Chapter 1865: The Frail Young Master's Auspicious Marriage Beauty 20

On New Year's Eve, following the Jin Manor's tradition, everyone was to gather in the Front Hall Warm Pavilion to keep the year-end vigil.

That night, as the manor's youngest young master, Jin Chen received all the yasui money given by the family.

Ye Yuchi had also prepared this share early, and handed it to him amid Jin Chen's thoughtful smile.

Jin Chen glanced at the family chatting by the brazier, took Ye Yuchi's hand, leaned over, and whispered to him.

"Yasui money is for children; it's fine that my parents and older brother and sister-in-law give it, but why does A Ci also give me?"

Ye Yuchi's eyes softened, his fingertip touching Jin Chen's forehead as he smiled and said, "As your husband, I am naturally four years younger than you."

Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, picked up a piece of candy and gave it to him; after Ye Yuchi put it in his mouth, Jin Chen quickly poked his tongue tip, half‑smiling, and said, "When A Ci eats candy like this at night, he never treats me as a little brother."

"Cough cough…"

Ye Yuchi's cough drew the Jin family's gaze; he hurriedly lifted a teacup to hide his flushed face and angrily stared at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen, chin propped on his hand, laughed at him, then heard Qiao Yan Pei curiously ask, "What secret are you talking about? Ye Yuchi's face is all red."

Jin Chen pressed down Ye Yuchi's hand that tried to stop him, squeezed it in his palm, then suddenly recalled what his cheap father had said: after the new year they'd settle the account for moving his private treasures from the storehouse, and a idea sparked.

"Mother, A Ci and I want to ask Father for a few books to read."

"Wanting to read books is good, but haven't you finished those in your room yet?" Ji Ji De also looked over.

Ye Yuchi didn't know why Jin Chen brought this up, let him hold his hand, and his gaze also showed some doubt.

Jin Chen: "The books I want to read are only in Father's storehouse."

Ye Yuchi's pupils contracted; he hurriedly scratched Jin Chen's palm, his face reddening to the point of almost smoking.

How can a husband say such books at this time!

Ji Ji De stroked his short beard, puzzled, wondering how he could forget that there were books in the storehouse at some point.

Jin Enxing curiously asked, "What books? Aren't all the treasures collected over the years in Father's storehouse?"

Jin Chen: "Only the books that the second brother cannot read."

Jin Enxing blinked, "What kind of thing is that?"

As soon as those words were spoken, everyone in the Jin family understood.

Zhao Huaixian gave a light cough, exchanged a glance with the embarrassed yet shocked Jin Yu Dong, and lowered her head to chuckle.

Only Jin Chen would dare to speak such unrestrained words.

After a brief few seconds of inexplicable silence, Qiao Yan Pei recalled those things from his youth, grabbed the red‑faced Ji Ji De by the ear, and scolded, "You actually still hide those books!"

Ji Ji De tried to maintain his dignity in front of the children, weakly retorting, "Without those books… where would three sons come from?"

Qiao Yan Pei: "……"

Jin Chen successfully made his cheap father eat dirt, took Ye Yuchi's hand and slipped away, saying, "Father! I'm taking A Ci to set off firecrackers."

"No…" Jin Enxing scratched his head in confusion, gave Dage an elbow, and asked, "What books? Why can't I read them?"

Jin Yu Dong shoved his elbow back without hesitation, "Xiao Chen has taken a husband, and yet you're acting even more childish than him."

Jin Enxing was greatly shocked, turned his hand palm‑up and reached out, saying, "Then give me some yasui money too."

Jin Yu Dong: "……"

——

In the courtyard.

Jin Chen had just set off a few firecrackers when Ye Yuchi ordered him not to go outside to catch the cold.

How could he disobey his husband's words? Jin Chen drew out his reply, but his crouching back showed no movement at all.

Ye Yuchi, helpless, could only return to the Luochun Courtyard to fetch a cloak, but when he came back to the front courtyard with the oil lamp, Jin Chen's figure was gone.

"Husband?"

"I'm here."

Jin Chen hurried from the corridor, no one following, his slightly thin figure in the darkness especially evoking pity.

The servants were off for New Year's Eve; Ye Yuchi knew he had left alone, couldn't help but frown with worry: "The night is cold—what is the husband doing out there?"

"The rear house is lively; the servants prepared New Year's gifts for me, but… I don't quite understand what it means."

Jin Chen stood still while Ye Yuchi helped him into the cloak, holding a snack bowl in his hand, then pulled him to sit on the long bench, saying, "Look."

Ye Yuchi lowered his phoenix eyes and saw the three items in the bowl.

"Persimmon, orange, and branch." Jin Chen looked at Ye Yuchi and asked, "A Ci, do you know the symbolism?"

Ye Yuchi pondered for a moment, then lifted his gaze under the oil lamp's light, staring at the husband full of doubt.

Jin Chen concentrated, his deep brows suffused with warm light; seeing the husband silent and looking at him, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Ye Yuchi smiled slightly, his cold‑beautiful brows and eyes softening into something moving, he leaned in and kissed Jin Chen's cheek.

"It's a blessing for you to have smooth sailing and good health."

Jin Chen hummed in agreement, then heard Ye Yuchi continue, "Cypress branch, persimmon, orange—taken together they mean 'all things auspicious.'"

"Many poor families who can't afford New Year's gifts usually use this symbolism to give to those they wish to bless."

The Jin Manor servants blessed Jin Chen in this way, something even Ye Yuchi hadn't expected.

Jin Chen raised his brows in surprise, "So that's how it is."

He put the three items away, thought a moment, then smiled at Ye Yuchi and asked, "Then does A Ci have a New Year's gift for me?"

"Of course there is."

Ye Yuchi nodded, a warm glow spreading softly at the corners of his eyes, "But… after we finish keeping the year with Mother and Father, once the zi hour passes I'll return to the Luochun Courtyard to tell you."

"Alright, then I'll give you something at that time too." Jin Chen said eagerly.

After the zi hour passed, sounds of joy echoed through Chuan Ze Cheng, lights blazed in ten thousand homes, firecrackers rang at a thousand gates.

After all, considering Jin Chen's health, they exchanged New Year greetings, and Qiao Yan Pei urged them to hurry back to rest.

Just as the night grew deep, Jin Chen never imagined that his husband's New Year gift would be a personally embroidered close‑fitting blessing robe of a hundred accepts.

Stroking the needle‑pricked marks on Ye Yu Ci's fingertip, Jin Chen found she could not bring herself to part with her hairpin, though it was clearly also a spirit jade that had been nurtured and consecrated in the temple.

Ye Yu Ci, however, took great liking to it.

Even when Jin Chen shamelessly insisted that she wear the hairpin again and again tonight, the usually bashful Ye Yu Ci agreed.

Before dawn, as she held her exhausted husband in sleep, Jin Chen heard his murmurs.

"This is the first New Year gift I've ever received; I really like it."

The candle had just been snuffed out, and perhaps only in the relaxed darkness could such words be spoken.

Jin Chen's heart softened; she kissed the slightly damp corners of Ye Yu Ci's eyes, "Good Ah Ci, we still have so many years ahead."

Mm…

Ye Yu Ci wiped her tears, snuggled into Jin Chen's embrace, they lay cheek‑to‑cheek, and drifted into a warm sleep.

This was a fine beginning to the year.

【Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 60!】