Chapter 6

The family had already eaten. Sui He had been fed too—only Feng had not.
Xixi feared he would wake hungry, so she had her mother simmer vegetable porridge for him.
She had meant to wake him when he did not rise—only to find him already awake.
That pleased her. Light-footed she crowded Sui He from the bedside: “Hungry? Come—porridge.”
Feng smelled food. His belly answered with a rumble. He frowned, silent a moment, reached for the clay bowl—and weakness from waking and long hunger nearly spilled it.
“You’re too weak. Let me feed you.” Xixi’s eyes lit. She volunteered at once.
Feng hated losing control of his body. He lowered his fine brows and turned to Sui He: “He will.”
“He?” Xixi blinked, set down the bowl, and hauled the nuisance from the room. “Stay outside. Come in again and I’ll beat you. Little Fifth—watch him.”
Yuanhe, summoned by his cousin’s call: “Come, come—you’re Sui He, right? I’ll show you around.”
Sui He, too slow to react: “……No, you—mmph—”
Xixi ran back to the bed, bowl in hand, eyes bright: “He can’t come. So it’s me.”
Her moves were fluid. Before Feng could react she had a spoon at his lips: “Open.”
Feng: “……”
Feng pressed cold lips: “Bring him back.”
“After you finish the porridge.” Xixi wanted time alone with him—no Sui He in the way.
Meeting her undisguised delight in his face—eyes too bright—disgust rose in him. Still, to regain strength, he endured and opened his mouth without expression.
Xixi was thrilled—clumsy but careful, spoon by spoon until the bowl was empty.
When he unconsciously pressed his lips after the last bite, she knew he was not full. “Wait—” She ran to the kitchen for another bowl. “One more.”
He had not been full—but he would not talk to her more. He had meant to stop. He paused, looked away, and drank in silence again.
After the meal Xixi brought a cloth to wipe his mouth.
Fed, Feng had a little strength. His mood eased slightly. He took the cloth, wiped himself, and said flatly: “Thanks.”
Whatever else, she had saved him from that Pan cur.
Xixi was flattered and beamed: “You’re welcome—so you’ll marry me?”
Feng: “……”
He had only thanked her—how did that lead to marriage?
Seeing his cold refusal, Xixi blinked without disappointment and smiled: “Silence means yes. We marry tomorrow. Don’t worry—I’ve got everything. We just bow at the altar.”
At last he understood she was serious: “……I will not marry you.”
“I know we just met and you don’t like me yet—that’s fine. Marry first, fix the name, grow feelings later.”
Seeing something at the corner of his mouth, she reached to wipe it.
A stranger’s warmth on his face—Feng stiffened, face darkening, eyes grim: “Impossible.”
“Then what would make you willing?” Xixi would rather not use force.
His gaze turned colder: “Nothing will. Give up.”
That look told her more time would not make him glance her way—let alone wed her.
Yet he had no wife and no beloved—why not try?
After thought she decided: marry first, coax later.
His jade face was all frost and distance. She pretended to reach for his cheek again: “But one look at you and I can’t give up—”
Before she finished Feng turned aside. Xixi grinned, seized his long fine hand in a flash, fingers interlaced once: “I like you too much.”
The man could not keep his mask. He froze—then narrow eyes flashed with shock and rage: “You!”
He yanked his hand back.
Xixi laughed: “You’re beautiful when you’re angry too.”
Feng: “……”
Face green, he shut his eyes and squeezed out one word: “Get out.”
Xixi did not mind the scolding. At last she had stirred something in him—satisfaction.
“Fine, I’m going. Rest well. See you tomorrow.”
She left happily. Feng could not help pressing his temple where her antics throbbed.
**
That night Yuanfeng slept in fourth brother Yuanchuan’s room.
Before sleep Feng Yunxiang told her husband, back from duties, that their daughter had brought home a husband-to-be and would marry tomorrow.
Xiao Ding, already in bed, thought it a joke. When his wife insisted it was real, he sat up in shock: “Nonsense! Marriage is not child’s play!”
“I said the same. Your daughter’s set. I can’t move her.” Feng Yunxiang was washing her feet at the bed. “Mainly that young man is extremely handsome. She wants first strike. There’s sense in it—good things must be seized. Hesitate and someone else wins.”
She laughed suddenly. “She takes after me. First time I saw you I went home and told my father I would marry you—send a matchmaker.”
Ding came back from absurdity: “……That’s not the same.”
“How not?”
He was uneasy but serious: “I agreed to the match before we wed. That boy was seized by Xixi—how can he be willing? Forced melons aren’t sweet—you know that.”
Feng Yunxiang dried her feet: “I don’t. Any melon—you taste before you know sweet or not.”
Ding: “……You wouldn’t say that if he were ugly.”
She laughed at once: “True.”
He still disapproved: “You can’t marry for face alone. Face doesn’t fill the belly.”
“How not? I married you because you were handsome. Crooked mouth, skew eyes, face that spoils appetite—I wouldn’t look twice.” She tossed the cloth, climbed on him, studied his face smiling. “Look—even older, not so fresh, still handsome. Makes me eat an extra bowl.”
Ding: “……”
He looked at his wife—no longer young yet still girlish—and was helpless: “How can that boy compare to me.”
“Also true.” She hooked his chin. “Tomorrow you tell your daughter yourself. You know her temper. I’ve tried—useless.”
Ding: “……”
**
Xixi knew nothing of her parents’ pillow talk.
At first gray dawn she was woken by Sui He’s screams.
Rubbing sleep from her eyes she saw the boy had somehow angered their big goose and was fleeing it.
She threw on clothes, caught the goose by the neck, and caged it.
“Hurts—hurts! Worse than a dog!” Sui He rubbed his bitten rear, grimacing.
Xixi laughed: “Don’t underestimate it. It fears neither weasel nor viper. And never insult it to its face—it will peck you every time it sees you.”
Sui He’s eyes bulged.
He had only remarked the fat goose looked tasty—had it understood?
After laughing Xixi asked: “Is your master awake?”
Sui He rubbed his rear and shook his head shamefaced. He had only risen for the privy; his master still slept.
Thinking of marrying Feng today, sleep fled. Mood soared. Early yet—she smiled at Sui He: “Let him sleep. Quiet—don’t wake him.”
Sui He muttered: “As if I need telling.”
Xixi ignored him. After washing she was leaving when her father stopped her, frowning—was she really marrying the man brought back yesterday?
“Yes, Father. He’s so handsome—I like him so much. Never felt this about any man—not even Ge Qingsong.”
Ding watched her glowing face—no grief—and fell silent.