Chapter 219: Chapter 205: Wanwan’s Tattling (Part 1)
With the shadow of their wedding night lingering, Xu Shu was very reluctant to return home; he didn’t want to face Song Wei.
When men are together, even if they don’t say it out loud, they can’t help but compare themselves in certain ways.
Xu Shu didn’t need to compare to know that the gap between him and his brother-in-law was quite excessive.
Song Fang urged him, "My third brother doesn’t know about your matters, what are you afraid of?"
"I’m still not going," Xu Shu turned over, staying in bed.
This mentality of his was like an honest man who suddenly stole something and, feeling guilty, saw everyone looking at him like a thief.
Since he wouldn’t get up, Song Fang was resigned, "Fine, just rest well, I’ll go by myself."
After Song Fang left, Mei Zhi quietly told Xu Shu, "Young master, if the bride returns home alone, everyone will think she’s not welcome at her in-laws’."
Upon hearing this, Xu Shu’s face changed slightly, and he jumped up from the bed, rummaged out a decent set of clothes to change into, pushed the door open, and hurriedly caught up with Song Fang.
At that time, Song Fang had just arranged the gifts for returning home to be loaded onto the carriage and was about to climb in when she saw Xu Shu chasing after her, her eyebrows raising slightly, "What, have you thought it through?"
Xu Shu didn’t say anything, he just got into the carriage and sat down.
Song Fang didn’t have much hope that he would follow her, but since he was here now, she didn’t fuss over anything else and sat next to him on the carriage.
Xu Shu asked her, "Wife, would you have felt bad if I didn’t go today?"
"Not to the extent of feeling bad, maybe just a few scornful looks, a couple of harsh words, but it’s nothing, you get used to it."
Xu Shu: "...Then why didn’t you say so earlier?"
"Would you have listened if I did?" Song Fang glared at him, "Throwing a tantrum first thing in the morning, I not only have to worry about the return gifts but also coax you like a child, really wish I could split myself in half, and there you are, only thinking about yourself, not considering me at all."
"It’s my fault, wife, don’t be mad, I’ll go with you and listen to you, alright?"
Xu Shu held her hand, his attitude of admitting fault was very sincere.
――
Song Wei noticed that something was off with Xu Shu on this visit home; the usual fearless attitude seemed to be gone. At the Song family, he sat quietly, often not taking his eyes off Song Fang, as if afraid she would run away if he didn’t watch closely.
Even when sitting next to Song Wei during meals, he behaved impeccably; when Granny Song and Old Song spoke, he could respond, though the tone was not in his usual style.
Song Wei found it odd and sneaked a moment to ask Song Fang, what was going on with Xu Shu?
Of course, Song Fang couldn’t reveal the embarrassment of their wedding night to her own brother, so she smiled evasively, "What’s there to worry about with him? Men change somewhat after marriage. I remember your own changes after your marriage were noticeable too!"
Although Song Wei wasn’t completely convinced by this explanation, it was not without reason.
Song Wei didn’t delve deeper, seemingly choosing to ignore Xu Shu’s "oddness," and after meals, just had simple conversations over tea.
When not necessary, Xu Shu mostly didn’t dare to look at Song Wei directly and only responded casually to questions, showing some inattention.
Considering Xu Shu’s mood, Song Fang didn’t stay long at her family’s home and left in the afternoon.
On the carriage ride back, she asked Xu Shu, "Did my third brother say something to you?"
Xu Shu shook his head, "No."
"But I noticed you didn’t seem quite well."
Xu Shu lowered his gaze and didn’t respond.
Song Fang leaned in closer and whispered, "Are you still thinking about that matter?"
Originally feeling down, Xu Shu almost jumped up at this, "Wife, please don’t bring it up, I beg you just don’t mention it..."
"Alright, alright, I won’t say it," Song Fang soothed him, smoothing his back like calming a ruffled cat, "Then don’t think too much about it in the future, let’s live our life peacefully, alright?"
Xu Shu looked at her, asking cautiously, "Wife, will you look down on me?"
Song Fang: "I do look down on you a bit like this."
Seeing his face darken, she hurriedly added, "If you could muster the spirit you had when you used to quarrel with me, maybe I’d look at you differently."
Hearing this, Xu Shu pursed his lips and looked at her.
Feeling a bit embarrassed under his gaze, Song Fang blushed and said softly, "It’s not like you’re impotent, it’s just fainting at the sight of blood, this is a condition, you can get treatment later, what’s there to be so discouraged about..."
Since nobody outside knew about it, Xu Shu wasn’t worried about being mocked, he just feared that his wife would be left with the shadow of their wedding night and look down on him for it.
Now, hearing her say this, Xu Shu immediately felt his dignity and self-respect restored.
The gloom on his face for the past few days finally lifted, revealing a smile, "Wife, you’re really good."
Song Fang: "..."
——
After the new year, Jinbao is already over eight months old, completely weaned.
Compared to the well-behaved and cute little guy when he was just born, he is simply a little devil now, causing trouble if you’re not paying attention.
Over at Hongwen Academy, Song Wei has arranged everything, and after the Spring Festival, Wen Wan can report in.
Seeing the days dwindling, Wen Wan wants to spend this last half-month properly with her son.
On the day of the Lantern Festival, Song Fang sent word early, saying everyone would go to see the lanterns together in the evening.
Near dusk, Wen Wan bathed the little guy, wrapped him in a fluffy blanket, and placed him on the low couch. She turned around to open the wardrobe to find a thicker set of clothes to change him into.
When she found the clothes and turned her head, there was no sign of him. The blanket that originally wrapped the little guy was half hanging over the side of the couch and half on the ground, already empty.
Wen Wan was startled, hurriedly putting down the clothes to search. She searched every corner of the bedroom but still didn’t see him.
Just when she was about to alert her in-laws in a panic, she finally found her son under the low table in the next-door study, covered with a tablecloth.
The little guy was sitting naked on the ground, clutching many scraps of paper in his chubby hands.
When he saw Wen Wan, he seemed very excited, making a "dadada" sound.
At first, Wen Wan didn’t notice, only thinking to quickly carry him back to the room to dress, otherwise, he might catch a cold and get sick.
After bringing him back to the soft couch, the little guy clutched the paper scraps in his hands and tried to stuff them into his mouth.
Wen Wan snatched them away and found a half-shredded handwriting on them that looked very familiar.
After thinking for a moment, she finally realized it was the calligraphy sheet she had practiced during the day, intended to be handed to her husband at night.
Wen Wan looked at what she held in her hand and thought of the floor full of shredded paper under the low table, "!!!"
The little guy was oblivious, and without the paper scraps, he played with his toes.
He lay flat on the small couch, finding it a bit difficult, so he simply turned to his side, curling up with effort, his little chubby hands busy pinching his toes. When he was happy, he laughed to himself.
Seeing the little guy in this carefree state, Wen Wan wanted very much to pick him up and spank him a few times.
With no choice, she put the little guy back into the baby bath to wash him once more. Once he was in the water, he splashed around vigorously, using both hands and feet, causing the warm water in the tub to splash all over Wen Wan.
"..."
On this night of the Lantern Festival, Song Wei left work early, coming home to the exact moment of Wanwan and Jinbao staring at each other. Without hesitating, he walked in, softly asking, "What’s wrong?"
Wen Wan had been trying to change the little guy’s clothes. He didn’t allow it; if she got close, he would crawl in the opposite direction, playing cat and mouse with his mother. Sitting up, he grinned and laughed.
Seeing Song Wei return, Wen Wan directly handed the clothes to him and sat down to take several deep breaths, clearly quite upset.
Song Wei bent down, picked up Jinbao’s clothes, and skillfully changed his son while asking his young wife, "Did Jinbao upset you again?"
Wen Wan, with a headache, held her head, "When I take my eyes off him, he crawls everywhere. Today he even tore my calligraphy sheet into pieces, which I had spent a long time writing."
As she spoke, Wen Wan glared accusingly at the little guy.
The well-behaved little guy, who let his father dress him, seemed to realize that his mother was complaining about him. He hummed, turning his chubby face to the side. When dressed, he reached out only to his father for a hug, deliberately pointing his little bottom to his mother.
Wen Wan: "..."
The sky just turned dark, and the streets of the Capital were already adorned with colorful lanterns.
Song Wei held his son and walked behind with Xu Shu.
Wen Wan and her sister-in-law walked in front.
Wen Wan guessed a riddle correctly and won a very beautiful glass flower lantern. No sooner had she got it in her hands than the little guy in Song Wei’s arms stretched his chubby hands towards her.
Wen Wan hid the lantern behind her back, "There’s nothing here."
The little guy was very dissatisfied, kicking his little short legs to cry.
Under Song Wei’s gaze, Wen Wan finally gave the lantern to her son.
Jinbao took it and wanted to shake it up and down, but unfortunately, the lantern was a bit heavy. With little strength, he shook it twice without success, his arms got sore, so he simply tossed it directly into the nearby pond.
Wen Wan glared at him with a dark expression.
Even though his father was there to protect him, the little guy was still frightened by his mother’s glare. He stretched out his arm, holding a candy man stick just given by his uncle, and handed it to Wen Wan, "Here..."
He couldn’t speak, so the words he could utter were simple.
Wen Wan glanced at the candy man close at hand and then at the little guy’s dark, shiny eyes. Her heart softened, she took the candy man, snorting, "At least you have a bit of conscience. Next time you throw something of mine, I’ll throw you out right along with it."
Song Wei: "..."