After Marrying the Disabled Prince (BG) - Chapter 5: Dumpling soup

A gust of wind blew past, slamming the door shut with a loud bang. The room darkened further.

Weak light filtered through the window, barely illuminating the space. Pei Yuan stood with his back to the light, his features blurred, as though shrouded in shadow. His tall, broad frame honed from years of martial training dominated the small room, like an imposing wall radiating an oppressive chill.

Bao Ning stood nervously by the door, unsure where to look. Her fingers gripped the edge of the vegetable basin tightly.

For a brief moment, Pei Yuan’s expression carried a genuine glint of murderous intent. Bao Ning could feel it in the air.

The room was deathly silent and the heavy, labored sound of Pei Yuan’s breathing, each breath louder and more forceful than the last.

To say she wasn’t afraid would be a lie. Bao Ning’s heart pounded wildly in her chest. It took her a while to compose herself before she hurriedly turned and pushed the door open to leave.

The cold wind outside hit her face, making her shiver. Only then did she realize her palms were slick with sweat.

…

Having his most vulnerable and shameful side exposed to a woman who was practically a stranger was unbearable. Pei Yuan closed his eyes, swallowing with difficulty.

“She must think I’m disgusting,” he thought bitterly.

He knew what kind of person he had become: dirty, messy, foul odors, even worse than the beggars on the street. At least they were healthy, with functioning legs. But he? Covered in scars, with a crippled left leg that was soft and lifeless, he was nothing more than a useless piece of trash who couldn’t even take care of himself.

He had convinced himself countless times not to care about others’ stares or opinions, but when faced with a situation like this, his mind spiraled uncontrollably. He despised being looked at with disdain and feared even more the pity and sympathy in others’ eyes. That feeling of his dignity being trampled into the mud was sharper and more unbearable than the pain of blades cutting into his flesh.

The wooden cane he used was rough and splintered, and as he gripped it tightly, sharp splinters bit into his palm, sending waves of stinging pain through his hand. Yet Pei Yuan seemed utterly unfazed. Dragging his limp left leg, he left the room expressionless.

When he passed Bao Ning, he didn’t spare her so much as a glance, walking straight back to his quarters.

Bao Ning’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she watched him leave. After a long moment, she sighed, carrying the cabbage to the kitchen.

Starting the fire, boiling water, scrubbing the pot, and mixing the batter—making a simple dumpling soup was the easiest of all meals. All it took was some flour and a ladle of water.

Bao Ning carefully sprinkled water into the flour bit by bit, stirring quickly with a pair of chopsticks. Soon, the mixture turned into evenly sized dough lumps, distinct and uniform.

The fire in the stove burned brightly, its red flames licking outward and warming the room slightly.

Bao Ning poured a little oil into the pot, waiting for it to heat before adding the freshly chopped green onions. The aroma of sizzling onions instantly filled the air. She tossed in the cabbage, gave it a quick stir with the spatula, then poured in enough water to submerge the ingredients. Adding salt and cooking wine for flavor, she covered the pot and waited for it to boil.

The sky had completely darkened in just a short while. Bao Ning fumbled to light the candle and then sat on the stool, staring absentmindedly at the pot lid.

Steam rose in wisps from the edges of the lid, carrying the distinct aroma of freshly cooked food. The cramped room, though small and humble, was filled with the comforting warmth of a lived-in space.

It suddenly felt a lot like home.

Bao Ning’s thoughts drifted to Pei Yuan.

He had genuinely scared her earlier.

She could feel it, Pei Yuan disliked her and wanted her gone. She understood it and didn’t mind. It might seem abrupt, but from the moment she married Pei Yuan, she had already regarded him as family in her heart.

They had no feelings for each other, but they were still husband and wife in name. Even if they never became a loving couple, bound by affection and harmony, they were still family, connected by a bond closer than that of strangers.

Pei Yuan had a bad temper. He was at the lowest point in his life; sensitive and fragile, prone to lashing out. Bao Ning could empathize and forgive him for that.

All she could do was treat him kindly, offer him warmth and encouragement, and accompany him on a path toward better days.

In the days to come, she hoped they could get along happily, tending to flowers, sipping tea, and simply being companions to one another. That was the life she yearned for.

…

The bubbling sound of boiling water brought her back to the present.

Bao Ning patted her cheeks twice to shake off her wandering thoughts. Quickly, she lifted the pot lid and used chopsticks to drop the prepared dough lumps into the boiling water, stirring them apart to prevent sticking.

After a moment of consideration, she took two eggs, cracked them, and whisked them into the pot, creating a swirling egg-drop soup.

Pei Yuan’s current physical condition called for nourishing food. Unfortunately, the eggs and meat she had brought with her were in short supply barely enough to last two or three days.

She hoped that on her return visit to her parent’s house in three days, she could take the chance to buy more vegetables and medicine from the market.

After simmering for a little longer, the soup was ready.

The tiny dough lumps floated evenly in the broth, while the soft cabbage nestled between them like a delicate, boneless beauty. The soup was thick, fragrant, and mouthwatering.

Bao Ning bent closer to take a sniff, her craftsmanship evident. Satisfied, she smiled warmly.

She picked a larger bowl, filled it to the brim, and prepared to take it to Pei Yuan.

Thinking that he might not have had a single hot meal all day, she hesitated, then put the bowl down. Lighting the stove again, she fried an egg to top the soup.

When she finally stood at Pei Yuan’s door with the bowl in her hands, Bao Ning hesitated for a moment. The memory of Pei Yuan’s frightening expression earlier flickered in her mind, making her heart race.

Bao Ning took a deep breath and carefully knocked twice on the door. “Fourth Prince, may I come in?”

There was a moment of silence inside before Pei Yuan’s hoarse voice answered, “Come in.”

Bao Ning let out a sigh of relief and pushed the door open.

The room was dimly lit. Pei Yuan was leaning against the wall, sitting beside a small kang table. On it were brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone, with a small candle flickering weakly, providing the only light in the room.

Pei Yuan kept his head lowered, seemingly engrossed in writing something.

Bao Ning placed the bowl on the table without glancing at his papers and said softly, “Fourth Prince, it’s time to eat.”

Pei Yuan caught sight of the bowl of soup and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

He had already smelled the aroma of food coming from the west wing earlier but hadn’t expected Bao Ning to bring him any. After his earlier outburst, he had assumed she would resent him or at the very least, be indifferent, like Cui Feng, the maid who had initially been sent to care for him.

Thinking of this, Pei Yuan raised his head and glanced at Bao Ning.

She was dressed in a light blue casual robe, her makeup still intact. Her delicate features exuded a youthful beauty, though traces of immaturity remained. Her eyes were downcast as she nervously bit her fingernail.

Bao Ning’s fingers had been burned by the hot bowl, leaving them tingling with pain. Instinctively, she brought her fingers to her lips, only to look up and notice Pei Yuan watching her.

Feeling self-conscious, Bao Ning quickly put her hand down and turned to leave. “Fourth Prince, please eat slowly. I’ll leave now—”

Pei Yuan interrupted, “Let’s talk.”

Bao Ning halted mid-step, looking at Pei Yuan’s impassive expression with unease. She wasn’t sure what he wanted to say, but her instincts told her it might not be good.

“Alright,” she replied.

Pei Yuan set down his brush, resting his wrist on the edge of the table as he gazed at her with a cold, detached expression. “Were you forced to marry me?”

Bao Ning blinked in surprise, then after a moment of thought, shook her head.

It had indeed been a coincidence that led to this marriage, but she held no resentment toward it. She didn’t consider herself coerced.

Pei Yuan frowned, suspicion lacing his tone. “You married me of your own will?”

Bao Ning nodded.

Pei Yuan’s lips twitched in disdain. “Ridiculous.”

Bao Ning was at a loss for words.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“Fifteen,” Bao Ning replied. In truth, she wasn’t yet fifteen but her coming-of-age was still a month away. But the hasty wedding had hidden that detail, and it didn’t seem necessary to mention it now.

Pei Yuan let out a cold snort. “Naive and ignorant.”

Tapping his fingers on the table, a hint of sarcasm flashed in his eyes. He continued, “Do you even understand what marrying me means? Let me be clear: I have nothing you can use. The title of prince is nothing but an empty shell. If you thought you could climb higher by marrying me, give up on that idea now. I’ve already prepared the divorce document. With your status as the daughter of Duke Rong’s household, remarrying won’t be an issue. Go wherever you wish, but leave by tomorrow morning. Don’t stay here and irritate me!”

As he finished, Pei Yuan pulled a piece of paper from beneath the inkstone and tossed it onto the table in front of Bao Ning. Narrowing his eyes, he spat, “Leave.”

Bao Ning kept her gaze lowered and didn’t take the paper. She patted down the creases on her skirt and said softly, “Please eat the meal before it gets cold.” Then, she turned and left.

Pei Yuan had imagined many possible reactions: perhaps overwhelming joy, a few insincere tears, pleas to save face before leaving, or even storming out in anger.

But he hadn’t anticipated Bao Ning’s calm response, as though nothing had happened. She had simply told him to eat and walked away, without tears, without smiles like she was utterly detached from the situation.

The bowl of dumpling soup in front of him emitted a tantalizing aroma. Even though his mind was in turmoil, the growling in his stomach betrayed him.

Unable to resist, Pei Yuan picked up the bowl, took a bite of the fried egg, and sipped a spoonful of the soup.

It was unexpectedly delicious.

It was clear she had put effort into making it, even considering his health and appetite.

This rare sense of thoughtfulness stirred something within Pei Yuan. He stared at the bowl, his gaze complicated, but he quickly pushed the feeling aside.

If such care would eventually vanish, he’d rather not have it at all. It would only make parting harder later.

Pei Yuan quickly finished the soup, tidied up his bed, blew out the candle, and lay down with his eyes closed.

…

After finishing her meal, Bao Ning wiped down the stove, tidied up the room, and sat on the bed with her knees hugged to her chest, lost in thought.

Pei Yuan’s attitude had left her feeling a bit hurt and disheartened.

She could convince herself to forgive him and let it go, but the sting in her heart lingered.

Blinking back her feelings, Bao Ning gave herself a little pep talk. You’re living in his courtyard and drinking his water. Why get hung up on a few harsh words? Besides, it’s because of him that you got to leave Duke Rong’s household. Compared to Ji Jia Ying’s underhanded schemes and Madam Tao’s passive-aggressive remarks, Pei Yuan’s straightforwardness doesn’t seem so bad after all.

With that thought, the sour and bitter feelings in her heart began to dissipate.

There wasn’t much of anything here, except for an abundance of firewood. When it came to lighting a fire, there was no stinginess. The bed stove stayed warm and cozy, incredibly comfortable.

Bao Ning blew out the candle, climbed into bed, and let out a yawn.

She had worked herself to exhaustion during the day and was tired. The moment her head hit the pillow, she quickly fell asleep.

The next day, Bao Ning woke up early, feeling refreshed. After washing up and preparing breakfast, she went to knock on Pei Yuan’s door.

Pei Yuan had been awake for a while, leaning against the wall and reading a book. Hearing the knock on the door, he was a bit surprised. “Come in.”

Bao Ning opened the door slightly, showing her small face. Her face, bare of any makeup, was fair and delicate, as soft and smooth as egg whites. Her skin looked like it could break with a single touch, and her dimples appeared both sweet and irresistibly tender.

Pei Yuan froze for a moment, staring at her.

Bao Ning smiled brightly and asked, “Your Highness, I’ve made buns and heated water. Would you like to have a bath after breakfast?”

Author’s Note:

Welcome to the grand historical romance tutorial—How to Tame a Jerk with Kindness: Part Three.

Don’t be deceived by the male lead’s current cold and tsundere attitude. In the future, he’ll be the one washing someone else’s feet. 😉