It was getting late, and Xiang Yi expected that the old man would not come back. As soon as he took out his sewing basket and sewed leisurely for a while, he heard voices outside.

"The uncle is back."

From time to time, the man's footsteps came to the corridor.

The door curtain shook, and he lifted it and walked in.

When Xiang Yi looked over, he also looked over, and their eyes met.

Xiang Yi was surprised that he came back on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. He lowered his eyes and looked away from him, then stepped forward to help him change his clothes.

Tan Ting lowered his eyes and looked at his wife.

She was wearing a moon-white long coat today, and her face still showed no emotion. However, Tan Ting was sure that her invisible emotion did not include the joy of seeing him come home.

She stood in front of him and undressed him, standing far away from him as usual.

Tan Ting didn't let her do any more work, took the clothes from her hand and put them on neatly.

She didn't speak, and neither did he. There was only silence in the room.

Fortunately, Qiao Yun came in with tea, and Tan Ting also took the opportunity to ask Zhengji to bring the things over.

Zhengji's hands and feet were very nimble, and he came over with a mahogany carved box.

Tan Ting glanced at his wife. She put the sewing basket in the cabinet under the dressing table. Her expression remained unchanged, and she looked away after just one glance.

Instead, Qiao Yun secretly took a look at the small box.

Tan Ting gave Zhengji a look.

Zhengji quickly turned around and placed the mahogany carved box directly on the dressing table in front of her.

The box landed lightly on Xiang Yi's dressing table, and she glanced at Tan Ting in surprise. Seeing that her husband didn't say anything, he just picked up the tea cup and took a sip.

Xiang Yi couldn't tell what he meant and stepped back when Zhengji showed no intention of speaking, so he had no choice but to open the box himself.

As soon as the mahogany box cover was opened, the room was filled with light.

There are three sets of gold filigree and pearl heads and faces in various colors.

Qiao Yun was blinked and walked over quickly.

"Yeah, these haircuts are somewhat similar to those worn by older girls a few days ago, but they seem to be much more dignified and elegant."

She was talking about Tan Rong's gold-threaded emerald butterfly-shaped hairdresser, which was mentioned in Tan Ting's letter home before he returned home. For her.

Tan Rong received the gift and wore multiple hair accessories on her head for several days.

This is a fashionable jewelry style in Beijing, and is rarely seen in Qingkan County or even Ningnan Prefecture.

What does it mean when suddenly three sets of masks are displayed here?

After going through the events of the past few days, Qiao Yun became a little calmer. Although she really hoped that these honors could be given to her wife, she carefully refrained from talking nonsense.

Xiang Yi looked at the jewelry and then at Tan Ting, wondering what it was used for.

The man still didn't say anything, he just coughed lightly while holding the tea cup and continued drinking tea.

Xiang Yi looked at the heads, thought about it secretly, and finally called Qiao Yun.

"Write these names into a book and put them in the warehouse."

Tan Ting, who was still drinking tea, choked on a sip of strong tea.

He glanced at Xiang Yi, who was covering the jewelry box again and pushing it to Qiao Yun to take away, and realized that she would never touch these things unless he explained it.

This kind of recognition inexplicably made Tan Ting feel uncomfortable.

He had to speak.

"You don't have to put it in the warehouse, you can keep it."

After saying this, Xiang Yi paused as he pushed away the jewelry box.

Qiao Yun's eyes immediately lit up, and she whispered excitedly, "Madam, this is the honor given to Madam by me."

The honor given to her?

Xiang Yi was silent for a moment, looking at these sparkling and precious jewelry, he somewhat understood what his husband meant.

After all, she is Tan's clan wife, and a clan wife should still have the dignity.

It's not so much for her as it is for the clan's wife.

When she thought about it, she felt that there was nothing strange about it.

"Thank you very much, sir."

Qiao Yun was arranged again, "Then put this noodle in the jewelry box."

Qiao Yun happily agreed.

Tan Ting breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she accepted it.

If he told her it was for her, she would look at it with confusion, and he really didn't know how to explain it.

At that moment, Qiao Yun took apart the three sets of hair and masks, placed them one by one, and slowly filled up her empty jewelry box.

Qiao Yong also pointed to the magnolia pattern among them and whispered to her, "Madam's original pearl earrings have turned yellow. Let's change to this set tomorrow. They are bright and beautiful."

She looked at the pair of pearl earrings and said, He nodded with a smile.

Tan Ting continued to drink tea.

There are three or five tea buds rippling in the clear water in the cup, and the light and shadow of the slightly raised corners of his lips are reflected in the tea.

...

An extra brazier was added to the room, and the room, which had always been deserted, became warm and cozy.

Xiang Yi didn't know what his plans were tonight, so he blew out the candles as usual.

As soon as she lay down, the man's big palm fell on her waist...

The gauze tent dragged to the ground, and the dampness and heat in the tent blended with the warm atmosphere in the room, as if mixed with infinite spring.

The two of them are the same as before, but not quite the same.

Xiang Yi didn't know what was wrong with him. Today, he was not as impatient as in the past. Instead, he slowed down.

The branches and leaves outside the window swayed gently, making a rustling sound.

While Xiang Yi was rubbing gently and slowly, his breathing gradually became short of breath, and fine beads of sweat fell down.

She couldn't help but glance at him.

Tan Ting caught her eyes.

There was a hazy moonlight in her eyes, which rippled with his ups and downs.

But the moment he saw it, he silently turned his eyes away.

They used to be like this, even when the heat and humidity blended together in the tent, they rarely communicated, even a look.

Tan Ting pursed his thin lips, held the palm of her waist upward, and placed it on her thin and delicate back.

The distance is slightly closer.

The palm of his hand was hot. Xiang Yi couldn't help but look over at that different posture from the past, only to see the man's eyes falling on her face.

The moment their eyes met, Xiang Yi subconsciously looked away.

Tan Ting's heart tightened, and his palms returned to her waist, and he slowly closed them.

The wind outside the window swept away the warmth just now and swirled around, strong and powerful.

Xiang Yi originally tried his best to hold on, but later he could no longer hold up with such strength, and could only be wrapped in the wind, like blades fluttering in the wind.

After a while, the noise outside the window stopped and it became quiet.

Xiang Yi was gently put down from the palm of his hand.

She knew she couldn't rest.

He didn't seem to like his servants interfering with the bed, so she personally changed them.

But just as she was about to push herself up and get out of bed, he softly stopped her.

"Don't worry, let someone come and get it done later."

Xiang Yi didn't look back at him.

She stopped by the bed and was silent for a while.

What happened to Mr. Tan recently?

...

When she came back from the bathroom, the room had been tidied up. It was the first time that Xiang Yi didn't have to do it herself, and she was still a little uncomfortable.

But every bone seemed to be out of place, and Xiang Yi could no longer think so much and almost lay down and fell asleep.

Tan Ting quietly glanced at his wife and saw that she fell asleep so quickly again.

It's just that her long hair, which was tied back today, was a little loose afterward, and a strand was pressed under her pillow.

Using the shallow light, he stretched out his hand and gently pulled out the strand of hair.

She was fast asleep and didn't wake up at all.

The brazier was burning at its strongest, and it seemed like the warmth of spring in the whole room.

Tan Ting slowly closed his eyes.

Xiang Yi almost didn't get up the next day. If Qiao Yun hadn't kept calling her outside, she would have missed the time to prepare for Zhao's morning and dusk.

After returning from Qiuzhaoyuan, Xiang Yi went directly to the Huating Director.

When Tan Ting came back from the study in the outer courtyard, he saw the people in the flower hall through Mei Linqia.

The plum blossoms were scattered. She was wearing a dark-white double-breasted long coat and was sitting at the top. The stewards below came forward one by one to report the incident.

She asked the director and asked Qiao Yun to distribute the cards and deal with them in a calm and unhurried manner. No one was making any noise below, and from a distance it seemed that everything was done properly.

Tan Ting didn't know how long he had been looking at it, until many plum petals fell on his shoulders, and then he slowly left.

Xiang Yi didn't know that someone in the distance was looking at him. He just finished his business and went back to his room as usual. He saw the accountant and his husband in the hall.

Xiang Yi didn't know why.

However, the accountant came forward and brought up the silver wrapped in red cloth and handed it to Qiao Yun.

"This is Madam's monthly payment for this month."

This payment was given a little early, and when weighed, the weight was not quite right.

Qiao Yun took a look and said, "Are these three sets of regular bills?"

Why were all three sets of regular bills sent to Madam?

Xiang Yi also looked at the accounting room, and glanced at the Tan family uncle who was writing in front of the desk.

Tan Ting paused in writing, smeared some ink, and glanced at the accounting room.

Mr. Accountant immediately became alert.

Of these three pieces of money, except for the one originally given to the wife, the other two were transferred by the uncle from his own private account to subsidize the wife.

The uncle didn't know why he didn't tell the lady directly, but asked him to hand it over to the lady together.

He had no choice but to explain, "Madam is in charge of the middle fund and also has to take care of family affairs. It's very hard. The money should be divided into three parts. Madam, please accept it."

Qiao Yun's eyes lit up when she looked at the sudden extra money. Madam After working so hard for so long, it’s right for me to get a raise.

However, Xiang Yi frowned.

The amount of money given by the Tan family to the housekeeper's female family members has remained unchanged since the time of Tan Ting's grandmother.

Prices have not fluctuated greatly in the past many years, so when it comes to her place, there is no reason for them to triple.

She said no, and asked Qiao Yun to return the extra two portions.

"I only did what I had to do, and I just got the money I deserved."

Her attitude was clear. She would not take things that were not hers, even if they fell into her hands.

The Xiang family is no better than other families. They must be more restrained on such matters.

The cashier was at a loss when he saw Qiao Xun stuffing the money back and looked at his uncle.

A drop of ink fell from the tip of the pen onto the rice paper and melted.

Tan Ting thought about it. She never asked him for money. If he gave her money directly, she might feel embarrassed.

It's just that he didn't expect that she would clearly understand even this small amount of monthly payment.

Even though she and him were husband and wife, and they might soon have a child conceived by blood, she, the Tan family, and him were still separated by a strict line drawn by her.

Tan Ting felt uncomfortable in his heart, pursed his lips and remained silent for a while, so he could only let the cashier leave first.

He glanced at her gently and saw that she asked Qiao Yun to put away her share of the money, and then returned to the inner room.

...

In the next few days, the main room seemed to have returned to the previous silence, but Xiang Yi vaguely noticed that the silence seemed different from before.

She received letters from her younger siblings.

My sister Xiang Ning mentioned daily interesting things in her letters as usual, and this time I also wrote an interesting anecdote for her to read.

This anecdote was written by poor scholars from all over the country and sent to Qingzhou Academy. Xiang Yu thought it was absurd and ironic, so he told it to Xiang Ning, who included it in a letter to Xiang Yi.

But after Xiang Yi finished reading, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

She never wanted her younger brothers and sisters to know about the Tan family's accounting that day, but she didn't expect that it would reach their ears in this way.