To Be the Male Lead's Deceased First Wife in a Historical Chinese Exam-focused Novel - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Little Darling, Good Little Darling, Little Darling Sleeps Through the Night

A low whisper, like a sigh, hit her heart like a heavy punch.

Yan An’s heart contracted and thumped for a moment, and she felt a sense of powerlessness.

“This person… really doesn’t know her boundaries and is going too far,” Yan An thought to herself as she bit her lip.

“You… let go first. I understand,” Yan An took a long time to find her voice. She felt that she should find an opportunity to emphasize the issue of boundaries in her interactions with Wen Ying. If Wen Ying kept hugging and rubbing her like this, it would really give her the wrong impression.

It was like how a lesbian woman would misinterpret a straight woman’s hugs and kisses as a sign of affection. To avoid this kind of misunderstanding, she had to stop people from doing these actions that could be misinterpreted.

“Two lesbian women… it’s even more inappropriate.”

Wen Ying’s body stiffened for a moment, but she finally obediently let go and stepped back, looking at Yan An deeply from behind.

“Are you really not angry anymore?” Wen Ying asked in a soft voice.

“Yes, really. I shouldn’t have been angry in the first place,” Yan An pursed her lips. When she said the last sentence, she was a little insincere.

“With Wen Ying’s attitude earlier, it was impossible not to be angry.” “Why should she give me a cold shoulder?” “I’m not going to tolerate it.” “I should be angry when I’m angry!”

Her tone was fine at the beginning, but by the end, Wen Ying couldn’t help but let out a low laugh when she heard it.

“Be angry if you want to be. There’s no need to lie,” The last sentence was obviously insincere, and she was trying to make up for it.

Yan An choked. She turned her head and gave Wen Ying a speechless look, feeling that what this person said was really unpleasant. Even if she had figured it out, was it necessary to say it out loud? Wouldn’t it be better if you just kept it to yourself?

“Let’s get the ingredients ready! Otherwise, when will we be able to eat!” Yan An frowned and said fiercely.

However, in Wen Ying’s eyes, her expression was like a kitten trying to raise its paw to appear intimidating. It didn’t make people feel threatened at all. Instead, it was so cute that people wanted to hold her in their arms and rub her.

Wen Ying suppressed the thirst in her heart, and her eyes unconsciously darkened a little. She still couldn’t understand why Yan An had to maintain such a clear boundary with her. With their current relationship, they would most likely be with each other for the rest of their lives.

“Okay, I’ll get ready now,” Wen Ying adjusted her emotions and said in her usual voice.

Yan An snorted softly and quickly flipped the braised fish in the pan to prevent it from getting burnt.

Afterward, neither of them mentioned the Wen family again. They had a tacit understanding that the Wen family no longer existed and that they only had each other.

When the New Year’s Eve dinner was ready, the two of them didn’t eat in the kitchen this time. Instead, they carried all the dishes to the main hall. A brazier was placed under the table in the main hall. A tablecloth was draped over it to trap the warmth inside. When they ate, they would put their legs inside, and the warmth would instantly get rid of the cold.

In order to make it as bright as possible, they were extravagant today and lit two oil lamps for lighting.

“Wen Ying, Happy New Year’s Eve,” Yan An poured a cup of New Year’s wine for both of them. She raised it and said to Wen Ying.

Wen Ying looked up. Under the orange-yellow lamplight, Yan An’s fair face seemed to be covered with a layer of honey-like color. When she looked over like this, she had a hint of gentleness.

Wen Ying’s heart beat a little faster. She was bewitched by this side of Yan An.

“Yan An, Happy New Year’s Eve,” Wen Ying said in a gentle tone.

Their eyes met. Yan An smiled brightly at her. “I wish us an even better year next year!”

Yan An didn’t want to say any fancy blessings. She simply said “better.”

“We will definitely have a better year next year,” Wen Ying repeated her words with a smile, her eyes twinkling.

“Next year, she would still be with Yan An, and they would manage this family better.”

Yan An laughed with her. She finished the wine in her cup and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Wen Ying looked at her and her eyes widened slightly, as if she couldn’t believe the silly smile on Yan An’s face.

She had only just finished one cup of New Year’s wine. Was she already drunk?

Although the New Year’s wine had some kick to it, was the kick coming a little too quickly?

“Wen Ying, I’m actually very happy to have met you,” Yan An tilted her head slightly and continued to smile at Wen Ying. If she had transmigrated to a completely unfamiliar world, Yan An felt that she might not have been able to hold on and would have ended her life.

It was because she met Wen Ying and knew her identity that she had a general understanding of this world, which prevented her from being so fearful.

Wen Ying looked at her with a slightly silly smile. It was really hard to imagine Yan An’s face showing such a smile. Her heart softened to an unusual degree. She really wanted to go and hug her in her arms but knew she couldn’t.

“I’m also very happy to have met you,” Wen Ying said softly.

Yan An’s smile became even brighter. She picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of pork rib in her bowl. “Eat. Hurry up and try the food I made!”

The psychological satisfaction of cooking for someone who really appreciated it was simply wonderful, and Wen Ying was just that kind of person. This also made Yan An willing to cook more delicious food for her.

“Mmm,” Wen Ying picked up the pork rib with a smile on her lips, took a bite, and then said very seriously, “It’s delicious. The garlic flavor is absorbed, and the taste is fresh and savory. I really like it.”

With every word she said, the curve of Yan An’s smile deepened. “I’m pretty willing to cook for you for free.”

Although she had wanted to learn how to cook with the idea of having an extra skill, she wasn’t willing to cook for just anyone. When she met people who would nitpick every dish, Yan An would definitely not invite them to eat a second time.

And by chance, Wen Ying was the person she was willing to cook for every time. It wasn’t just because of the emotional value she provided, but also because she respected the effort she put in and would never take it for granted, just waiting for the food to be served.

The heat in her chest was so intense that it almost made her lose her mind. Wen Ying looked at Yan An’s pure smile and pursed her lips. Her hand holding the chopsticks curled slightly. She tried her best to use a normal, light, and smiling voice. “Then I’m also very willing to wash your clothes for a lifetime.”

Yan An blinked her eyes. Her vision became a little more blurry, and she couldn’t help but smile. “That might not happen. When our life gets better, we can hand these chores over to others.”

Wen Ying was silent. She then put a piece of fish belly in Yan An’s bowl. “Eat this. It has fewer bones.”

“Mmm, mmm,” Yan An nodded, picked it up, and ate it.

She was very familiar with the taste of her own cooking, so she wasn’t that surprised when she ate it. It was just a normal feeling.

After eating the fish, Yan An poured herself another glass of wine and discussed with Wen Ying, “I’m planning to pay back the money we owe the clan and the village chief when we visit them after the New Year. What do you think?”

Now, everyone could see their success in the banquet business. Not to mention the money they had invested in it earlier, which was understandable since the investment was for a proper business to generate income. But now that their business was on track, if they didn’t pay back some of the money, people might gossip about them behind their backs.

“Mmm,” Wen Ying also nodded in agreement. Now that Yan An’s business was on track, the expenses could be calculated. This way, they could take out some spare money to pay off the debt first. As for the money they would need to open a restaurant in the future, they would have to earn it later.

“We owe the village chief 17 strings of cash and the clan 36 strings,” At this, Yan An couldn’t help but sigh softly. This would take away half of their remaining money.

“It’s okay. We can earn more later,” Wen Ying comforted her. Paying it back would also make her feel more at ease. At least the number of debtors they had would be reduced, and they wouldn’t feel inferior when they met again because they owed money.

“Mmm, there’s no hurry for Teacher Yi’s 10 taels. She definitely hasn’t finished reading those books yet. We’ll talk about it after she’s done. So that leaves Miss Ji’s big sum,” Yan An sighed. To be honest, without the money bag that Ji Wan had given them, she and Wen Ying wouldn’t have been able to get to where they were now. It would have taken who knows how much longer.

That money bag allowed them to solve most of their difficulties with money.

“Mmm,” When Yan An mentioned Ji Wan, Wen Ying’s expression unconsciously became a lot more indifferent. Every time Yan An mentioned Ji Wan, she couldn’t help but remember the way Yan An looked at Ji Wan at Auntie Zhou’s house.

She had smiled so beautifully at Ji Wan.

Yan An sighed heavily, but the smile on her face didn’t lessen. “If the snack business goes well in the future, we can save up some money and move to the city.” This would make it easier for her to buy things, and it would also be much more convenient for Wen Ying to study at the academy. However, the cost of living would increase a lot.

Wen Ying listened to Yan An’s narration. Even though she was a part of the future she was talking about, the displeasure that arose from hearing Ji Wan’s name diluted the joy.

Yan An and Wen Ying slowly ate. Perhaps it was because of the charcoal fire under the table, but the food on the table didn’t get cold quickly. As they ate and drank, Yan An’s eyes became completely hazy.

But her mind was still very clear.

Yan An looked at Wen Ying through her watery vision. “Are we going to stay up tonight?”

In modern times, staying up was not something you had to do unless you wanted to set off firecrackers at midnight. Otherwise, you would just do whatever you wanted after eating New Year’s Eve dinner.

Looking at Yan An’s completely drunk appearance, Wen Ying’s expression softened, and her voice became gentle unconsciously.

“I can stay up later. Why don’t you take a shower and go back to bed?”

Although she sounded very coherent, her body was already a little different from her usual self. She was sitting in the chair and swaying slightly. Wen Ying was a little worried that she would fall off the chair.

“Then I want to stay up with you!” Yan An’s voice rose, and her eyes sparkled as she said, “Otherwise, it’ll be so lonely to stay up alone. You won’t even have anyone to talk to.”

Wen Ying really wanted to say that she wouldn’t feel lonely by herself. She could read and stay up at the same time. But since Yan An was willing to accompany her, Wen Ying naturally wouldn’t say that.

“Okay. Why don’t you go take a shower first?” Wen Ying’s voice was even softer, with a hint of indulgence and doting.

“Mmm!” Yan An nodded heavily, almost falling into the bowls and plates in front of her. Fortunately, Wen Ying was quick to hold her forehead to prevent her from getting injured on New Year’s Eve.

Yan An looked up and chuckled.

Wen Ying looked at her smile helplessly. She could still smile. If she had been a little slower, Yan An would have been crying right now.

Wen Ying quickly cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks on the table and carried the remaining dishes to the kitchen to cover them. She then started to prepare the water that Yan An would use to take a shower.

Seeing her busy, Yan An didn’t just sit in the main hall. She swayed and stood up to follow Wen Ying around. Occasionally, she would reach out to help with something, but Wen Ying would push her hand away and tell her to stand still.

Yan An insisted that she was standing very still! Instead, it was Wen Ying herself who was swaying a little, and yet she was still busy.

“Okay, you can take a shower now,” Wen Ying carried the water into the room and looked at Yan An, who was following her. She smiled helplessly.

“Hmm?” Yan An paused. When she came to her senses, she nodded heavily again. “Okay, shower!”

Wen Ying: “…”

Looking at Yan An like this, she couldn’t help but worry. “Can you wash yourself?”

She really couldn’t feel at ease with Yan An in this state.

Yan An looked at her strangely. “Of course I can wash myself,” After saying that, she paused again. Finally, she looked at Wen Ying seriously and added, “If you can’t drink that much alcohol in the future, don’t drink so much. Look at you now. You can’t even stand still. It’s very dangerous for you to take a shower by yourself.”

“Taking a shower now is not like a shower. The bathtub is filled with water. I’m really afraid that you’ll drown yourself in a daze.”

Wen Ying: “…”

She looked at Yan An’s extremely serious face and was so choked up that she didn’t know what to say. She raised her hand and touched Yan An’s face, rubbing her cheek helplessly with her thumb. “Why do you look like this when you’re drunk?”

“Hmm?” Yan An’s eyes widened. “What are you touching me for? Taking advantage of me?”

Wen Ying: “…”

Facing Yan An like this, she really couldn’t feel at ease. “I’ll help you wash?”

Yan An was horrified. She grabbed Wen Ying’s hand and pulled it down, saying angrily, “You’re getting addicted to taking advantage of me, aren’t you!”

“Touching my face isn’t enough.” “You want to see my body too?” “No way!”

Wen Ying took a deep breath. She had planned to go out and wash the bowls and chopsticks while Yan An was taking a shower, but now, seeing her like this, Wen Ying really didn’t dare to leave the room.

“Okay~ You wash yourself. I’ll be right here. Call me if you need anything,” Wen Ying went to the side and sat down with her back to Yan An. Her ears, however, were always listening for any movement from Yan An to make sure she could find out immediately if something happened.

Yan An blinked her eyes as she looked at Wen Ying’s back. Then she lowered her head and started to take off her clothes. Although this was the first time Wen Ying had stayed in the room while she was taking a shower, she had also done the same to her before, so she wouldn’t be so hypocritical as to not let Wen Ying stay in the room.

After taking off her clothes, she got into the bathtub. Yan An was so comfortable that she almost let out a sigh. After soaking for a while, she lowered her head and started to scrub herself carefully.

However… as she was being steamed by the hot air, her body felt comfortable, but her head felt even more dizzy.

She quietly yawned. Yan An, who felt comfortable all over, started to feel a little sleepy. But she was also thinking about the promise she had made to Wen Ying to stay up with her. Yan An scooped up a basin of water and splashed it on her face to try to wake herself up.

Wen Ying was sitting not far from Yan An. She listened to the sound of water coming from her side and Yan An’s occasional low muttering that she couldn’t hear clearly. She didn’t know what she was saying.

However… she didn’t expect Yan An to be like this when she was drunk. It was kind of cute.

A faint smile unconsciously appeared on Wen Ying’s face. The corners of her eyes and brows were filled with a soft tenderness.

“Wen Ying, where are my clothes?” A confused voice came from behind her.

Wen Ying came back to her senses. Only then did she realize that she had forgotten to prepare a change of clothes for Yan An.

She got up. “Wait a moment. I’ll get them for you now.”

“You’re not allowed to peek at me,” As she opened the wardrobe to look for clothes, Yan An’s mumbling voice came from behind her again. But this time, she could hear it clearly.

Wen Ying: “…”

She sighed softly, turned around, lowered her head, and placed the clothes she was holding in their usual spot. She sat back down in her seat and said, “I’m not peeking at you.”

“She was not a person who would stoop to peeking at someone taking a shower.”

“Mmm! You’re a righteous person!” Yan An nodded in satisfaction.

Wen Ying: “…”

“Suddenly, she felt a little melancholic.” “This compliment didn’t make her happy.”

Yan An struggled to climb out and dry the water on her body. As soon as she got out of the bathtub, she felt a chilly breeze. She shivered as she put on her clothes. Her dizzy and sleepy head had woken up a lot.

“Wen Ying, I’m done,” Yan An said.

When Wen Ying heard this, she knew that she had already put on her clothes. She turned around and didn’t look at Yan An. She went to get the bathtub and pour out the water.

Yan An, who had put on her clothes, swayed and followed behind Wen Ying again.

Wen Ying smiled helplessly in her heart. “Does this guy turn into a shadow when she’s drunk?”

While the hot water for her shower was not yet ready, Wen Ying washed the bowls and chopsticks from earlier. When it was her turn to take a shower, she told Yan An not to follow her and to go to the main hall to warm herself by the fire. This way, she would also be warmer.

“No,” Yan An shook her head from side to side and refused. “You drank so much alcohol. I’m afraid you’ll fall into the bathtub.”

Wen Ying silently looked at her. In the end, she reached out to straighten her slightly crooked collar and sighed helplessly. “It’s you who fell into it.”

“Hmm?” Yan An tilted her head. “I’m not a tub.”

Wen Ying looked at her deeply, withdrew her hand from straightening her clothes, and turned around to take a shower.

Yan An yawned again. She simply went to the bed and lay down on her stomach. While keeping an eye on Wen Ying, she thought to herself that it would be great if she had a video game console right now. Otherwise, staying up all night would be so boring.

Hmm, but Wen Ying was so drunk, yet she was still so calm and didn’t have any accidents while taking a shower. This willpower made Yan An think of one of her friends.

When her friend was drunk and wanted to vomit, he could still hold on and place his laptop and phone in a safe area before vomiting. Yan An was impressed when she saw it.

After her shower, Wen Ying was not in a hurry to take the water out and pour it away. Instead, she came to the bed and looked at Yan An, who had her eyes half-closed under the dim light. She couldn’t help but ask, “Are you sleepy? Do you want to just go to sleep?”

“No,” Yan An immediately shook her head. She had promised to stay up, so how could she go back on her word!

She struggled to get up and walked to the main hall.

Wen Ying quickly followed her to the main hall. When she saw her sit down, she brought some snacks and melon seeds, so they could eat if they got bored.

With her legs being warmed by the charcoal fire under the table, Yan An’s eyes narrowed. She tried to find a topic to talk about and asked, “Are we going to set off firecrackers later?”

Wen Ying had bought a string of firecrackers early.

“Yes, we are. We’ll set off firecrackers,” Wen Ying responded softly.

Yan An could already imagine the whole village being submerged in the sound of firecrackers later. She remembered one year, she and a friend went to spend New Year’s Eve with another friend who was alone at home. When they came out of her house and went home, it was around midnight. The firecrackers were being set off along the way so much that they couldn’t even walk.

Yan An reached out and grabbed a melon seed to crack. She couldn’t help but mumble, “This is so boring.”

“There were two of them, and they couldn’t even play cards.”

Wen Ying was silent for a moment. “Do you want to listen to a song? I can sing for you?”

At this, Yan An didn’t even care about the melon seed anymore. She looked at Wen Ying in shock. She didn’t expect her to be able to sing!

Wen Ying smiled gently and lowered her eyes a little, as if she had made a lot of psychological preparations.

“The night is quiet… Little darling, good little darling, little darling sleeps through the night…” [Note]

The accent was a little strange, but it sounded inexplicably pleasant. Yan An was listening and couldn’t help but be in a daze.

“This sounds like a lullaby.”

Listening to Wen Ying’s soft voice saying “little darling, little darling,” Yan An couldn’t help but feel her face getting hot. For some reason, it felt like she was singing a lullaby to lull her to sleep.

When Wen Ying finished singing, there was a long silence in the room.

Yan An felt that Wen Ying was just too bewitching. She had reached a point where even if she knew it was impossible, she couldn’t help but think more.

“Where did you learn this nursery rhyme from?” Yan An’s voice unconsciously became a lot softer.

Yan An secretly warned herself in her heart not to have any inappropriate feelings for Wen Ying.

Wen Ying didn’t answer right away. She seemed to be thinking of something, and her face became a little lonely.

“I once heard my mother sing it to my younger brothers,” Wen Ying’s voice was extremely soft. It was something she had never had.

Yan An was slightly stunned. Looking at the hint of loneliness on Wen Ying’s face, she seemed to have guessed the situation she was in at home. In her mind, she could vaguely see her mother patiently coaxing her two younger brothers to sleep, while a tired Wen Ying was sleeping not far away, quietly listening to the song that didn’t belong to her.

“Her heart… suddenly felt very bad.”

Time slipped away little by little in a strange atmosphere. Wen Ying suddenly stood up, turned to Yan An, and said, “It’s time to set off firecrackers. Do you want to go out and set them off together?”

“Okay!” Yan An nodded in agreement.

However, when they got to the courtyard, Wen Ying didn’t actually let her set them off. She made her stand at a safe distance. She herself took the string of firecrackers, spread them on the ground, and held a lit incense stick to the fuse.

As the fuse sparked, Wen Ying immediately backed away and ran quickly toward Yan An.

The loud sound of firecrackers rang out behind her, and firecrackers also began to go off in other parts of the village. Yan An looked at Wen Ying, who was running toward her. In the light of the bright moon, she seemed to be able to see Wen Ying’s eyes full of smiles.

“Yan An, I wish you a happy and peaceful New Year.”