Ten Months On

Chapter 2: The Contract

At first, Su Chen thought to change Sun Rui's mind. She was desperate.

Although she was the legal daughter, her family was not close to her. Concubine Mu, Su Li's mother took over the household accounts once Lady Sun died and although Concubine Mu did not mistreat her, neither did she care much for the motherless Su Chen.

Hence, Su Chen had hopes of building her own happy family with Sun Rui. Once a year, Sun Rui and her would meet. They were close playmates in their younger days. But everything changed when their group of two also included Su Li. Su Li was three months younger than Su Chen. With their close age gap, her father insisted that Su Li played along with Sun Rui and Su Chen. As they grew older and met up less due to how strict the era was regarding gender distance, Su Chen grew distant from Sun Rui.

In those annual meetings, Su Chen could see the growing admiration he had for her sister, Su Li.

She must admit that Su Li was indeed beautiful. And although Su Li was loved by both their parents, she did not laud it over Su Chen but treated her as a close sister. Su Chen's introverted nature did not allow Su Li into her heart, but she did become accustomed to Su Li's presence. There were moments in their time growing up where Su Chen did feel that Su Li was not as innocent as she made herself out to be. But Su Chen could overlook that as long as Su Li's schemes left her out of it.

Unlike Su Li, Su Chen was tremendously ordinary. Average. She guessed that a child of an official daughter in an arranged marriage would differ greatly in looks from the love child of Minister Sun and his enticing and beautiful concubine. Su Chen's face was plain, with ordinary eyes, nose and mouth. Her most beautiful asset was her thick black hair. But other than that, if people were to compare her to Su Li, it would be a phoenix to a sparrow.

Su Chen did not mind her average looks. She had a marriage in line for her and she was not ambitious nor desired wealth and fame. She did not expect love from Rui Wang. Simple mutual respect would suffice for her. Her biggest gripe was... her height. At 148cm, she was ridiculously small. Yuan says that she is "petite". But, everyone knew that the taboo word for her is the word "shorty". Everyone in Sun family knew that the amiable Eldest Miss would change into a tiger at any word that sounds remotely like the word "short". Hence, with more people not touching her inverted scales throughout the years, her reputation as a gently, scholarly noble lady was entrenched in society.

***

When Su Chen got married, besides the disastrous first night, Su Chen did not see her husband for several days.

Not that she minded. Su Chen was busy duelling with Concubine Liu and taking charge of the messed up household accounts to take any mind of her missing husband.

When he finally appeared, he called her into his room. A black aura emanated from him as he sat across her,  his eyes determined as if he had made a resolve.

"Sign this." Curt words thrown at her.

Su Chen stared at her husband in confusion.

She turned to look at the papers before her.

A contract?

As she read, her eyes widened in surprise.

Upon the lines of the conditions she raised her wide eyes at Sun Rui.

"Did... Did this wife do anything wrong?" Su Chen couldn't stop her voice from wavering.

Her thoughts flew to what she had done in the previous days. Was it the whipping of the disobedient servants she undertook a few days ago. Or threatening Concubine Liu by withdrawing her allowance? Or changing up the chef in the residence to somebody who actually knows how to cook? Her eyes darted to and fro the contract, wondering where had she overstepped her boundaries. The cowering steward, who was almost killed on her first day, had assured her that Rui Wang did not care about his household matters. But maybe she was too naive to believe him.

"What are you saying? Just sign it. Everything is stated there."

Su Chen's hand gripped the brush.

"Your Highness, why are you asking for a divorce?" she stared at him.

"Was it the way I had done things over the days. I did those things with my right as Wang Fei. If I had not, those... servants would have--"

"What?" Sun Rui waved at her in irritation. "I don't care about what you do in this place. But... You cannot be my Wang Fei."

Su Chen looked at him in surprise.

"Then, why?"

If it was not because of her actions, then what could it be. A bad omen niggled at her heart.

Sun Rui looked away in embarrassment, which further surprised Su Chen.

"Su Li. Su Li is to be my Wang Fei."