“Wow! The butternut squash soup and rye bread with lamb stew are so delicious.”
Didn’t she say she wasn’t picky about food?
To be eating food even in her dreams, it seems my wife really likes to eat.
Ruan smiled for a long time, watching Mercian’s adorable and cute appearance as she mumbled with her small mouth moving in his arms.
Several hours later.
“Aaagh. I’ve gone crazy!! What on earth did I do……”
Charles, entering the duke’s room, approached Mercian who was sitting with a despairing expression.
“Madam, what’s the matter?”
“Ah. No. Haa. It’s nothing.”
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“No. Not really.”
When did I take off my robe anyway?
And to be sleeping with the blanket kicked off, arms spread out in the middle of the bed.
My goodness, the flesh showing through this thin nightgown….. Surely Ruan didn’t leave after seeing me like this?
Haa, we’ve only been married for one night and……
Mercian’s face reddened at the thought that she might not be able to look Ruan in the eye properly.
Ah. Should I really lose weight at this point?
How should I deal with this miserable reality where I look even fatter because my husband is so thin…
“Are you not feeling well?”
“I’m in pain. My whole body feels like it’s been beaten up.”
Lost in thought looking at her nightgown that clearly revealed her flesh, Mercian frowned at Charles’ words as she felt the aftereffects of yesterday’s massage.
“Hohoho. That’s how the first night usually is, they say.”
“What? Fi-first night?”
Ah, right, yesterday was our wedding night.
Mercian’s face slightly reddened as she replied to Charles’ question.
“Charles, don’t you think an unmarried young lady like you knows too much?”
“Madam, are you feeling shy right now?”
Charles giggled as she approached Mercian to help her wash up and change into a dress.
“Thank you, Charles.”
“Madam, today after breakfast with the master, you will receive greetings from the servants and tour the duke’s mansion.”
As she was getting ready with Charles’ help, Mercian smiled and asked.
“Tour the duke’s mansion? I see. But who did you say I’m having breakfast with?”
Looking at the clock that was already past 9, Mercian asked, assuming Ruan would have already left for work.
“It’s your first meal at the duke’s mansion after getting married, of course you should eat with the master.”
What? Eat together? So he hasn’t left for work yet?
Haa, he must have seen me in that state when I woke up this morning…..
How embarrassing, what should I do?
Mercian regretted her usually gentle sleeping habits.
Mercian replied with an awkward smile to Charles’ words.
“Oh? Is that so?”
While Charles finished dressing her with quick hands, Mercian’s expression grew darker as she realized she would soon have to face Ruan.
Dining room.
“Welcome, my wife.”
Ruan, who had arrived first and was reading the newspaper, stood up and approached Mercian, greeting her with a light kiss on the cheek.
“Ah, yes. Ru-Ruan, did you sleep well too?”
As Mercian stuttered in surprise at Ruan’s cheek kiss, Ruan pulled out a chair.
“Please sit, my wife.”
“Th-thank you, Ruan.”
Edward, who was watching Ruan return to his seat with an affectionate smile, gestured and the servants brought out the food and placed it on the table.
“Madam, we prepared a simple breakfast today. First, we have butternut squash soup, lamb stew, salad, and rye bread.”
“Ah, thank you. But is this enough for Ruan to eat?”
Looking at the food placed in front of her, which was less than half of what was in front of Ruan, Mercian asked as Ruan nodded and replied.
“My body isn’t well, so I can’t digest much. This is plenty, don’t worry.”
“But even this seems like too much for me.”
“Too much, you say?”
Mercian, who had decided she needed to lose weight thinking her body looked too large compared to Ruan’s, looked at the food in front of her and said.
“I was thinking of losing some weight. I’m considering eating a bit less.”
“Lose weight? Where on your body do you have weight to lose, my wife?”
Lo-lose weight? There’s at least half my current weight I need to lose…
As Ruan looked over Mercian with a puzzled expression, Mercian’s face reddened as she said.
“Ruan, what kind of joke is that. I have so much weight to lose. Even now, I feel like I’m twice your size.”
“I don’t think that’s the case. My wife, I carried you yesterday, so I know. Considering that even I, who am weak from illness, could lift you easily, you are definitely not overweight, so please don’t say such things.”
“What? Ru-Ruan. Really. Haa.”
Carried me easily, how embarrassing, what are you saying now…
Seeing Ruan speak so seriously, Mercian’s face reddened even more, feeling embarrassed in front of Edward standing nearby. Edward quietly left the dining room with an expression as if he hadn’t heard anything.
“My wife, I like you just as you are now. So please don’t think about losing weight. And this morning’s breakfast was specially requested from the chef because you said you wanted it, so please eat as much as you like.”
“What?”
When did I say I wanted this?
Mercian tilted her head at Ruan’s words and took a sip of the butternut squash soup.
“Wow. It’s really delicious. The duke’s chef’s skills are extraordinary, aren’t they?”
If they can make food taste this good, they could definitely run a restaurant.
As she ate the savory soup, Mercian thought she must definitely learn to cook from the chef.
As she was tearing off a piece of rye bread and dipping it in the butternut squash soup to savor the taste, her eyes met Ruan’s, who was watching her with a pleased expression.
“Aren’t you eating, Ruan?”
“I am eating now. How do you like the food?”
“Yes, Charles was bragging about the chef’s skills yesterday, and it really is delicious. Ruan, you should try dipping the bread in the soup too. The savory and sweet butternut squash soup goes well with the bread.”
At Mercian’s suggestion, Ruan tore off a piece of bread and dipped it in the butternut squash soup before putting it in his mouth, just like Mercian had done.
Having lived on the battlefield for a long time, food for Ruan was merely a means to satisfy hunger.
But…
Just dipping bread in soup and eating it, as Mercian had said, the sweet and savory taste of the butternut squash soup blended with the warm, chewy texture of the bread in his mouth, and it tasted quite good, better than he had expected.
No, he thought it was really delicious.
Was food always this tasty?
Eating with Mercian, Ruan felt the taste of food for the first time.
As the meal was coming to an end, Mercian, who had been watching Ruan’s reactions for quite some time, put the last piece of rye bread in her mouth and hesitantly spoke up.
“Ruan, this morning when you opened your eyes, did I……”
“Yes?”
“No, I mean, did I by any chance……”
Was I sleeping in an embarrassing position in the middle of the bed?
The words wouldn’t come out of Mercian’s mouth, so she hesitated.
Seeing Mercian’s expression as if she wanted to ask something, a smile unconsciously formed on Ruan’s lips.
“When I opened my eyes this morning, you were sleeping quietly at the edge of the bed. Did you perhaps fall out of bed after I left?”
What? Quietly at the edge? Then he didn’t see me sleeping with my arms spread out in the middle?
At Ruan’s words, Mercian finally smiled brightly and said.
“Ah, no. Fall out of bed? How could that be when I have such good sleeping habits? When I lie down to sleep, I stay in the same position until I open my eyes. Hohoho.”
“Ah, I see. My wife, shall we get up now if you’re done eating?”
Smiling as he recalled Mercian rolling around in bed all night and fidgeting in his arms, Ruan watched as Mercian nodded and stood up from her seat.
“Now, this way please, my wife.”
Ruan took Mercian’s hand and led her out to the first floor living room, where Edward had already gathered the servants and maids in one place, waiting for Ruan and Mercian.
“Everyone, thank you for your hard work in preparing for the wedding yesterday. From today, Mercian Canoloup will be the new mistress of the Canoloup duchy. Whether I am here or not, everyone is to follow the madam’s orders well!”
“Yes, master. Welcome to the duke’s mansion, madam.”
“It’s nice to meet you all. I don’t know much yet, but I will try to learn the rules as quickly as possible. Until then, I ask for everyone’s help.”
“Please don’t lower your speech, madam.”
At Clea’s words, Edward came forward, bowed his head to Mercian, and said.
“I briefly greeted you yesterday, but I am Edward, the butler of this duke’s mansion. And this is my wife and the head maid, Clea.”
“Oh my? You two are a married couple?”
“Madam, I told you not to lower your speech. I can’t express how happy I am to serve such a kind and beautiful mistress.”
Mercian’s face reddened at Clea’s compliment.
“My wife, I’m sorry but we’ll have to tour the duke’s mansion later this evening. Now, it seems I need to go to the imperial palace.”
“Ruan, don’t worry about the tour, I can manage on my own. Please go ahead.”
At Mercian’s words, Ruan kissed her cheek and said.
“My wife, how can you say such disappointing things? Of course I should show you around. I’ll be back by 6 o’clock at the latest, so please rest well until then.”
Mercian smiled and replied to Ruan’s words.
“Alright. I’ll do that, Ruan.”
“Then have a good day today.”
Ruan hugged Mercian tightly, then kissed her forehead before leaving the duke’s mansion.
That afternoon.
“You want to learn how to cook?”
“Yes, I’ve wanted to learn for a very long time but never had the chance. And the duke’s chef’s skills seem so good. Oh, is it not allowed for a duchess to learn cooking?”
At Mercian’s question, Charles tilted her head and replied.
“I don’t think there’s any rule saying a duchess can’t learn to cook, but I’ll ask the head maid first.”
“Thank you, Charles.”
After hearing Charles’ message, Clea came to the room.
“If the madam wishes, it’s possible anytime. I’ll talk to the chef, so please visit the kitchen whenever it’s convenient for you.”
“Thank you, Clea.”
__________
“Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!”
Liu Changning transmigrated into a female cannon fodder character in a female-dominant novel.
After reading the first half of the novel’s plot, the first thing she did upon transmigration was to divorce the Pan Jinlian-style male protagonist she had just married.
She indulged herself, pretending to be ugly and poor.
But as time passed, the way that man looked at her became more and more unusual…
Liu Changning was dumbfounded: Tell me, what makes you like me? I’ll change!
――
This lifetime, Pei Yuanshao was rejected by the same woman twice!
The first time, she drove him away. Forced by the situation, he endured the waves of anger in his heart, yielding and humbling himself.
That person lay slanted on a rocking chair, her sallow face emotionless: “If you don’t want a divorce, go cook!”
Pei Yuanshao’s face was dark and gloomy: “You!”
The second time, after the crisis in Jinling City was resolved, the new emperor sent someone to pick him up. He turned around, stammering: “I… I have to go. If you keep me…”
That person lay on the kang bed, her back to him, as if she had long anticipated this day, crisp and clear: “Goodbye!”
Pei Yuanshao was so angry his fingers trembled: “You… you!”
The mission of family and country made him restrain himself, averting his eyes and turning to leave this broken household.
Two years later, they met again. Seeing her ethereal face, his body shook like a sieve.
“She was originally a ‘she’!”
At the Qionglin Banquet, the top scholar of the imperial examination, a talented person with exceptional speech and conduct, all the unmarried young gentlemen from aristocratic families looked at her with shy and timid eyes.
The peerless imperial official Pei Yuanshao felt the anger in his heart erupt. He pointed at the woman surrounded by the crowd at the Qionglin Banquet, his thin lips slightly curled: “Little sister, I wants that person to be the wife-master of my Mingde Prince Manor.”
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
