Fourteen thousand and fourteen

Xie Yi was a man of meticulous habits, insisting on cleanliness and order in every corner. Not a speck of dust was allowed in the room, let alone on his formal or casual attire. Every day, his clothes had to be flawlessly ironed; even the slightest wrinkle would furrow his brow in displeasure.

That morning, it was Shen Shuyao who had helped him dress in his formal court robe, which then appeared crisp and neat. Yet, after returning from court, the frog buttons were loose and dangling.

Shen Shuyao glanced at him and indeed saw the frog buttons hanging slack, nearly coming undone. She looked up, concerned, and asked, "Did you get into a scuffle with someone?"

At her words, Xie Yi’s brows twitched in mild helplessness. What was she thinking? How could he have been involved in a tussle?

"Not at all," he replied curtly.

His tone was somewhat harsh, prompting a twitch at the corner of Shen Shuyao’s mouth. She didn’t understand why he was upset—wasn’t it natural for her, as his wife, to ask?

She scowled, her voice tinged with irritation. "Give it to me. I’ll sew it tomorrow."

"Do it now," the man said softly, but his voice carried a cold edge, an unyielding command that brooked no refusal. Shen Shuyao loathed this tone of his—the haughty arrogance and coercion befitting someone in power. She disliked it deeply.

Yet, she was not foolish enough to show displeasure outright. At most, she harbored resentment in her heart but spoke politely.

Noticing her dissatisfaction, Xie Yi lowered his voice and added, "Don't put off today's matters till tomorrow."

This explanation was somewhat reasonable, and her expression softened, choosing not to press further.

However, Shen Shuyao overlooked one fact: she had never been good at embroidery since childhood. Even though she had learned a bit before marriage, it was still insufficient for this task.

Her slender fingers awkwardly grasped the embroidery needle; closing one eye, she tried threading it but failed repeatedly. Frustration and anxiety flushed her cheeks, and sweat beaded on her brow. Worse still, Xie Yi sat nearby watching her. Though he was sipping tea, his gaze occasionally flickered toward her, making her even more nervous.

After a while, Shen Shuyao wanted to give up. Her mind was already conjuring excuses to escape. Before she could find a suitable one, the man asked casually, "What’s wrong? Are your hands shaking?"

Swallowing nervously, she felt guilty—his eyes were sharp indeed, having caught the slight tremble. Not admitting it, she quickly found an excuse, "My hands are slippery, sweating a bit. That’s why the needle won’t go through."

Her explanation was feeble; even she didn’t believe it.

Xie Yi looked at her flushed face, the sweat at her temples, a few strands of hair stuck to her cheek, and her innocent, slightly pitiful eyes.

A fleeting curve appeared on his lips, too quick for Shen Shuyao to notice. After a moment, he sighed helplessly, "Fine, just leave it for now."

Shen Shuyao’s eyes immediately brightened, sparkling with delight. She nodded enthusiastically, "Good idea, I have other things to do later."

Xie Yi rose silently, casting a meaningful glance at her before heading to the study.

No sooner had he left than Shen Shuyao’s expression darkened. She grabbed the court robe and crumpled it fiercely, then angrily tossed it aside. Hmph. If Xie Yi didn’t know she couldn’t embroider, she would have suspected he did it on purpose. It had scared her.

She looked back at the robe reluctantly, picked it up, and put it neatly away. If Xie Yi saw it later, it would be hard to explain.

She called Suihua in and instructed her to sew the frog buttons on the court robe properly. After arranging this, Shen Shuyao finally relaxed.

—

Summer days were long, and by evening the light remained bright. The sky was painted with crimson clouds tinged with orange hues, casting a beautiful glow.

Xie Yi emerged from the study for dinner. The room smelled of food, and a pot of wine sat on the table—undoubtedly prepared for him. Occasionally, he would drink a couple of small cups at night, just to savor the taste.

He sat down gracefully but wore a cold expression, as if reluctant to speak. Normally, Shen Shuyao would try to make conversation, uncomfortable in such silence, but today she held back, harboring a bottled-up frustration.

She ate bite by bite, planning to rest soon; her body was weary and longed to lie down.

"I won’t be coming back tomorrow night. I’ll stay overnight at the office," he said.

She looked up, stared at him for a few moments, then hesitantly replied. He often stayed at the office when busy, so she wasn’t surprised.

Her indifferent attitude displeased Xie Yi. He put down his cup and added, "There’s a case to handle, so I won’t be back."

Shen Shuyao met his gaze calmly. "I know."

—

"What do you know?"

"I know you have a case to handle, I know you’re busy." She made it clear enough.

The man’s adam’s apple moved as he showed obvious displeasure. "You don’t ask anything?"

Shen Shuyao scratched her head, increasingly confused by him. He said he was busy—what was there to ask? Wouldn’t too many questions annoy him?

She bit her chopsticks, looking dazed, which to Xie Yi appeared adorably naive.

Since she didn’t understand, he clarified more plainly: "I mean, I would never hide anything from you, and you shouldn’t hide anything from me either."

Oh, that matter. She knew.

Shen Shuyao’s face brightened with understanding. Smiling, she nodded, "Of course. We’re husband and wife; naturally, we don’t keep things from each other."

Xie Yi’s expression subtly shifted; she blinked, realizing she hadn’t misspoken, yet his look seemed troubled.

She timidly picked at her rice, stealing a glance at him, then asked, "What’s wrong? Did someone say something to you?"

"Nothing," he replied.

He had drunk only three cups of wine and was not drunk, but his head felt light—likely from irritation.

Xie Yi rubbed his forehead tiredly, restraining his anger. After a deep breath and lifting his eyelids, he asked once more, "Are you sure you’re not hiding anything from me?"

She put down her chopsticks, sincere and serious. "No, absolutely not." She spoke with conviction, as if making a solemn vow.

At that moment, Xie Yi closed his eyes, sighed in frustration, and stared at Shen Shuyao with deep, intense eyes.

The summer heat was stifling, yet Shen Shuyao suddenly felt a chill creeping up from her feet, spreading throughout her body. She shivered, her red lips parting, about to speak, when Xie Yi abruptly stood, leaving a brief remark about putting something in the study, then walked away.

Shen Shuyao stared without blinking, losing her appetite. She beckoned for Zhiwei, signaling her over.

"Have I done anything improper lately?" Shen Shuyao pondered. "Could it be that I’ve been found out?"

Zhiwei understood and looked her over carefully before saying, "I don’t see anything, but Master’s behavior has indeed been odd recently."

"See? You noticed it too."

Shen Shuyao had thought she was the only one sensing it; it seemed Xie Yi was hiding something from her.

She pursed her lips, lost in thought but found no answers. Noticing her distress, Zhiwei comforted her, "Don’t overthink it. Master has always been like this sometimes. Perhaps the recent tasks are complicated, and his mood is just off."

Zhiwei’s words made sense. After all, Xie Yi had said he wouldn’t be back tomorrow night because of work.

Relieved, Shen Shuyao’s tense shoulders relaxed as she picked up her chopsticks to continue eating.

Still mindful of the man who had just left, with mouth full, she mumbled an order: "Xie Yi probably didn’t eat enough. Have the kitchen prepare a bowl of noodles and send it to him, and say I made it myself."

"Yes, Madam."

—

As dusk deepened, the lights in Orchid Garden flickered on, swaying gently in the breeze.

In the study, Xie Yi leaned back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, holding the same posture for a long time. After a while, footsteps approached outside the corridor, and his eyes flickered lazily as he straightened.

Soft voices conversed briefly, then A Si pushed the door open, carrying a steaming bowl of noodles.

With a cheerful smile, A Si placed it beside him. "The young madam sent this. She made it with her own hands."

"She made the noodles?" Xie Yi asked, surprised.

"Yes, that’s what Lingchun said."

A Si thought to himself: Lingchun said so, and he hadn’t heard wrong. Yet why did Master seem so troubled? A Si glanced again at Xie Yi, who let out a cold snort, lips pressed into a thin line, restraining something.

Xie Yi snorted disdainfully, "A liar. She probably hasn’t even stepped into the kitchen."

After a moment’s thought, he asked, "Is there a maid named Xiaoxiao in Orchid Garden? Go call her here."

At the mention of Xiaoxiao’s name, A Si felt uneasy. He forced a dry laugh and asked, "Why do you want her? She’s just a little maid, inexperienced. You should tell me, and I’ll pass the message."

Xie Yi looked him straight in the eye, a smile playing on his lips. "Afraid I’ll take a fancy to her?"

A Si said nothing, lowering his head in silent acknowledgment.

Seeing his lack of backbone, Xie Yi’s face darkened. If he weren’t so controlled, he might have lost his temper.

"You think I don’t know your feelings for her?" Xie Yi leaned back, his smile fading. "If she does her duties well, I’ll make the call. You can marry her."

A Si blushed awkwardly. He liked Xiaoxiao and often sought her out, buying her rouge, powder, and snacks. He thought Master didn’t know, but clearly, Master knew everything.

"Alright, alright. I’ll go now."

A Si was delighted. With Master’s words, he could visit Xiaoxiao openly from now on.

Xie Yi waited in the study. After a moment, A Si returned, leading Xiaoxiao inside.

Shortly after Xiaoxiao entered, Shen Shuyao in the main bedroom received the news.

She was leaning against the couch, swinging her feet while reading a book. Turning her head, she saw a maid rushing in to report, "Young madam, the eldest young master has taken Xiaoxiao to the study."

"Which Xiaoxiao?" she asked, unable to recall.

The maid reminded her, "Xiaoxiao who cleans the back garden."

Maids from the back garden never entered the front courtyard, as was the rule, so it was no wonder she didn’t remember.

"Why take her to the study?"

She tossed the book aside, losing all interest in reading. Her heart was now fixated on Xiaoxiao.

"I don’t know. It was A Si who brought her."

The maid hesitated, then hurriedly added, "I saw A Si looking for her earlier. It can’t be—" She stopped herself in time.

Shen Shuyao frowned. Xie Yi let Xiaoxiao into the study? Why?

He must have taken a liking to her.

Shen Shuyao knew it was only a matter of time before he took a concubine, but when that day came, it still hurt deeply. Perhaps, like her mother, she was naturally jealous.

Her small head drooped listlessly, mood heavy.

After a moment, Zhiwei entered and, seeing her expression, quickly came over. "Xiaoxiao has left the study. It’s nothing serious."

Shen Shuyao lifted her head, lips moving softly. "Tomorrow, I’ll go see this Xiaoxiao."