Ch 32: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

Vegetarian Dumplings

In his past life, Qin Xia’s hometown had a tradition of eating vegetarian dumplings on New Year’s Eve. Though no one could clearly explain the origin of this custom, Qin Xia found that it was also the practice in Qinan County, so he prepared a vegetarian filling for the dumplings, consisting of chives, eggs, black fungus, and a bit of decent-quality dried shrimp that he had managed to buy after visiting several shops. After chopping everything finely, Qin Xia added some salt, mixed it all together, and scooped a bit for Yu Jiuque to taste for seasoning.

Receiving a “It’s good,” he set the filling aside and began kneading the dough and rolling out the wrappers.

When it came to rolling dumpling wrappers, Yu Jiuque wasn’t nearly as fast as Qin Xia. In Qin Xia’s hands, the rolling pin seemed almost to have a mind of its own, producing a wrapper with just a few quick motions. But for Yu Jiuque, it took much longer to produce one, lagging far behind Qin Xia.

Though his rolling skills weren’t great, Yu Jiuque’s dumpling-wrapping technique was decent. When he placed his dumplings next to Qin Xia’s, one was flat and couldn’t stand upright, while the other was plump and solid like a little ingot. Though not pretty, they were edible.

“You just need to add a bit more filling,” Qin Xia demonstrated, and Yu Jiuque followed step by step. But when he tried to seal the dumpling in the end…

The dumpling leaked.

He had to scoop out the excess filling with a spoon.

“I’d better stick to my usual method,” Yu Jiuque decided, worrying that if he didn’t, the dumplings he made might fall apart in the pot and render the whole batch inedible.

For dumplings of this size, Qin Xia could typically eat around thirty as a meal, but since they’d already had their New Year’s dinner, he planned to cut that amount in half. Yu Jiuque, on the other hand, could eat a whole plateful with his larger appetite.

Qin Xia counted and decided to make fifty dumplings.

In addition to the wrappers and filling, he had also prepared a few “tokens” for luck. Traditionally, people would put coins in the dumplings, but Qin Xia thought coins were too dirty and not something that could be cleaned thoroughly even after boiling. So he decided to substitute with some edible items instead.

He chose a few small dates, peanuts, and chopped pieces of persimmon, each symbolizing good fortune.

He and Yu Jiuque each took half of these tokens and wrapped them into the dumplings. Later, when they boiled the dumplings, they would be mixed up, and it would be fun to see who got which token.

Yu Jiuque, already less skilled than Qin Xia, struggled even more when he tried to stuff these tokens into the dumplings. Watching Yu Jiuque laboriously seal a dumpling with a small date inside, Qin Xia realized he was grinning from ear to ear.

“All done,” Yu Jiuque finally said with a sigh of relief as the last wrapper was used up. Dozens of little ingot-shaped dumplings now stood in a neat row on the bamboo mat.

Even though his dumplings were far less pretty than Qin Xia’s, they still had a cute, chubby appearance.

He fetched some water for them to wash the flour off their hands. Since it wasn’t yet time to cook the dumplings, they went back inside to wait until midnight.

To add to the festive atmosphere, they lit candles in addition to the oil lamp, using some of the red candles left over from their wedding.

During the New Year’s dinner, the candles didn’t seem to make much difference, but now, sitting in the dim light of the red candles, both of them felt a bit awkward whenever their gazes met across the table.

After months of a nominal marriage, it was hard not to think too much.

There was still more than an hour until midnight. Qin Xia looked at Yu Jiuque. “Are you sleepy? If you are, you can rest for a bit, and I’ll wake you when it’s time.”

Yu Jiuque, who had been shelling peanuts, shook his head. “I’m not sleepy. We have to stay up tonight anyway.”

Qin Xia wasn’t sleepy either, just a little bored.

In his previous life, there were TVs and smartphones to pass the time. Here, he needed to find another way to kill time.

After thinking for a moment, he suggested, “How about we play dice?”

The original owner of his body had been a gambler, so although the prized jade dice had long been pawned off, there were still some ordinary wooden dice lying around the house. Games like dice-throwing, backgammon, and leaf cards were all popular in Dayong, and nearly everyone knew a little about them.

There were various ways to play dice, all involving some form of gambling.

Qin Xia taught Yu Jiuque a modern version of the game, which was easy to understand, and Yu Jiuque quickly got the hang of it. He even suggested, “It’s no fun to just throw dice. Why don’t we add a little wager?”

Seeing Yu Jiuque so enthusiastic, Qin Xia raised an eyebrow. “What do you want to bet?”

After thinking for a moment, Yu Jiuque grabbed a plate of peanuts in front of them and gave each of them twenty.

“Let’s use these peanuts. At the end, whoever has the most peanuts wins.”

He looked into Qin Xia’s eyes, a subtle smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

“The winner can make the loser do something, and the loser must agree. What do you think?”

Since they didn’t need to bet money—it was all the same household money, after all—it wasn’t as interesting. Qin Xia couldn’t help but feel that Yu Jiuque’s sudden suggestion wasn’t entirely without ulterior motives. But no matter what, he wouldn’t refuse.

“Alright.”

With Qin Xia’s agreement, they immediately fetched several dice and a dice cup.

In the first round, they played “Bullfighting,” a simple game where each player rolled three dice, and the player whose total was higher than ten won. If both players scored higher than ten, the player with the highest total won.

They played five rounds of this game, with Qin Xia winning three out of five.

The second round was “Happy Encounter.” The previous round’s winner would roll a number and set it aside, then each player would roll two dice. The goal was to match the preset number. If neither player matched, they would roll again.

With so many variations possible with dice, the games continued, even bringing out some wine to the table as they played.

Yu Jiuque found the rice wine lacking in flavor and specifically requested to drink Qin Xia’s wine instead.

“Whoever loses not only has to give up a peanut but also has to take a sip of wine. How about that?”

If Yu Jiuque hadn’t refrained from drinking real wine before, Qin Xia might have suspected that he was already drunk.

“Drinking too much is harmful; I’ll drink the rice wine with you.”

Normally, Yu Jiuque would be obedient, but tonight, he was insistent on drinking wine.

“White wine is out of the question, but how about yellow wine?”

Qin Xia thought for a moment and decided it wasn’t a bad idea. “I’ll go get the wine jug.”

As he stood up, he jokingly added, “Don’t go sneaking any of my peanuts.”

Yu Jiuque seemed a bit surprised by Qin Xia’s comment. “Do I seem like the type to cheat?”

Qin Xia just shook his head with a smile.

In the previous rounds, he had considered going easy on Yu Jiuque, but soon realized that Yu Jiuque didn’t need any concessions. After all, how could a character who could toy with the imperial throne not handle a simple game?

Qin Xia started to wonder, if he lost, what kind of request Yu Jiuque would make.

When Qin Xia returned with the wine, he noticed that Yu Jiuque had put on his cotton-padded coat again.

“Feeling cold?” Qin Xia asked as he set down the wine and moved the charcoal brazier closer.

Yellow wine needs to be warmed before drinking, so Yu Jiuque poured hot water into the copper kettle and casually replied, “Not exactly cold, just feeling a bit chilly in my hands and feet.”

Qin Xia glanced at the less-than-effective brazier and decisively suggested, “Let’s not stay at the table. Let’s move everything to the bed where it’s warmer.”

Once they moved to the heated brick bed, the warmth quickly made the cotton-padded coat unnecessary for Yu Jiuque. After a couple of small sips of warm wine following a loss, his palms began to heat up.

He rubbed his collar, unfastened a couple of buttons, revealing the white undergarment and the jade-like skin of his neck.

After a while, as if the weight of his hair was bothering him, he removed his hairpin and loosely re-tied his hair, letting most of it fall to his shoulders, adding a touch of elegance.

At that moment, the dice cup was once again in his hand.

With a shake and a roll, Yu Jiuque successfully rolled a “straight,” and with a smile, he held out his hand to Qin Xia to claim another peanut.

At the same time, it was Qin Xia’s turn to drink.

Qin Xia prided himself on his tolerance for alcohol, but tonight, after drinking both white wine and yellow wine, the effect seemed to be doubling.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a bit warm as well.

They were now down to the last few rounds, with the outcome still hanging in the balance.

“The winner will soon be decided. If you win, Ah Jiu, have you decided on your request?” Qin Xia asked.

Yu Jiuque, appearing more relaxed tonight than usual, swallowed the last bite of a persimmon and replied, “I’ve already made up my mind. What about you?”

Qin Xia glanced at the half-eaten persimmon in Yu Jiuque’s hand, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Not yet, I’ll decide when the time comes.”

For a moment, it seemed they were both determined to win.

The final outcome rested in Qin Xia’s hands—if he won this round, he would win the whole game.

But if he did win, what would he ask of Yu Jiuque?

As Qin Xia fiddled with the dice, he quickly thought it over, but no clear idea came to mind.

Listening carefully to the sound of the dice rattling in the cup, he knew it was time to stop. With a flick of his wrist, he shook it half a turn more.

“How unfortunate, just one point short.”

Yu Jiuque leaned in to look. The previous round’s dice showed a three, and Qin Xia needed to roll a one and two, two and four, or four and five to win. But the numbers on the table now were one and four, failing to form a sequence.

Qin Xia’s expression fell.

“Looks like I’ve lost.”

He handed a peanut to Yu Jiuque and reached for the wine cup to drink the yellow wine, only to find it missing.

He noticed that Yu Jiuque had already filled it and divided it into two portions.

“There’s only a little left in the pot; I’ll drink with you, my husband.”

Because of the wine tonight, Yu Jiuque’s usually pale lips had a flush of red, and he looked more vibrant than usual.

Given that they had been tied for most of the night, Yu Jiuque had drunk about the same amount of yellow wine as Qin Xia. However, since Qin Xia had also had white wine earlier, he appeared more intoxicated.

“You’re really enjoying the wine tonight. I’m worried you’ll have a headache tomorrow.”

Qin Xia looked resigned as he accepted one of the wine cups.

“If I have to see Doctor Xu again, I’m bound to get scolded.”

Yu Jiuque pretended to clink cups with Qin Xia.

“I’ve only been taking small sips; I’ll be fine.”

Qin Xia clinked his cup with Yu Jiuque’s and then downed the wine in one go.

The yellow wine went down smoothly, and the intoxication that followed was just as gentle.

Qin Xia squinted his eyes as drowsiness crept in.

“You won. So, what do you want me to do?”

Qin Xia looked across the table at Yu Jiuque, his vision slightly blurred from the alcohol.

Tonight had definitely been too much—mixing drinks was a sure way to get drunk. Qin Xia’s thoughts were filled with the dumplings still waiting to be cooked in the kitchen.

“Ah Jiu, pour me a glass of water.”

He licked his dry lips and started searching the table for his tea cup.

After looking around, he remembered that he hadn’t brought the tea cup over—it was still on the table in the main room.

A drunk person’s mind works slower; Qin Xia had already stood up when he felt unsteady, and in that moment of wavering, Yu Jiuque caught him by the arm.

“Are you drunk?”

Qin Xia was reluctant to admit that his tolerance had declined. After all, he used to be able to drink twenty bottles of beer while standing on a crate.

“I’m not drunk, just stood up too quickly.”

Yu Jiuque insisted on helping him back to his seat.

“Husband, please sit down. I’ll go get some water.”

Qin Xia could only lean against the table and wait.

Yu Jiuque returned quickly.

He brought a bowl of water to Qin Xia’s lips. Qin Xia, not fully aware, drank several big gulps from the bowl. When he tried to take the bowl from Yu Jiuque, he was unsuccessful.

He looked up—tonight’s Yu Jiuque indeed seemed different from usual.

“Ah Jiu?”

He moved his hand, which was holding the bowl, with a questioning tone in his voice.

Yu Jiuque hesitated for a moment but then allowed Qin Xia to take the bowl.

“I won the dice game and haven’t told you my request yet. If you fall asleep drunk later, I’m afraid you won’t remember.”

Qin Xia took another sip of water and smiled. “What, you think I’d cheat?”

Besides, how could he be so sure he’d fall asleep? They hadn’t even eaten the dumplings yet.

“Anyway, I’ve already decided on my request. How about I tell you now?”

Qin Xia finished the bowl of water.

The alcohol in his system seemed to have faded, but somehow, it felt like it was still rising.

His usually cheerful peach blossom eyes now fluttered like butterfly wings, half-closing at times.

In that final round, he could have easily rolled a straight.

He glanced at Yu Jiuque’s flushed cheeks, which resembled clouds tinged with the colors of dawn.

Sensing something, Qin Xia felt his heart tighten, but his tone remained calm.

“Go ahead, as long as it’s something I can do.”

But the young man in front of him only gave a sly smile.

“My request is that you don’t have to do anything.”

…

When Yu Jiuque’s lips touched his, Qin Xia wondered if he wasn’t just drunk out of his mind and dreaming.

To him, it was normal for Yu Jiuque to be unguarded around him, but this level of initiative… it didn’t seem right!

“Ah Jiu!”

The light intoxication he felt instantly dissipated as he grabbed Yu Jiuque’s hand that had begun to undo his clothing. His chest heaved with surprise and confusion, and his gaze was filled with disbelief.

Seeing Qin Xia’s reaction, Yu Jiuque felt a coldness settle in his heart.

Despite the alcohol and the atmosphere, Qin Xia’s first instinct was to reject him.

A myriad of thoughts flashed through Yu Jiuque’s mind in an instant, but he ultimately decided to test the waters further.

“Husband, what are you doing?”

He didn’t rush to pull his hand back but asked instead.

Qin Xia wiped his face.

“I should be the one asking you that—what’s this sudden change?”

Last time, Old Doctor Xu only said to stop the medication, not that it was okay to consummate their relationship.

Qin Xia had assumed this excuse could still be used until the plot progressed to the point where Yu Jiuque regained his memory. But now, Yu Jiuque had completely caught him off guard.

“Husband said you’d agree to one request of mine.”

Yu Jiuque looked at Qin Xia, biting his lower lip.

“My request is that tonight, let me serve you.”

Qin Xia felt a lump in his throat, almost choking on his breath.

Did this “serve” mean what he thought it did?

Was this really Yu Jiuque in front of him?

“Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, so right now isn’t…”

Qin Xia’s attempt to offer an excuse was cut off by Yu Jiuque.

“I know you’re concerned about my health, but you’re a man…”

Yu Jiuque summoned the courage to finish his sentence.

“I can serve you in other ways.”

Qin Xia was stunned, remaining speechless for a moment before finally saying, “You should know I’m not that kind of… impatient person. Where did you even hear about such…”

He couldn’t find the right words, afraid that saying too much might offend, so he vaguely added, “such nonsense.”

Yu Jiuque sensed Qin Xia’s reluctance.

He suddenly felt deflated, his expression faltering to reveal a trace of sorrow.

If Yu Jiuque’s earlier behavior had confused Qin Xia, this change in his demeanor was something Qin Xia, with his keen observation, couldn’t miss.

Qin Xia understood.

From the moment Yu Jiuque suggested setting a wager, to making the loser drink, and even bringing up the idea of drinking yellow wine…

It was likely all part of a plan Yu Jiuque had carefully devised.

He had been intent on using this “plan” to completely offer his heart and body.

The silence in the room lingered for a long time.

Finally, Yu Jiuque, feeling deeply embarrassed, could no longer bear to stay.

He sniffled, quickly buttoned up his undone clothes, and grabbed the empty water bowl, ready to leave.

But Qin Xia’s hand moved faster than his mind, grabbing hold of Yu Jiuque just as he stood up.

That small gesture seemed to pierce through the fragile facade Yu Jiuque had been holding up. By the time Qin Xia heard the sobs and led him back to sit on the bed, a tear had already rolled down the young man’s chin.

Yu Jiuque quickly wiped it away, bowing his head, unwilling to meet Qin Xia’s gaze.

Qin Xia was completely dumbfounded.

The young man was crying, and how could Qin Xia not feel a pang of sadness in his heart?

He and Yu Jiuque were like two ropes forcibly twisted together, now loosely tied in a slipknot that could still be undone. But if they followed their hearts and tied themselves into a tight, inseparable knot, how would they face each other when Yu Jiuque eventually returned to the capital?

Unfortunately, while Qin Xia was aware of this, Yu Jiuque was entirely in the dark.

Perhaps… his constant rejection wasn’t the best way to handle this.

After pondering for a while, Qin Xia asked gently.

“Ah Jiu, tell me honestly, are all your actions tonight because you suspect that there’s another reason I haven’t consummated our marriage?”

Yu Jiuque slowly nodded.

Some things, after all, needed to be clarified.

“I was bought as your husband, and though there was no parental approval or matchmaker involved, we still properly bowed to the heavens and our ancestors. During this time, I know you’ve respected and protected me, but people have desires.”

As he spoke, Yu Jiuque looked directly at Qin Xia, his eyes slightly red but no longer tearful.

“I just want to muster up the courage to ask you—why haven’t you touched me? Do you have doubts about my background deep down, or are you worried that I have some hidden illness?”

The conversation was straying too far, and Qin Xia quickly interrupted.

“I know you’re innocent; don’t speak about yourself like that.”

Yu Jiuque sighed softly.

This was typical of Qin Xia—he acknowledged Yu Jiuque’s innocence, and Yu Jiuque also saw him as a righteous man.

What Yu Jiuque wanted was to see Qin Xia’s genuine feelings toward him.

“I have feelings for you.”

Yu Jiuque decided to take the plunge, saying it outright.

“I know it might be shameless for me to say this. My life is tied to a contract of servitude—what right do I have to talk about love? But I admit, it’s your respect for me during these days that gave me this courage.”

Qin Xia’s throat tightened as he listened quietly to Yu Jiuque.

“From the moment I left the slave market and was sold to the Qin family, I was afraid—afraid that I had escaped the tiger’s den only to enter a wolf’s lair, afraid you might be the kind of street rascal who would only mistreat and abuse me once I was brought home.”

But the truth proved that Qin Xia was nothing like that.

“That’s why my feelings for you evolved—from initial fear to dependence, and now to affection. I know I’m of humble origins and don’t deserve you, but all I can offer is…”

Qin Xia didn’t let him finish that sentence.

In the book, Yu Jiuque was a proud person.

Even though he was once forced to ingratiate himself with others to climb the ranks, and even though he was destined to be a defeated antagonist in the story, the author didn’t shy away from depicting his pride.

Such a character, if not for the humiliations imposed on him by the plot, might never have taken the ruthless path to seize power.

Qin Xia’s arrival had altered this part of the story, so he didn’t want Yu Jiuque to say anything more that would diminish himself.

“I understand your feelings.”

As he said this, he felt the young man tremble slightly.

Qin Xia picked up his coat from the side, draped it over Yu Jiuque’s shoulders, and gently pulled him into his embrace.

While listening to Yu Jiuque speak earlier, Qin Xia had been deep in thought.

The current situation was clear—if he didn’t want the story to unfold as it had originally, he shouldn’t have gotten involved from the beginning.

Keeping someone by your side, whom you initially planned to send away, inevitably leads to entanglement.

He had taken the role of Yu Jiuque’s husband in name, but not in reality, and it was only natural that Yu Jiuque, full of doubts, would act impulsively tonight…

It was understandable.

At this point, if he continued to avoid the issue, he feared he would become a completely different kind of “jerk” from the original Qin Xia.

“Ah Jiu, you probably want to know if I have feelings for you too.”

Qin Xia saw Yu Jiuque look over at him, his eyes widening slightly at his words.

He smiled warmly and gently, “Then let me tell you, the answer is yes.”

Yu Jiuque opened and closed his mouth, finally managing to ask, “Then why…”

Qin Xia lowered his gaze, then raised it again.

“I’ll admit, the reason I haven’t touched you isn’t just because of the doctor’s advice. It’s also because… I’ve speculated that you might have an extraordinary background. Perhaps one day, you’ll regain your memory, leave Qinan County, and pursue the life you were meant to live. At that time, you might not want to be tied to this small place, and for that to happen, it would be best if our marriage remained in name only.”

Is that it?

Yu Jiuque recalled his earliest impressions of Qin Xia.

Even then, he had a faint sense that the person in front of him had eyes that could see through everything.

“What do you think my background is?”

Faced with this question, Qin Xia only shook his head lightly.

“I’m not a fortune teller; I don’t have that kind of ability. But I did notice that your accent is the standard official dialect, and you can read and write. Your demeanor is cultured, so I thought that your ending up here was probably due to some accident. Once you regain your memory, this place won’t be able to hold you, and you wouldn’t want to stay.”

These were the only things he could say vaguely. After a moment of silence, the young man beside him asked, “Why are you so sure that, after regaining my memory, I wouldn’t want to stay?”

Qin Xia was speechless.

His certainty, of course, came from the original book’s plot.

But with Yu Jiuque’s direct question, his mind suddenly cleared.

Yes, why was he so sure?

The original Qin Xia was gone, replaced by him.

In the original story, Yu Jiuque was suffering daily, but now they were happily celebrating the New Year together, waiting to set off fireworks and eat dumplings.

When the time comes, will Yu Jiuque still want to leave?

Or, even if Yu Jiuque does want to leave, do they have to part ways?

The fog lifted, and Qin Xia suddenly laughed.

Not knowing the true face of Mount Lu, only because he was within it.

As an outsider, he had turned himself into an “insider,” and in the end, he had become confused too!

He had initially guarded against Yu Jiuque because, as a newcomer, the original story was one of the few things he understood about this world.

But now that he had feelings for Yu Jiuque, it was time to throw the original plot aside!

Before Yu Jiuque could understand the meaning behind Qin Xia’s smile, Qin Xia stood up and lifted him into the air.

He actually lifted him off the ground!

Startled, Yu Jiuque clung tightly to Qin Xia’s neck, feeling a rush of heat on his back.

“Husband?”

Dizzy and confused, he was spun around by Qin Xia, only to be met with the kiss he had been yearning for so long, initiated by Qin Xia.

The soft candlelight in the room illuminated Qin Xia’s handsome face.

“Ah Jiu, I want to say it again.”

“I have feelings for you.”