Chapter 016: Is Madam really that afraid of me?

Chapter 016: Is Madam really that afraid of me?

As several maids were delivering dinner to Changchun Garden, Ruan Qinghuan and Xia Lian finally realized that it had already grown dark.

Ruan Qinghuan straightened her back, tired from working on the decoration drafts spread out on the table. "What do you think? If the storefront is renovated like this, wouldn't it look grand?"

Xia Lian seemed to not recognize her Madam anymore, staring at her without blinking, unable to believe that these designs were drawn by Ruan Qinghuan.

Lost in surprise, she failed to notice the ink smudge on her Madam's face.

Seeing that Xia Lian hadn’t said anything for a while, Ruan Qinghuan asked doubtfully, "Doesn’t it look good?"

Ruan Qinghuan lowered her head again and examined the details. Although it wasn’t the most intricately designed, it was certainly eye-catching.

"Madam, before, didn’t you hate painting the most?"

Xia Lian had been serving by her side since childhood. When Ruan Qinghuan was young, a painting instructor was hired to teach her, but each time, she either overturned the inkstone, damaged the easel, or crumpled the rice paper.

Eventually, her mother gave up on teaching her to paint.

"That was before, because I didn’t need to, so I had no interest. Now I need it, so it’s better to learn and save myself the trouble of asking others."

Placing the brush on the brush holder, Ruan Qinghuan subconsciously raised her hand to wipe her forehead. "Tomorrow, find a craftsman and show him this drawing. If he can replicate this design, we’ll confirm it."

Xia Lian’s eyes lifted from the drawing and, upon seeing the long ink smudge on Ruan Qinghuan’s forehead, couldn’t help but laugh. "Madam, you…"

Prime Minister He An’s sudden entrance interrupted Xia Lian, who quickly composed herself and bowed. "Prime Minister."

He An narrowed his eyes and looked at Ruan Qinghuan. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly recovered with a smile. "Thank you, Prime Minister, for bringing the food here."

Xia Lian stood by and made gestures at Ruan Qinghuan, who didn’t understand what she meant for a long time. Finally, noticing Xia Lian pointing at her forehead, Ruan Qinghuan guessed she might have something on her face.

"You can leave now. If you’re not feeling well, go rest. We have important work tomorrow."

Xia Lian: "..."

He An held back his laughter, and after Xia Lian left, he looked at the messy desk and the papers scattered on the floor. Then, looking at Ruan Qinghuan’s smudged face, he asked, "What have you been doing?"

"Nothing much, just drew a picture." Ruan Qinghuan didn’t hide it and glanced at the draft on the table.

He An took the draft in his hands and examined it carefully, a flash of admiration in his eyes. "Did you draw this?"

"Yes, the storefront on East Street is expiring. I plan to open a pawnshop. A pawnshop needs a grand entrance to attract customers."

He An led her to the desk, then shook his head, went to the washstand, and personally bent down to help her wash her hands. "Isn’t managing the household affairs of the Prime Minister's residence enough for you to handle? Opening such a small shop won’t make much money."

"That’s not necessarily true. Even in the worst case, earning some silver to be self-sufficient is still a good thing."

He An’s hands paused, and his good mood instantly diminished by half. "Self-sufficient?"

His voice wasn’t loud, but Ruan Qinghuan could hear the displeasure. "No, for others, running a business is for self-sufficiency. As the Prime Minister's wife, how could I possibly stoop to that level for a little money? It’s just to have something to do, so I don’t get too bored."

He An dried her hands. "Tomorrow, I will speak to Mother and ask her to put you in charge of the household affairs."

"Isn’t it a bit too soon for that? I’m only eighteen, still young…" After meeting He An’s cold gaze, she swallowed the rest of her words. "Alright, then."

The phrase "I can’t refuse such an offer" fit perfectly for this situation.

He An’s expression made it clear: if she refused again, there would be consequences.

Just as she was mentally criticizing him for being so controlling, He An put some vegetables and meat on her plate. Ruan Qinghuan’s mind couldn’t keep up. She wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Ever since marrying into the Prime Minister’s residence, this was the first time they had shared a meal like this. The situation felt unusual, and she couldn’t help but wonder what He An was up to.

He An’s gesture of putting food on her plate was so natural, as if they were any other married couple.

The sound of the breeze rustling the leaves outside made Ruan Qinghuan’s thoughts even more chaotic. Outside, it was pitch black, and the prospect of being alone with a man in the same room made her uneasy.

Thinking about their previous awkward encounter, Ruan Qinghuan felt so embarrassed that she could have dug a hole in the ground with her toes. Yet He An seemed to have forgotten all about it, or maybe he was just pretending not to care.

Sensing her gaze, He An put down his chopsticks. "Is my wife really that afraid of me?"

"No, of course not. How could I be afraid of someone as wonderful as you, my lord? It’s because I respect you that I don’t dare to overstep."

"Respect?" He An frowned. "How should a wife show respect to her husband?"

"Well," Ruan Qinghuan took a deep breath, "first, I should respect your focus on your duties. Second, I should remind you to take care of your health and get enough rest. And third, I shouldn’t disturb you too much, especially when you’re busy."

She finished her words in one breath and then added, "Don’t worry, my lord, I can do all of these."

He An couldn’t help but laugh. "Ruan Qinghuan, you are my wife, not my colleague or subordinate."

"Exactly, so I need to do better than your colleagues or subordinates."

He An took a deep breath and softened his tone. "I understand you’re young and newly married, so you might need some time to adjust, but it can’t be too long."

Ruan Qinghuan’s happiness was written all over her face. "Really?"

She wanted to ask how long ‘not too long’ was, but decided against it. That would be pushing her luck.

However, He An didn’t seem too pleased with her reaction. His compromise was meant to show that he was willing to be patient with her, but her obvious joy made him feel as though she wasn’t taking his patience seriously.

Ruan Qinghuan felt a genuine sense of relief wash over her. Although He An could be a bit rigid, he was an upright man who always kept his word.

Today was a good day, and everything she had hoped for seemed to be falling into place.

Earlier that day, Ruan Qinghuan had planned to discuss their relationship with He An, but she hesitated because of the Ruan family’s issues. She hadn’t expected He An to bring it up first, easing the tension between them.

In addition to resolving things with He An, she had also seen the person she had been longing for. Once the shop in the east city opened again... would everything finally start unfolding as she had hoped?

Little did she know, she was overthinking the whole situation.

After dinner, the servants began bringing in hot water. He An naturally raised his arm, but Ruan Qinghuan didn’t react right away. "My lord, are you going to practice martial arts?"

He An said, "Changing clothes."

Ruan Qinghuan was at a loss for words.

She wasn’t familiar with the traditional customs of serving her husband, but she knew she couldn’t be too fussy or risk annoying him.

Reluctantly, she helped He An undress, taking a good quarter of an hour. He An observed her clumsiness but found it amusing.

Finally, she finished and felt relieved. "Please go ahead, my lord."

"You too."

Ruan Qinghuan was at a loss for words.

Was he changing his mind?