Before the old man stood an iron rack, on which sat a basin of steaming hot water for washing people’s hair and faces.

The man sitting before the barber was also quite old. An oilcloth was draped over his chest, and he was tilting his head to expose half his face, allowing the barber to take a straight razor and scrape his beard clean, one stroke at a time.

Shaving and getting a haircut for the New Year and other festivals was a long-standing tradition.

The idea was to tidy up one’s beard and give any overgrown hair a little trim.

This barber’s skill must have been superb, because the people lined up before him included not only elderly men but also quite a few young lads.

Before they left, Chen Wanqing found herself thinking that if it weren’t for the long line, she ought to have the barber give Zhao Jing a shave as well. The man’s technique was so good that the razor looked like a toy in his hands.

But she didn’t say this out loud, because she knew Zhao Jing would never agree.

He was fastidious about cleanliness; the first thing he did upon returning home was change his clothes. His bed was always neat and tidy, his desk was spotless, and his clothes were never wrinkled.

Making a person like that share a single basin of water—let alone a single basin of hot water—with a whole group of people would be absolute torture for him.

At the thought, Chen Wanqing let out a small laugh.

Zhao Jing saw her, and the tension he had been holding inside couldn’t help but ease slightly.

From that morning until now, Wanqing had only said two sentences to him.

Both were said in front of Xu Suying, clearly to prevent her mother from noticing that something was amiss.

But even when she spoke to him, her smile was strained, and she seemed incredibly stiff.

If their gazes happened to meet, she would flit away like a startled sparrow.

All of it had kept him on pins and needles.

Thankfully, Wanqing’s mood seemed to have finally improved.

Zhao Jing asked, "Wanqing, what are you laughing at?"

Chen Wanqing shook her head. "You probably wouldn’t want to hear it."

"It seems to be about me, then. In that case, you should definitely tell me."

"I’d rather not."

"Please? It’s still a long walk to Dashan’s oxcart. Talking will make the distance feel shorter." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Chen Wanqing was persuaded by Zhao Jing’s specious reasoning and told him what she had just been thinking.

After hearing her out, Zhao Jing’s brow did indeed furrow into a frown, his expression a clear ’thanks, but no thanks.’

Chen Wanqing couldn’t help but laugh again. "I knew it. You’d rather cut up your own face than let that barber shave you."

Zhao Jing smiled. "That’s true. It’s not that I’m against someone else shaving me, but I can’t stand the thought of sharing a razor and a basin of hot water with other people."

"I knew it. Still, you’d better be extra careful when you shave. If you draw blood, Mother will say it’s unlucky."

On their wedding day, when he came to fetch her, there had been a tiny cut on his jaw. Others might not have noticed, but when he lifted her veil, she had been sitting on the bed and, tilting her head up, had seen it perfectly.

She had assumed his shaving technique was just clumsy; it never occurred to her that his hand might have slipped because he was struggling to contain his emotions.

Hearing this, Zhao Jing didn’t look the least bit chastened. Instead, he said with a perfectly straight face, "Shaving the right side of my face is easy, but the left side always feels awkward. If I’m not careful, I cut myself. I heard from De’an that every New Year, you’re the one who shaves your father and him. So, when we get home, why don’t you help me too?"

Chen Wanqing was stunned.

She never knew Zhao Jing was the type to take a mile when given an inch.

He had clearly upset her this morning, and now, the moment she showed the slightest bit of good humor, he was already clinging to her again.

’Isn’t he worried he’ll scare me off?’

Zhao Jing sighed. "If you don’t want to help me, I understand. After all, you’re busy with so many things, how could you possibly find time for me? Besides, it’s just a scratch, not like I’d be disfigured. For a real man, aren’t a few drops of blood and a scar or two a sign of valor? Even if Mother gets worried, she’ll just grumble for a moment. It’s not like she’ll lose sleep over it..."

Zhao Jing showed no signs of stopping; he seemed ready to ramble on endlessly.

Chen Wanqing had had enough. She laughed in exasperation.

She couldn’t resist swatting him again, warning, "If you say one more word, I’m not helping. You can shave your own face. And if you do cut yourself, I’ll just cover it with some powder for you. I guarantee Mother won’t notice a thing."

Zhao Jing fell silent. ’Well, whatever her tone, she agreed.’

’And her agreeing was all that mattered.’