"Is Sister leaving in a few days?" Xue Jinqiao, who had just finished trying on her wedding dress and was initially overjoyed, suddenly recalled overhearing Bu Shulin and Cui Jinbai's casual conversation earlier about their return journey.
Cui Jinbai and Bu Shulin were definitely returning together, and Xiao Changfeng would simultaneously escort Xiao Huayong and Shen Xihe.
"Yes, after your wedding with Brother, once we change how we address each other, you can no longer call me Sister—I'll be calling you Sister-in-law," Shen Xihe said with a soft laugh. "Once you're married, Beichen and I will have no reason to linger away from home."
"In the future, my brother and father will rely on Qiaoqiao's care. If they treat you poorly, send me a message—I'll always take your side."
Xue Jinqiao, who had been somewhat reluctant and unhappy, brightened at Shen Xihe's last words. "Don't worry, Sister. I'll take good care of them and make sure they're plump and healthy."
Shen Xihe couldn't help but smile, taking Xue Jinqiao's hand as she meticulously explained the preferences of the Shen father and son. Though she had already compiled a small booklet, she wanted to personally reiterate everything.
Shen Xihe spent the entire day with Xue Jinqiao, who clung to her dependency. It was the first time Shen Xihe had spoken to her at such length, and Xue Jinqiao listened with exceptional attentiveness, even summoning her two trusted maids, Hua Hua and Cao Cao, to help memorize the details.
On the eve of the wedding, as the only lady of the Shen household, Shen Xihe was extremely busy managing affairs at the Shen residence. Fortunately, the wives of Sang Yin and several other uncles had come to assist earlier; otherwise, Shen Xihe might not have been able to handle everything.
On the day of Shen Yungan's wedding, the Northwest King's city was bustling with excitement—singing, dancing, and thunderous drums. If one only looked at the Northwest King's city, it truly seemed like a nationwide celebration.
Amid the cleared security in the northwest, the couple's wedding proceeded smoothly without a single hitch. The only minor incident occurred when Xue Jinqiao, with her fan covering her face while searching for Shen Xihe, nearly stumbled after failing to keep up with Shen Yungan's pace. Fortunately, Shen Yungan reacted swiftly, catching her in his arms, which drew plenty of teasing cheers from the crowd.
Shen Xihe thought everything would continue smoothly, but she hadn't anticipated that before dawn the next day, the newlywed Xue Jinqiao would come looking for her. She and Xiao Huayong hurriedly got up, fearing something had happened, and anxiously opened the door.
As soon as Xue Jinqiao saw her, she threw herself into Shen Xihe's arms and wept pitifully.
"What's wrong?" Shen Xihe asked with concern.
"Waa... Sister, I want to leave with you..." Xue Jinqiao clung tightly to Shen Xihe, refusing to let go.
Xiao Huayong, fully dressed, witnessed the scene. Had it not been for Xue Jinqiao's heartbroken sobbing and the fact that it was her first day married to Shen Yungan, he would not have tolerated it.
"Did Brother wrong you?" Shen Xihe couldn't imagine what would make Xue Jinqiao want to leave Shen Yungan the day after their wedding. Though Xue Jinqiao's thoughts were often elusive and sometimes shadowed, she was generally reasonable and wouldn't lightly say such things.
"He's too much! He bullied me, and it hurt so much... He wouldn't let me go..."
Ahem! Xiao Huayong coughed pointedly at the right moment and strode out of the room.
Shen Xihe also felt somewhat awkward. She roughly understood what Xue Jinqiao was referring to, but as a younger sister, how could she possibly intervene in her elder brother's marital affairs?She could only pull Xue Jinqiao into the room for a private conversation, while Shen Yungan, who had closely followed Xue Jinqiao, was stopped outside by his brother-in-law, who also hinted at a few things.
Shen Xihe soothed the sniffling Xue Jinqiao, then freshened up in her room. After dressing, she took Xue Jinqiao’s hand, and together they went to serve tea to Shen Yueshan, formally changing their forms of address.
“Then what should I call you, Elder Sister…?” Xue Jinqiao asked, somewhat confused.
“Call me You…”
“Siyan, it’s the name bestowed by His Majesty,” Xiao Huayong interjected first.
Shen Xihe helplessly glanced at him but didn’t refute him. However, she didn’t tease Xue Jinqiao either: “My milk name was given by my mother—Youyou. My given name was bestowed by His Majesty—Siyan.”
Shen Xihe had thought Xue Jinqiao would choose to call her Youyou, but instead, Xue Jinqiao tilted her head thoughtfully and asked, “Do they all call you Youyou?” Shen Xihe nodded.
“Does anyone call you Siyan?” Xue Jinqiao asked again.
Sensing what Xue Jinqiao was thinking, Shen Xihe shook her head slightly. “Not yet.”
“Then I’ll call you Siyan from now on. Only I will call you that,” Xue Jinqiao declared, her eyes sparkling as she lifted her chin defiantly toward Shen Yungan and Xiao Huayong. Of course, she would have liked to include her father-in-law, but as a junior, she had to observe propriety.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to—she was simply bound by etiquette.
Shen Xihe found it amusing and felt compelled to explain, “In the future, others might call me that too.”
This was the name bestowed by His Majesty, and Shen Xihe didn’t reject it because of His Majesty. However, if she were to form close friendships in the future, she naturally wouldn’t casually reveal her milk name.
Xue Jinqiao didn’t mind this. “Then I’ll still be the first to call you that. It would be even better if more people in the capital called you that. That way, whenever you hear it, you’ll think of me, the first one who called you that. Right, Siyan?”
Shen Xihe smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
Just like that, Xue Jinqiao was appeased. However, that night, no one expected her to carry her bedding to Shen Xihe’s room, ignoring Xiao Huayong’s displeased expression. “You’re leaving tomorrow. I want to sleep with you tonight.”
She then put on a pitiful look.
Xiao Huayong couldn’t hold back any longer, but before he could react, Shen Xihe stepped forward to block him and took Xue Jinqiao’s hand. “Alright, we’ll sleep together tonight.”
“Youyou!”
“We’re setting off tomorrow. I have some things to say to Sister-in-law,” Shen Xihe said to Xiao Huayong.
Xiao Huayong took a deep breath, flicked his sleeve, and left.
“So petty,” Xue Jinqiao couldn’t help but mutter.
Not only did Shen Xihe hear it, but Xiao Huayong did too. The problem was, Xue Jinqiao wasn’t wrong. A sister-in-law and sister-in-law were about to be separated for a long time, and the husband was throwing a tantrum over them sharing a bed on the eve of their departure—hardly a display of magnanimity.
“If my brother acted like that, I’d leave him,” Xue Jinqiao added.
She had told Shen Yungan about her plan when she came, and Shen Yungan hadn’t been as clingy as the Crown Prince.
Little did she know that Shen Yungan was thinking about what had happened the previous night. He had always been chaste and had never taken an informed concubine, so he lacked experience. Having frightened his young wife so badly and being at an age of vigorous vitality, he decided to spend the night studying and practicing. That was why he magnanimously let his wife go, while also getting back at his brother-in-law for mocking him that morning.A beautiful misunderstanding led Xue Jinqiao to compare and unexpectedly think more favorably of Shen Yungan: "Your brother is still better than the Crown Prince."
Shen Xihe smiled without responding, had Zhenzhu tidy the bed, and then rested together with Xue Jinqiao.
Meanwhile, Shen Yungan's clever scheme backfired when his scowling brother-in-law came looking for him, demanding to spar with his wife's brother.
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