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墨書 Inktalez
Was it too late for her to cry now?
The answer was, of course, no. By the time Yan Zhouwan woke up, it was already the next evening, and Shen Muqing was not by her side. She opened her eyes groggily, feeling sore all over, as if she had been repeatedly run over by a carriage; even her fingers ached.
Recalling the events of last night made her face flush with embarrassment. Instinctively, she pulled the blanket over her head, covering her mouth and nose, leaving only her watery eyes visible as they darted around.
Suddenly, a choking smell of smoke wafted in through the gap in the window. Yan Zhouwan coughed and struggled to breathe, instantly waking up fully. Gritting her teeth, she sat up with difficulty and glanced at the pile of ruined clothes beside her, which made her head throb.
Wrapping herself in the blanket, she made her way to the wardrobe for some clothes. However, as soon as her feet touched the ground, she collapsed back onto the bed, gasping for breath. Her legs felt so weak that she could barely stand. She couldn't help but curse inwardly; after all, it was that cup of tea that had caused all this trouble. At that moment, she even wished she could drag Xia Muxin over for some serious questioning.
After resting for a while and massaging her legs, she finally mustered enough strength to head to the wardrobe. She slowly changed into some clothes and then stepped out of the new room one careful step at a time.
A rush of cold air hit her face as she hurried outside to check on things. The clothes she wore were rather thin; when the chilly wind blew against her, she shivered and hugged herself tightly.
Since they lived on the first floor in a four-room apartment, their wedding room was on the south side while several family members stayed on the second floor.
Suddenly, Yan Zhouwan froze in place, her face turning pale as she thought of her in-laws. She couldn't help but tremble.
As a daughter-in-law, she was supposed to serve tea to them early in the morning, but here she was sleeping until evening. Nightfall was approaching quickly, and there were no lights in the house; it felt dim and lifeless as if she were the only one there. The thought of Shen Family Elders' grim faces made her heart tighten. What if Shen Muqing had been taken back by them?
With that thought racing through her mind, panic washed over her. Her face turned as white as paper, and each step felt increasingly difficult.
The acrid smell of smoke grew stronger around her, yet she felt numb to it.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, a chaotic scene unfolded. Shen Muqing was frantically trying to cook; his face was smeared with flour and soot. Despite following all the steps correctly, he just couldn't manage to make noodles that looked and smelled delicious.
There was meat, chopped green onions, and ginger shreds, but what was boiling in the pot was a dark, murky mess of noodles.
Moreover, the firewood crackled loudly, sending up thick clouds of smoke, yet there wasn't a single spark to be seen. The noodles had been cooking for half an hour, and while the water had reached a boil, it showed no signs of rolling.
With one hand, he continued to add firewood to the stove while stirring the pot with the other. In the end, all that could be seen was a dense fog of smoke.
"Cough cough cough..."
He choked on the smoke, struggling to breathe. He raised a hand to cover his mouth and nose as he coughed uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.
"Is something burning at Second Young Master Shen's house? Why is there so much smoke coming from your kitchen? We can't even step outside!"
Just then, as Yan Zhouwan was lost in thought, an anxious voice called out from outside the courtyard. It was Aunt from next door, who was quite nice. Her son and daughter-in-law worked at Muxin's place, and since they got married yesterday, the couple had come over enthusiastically to help.
"Aunt... it's nothing. The house has been unoccupied for a long time; I'm just using smoke to disinfect the kitchen."
She couldn't let anyone see her like this. Besides her face, her neck was covered in dark bruises, as were her arms. If anyone saw her, who knew what rumors would spread?
The idea of disinfecting came from Xia Muxin because the workshop regularly sanitized their equipment. Therefore, people in the village were familiar with the term.
Though Aunt looked puzzled, she noticed there were still people in the house and no one seemed to be in distress. After giving some parting advice, she left.
Once she was gone, Yan Zhouwan hurried into the kitchen. Each step sent sharp pains through her body; this was Shen Muqing's house—she couldn't let anything happen to it.
"Cough cough cough..."
"Cough cough cough..."
However, before she even entered the kitchen, she heard a familiar coughing sound. Yan Zhouwan's heart leaped with joy as tears streamed down her face. She choked back her emotions and said:
"Shen... Husband, is that you?"
"My dear, it's very smoky here. You should go outside; there will be food soon."
Shen Muqing still covered his mouth and nose with one hand, stubbornly believing that this pot of noodles would cook. He was even more determined to add more firewood, thinking that as long as the wood was piled high, the flames would burn stronger. His face had already turned black from the smoke, yet he continued to wipe his face with his hand.
"Food? Why are you making so much smoke while cooking?"
Yan Zhouwan was momentarily taken aback, but then felt a surge of joy in her heart, subconsciously realizing he was making food for her. However, looking at the thick smoke, she felt helpless and worried.
"I don't know what's going on either. I've added plenty of firewood, and the smoke is billowing out, but the fire just won't catch."
Shen Muqing was also puzzled. His temper had been good enough today; on other days, he would have kicked the stove over by now.
"You..."
Hearing this, Yan Zhouwan couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. How could one cook food like this? After thinking it over, she said:
"First, take the firewood out of the stove."
Take it out??
If he took it out, wouldn't there be no fire at all?
Shen Muqing frowned and hesitated for a long time without moving.
"Hurry up! The smoke is too thick; I can't stand it."
Yan Zhouwan was anxiously urging, feeling as if she could barely endure any longer. However, she was also worried about Shen Muqing, who remained standing at the door of the kitchen without leaving.
Upon hearing that she was struggling, Shen Muqing immediately began pulling out the firewood, and soon the sound of wood being tossed aside echoed in the room. As he pulled out the firewood, the smoke gradually lessened, and eventually, a faint light filled the kitchen. Yan Zhouwan even caught sight of a vague figure squatting by the stove.
With a sudden impulse, she stepped inside.
"What are you doing in here? Hurry up and go out; it will be ready soon."
Shen Muqing felt a bit awkward seeing Yan Zhouwan enter. After all, he had been with her in the bakery for several months, and they had lived together on the border for a year. She had taken care of his daily needs, yet he had never truly seen how much effort she put into it. During their time in the bakery, he had merely been a bystander, and now he felt a deep sense of guilt.
Usually, Yan Zhouwan prepared three dishes and a soup for him along with steamed rice. But now, he was struggling to boil a simple bowl of noodles for half an hour without success, and it turned out to be such a disaster that he couldn't help but feel embarrassed.
As he spoke, he instinctively reached for Yan Zhouwan's hand. Upon touching her ice-cold fingers, his expression darkened. He pulled her into his embrace and scolded her gently.
"Why are you wearing so little on such a cold day? What do you think you are?"
"I..."
Yan Zhouwan was left speechless by his reprimand and only then realized how cold she was trembling all over. Yet, Shen Muqing's embrace felt so warm that she didn't want to leave. Unbeknownst to them, the firewood in the stove had ignited and was burning increasingly fiercely.
The noodles in the pot began to boil vigorously as the water level decreased more and more, producing sizzling sounds along with a strong burnt smell. However, the thick smoke masked the burnt odor completely, causing both of them to remain oblivious to their surroundings.
"Alright, we're both adults now. What’s there to worry about? You really had to come check on me at this moment? Now that you're here, you should feel reassured."
Outside in the yard, Shen Muhan carefully held Xia Muxin's hand as they walked toward Shen Muqing's home while muttering to himself.
Several elderly people had gone over during lunch and were full of complaints about Shen Muqing and his wife. They criticized Yan Zhouwan even more harshly; there was no respect shown for tea ceremonies or anything else. They were upset that no one had come out by noon after sleeping in late and that those who came over hadn’t eaten breakfast either. Feeling frustrated, they sought out Shen Muhan to vent their grievances.
He and Xia Muxin found it amusing yet exasperating as they tried every possible way to cheer up the elderly folks. However, those who had taken offense held onto their grievances tightly; no amount of coaxing seemed effective. Eventually, it was Xia Muxin who brought over three Bear Cubs and gave them strict orders to make their grandparents laugh. Despite their mother Tiger’s calls from behind them, the Bear Cubs were still afraid of Xia Muxin and listened only to her commands. As soon as she spoke up, the three little ones did their utmost to entertain the elderly people until their expressions softened and they began playing with the children.
Shen Muhan and Xia Muxin certainly couldn't leave at this moment. By the time dinner was ready, Xia Muxin had thoughtfully filled a basin with water for everyone to wash up. To Shen Muhan's surprise, the others praised Xia Muxin right in front of him, which delighted him.
Perhaps worn out by the three Bear Cubs, everyone went upstairs to rest after washing up. Xia Muxin managed to lull the tired children to sleep before pulling Shen Muhan to Shen Muqing's house, expressing her concern for them. She insisted that if nothing were wrong, she would never abandon the elderly.
Shen Muhan felt an urge to roll his eyes. He had warned her yesterday that the medicine was potent; as long as Shen Muqing was fine, it was perfectly normal for him to stay indoors for one or two days.
"Cough, cough... Where is all this smoke coming from?"
Xia Muxin didn't take Shen Muhan's displeasure to heart; she merely waved her hand in front of her nose and spoke with difficulty.
Realizing something was off, they exchanged glances and hurried to the kitchen.
"Ah... there's a fire! There's a fire!"
In the kitchen, while they were busy with their own matters, Yan Zhouwan noticed small flames flickering from behind Shen Muqing. Startled, she turned pale and screamed. Shen Muqing, realizing what was happening, pushed Yan Zhouwan aside and quickly removed his outer shirt to extinguish the flames.
However, once he took off his shirt, he discovered that the fire originated from it. The firewood in the stove had nearly burned down, causing some wood chips to fall out and ignite small flames that caught onto his shirt.
The pot was already filled with thick smoke, emitting a strong burnt smell that made it hard to breathe without covering one's nose.
Yan Zhouwan lost her balance from being pushed and let out a scream as she began to fall.
"I really don't know how you two managed this; cooking a meal turned into a fire hazard."
Just then, Xia Muxin rushed in and quickly caught Yan Zhouwan before she fell. Watching Shen Muhan scoop water and pour it into the smoking pot, she couldn't help but scoff.
As soon as the water hit the pot, flames shot up momentarily before dying down with a series of hissing sounds.
This was Shen Muqing's first time experiencing such an embarrassing situation; he felt utterly humiliated and didn't know how to face his suddenly arrived older brother and sister-in-law. At that moment, he could only hang his head low in silence.
"Together, they are almost forty, and they can't compare to my little one."
Xia Muxin helped Yan Zhouwan stand up and peeked into the pot, rolling her eyes.
What she said was no exaggeration. Although Little One was only seven years old, he could handle everything from starting a fire to cooking, and he did it all exceptionally well.
Upon hearing this, the couple lowered their heads even more, almost burying them in their necks.
"Hahahaha... Shen Erlengzi, you... Hahahaha..."
In the midst of such a challenging situation, Xia Muxin caught sight of Shen Muqing's face, which was darker than that of the infamous Bao Zheng. Instantly, she doubled over with laughter, gasping for breath.
However, she knew Shen Muqing's temperament well enough to quickly say before he exploded in anger:
"You two should step outside for a moment; I'll handle things here." She then winked at Yan Zhouwan, suppressing her laughter as she added, "Make sure to give him a good wash."
Yan Zhouwan finally realized what Xia Muxin was laughing about and couldn't help but turn away to chuckle as well.
Only Shen Muqing remained in the dark with a grim expression. He shot a few fierce glares at them before angrily storming off.
Xia Muxin glanced at the expressionless Shen Muhan and shrugged her shoulders in boredom.
"Really stingy; he's already angry."
Shen Muhan raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment. Seeing Xia Muxin about to approach the pot, he quickly stepped forward and pulled her back behind him, scolding her.
"Are you out of your mind? Why would you touch something so hot?"
Xia Muxin was completely speechless. Her brother was unpredictable, now just standing there with his arms crossed, waiting for Shen Muhan to make a move.
Shen Muhan didn't need any prompts from her; he instinctively picked up the pot and placed it on the stove. Squatting beside it, he took a whetstone and began sharpening it, the sound of scraping filling the air.
Meanwhile, Xia Muxin wandered around the kitchen. In the end, she decided to make noodles, grabbing some greens and a piece of lean meat to get busy.
By the time Shen Muhan finished sharpening the pot, Xia Muxin had everything ready, just waiting for him to start cooking.
So when she brought a large bowl of egg and vegetable soup along with two servings of mixed noodles to the table, Shen Muqing and Yan Zhouwan were still in the bathroom.
Shen Muqing's face looked like it could use some scrubbing with soap to remove that layer of grime.
When they finally emerged, both of their faces were flushed to an embarrassing degree.
"I've been hungry all day; hurry up and eat before it gets cold," Xia Muxin said thoughtfully as she served each of them a bowl of soup.
Seeing them sit down to eat, Shen Muhan pulled Xia Muxin up and coldly addressed the two, "We're leaving now."
Neither of them looked up, both responding with a casual "oh." Xia Muxin was then dragged away by Shen Muhan.
"Why are you in such a hurry? I still have things to discuss with Yan Zhouwan."
Xia Muxin was quite puzzled by Shen Muhan's actions, feeling a bit angry. Once they exited the courtyard, she broke free from Shen Muhan's grasp and complained irritably.
She had intended to ask Yan Zhouwan many things. Moreover, the marks on her neck were rather shocking; even Shen Muhan hadn't reached that level. This indicated just how wild Shen Muqing had been last night.
However, Shen Muhan slapped his palm against the top of her head and shook his head, saying, "Are you stupid? If we don't leave now, once they finish eating and remember that you drugged them, just wait and see how you'll explain yourself."
He had seen the marks on Yan Zhouwan's neck very clearly. Knowing Shen Muqing's personality, he was certain she would pursue this matter to the end. It was possible that the fire that almost broke out today was related to this incident.
Yet, he also realized that Shen Muqing taking a cold shower wasn't due to his inadequacy; it was because he was too capable, and the unresolved situation led to this.
Xia Muxin suddenly understood and grabbed Shen Muhan's arm, pulling him as she exclaimed, "Then why are we dawdling? Let's hurry up and run!"
- End of Chapter -
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