Song of the Bright Moon Chapter 16

Aunt Liu was an extremely talkative woman.

When she heard that Shen Yujiao had fled famine from Heluo, she shook her head and sighed, “Not long ago when I went into town I heard people say that Huanglong has come — many people died! Ah, these days the world really isn’t peaceful: the Emperor sits there single-mindedly refining elixirs to seek immortality, there’s still fighting over in Huainan, and your Heluo has had floods again. My goodness, who knows whether next year’s taxes will be raised by another ten percent…”

When she learned Shen Yujiao’s real name was Ma Cuilan, she slapped her thigh: “What a coincidence! My girl’s called Taohua and you’re called Cuilan — both fine flowers. No wonder I felt so fond of you when I first saw you last night; turns out even the names are fated.”

When she heard that Shen Yujiao also had a two-month-old infant, Aunt Liu fell silent for a moment. Then, after giving Shen Yujiao a once-over, she forced a smile: “Bringing a baby, eh? That’s fine, that’s fine… As the old saying goes, if the first birth goes smoothly, then the rest will too. Ah Ling is young and strong, once you two are married, just have two or three more. Let the older ones help care for the younger, then you’ll have it easier.”

Aunt Liu had already taken her as Xie Wuling’s wife-to-be, leaving Shen Yujiao unsure how to respond.

Fortunately, Aunt Liu also sensed the conversation getting dry. Stuffing the melon seed shells into her pocket, she said: “You’ve just arrived, you must not be familiar with the courtyard yet. Let’s take a walk?”

With nothing to do and her stomach still full from lunch, Shen Yujiao followed Aunt Liu for a turn around the small courtyard, 

The yard wasn’t large. There were three rooms in total: the main hall in the center, a bedroom to the left, kitchen and storeroom to the right. Behind was a small vegetable plot, already abandoned and overgrown with weeds, though a loquat tree stood there, thriving in the wild without care. Ten paces past the loquat tree was a brick-and-stone latrine, and beyond that a circle of walls enclosed the place.

“Ah Ling only moved here five years ago. Before that, he was just a little underling under Sixth Master Chang. Later, he took a blow for Master Chang, who then adopted him as a godson. That’s how he managed to save up enough to buy this yard, finally counted as having a proper home.”

Aunt Liu rambled on: “When he’d just moved in, I even proposed matches for him. You know how it is, Ah Ling’s handsome and tall, lots of young women around here liked him. There’s that Chen family in Wuyi Alley, rich as can be, their third daughter wanted to take Ah Ling as a son-in-law, offering a whole silk shop as dowry. He still wouldn’t agree.”

Hearing this, Shen Yujiao thought to herself: just as she had guessed, he could easily live off his looks.

“Why wouldn’t he agree?”

She asked casually: “Was there something wrong with that young lady?”

“Nothing of the sort! She was the daughter of a wealthy family after all, had studied etiquette, maybe a bit spoiled, but her temperament was mild enough. As for looks, a delicate little beauty, not bad at all.”

At this, Aunt Liu glanced at Shen Yujiao. “But compared to you, there’s no contest. Auntie’s lived in Jinling most of my life, and this is the first time I’ve seen such a pretty, fresh little lady. Just look at that nose, those eyes, your parents really did well, to birth you so fair… No wonder Ah Ling took one look and decided on you.”

Such a fairy-like girl appearing before him, what man could resist?

Aunt Liu’s praise was generous without restraint. Shen Yujiao’s cheeks burned pink under the flattery, and she murmured: “Aunt Liu, you overpraise me.”

“Listen to her! Still talking all refined. Overpraise, eh? Why not just say ‘thank you’?” Aunt Liu studied her curiously. “You must have studied, must be literate, right?”

Xie Wuling had asked her the same thing.

Shen Yujiao frowned in puzzlement: “Why does Aunt Liu ask that?”

Aunt Liu said: “Your bearing, the way you carry yourself, you’re clearly not from an ordinary household. My third daughter-in-law is the one who lent you that dress. Her father is the only licentiate in their village, so she comes from a scholarly family. But compared to you, she doesn’t have half your refinement. Cuilan, was there someone in your family who used to be an official?”

Shen Yujiao was struck speechless.

So her act as a farmer’s wife was so easily seen through? Aunt Liu had only been with her a short while, and already sensed something was off.

Then… did Xie Wuling also suspect?

“My ancestors did hold office,” Shen Yujiao said vaguely. “But later the family declined. By my father’s time, we were just tenant farmers.”

“No wonder. Truly, it shows in your family learning.” Aunt Liu nodded, not pressing further, and turned the conversation to other village gossip.

The afternoon slipped away in idle chatter.

By the time the sun tilted west and the evening glow painted the treetops red, Xie Wuling returned carrying the child.

Aunt Liu’s “task” done, she glanced at the child, took the half-bag of marinated pig’s head meat Xie Wuling gave her, and left smiling.

“I went to fetch this little brat, he was in Wildcat’s sister-in-law’s arms, eating like a king, bawling like he didn’t want to come back.”

Xie Wuling cast a sidelong glance at Shen Yujiao. Seeing her cradle the child, the sincerity of care written in her delicate brows and eyes, his black gaze narrowed slightly. “Now you’re reassured?”

Shen Yujiao saw the child’s complexion much improved from yesterday, clearly well-fed. Relief loosened the tight string in her heart. She lifted her face, giving Xie Wuling a grateful smile. “Yes. Thank you.”

The glow of sunset wrapped her pale face. That smile, bright eyes glistening, her delicate beauty radiant, 

She was so… beautiful.

A sudden, unfamiliar surge of heat rose in Xie Wuling’s chest. His lips pressed tight, as if to say something, 

But in the end, he swallowed it back. Lifting the paper parcel in his hand, he turned toward the kitchen. “You hold the baby. I’ll go make supper.”

Watching his broad back stride swiftly away, Shen Yujiao blinked her lashes.

Was it her imagination, or was there something odd about him?

—

Supper was noodles boiled in the leftover chicken broth from lunch, with a large handful of fresh, crisp cabbage.

After they ate, Xie Wuling went back into the kitchen, tinkering with something.

Only when a bitter medicinal scent drifted through the window did Shen Yujiao realize he was decocting medicine.

Was he ill? But he had looked perfectly vigorous all day.

Should she ask? After all, he had fed her twice today, given her shelter, a roof over her head, a blanket to cover her.

But with his arrogant, brash nature, if she showed concern first, would he mistake it as affection?

With someone else, perhaps not. But with Xie Wuling, it was very likely.

While Shen Yujiao hesitated, steady footsteps sounded outside the door.

She lifted her head, and saw Xie Wuling walking in with a bowl of decoction.

The big porcelain bowl was still steaming hot, and the small bedchamber was instantly filled with that bitter medicinal smell.

Smelling it, Shen Yujiao’s stomach turned, and her fine brows knitted slightly. “This medicine is…”

“Don’t ask.”

Xie Wuling cut her off, his tone carrying an unusually cold hardness. “I boiled it for you. Just drink.”

Shen Yujiao pressed her lips together, looking at the man before her. With only a small oil lamp burning, the room was dim, half of his handsome face in the light, the other half in shadow, blurred and unclear.

After a moment of hesitation, she still raised her hand and took the bowl.

The decoction was warm, black, unbearably bitter in smell.

Feeling his gaze fixed tightly on her, Shen Yujiao lowered her head, gently blew on it a few times, and only when it had cooled a little did she bring it to her lips.

Just as her pale lips touched the liquid, the man who had been silent since entering suddenly spoke: “Wait.”

Her motion paused, and she looked at him in puzzlement. “Hm?”

Xie Wuling’s thick brows furrowed, his tone far from pleasant: “You don’t even ask what medicine it is, and dare to put it straight to your mouth? Aren’t you afraid I’ll poison you?”

Shen Yujiao was at a loss. “But… didn’t you tell me not to ask…”

“I told you not to ask so you don’t ask. Then if I tell you to be my wife, why don’t you listen?”

“…?” How did the topic get dragged back here?

“Don’t play dumb. Speak.”

“…”

She didn’t know why he suddenly turned fierce, but with his usual roguish smile gone, his face stern, he did look rather frightening.

Steadying her mind, she set the bowl down and met his gaze calmly, her voice soft: “First, if you truly wanted to harm me, you could have killed me last night and thrown my corpse in the wild, or simply sold me off. Why go to all this trouble, bringing me home, boiling chicken soup, tending the child, and then wasting time and effort to brew poison? Second, ”

She paused slightly, her eyes more earnest as they looked at him. “I don’t think you’re a bad person.”

At most, a shameless scoundrel. She added in her heart.

In the hazy lamplight, Xie Wuling’s dark pupils flickered with something obscure as he listened.

Then seeing her lift the bowl again, her red lips just parting, his brow twitched sharply. He reached out and snatched it from her: “Don’t drink!”

His movement was rough; the warm liquid splashed out, soaking the front of Shen Yujiao’s collar.

Already baffled by him, she now felt both ashamed and annoyed, her voice rising: “What are you doing?”

Ever since returning at dusk he had been acting strange, looked like he was the one who ought to drink medicine.

“You foolish woman, I’m no good man!”

Xie Wuling poured the remaining half bowl onto the mud floor with a splash, then with his face dark as the bottom of a pot, ground his teeth at her: “That was miscarriage medicine!”