Chapter 116: Small-Minded

The small amount of water in the bathtub, after all, wasn’t enough to drown anyone. Even if she panicked briefly, the amount of water she might swallow was limited. After a moment of panic, Su Tan’er eventually came to her senses, her embarrassment and an attempt to distance herself taking over.

Ning Yi patted the water from his clothes and stood up to leave. Su Tan’er sat on the wooden chair inside, wrapped in a bath towel, biting her lip.

“Husband… how are you… here…” Her voice trailed off halfway through the question. Ning Yi replied from outside the curtain, “I was about to take a bath, and… you?”

“I… I asked Juan’er to heat up…”

Ning Yi paused for a moment. “When I came back, there was no one else in the courtyard. Juan’er went out… Uh, you were sleeping. When did you tell her to?”

Inside the bathroom, Su Tan’er had already realized what happened. She made a mortified face, revealing a deeply embarrassed expression. After a long pause, she answered in a voice as faint as a mosquito, “...Noon… What time is it now?”

Looking at the sky outside, it must have been close to dusk. Ning Yi’s reply from outside took a long time to come. Only then did she hear him chuckle, “Heh, you go ahead and wash. You’re already wet anyway. I’ll just… change my clothes. It’s fine.”

Having just carried Su Tan’er out of the bathtub, his robe was also wet. Ning Yi glanced at his soaked clothes and turned to leave. Before he even reached the door, he heard a somewhat embarrassed voice from inside again, “Hus-husband… Wait…”

“Hm?”

“It’s… a bit cold.”

He changed out of his outer robe, then quickly went to the kitchen to light a fire and boil water. Ning Yi was in good physical condition; even a full cold bath in this weather wouldn’t be a big problem for him. He just felt that soaking in a bathtub in such a room with only cold water didn’t fit the mood. Besides, there wasn't much hot water left from before, certainly not enough for Su Tan’er to wash with.

In the quiet courtyard that afternoon, as autumn leaves rustled, Ning Yi spoke to Su Tan’er from across the way about the academy as he boiled water. He mentioned the academy’s closure, Li Pin’s departure, and the lunch gathering.

“...Second Uncle said that we’re all family, and there’s no distinction between the main household or the second or third branches; that’s just for outsiders to observe. He believes his sons are immature and that, ultimately, it’s best for you to manage this household in the future. He saw you were too tired recently, so he asked me to tell you to rest more… Oh, and he also said that all the business in the world cannot be done at once.”

He carried the hot water over. As Ning Yi spoke these words, Su Tan’er’s voice, tinged with a slight smile, drifted out from the room separated by the wall, “Do you believe that, Husband?”

“Whether you believe it or not, I certainly do,” Ning Yi said, nodding with a smile.

That answer probably made Su Tan’er think he was being glib, and she was momentarily exasperated. As he walked to the outer door of the bathroom, Ning Yi said, “Putting it aside, the statement that all the business in the world cannot be done at once still holds some truth.”

“But there’s a difference between urgent business and non-urgent business, isn’t there?” Su Tan’er mumbled from inside. Then she added, “Leaving that phrase aside, what about the rest? Do you believe it, Husband?”

“...One should be sincere.”

Pushing aside the curtain and entering the bathroom, Ning Yi saw Su Tan’er curled up on the chair, wrapped tightly in two bath towels and some clothes. She was originally tall and graceful, and even though only her face was visible as she curled up like that, she still possessed a unique charm. At this moment, despite her blush, her gaze was fixed on Ning Yi: “That’s not an answer.”

“One should be sincere… so Second Uncle seems quite sincere too,” Ning Yi said as he poured the hot water into the tub and tested it with his hand.

“You’re not sincere, Husband.”

“It’s insincere people who always think others are insincere. As for me, I still trust Second Uncle.”

“You’re glib.”

“It’s very hot; the water temperature should be about right now… You have a disagreement with your Second Uncle, but you can’t just slander me because I said he was sincere, can you?”

Su Tan’er looked steadily at him, saying each word slowly with a smile, “Husband, you’re glib and insincere.”

“Alright, women are truly difficult to please…”

“You’re the most evasive, Husband; glib and insincere.”

“I won’t argue with you.” He pushed aside the curtain, preparing to leave, when her voice came from behind him.

“You’re not telling the truth, so you’re insincere.”

“Alright,” Ning Yi sighed, turning back from the doorway, showing only his face. He blinked. “My walking in just now truly wasn’t on purpose.”

At his words, Su Tan’er’s eyes instantly widened. Her cheeks, which had only been slightly flushed, instantly turned crimson. She sat there, clutching herself, wanting to say something but unable to find the words. Long after Ning Yi dropped the curtain and left, Su Tan’er finally took off her bath towel and stepped onto the floor. The bathroom originally had a structure of a curtain plus a wooden door; if the wooden door was closed, no one could enter. Su Tan’er had originally thought Juan’er was at home, and thus hadn’t fully closed the door for a moment. Only then did she go over and slide the bolt on the wooden door.

She was still in her *dudou*, silk trousers, and bare feet. Half of her body was now wet from the water, and it wouldn’t dry quickly. Recalling what that fellow might have seen just now, her face reddened again, and she hugged herself, leaning against the door. He must be laughing out there, she thought to herself.

Footsteps sounded. Ning Yi hummed a tune as he walked past the courtyard corridor outside the bathroom, preparing to heat his own bathwater. Su Tan’er pursed her lips. “You’re not sincere, Husband!”

She called out softly, probably loud enough for him to hear outside, but she didn’t dare to shout too loudly. She heard his footsteps pause slightly outside. She sniffled, then walked towards the bathtub with a smile.

After Su Tan’er finished bathing, it was Ning Yi’s turn. By the time he finished his bath, it was already approaching evening, probably around five in the afternoon. Ning Yi sat in the pavilion in the middle of the courtyard, waiting for his hair to air-dry. Chan’er and Juan’er had also returned and greeted Ning Yi in the setting sun. Chan’er came over and swayed slightly, “Did Master just bathe?” After chatting for a few moments, they went back to their own tasks.

A short while later, Su Tan’er came over, smiling. She had simply tied up her long hair and put on a lake-green dress. After sitting down, she narrowed her eyes as she looked at the setting sun through the gaps in the trees. “So, Husband, you’re going to Yan Cui Tower with Wen Xing and the others tonight?”

“Mm,” Ning Yi nodded, then tilted his head, thinking. “I wonder who the most popular courtesan there is…”

“The most popular one… is called Lü Xia.”

“How do you know that?”

“I went once, disguised as a man,” Su Tan’er said, covering her mouth and chuckling. Then she continued, “Have fun, Husband. After all, Young Master Li is leaving soon, so please bid him farewell for me and wish him smooth sailing. As for those who aren’t very sincere, you don’t need to bother with them at all…”

“Hm?”

“Actually, as I see it, if you and Young Master Li were to go out together, it would be much better than going with people like Wen Xing. They’re not interesting, and I’m just afraid they’ll dampen your spirits.”

Su Tan’er had a strong personality but was good to her family. Of course, those she considered family were only a select few. During the New Year, she would take Ning Yi to visit various households, and on weekdays, there were occasional banquets and gatherings. At every banquet, she was always very mindful of Ning Yi’s presence. Although, in a sense, it didn’t matter whether Ning Yi needed such care or not, Su Tan’er’s “superfluous” actions were enough to prove that she genuinely treated this marriage as a true partnership.

Having reached this point in life, Ning Yi wasn’t seeking pure love. For him, his position in his previous life was somewhat similar to Su Tan’er’s here. If he were in the same life situation, with an arranged spouse, he would naturally have to “manage” it this way. Although he used such terms, they didn’t naturally offend him. You couldn't expect two people to fall in love at first sight and then start kissing and cuddling. In a given situation, you could only view things according to that situation’s pattern.

Su Tan’er’s marriage was naturally not by choice initially, but since she accepted it, she showed genuine sincerity. She had given a stranger enough respect and sincerity. Ning Yi also recognized this sentiment; the other person was expressing her sincerity very earnestly, as if saying: If possible, let’s just continue living like this.

She didn’t have many choices from the start. What Ning Yi saw was a nineteen-year-old woman’s wholehearted earnestness and effort.

On one hand, she diligently managed her business, and on the other, she diligently looked after her family, for which she had few choices. This was her sincerity. Ning Yi appreciated this sentiment; he had originally planned to leave if things didn't work out. But since they could make it work, staying by her side was naturally also part of the plan.

Although their life together had once been a somewhat deliberately “managed” arrangement, they now had some affection for each other, which was quite ideal. When she said these words, she was actually suggesting that Ning Yi didn’t need to humor these spoiled young masters of the family. Ning Yi smiled. “It’s fine, they won’t spoil my mood.”

“Since you’re going with Young Master Li and the others, I won’t let Chan’er follow along,” Su Tan’er said, pulling several silver notes from her sleeve. “I’m afraid you don’t have much money on you, Husband. Here are five hundred *liang* for you. If you like someone, feel free to tip generously. You are known as the foremost scholar, so you shouldn’t appear stingy when you spend.”

As she said this, she chuckled again. “Those brothers from the second and third households are indeed quite disappointing. If the family’s wealth were left in their hands, it would be squandered, and Second Uncle and Third Uncle must know that too. But they are only in their thirties or forties now. They’ll still be in power like grandfathers even when their grandchildren come of age and become accomplished. So, when they say they aren’t competing, they are being insincere. Second Uncle and Third Uncle are vying for themselves, not for the younger generation. Wen Xing and his lot are foolish; they’ll never be able to manage the household. They can only be the fathers of the actual managers…”

Su Tan’er lowered her head, her voice softening. “Husband, please don’t take Second Uncle’s side from now on, alright? Even if it’s just for show, I want to hear you speak ill of the second and third households… I think you should be on my side, Husband. I only like to hear you say that Second Uncle and Third Uncle are insincere. I don’t like to hear you say Second Uncle is sincere, even if you’re just joking. When it comes to this, I’m quite sensitive…”

She looked up, slightly pursed her lips, and smiled as she gazed at Ning Yi. Her smile held a hint of plea, as the setting sun cast its light upon her face. In that moment, Ning Yi felt touched by her earnestness. Whether genuine or not, it was certainly very endearing.