Chapter 33
The sweet drink shop in the capital was entirely managed by Xu Shuyue, with Qi Siming only offering occasional assistance.
Publicly, it was known simply as “Xu’s Sweet Drink Shop,” with no mention of the Qi family.
Qi Siming remained in the capital to serve in court, and the Emperor rewarded him handsomely, bestowing gold, silver, and a grand three-entry residence.
Xu Shuyue made the decision to bring Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng to the capital, so they could all be reunited once Qi Qingfeng passed the autumn imperial examinations.
Her daily life settled into a peaceful and fulfilling rhythm— Every morning, she would prepare the sweets and drinks for the shop. Qi Siming would carry the prepared goods to the storefront, and when daylight broke, he went to court while she and Madam Wei tended to customers.
Orders placed the day before were delivered to noble households by Eldest Brother Liang and Second Brother Liang. The silver flowed in endlessly.
Xu Shuyue grinned as she counted her earnings, so much so that her teeth were barely visible from how wide her smile stretched.
Meanwhile, Qi Siming watching this scene felt a pang of jealousy.
That night, after extinguishing the candle, he leaned in close, his lips grazing her ear as he murmured, full of grievance, “Wife, can you stop fussing over those lifeless things?”
His calloused palm traced along her slender waist, his warm breath fanning across her neck.
Xu Shuyue stared blankly at the wooden ceiling beams, her mind turning sluggish.
Not fuss over silver? Then fuss over what? Dazed, she instinctively reached out for support—only to accidentally touch something hot.
Her heart skipped a beat. Her face flushed instantly, and she stammered, “Y-You, how did you…?”
She was so flustered she couldn’t bring herself to look at him, both hands pushing against his chest, attempting to retreat.
But Qi Siming clasped her wrists, his voice low and coaxing— “Wife, it’s late.”
The deep timbre of his voice carried an irresistible lure, urging her to meet his gaze and see the longing in his eyes.
For a long moment, she hesitated. Then, gathering an unexplainable surge of courage, she spread her arms and wrapped them around his shoulders. At that instant, the depths of Qi Siming’s eyes darkened like ink swirling in water.
With a swift motion, he flipped the quilt over them, enclosing them within its embrace.
—
The next morning, Xu Shuyue woke up sore all over and immediately kicked Qi Siming out of the bedroom.
The fearless, battle-hardened general, renowned on the battlefield, did not dare utter a single word of protest. For half a month, he humbled himself, pleading and sweet-talking, before he was finally allowed back into their room.
Madam Liu listened to Xu Shuyue’s complaints, then teased her, “General Qi has a reputation for being cold and unapproachable, showing respect only to the Emperor himself. Who would have thought he’d act like a docile little husband at home? Truly, people are not always as they seem!”
Madam He, the wife of the Minister of Rites, chuckled as she picked up a freshly made pastry and added, “That’s true! Just the other day, my husband wanted to speak to General Qi after court. But before he could say a word, General Qi completely ignored him and went straight home!”
Although Madam He was smiling, everyone present was astute enough to detect the underlying meaning in her words. Their gazes discreetly drifted to Xu Shuyue, observing her reaction.
Xu Shuyue had always avoided unnecessary trouble but was never afraid to stand her ground. Now that Qi Siming was the Emperor’s favored general, his loyalty solely to the Emperor, it was only natural that he wouldn’t waste time on flattery or socializing.
If high-ranking officials themselves wouldn’t openly speak ill of him, then what weight did their wives’ complaints hold? Qi Siming had just arrived in the capital and had yet to threaten anyone’s interests.
So now was the perfect time to assert dominance.
Xu Shuyue half-lowered her gaze, her expression calm and composed, before smiling faintly—
“Is that so? Perhaps Minister Zhang’s voice was simply too soft. You know, my husband has been scolded by the Emperor several times for this—His Majesty says Qi Siming has ears like a hunting dog. Once court is dismissed, he hears nothing—only rushes straight home. Truly, he’s far too devoted to his family.”
“That’s his only flaw.”
She spread her hands in mock helplessness.
The room fell silent for a beat.
The other ladies exchanged glances.
Madam Liu, however, burst into laughter. “Shuyue! You little minx, you twisted that into showing off your loving marriage! I ought to tell the Empress to teach you a lesson!”
At the mention of the Empress, the tension in the room instantly dissolved. After all, both the Emperor and the Empress were fond of Qi Siming and Xu Shuyue. With those two figures backing them, who could possibly find fault with their actions?
Madam Liu remained composed, casting a sideways glance at Madam He, whose expression kept shifting between embarrassment and frustration. She sighed inwardly, thinking, “Next time, I mustn’t bring this fool along—nothing good ever comes out of her mouth, only pointless trouble.”
Xu Shuyue, sensing Madam Liu’s subtle defense, smiled more sincerely and gestured for the maid beside her.
“Madam Liu, Madam He, Miss Song… come, try the new treats from my shop. They taste amazing.”
Miss Song—the same young lady who had previously reminded Xu Shuyue to keep her voice down—sighed dramatically,“Madam Xu, your skills are truly unfair. Ever since I befriended you, I get to taste a new delicacy every few weeks… Look at me now—my face has grown rounder!”
Xu Shuyue raised an eyebrow, teasing, “So, do you still want to eat or not?”
Miss Song fidgeted slightly, then admitted grudgingly, “… Eating is a must.”
The room erupted in laughter.
—-
The days passed peacefully, and Xu Shuyue found immense contentment in her simple yet fulfilling routine.
At the end of the month, Qi Siming had a rest day, so Xu Shuyue planned a picnic at the foot of the mountain, bringing Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng along for a leisurely outing.
The elderly couple, cooped up in the estate for too long, were eager for a change of scenery.
Madam Wei packed swiftly, moving even faster than Xu Shuyue. “Shuyue, put on the veil hat I made the other day. The autumn sun is still harsh.”
Xu Shuyue responded immediately and ran inside to retrieve it. She rummaged through the room but suddenly felt a presence nearby.
Muttering under her breath, she said, “Siming, don’t just stand there! Help me look for it… Ah! Found it! Siming?”
Turning around, she saw no one. The room remained exactly as it was when she entered—door shut, no other presence.
She patted her head, murmuring, “Did I imagine it?”
Outside, Madam Wei’s voice urged her on, and she quickly ran out to join them.
The sky was clear, the clouds distant, and the entire mountain was painted in golden hues. Birds circled above, and the fresh autumn air lifted everyone’s spirits. This area belonged to a wealthy landowner, who, upon recognizing Qi Siming, brought his people to pay respects.
Upon learning that they had come for a picnic, he graciously provided them with a small cooking pot to prepare food outdoors.
Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng, never ones to sit idle, immediately went to gather firewood, leaving Xu Shuyue excitedly pulling Qi Siming into the forest to forage.
Mushrooms, wood ear fungus, wild fruits… The forest was full of treasures. Xu Shuyue delighted in the harvest, experiencing a rare moment of unburdened joy.
Qi Siming followed behind dutifully, carrying a woven basket on his back, his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.
As they walked, his expression suddenly turned serious. Without a word, he unsheathed his blade and, in one swift motion, impaled a vibrant-colored snake onto a tree branch. The snake’s bright hues clearly marked it as venomous.
Qi Siming, still on alert, turned to Xu Shuyue, his voice firm— “Wife, we’ve gathered enough food. Let’s head back—this forest is rarely traveled, it’s too dangerous… Wife?”
Xu Shuyue stood frozen in place. Her gaze was locked onto a seemingly empty spot in the air, eyes wide and unfocused.
Qi Siming followed her line of sight—but saw nothing. A chill crept up his spine.
Something felt off. He waved his hand in front of her eyes. No reaction.
Growing increasingly uneasy, he leaned closer and suddenly shouted—
“Shuyue!”
“Ah—!”
Xu Shuyue startled violently, instinctively throwing a punch—
Fast. Too fast.
Even Qi Siming, a seasoned warrior, failed to react in time. The impact landed solidly on his chest, and he staggered back a step.
Xu Shuyue snapped back to reality. Seeing him recoil, her heart clenched with worry. She rushed forward, grabbing his arm anxiously. “Siming! Are you alright? Does it hurt?”
Qi Siming, unfazed, kept his gaze locked on her. “No.”
Then, with sharp focus, he asked, “Wife, what did you see?”
At those words, Xu Shuyue’s face drained of all color. Qi Siming’s heart sank. He followed her gaze again, but the space ahead remained eerily empty.
The rustling leaves overhead seemed to amplify the silence, making the entire place feel unsettlingly still. A vague sense of dread stirred within him.
Without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around Xu Shuyue and led her out of the forest.
Back at the campsite, Madam Wei and Qi Ansheng immediately noticed something was off.
Seeing their son’s grim expression and daughter-in-law’s vacant stare, Madam Wei’s smile faded.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, concerned.
Qi Siming shook his head. He didn’t know. But the way his grip tightened around Xu Shuyue’s shoulders spoke volumes—he was afraid of losing something precious.
With the mood ruined, they quickly packed up, returned the borrowed pot, and hurried home with their collected wild ingredients.
That night, Xu Shuyue fell ill. And in her fevered dreams, a voice echoed endlessly—
“Xu Shuyue, you should go back.”
“It’s time.”
“Hurry… leave now.”
She tried to speak, but it was as if her mouth had been sewn shut.
No matter how hard she struggled, no sound came out.
She could only scream in her heart—No! I don’t want to go back!
“I won’t go!”
“I won’t go… I’m not going back…”
Madam Wei anxiously wiped the cold sweat from Xu Shuyue’s forehead. The little face that had only just regained some healthy fullness after being well-fed had become sharp and hollow again within days.
Qi Siming’s heart ached as he held her hand tightly, his voice filled with desperation.
“You’re not leaving, not leaving… Shuyue, you promised me we’d spend our lives together. Where else would you go?”
Madam Wei suddenly recalled Xu Laoda and his wife and cursed them silently in her heart. Is my daughter-in-law remembering the hardships of her childhood again? She sighed deeply.
A single tear slipped from the corner of Xu Shuyue’s eye. In her dream, she saw a doctor in a white coat, his presence like a thunderbolt striking her consciousness, jolting her awake with a gasp.
This illness came fast and left just as quickly. Yet, no matter how carefully Qi Siming tended to her afterward, the weight she had lost never seemed to return.
By midday, a maid had set up a reclining chair in the courtyard so the household could bask in the sun.
Xu Shuyue watched the chair sway slightly in the breeze, lost in thought.
She had once imagined growing old with Qi Siming—each of them with a reclining chair, spending their days chatting and laughing under the sun. But now… Her gaze lowered, her voice tinged with quiet sorrow.
“I wonder how much longer I can stay.”
Madam Wei, who had just approached, heard these words and felt her heart sink.
Does she… want to separate from Siming?
She had spoken of this possibility before, but that was in the past. Things were different now. The young couple was happy together. She truly didn’t want anything to change.
Immediately sitting beside Xu Shuyue, Madam Wei cautiously tested the waters. Xu Shuyue forced a bitter smile and abruptly changed the subject.
“Mother, did you sell the shop in town to Madam Xin some time ago?”
Madam Wei didn’t know why the conversation had suddenly shifted, but she instinctively nodded.
“Yes. Madam Xin is a good person. She even offered a price higher than others. In the end, we made a decent profit.”
“That’s good.”
Xu Shuyue’s smile was faint, fragile. “Then I can rest assured. With you watching over the shop in the capital, nothing will go wrong. If necessary, we can always transfer it to Madam Liu—she’ll take it, for Siming’s sake.”
