The Foolish General's Mute Spouse - Chapter 71

71: Year-End

The snow fell all night, and by the time the servants and maids who had been drinking returned, they were still half-drunk. Yet, they had to rise early to sweep the snow away.

Aunt Ni knocked on the door, holding a bowl of oatmeal porridge.

Before long, a clattering sound of objects falling to the ground could be heard from inside. Startled, she pressed closer to the door and called out, “General? Your Highness? Is everything alright? I’ve brought the porridge. Shall I bring it in now?”

A hurried refusal came from within: “No, wait a moment!”

It was Qi Ren’s voice.

Earlier, Aunt Ni had come to wake them, but the two had been exhausted from their activities the night before and couldn’t bring themselves to get up. Qi Ren had asked her to fetch some porridge first, using it as an excuse to linger a little longer in bed, holding his warm and fragrant companion.

Qi Ren hastily threw on his outer robe and grabbed a pair of trousers from the mess on the floor. Halfway through putting them on, he realized they weren’t his, so he clicked his tongue in annoyance, took them off, and fished out his own from the corner by the bed.

Seeing that he was taking so long, Aunt Ni grew increasingly puzzled and called out again.

Fu Yu’an was still asleep, his brows furrowed in discomfort from the noise. Subconsciously, he reached out an arm, searching for the man beside him.

After groping around for a while without success, he reluctantly opened his eyes and turned his head, just in time to see Qi Ren approaching, disheveled and carrying a bowl of porridge.

“What time is it?” His throat ached terribly. Though he had tried his best to stay quiet the night before, in the end, he hadn’t been able to hold back.

Qi Ren set the porridge on the small table by the bed and gently helped him sit up, leaning against the headboard.

The slightest movement made Fu Yu’an ache all over. When he looked down and saw the chaotic mess of clothes strewn across the floor, he was overwhelmed with shame and frustration.

“It’s still early. Do you want to sleep a little longer?”

He shook his head, rubbing his temples as he tried to recall the details of the previous night.

How had they ended up tangled together like that?!

It was all because of that fruit wine!

Alcohol was truly a recipe for disaster!

His neck was covered in love bites, and the skin beneath the blankets was even more of a disaster.

It was understandable—after all, it had been Qi Ren’s first time indulging in such pleasures. Losing control was only natural.

Fu Yu’an reached for the porridge, and Qi Ren obeyed without question, sitting by the bed and personally scooping a spoonful, blowing on it to cool it before daring to feed it to him.

“The day after tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. We’ll have to pay our respects to the Second Madam then… What did I tell you last night?!”

He glanced down at the marks on his body, feeling a pang of regret.

At this moment, he didn’t dare argue with Qi Ren. Holding the bowl, he kept his head low, obediently enduring the scolding.

“What’s there to fear in winter? There’s a top-quality mink fur scarf in the storeroom—just wrap it around you, and who’d notice? Don’t worry!”

“Is this about whether people notice or not? If you keep being this… this disobedient next time, we might as well sleep in separate rooms!”

He meant it as a threat, but Qi Ren clearly fixated on the wrong part, his eyes lighting up as he exclaimed, “There’s a next time?!”

He’d thought he’d been muddled by drunkenness, but it seemed he’d been willing all along!

Fu Yu’an was left speechless by his response, caught between frustration and helplessness. His face flushed red as he weakly pushed Qi Ren’s head away, grumbling, “There won’t be a next time! Never again!”

Qi Ren chuckled, taking the light shove in stride—it felt more like a coy gesture than anything else.

Still grinning foolishly, he coaxed Fu Yu’an into finishing the bowl of porridge before finally getting up to tidy the room.

Fu Yu’an burrowed back under the blankets, the warm quilt covering half his face. He watched quietly as Qi Ren moved about, his well-defined muscles occasionally peeking through his movements, along with the red marks on his neck—scratches Fu Yu’an had left behind.

He lifted his hand to inspect his nails, belatedly realizing they needed trimming.

…

Though he’d initially told Li Ke to take just one day off, given that it was their newlywed period and considering Xiao Zhu’s years of loyal service, Fu Yu’an couldn’t bear to see the two of them rushing around. So, he extended their break for a few more days, hiring temporary help from the streets to handle all the New Year preparations.

There weren’t many masters in the household, but with the bustle of the New Year, things still got overwhelmingly busy.

Fortunately, the weather cooperated. After days of gloom, the skies finally cleared on New Year’s Eve, letting the sun shine through.

Tang Xiao was true to his word—he dug out that fur scarf and carefully wrapped it around Fu Yu’an’s neck, nodding in satisfaction.

“Bundle up, it’s cold outside. Wanna go have a snowball fight later?”

Fu Yu’an scratched his neck, the fur tickling him slightly. “Just the two of us?”

“Of course not!” Tang Xiao replied cheerfully. “We’re going to the Yu residence—to play with their kids.”

Fu Yu’an couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a grown man in your twenties. Why do you always insist on playing with children? Doesn’t Lord Yu worry you’ll be a bad influence?”

Qi Ren enveloped Fu Yu’an’s hand in his own, leading him outside. “How could I be a bad influence? Besides, he’s just an excuse—with my current status, it’s not exactly convenient for me to seek out Yu Liao directly!”

No matter how Fu Yu’an looked at it, Qi Ren always had a way of spinning things in his favor. So he stopped pressing further, absently touching his neck again as he obediently followed him out to the carriage.

The streets on New Year’s Eve were nearly empty, with even most vendors taking the day off to celebrate with their families.

This was the most important and joyous day of the year. For so many years, Fu Yu’an had never truly experienced the festive atmosphere of the New Year—he’d simply huddled in the cold palace with Xiao Zhu, eating dumplings as a perfunctory observance.

When they arrived, Xiao He was in the courtyard trying to build a snowman. The snow from the past few days hadn’t melted yet, and despite wearing thick gloves, every time he tried to roll a snowball, it crumbled apart. Frustrated, he plopped down onto the ground.

Amused, Fu Yu’an helped him up, brushing the snow off his clothes as he comforted him, “Don’t cry. Let me help you roll it, alright?”

Seeing him, Xiao He had only been sniffling at first, but now his grievances fully overflowed. He threw himself into Fu Yu’an’s arms, sobbing.

“I… I tried for… for so long… Mother said if I made it… she’d buy me a kitten… I want a kitten, wu wu wu…”

Qi Ren walked over, crossing his arms with a disdainful snort. “What kind of man cries like this? I’m going to tell your father—let him come out and scold you.”

“You… Waaahhh—!”

Xiao He took him seriously, tipping his head back and wailing even louder.

Fu Yu’an shot Qi Ren a glare before crouching down to wipe Xiao He’s tears, soothing him gently.

Qi Ren chuckled under his breath, pulling a mocking face at the crying child before leaving him behind and heading straight for the study.

Yu Liao was writing Spring Festival couplets, with his wife beside him grinding ink—a picture of marital harmony and affection.

Qi Ren paused slightly and said with a smile, “Did I come at a bad time? Am I interrupting you two?”

“Stop talking nonsense!” Yu Liao withdrew his stance and glanced up briefly.

Qi Ren gave a thumbs-up and praised sincerely, “It’s written really well! As expected of our Minister of Rites, Lord Yu!”

Lady Yu chuckled softly, bowed slightly in greeting, and said, “I’ll go check on Xiaohe—I thought I heard him crying earlier. You two talk.”

Qi Ren rubbed his nose, looking a little guilty.

After she left, Yu Liao finally raised his head to look at him and asked, “What are you doing here during the New Year? Can’t you see how unwelcome you are?”

“I’m just here to wish you a happy New Year! Aren’t we brothers? Why so distant?”

He walked over and slung an arm over Yu Liao’s shoulder, then eyed the couplet he had written and remarked, “This calligraphy is excellent! Graceful yet powerful, vivid and full of vigor—our courtyard is missing just such a pair of couplets!”

“…” Yu Liao shook off his arm in annoyance. “Get lost! Nothing good ever comes when you show up! Was it you who made my son cry earlier?”

“Yu’an is comforting him, Yu’an is comforting him. I’ll give the kid a big red envelope later—no big deal!”