Chapter 51: Strange Coexistence

Since the New Year passed, the mode of interaction between Ning Yi and Su Tan'er had become increasingly natural, though of course, the naturalness here wasn't the "husband and wife" model of this era, but merely the coexistence mode of "two strange people."

After laying cards on the table before New Year, Su Tan'er found balance in her position for the first time, and with peace of mind, many things became easier. Previously she'd always tried hard to maintain the "home" model—now there was no need to be so deliberate, and previously she'd always actively sought topics at the dinner table, weighing what could be said, what might interest the other party, what needed avoiding to prevent displeasure—feeling like doing business. Now naturally there was no need for this, but topics actually increased instead, with no need to deliberately search—casually saying anything felt interesting.

Though Ning Yi went out running every morning, the couple often still ate breakfast at home before leaving, and their directions differed—Su Tan'er took the carriage while Ning Yi walked lightly equipped. Xiao Chan usually faced two choices at this time: follow Young Miss or follow Master, and of course she could stay home, but the other two choices were obviously more useful. Following Master over, there wasn't much to do, but she could listen to Master teach, hear stories, and each time hearing Master casually talk back and forth, fascinating—she'd think how knowledgeable Master was...

Of course, recently Su Tan'er had been rather busy—always like this when spring opened, so Xiao Chan still chose to follow Young Miss. As mentioned before, though she treated Ning Yi and Su Tan'er with pure simplicity, she was quite reliable handling matters, and her daily responsibilities weren't just thoughtfully serving people. Once Ning Yi had seen her angrily scolding people, frowning very seriously, simply fierce, and while scolding she also pointed out how several people schemed against each other, dragging feet: "Don't think I didn't see!" After arranging remedial methods and saying a few words, she waved a short ruler in her hand pointing here and there almost hitting people, then she looked at that ruler, stunned: "Oh no, Young Miss wanted this ruler..." Turning her head: "Still not going quickly!" After sending everyone away, she turned and ran quickly puffing along, making Ning Yi laugh nonstop behind her. She was being cultivated as management personnel, and of course, these two aspects didn't conflict—both were part of her nature.

Ning Yi would return home at noon or afternoon, sometimes with Xiao Chan, because Xiao Chan would run to find him before noon classes ended, and if Xiao Chan didn't go, naturally he'd be alone. Su Tan'er had mostly returned after noon—sometimes in her room, sometimes in the living room, sometimes sitting in the courtyard pavilion. Juan'er and Xing'er sometimes followed, sometimes disappeared, as they also had to handle trivial matters among the First Branch's servants.

When thinking about things, Su Tan'er liked biting her hand—sometimes biting her fist, sometimes gently biting her fingers, mostly an expression shown when alone. One evening when Ning Yi returned, in the sunset's afterglow, Su Tan'er wore a goose-yellow dress sitting in the pavilion reading a ledger, her fair teeth gently gnawing her thumb tip, occasionally turning a page. Ning Yi walked over, stood for a while about to greet her, when Su Tan'er suddenly turned around, still biting her fingertip, and her large eyes met Ning Yi's gaze for a moment—somewhat bewildered and innocent feeling—then she turned back, quietly continuing to read the account book.

Seeing her ignore him, Ning Yi shrugged somewhat boredly and walked away, thinking this woman was really composed, but not far away, Su Tan'er called from behind: "Husband! You scared me to death!" Turning back, Su Tan'er looked over with a puffy expression, lightly patting her chest, and a moment later, Ning Yi wordlessly spread his hands while Su Tan'er also laughed without good humor.

From returning home, through dinner, evening entertainment, to finally retiring—everyone gathered together, talking and chatting about this and that. Sometimes Ning Yi felt Su Tan'er resembled his former self, though the specific problems faced were different, the mood and confusion also different, and sometimes he thought Su Tan'er's problems might be harsher than his own. She was a woman—if the Su family had a man smarter and more capable, things would be simple, and if she were stupider, things would also be simple, but she was stuck in this gap, so could only move forward, constantly facing problems due to her female identity.

Sometimes they'd "coincidentally meet" once by that pillar on the second floor, about every few days, looking at the entire Su family mansion's scenery together. Su Tan'er would talk about random things—some couldn't be said before others, even saying them before Chan'er and Juan'er wasn't good—mainly meaningless, or some of her business plans, some proud little calculations, also family matters—a cousin had just extorted several hundred taels of silver from her, saying he saw nice porcelain that would definitely increase in value if bought. Su Tan'er smiled giving money, then came up telling Ning Yi that guy kept a woman outside, biting her finger saying: "Can threaten him later, or tell sister-in-law, let sister-in-law make trouble..."

Su Tan'er was very smart, also talented in business, but after all only nineteen years old, and facing pressure with nowhere to vent many times, Ning Yi was perhaps the only one who could give her decompression space. In her view, what she said—this husband understood part but might not fully grasp everything, and Ning Yi sometimes also said things she didn't understand, and she just listened. At such moments, even if Ning Yi's words were strange, the things he said incomprehensible, she wouldn't feel surprised.

One thing was rather peculiar—perhaps because he gave her a century egg the first time chatting together—after the second chat, Su Tan'er seemed hesitant to speak, then asked: "Husband didn't bring food?" Then said: "Bring some food next time."

Afterward he'd bring her some food—a small pack of candy, peanuts, honey dates and such, and the Su family didn't lack money, providing these things had no pressure. Also pears already hard to eat in this season, and once Ning Yi casually grabbed a flatbread—late winter early spring, cold weather froze it like beef jerky. Su Tan'er didn't mind, taking it to slowly tear at her mouth, eating contentedly, then she said: "Husband did that on purpose."

By February, topics became even more casual, and they looked like very strange friends in this era—one doing business, one making eccentric little inventions. Once Su Tan'er asked Ning Yi: "Why does husband never go to those brothel places, attending those talents' invitations?"

Ning Yi shrugged: "Only know two poems, can't pick up girls..."

Su Tan'er thought for a long time before roughly understanding this phrase, laughing: "Throw money at them. Those cousins, each time extorting dozens of taels from Tan'er, patronize only famous ones, so if husband takes several hundred taels plus your talent reputation, meeting Qilan or Lu Caicai a few times should be no problem... Oh right, after the Lantern Festival, heard that Lady Qilan was quite devoted to husband—for several nights, singing husband's Green Jadeite Bowl nightly, qin music gracefully sorrowful or something. Maybe husband could have some beautiful story with her..."

She turned her eyes glancing at Ning Yi, and Ning Yi thought, then nodded: "Such a thing? Then I'll go tomorrow night... After all, she's not having it easy either..."

Su Tan'er was eating broad beans this night, her gaze coldly glancing at him, then crunching for a long time before she snorted with a smile: "Then husband should take Xiao Chan along too."

Ning Yi didn't lack money, mainly because he could always ask Xiao Chan, and he didn't use much, and Su Tan'er had no opinions on these matters. But even if Xiao Chan was well-behaved, if Ning Yi really ran off to visit prostitutes, which side Xiao Chan would stand on was obvious, and even if she said nothing on the surface, she'd definitely use underhanded tricks. He sighed at this moment: "Only women and petty people are hard to handle... You woman with honeyed words and a sword in your belly, not honest at all. Give back the broad beans, no more eating!"

Su Tan'er took the small bag and suddenly retreated a step, smiling like a fox: "Tan'er has done business for several years, never heard of truly honest merchants—husband just bear with it."

February passed in these unremarkable days for Ning Yi—students, Nie Yunzhu, Xiao Chan, Su Tan'er, chemistry, sometimes also meeting with Old Qin and Old Kang for idle chat, sometimes learning about Song Xian and the Ardent Wu Army through other channels. He recalled that woman's martial arts, but that female assassin had also disappeared without trace after the Lantern Festival.

Early March, Su family business was also busy, but Su Tan'er still freed up a day to go on an outing outside Jiangning city with Ning Yi and the three maids. Returning that afternoon, going to a teahouse for tea, they accidentally heard several scholar-dressed people next door discussing century eggs, saying the woman now managing century eggs was a beauty with both talent and art, but only willing to support herself with her own hands. She'd researched the century egg method, and a talent admiring her character had already pursued her for years, now using a slight trick, opening sales channels for that novel item in less than half a month, and so on.

Actually though Nie Yunzhu was busy now, to say century egg's reputation had spread far wasn't possible, and these people discussing that "slight trick" was exactly the matter of him having Li Pin help find shills. Finding it amusing in his heart, not knowing how Li Pin connected this matter with Nie Yunzhu, plus pursuing for years or whatever—acting too carelessly, now Li Pin had brought fire upon himself. But listening a moment longer, he discovered things weren't so.

"This Gu Hong, Gu Yanzhen was already famous in Jiangning years ago, and returning from the Eastern Capital this time was for this woman. He now has official position yet remains deeply devoted—truly rare..."

"The method used was also clever, solving the problem in just days... Talented man and beautiful woman, given time, will surely become a beautiful story."

"I think otherwise—that woman appearing in public, handling such business, truly not a good match..."

Listening for a while, he realized these people were all discussing that man named Gu Hong, Gu Yanzhen, and recalling Nie Yunzhu's somewhat meaningful question days ago, he thought of some things, couldn't help shaking his head with a smile.

The next day before dawn, arriving at that small building, Nie Yunzhu sat on the steps waiting for him as usual, and seeing him come over, she showed a smile no different from ordinary days. Ning Yi looked at her for a while, slightly rubbing his forehead: "Very tired lately?"

"Huh?" Nie Yunzhu was stunned, then somewhat confusedly shook her head.

Ning Yi sat down beside her, considering his words: "Why... haven't you clearly told that Gu Yanzhen to... stop these things?"

The morning breeze in darkness carried coldness, and the area before the small building fell into silence. A moment later, Nie Yunzhu's voice came from beside: "Liheng... how could... Liheng... why... ask this..."

"Uh, I just heard... that Gu Yanzhen..." Ning Yi spread his hands, not knowing how to express it.

"I... I, I have no relationship with that Gu Yanzhen... They're talking nonsense... Liheng... uh... I..."

Nie Yunzhu's voice seemed somewhat off, and Ning Yi turned to look over. In the darkness only light came from one side of the building, and in that light the woman's expression seemed somewhat indignant, wanting to emphasize something but seeming unable to grasp the key point. Ning Yi watched for a long while, finding it hard to understand, slowly saying: "Mm, I know..."

Nie Yunzhu looked at him, frowning as if about to cry, but then she still took a deep breath, her gaze seriously looking toward Ning Yi, opening her mouth to emphasize, word by word:

"I have no relationship with that Gu Yanzhen."

(End of Chapter)