The Laid-back Life of a Stepmother

The next day, Xu Yuxuan was dumbfounded when he pulled out a rabbit-hair brush from his book bag.

Wen Ye had deliberately gotten up early today to have breakfast with Xu Yuxuan, just to witness his reaction. Xu Yuxuan picked up the rabbit-hair brush and handed it to Wen Ye, saying, "Mother, did Auntie forget?" Wen Ye shattered his illusion as she sipped a small wonton from the chicken broth and replied, "Your auntie didn’t forget. This is yours."

Xu Yuxuan seemed unconvinced, or perhaps he thought of something else, as he got off the table and overturned his book bag. He ignored the trinkets that fell out and only stopped when he confirmed there was no second rabbit-hair brush.

Wen Ye found it amusing but didn’t plan to tell him that the brush had been placed in his bag by Xu Yuejia himself, who had personally delivered it to the west courtyard the day before.

Xu Yuxuan returned to the dining table, nibbling on his pig-shaped milk buns while occasionally glancing at his book bag. His eyes blinked mischievously, hinting at some new scheme. Wen Ye didn’t bother to intervene, knowing he had a whole box of rabbit-hair brushes to play with.

Seeing Xu Yuxuan’s slightly disappointed expression, Wen Ye’s appetite improved, and she ate an extra bowl of chicken broth wontons and two wild shepherd’s purse buns.

Last night, Wen Ye had learned from Xu Yuejia that the disgraced scholar who had been sentenced to exile would be sent to Minzhou today. Calculating the days, she realized it had been quite a while since she last went out. Coincidentally, Xue Jingxian had sent her an invitation.

Xue Jingxian’s reason for the invitation was simple—to thank Wen Ye for taking care of her and her sister during their stay at the manor. Wen Ye, however, knew there was more to it. Nevertheless, she decided to play along and act as if she knew nothing.

★

At Juxian Pavilion, Xue Jingxian had reserved a private room with a window overlooking the main street. She had only met Wen Ye once before, so to avoid seeming too forward, she had also invited her close friend Lady Wen, who was Wen Ye’s cousin-in-law. The two families were already close, and with this connection, their gathering would feel more natural.

Juxian Pavilion had been recommended by Lady Wen, who praised its excellent dishes and thought Wen Ye would enjoy them. Lady Wen was unaware of the Xue family’s affairs and assumed the invitation was purely for a friendly gathering.

Xue Jingxian hadn’t told her the truth either. Her parents had specifically instructed her to keep the matter confidential, as it concerned her younger sister’s reputation. Apart from her parents, only she and her sixth brother, Xue Yan, knew the details.

As for Xue Yan, his loose tongue had earned him two weeks of kneeling in the ancestral hall, which Xue Jingxian thought was too lenient a punishment.

When Wen Ye arrived, she was the last to enter the private room. She apologized, "I’m sorry for being late."

Xue Jingxian stood up and invited her to sit, saying, "You’re not late. Shuyan and I just arrived."

Shuyan was Lady Wen’s maiden name.

Xue Jingcha, with her innocent, round face, had always liked Wen Ye, even though they had only met once. She felt comfortable around Wen Ye and didn’t have to overthink her words.

Xue Jingcha pointed to the seat opposite her by the window and said proudly, "Sister Ye, I saved this seat just for you!"

Xue Jingxian sighed, "She’s always like this. I hope Madam Xu doesn’t mind."

Wen Ye didn’t mind who she sat with. She replied, "No need to call me Madam Xu. Just call me Yeniáng."

Xue Jingxian nodded and said, "Then you can call me Jingxian in private."

Wen Ye sat down, and Xue Jingcha immediately poured her a cup of tea. "This is plum tea, a specialty of Juxian Pavilion. Try it, Sister Ye."

Xue Jingxian teased, "You’re never this attentive with me."

Xue Jingcha replied without hesitation, "That’s because I like Sister Ye."

Wen Ye took a sip. The tea had lost most of its bitterness, leaving behind a refreshing sweetness with a hint of sourness from the plums. It was quite pleasant, especially for someone who didn’t enjoy the usual bitterness of tea.

Xue Jingcha had already drunk three cups before Wen Ye arrived. "Do you like it, Sister Ye?" she asked, tilting her head.

Wen Ye nodded sincerely, "It’s delicious."

The plum tea gave her an idea. She decided she would experiment with plums and ice to create a plum-flavored cold drink.

Lady Wen chimed in, "Several of the signature dishes here are excellent."

Xue Jingxian added, "I heard from Shuyan that you enjoy spicy food, so I chose Juxian Pavilion. Their kitchen has a chef who specializes in Lingcheng cuisine."

Wen Ye was pleasantly surprised. "Then I’m in for a treat."

It wasn’t yet lunchtime, so the table was set with a pot of plum tea and a few snacks from Juxian Pavilion. Suddenly, the street outside grew lively.

Xue Jingcha, who had been keeping an eye on the commotion, exclaimed, "Look! It’s that bad guy Sister Ye caught at the manor!"

Everyone ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍followed her gaze, and Wen Ye leaned out the window to get a better view.

Xu Muzhi, dressed in prisoner’s garb and shackled, stumbled among a group of convicts being exiled to Minzhou. While there were many prisoners being sent away, he was the only one who had become infamous throughout the city.

Lady Wen frowned in anger. "I heard Madam Deng still hasn’t recovered. She’s so weak. How could Xu Muzhi be so cruel?"

Xue Jingcha asked, "Will Madam Deng stay in Sheng Jing?"

Lady Wen replied, "Probably not. Her parents came from Wancheng to take her and her daughter back there." She had heard this from her mother-in-law, who repeated it several times a day, making it hard to forget.

Xue Jingcha sighed softly, "It’s better to return to Wancheng. At least she won’t have to endure the gossip and judgment in Sheng Jing. She’s the most innocent one in all this."

Xue Jingxian glanced subtly at Wen Ye, who remained expressionless. Unsure of how to proceed, she carefully added, "Yes, the Deng family was even planning to move their silk business from Wancheng to Sheng Jing to support his studies. Starting a business in Sheng Jing isn’t easy, and they were willing to start over for him. Yet he was so ungrateful."

Wen Ye nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Even a wild beast wouldn’t harm its own child. He’s truly despicable."

Xue Jingxian observed Wen Ye’s reaction closely. Seeing no hesitation or suspicion in her expression, Xue Jingxian finally concluded that Wen Ye truly didn’t know the full story.

After all, Xu Yuejia was known for his strict integrity and was unlikely to discuss such matters with his wife. Xue Jingxian had been acting on her father’s behalf.

Not long ago, Xue Jingxian’s father had learned from Wang Sheng, the Prefect of the Capital, that Xu Yuejia had ordered all rumors related to the Xue family to be suppressed. While he couldn’t openly thank Xu Yuejia, he knew his eldest daughter had spent time with Wen Ye during a spring outing. Thus, today’s gathering had been arranged.

Since Wen Ye was unaware of the situation, Xue Jingxian couldn’t delve deeper and had to stick to a more casual conversation.

As the prisoners disappeared into the distance and the commotion died down, Wen Ye closed the window. Xue Jingcha reluctantly turned her attention back to the table.

Xue Jingxian then took out a rabbit-hair brush suitable for a child’s early education and said, "Yeniáng, your Xu Yuxuan must be starting his studies soon, right? My father bought this pair of brushes for his grandson. I’ve chosen one for you to take back for Xu Yuxuan to use for painting."

Rabbit-hair brushes weren’t rare, but the one Xue Jingxian held was part of a pair made with green jade.

Wen Ye didn’t immediately accept it. Instead, she asked, "This brush is part of a pair. Isn’t it a shame to separate them?"

She understood Xue Jingxian’s intention but chose not to acknowledge the underlying meaning.

Xue Jingxian explained, "It’s just a brush. I picked it up casually before leaving the house. I was worried you might find it too simple."

Wen Ye smiled. "In that case, I’ll tell Xu Yuxuan that it’s a gift from his Auntie Jingxian. I’m sure he’ll love it."

After accepting the brush, Wen Ye added, "Xu Yuxuan likes to choose his own gifts for others. Once he’s picked something, I’ll send it to your residence for Yun Ge’er."

Xue Jingxian replied, "No need to be so formal."

Lady Wen joked, "Jingxian, don’t forget about my Cheng Ge’er when it’s time for his studies."

Xue Jingxian gave her a helpless look. "How could I forget Cheng Ge’er?" She had already prepared a gift for him and placed it in Lady Wen’s carriage before they arrived.

★

By the time they left Juxian Pavilion and returned to the Duke’s residence, it was already mid-afternoon.

Wen Ye did not return to the west courtyard but instead went to the main courtyard first. She had brought back some "Green Plum Series" tea and pastries from the Juxian Pavilion. It had to be said, there was a reason why their business was thriving. Every season, they released a limited-time food and tea item, and once the season passed, it would no longer be available. This kept everyone's appetite thoroughly whetted, and their business flourished as a result.

The tea and pastries were specifically for Madam Lu. Wen Ye believed that Madam Lu would surely appreciate the thoughtfulness of being remembered even while she was out meeting friends. As soon as she stepped into the main courtyard, Wen Ye caught sight of Nanny Xi and asked, "Nanny Xi, has sister-in-law woken up from her nap yet?" Nanny Xi replied kindly, "Second Madam, you’ve come at just the right time. Madam has just woken up."

Wen Ye smiled and said, "Perfect timing then. I’ve brought some pastries from Juxian Pavilion for sister-in-law. They’re sweet and sour." Without waiting for Nanny Xi to fetch them, Wen Ye took the pastries and tea from Tao Zhi’s hands and walked inside, calling out as she went, "Sister-in-law, I’m back!"

"Be a bit more composed. There are so many people watching," Madam Lu said as she stepped out of the inner chamber, spotting the familiar figure and sighing helplessly. "After all, you are the Second Madam of the Duke’s residence." Wen Ye waved it off, "With you here, what do I have to fear? No one would dare disrespect me." Nanny Xi was already used to Wen Ye’s frequent visits to flatter her mistress. Though her flattery wasn’t particularly sophisticated, Madam Lu seemed to enjoy it immensely.

Madam Lu shot her a light glare and said, "Even Xu Yuxuan is becoming more composed than you these days."

Wen Ye, upon hearing this, set down the pastries and green plum tea, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? How did Xu Yuxuan manage to charm you, sister-in-law? I’ll have to learn from him."

Madam Lu corrected her, "Don’t make a fuss. Xu Yuxuan came over after his studies and saw me writing a gift list. He immediately fetched the brush he used for his early lessons and offered it to me. Even Jinglin isn’t as thoughtful and filial as him."

Wen Ye chuckled inwardly but maintained her composure. "Did you return the brush to him after using it?"

Madam Lu, still unaware, replied, "Xu Yuxuan insisted I use it. The brush was already dipped in ink, and he’s still practicing his brush-holding posture. You and Zitan can just get him a new one."

It was just a brush, after all, and a gesture of filial piety from a younger family member. Madam Lu had no intention of returning it.

Wen Ye smiled and said, "Alright, no problem. My husband has already prepared a whole box of rabbit-hair brushes for Xu Yuxuan."

Madam Lu was puzzled. "Why prepare a whole box?"

Wen Ye didn’t hold back in exposing her son’s little scheme. "A couple of days ago, Xu Yuxuan also gave what he thought was his only rabbit-hair brush to my younger sister."

After a moment, Madam Lu finally caught on. "..."

Wen Ye: No one can surpass me in being good to sister-in-law! Not even my son!@@novelbin@@

Xu Yuxuan: There’s no end to the gifts! I just can’t stop giving them away!