Chapter 121: Consider Yourself Wise (Part Three)

“I’m a man utterly faithful in love. How could I ever do such a thing?” Su Nanxing placed the piece of Cold Gold in his palm and circulated his cultivation technique. A ball of white flame sprang from his hand, and the Cold Gold hissed within it as it slowly melted.

Watching the metal tumble in the flames, Su Fang was astonished. “Your cultivation has improved again? You can even melt Cold Gold now?”

“I wasn’t completely sure myself. I just wanted to try, and it actually worked.” Su Nanxing stared at the molten metal with a troubled expression. Tao Ming’s request was simply too difficult. What did she mean by a hair ornament that could be fixed firmly in one’s hair?

When Su Fang saw that the piece of Cold Gold had shrunk by nearly a third, his astonishment deepened. It had already been smelted once in a forge and was practically refined to its limit. How could it still be purified further?

Unable to hold back, he asked, “Brother, can your flames remove impurities too?”

“I only just found that out myself.” Seeing that the Cold Gold had stopped shrinking, Su Nanxing took out a stone slab with a groove in the center, poured the molten metal into it, and set it on the table.

Su Fang produced several pieces of metal in varying sizes and said ingratiatingly, “Seventeenth Brother, could you work on these for me too?”

“Of course. Help me think of a hair ornament that can be fixed firmly in Softsoft’s hair.” Su Nanxing held a piece of metal in each hand. White flames surged forth, and the metal in his palms soon melted into liquid.

Su Fang glanced at the molten Cold Gold in the groove and, after a moment’s thought, replied, “You could make a thin chain and braid it into Softsoft’s little plaits. It definitely won’t fall out.”

More importantly, a thin chain would not require much Cold Gold, and the rest could still be reclaimed.

Su Nanxing shot Su Fang a glance and praised him. “Good idea. Softsoft complained before that the bracelet I gave her was too heavy. This time, I’ll make her several thin chains and arm her from head to toe.”

Su Fang froze at that. Then he remembered that several thin chains probably would not use all that much Cold Gold after all, and there should still be plenty left. He hurriedly agreed, “Seventeenth Brother, you really do think things through.”

Su Nanxing picked up the last two pieces of metal and casually asked, “Do you happen to have any Sunset Wood with you?”

Sunset Wood had a fine grain, dense fibers, and excellent resistance to heat. It was the finest material for making casting molds.

“Seventeenth Brother, that’s a little too ruthless, isn’t it?” Su Fang wished he could vanish on the spot. Sunset Wood was exceedingly rare, and he possessed only a single small piece—less than a foot long, scarcely an inch wide, and half an inch thick.

Remembering the way Tao Ming had rolled her eyes, Su Nanxing imitated her and rolled his own eyes. Alas, the corners of his eyes hurt a little. Apparently, rolling one’s eyes was a skill in itself.

He blinked hard several times and felt much better. Then he reassured Su Fang, “Don’t worry. I’ll only use a little. Once we return to the Su residence, I’ll repay you with a large piece.”

Su Fang reluctantly took out the piece of Sunset Wood and held it in his hand. “You mean it? You’ll give me a large piece in return?”

“Why would I lie to you? Do I look like that kind of person?” Su Nanxing studied the tiny piece of Sunset Wood in Su Fang’s hand and added, “Is this really all you have?”

Su Fang felt insulted. “What do you mean, ‘all I have’? I’ve only been allowed to leave the residence for the past few years. Before that, I had to scrape by on the monthly provisions issued by the household. Having even this piece of Sunset Wood wasn’t easy.”

“You should have said so sooner. If I’d known you were this poor, I could have supported you.” Su Nanxing reached out and took the Sunset Wood, then drew a carving knife and began measuring out the design.

Su Fang smiled obsequiously. “Seventeenth Brother, you can still support me now.”

“Now? All my possessions are in my wife’s hands. There’s nothing I can do.” Su Nanxing began carving along the length of the Sunset Wood, intending to carve a row of connected little hearts. Softsoft loved hearts more than anything; this was sure to please her.

Watching Su Nanxing wield the knife with practiced ease, Su Fang asked tentatively, “Would Sister-in-law be willing to support me?”

“You’ll have to ask her yourself. But how are you even poorer than our Twenty-Second Brother?” Su Nanxing’s hands never stopped moving as he voiced his confusion.

Su Fang felt a sharp pain in his chest. With a mournful expression, he replied, “Su Pei left the residence more than a hundred years before I did. Of course he has more money than me.”

“Heh. I’d forgotten that until you mentioned it. What else could anyone expect when your aptitude is poor and you’re so lazy?” Su Nanxing twisted the knife again.

Su Fang felt that he could not continue the conversation, or he might truly die of heartbreak.

After finishing the little hearts, Su Nanxing held the wood up and measured it against his fingers, preparing to make some ornaments for Tao Ming to soothe her anger.

Seeing that Su Nanxing was still measuring with the carving knife, Su Fang could not help asking, “Didn’t you say you were only making a few chains?”

“Can’t I make some ornaments for my wife?” Su Nanxing stared at the Sunset Wood. Tao Ming had always worried that wearing their wedding ring would scratch Softsoft, so she kept it hanging around her neck. In that case, he would make a pair of rings, give one to her, and wear the other himself. Surely she would have no excuse to refuse them this time.

Watching Su Nanxing carve a circle, Su Fang breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, it did not require much material.

After finishing the rings, Su Nanxing carved a pair of earrings as well. Su Fang clenched his teeth and said, “Seventeenth Brother, I’m tired. I’m going to sleep.”

If he watched any longer, his heart would not be able to take it.

Without raising his head, Su Nanxing replied, “Go ahead. I’ll return to sleep once I’m finished.”

Bearing the pain in his heart, Su Fang lay down on the bed with his back to Su Nanxing and silently shed tears.

……

When Tao Ming woke from her sleep, she found Su Nanxing lying on his side to her right, sleeping soundly. Softsoft, who had originally been sleeping there, had been moved beside Nuonuo.

Tao Ming gently removed Su Nanxing’s arm from around her waist and carefully got out of bed to wash up.

With her eyes closed, she was rubbing cleanser over her face when she suddenly felt an arm tighten around her waist. Su Nanxing’s familiar, warm breath brushed against her ear.

“Wife…”

Tao Ming rolled her shoulder and pushed Su Nanxing back a little, then bent over to wash her face.

Su Nanxing’s hand remained on her waist. His gaze lingered on the place where their bodies touched, and his Adam’s apple bobbed once. His voice was husky.

“They’re both still asleep.”

Tao Ming straightened and dried her face, then casually applied her skincare products. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Su Nanxing knew she still remembered the conversation she had overheard the previous night. He slowly turned her around and leaned in to kiss her, but Tao Ming raised an arm and blocked his face with an expression of disgust.

“Go brush your teeth and wash your face.”

With that, Tao Ming pulled free of his arm and stepped aside, leaving him room to wash up. When Su Nanxing saw her preparing to leave, he reached out and caught her by the arm.

Tao Ming turned back in confusion and looked at him.

“Wife, this is for you.” Su Nanxing took out the ornaments he had made and placed them in his palm before her as though presenting a treasure.

Tao Ming examined the several items in his hand: rings, earrings, and a necklace. She reached out and picked up the dangling earrings, seeing several hearts hanging beneath a handful of slender chains of different lengths.

She put the earrings on, took out a mirror, and turned her head from side to side to admire them. The long, delicate earrings suited her oval face perfectly, making her neck appear even more slender.

“I love them. Thank you.” Tao Ming put away the mirror, smiling brightly.

Seeing that she liked them, Su Nanxing added, “They all have protective formations carved into them.”

Then he picked up one of the rings, drew Tao Ming’s left hand toward him, and slipped it onto her ring finger.

“This time, I’ve got you firmly in my grasp. Don’t even think about taking it off.”

Once he had finished putting it on, Tao Ming tried to remove it. To her surprise, it truly would not come off. She could not help asking, “Why can’t I take it off?”

Su Nanxing raised his own hand and waved it slightly. “They’re a matched pair. I carved a Twin Hearts Formation into them. Unless one of us dies, neither ring can be removed.”

“You certainly have a lot of tricks up your sleeve.” Tao Ming rubbed the ring on her finger. It did not seem to get in the way, so she decided she might as well keep wearing it.