Chapter 18 Past Entanglements

Chapter 18: Past Entanglements

Tracing back two generations, the Sun and Li families shared a distant kinship.

Squire Li was a wealthy, warm-hearted, and generous man, fond of hosting banquets. He acknowledged even the most distant relatives, often holding lavish feasts during holidays, inviting friends and family to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves.

Sun Yushuang, the same age as Li Jintong, had often been brought to Squire Li's house since childhood, so they had met as children.

However, Li Jintong was frequently ill and confined to home. Moreover, Squire Li treated his own brother's immediate family quite differently from the more distant relatives he acknowledged. These close kin ate and lived as part of the inner family, so Li Jintong had only seen Sun Yushuang a few times.

Many children came to play back then, and Li Jintong barely noticed Sun Yushuang, hardly even knowing his name.

Later, when they were around thirteen or fourteen, Sun Yushuang suddenly grew close to Li Jinhe, who was not yet married. He frequently visited the Li family to chat or work with Jinhe.

Jinhe wasn’t actually familiar with Sun Yushuang, but she had an easygoing nature, getting along with everyone and never turning anyone away. Whenever he visited, she welcomed him sincerely.

But she wasn’t foolish. Sun Yushuang would often steer the conversation toward her youngest son, and after just a few such instances, she understood his intentions.

The Sun family wasn’t wealthy, but they had only one child and were willing to spend money on him. To outsiders, Sun Yushuang’s attire and demeanor might have made him seem like he came from a wealthy family.

The Li family never judged people by their wealth, and besides, Sun Yushuang was fair-skinned and good-looking. Once Li Jinhe understood his intentions, she went to Madam Li to discuss the matter. However, Madam Li was preoccupied with her youngest son’s illness and felt they were still too young, so she didn’t take it seriously.

Instead, she simply informed Jinfeng and asked him to talk to his brother.

When Li Jintong learned about this, Jinfeng had to describe him at length before he finally remembered which young man it was.

At the time, the Second Young Master still dreamed of marrying a soulmate. Since he couldn’t even remember what Sun Yushuang looked like, he naturally declined.

After learning her brother’s feelings, Li Jinhe pretended not to understand Sun Yushuang’s intentions and subtly reduced their meetings.

Later, she married, and Li Jinhui was much older, making it difficult for Sun Yushuang to approach her. Li Jinrong, on the other hand, was icy and unapproachable, so he could no longer visit the Li family.

Everyone thought the matter had been dropped.

Until two years ago, when Li Jintong returned from an outing with the third son of his second uncle’s family and fell seriously ill. He remained unconscious for over ten days, and it seemed he might not survive. The family doctors were at a loss.

In her desperation, Madam Li listened to the neighbors’ advice and considered finding a bride for her son to "frighten away illness" through marriage. However, it was hard to find someone suitable on short notice. When Sun Yushuang heard the news, he sent a matchmaker to offer himself as a candidate.

At the time, the Second Young Master was in such a critical state that marrying him might have meant becoming a widower immediately. Sun Yushuang’s willingness to marry into the family under these circumstances touched Madam Li deeply, and she was ready to agree immediately, even hastily preparing betrothal gifts.

But just then, the unconscious Li Jintong woke up. Overjoyed, Madam Li, though relieved, still thought Sun Yushuang was a good person who genuinely cared for her son, so she wanted to formalize the engagement, albeit without rushing the wedding. However, Li Jintong flatly refused when he learned of it.

When Madam Li asked why, the Second Young Master simply said he didn’t like Sun Yushuang. As she doted on her frail youngest son, she naturally didn’t force him. Fortunately, the engagement could still be called off, so the matter was dropped.

The Li family felt guilty toward the Sun family, and the eldest young master even made up an excuse to send gifts as an apology, though this was kept secret from the Second Young Master.

At the time, no one was allowed to bring up the matter, as it would anger the Second Young Master.

Surprisingly, not long after, Sun Yushuang married the third son of Squire Li’s family. Madam Li attended the wedding but didn’t ask too many questions, though she noticed the ceremony seemed hastily thrown together.

Li Jintong didn’t go into such detail with Jian Ru, only briefly mentioning that Sun Yushuang had almost married into the Li family to "frighten away illness" during his illness. It was only the next day, when Jian Ru went to the main house for morning greetings and everyone sat down to work and chat, that Li Jinhui filled him in on all the details.

Coincidentally, Li Jinhe was also there and helped clarify the entire sequence of events.

Having nearly stirred up trouble between her youngest brother and his new husband, Li Jinhui had been scolded by her mother. Now, she felt particularly close to Jian Ru and spoke to him openly and honestly.

"Later, somehow, Sun Yushuang connected with the third son of the second uncle’s family. That third son, clucked her tongue," Li Jinhui noticed Madam Li glaring at her and pressed her lips together. "Fine, I won’t talk about him. Anyway, Sun Yushuang married into the second uncle’s family as the Third Young Master's wife, and that was the end of it."

Sitting close to Jian Ru, Li Jinhui said, "Eldest Sister, I was wrong this time, please don’t take it to heart."

Jian Ru also felt a bit embarrassed. He wasn’t afraid of people being harsh with him, but soft words like these made him uncomfortable.

He said, "Eldest Sister, don’t worry, I didn’t take it to heart. I was also at fault that day for snapping at Xian Yu."

Li Jinhui laughed and said, "You have no idea how angry you made Xian Yu that day. I had to comfort him for a long time. Even in his dreams that night, he kept muttering, ‘The auntie-ghost is coming to get me’..."

Madam Li coughed pointedly, and Li Jinhui quickly stopped, chiding herself for speaking without thinking. She glanced sneakily at Jian Ru.

Jian Ru chuckled, and Li Jinhui breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that this brother-in-law was actually quite nice.

They continued working together. Jian Ru had learned embroidery from his mother and was dexterous, so he helped Jinhe with her handkerchief. Li Qinglan was also embroidering nearby, occasionally glancing at their work.

She hadn’t looked well these past few days. When Jian Ru asked, she said it was because her room was too hot and she hadn’t slept well, but it should be fine now that the charcoal burner had been removed.

Madam Li said she would have Jinfeng bring some tonic herbs from the clinic to make tonic soup for her, and Li Qinglan quickly stood up to thank her.

Jian Ru ran out of thread and reached for more from the sewing basket, his sleeve sliding up to reveal part of his forearm. Li Jinhui noticed that his skin, unlike his injured face, was smooth and delicate. She couldn’t help reaching out to touch it, exclaiming, "My brother-in-law has such tender skin—it feels like you could pinch water from it."

Jian Ru felt creeped out by her touch and, afraid she might do it again, subtly pulled his sleeve down when she wasn’t looking.

Li Jinhui didn’t notice his small action, lost in her own thoughts.

After everyone left the main house, Li Jinhui stayed behind to have a private talk with her mother.

She told her about what she had seen in her younger brother’s room the previous day.

Madam Li listened and immediately pinched her mouth, saying, "Oh, my dear, as the eldest sister, can’t you be a bit more proper...?"

Li Jinhui dodged, "No, Mother, listen to me."

"What?" Madam Li glared. "Stay out of your younger brother’s private matters."

Li Jinhui tugged at her mother’s arm and said urgently, "You have no idea. Yesterday, I just took one glance, and ah, that Jian Ru, he was like this..." She mimicked the posture she had seen. "He was sitting right on top of younger brother, pressing him down hard on the bed. I can’t even describe how fierce he looked."

Madam Li hesitated, "Were they fighting?"

"No," Li Jinhui said. "Oh, Mother, don’t you understand? Think about it—Jintong is like a celestial beauty, always sick, and so many girls and young men have their eyes on him. Jian Ru finally caught such a beauty—of course he’s going to wear him out!"

Madam Li’s eyes widened. Li Jinhui stamped her foot. "They say the field never wears out, but the ox can be worked to death. Besides, our Jintong has only just recovered from his illness. Jian Ru’s face may not be much to look at, but his skin is as tender as fresh lotus root. Our younger brother has only just come of age—how could he withstand such a vigorous young husband? As a doctor, I’m worried about Jintong’s health. That’s why I’m steeling myself to tell you this. How can you not understand me!"

After hearing this, Madam Li also frowned.

After a moment, she slapped the table. "No, Jinhui, go and get Jian Ru. I need to talk to him."

Li Jinhui agreed and rushed off as if it were an emergency.

Jian Ru had just returned to his room, taken off his outer robe, and exchanged a few words with the Second Young Master, who was waiting for him, when Li Jinhui came to call for him.

Puzzled, he followed his eldest sister back to the main house. She left first, leaving him alone with Madam Li.

Madam Li looked troubled, as if struggling to find the right words.

Jian Ru noticed and said, "Mother, if you have something to say, please speak directly."

Madam Li gritted her teeth, still worried about her youngest son, and said as tactfully as possible, "Xiao Ru, our youngest is not in good health. In the bedroom, you should... be gentle."

Jian Ru frowned, not understanding what the old lady meant.

Seeing this, Madam Li knew the young man didn’t grasp her meaning. As a mother-in-law, it was difficult to speak too explicitly about such matters, but she was afraid Jian Ru’s fierce nature would harm her son’s health. She had no choice but to steel herself and say bluntly, "You’re both still young. There will be plenty of time later. At night, you should both sleep properly and not be too rough. Wait until our youngest has fully recovered his health."

Jian Ru finally understood. His eyes went wide, his face flushed crimson. He knew full well that he and the Second Young Master had yet to do anything of that sort, but he couldn’t possibly say such things in front of the other’s mother.

Madam Li also felt deeply uncomfortable.

Jian Ru, feeling embarrassed, stammered, which was unlike him, "I... I understand."

Just as Madam Li was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she saw the young man suddenly react as if it had just dawned on him. He stomped his foot and blurted out, flustered and indignant, "It must have been your eldest daughter who told on me!"

With his face still bright red, he dashed to the doorway, glanced back at her, and complained, "It takes two to tango—why don’t you go talk to your son about it?" Then he flung the door open and ran off with a series of pounding footsteps.

Madam Li was furious but knew she was in the wrong, so she swallowed her anger without a word, only muttering under her breath, "That numbskull!"

Not long after, she heard hurried footsteps again. The door creaked open—it was that numbskull returning. He entered the room, dropped to his knees and bowed properly, and after finishing the gesture, shot her a reproachful look without saying a word. Then he opened the door and ran off again.

He had forgotten to perform the courtesy bow when he left earlier.

Madam Li was stunned for a second, shook her head, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Having a husband like this in the family made everyday life pretty entertaining.