Ch 126 (Extra 8): Reborn to Raise My Husband

Xiao Yuanbao carried a plate of warm, sweet osmanthus cakes and slowly made his way to the room where Qi Beinan was resting. The closer he got, the more uneasy he felt.

Now that the cakes were finished, his courage began to falter. He was thin-skinned by nature and never good at saying pretty things.

His heart already tightened whenever he faced Qi Beinan. To ask him to speak openly on top of that felt even harder.

Just as he was hesitating over whether to knock, he saw Madam Qin peering this way. Startled, he quickly slipped behind the grain winnowing machine to hide.

He watched as Madam Qin carried a bowl of sweet bean soup and knocked on the door.

“Beinan, are you resting? Auntie has brought you a bowl of hot soup.”

A reply came from inside. A moment later, the door opened to let her in.

Xiao Yuanbao’s brows drew together. His fingers tightened around the plate.

Earlier, his father had meant to speak with him about the marriage, but Madam Qin had interrupted, sending Xiao Hu off to buy fish and shrimp from a villager with a pond, saying that meat alone made for too plain a meal.

Now that his father had just left, Madam Qin went straight into Qi Beinan’s room. If she had no ulterior motive, he would not believe it.

He was about to leave when voices drifted out from within.

“The countryside is cold, and charcoal is scarce. Drink some warm soup to keep yourself warm.”

Inside, Madam Qin saw that Qi Beinan had even brought books on this visit and was reading.

“No wonder you passed the examinations. Even now that you are an official, you remain so diligent.”

“You flatter me, Auntie.”

Qi Beinan quickly rose in thanks and accepted the bowl. “Auntie is most considerate.”

He knew this woman was Xiao Yuanbao’s stepmother but did not know her temperament. At first glance, she appeared amiable enough, so he responded with courtesy.

“You’ve come such a long way. Our rural home is simple—please do not find fault with our hospitality.”

“How could I? Among close relatives and old friends, how could there be any complaint? I am only grateful to Auntie and Uncle.”

“You are too polite.”

Madam Qin rubbed her hands together. A village woman, she was not skilled in refined conversation.

After a few formalities, her words ran dry. She did not know how to proceed.

Qi Beinan, perceptive as ever, sensed she had something to say.

He invited her to sit and asked gently, “Auntie, if there is something on your mind, please speak plainly. We are family.”

Hearing this, Madam Qin felt relieved.

“I’ve heard that you came this time to settle a marriage.”

At the mention of marriage, Qi Beinan’s heart lifted.

He had been waiting for an elder to raise the matter. If they delayed much longer, he had planned to speak first. He had not expected Madam Qin to broach it.

Thus he grew even more respectful.

“I won’t hide it from Auntie. Though I have passed the examinations and taken office, I am not young. Now that my career is settled, I wish to establish my household.”

“I ask for little. I only hope for a fulang who can help tend to the home. That is why I came, bold-faced as I am, to Uncle’s house.”

When Madam Qin heard this, she shifted in her chair, edging a little closer to Qi Beinan.

She tested the waters. “But with your status now, I fear our family is hardly a suitable match.”

Qi Beinan replied at once, “I, too, was born to a small farming household. It is only through study that I gained a future. As for marriage, I hold no prejudice over family background.”

Madam Qin’s delight deepened. How could there be such a fine young man?

Seeing how agreeable he seemed, she felt even more emboldened.

“You speak so generously, Auntie hardly knows how to praise your character properly. But I would not wish you to suffer any disadvantage.”

After a pause, she continued, “In the main hall earlier, the one in the yellow cotton jacket was Chaoge’er, whom your uncle and I raised together. Did you notice him? Though I brought him from before, your uncle has treated him like his own, no different from Bao-ge’er.”

Qi Beinan did not quite understand but answered politely, “I saw him. He does seem quite clever.”

Madam Qin smiled ingratiatingly at the praise. “Chaoge’er may look a bit more spirited than Bao-ge’er, but more importantly, he is sturdier. He would be easier to bear children.”

“Even if people say a stepmother is biased, for the sake of such a fine nephew as you, Auntie still thinks…”

Qi Beinan immediately grasped her meaning. His expression changed at once. Narrowing his eyes slightly, he said, “Auntie means to betroth Wang Chao-ge’er to me?”

Madam Qin, not yet noticing the shift in his expression, brightened. “If you are willing, we can hurry and settle the marriage. It would not delay your official duties, would it?”

Qi Beinan asked coolly, “Is this Auntie’s idea alone, or does Uncle share this view?”

At that question, Madam Qin faltered. Lowering her voice, she said, “Your uncle would surely want what is best for you. You are an official now. We cannot, for our own convenience, have you marry someone sickly and hard to bear children, can we? If such a thing spread, would people not point fingers at us?”

Qi Beinan’s voice turned cold.

“What sort of man do you take me for? If I sought someone strong and fertile, there are countless across the land. Why would I travel all this way?”

“I came because when my honored parents were alive, they made a betrothal with the Xiao family. The person chosen was Xiao Yuanbao. No matter how humble his background or frail his health, I acknowledge him!”

His tone sharpened further. “For anyone else, the threshold would not be so low.”

“I am a jinshi of the Son of Heaven, a court-appointed official. And you think you can simply push someone at me? Are you trying to slap me in the face?”

Madam Qin was stunned. She had not expected his face to change so suddenly.

He had been polite and courteous before. Now, angered, the authority of an official pressed down on her so heavily that she shrank in on herself.

“No—no other meaning… Nephew, you misunderstand.”

“Misunderstand? I heard you clearly.”

Terrified, Madam Qin scrambled to her feet. “You… you rest, then…”

With that, she fled as though escaping for her life.

Qi Beinan was furious. In this small village household, were they attempting a trick of swapping the prince for a狸猫?

The more he thought about it, the worse it felt. Though he did not yet know whether this was Madam Qin’s idea alone or whether Xiao Hu shared it, the mere presence of such intentions was enough to show that Xiao Yuanbao’s days at home had not been harmonious.

Just as he stepped out, intending to find Xiao Hu and demand clarity, he nearly ran into Xiao Yuanbao, who stood outside in a daze.

Qi Beinan paused. Noticing the plate in his hands, he asked, “Is that… for me?”

Xiao Yuanbao had already heard every word inside.

He had long guessed Madam Qin’s intentions. After so many years, how could he not understand her and her son?

He had always withdrawn and endured in silence. As a child, he had not dared to protest under their pressure. As he grew older and understood more, he chose not to make trouble.

He was a ge’er; sooner or later he would marry out. His father would still have to rely on Madam Qin. If he stirred conflict, his father might not support him, and even if he did, the household would fall into chaos.

He had seen his father’s hardships all these years. He did not want him to labor outside and return home only to face more distress.

He had simply never expected Qi Beinan to stand up for him so fiercely, to reject Wang Chao-ge’er, who was considered the better match.

His heart was a tangle of emotions. Shock left him speechless.

“Is it not?” Qi Beinan asked softly when he did not answer.

Xiao Yuanbao finally came back to himself and nodded shyly.

At that, most of Qi Beinan’s anger melted away.

He led Xiao Yuanbao inside and tasted the cakes.

Fresh from the steamer, the osmanthus rice cakes were still warm, lightly sweet without cloying.

A smile touched Qi Beinan’s brows. “These are even better than those in the city. Did you make them yourself?”

Xiao Yuanbao sat quietly to one side and nodded.

Qi Beinan studied him—thin, taciturn, his complexion slightly pale. His brows drew together.

“At home… has Madam Qin treated you poorly?”

Startled, Xiao Yuanbao shook his head. “No.”

“You are lying,” Qi Beinan said gently. “I left home to study at ten. I have seen much of the world. How could I not understand such things?”

“She had the audacity to say those words to me. That alone shows where her heart leans. You were so young under her hand. How could everything have gone smoothly?”

When no one speaks of a grievance, one can bear it. But once someone names it, emotions surge.

Xiao Yuanbao’s nose stung. Lowering his head, he murmured, “Even fingers are of unequal length. Father treats me well.”

Qi Beinan’s expression tightened. Anger flared again, but more than that, there was pain and self-reproach.

He set down the cakes, stepped before Xiao Yuanbao, and crouched in front of his chair. Tentatively, he reached out and gently took his hand.

“This is my fault. I should have come to see you sooner. If I had come when I first passed the provincial exam, they would at least have exercised some restraint in my presence.”

Xiao Yuanbao’s hand was suddenly enveloped, the back of it completely wrapped in warmth. The heat of Qi Beinan’s palm traveled through him at once, and his face flushed red.

He had never been this close to a man before. It was not that he was unwilling, but embarrassment flooded him all the same. Instinctively, he tried to pull back.

Yet the large hand holding his had not released him at the first touch. Now it would not let go. When he moved, the grip only tightened.

Hearing Qi Beinan speak gently, even blaming himself, stirred feelings in him that he could hardly name.

“It… it has nothing to do with you.”

Qi Beinan’s brows drew together. He tilted his head to look at him. “Nothing to do with me? You heard it yourself. We have a betrothal. How could it have nothing to do with me?”

Realizing he had misspoken in his fluster, Xiao Yuanbao could not retreat and could only explain, cheeks burning, “I—I meant I don’t blame you.”

Only then did Qi Beinan relax slightly. What he feared most was that Xiao Yuanbao would say they had no connection at all.

“You are too generous with me. If I were you, I would certainly blame him. A betrothed husband who failed to protect you and let you suffer so much grievance.”

Xiao Yuanbao did not know whether all scholars spoke so well.

The Zhao lang from the village head’s family was also learned, yet he was not particularly eloquent.

He knew Qi Beinan’s words were artful, yet they were like honey, sweet enough to warm the heart.

In a small voice he said, “The gifts you gave me… I… I liked them very much. So… I won’t blame you.”

Qi Beinan was overjoyed at those words. In his happiness, he reached out and pulled Xiao Yuanbao straight into his arms.

“I came too late. If I can, I will spend the rest of my life making up for these lost years. I will never let you suffer again.”

“Xiao Bao… are you still willing to accept me?”

Held in his embrace, Xiao Yuanbao’s whole body tensed. His senses felt sharper than ever.

At those words, he lifted his eyes and looked at the tall, handsome man before him.

He thought that even a princess or noble lady, hearing such words from such a man, would surely be moved.

Xiao Yuanbao’s eyes reddened. He nodded.

As if that alone were not enough to express what lay in his heart, he parted his lips and added softly, “I am willing…”

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