today’s meal is all leftovers from last night. I cooked enough for a whole table, perfect for us to eat today. No need to rush. Go wash up instead. Lingzhi just brought out the hot water, and I’ve laid out fresh towels for you.”

Lin Yue flushed. He’d been so nervous he’d completely forgotten he hadn’t washed up yet. He quickly agreed and followed Shen Lingzhi to wash up nearby.

Once both were ready and had entered the kitchen, Song Xunchun motioned for them to sit down. She then said to Lin Yue, “Huaizhi and his father went to check the irrigation ditches. They should be back soon. Let’s wait for them before we eat.”

Lin Yue nodded repeatedly.

Song Xunchun sensed his nervousness and couldn’t help but recall her own days as a newlywed over twenty years ago. She’d been fortunate—her mother-in-law hadn’t been demanding and had often lent a helping hand. She didn’t want to make things difficult for Lin Yue either; it would only unsettle the whole family without any benefit.

“Lingzhi, go see if your father and the others are back. The food will get cold soon.”

Shen Lingzhi responded with a nod and dashed out.

Lin Yue instantly understood. Song Xunchun had something to tell him.

Song Xunchun rose, poured two cups of tea, placed one before Lin Yue, then spoke slowly: “Huaizhi is several years older than you. I’ve told him to be more considerate of you. Also, the household money was previously managed by me. Now that you’re here, you two should handle your own finances. Set aside only what’s needed for daily expenses; there’s no need to hand it all over to me.”

“Furthermore, I won’t impose restrictions on you. Just do as Lingzhi does—sleep in a bit longer, skip cooking if you don’t feel like it today, or take a day off if you’re unwell and can’t work. You’ll gradually understand.”

Song Xunchun rattled off a string of scattered advice. Lin Yue listened, nodding along, feeling a newfound confidence about their future together. If things truly turned out this way, he wasn’t the type to be ungrateful. They could give and take, not exactly like mother and son, but at least get along harmoniously without constant friction.

After speaking at length, Song Xunchun finally fell silent. What lay ahead would only become clear through time spent together; there was little point in overthinking things now.

“Mother, Brother, we’re back.”

Song Xunchun rose to greet them at the door, her smile warm. “Wash your hands and come inside for dinner. We’ll need to visit your grandmother shortly.”