Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 514 - 482 You Are Not Young Anymore, You Can Consider Pei Shenyan (1)
Aunt Zhou responded with a smile, carrying the basin of water used for washing hands, and walked out.
Pei Shenyan smiled, turning back to look at Li Yuwen.
Li Yuwen gave a slight cough, lifted her chin, and with an air of nonchalance, walked to the dressing table to brush her hair.
Although she still had her aloof fairy-like demeanor, the shyness on her face revealed her inner embarrassment.
A rosy blush rose on her fair face, reaching all the way to her earlobes.
Her small earlobes were as red as coral beads.
Li Yuwen’s hair was long and thick.
Having rolled in the warm bed, her hair, dried by the bedding, got tangled, and she couldn’t untangle a lock of it no matter how hard she tried.
Li Yuwen was anxious and tugged at it forcefully.
Pei Shenyan walked over to her, "If you pull like this, your hair will break, and it’ll hurt your scalp." He took her comb, "Let me help you comb your hair."
Li Yuwen turned her head away, avoiding the comb he held, "...No, you... you go away, I’ll do it myself."
Just then, Aunt Zhou entered the bedroom with a basin of hot water.
She looked at the young couple in front of the dressing table, one sitting, one standing, so intimate it made others envious.
"Is the young master combing the young mistress’s hair?"
Li Yuwen, "..."
Pei Shenyan, "..."
"Young mistress, the hot water has been brought, you freshen up first, I’ll go check on breakfast." She said with a smile and left.
Li Yuwen exhaled, could these days go on any longer?
If it was a pretend marriage, couldn’t he go his way, and she hers?
She turned back to glare at Pei Shenyan, whispering, "Next time, be more observant and avoid them!"
Pei Shenyan handed her the comb, "Since Aunt Zhou saw us anyway, and you already have the reputation, let me comb your hair."
No way!
Li Yuwen snatched the comb from him, "Call Cui Xi here, let her help me with my hair."
Pei Shenyan didn’t object, "Alright."
He walked out, calling to Cui Xi, who was sweeping the courtyard, "Cui Xi, the young mistress is calling you to comb her hair."
Now with Li Yuwen in the house, the task of cleaning the East Courtyard could no longer be left to the servant Pei Fusheng; Li Yuwen disliked having male servants in her place of residence.
Pei Shenyan arranged for Cui Xi to do these chores. Aunt Zhou would attend to the cooking in the kitchen and preparing hot water for Li Yuwen’s bath.
Sometimes when the young Cui Xi was busy, Aunt Zhou would help out.
Cui Xi was young, earning only six hundred wen a month, while Aunt Zhou did more work, and it was physically demanding, so she earned eight hundred wen a month.
Both were quite satisfied with their monthly pay, as they also ate and lived at Pei Shenyan’s house.
Besides, during their free time, they could do some needlework to earn pocket money, which counted as their extra income.
Cui Xi put down her broom and responded crisply, "Young master, I’ll wash my hands and come over."
Though young, Cui Xi was very particular about cleanliness.
When Pei Shenyan first saw her, he noticed she was poorly dressed, but the patches on her clothes were neatly sewn, and her hair was neatly combed, tied with an old red cloth strip.
Despite doing farm work and household chores, her fingernails were free of dirt, washed clean. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Knowing Li Yuwen’s fondness for cleanliness, Pei Shenyan promptly took this girl into service.
Petite as she was, Cui Xi darted like a little sparrow to a large vat in the corner of the courtyard, scooped some water to wash her hands, and took a cloth hanging on the wooden rack to wipe her fingers clean before running into the bedroom.
Li Yuwen cherished her hair greatly. At the Prince Mansion, her hair was combed by the most favored maid by her side. After coming here, without a maid to serve her, she would do it herself.
She wouldn’t let anyone with poor hairstyling skills or unclean methods touch her hair.
Cui Xi ran happily towards Li Yuwen.
As she passed by Pei Shenyan, she expressed her joy once again before moving forward.
"What a silly child, take this." Pei Shenyan pulled her by the shoulder of her clothing and handed her a pouch, "A reward, take good care of the young mistress."
On the second day of marriage, it’s customary to give rewards to the servants in many large households.
Cui Xi, being young, didn’t understand.
Pei Shenyan proactively gave it, making her feel flattered.
She happily tucked the pouch into her chest, "Yes, young master, I will do my work well."
The little girl ran over joyously to Li Yuwen’s side.
Pei Shenyan told Li Yuwen that he was going to visit Li Xingmao, then left the bedroom.
Cui Xi also said "Congratulations" to Li Yuwen, adding, "Young mistress, the young master asked me to come and comb your hair."
Li Yuwen assessed the girl, slender and small, claiming to be eleven but looking only about eight or nine, her face pale but scrubbed clean.
"Raise your hands for me to see," she said.
```
Cui Xi raised her hand and even turned it over front and back.
Her hands were small and nimble, with very clean nails.
Li Yuwen was quite satisfied.
She thought, this girl is so poor, yet knows how to maintain herself, truly born to the wrong family.
"Hmm, then brush, but don’t pull my hair." Li Yuwen reminded her, "If you do it well, I’ll treat you well."
Cui Xi responded with a smile, "Hmm, got it, young mistress."
She picked up the comb and brushed Li Yuwen’s hair, stroke by stroke, with light movements, it didn’t hurt at all.
Li Yuwen said, "Not bad, just keep brushing like this."
After the hair was smooth, Li Yuwen started to braid her own bun.
She needed a mature woman’s bun, something Cui Xi, being young, couldn’t do.
But the little girl was eager to learn; while Li Yuwen braided her bun, she watched without blinking.
Li Yuwen glanced at Cui Xi in the mirror and asked, "Do you want to learn?"
Cui Xi nodded quickly, "Yes, I do."
"Then watch carefully." Li Yuwen smiled proudly, "You know, I was once the girl with the most beautiful hair in the Capital."
Cui Xi widened her eyes in surprise, "The young mistress has been to the Capital?"
Li Yuwen thought, not only has she been there, but she is a Beijing person!
"Hmm, I have been there." Li Yuwen’s hands continued moving, braiding the hair.
Suddenly, she remembered something. When did Pei Shenyan start noticing her?
It couldn’t have been in this marketplace, perhaps it was in the Capital.
The thought of being targeted early made Li Yuwen angry.
What a hateful flirt!
After getting dressed, Li Yuwen washed her teeth and face, then took out the rouge she brought and applied a little to her face, making herself look a bit better.
It was the first time Cui Xi had seen a woman adorn herself like this. She just thought that once her young mistress was done, she looked as beautiful as a fairy.
After tidying herself up, Li Yuwen said, "Let’s go out for a walk."
Cui Xi supported her hand and walked out of the bedroom.
Outside, Li Yuwen encountered Pei Ji and Pei Fusheng, both of whom also congratulated her.
Li Yuwen only nodded slightly, said nothing, and walked towards the West Courtyard.
In the small courtyard of the West Courtyard, Li Xingmao and Pei Shenyan were sitting in the sunlight, chatting and sunbathing.
Li Xingmao looked at Li Yuwen, who was approaching in her woman’s attire, his eyes becoming slightly moist, and he smiled, "Yu Wen, did you rest well?"
"Not bad." Li Yuwen curved her lips into a smile, "How about you, big brother?"
"I’m a man, I can rest anywhere the same." Li Xingmao laughed.
Pei Shenyan stood up and brought a chair over to the stone table, "Yu Wen, sit here."
There was a small round stone table, with some snacks, fruits, and tea placed on top.
Li Yuwen glanced at Pei Shenyan and sat down.
Pei Shenyan did not sit, "Brother, Yu Wen, you chat, I’ll go take a look in the kitchen."
As he left, he also called for the little girl Cui Xi to follow him.
Cui Xi, confused, followed him.
Why wasn’t she allowed to stay with her young mistress?
Pei Shenyan called Cui Xi out of the West Courtyard, took her to the main hall, and then went to discuss matters with Pei Ji. Then he went to the kitchen without instructing Cui Xi to do anything. Cui Xi stood dumbfounded at the main room’s door, not knowing what to do.
Was she not allowed to stay in the West Courtyard, but given no tasks either? What did the young master mean by this?
In the small courtyard of the West Courtyard, after seeing Pei Shenyan leave, Li Xingmao immediately asked Li Yuwen in a low voice, "How did you rest last night?"
The underlying meaning of his words was to ask if Li Yuwen had been taken advantage of by Pei Shenyan.
Li Yuwen shook her head promptly, "No, last night I slept in the bed, he slept on the footrest, I’m sharp enough, how could I let him take advantage? If he did, without my consent, I’d teach him a lesson."
She meant what she said.
Not to mention being bullied, people who used to look down on her and spoke harshly against Li Yuwen have all been dealt with openly or covertly by her.
Even the Empress in the palace would be a bit afraid of her.
Her expression was natural, clearly indicating nothing happened last night.
"Let me tell you something from the heart, Yu Wen." Li Xingmao poured a cup of hot tea and placed it in front of her.
Li Yuwen raised her eyebrows, "What is it?" Her brother’s expression was serious.
She was most afraid of people speaking to her with a serious look.
"I think Pei Shenyan is a good person, you’re not getting any younger, you might want to consider him," Li Xingmao said, looking at her.
