Tang Mo wasn’t only familiar with Yan Shimao and his companions—he also knew a fair bit about their wives. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have arranged such a gathering.
Lin Yao burst out laughing at his exaggerated antics. “You shouldn’t have said anything! Now that you’ve brought it up, I definitely have to teach your wife a few moves. That ought to keep you more obedient.”
Tang Mo folded his hands in mock pleading. “Spare me, sister-in-law. Have mercy.”
Everyone laughed at the exchange. Lin Yao turned to Xin An and offered her hand. “Come with me, sister-in-law. Let’s sit at the other table and have a proper chat. No need to listen to these scoundrels—they’re all no good.”
“We’re being slandered before we even sit down,” came a melodramatic protest from the doorway.
It was Xie Changyou and Wei Ye, both arriving with their wives. They cast wounded glances at Lin Yao.
“Sister-in-law must have seen how pretty Tang Erdi’s wife is and decided to smear us all before we could speak.”
Lin Yao snorted. “As if you needed any help being smeared.”
“She’s not wrong,” someone muttered.
Just then, a clear, lively voice chimed in. Lin Yao, still holding Xin An’s hand, gestured toward a woman in a teal-green dress. “That’s the wife of Second Master Xie. Her maiden name is Zhao—call her Sister Zhao.”
She pointed to the gentle beauty beside her. “And that delicate, fresh-looking young bride is our little Wei’s new wife. She was married just three months before you, so you should call her Sister Han.”
Both women offered polite greetings, which Xin An returned gracefully. Then the ladies moved to the adjacent table to talk, while Tang Mo and the other men sat down and Lailai began urging the kitchen to serve the dishes.
Lin Yao’s spirited personality and quick wit made her a natural at lifting the mood. Whatever small awkwardness had lingered soon melted away. Xin An couldn’t help but feel struck by the contrast—hadn’t each of these women once treated her with disdain?
And now, here they were, sitting side by side, laughing together.
They had all heard about the bride swap through their husbands. So tonight, curiosity was natural—but it wasn’t the icy scrutiny of before. Xin An smiled and let them look. After all, who wouldn’t be curious about someone in her position?
“Do you miss home at all?” Lin Yao asked, clearly speaking under her husband’s instructions to look after Xin An.
“I did at first,” Xin An replied with a soft smile. “But my mother-in-law is generous, and Grandmother is kind. My husband has been good to me. Plus, the Xin family still has a residence here in the capital, and I sometimes visit. It helps ease the homesickness.”
“I’d heard you were not only beautiful but gracious too. You suffered such a grievance, yet didn’t complain or make a fuss. And now, you’ve adjusted so quickly. That’s truly admirable.”
The other women nodded in agreement. After all, the status of a marquis’s heir far outweighed that of a second son who couldn’t inherit. If any of them had been made to suffer such a humiliation on their wedding day, who knew how long they’d have cried? And even then, they would’ve been too embarrassed to step outside afterward.
Xin An laughed lightly, looking slightly embarrassed by the praise. “I hadn’t seen the Marquis’s heir more than once or twice before the wedding. I didn’t have a strong impression. It was all arranged by our parents and the matchmakers. When the swap happened, I was upset, yes—but my husband is kind, handsome, and tall. And since the matter couldn’t be undone, I decided to accept it. No use crying over what couldn’t be changed.”
Lin Yao teased, “So in the end, it was Second Young Master Tang’s fine figure and good looks that won you over at first sight.”
The women burst into laughter again. At the men’s table, every one of them perked up their ears.
Tang Mo wore a smug expression. Whether or not what Xin An said was true didn’t matter—the words alone made him feel incredibly pleased. At least his looks served a purpose. And the fact that Xin An gave him face in front of others made him even happier.
As more dishes arrived, Yan Shimao took the wine jug and poured a round. Grinning, he joked, “Come now, Second Brother Tang—you’ll have to drink a few extra cups tonight. Being so good-looking comes at a price.”
Laughter filled the entire private room. Tang Mo and Xin An both blushed under the teasing, their ears turning red—but the atmosphere had completely warmed. With both tables full of young men and women of similar age and background, conversation flowed easily. Though Xin An’s family background was comparatively modest, she was now the granddaughter-in-law of the Marquis’s household—and, more than that, she carried the wisdom of an extra lifetime. No matter what topic came up, she handled it with ease, which made the other women all the more willing to speak with her.
After a while, Xin An learned that Han Wan’er, Wei Ye’s wife, was a daughter of the Han household—daughter of a Grand Academician—and sister-in-law to Qiu Wenyuan.
“You’ve met the Young Madam Qiu before?” Lin Yao asked.
“Once,” Xin An replied, then shared the story of how Yan Wenhui had invited her to the opera. The others couldn’t help but marvel at Tang Mo’s attentiveness.
“No one else in the capital puts in this kind of effort,” someone remarked.
What other husband would worry that his wife might feel lonely and go out of his way to arrange social introductions for her?
Xin An smiled. “Clearly, it’s a fated match.”
The teasing began anew at those words, and Xin An accepted it with good humor. Over the course of the meal, she found herself gaining a new appreciation for Tang Mo. It was no small thing to have even three or four true friends. These friends of his were genuinely fine people—proof that his character was not lacking.
As this was their first formal meeting, Xin An had also brought along small gifts—selected from her dowry. Though she didn’t bring the highly coveted Silver-Flower Tea, she had something equally rare: the latest silk from Huai Jiang, known as Ripple Gauze.
“I’ve never seen fabric like this,” one of the ladies exclaimed. “It’s beautiful.”
Who doesn’t love something pretty?
“It’s made from a new type of silkworm,” Xin An explained. “The silk is naturally textured with a water-ripple effect. When made into clothing, it glows under sunlight or lamplight, flowing like water with every step. It just came out, and the supply is still limited—hasn’t reached the capital yet.”
The women were delighted. Even the gentle Han Wan’er smiled and said, “Something this fine—it feels wrong for us to accept it without having done anything to deserve it.”
“Is it hard to obtain?”
Xin An nodded. “Very. The silkworms are difficult to rear, and their output is small. I only managed to get ten bolts. Since it’s the first year of production, none of it was sent to the capital. With experience, maybe next year will be better.”
“I don’t know many people in the capital,” she added sincerely. “But I was hoping to join the Water and Blossoms Banquet at the Duke of En’s Residence, and I know it’s not a place one can walk into lightly. So today, I thickened my skin and came to ask you sisters to look after me.”
The women exchanged knowing glances. They understood at once—this fabric would almost certainly become a tribute item by next year. Lin Yao smiled. “With how close our husbands are, there’s no need for such formality. Even if you hadn’t said a word, the moment we saw you at the banquet, we would’ve invited you over to join us.”
Xin An gave a shy, pleased smile. “Before leaving the house, I was so nervous. I kept thinking this meal might be too forward, too presumptuous. But my husband kept assuring me that you ladies were kind and easy to talk to. Turns out he was right.”
Laughter rang out again at the table. The women couldn’t help praising Tang Mo once more, and Tang Mo—overhearing every word—was practically floating with pride.
After dinner, some of the men, emboldened by wine, began clamoring to continue the drinking elsewhere. The loudest of them, Yan Shimao, was swiftly herded into the carriage by Lin Yao, who even threatened to twist his ear. With her setting the tone, the other ladies followed suit. Even the gentle Han Wan’er turned a quiet gaze on Wei Ye.
Wei Ye, ever smiling, leaned in and said, “I’m not going anywhere! It’s late—how could I possibly go out drinking again?”
“It was all them. They were trying to lead me astray!”
“It was no small thing to have even three or four true friends.”
I was just thinking that this scene felt very novel because most Cnovel MLs are terrible friends lol.