Chapter 4

“I'll give you ten taels of silver every month. All you have to do is cooperate with me and put on an act.” Unlike what Wen Yusheng had imagined, Jiang Manyue showed neither delight nor displeasure upon hearing this. She just looked a little... confused. But Jiang Manyue wasn't actually confused. She was mentally converting the value of those ten taels of silver. Once she finished calculating, a look of surprise appeared on her face. Converted to RMB, that was equivalent to ten thousand yuan! “Ten taels of silver! And food and lodging are included? All I have to do is cooperate with you and put on an act?” Jiang Manyue's expression seemed to say, *Are there really no other requirements?* Wen Yusheng looked away, deliberately avoiding her sparkling eyes. “...You also have to learn some things from me.” At the very least, she needed to learn not to stare so directly at a man. “Okay! Deal!” Jiang Manyue agreed without the slightest hesitation, afraid that he might change his mind. Ten taels of silver a month was something she could never earn by working outside. There were very few jobs here suitable for someone like her, who had neither an education nor any special skills. On top of that, she looked so thin and frail that no one would even hire her for manual labor. If it hadn't been for the silver the Wen family had given her to survive on, Jiang Manyue would have long since followed her recently deceased “mother” into the grave. She wouldn't have lasted until her marriage. Three days after their wedding, Wen Yusheng moved out with Jiang Manyue. Officially, it was because newlyweds needed some time alone together. In reality, it was to avoid all the gossip. Wen Yusheng hated having his half-sisters and half-brothers pry into their lives. Wen's mother made a token attempt to persuade them to stay, but eventually let them go. After all, now that her son was married, it wasn't appropriate for him to continue living in the family home. And so, Wen Yusheng and Jiang Manyue began living together as a couple. Their new home was a villa on the outskirts of the city. The surroundings were peaceful, the air was fresh, and since it was Wen Yusheng's own property, no one would come and interfere in their affairs. There were fields and a fish pond not far away. After moving here, Jiang Manyue went there to play every day. Although they had moved out, the two of them still shared the same room. Only Xiaokui knew that they slept separately and had never consummated their marriage. That day, Jiang Manyue went to the fish pond again. When she returned, she was carrying several crucian carp in her hands. She took them straight to the kitchen. “Make some soup for your master to nourish him.” The cook took the fish and looked them over. “Certainly! These fish are so plump. The soup will definitely be delicious. Madam, you're so good to your husband!” Jiang Manyue smiled without saying anything. Actually, she hadn't specifically caught the fish to nourish Wen Yusheng. The main reason was that she wanted some crucian carp soup herself. But her mission was to win over Wen Yusheng and make him happy. If she could enjoy herself a little along the way, all the better. Xiaokui brought the fish soup over and placed it in front of Wen Yusheng. “Young Master, Madam specifically caught these fish for you to nourish your health. You should try some.” They had been living here for half a month now. During that time, Jiang Manyue either went fishing and catching shrimp or picked vegetables and fruit every day. Every time she returned, she would send some of what she had gathered to Wen Yusheng. Whether or not these actions had touched Wen Yusheng, Xiaokui had certainly been moved. He felt that Jiang Manyue was actually quite a good person. Although she couldn't earn money to support the household, she was at least very thoughtful. “Just put it there.” Wen Yusheng didn't even look at the fish soup. He continued reading the account book. “Young Master?” Xiaokui wanted to persuade him again, but Wen Yusheng waved his hand and interrupted him. Xiaokui had no choice but to leave helplessly. Ever since Wen Yusheng married Wang Xiucai several years ago, he had suffered from a poor appetite. Over the years, he had become noticeably thinner, though his loose clothing concealed it. He had seen doctors many times, and they all said there was nothing seriously wrong. He was simply suffering from pent-up emotions and needed to recuperate slowly. But this “slow recuperation” had already lasted for several years without any improvement. Xiaokui was worried sick, yet there was nothing he could do. After Xiaokui left, Wen Yusheng finally put down the account book and rubbed his temples. After resting for a moment, he opened his eyes and looked at the bowl of fish soup on the table. The soup was rich and milky white, and its fragrance filled the air. Wen Yusheng took a sip. The fish was tender and delicate, clearly very fresh. However, after eating only two bites, he still put down the spoon and picked up the account book again. That evening, Jiang Manyue also got to enjoy the fish soup. She happily slurped down a large bowl. Beside her, Wen Yusheng glanced at her hearty way of eating before continuing to eat the rice in his own bowl with his usual elegance. Just as Jiang Manyue finished one bowl of rice and went to serve herself another, she noticed that Wen Yusheng had already put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth. “You're not eating anymore? You've only eaten half of your bowl!” Calling it a bowl was a bit of a stretch in Jiang Manyue's opinion. It looked more like an oversized teacup and couldn't hold much food at all. Wen Yusheng delicately wiped the corners of his mouth with a handkerchief. “Mm. I'm done.” Jiang Manyue carried her bowl over and sat beside him. “Then keep me company while I eat for a little while, okay? Just for a little while~” Her sweet, coquettish plea made Wen Yusheng pause. The warmth coming from the person beside him also made him very uncomfortable. She was too close. “...Fine.” Jiang Manyue smiled happily and winked at Xiaokui, who was standing beside Wen Yusheng. Xiaokui gave her an approving look in return. If Xiaokui hadn't come to whisper to her, Jiang Manyue wouldn't have known that Wen Yusheng's health was actually this poor. Using the serving chopsticks, Jiang Manyue placed a piece of meat into Wen Yusheng's bowl. “Eat more meat. Look how thin you are. Do you want to come to the fields with me tomorrow?” Jiang Manyue thought Wen Yusheng might have such a poor appetite because he didn't get enough exercise in his daily life. If he could walk around more and spend some time outdoors, surely he would work up an appetite and start enjoying his food. “No need.” Wen Yusheng ate the piece of meat Jiang Manyue had given him, but rejected her invitation to go out together. Jiang Manyue let out a quiet “Oh” and lowered her head, dejectedly continuing to eat. However, by bedtime, she had already recovered. Not only had she gotten over it, she continued trying to persuade Wen Yusheng to go outside with her. “There are lots of crayfish by the fish pond. We can use pork liver to catch them.” Wen Yusheng turned over, presenting his back to her. “And Xiaotao's dog recently had puppies. I heard they're really cute. We can go take a look. Maybe we could even bring one home to raise. Do you like dogs? I really love them.” “And there's...” “Enough. I'll go with you.” “Huh? Really? That's great! Hehe.” The chattering finally stopped. Jiang Manyue wasn't deliberately being so talkative. She simply wanted to share her happiness with Wen Yusheng. The two of them had been living together for some time now. Although Wen Yusheng wasn't talkative and was rather cold, he had never mistreated her in the slightest. Little by little, Jiang Manyue's mindset had changed. What had originally been nothing more than a mission was gradually becoming a genuine desire to make him a little happier.