Chapter 26: Those years she spent as a wife were truly a waste.

Chapter 26: Those years she spent as a wife were truly a waste.

The cicadas were particularly lively at noon.

Lin Yufan thought, although his bedroom habits were hard to describe, he always pretended to be a gentleman in front of others, so he probably wouldn't lose control in the study, right?

Thinking this, she quickly turned her head and came face to face with him.

His breath tickled her face.

She instinctively wanted to step back but restrained herself.

They were husband and wife. If she stepped back, it would seem too cold and inappropriate.

Even though she didn't step back, Zhao Zhiao sensed her unease, so he simply reached out to remove a white feather that had somehow ended up in her hair, then walked to the nearby trash bin and tossed it in.

"Are you going to take a nap later?" he asked.

What else would she do besides take a nap?

Lin Yufan was suddenly on edge.

She wasn't very conservative, but she didn't like intimacy in broad daylight.

"I feel a bit sleepy after lunch," she said, remembering she had come to borrow books because she couldn't sleep, and quickly added, "I borrowed some books to read in my free time."

If he really needed that after taking the medicine, he could go find the other three concubines.

Maybe she didn't need to try so hard.

Zhao Zhiao had heard from Jingxiu that Lin Yufan was skilled at chess. He had originally planned to play chess with her at noon to get to know her better, but seeing her like this, he said, "Alright then, go rest."

Lin Yufan hurried back to her room.

*

Those who went to the horse farm returned a little after noon.

During the afternoon rest time, the Third Concubine was playing with a cat in the small room, while the Second Concubine sat beside her, cracking melon seeds.

The Fourth Concubine, Chen Dandan, stood nearby, quietly complaining, "I want to kneel but can't. Is there any way to get her to drink our tea?"

The Third Concubine had clearly given up: "Forget it, don't cause trouble. The young couple is in their honeymoon phase. It's good enough that they don't dislike us."

The key was that Lin Yufan was beautiful, and she liked that.

The Second Concubine was also indifferent: "If they don't let us kneel, should we cry and force ourselves to kneel? How embarrassing would that be?"

Chen Dandan still wasn't giving up. Wasn't it agreed that each of them would spend a night with him?

But saying it out loud would be too humiliating.

Chen Dandan thought for a moment and said, "How about we invite her to play mahjong? When she gets thirsty, we'll serve her tea. Won't she drink it then?"

The Second Concubine looked puzzled: "Does that really count?"

As they were talking, they heard footsteps from the staircase. Looking over, they saw Zhao Zhiao approaching.

The three concubines stood up together. Chen Dandan joked with a smile, "Not resting with your First Madam at noon?"

Zhao Zhiao ignored the topic and only asked, "Who’s up for a game of chess?"

*

Lin Yufan didn’t feel sleepy at first around noon, but after lying down, she ended up sleeping for over an hour before getting up.

She rang the bell, and Gui Xiang brought her a small bowl of bird’s nest soup.

That afternoon, the kitchen had prepared sweet soups in stewing pots, and naturally, the First Madam's portion was the most expensive.

Gui Xiang whispered, "I heard them say the son-in-law is on the third floor..."

In the end, he went to the concubines to satisfy his urges.

Lin Yufan sipped the bird’s nest soup, not wanting to ask at first, but curiosity got the better of her: "In whose room?"

"All three concubines are with him."

Lin Yufan was shocked: "!!!"

The more proper they seem on the surface, the wilder they are behind closed doors.

Should she be thankful he didn’t drag her into a five-way?

Lin Yufan took a few sips of the bird’s nest soup and didn’t feel like finishing it. She also didn’t want to continue this topic and only asked, "Has Tie Long returned?"

"He just got back. He told me to let you know the matter’s been handled. As for the exact costs, Tie Long will come and go over them with you."

Lin Yufan then asked Gui Xiang to call Tie Long over.

Tie Long explained the details, "Mr. Tu agreed to start the investigation tomorrow and will provide the first report in three days. If satisfied after each report, we will proceed with the next phase. The first phase costs 168 Hong Kong dollars, which I’ve already covered."

As he spoke, Tie Long returned the remaining money to Lin Yufan.

The cost was within a reasonable range that Lin Yufan could accept: "Hold onto this money for now, and we’ll settle up at the end."

Tie Long asked, "Should I keep tabs on the Second Master?"

Lin Yufan shook her head, "If you watch him too closely, you’ll tip him off. Just stay alert and listen more in your daily interactions. Don’t constantly think about monitoring him, as that might alert him. The more you want to investigate him, the more respectful you should be in your usual attitude. Don’t avoid him; show the proper respect and greet him when needed."

The vibe between people is odd. If your classmates or colleagues don’t like you, even without talking, you can sense their dislike.

On the flip side, it’s harder to gauge the feelings of those you often greet and chat with.

After Tie Long left, Lin Yufan read for a while.

Gui Xiang knocked again, "Miss, the concubines want to invite you to play mahjong?"

They’ve got plenty of energy.

Lin Yufan didn’t want to go at first, but she worried others would think she was being petty, thinking she was upset about Zhao Zhiao visiting them at noon. Besides, she loved playing mahjong, so she decided to join.

They were all colleagues, and spending more time together might make things smoother.

They played mahjong in the small side hall on the first floor, just the four of them, perfect for a table.

At first, the concubines tried to defer to Lin Yufan, since their intentions weren’t really about mahjong.

The second concubine sitting across from Lin Yufan said, "How do you play Haicheng mahjong? Let’s try that. The First Madam can show us how."

Lin Yufan knew the local mahjong rules and smiled, "It’s tough for you three to adjust to me. Let’s play the local way. I won’t calculate the points; you can do that."

The Second Concubine smiled and said, "Let me show you how it's done."

She quickly ran through the basics.

"You'll pick it up in no time."

With that, the four of them started shuffling the tiles with a lot of chatter.

Lin Yufan had only planned to play a little for fun, but she didn’t realize these three usually played for such high stakes.

The Fourth Concubine casually suggested, "Let’s play in dollars—five bucks a game."

Five bucks, if spent carefully, could cover a month’s expenses for Lin Yufan and Gui Xiang.

The stakes were way too high, but as the First Madam, she couldn’t back down, so she had to play along.

Lin Yufan wore hardly any jewelry, while the other three concubines were decked out in gold and silver, looking downright flashy.

Eight hands were busy shuffling tiles on the table. Lin Yufan had just a simple wedding ring, while the other six hands sparkled with diamond rings, rubies, and sapphires.

They were loaded, but they didn’t seem to know how to play well. They kept handing Lin Yufan exactly what she needed—whether it was a "pung," a "kong," or a "win." Whatever she lacked, they provided.

After two rounds, Lin Yufan was up nearly a hundred bucks.

That was a year’s worth of expenses.

This was a goldmine!

Unlike Lin Yufan, the three concubines weren’t focused on the game. They’d somehow gotten hold of some salty peanuts and were passing them around.

"First Madam, try these peanuts. They’re really good."

Lin Yufan tried a few. They were tasty but a bit too salty.

Eating too many left her parched.

The Fourth Concubine, sitting nearby, saw her chance and signaled her maid, who quickly brought over two bowls of tea she’d prepared earlier.

The Fourth Concubine stood to offer the tea, but just as she was about to hand it to the First Madam, she noticed Gui Xiang, by Lin Yufan’s side, had already opened her own teacup and passed it over.

The Fourth Concubine, feeling a bit awkward, picked up the teacup and drank it herself.

After drinking the tea, Lin Yufan played a Seven of Circles.

The Second Concubine, who had three Seven of Circles in her hand, resisted the urge to declare a "kong." She drew a tile and then played a Seven of Circles herself, as everyone continued to munch on the salty peanuts.

After playing for a while longer, the Second Concubine noticed Lin Yufan reaching for her tea again and quickly said, "Last time, Zhi Ao brought back some Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao from Fujian and gave me some. It's really smooth. First Madam, would you like to try it?"

As she spoke, she stood up and took the tea from the maid.

But Gui Xiang, smiling, directly declined on Lin Yufan's behalf, "Our lady's teacup already contains the Da Hong Pao that the son-in-law brought back from Wuyi Mountain."

The Second Concubine: "..."

She had reason to suspect that the maids had leaked the information beforehand, and the First Madam was deliberately avoiding drinking the tea they offered.

The Third Concubine reminded her, "It's your turn to play."

The Second Concubine played her last Seven of Circles.

Lin Yufan glanced over and smiled, "You've discarded three seven of circles."

"Yes! I played one, and it came back to me. I played another, and it came back again. I’m just not lucky with cards." The Second Concubine laughed, her eyes narrowing into slits.

By the afternoon, Lin Yufan had won nearly two hundred dollars. After she played the Big Four Blessings, the three concubines couldn't help but tense up.

If they continued to lose, they might blow through their monthly allowance.

Everyone got serious, but getting serious now was pointless; the luck had already turned.

The Second Concubine, being shrewd, slowed down her play to stretch out the game and lose less.

By around four o'clock, Qi Yunxin came in from outside.

She sat behind Lin Yufan watching everyone play cards.

The Second Concubine, being the most gossipy, whispered to Qi Yunxin, "Hey, has Second Master apologized to the Second Madam yet?"

Qi Yunxin munched on peanuts, "How should I know? The Second Madam has been staying in her room and hasn't come out. I didn’t want to keep pestering her."

The Fourth Concubine was curious, "Is Second Master really seeing someone else?"

Qi Yunxin clearly didn't want to gossip, "I have no idea about that."

The Second Concubine said, "The Second Madam is probably just overthinking it. Second Master just loves gambling. For the past six months, Zhi Ao’s kept him from gambling. When he's free, he usually stays at home, hardly ever stays out overnight."

The Fourth Concubine deliberately gave her a sidelong glance, "You sure know a lot."

The Second Concubine spat, "Don’t make things up. Everyone knows what’s going on in this house. Don't you know?"

"I don't know," the Fourth Concubine continued to argue.

The Second Concubine nudged the Third Concubine's hand, "Aiming, you should rein her in."

The Third Concubine laughed, "I can’t handle her."

The Second Concubine looked at Lin Yufan, "First Madam, you should deal with her."

Lin Yufan's hand paused slightly as she drew a card. She didn’t want to get dragged into it and changed the subject, looking at Qi Yunxin, "Didn’t the First Madam mention she was going for a walk in the garden earlier? Has she returned?"

"She returned long ago. She’s upstairs enjoying some opera now."

They’d finished the salted peanuts on the side, so the Second Concubine passed over another dish of peanuts from the side table. Qi Yunxin stood up to take it.

Qi Yunxin was wearing a tricolor jade bracelet on her wrist. The Fourth Concubine exclaimed in admiration, "That’s a gorgeous bracelet. Did the young master get it for you?"

Qi Yunxin smiled, "He wouldn’t buy it for me. I saved up and treated myself."

"I haven't seen you wear it before."

"It’s new, nothing fancy. Look, I just put it on, and the clasp isn’t holding well."

The Fourth Concubine, who had a good eye for gemstones, said, "It’s actually pretty good quality."

"Is it? Seems like I got a bargain."

The Second Concubine advised, "If the clasp is broken, you should take it back to get it fixed soon. Otherwise, those shady merchants won’t take responsibility later."

"I'll find time to get it fixed. Oh, First Madam has won again."

Lin Yufan smiled and put down her cards; her luck was so good she felt a bit embarrassed.

The concubines exchanged glances, realizing they had not only failed in their plan but also lost a lot of money.

The Fourth Concubine said in a sugary tone, "First Madam, you've won so much money from us today, you should treat us to a meal."

Lin Yufan was willing, "What would you like to eat?"

"I want to eat *liangfen*," the Fourth Concubine blinked at Lin Yufan, "Is that okay?"

The Second Concubine teased her, "With such modest tastes, at least order some shark fin soup."

The Third Concubine had an even simpler request, "I want fish balls."

Whether it was *liangfen*, shark fin soup, or fish balls, they were all cheap street foods. Lin Yufan hadn't expected their requests to be so modest.

The more she looked at them, the more she felt these three concubines, who had practically given her money, were like little angels or saints.

Since dinner was approaching, Lin Yufan decided to treat them to a midnight snack instead.

*

Around five o'clock, Xi Gu's family arrived with two bottles of red wine.

Uncle He Zhanhong was upstairs talking with Zhao Zhiao, while the children found their peers to play with. Only Sun Jingxi went to sit in Lin Yufan's room.

The He family was currently renting a two-story old-style villa near the city hospital, and Sun Jingxi couldn't help but gripe to Lin Yufan about the bug problem, especially the cockroaches.

"No matter how much we exterminate, they keep coming. One even crawled into Xiaokun's blanket, scaring him so much he cried."

Lin Yufan, having experienced this in her past life, had taken a long time to adapt.

She reminded, "Just exterminating cockroaches in your house won't help; they'll just come from the neighbors' houses, and they can fly."

"Exactly! They can fly! I've lived this long and only now found out cockroaches can fly!" Sun Jingxi said through gritted teeth, then lowered her voice, "Zhi Ao had a better house for us to live in, but your uncle refused. I said we could pay rent, but he wouldn't hear of it. He's so stingy, he just doesn't want to accept that the person driving to pick us up and the person renting the house are both my relatives. You wouldn't understand."

Men and their fragile egos.

Sun Jingxi could only vent behind his back, not daring to say it in front of everyone.

In the living room, Sun Jingxi and Lin Yufan sat by the window.

Sun Jingxi had visited the Zhao family garden before and had met the three concubines. She placed her teacup aside and whispered, "I've asked around, and no one knows when Zhao Zhiao took his three concubines. He rarely takes the Third Concubine out, sometimes the Second Concubine, but most often, it's the Fourth Concubine. They say the Fourth Concubine is a handful."

Lin Yufan knew the Fourth Concubine was the most favored, but she hadn't expected the least favored to be the most scholarly Third Concubine.

This was a total surprise.

Sun Jingxi lowered her voice even further, "That Fourth Concubine is a bit of a troublemaker, but with her arrogance, the man will eventually get fed up with her."

The implication was that none of these women were a threat to Lin Yufan's position.

Sun Jingxi asked, "How do they act around you?"

"Not bad. We played mahjong together this afternoon, and it went smoothly." Lin Yufan couldn't help but boast, "I won $300, which is more than 1,200 Hong Kong dollars. I'll buy fabric for you and Xiaoqing to have clothes made."

"Wow," Sun Jingxi laughed, "That's a lot! Did they throw the game? Trying to butter up the lady of the house?"

"I won fair and square," Lin Yufan insisted, or at least by sheer luck.

Although the concubines had been secretly letting her win, even when they tried later, they still couldn't beat her.

Sun Jingxi smiled and said, "If you get along well, that's even better. Men are all the same—they either spend money at home or out and about. If you can't get along, just live separately. Your Zhao Zhiao owns plenty of properties. No need to put up with it."

Lin Yufan thought the same way—no need to put up with it.

Last time Sun Jingxi visited, she only had a quick bite and didn’t get a proper tour of the Zhao family garden. Today, Lin Yufan took her around to see the place.

On the way, they ran into Second Aunt Liu Fang. After a day of adjusting, Liu Fang finally cracked a smile, whether she’d calmed down or Zhao Yanhui had apologized.

After Liu Fang went inside, Sun Jingxi whispered to Lin Yufan, "Your Second Uncle and Second Aunt still don’t have a son. Second Master Yan’s been alone in Hong Kong for years and hasn’t taken a concubine. Logically, Second Master Yan should be considered a good man. But I’ve always felt Second Master Yan isn’t the type to live a simple life."

"How so?"

"It’s just a gut feeling—hard to explain. Look at Second Master Yan’s demeanor—he should have a woman outside. Second Mistress isn’t the domineering type, so if he had a woman, why hide it?"

Lin Yufan roughly understood Xi Gu's meaning, "You think the woman he’s got outside can’t be seen in public?"

Sun Jingxi nodded emphatically, "What kind of woman can’t be seen in public?"

"Just say it, don’t keep me in suspense."

"Someone else’s mistress! Maybe a mistress kept by some rich tycoon! Those rich people keep a bunch of mistresses and concubines, but they might not have the energy to handle them all—their bodies probably can’t handle it."

Lin Yufan was struck by this: "..."

Her family... might also have someone who can’t keep up.

Sun Jingxi continued her analysis, "The men from the Fifth Branch are all good-looking. Second Master Yan is handsome and dashing. I heard that after he lost money gambling, Zhi Ao restricted his spending, so he doesn’t have much money. But he’s good-looking and has connections to meet those flirty women. So, isn’t it reasonable he might be the kept man of some rich family’s mistress?"

Lin Yufan was amused, "Xi Gu, you’re wasting your talent not writing novels."

Sun Jingxi also laughed, "When she heard I was coming to Hong Kong, Xiaoqing dug up a novel for me called *First Incense*. It’s about a mistress keeping a man. But I can only read—if you ask me to write, I wouldn’t be able to write a single word."

Lin Yufan had also read that short story, "Everyone lives their own way—it’s not for others to judge. How’s Xiaoqing’s job search going?"

Sun Jingxi fanned herself and shook her head, "You’re still taking her seriously? She’s been buried in novels all day, even talking about writing one herself. I told her, 'You have no life experience—what kind of novel can you write?' But she doesn’t listen to me. Her father spoils her, so there’s nothing I can do."

Lin Yufan smiled, "Let her be. It’s good to do what you love."

"I knew it. You’re also spoiling her." The aunt and niece laughed as they walked.

After touring the garden and villa, they headed back to the main hall for a lively dinner. He Zhanhong had an early meeting the next day, so his family left first.

*

After her bath, Lin Yufan dabbed some snow cream on her face and elbows. Gui Xiang came in with a mosquito coil.

"I just bumped into Second Mistress at the study door."

"What happened?"

"Second Mistress brought a stewed tonic for the son-in-law," Gui Xiang lowered her voice, "I heard it’s a potent tonic with stuff like tiger whip and deer antler."

Lin Yufan paused slightly. After all the antics at noon, he’s drinking more tonic at night?

The loftier and more upright they seem, the wilder they are inside.

She didn’t say much to Gui Xiang, but the mosquitoes in the mountains were particularly annoying. She scratched the bite on the back of her hand and asked Gui Xiang to close two of the windows.

Lin Yufan didn’t go out for a walk. She had some of the red wine Xi Gu brought earlier and felt a bit sleepy, so she went to bed early.

She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep when the phone in the sitting room rang. Who could be calling so late?

She figured it definitely couldn’t be for her.

She hesitated about whether to get up and answer the phone, but after a while, the ringing stopped.

Listening more carefully, it wasn’t that the ringing had stopped, but someone had answered the phone.

Although the voice was very soft, she could faintly make out Zhao Zhiao answering the phone in the living room.

Lin Yufan turned on the bedside lamp and checked the time—it wasn’t even ten yet.

She’d only been asleep for half an hour.

It felt like a lifetime.

She got up for a drink of water, mid-yawn, when the door opened and Zhao Zhiao walked in.

He was in his pajamas.

Lin Yufan was stunned—hadn’t he drunk the tonic and gone to sleep in the second wife’s room?

Then she heard him say, "If you’re tired, you don’t have to wait up for me at night."

Lin Yufan: "..."

She hadn’t waited.

After a moment, she said, "I had some red wine earlier and got a little sleepy, so I took a nap."

But to Zhao Zhiao, it sounded like she was saying, ‘I’ve slept enough; I’m not tired.’

He got the hint.

He went to the window and closed the curtains.

He turned off the main light, leaving the bedside lamp dimly lit, setting a mood.

Lin Yufan had just laid down and was about to pull up the blanket when she felt a weight on her body and a tickle on her neck. She tried to pull away, but he held her firmly.

He had just washed his hands, and they were cold, yet they set her skin ablaze.

His breath, carrying a faint sweet scent, sprayed on her face. He first kissed the space above her lip, their breaths merging, and her soft lips were enveloped by another softness. She unconsciously opened her mouth, and the next moment, his tongue slipped in. At first, it played with her tongue, but as he deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth.

The sweltering weather outside was accompanied by the buzzing of insects.

Perhaps the insects were also engaging in the most primal yet pleasurable act, just like them.

Lin Yufan closed her eyes, but suddenly her hand touched something. Her eyes flew open, and under the light, she saw Zhao Zhiao's robe had opened. It had been over a month since their marriage, and this was the first time she saw his broad shoulders and the muscles peeking through his robe, with firm and smooth lines. The texture was smooth, tight, and elastic, like a magnet pulling her in.

He had been a soldier before and probably exercised regularly, which was why he maintained such a good figure.

With such a good foundation, he shouldn't be incapable, right?

She didn't understand.

As they caressed each other, their bodies gradually became hotter. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something unexpected. What kind of tonic had the second concubine given him to be so terrifying!

Lin Yufan felt a surge of panic and wanted to pull away.

Finally finding a gap to speak, she asked, "Do you have to get up early tomorrow?"

"It doesn't matter," he said.

Clearly, something else took priority now.

Lin Yufan was silent.

Just as she was thinking of continuing to say something, she was suddenly pinned down, her knees bent and spread apart. She felt like a crab in autumn, trussed up by invisible ropes in an awkward position. She could distinctly feel the slick friction, the desperate pressure, and the unyielding thrust, culminating in a storm of overwhelming ecstasy.

The chirping of insects outside the window grew louder, mingling with the sound of a babbling brook.

Or maybe it was just her ears ringing.

Or perhaps an illusion.

Either way, the world seemed unusually alive.

Lin Yufan bit her lip, refusing to add her voice to the chaos. Thankfully, he probably didn’t have that tonic every day, or she’d never keep up. She was completely spent, yet he, who should’ve been worn out, was still going strong.

It suddenly hit her—the window wasn’t fully shut.

But she was on the verge of losing control. Even if she couldn’t hold back, she had to, releasing only a silent sigh in her mind.

Those years she spent as a wife, she had truly wasted them.

She realized the chirping insects and babbling brook were all in her head—the noise wasn’t from outside at all.