Chapter 40 Kneeling Punishment The Second Son Asks: “What’s Good About Me?”

Chapter 40: The Kneeling Punishment

"What is it about me that you like?" the Second Young Master asked.

Jian Ru was made to kneel before the family ancestral tablets by Madam Li.

He already felt a pang of guilt, so the punishment, in a way, brought him a strange sense of relief. Yet, he couldn't bear to worry the Second Young Master. He pleaded with Madam Li to allow him to concoct an excuse to inform his husband.

Madam Li, fearing her youngest son would fret and become distressed over his spouse, reluctantly consented, her face set in a stern expression.

Jian Ru returned to their room, feigning normalcy. He simply stated that the tenant farmers from his land in Changshou Village had sought him out to discuss spring plowing, necessitating his return to oversee matters. He added that he might even stay overnight in the village.

The Second Young Master harbored no suspicions but worried Jian Ru might face trouble if he went alone. He rose, intending to ask his elder sister and her husband to accompany him. Jian Ru, however, quickly intervened, repeatedly assuring him that he would be perfectly fine. Only after witnessing Jian Ru's unwavering resolve did the Second Young Master reluctantly agree.

Jian Ru watched him finish his medicine, then meticulously made the bed, helped him lie down, and tucked him in. He then made a show of packing a small bundle, approached the bedside, and announced, "I'll be off now."

The Second Young Master leaned against the headboard, his gaze filled with concern. "Do you have enough money? Shouldn't you visit our relatives in the village? We still have some gifts from Second Uncle—take a few back with you."

He added, "Come back early tomorrow." Then, a second thought struck him, and he corrected himself, "No, don't rush. Take your time and be careful on the road."

Jian Ru assented to everything, poured the Second Young Master a cup of water, and gave Xiao Ning a few instructions before finally departing.

The Li family's ancestral tablets resided in the main hall of the central house. The place was usually deserted, lending it a cold, somber atmosphere.

As Granny Jin led Jian Ru in, she couldn't help but sigh.

She had initially been angered by Jian Ru's recklessness, but seeing him in such a state, her heart softened with pity.

Jian Ru hung his head, resembling a defeated young rooster, his feathers ruffled, as he knelt on the prayer cushion.

Granny Jin left a candle for him, then crouched down and whispered, "The Madam is still in a rage. When dusk falls, I'll plead with her to let you return tonight."

Jian Ru shook his head. "I was in the wrong. I deserve this punishment. Even if you intercede for me, I won't go back."

Granny Jin, at a loss, could only shake her head and leave.

The door creaked shut, plunging the room into deeper shadow.

Jian Ru knelt alone on the cushion, sincerely kowtowing three times to the ancestral tablets. He thanked them for sparing the Second Young Master and implored them to protect him from future illness and misfortune.

It was nearing noon. Jian Ru, clad in thick outdoor clothes, felt no chill, but hunger gnawed at him. He rubbed his empty stomach and let out a soft sigh.

By afternoon, despite the cushion's softness and thickness, his knees began to ache, especially the leg that had been previously injured. It throbbed with a dull, uncomfortable ache.

Jian Ru tried his best to shift his weight to the other side, minimizing pressure on his injured leg.

As the afternoon waned and the sun began to set, the room grew colder.

Jian Ru tightened his padded jacket and curled into a small ball.

Granny Jin observed him through the door crack for a while before returning to her room.

Madam Li glanced at her as she entered but remained silent.

Granny Jin reported, "He's still kneeling properly. I checked several times—he hasn't moved an inch."

Madam Li hesitated, then said, "Let him kneel. He needs to learn his lesson thoroughly."

After dinner, when darkness had fully descended, Granny Jin checked on him twice more. Upon her return, Madam Li couldn't help but ask, "How is he?"

Granny Jin shook her head. "Still the same."

Madam Li grew restless. "He's usually so clever. Why is he acting so foolish now? No one's even watching him—doesn't he know how to slack off?"

Granny Jin tentatively suggested, "I'll go in a bit, bring him some food, and a blanket."

Madam Li nodded, but feeling a touch of embarrassment, she looked at the darkening sky outside and said, "Go in an hour."

Hearing this, Granny Jin happily agreed.

Jian Ru had no idea what time it was. The candle Granny Jin had left had long since burned out, leaving the main hall in utter darkness. Fortunately, he was brave and believed the Li family were good people—even if their ancestors became ghosts, they wouldn't trouble him.

But he was terribly cold and so hungry he felt weak. His legs were almost numb. Jian Ru began to fantasize about the steamed buns left in the small kitchen that morning, imagining the satisfying chewiness and the rich wheat flavor with every bite.

Lost in thought, he heard the door creak open behind him. Assuming it was Madam Li coming to supervise, he quickly straightened his back and knelt perfectly upright.

The door creaked shut again, and footsteps approached, accompanied by the soft glow of candlelight.

Jian Ru lowered his head, adopting an expression of devout repentance.

The footsteps halted beside him, and a soft sigh reached his ears.

Jian Ru sensed something amiss and stole a glance. He saw the familiar hem of an outer robe and froze. Looking up, he saw the Second Young Master, holding a candle in one hand and a food box in the other, a bundle on his back, looking down at him.

In the candlelight, Li Jintong's eyes were beautiful and profound, his tall nose and gently pressed lips beneath, his expression a mixture of worry and tenderness.

Jian Ru had believed himself strong enough to endure, but for some inexplicable reason, the moment he saw the Second Young Master, his hardened resolve crumbled, piece by piece, revealing his vulnerable core.

Jian Ru tilted his head back, pouting, and let out a soft whimper.

The Second Young Master's heart ached. He quickly set the candle aside, crouched down, removed the bundle from his back, unfolded the blanket within, and wrapped it around the slender man.

The Second Young Master hugged him through the blanket, attempting to help him up. Jian Ru gently resisted, saying, "I haven't finished kneeling..."

The Second Young Master gritted his teeth. "No more kneeling."

Jian Ru's already wavering resolve, upon seeing the Second Young Master, instantly gave way.

But after kneeling for so long, his circulation was poor. The moment he tried to stand, his legs were both painful and numb. The Second Young Master grew anxious, quickly supporting him by the knees and, with a strained effort, lifted him slightly. He then sat on the cushion himself, letting Jian Ru sit on his lap.

Jian Ru curled into his embrace. The Second Young Master held him with one arm and slipped his other hand under the blanket, carefully massaging the acupoints on his legs.

Jian Ru was in considerable pain, burying his face in the Second Young Master's neck and suppressing his whimpers.

The Second Young Master repeatedly kissed his forehead, the nearly healed scar on his head, and his cheeks, soothing him softly, "Xiao Ru, be good. It'll be better soon, soon..."

After a while, Jian Ru finally relaxed, his chest rising and falling gently as he leaned quietly against the Second Young Master's chest.

The Second Young Master looked down at him and asked softly, "Is there anywhere else that hurts?"

Jian Ru said pitifully, "My stomach hurts."

The Second Young Master rubbed his hands warm and slipped them under Jian Ru's clothes to massage his belly.

As he massaged, both heard a small "pfft" sound. Jian Ru's face flushed with embarrassment, and he looked up at the person holding him. The Second Young Master, seeing his shyness, kissed his cheek reassuringly and smiled. "It's because you're cold. Letting the gas out will help. Don't hold it in."

Jian Ru still felt mortified, but enduring the pain would only make his stomach hurt more, so he buried his face, pretending the body wasn't his own.

Indeed, after a few more times, the cramping in his stomach subsided, and he felt comfortable. The Second Young Master noticed he had relaxed significantly and let him sit on the cushion by himself. He looked around, brought over a small stool, quickly dusted it, and took out the food from the box, arranging it neatly. He handed Jian Ru the chopsticks and said, "Eat."

Jian Ru took the chopsticks, his eyes fixed intently on the large steamed bun. He picked it up and took a big bite, then scooped a mouthful of scrambled eggs into his mouth. He ate so eagerly that he choked, prompting the Second Young Master to quickly produce a water pouch and offer him a drink to wash it down.

He patted Jian Ru's back and said, "After going hungry for so long, don't eat too much or too quickly. Pace yourself."

Jian Ru murmured "Mhm, mhm" in agreement. After a few bites, his hunger subsided, allowing him to finally chew slowly and carefully.

When he had eaten his fill, he looked up at the Second Young Master and asked hesitantly, "How did you know I was here?"

At this, the Second Young Master visibly frowned. He said, "I was still worried, so I went to see Elder Sister and her husband next door, to ask them to pick you up from Longevity Village tomorrow morning."

Jian Ru understood. He lowered his head and said, guiltily, "I was afraid you'd worry, so I lied to you. Please don't be angry."

The Second Young Master reached out, lifted his chin, and made him look up. With a stern expression, he said, "I'm your husband. From now on, you must not hide anything from me."

Jian Ru nodded obediently. Seeing him so compliant, the Second Young Master couldn't resist planting kisses on his forehead and cheeks again.

After Jian Ru finished eating, the Second Young Master wanted to take him back to their room, but he refused.

Unable to persuade him, the Second Young Master pulled two cushions side by side and sat with him.

Worried the Second Young Master might get cold, Jian Ru shared half of the quilt with him, and the two huddled together underneath.

It was still the same room, and still cold, but Jian Ru felt no sadness at all anymore. They spoke softly to each other, feeling neither tired nor lonely.

Jian Ru looked at the row of ancestral tablets on the table and asked, "Were the Li family ancestors also doctors?"

The Second Young Master shook his head and said, "When I was young, my grandfather was still alive. I heard him say that the family only began practicing medicine in his generation." He paused, turned to look at his husband beside him, and asked, "Guess what my grandfather's father did for a living?"

Jian Ru thought for a moment and guessed, "Was he a teacher?"

The Second Young Master laughed and shook his head. "He ran a stall selling sundries."

Jian Ru widened his eyes in surprise. After a moment, he said, "Even if he was just working a stall, his business must have been better than others'."

The Second Young Master didn't understand and asked, "Why?"

Jian Ru gazed at his face, which looked even softer and more handsome in the candlelight, and said somewhat infatuatedly, "The Li family members are all good-looking. Even passersby who didn't want to buy anything would have stopped to chat."

The Second Young Master chuckled. Jian Ru reached out to touch the dimple at the corner of his mouth, wanting to kiss him, but didn't dare be disrespectful in front of the ancestral tablets. So he could only just stare fixedly at him, his gaze growing increasingly captivated.

The Second Young Master watched him for a while, his throat moved, his lashes fluttered as he lowered and raised his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Jian Ru asked softly.

The Second Young Master's lips moved, but instead of answering, he asked, "In the time since we married, you've seen me in all sorts of states. Have you... gotten tired of me?"

Jian Ru was taken aback. He couldn't remember how many times the other had asked similar questions, and a suspicion grew stronger, nagging at him. It seemed he understood something.

"I... I don't just care about your face," Jian Ru stammered in reply.

But the Second Young Master pressed on, "Then what do you care about?"

Jian Ru hesitated before answering, "You... you're a good person."

The Second Young Master said, "Even when I'm angry with you?"

Jian Ru nodded firmly. "Mhm."

The Second Young Master asked again, "Even when I'm harsh with others?"

Jian Ru recalled what Elder Sister had told him about the Second Young Master's temperament not being as gentle as it appeared on the surface, but he still nodded. "Mhm."

The Second Young Master asked, "What is it about me that you like?"

Without hesitation, Jian Ru replied, "You're good to me."

The Second Young Master looked at Jian Ru, and Jian Ru looked back at him. As they gazed at each other, something seemed to grow clearer in their intertwined looks, their hearts beating faster before they looked away, embarrassed.

***

Granny Jin returned to the main room from the entrance of the central hall. Madam Li had already finished washing up and was preparing to sleep. She asked, "Has he gone back?"

Granny Jin shook her head. Madam Li got out of bed and put on her shoes, ready to go over. "Is he throwing a fit because of me, making me ask him to come back?"

Granny Jin hurriedly explained, "It's the Second Young Master. He went over at some point to keep him company."

Madam Li was taken aback. She sat back on the bed, waved her hand, and said, "Alright, alright. Have them both go back to their room."