Chapter 231: Chapter 231: "It’s So Simple for a Married Couple to Make Up.

In this world, the pressure to produce an heir had always fallen solely on the women.

Even someone as capable as Xie Jinbai couldn’t stop the wagging tongues of the masses.

Seeing her daughter remain silent, her mother assumed she was upset and couldn’t bring herself to press the issue.

She was hardly happy about her son-in-law taking a concubine, either.

But as a mother, she had to choose the most appropriate path for her daughter and for her family.

The mother and daughter spoke alone for a while. As guests began to arrive in trickles, Cui Lingyao, as the hostess, had to go out and receive them.

It was called a plum blossom banquet, but no one was there specifically to look at the flowers.

Aside from a few energetic young ladies who went giggling into the rear courtyard for a stroll, the other madams were all led into Fang Garden.

An opera stage had been set up inside.

It was fashionable for noble households to keep their own troupes of household courtesans and performers, and the vast Prince Mansion was no exception.

The banquet had been arranged in a hurry, so there weren’t many guests. They were all from families with whom she was close, and Cui Lingyao knew every one of them.

Given her status, she didn’t need to curry favor with anyone. She simply sat at the head of the gathering, speaking with a few of the ladies she was friendly with. If she heard something agreeable, a slight glance in the speaker’s direction was enough to show she was paying serious attention.

On the stage, the warbling strains of the opera began.

It was a performance of Beating the Princess Consort.

Cui Lingyao had no interest in such things. The seat to her right was reserved specifically for Chen Minrou.

But she hadn’t arrived yet.

So Cui Lingyao kept glancing toward the entrance.

Finally, a familiar figure appeared. Cui Lingyao personally rose to greet her, pulling her over to sit down. "What took you so long?" she chided gently. "I’ve been waiting for ages."

"The two children at home were being a handful..."

Chen Minrou offered a brief explanation under the gazes of the other guests.

Once everyone’s attention was drawn back to the stage and they were no longer being watched, she gave a slightly embarrassed, soft laugh. "Actually, I just woke up late."

The depths of winter were a time when it was easiest to indulge in sleeping in.

Who would willingly leave the warmth of their bed?

Cui Lingyao didn’t think anything of it at first, but she paused when she saw her friend’s complexion, a brow raising slightly.

They hadn’t seen each other since the incident at the Horse Racing Ground. The scene back then had been too perilous; she had been whisked away by Xie Jinbai and hadn’t had a chance to ask after her friend properly.

Over the past few days, the two friends had only corresponded by letter. Seeing her in person now, Cui Lingyao felt her friend’s complexion was much better than it had been half a month ago.

Half a month ago, Chen Minrou’s agitation had been plain to see, written all over her face.

Now, however, she was clearly transformed. That nervous energy had vanished, and she looked radiant, with rosy lips, pearly teeth, and bright, sparkling eyes.

It was the body’s most direct expression of being immersed in a pleasant and comfortable environment.

Having been married for years, Cui Lingyao understood what needed to be understood. Hearing her friend’s words, she immediately caught the implication, letting out a soft "Oh?" before teasing, "As I recall, Zhao Shijie was injured, wasn’t he?"

Chen Minrou was taking a small sip from her wine cup. She didn’t seem the least bit uncomfortable at the suggestive remark, simply nodding with a placid expression. "His right arm was injured. It doesn’t affect anything important."

Indeed, it didn’t affect anything important.

In just half a month, Zhao Shijie had managed to soothe the roiling turmoil within her almost completely.

Cui Lingyao couldn’t hold back a smile. She leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "So you two have completely made up?"

"We have," Chen Minrou said, nodding again. "He was injured saving me. There’s nothing I can’t let go of now."

’Clinging to an absurd dream wasn’t just unfair to the unsuspecting Zhao Shijie; it was also torturing herself.’

"That day, when I saw him rush in so recklessly just to save me, his injured arm trembling, nearly losing his life several times... I started to think that maybe that dream was just a delusion I concocted for myself when I was sick and confused."

’A man who would risk his own life to save her... Chen Minrou couldn’t believe that same man would completely transfer his affections to someone new just three years after she died in childbirth.’

’She wanted to move on.’

’To give Zhao Shijie, and herself, another chance.’

’A chance for two hearts to trust each other without doubt, a chance to grow old together.’

’To once again entrust her heart to Zhao Shijie.’

’A broken mirror can’t be mended, but when she thought about it carefully, the entire rift between them stemmed from a single sentence.’

’It wasn’t some irreparable mistake.’

"That’s wonderful," Cui Lingyao said, truly happy for her friend. "I’m so glad you were able to think it through."

’No matter how annoyed she had been with Zhao Shijie, she had never doubted the sincerity of his feelings for Chen Minrou.’

’The reason she had suggested divorce was that she feared Chen Minrou wanted one herself but was held back by too many concerns. She didn’t want her friend to force herself to stay, obsessing over trivialities and sinking into the pain of a lover’s betrayal, only to fall ill with depression again.’

’She wanted to give Chen Minrou the support she needed, to give her the courage to make a new choice.’

’Now that she saw her friend finally emerge from the gloom, recognize the dream as an illusion, and choose to accept her husband again, how could she not be happy for her?’

Cui Lingyao asked with great interest, "Quick, tell me. You two were at odds for so long. How did you get back to the honeymoon phase so quickly?"

’Once the rift was gone, there should have still been some awkwardness. It should have taken some mending and patching before things could slowly return to how they were.’

Chen Minrou thought her friend was asking for advice, so she naturally planned to share everything she knew.

Hearing this, she glanced around. The opera on stage was loud, and the ladies watching were also chatting softly amongst themselves. Assured that no one could overhear them if she kept her voice down, she shot her friend a sidelong glance and said, "It’s all too easy for a husband and wife to make up."

Cui Lingyao’s eyes lit up. "Details."

"He was complaining that I’ve been too cold these past few years, right? Well, you just have to pin him down and get physical a few times to make up for the lack of passion."

As she spoke, Chen Minrou covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled. "The day he was injured saving me, I was so moved. I was just bursting with all this pent-up energy, so I stripped him naked and pinned him to the bed."

Cui Lingyao’s eyes widened. "...You’re that wild?"

"Of course. Why be all polite and proper between a husband and wife? If you’re going to make up, you have to be proactive."

Chen Minrou stopped watching the opera altogether and pulled Cui Lingyao closer to instruct her earnestly. "Whether they’re a proper, gentle, and self-restrained gentleman or a dominant, cold, iron-willed man, they’re all the same in front of the woman they love. They’re seriously starved for affection."

Cui Lingyao: "..."

’She understood that the ’dominant, cold man’ was a reference to Xie Jinbai.’

’But what was this about being ’starved for affection’?’

’Xie Jinbai... starved for *that*?’

It’s unclear what came to her mind, but Chen Minrou leaned in closer and whispered, "I think I finally understand what you meant last time by that ’sense of brokenness’."

Cui Lingyao froze. "Zhao Shijie cries, too?"

"Mhm!" Chen Minrou didn’t treat her like an outsider at all, letting out a sly chuckle. "Speaking of which, it’s not the first time I’ve seen him cry, but it really is the first time I’ve seen him cry in bed."

As her words fell, an image automatically formed in Cui Lingyao’s mind.

She drew in a sharp breath, her tone complex. "The ’sense of brokenness’ I was talking about... is probably not the same as what you’re talking about."

’It was truly hard to imagine what Xie Jinbai would look like crying in bed.’

’How could someone that ferocious-looking even cry?’

’If anyone was going to be crying, it should be her.’

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