Chapter 5

Chapter 5

And just like that, Xie Shanyu and I were married.

Because his injuries were quite severe, we didn’t hold a grand ceremony.

“Once I finish this screen and the client pays me, I’ll go to town and buy some fabric to make you some new clothes.”

I had fitted four small wooden wheels to his small bed.

This way, I could wheel him out into the courtyard to soak up some sun.

Xie Shanyu had been leaning against the headboard, toying with his jewel-encrusted dagger.

At my words, he looked toward me. “You’re making new clothes for me?”

He sounded as if the idea was entirely novel to him.

“Yes. I made a point to ask the village matchmaker this morning,” I explained patiently, hammering the screen frame together and wiping the sweat from my brow. “She said that since you’ve entered my household, this counts as a matrilocal marriage. Naturally, I should treat you well.”

“…”

Xie Shanyu looked at me and blinked.

He truly was beautiful and exquisite. Just having him look at me like that made my throat go dry for some reason.

It gave me even more energy to work.

I labored for another six or seven days until the screen was finished.

By then, Xie Shanyu was able to get out of bed and walk.

He insisted on coming with me to town to deliver the screen.

However, he asked me to find a veiled hat to hide his face.

“Why?” I asked, puzzled.

He fell silent for a moment before saying weakly, “Wife, you praise my beauty every day. I’m worried that some scoundrel in town might take a liking to me and try to kidnap me.”

So that was it.

I felt a surge of secret delight, but I still turned him down:

“Don’t worry. I’m quite strong; no one can take you away. If there really are bad people, we’ll just report it to the officials.”

Xie Shanyu fell silent for an even longer time.

Then he said, “Wife, I have a secret. I intended to keep it from you, but now I have no choice but to speak.”

“Actually… I escaped from the Southern Breeze Pavilion.”