Chapter 071

Chapter 71: Tang Mo: I Don’t Feel at Ease

Madam Wang had made up her mind not to manage Tao Yi Ran. It would be best if the woman never appeared before her again. Someone who was originally meant to marry her son had chosen betrayal on the wedding night and still posed as a victim. Madam Wang had long gnashed her teeth in hatred.

If anyone dared to make her treat Tao Yi Ran well, it would be like stabbing a knife into her heart.

In the past, Tang Gang would have rebuked Madam Wang for this, but now he did not dare. He could only put the pressure on Tang Rong: let him discipline his own wife.

As soon as they returned to Qiu Shi Courtyard, Tang Mo voiced what was on his mind and asked: “What is with the one next door? At dinner today he kept looking at you, more than once. What kind of look was that?”

Xin An did not answer. She had water prepared for washing. Seeing this, Tang Mo went next door to wash as well. When the two met again, Xin An dismissed Chun Yang and the others, closed the door, stretched comfortably, and said: “The one next door flirted with me today. Tell me, does he have ideas?”

Tang Mo raised his brows and asked: “What exactly do you mean?”

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Xin An said: “He told me he was sorry for me, then insinuated that you are unreliable. He told me that if I face difficulties I should go to him and he would help me.”

Tang Mo was nearly exploding with anger and said: “Does he have a taste for other people’s wives, specifically his sister-in-law?”

Xin An nodded and said: “Possibly.”

Tang Mo said through clenched teeth as he got up: “Shameless. I see I hit him too lightly. I should have knocked out every tooth in his mouth.”

He added in disgust: “Filthy creature. Is he set on crossing me on purpose?”

Xin An sneered, then reclined on her side and said: “Disgusting you is real, and coveting my father’s money is also real.”

“Despicable,” Tang Mo muttered, flopping down beside her. Xin An turned her head and said: “Roll back to your own room to sleep.”

“I will not.” Tang Mo deliberately shifted farther inward and said: “Let me tell you, do not debase yourself. Do not think that a few sweet words from him mean he has fallen for you. When you see him, bring your brain.”

Xin An shot him a look and said: “My brain works just fine.”

“Fine, my foot,” Tang Mo said with open disdain. “If it worked, you would not have been tricked to death. When he was spouting that nonsense, why did you not give him two slaps? You only know how to act fierce in front of me.”

“Are you a mouse?” Xin An retorted. “You only act fierce in your own nest.”

The more he spoke, the more worked up he became. He turned over and sat upright, saying: “Look at you. In our last life you were brutal to me, snatching what was mine without mercy, and in front of him you put on the look of a virtuous, generous, gentle, thrifty paragon. Those blind fools outside even praised you for being devoted to him. After you married him, he did not even take a concubine.”

He added: “I could not stand your spineless act. Was that chastity for my sake? You know very well for whom it was.”

“This life you have changed the person, yet you are still this fierce to me. It is either hitting or scolding. To him, you are instead polite. Are you a masochist?”

After that barrage, Xin An felt as if his spittle had splashed on her face. Her momentum faltered and she protested: “When did I ever hit and scold you? You are wronging me.”

“You mock me,” he said.

“Then I will not mock you anymore, all right?” Xin An sat up to match him and said: “Do you think I enjoy forcing a smile and talking to him? I was just thinking of paying him back in his own coin and letting Tao Yi Ran taste some of the suffocation I felt before. You have no idea…” She recalled the tricks Tao Yi Ran used to play and almost died of anger. “I said the culprit was Tang Rong. I never said I had to treat Tao Yi Ran with tolerance. Besides, outsiders do not know my stifled rage, and the things he said do not sound wrong to those who overhear. If I were to slap him, they would only say I was mad. If I could do as I pleased, would I not already have ended him with a cup of poison?”

Tang Mo gnashed his teeth and said: “In any case, do not be foolish. Also, you sketched my ugly face. Hand it over so I can tear it up.”

So this was what he had been waiting for. Xin An laughed at once and said: “Do not even think about it. If you dare tear my drawing, I really will hit you.”

Seeing him reaching for her little cabinet, Xin An scrambled up and grabbed him, saying: “If you tear it up, I can draw ten more, even uglier, and paste them on the pillars of the front hall of the front courtyard.”

Tang Mo decided she could not be provoked; he lay down angrily and had no intention of leaving.

“Go on, get out,” she urged.

“No,” he said. “I will not leave. It is perfectly proper for me to sleep here, open and aboveboard. I am not sneaking around to commit adultery. Why should I not sleep here?”

Xin An took a deep breath. So a man throwing a tantrum was more than she could handle as well. “Fine, you can sleep. Hurry up and sleep,” she said. Her eyes were already closing.

Seeing that she had truly fallen asleep, Tang Mo, who grew angrier the more he thought, tossed and turned and could not sleep. At last he simply sat up, shook the already-drowsy Xin An awake, and asked whether her head was clear. Xin An, furious, gave him a kick and said: “I am not clear-headed. I am confused. I cannot resist sweet talk. Tomorrow I will move next door to live. Are you satisfied now? It is the middle of the night. If you do not sleep, are you trying to die?”

Tang Mo let out a heavy sigh and said: “I do not feel at ease. What if you get duped again? What am I supposed to do then? Two lives both miserable. Just thinking about it keeps me awake.” [In the last life, Tao Yi Ran not only refused to help me but despised me, with her head full of Tang Rong. In this life I finally have someone who, though she also despises me, will help me, yet that damned Tang Rong lingers like a ghost. If Xin An loses her head and I get my wall pried out from under me again, how would I go on living?]

Xin An yawned and said: “What sort of pathetic fool would I be to get duped a second time?”

Turning to face her, Tang Mo consoled himself: since in the last life she had been tricked so miserably, she should have learned her lesson and would not be fooled by Tang Rong again. He kept comforting himself and compared himself with Tang Rong in every aspect, arriving at the conclusion: [I am definitely more reliable than Tang Rong.] Only then did he fall asleep with an easy mind.

In the morning, when Xin An woke, she found him still asleep at her side. Her heart lurched, and her sleepiness vanished at once. She shook the person next to her hard and said: “Get up quickly. You will be late for duty.”

Tang Mo opened his eyes and came to his senses instantly. He flipped out of bed, called for attendants, and left without even eating breakfast, cursing Lai Lai as he went. Xin An instructed: “Summon Er Shan to serve in Qiu Shi Courtyard today.”

Tang Mo had only one serving lad, Lai Lai. Everything depended on him, which was a bit too much like treating him as a beast of burden.

Chun Yang said that beginning tomorrow she would arrange for someone to keep an eye on the hour and strive to ensure that what happened today would not be repeated.

Today, Madam Wang was to lead Xin An to meet the stewards of each division and to make clear to them that Xin An held the authority to manage the household. Conveniently, it was also the day for the distribution of monthly stipends. The stewards from each department had arrived early at the side hall where Madam Wang handled the household management.

When they saw Xin An arrive, the stewards hurried to pay their respects. They were all well informed, and naturally they knew that this Second Young Madam was the one who truly presided over the marquisate’s inner household. Their attitude was very respectful.

Tang Rong and Tao Yi Ran arrived before Xin An. Tang Rong cupped his hands and said: “Good morning, Sister-in-law.”

“Good morning, Eldest Brother. Good morning, Sister-in-law,” Xin An answered.

She did not wish to speak to the two of them, but she considered that she should put Tang Mo’s face first. There were other ways to disgust Tao Yi Ran.

She strove to keep from getting angry when she saw the two and to interact normally. But if they insisted on provoking her, she could not guarantee she would be able to restrain herself.