Chapter 28 028 Everyone Holding Their Breath

Hongmei dumped the medicine, then returned, and Qiao Wanyue asked worriedly if anyone had seen her; Hongmei shook her head, saying no, she had poured it out in a secluded corner.

Qiao Wanyue was relieved only then, as she simply feared that someone might gossip, which would inevitably lead to questions from Yang Shi. She'd rather avoid trouble than look for it, and she detested complications most of all.

Hongmei knew she disliked taking medicine and hated bitter tastes, so she could understand why she wanted to get rid of it. Nevertheless, health was paramount, so she suggested, "I hear the Old Madam drinks bird's nest soup every day. How about we skip the medicine and have bird's nest instead?"

She lounged lazily on the bed, rubbing her waist with one hand, and nodded, "Mm, go tell the kitchen to make a bowl of bird's nest daily."

Better than drinking that dark, bitter concoction.

Hongmei said "eh" and immediately headed to the kitchen. She returned shortly after, looking upset.

Qiao Wanyue's waist and legs ached, so she hadn't gotten out of bed yet. Seeing Hongmei's grimace, she asked, "Did the kitchen people give you a hard time?"

Hongmei shook her head; that wasn't the issue. "The kitchen supervisor said the medicine can't be stopped; it's the Old Madam's orders. However, if Madam wishes to have bird's nest as well, she can have it sent daily."

She relaxed. She thought it was a big deal, but it was nothing.

"Just dump the medicine when it comes. Simple enough."

Hongmei considered this and realized she was right. She was just too rigid—getting rid of the medicine was simple.

Since she didn't sleep well, she had barely played before she got sleepy, and her eyes refused to stay open. Qiao Wanyue forced herself to keep awake and asked, "Did Zhu Qing deliver the letter to the Lin residence?"

Zhu Qing, who was tidying up, turned to her and said, "It was sent. Miss Lin said she would come over in a few days."

Lin Susu coming to the Qin residence was much easier than going to the Qiao family home. Because of their in-law connection, the guards at the gate dared not prevent Lin Susu from entering.

Since Susu would come to see her in a few days, she decided not to go out for now. She would rest for a couple of days to recover, then go out and play when she had energy.

Qiao Wanyue thought about where to go with Susu. Feiyun Manor was out of the question. Were there any other fun places in the capital? She needed to think carefully.

In the afternoon, Qin Yan came back early today. As he approached the courtyard gate, his pace unconsciously quickened, though he himself did not notice.

Chang Sheng had been by his side for over a decade and was always quick to sense his habits and subtle changes. When his pace suddenly quickened, Chang Sheng assumed there was important business to attend to, hence the urgency.

Once inside the courtyard and under the eaves, the man slowed down again, walking with unhurried composure. Chang Sheng followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow, realization dawning.

The courtyard was filled with laughter. A young girl's graceful figure darted through the garden, blindfolded, groping about for a moment before irritably tearing off the cloth. "I quit, I quit! You're all ganging up on me."

"Madam, we really aren't! It's just that you're too slow."

Qiao Wanyue had been playing hide-and-seek with them for a while. Blindfolded, she failed to catch anyone for a long time, and with her sore waist and legs, she pouted and complained and quit.

Hongmei and the others gathered around to tease her. Qiao Wanyue let them laugh. No more playing—it was tiring and frustrating.

Seeing her puffed-out cheeks expression, Hongmei initially wanted to comfort her. But then she caught sight of Qin Yan standing under the eaves, her expression changed. She immediately signaled to the others, and the maids stopped their joking, exchanged glances, and slipped away.

Qiao Wanyue noticed their reactions. She turned her head and saw Qin Yan standing under the eaves, she had no idea how long he'd been watching.

Her expression unchanged, she greeted him casually, "Oh, you're back? You're quite early today."

She didn't bother to welcome him upon seeing him return, instead she walked to the stone table and sat down, finishing the leftover pastries she had been eating—no waste.

His calm heart started pounding with excitement the moment he entered the courtyard. For some reason, he felt joy and excitement. Such pleasant, cheerful laughter was rarely heard in the Marquis's manor, and listening to it now unexpectedly lifted his spirits.

He slowly clasped his hands behind his back. "Nothing much, so I came back."

Qin Yan had long legs and walked faster than most. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of her, asking, "Why did you stop playing?"

"Ah, my waist aches."

She meant nothing else; she was just stating a fact. But Qin Yan thought she was complaining about what happened last night. His expression immediately became awkward. Seeing no one around, he relaxed slightly.

"In broad daylight, don't say such things."

Qiao Wanyue stopped eating, puzzled: "What did I say wrong? I just said my waist aches—is that not allowed?"

Her expression turned sly. She stood up and grinned at him, "Marquis, are you overthinking this? I didn't mean anything by it."

Qin Yan turned away awkwardly, muttering, "No," and walked off.

Qiao Wanyue snorted. She hadn't said anything, so how could he know there was no meaning? Saying he wasn't overthinking. What a phony.

Qin Yan went inside to change clothes, while she continued eating her pastries outside. But less than a minute later, his irritated voice came from inside.

"Qiao Wanyue."

He rarely used her full name, and when he did now, he sounded angry.

It was getting hot outside, so she put down her pastry, brushed off her hands, and went in. The table could be cleaned by the maids later. She walked in asking, "What is it?"

"Take a look."

On the side table next to the chaise lounge was a pile of sunflower seed shells and several fruit peels. In summer, if left uncleaned, they would soon attract flies and mosquitoes. Qin Yan had explicitly stated he didn't like her eating seeds in the room and that she should clean up promptly after eating indoors.

Now it hadn't been cleaned, which was the maids' fault, but facing the mess, Qin Yan still lost his temper.

Seeing him staring at the side table, Qiao Wanyue understood why he was angry. She pursed her lips, walked over slowly, and said before he could scold, "This maid Zhu Qing is really lazy, not tidying up the table."

She then pretended to call for Zhu Qing, who came in immediately and cleaned the side table at top speed.

Qin Yan took a deep breath, he mostly calmed down. "Didn't I tell you not to eat lying down?"

He found some of her habits truly annoying, but getting her to change was impossible. If she could change, the sun would rise in the west.

Qin Yan couldn't help thinking: they were going to spend a lifetime together. There would be plenty of friction and conflict in the future. What should he do if similar situations arose again?

He felt really irritated.

The man's brows knitted into a deep frown, impatience and annoyance clearly showing on his face. Qiao Wanyue saw it all. She pouted, inwardly thinking this man was truly annoying—coming home just to find fault. It would be better if he came back later; both of them would be more comfortable.

She fell silent for a moment, then said casually, "Why not have Chang Sheng take your clothes over? That way you won't have to come here daily to change, and it won't delay your official duties."

She wanted a room of her own. Qin Yan not only understood her intention but also sensed something else.

His heart suddenly felt bitter. She truly didn't care—was she really trying to push him away?

Given his understanding, she should have been clingy. Why wasn't she?

Since it had come to this, if he insisted on staying, it would make him seem petty.

Before Qin Yan could respond, she muttered while looking at his chest, "Husband and wife should understand and accommodate each other. I can do it, so why can't you?"

Men and women were ultimately different; women were too soft-hearted. This was what Qiao Wanyue had just realized.

His chest heaved violently, seething with anger. After a long silence, he couldn't bring himself to say a harsh word. Helplessly, Qin Yan called out for Chang Sheng to come in and pack his belongings, sending them all to the guest room.

Qiao Wanyue watched from the side, cheerfully directing people to help. Once he was gone, she would finally have peace and comfort.

The two stood side by side, their expressions very different. After a moment of silence, Qin Yan spoke, "You're right."

Mutual understanding, tolerance, and trust.

And so Qin Yan moved completely to the guest room. This room was finally hers alone now, and she was delighted.

Because Qin Yan's belongings had been moved to the guest room, the number of times they met and spoke dwindled. Occasionally, when they ate together, they exchanged only a few words. Sometimes when Qin Yan came home and saw her playing in the courtyard, their greetings were brief—mostly just a glance at each other and then retreated to their own rooms. Under the same roof, an unfamiliar feeling lingered. Hongmei felt that both seemed to be harboring their frustration, unwilling to yield.

Before they knew it, the Mid-Autumn Festival arrived. A family banquet was inevitable, but what Qiao Wanyue cared about were the monthly allowance and festival gifts.

Yesterday, Lady Yang had mentioned that each household's festival gifts would be delivered, so there was no need for them to make the trip. Now, she sat in her room waiting.

After a short while, Nanny Liu, who served Lady Yang, came in with a young maid. Smiling warmly, she bowed first and then said, "Madam, here are the festival gifts and monthly allowance."

"Thank you for your trouble, Nanny Liu."

Hongmei took them and set them aside.

Nanny Liu lingered, evidently having something to say. Qiao Wanyue caught on and said, "Nanny Liu rarely comes by—why not stay for a cup of tea before you leave?"

"You flatter me, Madam. You may not know this, but last winter, the Marquis said the household expenses were too high and needed to be cut. Plus, a new set of furniture was purchased, so this year's festival gifts aren't as generous as in previous years—slightly less, actually."

In other words, the monthly allowance was lower, and the festival gifts had been reduced. What perfect timing—the moment she married into the family, they started cutting expenses.

Qiao Wanyue kept a neutral expression, but inwardly she wondered if the new furniture Nanny Liu mentioned was the furniture Qin Yan had bought before their wedding. That must be it—why else would she bring it up specifically in front of her?

She took a sip of tea to compose herself, then smiled. "If it's the Marquis's decision, then so be it."

Nanny Liu replied, "Madam is magnanimous—it is the Marquis's blessing."

Qiao Wanyue wasn't interested in flattery. She quickly saw her out.

Looking at the meager monthly allowance, she called Hongmei over to her. "Find someone trustworthy and have them find out how much the second and third branches of the family received for their festival gifts."

"Do you think the Dowager Lady is targeting us?" Hongmei asked. "Should I tell the Marquis?"

She tossed the silver back onto the table and said, "Yes, of course. Tell him as soon as he returns."

It was nearly noon now. Qin Yan should be back soon, so she waited outside to make sure she didn't miss him.

Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for reunions. Being a little attentive couldn't hurt—a woman knows when to be flexible. She would let bygones be bygones.

After waiting less than an hour, she finally saw him.

Qiao Wanyue's eyes lit up, and she hurried over. "Marquis, you're back! Are you tired?"