Mistaken Husband After Blindness

Si couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

Why was this man becoming so nitpicky lately?

He wasn’t like this before.

Before she lost her sight, he was the only man she could trust by her side. If she didn’t marry him, who else could she marry?

As the saying goes, as a wife, one must not only coax but also deceive her husband. Si, with her innocent eyes and sincere words, said, "You and I are husband and wife. In my eyes, you are no different from myself. How could you be considered an outsider? Zhuyuan takes care of my daily needs, just like family. When I speak of outsiders, I naturally mean those who are swayed by mere appearances. After all, I can’t stay cooped up at home forever. If I go out and attract the attention of ill-intentioned people, wouldn’t that just cause trouble for my husband?"

The young man smiled, clearly appeased.

He tied the ribbon, his cool voice carrying a hint of tenderness. "Madam, every word of yours is filled with genuine emotion, and every sentence shows deep consideration. I am deeply moved.

"It’s indeed not good to stay cooped up for too long. Since we have nothing to do today, I’ll take you out for a walk."

Since losing her sight, Si had rarely ventured outside. But then she thought of the eldest son of the Yan family, and her worries resurfaced. "I heard that the eldest son of the Yan family is also in Zhuxi, saying he’s hunting for an assassin. Is it really a good idea for us to go out now?"

Yan Shuheng slightly raised his eyelids.

The silence was telling. Zhuyuan couldn’t help but glance nervously in their direction, and even Chuan Yun, who was quietly waiting in the courtyard, perked up his ears.

Only Si, being blind, remained oblivious.

Suddenly, she realized something. In the past few days, she had been so focused on adjusting to her new home that she had completely forgotten one thing.

When Jiang Hui returned with the soldiers that day, it was to capture an assassin. Coincidentally, the eldest son of the Yan family was also in Zhuxi City. Could it be that her husband was working for him?

Recalling the brief glance she had exchanged with him at the City Lord's Mansion, Si’s heart tightened inexplicably.

The moment her delicate brows furrowed and then relaxed was caught by the young man who had been quietly watching her. Yan Shuheng gently touched her temple, soothing her like a young animal, and softly asked, "Why do you become so uneasy at the mention of the eldest son of the Yan family?"

Si didn’t notice the unusual tenderness in his actions. Instead, she asked in confusion, "I heard from Aunt Li that the eldest son of the Yan family is in Zhuxi, claiming to be hunting for an assassin. Around that time, you happened to be away. I can’t help but wonder, are you working for him?"

She then shook her head, dismissing her own speculation.

"No, that can’t be... It was only a few days after you left that I heard from Aunt Li he was hunting for an assassin."

Yan Shuheng patiently listened to her, then raised an eyebrow slightly, as if casually remarking, "Perhaps I wasn’t going to capture an assassin. Perhaps I am the assassin."

This statement hit the mark. Back in Licheng, Si had vaguely suspected as much. When the soldiers barged in a few days ago, she was almost certain. Now that he had said it outright, she couldn’t help but feel guilty for doubting him.

However, her guilt was misinterpreted by others. Outside the door, Chuan Yun suddenly became alert.

Yan Shuheng gave the young man a faint glance.

Chuan Yun was stunned. The look in the eldest son’s eyes seemed almost... protective. Could it really be as the lady said, that he had been swayed by her beauty?

Yan Shuheng turned back, his gaze as gentle as a breeze, and softly asked Si, "If I were the assassin, would you tie me up and hand me over to the eldest son of the Yan family?

"Or would you shield me out of personal affection?"

Si sensed a hint of loneliness in his words—the uncertainty of whether his wife would firmly stand by his side. She solemnly replied, "My husband is a righteous man, upright in his actions. You couldn’t possibly be an assassin."

She thought Jiang Hui was working for him, so she didn’t want to offend either side.

But Yan Shuheng fell silent.

She truly trusted her husband.

Mutual trust between husband and wife is, of course, reasonable. But hearing this as the one who had been targeted by the assassin, it felt like a thorn in his side.

However, since he was currently pretending to be her husband, he could only sigh silently and let the wind carry it away.

He smiled as if moved and casually asked, "I recall your father once wanted to send you to him. I’ve always been curious—why did he think it would work? Could it be that you and the eldest son of the Yan family had some past connection?"

"Impossible," Si denied.

"I’ve only seen him once from afar. We’ve never even spoken. How could there be any past connection?"

Even so, his words were like a thread, pulling Si’s thoughts back to that day.

That day, she had accidentally wandered into the garden and saw a young man with his hands behind his back, leisurely descending the steps.

The man was elegant and handsome, with strikingly beautiful eyes. His gaze was as gentle as a spring breeze, touching everything equally—the surrounding flowers and grass, the guards at the foot of the hill, and even Si, dressed in plain clothes.

His warm gaze lingered on her face.

In that brief moment of eye contact, it felt as if a butterfly had landed on her face. Si, forgetting all propriety, stood there dumbfounded, staring at him from a distance.

That fleeting moment seemed to stretch endlessly, as if time had rewound, giving her the illusion that she had met him before, in some forgotten past.

This illusion grew stronger when the young man nodded politely at her—

They were strangers. She was just a common girl. Why would a nobleman like him show her such courtesy?

The young man stared at her intently, as if puzzled, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved into a smile. But then, Si noticed a flicker of darkness in those affectionate eyes.

Coincidentally, behind him, the City Lord of Licheng was nervously wiping his sweat as he shuffled down the stone steps.

Fear of authority made Si instinctively wary. Pretending to be flustered, she ran away.

Now, hearing Jiang Hui’s question, Si was reminded—could it be that before she lost her memory, she had indeed met the eldest son of the Yan family?

But judging from his meaningful gaze, even if there was a connection, it wasn’t a good one.

She might have even offended him.

Knowing that too much talk could lead to mistakes, even with her husband, Si didn’t reveal all her thoughts.

Instead, she asked, "Why are you asking about this?"

Yan Shuheng sighed leisurely. "I remember that the eldest son of the Yan family was a man of extraordinary grace and elegance, the kind of jade-like gentleman that most ladies would admire. I can’t help but wonder why you chose to elope with me instead of staying with him."

Considering that he might be working for the eldest son, Si hesitated. He gently reassured her, "We’re at home now. It’s just the two of us. You can speak freely."

Si thought to herself that she wasn’t foolish. The divide between nobility and commoners was vast. Why would she ever want to become a plaything for a nobleman?

But if she said that, her husband might misunderstand that she chose him only because she had no other options—which, to be fair, was partly true. So Si said, "When I begged you to take me away, I told you I loved you. Since my heart belongs to you, how could I ever shift my affections? As for that gentleman,

"Admittedly, he is exceptionally handsome, the kind of man any woman would glance at twice. But he’s surrounded by beauties. He only glanced at me casually. Besides,"

"Besides what?"

Yan Shuheng leisurely prompted.

Si recalled those warm, affectionate eyes and shook her head like a seasoned observer. "A man so refined and gentle, with eyes that seem naturally full of affection—even a brick would feel like it’s been gazed upon for eternity, and even a blade of grass would seem to be cherished. I prefer someone like my husband, who, though reserved, has eyes only for me..."

Yan Shuheng couldn’t help but laugh at her words.

He raised a finger, about to tap her forehead, but pulled back at the last moment and scoffed, "It’s only because you couldn’t have him. If he had been devoted only to you, I wouldn’t have stood a chance, right?"

Si looked at him innocently and helplessly. "That’s not fair."

He smiled faintly. "You’ve been paying such close attention to his whereabouts. Since you didn’t want to be offered to a nobleman, isn’t it a good thing for you that he was targeted by an assassin?"

Although Jiang Hui was usually indifferent, Si knew he would even help refugees by the roadside. How could she possibly rejoice at the misfortune of someone unrelated?

Unless he was the assassin, but clearly, he wasn’t.

He must be jealous again.

She explained, "I didn’t want to be offered to a nobleman because my heart belongs to you. Although this matter started because of him, it has nothing to do with him. Wishing him harm would be unkind."

Yan Shuheng laughed helplessly.

"Fine. Since he tried to break us apart, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for you to resent him."

After tidying up, Yan Shuheng, accompanied by his guards, took Si out.

He held her on horseback, encircling her in his arms but leaving enough space between them, not pressing too close.

His hands casually held the reins, and though the horse was lazy, he didn’t mind, simply strolling along.

As they passed through a bustling market, the noise gave Si a headache. She tugged at his sleeve. "Husband, it’s too noisy here. Can we find a quieter place?"

"Of course," he agreed, but the horse continued to move slowly. Si couldn’t help but feel surprised.

Jiang Hui usually avoided being seen in public. Why was he now riding through the streets with her in full view?

Though she had never fully understood his preferences and habits, this change seemed rather significant.

Her fingers twitched, and she tugged at his sleeve again, naturally pinching the fabric and lingering for a moment to discern its texture before letting go.

The person behind her suddenly leaned in and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Si's right thumb and index finger still held the fabric she had just touched. She withdrew her hand into her sleeve and murmured, "It's nothing. I just lost my balance for a moment."

The texture of the fabric lingered on her fingertips.

Si's brow gradually furrowed.

Jiang Hui's clothes had always been made of ordinary materials, but today's fabric was unusually fine. The sleeve had a slight roughness, likely from the embroidery threads.

Now that they were close, she seemed to catch a faint, elegant fragrance wafting from his robe.

It was hard to place the scent, but it certainly didn't smell like cheap incense. It was subtle, refined, and barely noticeable—more like the lingering aroma of a place where incense burned and bamboo grew.

Since when had he become so particular?

As she lost herself in thought, Yan Shuheng glanced down at her slender fingers, which had stiffened and then relaxed. Her right hand seemed slightly tense, as if she had touched something she shouldn't have.

The young man's gaze lingered on her, his eyes not showing any wariness but instead gleaming with a faint light.

These past few days, he had been rather careless.

His tone hadn't fully mimicked that of her husband, and his clothes were far from the usual plain fabrics. He had merely removed his jade pendant and donned a more practical robe.

Perhaps she could still convince herself that she was overthinking things, but to someone who had grown up surrounded by deceit, these were glaringly obvious flaws.

The reason he hadn't bothered to conceal or imitate more carefully was simply to tease Si, to see if she would notice.

And if she did, how would she react?

A flicker of intrigue passed through Yan Shuheng's eyes, like a spark from a candle or the gleam of a predator ready to play with its prey.

But his expression quickly returned to its usual warmth.

Yan Shuheng wrapped one arm around Si, holding the reins with the same hand, while his other hand slipped into her sleeve and grasped her delicate wrist.

The moment his fingertips brushed her palm,

Si instinctively tried to pull her hand away. The question on the tip of her tongue was suppressed, turning into a bashful protest instead. "In public? What are you doing…"

Yan Shuheng leaned in slightly, mimicking Jiang Hui's tone as he asked in a low voice,

"What's wrong with your hand? Did you feel something unusual?"