Chapter 13: I Will Fully Support My Lady

Together, they filled two bathing tubs with water and prepared two more buckets on the side. After inspecting the baths on both sides, Qin Hanxiao couldn’t help but admire how well the Pei family’s house was built; every detail showed that no expense was spared in its construction.

Pei Jinghui explained, “Before this house was built, our whole family squeezed into two mud huts. The space was cramped, and it was stifling in summer and freezing in winter. When the wind blew or the rain came, the roof would leak. It wasn’t until my second brother earned some money that this house was built, allowing us to live separately. Originally, we didn’t plan to build such a fine house, but my second brother said a house isn’t for one or two years—it’s for generations. A well-built house is comfortable and convenient, and living in it gives people strength and spirit.”

Qin Hanxiao thought Pei Yuantang’s perspective was very sensible. Such a house wouldn’t just be rare in the village; even in the capital city, not every family could afford one. Pei Yuantang was not only business-minded but also had great foresight.

Once everything was ready, she took out Pei Yuantang’s clothes and placed them in the inner bathing room. When she went to call him, she found he had already stripped down to his undergarments. That was perfect—it saved her some trouble. She was pondering how to get him into the bath, as she couldn’t carry him. Should she carry him on her back?

Then she saw Pei Yuantang take a pair of crutches from behind the cabinet. “Could you help me a bit, my lady?” he asked. Qin Hanxiao quickly moved to support him, placing his arm over her shoulder and wrapping her other arm around his waist.

As soon as she touched him, Qin Hanxiao confirmed that his waist was indeed slim, strong, and supple without an ounce of excess fat. Pei Yuantang didn’t know what his wife was thinking, but he felt the warmth radiating from her arms and waist.

Finally arriving at the bath, he realized he couldn’t get into the tub like this and could only sit on the stool. He took off his shirt himself, but Qin Hanxiao had to help him with his trousers. The two of them froze for a moment, exchanged glances, and then quickly looked away.

Qin Hanxiao thought to herself: Just consider this nursing care. Pei Yuantang thought: She said her heart and eyes are full of me, and she wants to live well with me. They were husband and wife after all.

He said, “Thank you for your trouble, my lady.” Qin Hanxiao lowered her eyes, reminding herself not to stare or overthink—just focus on the task. So, she didn’t notice Pei Yuantang’s ears turning slightly red. But Pei Yuantang saw her face and neck gradually flush.

Once his trousers were set aside, Qin Hanxiao stood behind him to wash his hair, and only then did he close his eyes. Neither spoke. The temperature in the bathhouse gradually rose, and the steam blurred their vision. When sight dimmed, hearing seemed sharper; besides the sound of water, only their breathing could be heard.

Slowly, even the air they exhaled felt warm. To break the awkwardness, Pei Yuantang thought he should say something to divert attention.

“So, how did you go about treating Madam Huang’s illness?” he asked.

Focused on her work, Qin Hanxiao first let out a soft “Ah,” then began carefully recounting the process of diagnosing Madam Huang. She spoke in great detail, fearing she’d finish too quickly and then not know what to say, leading to an awkward silence. But all stories come to an end, and Pei Yuantang didn’t let her words fall flat.

“It’s not luck; it’s your skill,” he said.

After a pause, he added, “The old mansion won’t just let this go. You don’t have to be polite with them.”

Qin Hanxiao guessed he must have learned about her interference—either from Pei Jinghui or by other means. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that they were on the same side.

With Pei Yuantang’s words, she felt reassured and could act boldly.

At that moment, Qin Hanxiao didn’t know that those at the old mansion, after seeing their improved lives, had done even worse things. But Pei Yuantang had taught them a lesson such that they dared not cause trouble for years. Now, seeing Pei Yuantang debilitated, they thought they could manipulate him again, but they underestimated Qin Hanxiao.

Then Pei Yuantang took the initiative to talk about the family’s situation. “Our family is poor, and with me like this, it’ll be a long time of hardship ahead. I’m sorry to trouble you.”

Qin Hanxiao didn’t mention her own money; she said, “I can earn money by treating people.”

Pei Yuantang continued, “I’m currently doing bookkeeping and copying texts. I’ll try to take on more work in the future.”

“Good,” Qin Hanxiao agreed at first, then shifted her tone. “But your most important task now is not to work, but to heal and recover as soon as possible.”

At her words, Pei Yuantang’s heart trembled. He had heard from the village chief and others that there might be a chance for recovery, but he hadn’t dared to hope too much. Now, hearing her mention it again, he couldn’t suppress his excitement and asked, “You say there’s a chance?”

“Yes.”

That “yes” was soft, quick, yet weighty. It fell upon Pei Yuantang’s heart like spring returning to a withered tree.

Seeing him lost in thought for a long time, Qin Hanxiao tilted her head and noticed his dazed expression.

She roughly guessed his feelings and quietly explained, “Your bones have mostly healed now; the key issue is your meridians. But I have a method—acupuncture combined with medicine—to ensure your recovery. You’ll have to endure some pain during this time, and the process won’t be short. To fully recover, it will take at least a year, maybe a year and a half.”

A year or more was indeed a long time, but if it meant he could stand again, that wasn’t long for Pei Yuantang. No matter how much hardship, he could endure it.

After a long while, Pei Yuantang adjusted his mindset and said, “Do whatever you need to, my lady. I will cooperate fully.”

He also thought about how she treated others without charging and specially obtained this set of silver needles for him. She truly cared for him, didn’t she?

She had even told Ah Hui that the whole family should work hard to live well together.

Pei Yuantang warned himself not to trust blindly—one must always guard against others. But he was a cripple, powerless, poor; what could she possibly gain from him?

She had once been a wealthy heiress, with knowledge and experience far beyond that of rural folk. The men she knew were naturally superior to him in talent and family background—no comparison.

Given all this, could he consider her loyal to their marriage? Were her words heartfelt?

He pondered much but dared not draw conclusions.

Unaware of his swirling thoughts, Qin Hanxiao finished washing him and, without dressing him, helped him to bed. Both flushed and warm, it was hard to tell if from shyness or the steam.

“Rest a moment. I’ll prepare and then start the acupuncture,” she said.

Pei Yuantang agreed and pulled the quilt over himself. Even though she had seen and washed him thoroughly, he still felt uneasy being so bare.

Qin Hanxiao tidied the bathhouse, focused solely on her task without distraction.

When she began the acupuncture, she rolled the quilt down from the bottom to expose his lower back and abdomen. Pei Yuantang clenched his fists tightly beneath the quilt, eyes closed.

He thought to himself: At least half is still covered. Anyway, he couldn’t see it—out of sight, out of mind.