Chapter Fifteen: The Innocence of a Child’s Heart

The "Listening to the Tides Pavilion" was always the first to update, but with each autumn rain came a deeper chill, and the flowers and trees in the courtyard withered, adding to the desolate feeling of the season. Yet, inside and outside the Yu Mansion, lanterns and decorations filled the air with lively festivity.

At dawn, Yu Youwei had just finished washing up when Lady Quanfu entered to dress her hair and adorn her, followed by Lady Yu and the aunts. Lady Yu, clad in a dark red gown embroidered with flowers, was regal yet gentle. She smiled at Lady Quanfu and said, "Thank you for your trouble today. Please make sure to dress our Youwei beautifully."

Was it true that her birth mother would not appear today? Yu Youwei wondered silently. At last night's welcome banquet hosted by her uncle, all the uncles and aunts with their children attended—except for those not in Dongling Prefecture and her second uncle, who had been removed from the family registry. Only her so-called ethereal birth mother and elder sister were absent. It seemed her own existence was a thorn in her mother's heart.

Perhaps Lady Yu sensed something and explained, "Your mother has been bedridden for years, and her symptoms worsened recently. Your sister fell ill from tending to her, so I didn't let them come. We're all family, you'll have a chance to visit them when you return home."

Yu Youwei smiled, keeping silent, as Lady Quanfu combed her hair, chanting, “First comb to the end, second comb to white hair and brows, third comb to a house full of children.” After the combing, she used thread to smooth Yu Youwei's delicate face, making her skin even softer.

After dressing in the elaborate wedding clothes, Yu Youwei felt dizzy from all the fuss. At last, the sound of firecrackers echoed outside, and Lady Quanfu placed a large red apple in her hand, reminding her, “Whatever you do, do not let the apple fall to the ground.”

The sweet scent of the apple tempted Yu Youwei to take a bite. With no sons in the fourth branch, Yu Shixiang, the eldest son of the first branch, came in to carry her out. Amid the thunder of drums and firecrackers, she felt no excitement, only a surprising calm. Once squeezed into the bridal sedan, she even found the leisure to lift the curtain a crack and peek outside.

Both the Yu and Ning families were grand clans, and their union was a spectacle—fireworks and drums leading the way, followed by a long procession of dowry bearers, all heading to Dongling Wharf.

The Ning family resided far to the north in Jiangning Prefecture. Traveling by water was more convenient and comfortable. Docked at Dongling Wharf was a splendid double-decked colorful boat, its deck covered in a fresh red carpet.

When the sedan reached the wharf, its door was kicked open, and a pair of slender, pale hands reached out. Yu Youwei noticed the copper-green marks on the hands and knew they belonged not to Ning Mofei, but to Ning Bai Xia, the third son. Presumably, they feared the fourth son would bungle such an occasion. A faint melancholy crossed her face, though she obediently placed her hand in his.

Once on the boat, Yu Youwei entered the cabin and yanked off her red veil, sprawling onto the bed without any concern for propriety. Footsteps moved from the foot of the bed to her side; she assumed it was a maid and paid no mind, until a man's voice spoke: "The red veil should be lifted by me."

Startled, Yu Youwei sat up to find a man in a bright red robe before her—he resembled Ning Bai Xia, though lacking his frosty sharpness, more like a celestial being fallen to earth, ethereal and otherworldly. Of course, that was if one ignored the aggrieved expression in his eyes.

It felt as if she were bullying a child. Yu Youwei tugged at her lips, silently sizing up her husband, and realized things might not be as bad as she had imagined.

"The red veil should be lifted by me. Third Brother said so," Ning Mofei repeated, thinking Yu Youwei hadn’t understood.

So this was the intelligence of a three-year-old. Yu Youwei smiled wordlessly and blinked playfully, adopting a coy tone: "Did Third Brother ever say when you should lift the veil?"

Ning Mofei bit his lower lip, pondering seriously, and replied, "In the bridal chamber."

"That's right. We're not in the bridal chamber yet; we're on the boat, so I'm allowed to lift it now. When we disembark, I'll put it back on, and in the bridal chamber you can lift it. Understand?" Yu Youwei naturally reached out to pinch his devilishly handsome face, patting the bed beside her. "Sit down. Are you hungry? Should I have someone bring us something to eat?"

Still standing, Ning Mofei pouted unhappily. "Not hungry."

All of Yu Youwei's defenses melted. She shook his sleeve, speaking softly with a smile: "But I'm hungry, husband. Can you help me get something to eat? Third Brother’s icy face frightens me too much; I don't dare ask him for food."

Thankfully, Ning Mofei was kind-hearted. Though still dissatisfied that she had lifted the veil herself, he said, "Third Brother gave me lots of tasty things. I'll get them for you."

Outside the half-closed cabin door, Ning Bai Xia had changed into a sapphire blue brocade robe, holding a jug of wine and leaning against the rail, his ears catching all the sounds within. His expression was no longer the icy mask Yu Youwei had seen before, but tinged with faint joy.

Yu Youwei was skilled at coaxing children; it wasn’t long before Ning Mofei was laughing happily. Even the eavesdropping Ning Bai Xia smiled silently: This Yu Youwei, for all her cunning, was clever and patient with his fourth brother.

After a while, Ning Bai Xia instructed the maids not to disturb them and went to his own cabin to meditate. Almost as soon as he left, Yu Youwei yawned and said, "I’m tired and want to sleep. Did Third Brother tell you where you should sleep?"

Ning Mofei replied honestly, "Third Brother said I should sleep here." Under the glow of the wedding candles, his long lashes cast feather-like shadows on his face, and his slightly pouted lips gave him a charming allure that made even Yu Youwei, who in her past life had indulged in every pleasure, feel her heart race.

Afraid she might turn into a hungry wolf, Yu Youwei lowered her head and said, "This isn’t proper, is it? We haven’t bowed to the ancestors yet."

"Third Brother said it’s okay," Ning Mofei insisted.

Suddenly, Yu Youwei found the phrase "Third Brother said" grating. She poked his forehead, scolding gently: "This is our room; from now on, don’t always say ‘Third Brother said.’ It should be you who decides."

"What should I say?" Ning Mofei asked, puzzled.

Yu Youwei sighed, cursing herself for stirring up trouble, and lay down fully clothed. The wind was calm and the boat fast yet steady, but as someone afraid of water, she soon felt seasick, her stomach churning. She sat up and retched, only to see Ning Mofei sulking at the foot of the bed like a wooden stake. She sighed, “If you want to sleep here, just come up.”

Ning Mofei climbed onto the inner side of the bed with a joyful smile, lying next to Yu Youwei. Thinking himself clever, he said, "I know—you're feeling sick because you’re expecting a child."

Yu Youwei choked on her own saliva, coughing until the seasickness faded. She grabbed a fragrant silk pillow, propped it behind her, flicked his forehead with her finger, and said, "Don't talk nonsense. We haven’t consummated our marriage yet, so how could there be a child? I’m seasick, not pregnant."