So he could tell at a glance that no matter how she pretended, she couldn't pull it off.
Gu Lanyin removed her elaborate hairpins and said gently, "It was too hard to marry you."
"But today, I disgraced you."
"I don't know how Bao Niang became so confused. I didn't warn her beforehand."
Gu Lanyin smiled. "Your Bao Niang is a bit slow. I don't think she could have done this."
"Then who could it be?"
"It's not Bao Niang. There were only seven people in the tea room today."
Gu Lanyin used a damp handkerchief to wipe off the makeup on her face, his movements very meticulous. He seemed unconcerned about the maids. Only after her face was clean did he say, "Father and Mother have drunk the tea and recognize you as their daughter-in-law. You just need to be yourself. As for the restless maids, I'll deal with them."
Wan Niang looked up at him. His words were like a calming pill, dissolving her guilt and turning it into love.
Returning kindness for kindness, she pressed him to sit at the dressing table, took the jade comb, and arranged his hair. Her slender fingers moved through his thick, dark hair, quickly styling a beautiful topknot.
She whispered, "It's a pity I've been unwell these days, but it's okay. I'll eat well."
Gu Lang smiled at her in the mirror.
Perhaps out of pity for her, he obediently slept beside her that night.
Before dawn the next day, footsteps of maids were heard outside.
Zhao Wan Niang, as a new bride, had been anxious all night, fearing any more mishaps. She dared not sleep in.
As she got up to dress, Gu Lang said from behind, "It's too early for you to get up."
"Better early than late."
Back home, her mother had told her that marriage was different from being a young lady at home. If she wasn't diligent and didn't show respect to her mother-in-law, she would suffer later.
No matter how good a daughter-in-law was, she would still be scrutinized. Setting rules was a small matter; if she wasn't liked, being sent back home was common.
So no matter how Gu Lang tried to persuade her, she insisted on going to see her mother-in-law.
Wan Niang dressed in thick clothes, applied powder, and drew her eyebrows.
When Bao Niang came in with breakfast, she lit the candles in the outer room.
It was still early, and she thought the young master was still asleep. But when she turned around, she saw a figure by the wardrobe.
She tentatively called out, "Young Master." The young man in crimson clothes turned around, looked her up and down in the dim light, and smiled. "You're late."
"Last night was too busy, I just..." On the first day after marrying into the Gu family, she had been lazy. Bao Niang's explanation trailed off, knowing she had slept in. She now tried to act industrious to make up for it.
After finally setting the table, the young lady only drank a few sips of porridge before insisting on going to see the master and madam.
"It's so cold outside, miss. Have a little more."
Wan Niang shook her head and urged her.
Bao Niang sighed, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and forced herself to be alert.
The red lanterns and decorations in the courtyard were still there. Pushing open the door, yesterday's festive spirit seemed not to have dissipated.
Gu Lanyin opened an umbrella, and the two walked in the snowy weather.
The little maid behind was still wolfing down her food.
He helped her across the bridge and said with a faint smile, "How did you get such a greedy girl? She's so round that even the wind can't blow her away."
Wan Niang helplessly blinked at him. "With her good appetite, I can eat a little more."
"Are you treating her like your daughter?"
Wan Niang couldn't help laughing. "That's not it. She's a few months younger than me."
"Then you're treating her like an ancestor."
Wan Niang laughed, then couldn't help asking curiously, "Do you dislike my maid?"
Gu Lanyin glanced at Bao Niang and thought of the one by He Ping'an's side, finding it unbelievable. "How could I? Since she's yours, I like her plenty."
Bao Niang had sharp ears. When she heard the young master say he liked her plenty, she happily swallowed the last meat roll, but choked on a mouthful of north wind, almost suffocating.
They arrived at Master Gu's residence. Master Gu was already up.
He always rose early and was having breakfast. Seeing his son arrive before dawn, he ordered the servants to set extra bowls and chopsticks and add more dishes.
Wan Niang didn't dare to sit. Seeing her so restrained, Master Gu smiled. "We're all family now. No need to be so polite. Your mother-in-law will be up in a while. Have something to eat first."
Gu Lanyin made her sit down. Father and son had nothing to say to each other; without Wan Niang, they wouldn't even have eaten together.
When her mother-in-law finally woke, Wan Niang felt as if she were facing a great enemy.
Master Gu, seeing her cautious demeanor, kicked Gu Lanyin's leg. "Aren't you going with her?"
"You come with me too."
Wan Niang walked into the inner courtyard and felt embarrassed to see them following.
Madam Zhou had risen relatively early today. As a first-time mother-in-law, she dressed very solemnly. But seeing Master Gu and Gu Lanyin, she coughed awkwardly.
"Why are you all here? Such a big show. Afraid I'll eat your wife?" Madam Zhou sipped her thin porridge with a spoon and sighed. "When I was a daughter-in-law, I never had such treatment. I could only do what my mother-in-law said."
She had prepared a meeting gift for Wan Niang, planning to give it after setting the rules. But she had only drunk one cup of her tea when her son started urging.
He was her most worry-free and proud son. Madam Zhou looked at Gu Lanyin's smiling eyes, hesitated for a moment, and rubbed her temples.
"It's cold today. You went through the trouble of coming early. I'm not that harsh a mother-in-law. This is a multicolored coral necklace I bought from a sea merchant. I'm giving it to you so you won't look too plain and get..."
Gu Lanyin interrupted her with a smile. "Thank you, Mother."
Madam Zhou: "..."
She helplessly took a sip of tea, thinking that this was less like a daughter-in-law meeting her mother-in-law and more like meeting her little ancestor.
Wan Niang came out of the room in high spirits.
Back home, Gu Lang called all the servants in the courtyard before her so she could familiarize herself with their faces.
There were only a few influential servants in the household. They all paid their respects, and Wan Niang took out some gifts from her dowry. Knowing that Gu Lang had a personal maid, she gave her an additional two bolts of fine silk.
The maid named Bai Long came before her, and she took a careful look.
Indeed, she was strikingly beautiful.
Bai Long knelt on the ground and kowtowed to the new mistress, smiling very obediently.
However, the young master lowered his head and turned the teacup, not even glancing at her. Instead, behind him, the maid—the young mistress's dowry maid—looked down on her, sizing her up.
Wan Niang had the maid hand the gifts to her and said with a smile, "So you're Bai Long? Truly lovely. Use these silks to make some clothes. Everyone says you're the most reliable. I'll need you to be diligent in household matters."
"It's my duty. Feel free to command, young mistress."
Bai Long kowtowed to receive the reward and then said some auspicious words. Seeing that the young master had no reaction from start to finish, she felt somewhat disheartened.
Just as she was about to leave, the young master finally took pity on her and called out.
"You said so much just now. Have some tea to moisten your throat."
Cheng Bi held the tray and secretly winked at her. Bai Long was happy on the surface, ignoring his twitching face. She thanked the young master and took the teacup, but the hot tea startled her.
She raised her eyes and saw the young master smiling at her, saying softly, "Why not drink?"