The daily struggles of divorced women in ancient times

Xia Mianwan had taken care of Pei Yanshu's marriage and was quite free. She lay on the chaise longue and flipped through a storybook, while Pei Yanxu sat at the desk and sorted out official business.

"Pei Yanxu, Yanshu's marriage probably won't happen so soon. Have you been busy with official duties recently?" Xia Mianwan suddenly thought of her old friend who loved to recite poems and enjoy the autumn. After she came here, she had hardly felt so relaxed and comfortable, so she wanted to go outside and take a look.

"There is always work to do, what's wrong?" Pei Yanxu looked at Xia Mianwan with a smile.

Xia Mianwan said, "Why don't we go out for a walk tomorrow? I heard that the maple leaves at Nanshan Temple are particularly beautiful."

Pei Yanxu has not rested since returning from Yubei. "I will ask for leave from His Majesty. We will go to Nanshan Temple together tomorrow."

Xia Mianwan closed the notebook in her hand with satisfaction. At present, she was quite satisfied with Pei Yanxu. Basically, Pei Yanxu would agree to any request she made.

When Pei Yanxu returned to his room after doing his job, Xia Mianwan had already fallen asleep. Pei Yanxu moved very quietly. After changing his clothes, he sat on the edge of the bed and was dazed for a while. He actually regretted what he said in Yanzhou that day. Xia Mianwan was too confident and frank with him now, which caused his feelings to change and he didn't know how to start.

The next morning, Xia Mianwan and Pei Yanxu got up early. Because they were going out for fun today, Xia Mianwan dressed up very neatly.

Pei Yanxu also looked like a handsome young man today. Xia Mianwan looked at Pei Yanxu with her chin propped up, "What else is missing..."

Pei Yanxu asked in confusion: "What else is missing?"

Xia Mianwan thought for a moment and took out a jade pendant from the brocade box on the dressing table. After she tied it on Pei Yanxu, she looked at it again and felt satisfied.

"My husband is very handsome!"

Pei Yanxu was teased and said unhappily: "Madam is right!"

Xia Mianwan and Pei Yanxu got on the carriage and left the city. Nanshan Temple was on a mountain and the carriage could not go up on the small road, so Pei Yanxu asked the coachman to wait at the foot of the mountain.

Rumeng and Ruzhu did not follow him out today, so Pei Yanxu did not let Qian Da follow him either.

Xia Mianwan and Pei Yanxu walked slowly towards the stone path on the mountain. Since they arrived a little late, there was a lot of fog and dew in the mountain, and the stone path was a little slippery.

Xia Mianwan walked carefully. At this time, Pei Yanxu took Xia Mianwan's hand as if nothing had happened and said, "I'll hold your hand and walk with you."

Xia Mianwan looked at Pei Yanxu with a smile, "Okay, my dear!"

The two walked forward hand in hand, chatting about family matters. Pei Yanxu suddenly said, "I regret it."

Xia Mianwan asked doubtfully, "What do you regret?"

"I regret everything I said in Yanzhou..." As soon as Pei Yanxu finished speaking, Xia Mianwan understood what Pei Yanxu had not said. She was a modern person and had been in love before. How could she not understand the charming and ambiguous atmosphere between adults? Pei Yanxu had said so, and it seemed not good for her to pretend to be ignorant. Just as she was about to speak, Pei Yanxu's words "I like you" exploded in her ears.

Xia Mianwan turned her head to look at Pei Yanxu. Pei Yanxu's eyes were bright and his gaze was fiery at this moment.

Xia Mianwan raised the corners of her lips and smiled faintly, "My dear, I am also attracted to you!"

Pei Yanxu was somewhat surprised and suspected that he had heard wrongly. Seeing him like this, Xia Mianwan couldn't help but tease him and said, "How can you be so unconfident when you are so handsome?"

Pei Yanxu was delighted and tightly grasped Xia Mianwan's hand, "Xia Mianwan, I will never let you down in this life."

Xia Mianwan patted Pei Yanxu's shoulder and said, "Pei Yanxu, I am very happy to be with you, but if you betray me, it will only make me sad for a few days. I won't be sad for too long, let alone die."

Pei Yanxu sometimes really felt that Xia Mianwan always said shocking things, but he could prevent himself from having these thoughts.

After the two of them expressed their feelings to each other, their hearts became even sweeter and they were so happy that they could smile every time they walked.

The maple leaves on the top of the mountain were bright red. After Pei Yanxu and Xia Mianwan finished viewing the red maples, they went to Nanshan Temple for a vegetarian meal.

The two of them enjoyed a dish of braised tofu with snow sauce, a dish of yam and black fungus, and a dish of pickled cabbage.

"I didn't expect the vegetarian food in Nanshan Temple to be so delicious!" Xia Mianwan ate two bowls of rice and was now sighing with satisfaction while holding his stomach.

Pei Yanxu laughed at her for eating too much and filling herself up, "No matter how delicious the food is, it's not the way you eat it. It must be so uncomfortable to be filled up!"

Xia Mianwan stuck out her tongue embarrassedly, "Yes, I ate a little too much! But vegetarian food and dishes are not good for leftovers."

After they finished their vegetarian meal, they sat down on a stone bench in the red maple forest. Xia Mianwan then took out the kettle she carried with her, which was filled with the drinks she had asked Xuanxue to prepare.

"You actually brought the drink with you?" Pei Yanxu couldn't help but be a little surprised.

"For an autumn outing, it's common to go out without any preparation. Unlike this handsome guy, he dares to come out to chase girls with nothing in his hands!" Xia Mianwan teased Pei Yanxu.

Pei Yanxu really began to think about why he was so unprepared, "I won't do that next time...my wife."

Xia Mianwan burst out laughing. She discovered that sometimes it was quite fun to tease Pei Yanxu.

Pei Yanxu and Xia Mianwan were enjoying the maple leaves while chatting casually. Half a day had passed. Pei Yanxu looked at the sky and said, "Mianwan, it's getting late. Shall we go back?"

Xia Mianwan helped Pei Yanxu stand up and said okay with a smile.

The two of them went down the mountain together. Xia Mianwan suddenly got excited and pulled Pei Yanxu to Manyue Tower.

"Husband, you haven't experienced Manyue Tower yet, right? I'll treat you to a dinner today!" Manyue Tower is Xia Mianwan's proudest work and has become a trend in the capital. Naturally, she wants Pei Yanxu to take a look.

Pei Yanxu gently touched Xia Mianwan's head, his eyes filled with deep affection, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

Madam Sang was stunned when she suddenly saw Xia Mianwan and Pei Yanxu. Pei Yanxu and Xia Mianwan rarely appeared together.

Madam Sang looked at her and asked what was going on.

Xia Mianwan generously took Pei Yanxu's arm and said, "Sister Sang, I will bring my husband to show you today."

Pei Yanxu then understood why Xia Mianwan brought him to Manyue Tower. His heart was filled with warmth. His wife didn't seem to care much about her, but in fact she just didn't say it.

"Sister Sang." Pei Yanxu smiled and called out along with Xia Mianwan.

Xia Mianwan's relationship with the Xia family has always been bad. After marriage, she rarely interacted with the Xia family except for business matters. However, Sang Niangzi and Xia Mianwan were closer. Xia Mianwan wanted to bring the person she cared about to meet her relatives in her heart.

Madam Sang instantly understood Xia Mianwan's thoughts, and readily called Pei Yanxu "brother-in-law".