"How’s everything at the Lotus Courtyard?"

Qin Yao came out of the bathroom looking fresh and handed over a bucket of dirty clothes nonchalantly.

"Pretty good." Liu Ji took the bucket of dirty clothes, glanced down once, couldn’t believe it, glanced again, and pinched a corner of the filthy clothes between two fingers. The heavy smell of mud hit him straight in the face, and the sticky touch was even more nauseating.

If it weren’t for the fact that these clothes came off her body, Liu Ji would have definitely thrown the whole bucket of dirty clothes out.

"What on earth did you guys do?" Liu Ji suppressed the urge to break down over washing these clothes and mumbled as calmly as possible, "Did you go rolling in a mud pit?"

Qin Yao shot a sideways glance at him, "Why do you care what I did? Wash them if you can, leave it if you can’t."

Liu Ji rolled his eyes at her, "With these filthy clothes, trust me, I’m the only one who doesn’t mind. If I roll, who’s going to wash your clothes? Or are you already planning to have some random guy come and do it for you?"

Qin Yao impatiently asked, "So are you going to wash them or not?"

Liu Ji didn’t respond to her words. He glanced at her, then took the heavy bucket of muddy clothes to the stone trough, answering with his actions.

It took two large buckets of water to finally see a hint of the clothing’s original color.

"Tsk tsk tsk~" Liu Ji couldn’t bear to look. "This fine cotton fabric, look what you did to it. Who was washing your clothes when I wasn’t home? The cuffs are so frayed, couldn’t they just tuck them in or sew them up again..."

On the first day back home, Liu Ji didn’t even struggle and successfully slipped into his role as a househusband.

Moreover, he took great pride in it, not feeling that being a scholar was anything out of the ordinary.

Though Qin Yao noticed his chatter, his hands moved nimbly, so she didn’t bother engaging in a typical bickering. She walked into the kitchen, rummaging through the cabinets, checking the stove, "Is there anything to eat?"

The person at the stone trough turned around immediately, revealing a knowing smirk, and pointed to her room, "While you were bathing, I heated up a bowl of hot porridge for you, it’s on the table in your room."

"And I’ve freshly heated some water for a foot soak, alright?" That final question sounded a bit ingratiating, his peach blossom eyes sparkling, clearly indicating it wasn’t just an innocent offer.

Qin Yao squinted at him for three seconds, the air carrying a faint hint of sandalwood scent, an abstinent yet desperate urge wanting to be unleashed.

"Are you implying something?" Qin Yao asked softly, uncertain.

She moved closer to him, so close that her nose could touch the fabric on his chest. She lifted her nose and sniffed, "And you even made yourself smell so good."

"You, you’re overthinking it!" Liu Ji quickly stepped back two steps, the fabric on his chest tickled by her nose like thousands of ants crawling on him, tingling to his tongue, rendering his speech clumsy.

"I just have something to ask you, clearing it up is good for both of us." Liu Ji earnestly explained, trying to appear serious.

Qin Yao responded with an "oh," raising her index finger to poke the raised collarbone between his partially opened shirt. Seeing him flinch, his eyes showing a subtle expression, she pulled his collar together, "It’s cold at night, button up so you don’t catch a cold."

After finishing, she pat him a few more times, completely covering him up before striding toward the main house.

Creak, she propped the window open, sat by it, using the windowsill as a table, and placed a bowl of steaming hot porridge there, eating while watching him do the laundry.

*Gulp~*

Liu Ji swallowed silently, cursing inwardly: lusty glutton!

Lowering his head, taking a deep breath for a moment, suppressing that restlessness, converting anger into strength, he lifted the clothes from the stone trough and scrubbed them vigorously.

The noise was loud enough that Qin Yao frowned and warned, "Keep it down, everyone in the house is asleep."

"Oh!" Liu Ji responded sulkily, quickly finishing washing the clothes and hanging them up to see her finally finish her midnight snack, prepared the foot bath water, and brought it in for her.

Turning around to close the bedroom door with his foot, Liu Ji placed the foot basin by the bed, then went to close the window, explaining, "It’s chilly at night, I’m dressed too lightly, afraid you’ll worry, my dear."

Qin Yao: "I wouldn’t."

Liu Ji glared at her, saying, "You would!"

Finally, he tugged at his collar as proof that she had just expressed concern for him.

Qin Yao had no response, bending over to kick off her shoes and socks, her slightly cool feet submerged into the comfortably warm foot basin, finding it incredibly satisfying.

Liu Ji being back home wasn’t bad; it allowed her to experience being taken care of again.

But the thought barely flashed through her mind before Qin Yao startled herself, indeed, it’s easier to go from frugal to luxurious than the other way around. She almost got seduced by those sugary distractions.

Steadying herself, Qin Yao pointed at the small stool opposite, motioning for Liu Ji to sit down, "What’s the question you wanted to ask? Hurry up and then let’s sleep, I’m tired."

The moment she finished speaking, she aptly let out a huge yawn.

In modern time, it was already eleven at night, and the whole Liu Family Village was asleep except for the two of them.

Liu Ji sat down opposite the bed, wiped away the water on his hands, and asked out his pent-up question directly.

"Why did you give Ah Wang more money than me?"

"What?" Qin Yao looked surprised, thinking with how serious he was—doing laundry, making a snack, preparing foot bath water—he might’ve been about to ask some major question.

Like something about money, or relationships after becoming a scholar.

Never thought it’d be about this?

"You mean the fifty taels I gave to Ah Wang?"

Qin Yao glanced at the nest of Jade Rabbits on the dressing table by the bed, her heart aching, but she couldn’t show it, after all, it was something kind from Ah Wang and this useless Liu Ji.

If she rejected the very first gift these two men gave her, it might hurt their fragile hearts, and she might never receive another gift again.

Thinking about next time, Qin Yao felt a bit better.

Liu Ji said earnestly, "I’m your husband, and it hurts that you gave more silver to another man than to me."

His face wore a wronged expression.

Meanwhile, inside, a little figure was shouting: Why! Why! Why!

His peach blossom eyes stared at her firmly, ready to squash any inappropriate emotion before it emerged.

Facing Liu Ji’s fierce gaze, Qin Yao thought, don’t you know your own character? You’ve got the nerve to ask!

But now that he’s brought back the success of becoming a scholar, that’s an achievement that deserves a bit of face.

Qin Yao needed no time to think, responding immediately, "Actually, that money was intended for you. Ah Wang is just keeping it safe. He’s skilled in martial arts, so we wouldn’t have to worry if thieves targeted us."

Before she finished speaking, Liu Ji’s delighted expression was obvious, eagerly asking, "Really? You’re not lying?"

The fierceness in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by hope.

Qin Yao raised and lowered her head listlessly, wanting to enjoy her comfortable foot soak, and be done with him.

Unexpectedly, Liu Ji knelt down with a thud, looking up at her with his large hands pressing down on her legs that she intended to lift.

"No rush, let me massage your feet a bit more, my dear." He appeared completely willing.

Qin Yao drew a deep breath. The foot massage was very comfortable, but! Why did she feel an inexplicable pang of guilt?

Liu Laosan, are you getting too easy to placate now!