In the dim mill room, Jiang Ji was scooping soybeans into the grinder.

Hearing the main hall door open, he paused, then set down the spoon and stepped out.

The moonlight was faint, revealing only Ye Li’s blurred silhouette.

He couldn’t see his expression.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

With darkness as a barrier, the awkwardness and unease faded considerably.

He forced his voice to sound calm, as if last night’s passionate embrace had been nothing but a dream: “Why are you up? Go back to bed. I can grind the tofu alone.”

“Um…”

Truthfully, Ye Li wasn’t surprised by this response.

Last night, his cheap husband had pushed the millstone alone, not letting him help.

But they weren’t real lovers after all, so he struggled to his feet, intending to wander around the millhouse and make an appearance.

Now that his cheap husband had offered, he wouldn’t refuse—he genuinely felt unwell.

But as he turned, he instructed, “Have Xiao Mai make breakfast later. Tell him to fry eight eggs.”

“Eight?” The number surprised Jiang Ji, but before Ye Li could speak, he agreed with a nod.

Idiot… No, Ye Li really did need to build himself up.

“Eight it is. Two each. Look at how skinny you are—nothing but bones!”

“I was only lying on top of you for a little while yesterday, and now my whole body aches from the pressure.”

Ye Li offered an explanation.

Jiang Ji: “…”

Ye Li didn’t expect his cheap husband to answer. He gave instructions as he slowly returned to the main room: “You’d better nourish yourself properly, or I’ll suffer again later.”

Watching the main room door close, Jiang Ji exhaled softly and turned back toward the mill.

Fine. After last night, he knew just how bold this man was in both speech and action.

Nourish it, then.

As the night sky turned blue, heralding dawn, Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya woke up.

The two little ones woke to find Ye Li absent and immediately felt something was off.

Standing at the mill door, Jiang Ya pressed her small hand against the doorframe and asked, “Big Brother, where’s Brother Li?”

“He’s not feeling well. I sent him back to rest. Today, you and your second brother will make breakfast, okay?”

Jiang Ji paused, his tone gentle.

“Okay,” Jiang Ya nodded his little head, though his face crinkled with worry. “Is Brother Li sick?”

Jiang Mai’s little eyebrows also furrowed.

If he’s not feeling well, he must be sick.

“Not sick. He just stayed up late last night and couldn’t get up this morning. He’ll be fine after resting. Don’t worry. You two wash your faces and make breakfast.”

Jiang Ji offered a half-truth explanation, hoping to ease the little ones’ worries.

This big brother of theirs was quite trustworthy. Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya believed about eighty percent of what he said.

However, after preparing breakfast, the two youngsters immediately headed for the main hall.

They took a few quick steps to the west room door. Jiang Ya pressed her ear against it first, listening. Hearing no movement, she called softly, “Brother Li?”

Ye Li was just about to get up. Hearing the call, he couldn’t help but smile. “Hey, come in.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ya pushed open the door with his small hand and entered the west room.

Jiang Mai followed closely behind.

The two stood before the kang, their wide eyes carefully studying Ye Li’s expression.

Seeing Ye Li indeed looked a bit off, Jiang Ya’s little face scrunched up again. “Brother Li, Big Brother said you weren’t feeling well. Are you sick?”

“No, I’m not.” Ye Li paused, then smiled warmly. “I just didn’t sleep well. I caught up on some sleep earlier and feel much better now.”

“Really?” Jiang Ya’s little face remained wrinkled.

“Of course! Look—no coughing, no runny nose, and definitely no fever. I’m perfectly fine.”

His words were quite convincing.

Ye Li showed absolutely no signs of illness.

This finally put the two little ones at ease.

Jiang Ya’s face lit up with a smile. “Brother Li, get up quickly! We can have eggs soon.”

He wiggled two slender little fingers, his big eyes sparkling again.

Jiang Mai nodded too.

Eight eggs for one meal!

How extravagant!

“Alright, alright, I’ll get up right now. You two go serve the corn porridge. After breakfast, we’ll boil soy milk.”

Ye Li said.

The two little ones hurried off at his command.

By the time Ye Li entered the kitchen, breakfast was already laid out on the table.

Moreover, taking advantage of this brief moment, Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya had even filtered the soy pulp.

Such diligence truly made Ye Li feel ashamed.

After praising the two youngsters, Ye Li first scooped water to wash his face.

However, as he carried the basin past the mill, he glanced inside.

Just then, Jiang Ji pushed the mill rod to a spot near the doorway.

Their eyes met unexpectedly.

Ye Li blinked, his eyes darting over Jiang Ji’s flushed, sweat-beaded cheeks before his own face flushed crimson. He snatched the basin and bolted away.

Last night, his husband had exerted himself so much that by the end, he was drenched in sweat.

And then he’d been pinned beneath him, thrusting relentlessly, his large hands clamping down on Ye Li’s shoulders like pincers. Their cheeks had been pressed almost together, and even in the dim light, Ye Li could see his husband’s flushed face…

Ye Li was clearly a bit shy. Jiang Ji took in his expression, and inexplicably, Jiang Ji’s mood lifted a little, even a hint of a smile appearing on his face.

Gripping the millstone rod tightly, Jiang Ji continued grinding.

Hmm, able to run that fast, looks like his body has recovered quite a bit.

After washing his face and brushing his teeth, Ye Li hurriedly sat down at the breakfast table. Just then, Jiang Ji entered the kitchen carrying a large bucket of porridge.

The two little ones stopped what they were doing, washed their hands, and sat down to eat.

Jiang Ji sat opposite Ye Li as usual, but throughout breakfast, as if sharing a silent understanding, their eyes never met. Each ate in silence.

Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya rarely had the luxury of two eggs per meal. Though the steamed eggs were plain, they ate bite after bite with relish, completely unaware of the unusual tension between their eldest brother and his husband.

After breakfast, the first strained the bean curd residue, then Ye Li began boiling the soy milk.

At this hour, the kitchen was usually his domain alone, for this step held the core secret to making tofu puffs.

He quickly finished setting the tofu. During the waiting period for it to solidify, he stepped out of the kitchen, intending to return to his room for a short rest.

But as soon as he entered the main hall, he saw Jiang Ji emerging from the west room carrying bedsheets and the small garments of Jiang Mai and Jiang Ya.

He was somewhat surprised: “Huh? You didn’t go out to work the fields?”

“I’m taking advantage of the good weather to wash these.”

Jiang Ji lifted the bundle in her arms, explaining with a natural expression.

“Besides, the next time I come back will be wheat harvest season. I’ll need to help Second Uncle with the harvest, so I’m sharpening the sickles and hoes now.”

“There’s too much odd work to do. I won’t be going out to the fields today.”

It was only two acres anyway. He’d spent all yesterday weeding and was nearly done.

Ye Li’s mood had lifted somewhat, but he couldn’t very well leave home either.

What if he was needed to lend a hand?

Unable to guess Jiang Ji’s thoughts, Ye Li simply replied, “Then wash them.”

He turned to head back to the west room.

“Wait.” Jiang Ji hurriedly called him back.

But when he actually turned around, he pressed his lips together before asking, “Last night’s sheets… should they be washed?”

“…Wash them. Wait here, I’ll change them out now.”

Ye Li couldn’t suppress the smile on his face as he hurried into the west room.

His cheap husband was quite observant!

After changing the cotton sheets from last night, he balled them up and carried them to the well, tossing them into the large wooden tub filled with dirty laundry.

But he didn’t return to the west room.

He pulled up a small stool and sat beside Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji was scrubbing Jiang Ya’s little clothes. Seeing him sit down, he glanced at him with some confusion: ” Why not go back to bed?“

”I have something important to discuss with you.“

Ye Li said solemnly.

”What is it?“

Jiang Ji’s ink-black eyes fixed on him.

He cleared his throat lightly, raised his hand, and patted Jiang Ji’s shoulder: ”Comrade Jiang Ji.”

“?”

Jiang Ji frowned.

“Comrade, shared aspirations. Tell me, don’t we share the same aspirations?”

Ye Li asked.

At this, Jiang Ji couldn’t help recalling the earlier image of “Ye Li”—that arrogant, domineering face. That good-for-nothing had scorned him for his incompetence, for still not having passed the Xiucai examination at his age.

He lowered his eyes and continued scrubbing the small garment in his hands.

His voice was calm as he asked, “What are you trying to say?”

“I want to say that from now on, I’ll provide the silver for your studies. How does that sound?”

“…”

Disbelief flashed across Jiang Ji’s handsome face.

He looked back at Ye Li, his narrowed eyes widening to their fullest.

Ye Li understood his shock and explained slowly, “I used to be a fool who spouted nonsense. You can forget all that. Just remember what I say now.”

“You must go to the Prefectural Capital for the exams this autumn. With less than half a year left, you should focus on studying. No more farm work or odd jobs.”

“As you’ve seen, my daily earnings are stable now—more than enough to cover your studies.”

“I know you dislike me and refuse to use my money. But is that dislike truly heavier than your future?”

“Which matters more—hating me or passing the imperial examinations?”

Jiang Ji: “…”

He fell silent.

He lowered his gaze once more.

It wasn’t solely aversion.

It was dignity. It was pride.

Truthfully, when he sold the land, Jiang Fuzheng had offered to lend him money for the exams and the wedding.

But he already owed Jiang Fuzheng several taels.

Moreover, this silver wasn’t being spent on his future.

He was doing it to satisfy that good-for-nothing’s demands.

Therefore, he refused Jiang Fuzheng’s kindness and insisted on selling the land.

At the time, Jiang Fuzheng sighed repeatedly, urging him over and over that if he couldn’t scrape together the silver for the exams, he should come to him, Uncle Jiang.

Nothing was more important than his future.

Back then, he had rejected Uncle Jiang’s kindness for the sake of his pitiful dignity. Now…

The fool before him was no longer a fool, but he didn’t want to take Ye Li’s money.

Besides, he was a man. Ye Li worked hard every day making tofu…

“No need. I have a way,” he murmured in refusal.

Ye Li frowned at the sound.

A way?

What possible way could this cheap husband have?

After all, he was merely an eighteen-year-old scholar.

In his past life, he was a high school graduate preparing for college entrance exams!

But boys his age? Their pride was nothing short of formidable.

After a moment’s thought, he shifted his small stool closer, pressing himself tightly against Jiang Ji.

Before the cheap husband could react, he hooked his arm around Jiang Ji’s and adopted a pitiful tone: “We did everything last night, and I’ve changed my ways. Are you sure you still want to be so distant with me?”

“Husband, I’m looking forward to being the Xiucai Fulang~.”

“Husband, my dear husband~”

Jiang Ji: “…”

Goosebumps erupted all over his body.

His expression was beyond words.