Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 507

Xu Qingchuan and the young lady, now acquaintances, left together.

After repeatedly reading Xu Qingchuan’s newly composed poem, the young lady shook her head and said, “Indeed, Brother Xu’s skills surpass mine. Your poetry is simple and unadorned, with not a single superfluous word. My poem, when compared to yours, seems a bit too embellished.”

Naturally, Xu Qingchuan disagreed, “Your poem is sincere and vivid, expressing deep feelings for your loved ones. I’m not being modest; winning today was just a stroke of luck.”

The young lady couldn’t help but laugh, “We both believe the other’s poem is better. How about we get together sometime to refine and learn from each other?”

Xu Qingchuan hesitated, and the young lady continued, “Seeing that Brother Xu is acquainted with the manager at Food of Heaven, you can send your poems here. Brother Xu can provide guidance. This way, it won’t affect your reputation elsewhere.”

Considering the literary gathering’s theme of disregarding gender and focusing on talent, Xu Qingchuan, who had participated, couldn’t abandon a like-minded companion due to gender differences. So, he nodded in agreement, and they decided to exchange their newly written poems every ten days.

Subsequently, the two maintained a correspondence, becoming pen pals.

Initially, their discussions revolved around poetry and literature. However, even the most skilled literati can’t produce new work every ten days or two weeks, so their letters began to touch on various topics.

Since Xu Qingchuan was a valued official in the Imperial Academy, he occasionally wrote about his recent readings and insights. The young lady didn’t find this dull; instead, she eagerly explored the books he recommended. If she managed to find any, she would include her own reflections in her next letter. However, her resources seemed limited, and for every ten books Xu Qingchuan recommended, she could obtain only one.

Occasionally, the young lady shared her insights or recommended delicious food she had recently discovered, suggesting Xu Qingchuan give them a try. However, her choices mainly centered around the offerings of Food of Heaven.

Xu Qingchuan, not wanting to be too direct, would revisit the restaurant to taste and provide feedback in his letters.

Their correspondence continued, and their friendship deepened. Despite their compatible interests, both remained reserved, only discussing poetry, literature, and books. They never probed into each other’s identities, adhering to the principle of “gentleman’s friendship, light as water”.

As the new year began, Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang received some good news from Mrs. Xu.

Mrs. Xu whispered to Gu Yin and Mrs. Wang, “That young lad thought I didn’t know, but I’ve noticed him sneaking into your restaurant every ten days. He acts like the restaurant introduces some new things, and he’s captivated by it. One day, I happened to pass by and asked whether they introduced new food. Only then did I find out he has a penpal.”

When Xu Qingchuan and the young lady first met, he immediately recognized her gender despite her male disguise. As for Manager Zhou and the others, they could discern it at a glance without careful observation.

If someone else had asked, Manager Zhou wouldn’t spill the beans, but Mrs. Xu was different. Besides, seeing the frequent exchange of letters between Xu Qingchuan and the young lady, progressing from once every ten days to every five days, Mrs. Xu suspected that something good might be in the works. Thus, she candidly shared the information.

Mrs. Xu was open-minded and had confidence in Xu Qingchuan. She assumed that a young lady who could engage in meaningful conversations with him should be knowledgeable, upright, and trustworthy. Without prying further, she wisely refrained from inquiring about the young lady surnamed Xie.

Before the Lunar New Year, Xu Qingchuan took some time off and something seemed amiss. Occasionally, when Mrs. Xu went to his study, she found him lost in thought, holding a book still open to the same page when she entered.

So the mother and son had a heart-to-heart talk, and Xu Qingchuan didn’t conceal anything. He explained that at the beginning, it was a straightforward friendship, but he wasn’t sure how it evolved. Perhaps, after two months of regular correspondence and the busy start of the year for everyone, it became a habit. He mentioned that Miss Xie might be occupied with New Year preparations, and it was normal for her to be unable to reply promptly. However, aware of it or not, those days he found himself occasionally daydreaming and wanting to share interesting books and delicious food with her.

After a long pause, Xu Qingchuan set down the book and added, “Miss Xie and I have an open and sincere exchange of letters. Even if it’s exposed to others, there’s nothing that should make one feel guilty. If you’re worried, you can check our correspondence.”

She gave birth to such a son; could Mrs. Xu not understand? She couldn’t be more assured.

She waved her hand, indicating that she didn’t need to read their letters, but in her heart, she had already noticed something.

With no relatives or friends at home to share the good news with, Mrs. Xu couldn’t help it. So, she could only confide in the Wang family, Gu Yin and her mother-in-law, in private.

After explaining the situation, Mrs. Xu counted on her fingers, “They met in November, and it’s only been two months. They haven’t discussed any romance yet. I’m thinking that in a few months, the relationship between the two youngsters will stabilize. Then, I’ll encourage Qingchuan and the girl to make it clear. Our family will be able to celebrate a happy event!”

The Xie surname was rare among the high-profile households in the capital, and Gu Yin had an impression of Marquis Yun Yang’s family, having met them several times. 

However, it was a family that had been prosperous for several generations. It was said that there was no discord in the mansion, and the girls in their family were well-behaved, having been familiar with the proper conduct for women since childhood.

Miss Xie, who became a pen pal with Xu Qingchuan, was not considered a maverick in this era when folk customs were still open. However, in a family like that, it was a bit out of tune.

Moreover, Mrs. Xu also thought that the other party was a bit out of tune. While she could read and make poems, she was not bound by stereotypes. If Mrs. Xu got to know that she belonged to such a family, Gu Yin wasn’t sure how shocked she would be.

So, Gu Yin didn’t mention this and simply said, “If Auntie needs someone to help, don’t hesitate to ask us.”

Mrs. Xu smiled and nodded.