In the end, Yize relented and agreed to purchase his brother from their worthless mother. Despite the fact that her predecessor was also a failure in life, she felt grateful for the opportunity to inhabit her body and start anew.
After signing the papers and completing the payment, she left the magistrate's office. Having a legal contract was essential to avoid any issues in the future.
Xiao Hua, who received the money, beamed with satisfaction. While she hadn't amassed the significant fortune she had envisioned, she was still pleased with what she had.
Yize stepped out of the clothing store, her arms laden with newly purchased items, and she cast her gaze around in search of a bullock cart to whisk her home. The evening sky cast a deepening shade of gray, warning that nightfall was approaching.
___
"Ling Ling, from now on, we'll never be apart again," Xiao Sheng said cheerfully. His heart was full of joy because he was reunited with his brother. He felt relieved about his married life, knowing they would share the same wife. Plus, he was certain that his wife was the only one worthy of his brother.
"Hmm..." Xiao Ling Ling replied, although his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I'm sorry." Xiao Ling Ling blinked in shock at his brother's unexpected words.
"What are you apologizing for?" he asked, curiosity mingling with concern.
"I... I actually asked my wife to marry you," Xiao Sheng admitted, his voice laced with guilt.
Ling Ling felt a swirl of confusion. His brother's enthusiasm about forever after was the first thing he'd heard when he regained consciousness, and now it made a bit more sense.
"I told my wife about what transpired earlier today," he continued, hunching his shoulders as if bracing for an impending storm of anger.
"Why?" In seeing his brother's nervousness, Ling Ling's heart sank. Surely, he understood how things worked; even if he didn't agree right away, he would eventually be given away to another woman. Perhaps it was better to accept this fate so he could stay close to his brother.
"Isn't it that our mother wants to sell you to my wife? Aren't you happy to be with me?" Xiao Sheng bit his lip, hiding the sadness that crept into his heart.
"Why wouldn't I be?" The despair Xiao Ling Ling felt when their mother decided to marry him off to a less-than-ideal woman still lingered. Now, oddly enough, he found relief in that decision. He had always yearned to support his brother, and now destiny had provided him with the chance to share this burden.
What he didn't know, however, was that he wasn't just sharing burdens with his brother; he was also paving the way for shared happiness.
"Besides, Father has already given his blessing," Xiao Sheng added, his voice firmer. He reassured him, proving that it wasn't simply his decision; their father had supported it, too.
"What? How could he—" Ling Ling gasped. Their father was usually the most hesitant to let go of his sons. This unexpected decision left him bewildered.
"Of course, it was your future wife who sought your hand," Xiao Sheng explained, a hint of envy creeping into his tone. "She negotiated with Mother, but she also approached Father privately to ask for your hand."
Xiao Ling Ling sat in stunned silence, unable to grasp the words that had just echoed in his ears. He turned to his brother, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. How could it be that he, destined to be sold to Yize, now found himself in a situation where she might actually desire him? It felt surreal, a twist of fate he never could have imagined.
Though he was the first man married to her, he couldn't shake the feeling that she had never truly asked for his hand.
Xiao Sheng could still hear the echoes of his wife's vow to his father, a promise etched in his memory.
She had sworn to cherish Ling Ling just as she cherished him, declaring that she would never raise a hand against the boy and would never leave him behind and that he would belong to her for all the days of his life. And in the passionate fervor of her words, she had added a fiery curse—should she ever stray from this promise, may the heavens strike her down.
No one understood the depth of her commitment better than he did, for he knew her to be a woman of her word.
His father, taken aback by such a fierce declaration, had been rendered speechless, yet joyfully accepted her pledge, placing his son's fate confidently in her hands.
Xiao Sheng chose not to share with his brother the details of the conversation his wife had with their father. Instead of planting seeds of doubt and confusion in his mind, he wanted his brother to experience things firsthand.
"Ling Ling, I promise you won't regret this. Yes, she may seem a bit intimidating, but trust me, she is an extraordinary wife," he reassured his brother, lost in thoughts of the countless moments when his own wife had shown just how wonderful she truly was.
As his brother shook off the lingering shock, he noticed the radiance and contentment on Xiao Sheng's face.
The happiness radiating from him was a stark contrast to his previous self. Ling Ling couldn't shake the thought that perhaps he was simply imagining this change—after all, how could someone who had been sold into a life with a drunkard be so fortunate? Yet, there was something undeniable: it seemed that Yize held a genuine affection for his brother.
"Alright then," he replied with a warm smile. Even if the path ahead looked different from what he had envisioned, he had no regrets as long as he stood by his brother's side.
"Good! Good!" Xiao Sheng exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with joy. Today was a day of pure happiness, a moment he would cherish forever. "Ling Ling, let's go wait for my wife," he suggested, and the two of them moved toward the door.
Just then, Yize stepped through the threshold, arriving at the perfect moment.
"My wife!" Xiao Sheng shouted with delight. Yize, welcomed by his enthusiastic greetings, felt a surge of affirmation in her heart. The decision to welcome her brother into their home was undoubtedly worth it, for the sight of his happiness filled her with warmth and joy—it was clear that this companionship was the source of his overwhelming bliss.
Xiao Sheng dashed towards her, his heart swelling with excitement as he enveloped her in a warm embrace. In that moment, he felt profoundly grateful for the blessing of having her as his wife in this lifetime.
"My wife, how did it go?" he asked, referring to the agreement she had been diligently negotiating.
Yize, with a quiet smile, reached into her pocket and produced a folded piece of paper—the contract she had just finalized in town concerning the purchase for his brother. "Here, take this," she said, offering it to him.
"Alright, I'll keep it," Xiao Sheng replied, accepting the paper with an air of nonchalance, completely unaware of the significance of the gesture.
This simple act filled Yize with joy, as she had anticipated a different reaction from him, one of reluctance, as was his usual response whenever she tried to give him something nice. What she didn't realize was that in agreeing to that request of his, Xiao Sheng unknowingly shed the last remnants of his hesitation, opening his heart to the warmth of her affection.
Xiao Ling Ling stood on the sidelines, disbelief washing over him as he beheld the warmth of the moment unfolding before him. It dawned on him that he had never truly understood his brother, and the way Yize was behaving added to his confusion. The affection she displayed for Xiao Sheng sparked a pang of envy within him, a feeling he quickly dismissed as absurd.
Though Yize's gaze remained primarily on Xiao Sheng, she could not help but notice the other man—the one whose features mirrored those of her husband. Each flicker of emotion that crossed his face revealed the depth of their bond, and it would be disingenuous to say she felt no attraction toward him. While perhaps she did not love him yet, she sensed that it was only a matter of time. It wasn't merely her desires as a woman at play; rather, it felt as though destiny were weaving an intricate tapestry that pulled them together.
Reflecting on her initial encounter with Xiao Sheng, she realized she had been swept away by an inexplicable force. It was a fantastical notion—one she struggled to grasp, as if fate itself had tugged at her heartstrings from the very beginning. Now, however, she was beginning to understand; the whispers of fate were indeed guiding her path.
After witnessing a display of affection between the two individuals in front of Xiao Ling Ling, he, who had been quietly observing them, found himself seated beside his brother, both of them watching Yize as she prepared a meal.
He was taken aback by the sight; how could a woman be working in the kitchen? He cast a glance at his brother, poised to voice his concerns, but hesitated, puzzled by his brother's nonchalant demeanor. A nervous tension enveloped him as he bit his lip, ultimately grasping his brother's hand in an attempt to mask his anxiety about what might follow.
"Eh? Ling Ling, are you okay?" Xiao Sheng gazed at him innocently, his expression marked by confusion.
He felt a sense of unease considering that his brother allowed his wife to undertake what he believed to be traditionally masculine responsibilities. He understood how precarious a woman's affection could be and realized that losing it would spell disaster for him.
"No, I mean I am," he stammered.
Though the situation seemed surreal, he couldn't escape the realization that men in contemporary society often find their worth measured by their ability to satisfy their wives. However, his brother's behavior raised serious concerns. How could he ensure that his wife remained affectionate toward him if he continued like this? He yearned to admonish his brother, yet seeing his calm response left him reluctant to express his thoughts.
"Ling Ling, my wife is truly an excellent cook. She has prepared a plethora of delicious meals for me," Xiao Sheng proudly declared to his brother.
Meanwhile, he observed Yize's reaction to such an extraordinary compliment, noting that no one had ever referred to a woman as a skilled cook before; perhaps his brother was an exception. Despite this, her expression remained unchanged, devoid of any sign of displeasure.
"Sheng Er, is this how things are at home for you? You know that cooking isn't typically regarded as a woman's responsibility," Xiao Ling Ling whispered, exasperation lacing her tone.
"Of course. I hardly have to lift a finger at home," he responded matter-of-factly. However, upon noticing the ashen look on his brother's face, he recognized how absurd his statement must have sounded to him. It dawned on him why he had felt something was amiss. How could he have overlooked this earlier? Suddenly, he understood the thoughts swirling in his mind, reminiscent of his overanalysis during his first encounters with such situations.
"Ling Ling, about that..." he stammered, at a loss for words. How could he articulate his thoughts when he himself struggled to express them? Even if he attempted to explain, he suspected his brother would remain skeptical, just as he had been when he first interacted with her.
Yize, who had been attentively listening to the tense conversation, intervened to extricate her husband from his uncomfortable situation.
"I'm done! " she announced, signaling that it was time for dinner. "Sheng Er, could you please dish up a plate for your brother?"
"Of course, my wife," Xiao Sheng replied without hesitation, feeling a surge of gratitude for his wife's timely interjection.
Yize smiled softly, amused by his small show of appreciation. She took on the role of serving food to the two men before attending to herself.
"Mmm! My wife's cooking is always so delicious," Xiao Sheng declared, his face lighting up with joy. Even if Yize prepared the same meal for him every day, he would never grow tired of it.
"Here's your milk," she said, handing him a cup with a smile. Then, turning to the other man, she offered a cup as well. "How does it taste? "
"It's incredibly delicious," he replied, unaware of the irony in his words. The food felt oddly familiar, yet each bite was so exquisite that he nearly exclaimed, 'What a masterful cook!'
It struck him as bewildering that such remarkable food could be prepared by a woman. Who would have imagined that women could excel beyond men in the kitchen?
"I told you so," Xiao Sheng chimed in, a hint of triumph in his voice.
"What exactly is this?" Xiao Ling Ling inquired, his curiosity piqued.
"It's one of my favorites—sautéed mushrooms!"
The moment the words left his brother's lips, Xiao Ling Ling's expression shifted to one of horror. He barely managed to suppress the urge to spit out the delicacy, fully aware that such a reaction might offend the chef.
Yize quickly offered him a cup of water, astonished by his unexpected reaction.
"Ling Ling, are you alright?" Xiao Sheng asked, concern etching his features as he gently patted his brother's back.
"Mm..." came the muffled reply as Xiao Ling Ling nodded, still grappling with the deliciousness of what he had just tasted. So that was the source of the familiarity, but how could such a seemingly toxic dish be so delicious?
"Don't fret; this mushroom is perfectly safe to eat. My wife found it," Xiao Sheng reassured his brother, his tone calm and confident.
Xiao Ling Ling nodded, a silent acknowledgment that suggested he believed his brother's words. If they consumed the mushroom and remained unharmed, then it was indeed as Xiao Sheng had claimed—non-poisonous. His attention drifted to Yize, and he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something intriguing about her. Rumors depicted him as a drunken wanderer, much like his mother, but he quickly shook off that distraction, focusing instead on his meal before it turned cold.
Yize had been watching both brothers, finding their dynamic entertaining. They truly were twins; their reactions mirrored one another perfectly. Their emotions were plain to see, making her realize she didn't need to resort to clever schemes to win his affection—these brothers were easily charmed.