Chapter 30: Revealing the Space to Mu Xingjue

After chatting for a while, seeing that her future mother-in-law was getting tired, Su Yao made up the bed for her. "Auntie, you should rest for a bit. Xingjue and I will go see what food we have and call you once dinner is ready."

"Alright, you two go ahead and get busy." Ren Daiyun waved her hand. She was indeed exhausted; although she had bought a sleeper berth, the long journey had still been uncomfortable.

Once they were outside, Su Yao poked Mu Xingjue. "Mu Xiaosan, so that’s another name you go by."

"My mom calls me that. I’m the third child, so she’s always called me 'little third.' Wife, you should just call me 'husband' from now on."

"In your dreams. I’m sticking with Mu Xiaosan; it sounds quite nice."

"No, don't. Everyone calls me that; it’s nothing special. Call me husband, husband sounds better." Mu Xingjue shamelessly leaned in close.

Inside the room, Ren Daiyun was surprised to find her son had such a thick-skinned side—just like his father, stiflingly passionate and shameless.

Su Yao rolled her eyes at him. It was truly speechless how he thought anyone could just call him "husband."

"Go slice the potatoes and chop the ribs. I’ll wash the large bones; we’ll stew bone broth first."

"Got it."

"Does Auntie eat spicy food?"

"She can handle a little spice."

At noon, Su Yao prepared sour and spicy shredded potatoes, braised pork ribs, pork with cabbage and vermicelli, and bone broth.

Ye Simin and Xu Xingyu returned from their chores, and Mu Xingjue went to wake his mother for the meal.

After washing up, Ren Daiyun entered the kitchen. Seeing the dishes on the table, she praised Su Yao’s capability. "I never expected you to be such a good cook, Yao. This looks delicious just by looking at it."

"Auntie, please sit. Have a taste and see how it is."

"I don't even need to taste it to know it's good. You all sit and eat too; don't worry about me."

Ren Daiyun picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of braised rib. After one bite, she praised it repeatedly. "Delicious, absolutely delicious. That brat of mine is truly lucky."

The group finished everything on the table. Since Ye Simin and Xu Xingyu had been working in the fields, Mu Xingjue took charge of the cleanup.

In the afternoon, Ren Daiyun pulled the couple into the room, took out the betrothal gift money, and placed it in Su Yao’s hands. "This is one thousand yuan for your betrothal gift. It’s the same amount I gave Mu Xiaosan’s two sisters-in-law. You should keep it."

"Isn't this too much?" Su Yao hadn't expected such a large sum. Unsure whether to accept it, she looked at Mu Xingjue.

"Hurry up and take it. Don't refuse a gift; it’s all yours eventually anyway," Mu Xingjue said shamelessly, not even worried about his mother hitting him.

Seeing Su Yao accept the money, Ren Daiyun then produced the money and coupons for the "three rounds and one sound." "Here is the money and the coupons for the appliances. You two go buy them yourselves. Have you decided on a date for the wedding yet?"

Both of them shook their heads.

"What am I going to do with you two? You wrote home but didn't even bother to set a date."

"I was originally planning to wait until Simin’s side settled things, then hold the wedding banquet together and go register the marriage," Su Yao explained.

"That’s not impossible, but I’ll be leaving in a few days and won't be able to see you get married." Ren Daiyun felt a tinge of regret. Her first two daughters-in-law had married at the military base, and she hadn't been able to attend those either; now she would miss her youngest son's wedding too.

Seeing the regret in Ren Daiyun’s eyes, Su Yao thought for a moment and asked, "Auntie, how many days can you stay here? What if we move the wedding date up? That way, you can help out."

"Can we? I can stay for five days." Ren Daiyun’s eyes lit up; she was quite willing.

"Of course. I’ll ask Auntie Cai from the captain’s house to come over and help as well."

"Then let’s make it three days from now. After the banquet, I’ll still have a day to rest before I head back."

"Alright, I’ll listen to you."

That night, while everyone was asleep, Mu Xingjue snuck over to Su Yao’s room. Su Yao wasn't asleep; she was debating whether or not to tell him about the space.

Thinking that they were getting married soon and would be living under the same roof, it would be impossible for him not to notice eventually. Besides, she couldn't stay out of the space forever. She decided to tell him in the next couple of days—it would also save them the trouble of spending money on vegetables, meat, and rice for the wedding.

"Wife, you're not asleep yet?" He said, climbing onto the kang and pulling Su Yao into a cuddle.

"Stop it, your mother is right next door."

Mu Xingjue didn't dare push it further, so he just kissed and touched her, looking for comfort.

"I’m going to take you somewhere," Su Yao said, grabbing his wandering hands.

"Now? It’s pitch black outside. Can’t we go tomorrow?"

Su Yao smiled slyly. Without warning, she pulled him into the space.

Suddenly finding himself in a different place, Mu Xingjue tensed up, scanning his surroundings vigilantly and shielding Su Yao behind him.

Seeing the man protecting her so instinctively, Su Yao felt touched. She patted his back to soothe him. "Don't be afraid. This is my private space. Let me show you around."

"Private space?" Mu Xingjue frowned. He understood the words, but the concept was elusive.

Seeing his confusion, she explained, "The Buddhist classic *Vimalakirti Sutra* mentions 'containing Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed,' meaning a massive mountain can fit inside a tiny seed. It’s like the purple-gold gourd or the jade bottle in *Journey to the West*. My space is like that—it has mountains, water, and fields."

When explained this way, Mu Xingjue understood. "So, you are the only one who can enter and exit freely, and for me to come in, I need you to bring me?"

Su Yao nodded.

"Did you grow all of these?" Mu Xingjue pointed to the mountains of vegetables and fruits piled in the warehouse.

"Yes. I had planned to go to the black market after settling in to clear out some of these goods. But then the spring planting started immediately, and you were so busy you didn't even come home, so I never got the chance."

"Wife, you are incredibly bold to even think about venturing into the black market alone. But from now on, leave that to me. I’ll handle it, and you can just collect the money."

His father had wanted him to join the army, not to force him, but because he saw him idling at home and wanted to give him something to do.

He and Xu Xingyu had previously considered the black market, but because of their family background and lack of reliable supply chains, they hadn't dared to act, fearing they might be framed for illegal activities if their identities were exposed.

But now, the goods from his wife were hers, which meant a perfectly legitimate source. With these, he and Xingyu could establish themselves in this region.

He hugged Su Yao and sighed, "Wife, thank you for trusting me."

"Why thank me? We are husband and wife, the closest people in the world. If I don't trust you, who would I trust?"

To say Su Yao trusted him one hundred percent would be a lie, but living under the same roof and sharing a bed, she couldn't keep this a secret forever. Rather than letting him discover it himself and feel she was hiding things, it was better to tell him directly—and perhaps earn a little bit of his heart in the process.