Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 91

But if it wasn’t Yu Qizhe, could it have been Yu Fuling who carried her back to the room? Yu Jiao glanced hesitantly at Yu Fuling.

Yu Fuling had been used to farm work since childhood and was very strong. The more Yu Jiao thought about it, the more she believed it must have been Yu Fuling who carried her back inside.

Yu Jiao softly murmured her thanks. Yu Fuling smiled and said, “No need to thank me. The food’s already cold, how about I light a fire and warm it up?”

Right now, she found Yu Jiao quite agreeable. She was happy to see Yu Jiao getting close to Yu Qizhe. With her wedding coming after the New Year, it gave her peace of mind to know someone like Yu Jiao would be there to help take care of her parents and little brother.

Yu Jiao shook her head. “No need.” It was summertime, after all; cold food was still fine.

Yu Fuling picked up a candle and accompanied Yu Jiao to the kitchen. It was still raining outside, though not as heavily as the past few days.

Yu Jiao ate in the kitchen while Yu Fuling sat nearby, even pouring her a cup of hot tea.

Sipping the tea, Yu Jiao felt a quiet warmth in her heart. Though the Yu household had its fair share of troubles, since regaining her senses, she had been well cared for by the second branch of the family, which gave her a sense of belonging.

After washing up and returning to her room, Yu Jiao wasn’t sleepy. She picked up the Records of Taiyan from her bedside cabinet and leaned against the bedhead to read.

Yu Fuling was also still awake, picking up her sewing basket to continue working on her wedding dress. It was nearly finished, needing only a few adjustments around the collar.

About half an hour later, Yu Fuling stretched and nudged Yu Jiao with her elbow, beaming. “Finally done! I’ll try it on, help me see how it looks.”

Yu Jiao looked up. “Sure.”

She knew Yu Fuling had worked on this dress for a long time and was probably full of anticipation for her upcoming marriage.

“Have you ever seen your future husband?” Yu Jiao asked curiously.

Yu Fuling blushed and replied shyly, “No, not yet.”

“So you don’t even know if he’s round, tall, fat, or thin?” Yu Jiao had assumed that even with strict traditions, the bride and groom would at least get one meeting beforehand.

Yu Fuling lowered her gaze, embarrassed. “Not entirely. Father and Mother met him. They say he’s an honest, sturdy young man. Though his family is a bit poor, his parents have good tempers.”

As she spoke, she had already changed into her red wedding dress. She slipped on her shoes and twirled in front of Yu Jiao, smiling brightly. “I copied the style worn by women in town when they marry. How does it look?”

The dark red linen dress couldn’t compare to the luxurious silks worn by noble ladies at their weddings, but it was hand-sewn by Yu Fuling, stitch by stitch. Yu Jiao sincerely said, “It’s beautiful. You’re more radiant than the flowers. Your future husband will definitely like it.”

Yu Fuling smiled bashfully, lips pressed together. “Don’t tease me. If you think it’s pretty, I’ll make one for you someday too.”

Yu Jiao shook her head with a smile. “No need. I’m not getting married.”

Yu Fuling carefully removed the dress, folded it neatly, and put it in the wardrobe. “Speaking of which, you and my little brother still haven’t had your engagement properly arranged. Once he recovers, we’ll have Mother handle it properly.”

“No need,” Yu Jiao replied playfully. “Weren’t you always hoping that Chen family’s Ah-Rou would become your sister-in-law? Once Yu Qizhe recovers, you can propose again.”

Yu Fuling quickly explained, “Ah-Rou is already engaged, she’s marrying into a scholarly family in town. She and my brother have no future now. Don’t take my past nonsense to heart. Ever since you came to the Yu family, my parents have already treated you like their daughter-in-law.”

“Qizhe has told me many times he has nothing to do with Ah-Rou anymore. Please don’t let my foolish words drive a wedge between you.”

Seeing her so anxious, Yu Jiao smiled gently and said casually, “It’s fine. In this life, everyone seeks a worthy partner to grow old with. Life is too long. If you end up with someone you don’t truly like, you’ll just resent each other. Better to travel the world freely, alone.”

Yu Fuling clearly didn’t agree with such unconventional thinking. “Marriage has always followed parental arrangements and matchmakers’ words. Without a man to rely on, a woman’s life is rootless and bitter. Don’t worry, my brother is someone dependable. He’ll treat you very well.”

Yu Jiao gave a faint smile but said nothing more. They were from different times, with incompatible beliefs. In her past life, she had never married, not because she didn’t want to, but because she had been waiting for someone. 

Someone who made her feel she truly wanted to spend a lifetime with him.

“It’s late. Get some rest,” Yu Jiao said, lying down.

Yu Fuling climbed into bed and blew out the lamp. After lying quietly for a while, she softly said into the dark, “I’ll be married after the New Year. Once I’m gone, my brother and parents will be in your hands. Yu Jiao, will you keep being good to them?”

Yu Jiao didn’t respond immediately. She stared into the darkness for a long time before finally saying, “Auntie Song and Uncle Mengshan have treated me very kindly. As long as I’m part of this family, I’ll treat them well.”

Yu Fuling felt a bit more at ease after hearing that. But since Yu Jiao hadn’t mentioned Qizhe, she couldn’t help but worry. “Please don’t be put off by my brother’s cold demeanor. It’s all because of his illness. He used to be quieter, yes, but he used to smile too. These past years have made him more withdrawn.”

Yu Fuling sighed in the dark. Yu Jiao responded softly, then closed her eyes and soon drifted off to sleep.

The rain hadn’t stopped by the next day. After brewing medicine for Yu Qizhe in the kitchen, Yu Jiao brought it into his room.

As Yu Qizhe drank, Yu Jiao sat nearby and spotted the calligraphy sheet she hadn’t finished the previous day. Ink had spilled, smudging several characters and turning the page into a ruined mess. She pulled it out and tossed it into the wastebasket. 

Then she said to Yu Qizhe, “If I fall asleep while practicing my writing again, just wake me up next time. Don’t let Fuling carry me back to my room.”

Yu Qizhe paused slightly in the middle of drinking, then swallowed the bitter medicine. He looked up at Yu Jiao, gave a slight cough, and finally answered.

“I’m heading up the mountain to find a certain herb later,” Yu Jiao added. “So I won’t be practicing calligraphy today.”

Yu Qizhe set down his empty bowl. His tone was calm, but his words carried concern. “It’s still raining outside. Wait until the weather clears.”

Yu Jiao walked over to the small table, picked up the bowl, and turned to leave. “If I wait, the herb will be gone.”

“I’ll tell big brother to go with you,” Yu Qizhe said as he stood, calling after her.

“Alright,” Yu Jiao replied, turning to smile at him.

Her fair and delicate face glowed softly in the morning light, framed by fluttering lashes and bright, almond-shaped eyes that sparkled with clarity. Yu Qizhe’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly looked away, not daring to meet her gaze.

When YuRuhai heard that Yu Jiao planned to go herb-picking in the mountains, he didn’t object and agreed to let Yu Zhixing accompany her. Yu Fuling also wanted to go, but Yu Jiao declined.

She was specifically looking for Yao Grass, and after days of rain, the mountain paths would be muddy and unstable, too dangerous.

Not long after Yu Jiao and Yu Zhixing headed into the mountains, a carriage rolled through the rain, making its way into Qingyu Village and stopping in front of the Yu residence.