Who Cares About Being the Matriarch? My Rebellious Husband Secured Me a Noble Rank! - Chapter 94

Chi Yan actually came out of the palace safe and sound, which immediately caused quite a stir in the streets.

All the previous uproar and accusations instantly died down. Everyone was quick to sense that something was off — if Chi Yan had really cheated, would His Majesty have let him go? He’d probably be rotting in a prison cell by now!

So the public opinion quietly shifted.

“I remember Chi Yan was a prodigy who passed the xiucai exam at twelve! It’s no surprise he could come out on top this time!”

“Exactly! Some of you talk as if you saw him cheat with your own eyes!”

…

After Chi Yan returned home, Second Madam immediately rushed over, worried sick. “My son, you look so thin…”

She cupped Chi Yan’s face, her throat tight with emotion, but the lie caught in her mouth. Her voice held a trace of doubt, “But… how come you’ve actually put on weight?”

Shen Tangning stood nearby with a faint, amused smile.

Chi Yan’s face flushed; nervously, he scratched his nose. “The palace food is just too good…”

Master Chi anxiously grabbed him, probing gently. “Son, His Majesty didn’t give you any trouble, right? If he let you come back, that means you’re in the clear?”

Chi Yan put on a serious expression, holding back his words for a moment.

Shen Tangning’s lips curled upward. “Husband, don’t keep us in suspense — your father and mother have been so anxious they couldn’t eat or sleep these past few days.”

Chi Yan immediately felt guilty and restless. He wrapped his arms around both his parents and stepped inside. “Don’t worry. His Majesty didn’t punish me. Your son really has the skills. This matter is behind us now…”

…

That night, Shen Tangning was sitting before the bronze mirror, removing her hairpins, when she caught sight of something in the corner of her eye. From a box, she picked up a jade hairpin, roughly made but carved with several clusters of begonia flowers—vivid and lifelike.

She’d never seen such a piece among her jewelry before. Xue Qing had noticed it when dressing her and found it rather novel.

Glancing at Chi Yan in the mirror, she got up and approached him. “Did you give me this hairpin?”

Chi Yan was busy spreading bedding on the floor. Hearing her, he looked up reflexively; his ears instantly flushed red. Quickly, he turned his head away, trying to appear calm. “Ah, I just bought it on a whim at a street stall. If you don’t like it, you can throw it away. It’s not worth much.”

He had bought it casually that day with Shen Ci and Xiao Yu, just to kill time while dealing with a vendor. At first, he didn’t think much of it; later, he felt it was a little embarrassing to give.

Shen Tangning had grown up with the finest things money could buy—how could she be insulted by a cheap trinket?

Since he already bought it, and it wasn’t really suitable for his mother, he’d sneakily hidden it in Shen Tangning’s jewelry box, thinking she wouldn’t notice.

Looking closely at the jade begonia, Shen Tangning was surprised at his thoughtfulness—even if it was a casual buy, he’d paid attention to her liking for begonia flowers.

A small smile curved her lips as she handed the hairpin back to him. “Then put it on me.”

“Ah?” Chi Yan blinked, surprised, then caught the smile in her eyes and shook his head. “I’m clumsy. Better let Xue Qing do it.”

Seeing his reaction, Shen Tangning teased, “It’s just putting on a hairpin, not hard at all. Husband, afraid you won’t do it right?”

Unable to take the bait, Chi Yan straightened up and took the hairpin from her hands, pretending to be calm.

Their fingers brushed briefly; Shen Tangning froze, feeling unexpectedly awkward.

She sat back at the dressing table, and Chi Yan stood behind her. His tall figure completely enveloped her. Shen Tangning glanced in the mirror and pressed her lips together.

Maybe because Chi Yan always seemed casual and carefree, people overlooked his imposing presence—especially now that she couldn’t see his face and couldn’t guess his expression.

“I’ll put it on,” Chi Yan suddenly said, his voice unexpectedly hoarse.

The flickering candlelight brushed over Shen Tangning’s delicate features. She lowered her eyes and nodded.

His movements were gentle, as if afraid of pulling her hair. But Shen Tangning’s silky black hair was slippery like brocade, and the hairpin’s smooth shaft made it tricky. After a few tries, he finally fixed it in place.

Chi Yan’s palms were a little sweaty with nerves. He stepped back, as if having just escaped a close call. “Done.”

Shen Tangning studied her reflection. Nothing looked different. She turned to him. “How does it look?”

Chi Yan caught her gaze unexpectedly. Her eyes weren’t cold as usual; the candlelight danced in them, sparkling and innocent with a faint upward curve at the corners.

He barely noticed the hairpin and just nodded vaguely. “Pretty! I’ll go make the bed now!”

Watching his flustered retreat, Shen Tangning hid a smile in her eyes and suddenly said, “It’s getting colder. You don’t have to sleep on the floor anymore.”

Chi Yan was stunned, slowly turning to her. “What do you mean?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You can sleep in the bed.”

With the chill settling in, if Chi Yan kept sleeping on the floor and caught a cold, she wouldn’t know how to explain it to Second Madam.

Chi Yan finally caught on, looking bashful. “That… doesn’t seem very proper?”

Shen Tangning’s lips curved slightly. “Of course, if you want to keep sleeping on the floor, I won’t stop you.”

Chi Yan: “…”

Come on, can’t a guy have some dignity?

Without hesitation, he folded up the bedding from the floor, afraid Shen Tangning would change her mind. Who wouldn’t want to sleep in a bed instead of on the cold ground?

Shen Tangning’s offer to let him sleep on the bed was literal — the bed was split in half, and they each covered themselves with their own blankets.

After half a year, Chi Yan laid down on the custom-made bed again, feeling a little strange and dazed. This soft, fragrant bed—was it really his?

Shen Tangning felt awkward too. When Chi Yan slept on the floor, she hadn’t minded, but now that a living, breathing person was beside her, his presence was overwhelming.

She closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep, but failed several times. Chi Yan couldn’t help but speak. “If I snore, just kick me off the bed.”

Shen Tangning’s eyelashes twitched, but she said nothing.

After thinking a moment, he added, “Don’t worry, I sleep well and won’t take advantage of you.”

Shen Tangning snapped, “Shut up and go to sleep.”

“…”

Chi Yan finally fell silent.

After a while, steady breathing came from beside her. Chi Yan turned his head to look at Shen Tangning—she slept perfectly still, lying on her back with hands folded over her stomach, as proper and orderly as she was.

He propped his head up and stared at her, suddenly chuckling softly. “Such a little square—so proper even when sleeping.”

—

The next morning, Shen Tangning woke with a suffocating feeling.

The self-proclaimed good sleeper Chi Yan had wrapped his legs around her with both feet, stealing her blanket, while his own was nowhere to be seen.

She took a deep breath; her neck gradually reddened, unsure whether from anger or embarrassment.

Xue Qing entered with a basin, and was caught off guard by the scene,  “Hiss!”