Buying preserved plum and meat patties at the Eastern Market. Buying shepherd's purse and shrimp wontons at the Western Market. Buying cave-shaped plum buns at the Northern Market. Buying seven-colored澄sha dumplings at the Southern Market. Jiang Xuesui had an extremely vivid memory of where to buy what delicious foods in the city, and the shop owners and assistants also remembered her vividly. Almost all of them would ask, "Young lady, why isn't your husband with you today?"
Her never-before-seen husband, a cousin, must have often accompanied her on outings. From the words of these people, she could roughly piece together his temperament: he was obedient to her in every way, attentive, gentle, and thoughtful.
On her way home, many commoners who knew her husband gave her gifts: local eggs, fresh fish and shrimp, seasonal fruits and vegetables... No matter how much she declined, it was useless. By the time she couldn't carry any more, those who hadn't managed to give her anything looked disappointed. She had to comfort them one by one, saying that her husband already knew of their goodwill.
It seemed her husband was a good official loved by the people. From the fragments of their words, she could tell what kindness he had shown them: helping them find lost calves, renovating their dilapidated houses, harvesting rice that was about to overripen overnight...
Jiang Xuesui walked and thought. By the time she reached the gate of the Jiang residence, she had changed her mind. She decided not to divorce her never-before-seen cousin husband.
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the inner courtyard of Shanyue Cottage, He Lanlin was loudly reading the letter of divorce that Jiang Xuesui had asked her father to give to Wen Qiao.
"○╳ Two hearts ○╳, ╳○ One ○, ○○╳╳○, ╳○ Root ○. ○ Husband ╳○○ After, ╳╳○○, ○○╳╳, ○○╳╳○○, ╳╳○○ of ╳. ○○╳╳, ╳╳○○. One ○ Two ╳, ╳○╳○."
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