Chapter 74: Jing Yi’s Gift

 

“Here’s your gift,” Jing Yi said mysteriously.

 

“Gift? Where is it?” Chuxia observed carefully, quite surprised. Was this place a shop or something?

 

“The gift is right here!” Jing Yi proudly pushed open the red double doors of the mansion and led Chuxia and the others inside.

 

Chuxia felt like his comprehension was failing him. What did he mean by “the gift is right here”?

 

“Jing Yi, did you buy a house for me?” Chuxia cautiously asked.

 

“Don’t underestimate your husband. I bought an estate for you! Xiaxia, look, this house, along with the sixty mu of farmland outside, is your gift. The property deed and land deed are in your name!” Jing Yi proudly proclaimed himself as the model of a loving husband!

 

“Sixty mu?!” Chuxia was in shock. The total land owned by the Jing family was only around twenty mu!

 

Jing Yi paid no mind to Chuxia’s astonishment. He let Steward Tong and the others explore the estate on their own while he explained everything enthusiastically to Chuxia in the garden.

 

This estate consisted of five courtyards, both large and small.

 

On the west side was a large three-section structure, with each section containing multiple courtyards. The main hall, wing rooms, side halls, adjacent buildings, and rear buildings totaled over thirty rooms. It was said that three generations of an eleven-member family had lived here quite comfortably.

 

On the east side was a two-section structure with a large front courtyard and a smaller rear courtyard. The large front yard was, in fact, a garden with a rockery and pond, while the smaller rear courtyard had quite a few buildings despite its smaller size.

 

Overall, it had a neatly arranged square layout.

 

Jing Yi held Chuxia’s hand as they began exploring the estate, occasionally providing comments.

 

“The style of this flower archway isn’t very good. It’s not spacious enough. We should renovate it. What do you think, Xiaxia?”

 

“The pillars and eaves of the corridor have peeling paint. We should renovate and repaint them. Maybe we could also have some intricate carvings. What do you think, Xiaxia?”

 

“This house didn’t have proper heating before. Let’s have master Liao install underfloor heating in all the bedrooms, study rooms, guest rooms, and bathrooms. Otherwise, you’ll freeze during the winter, Xiaxia. What do you think?”

 

They had reached the third section, where Jing Yi was inspecting the stables that he deemed not robust enough. When Chuxia finally realized what was going on, he exclaimed, “My husband! Is this estate really ours?”

 

“Of course. A few days ago, I had some experts come here, and after visiting twice, I found the location and the estate suitable. I made up my mind to buy it. You can’t miss such opportunities,” Jing Yi said proudly. He wanted to say that you should praise me, your husband, who silently accomplishes great deeds!

 

“Really, it’s wonderful! Just the other day, I was talking to my mother and thinking how difficult it is to buy nearby farmland nowadays. We either end up with too little or too far away from home,” Chuxia spoke excitedly.

 

“My mother even suggested that, as a last resort, we could buy the scattered lands nearby, even though it’s troublesome. I thought it was inappropriate, but you, my husband, are amazing! You quickly bought such a great estate.”

 

“Mother mentioned this idea? If we only had scattered lands nearby, they wouldn’t be as good as what we have now. What do you think of my decision, Xiaxia?”

 

“Husband, your mouth is twitching, right? Haha,” Chuxia laughed, watching Jing Yi’s mischievous expression.

 

Jing Yi massaged his face after Chuxia’s comment and went to tickle him playfully. Soon, they were just playing around and ended up in each other’s arms.

 

“Husband, is the estate really in my name?” Chuxia asked softly.

 

Chuxia wanted to accept this estate, not because of the property itself, but because of the affection Jing Yi had shown. He didn’t want to hold back with his husband, and he welcomed all the love and affection Jing Yi had to offer.

 

“What’s not suitable? This is a gift from me to you.” Jing Yi gently kissed his beloved wife’s eyes.

 

Chuxia hesitated but was honest, “It must have cost a considerable amount of money. We also have Xiao An and Xiao Shu in our family. I’m worried that my parents will feel uncomfortable. Besides, if we buy a house together, others might think we’re going to split our assets.”

 

“Besides, there’s no house registered under the husband’s name in anyone’s family. I’m worried about what people might say,” Chuxia was an astute person who understood that having the house in his name would not only attract admiration and jealousy from others but also numerous attempts to sow discord and mockery.

 

As soon as Jing Yi heard Chuxia’s words, as a united couple, he instantly understood.

 

“Darling, before we got married, I discussed it with my parents. Although our family’s businesses have never been separated, let me be straightforward, I take the lead and claim the lion’s share. Everyone recognizes that, so you don’t need to worry. We have the financial means.”

 

“Furthermore, in the future, whether it’s Xiao An’s marriage or Xiao Shu’s, as their older brother, I will provide them with money for the wedding and land. We will also help them establish their own businesses. You don’t have to worry. Because of this, you, my dearest person, should have this as well.”

 

“Regarding what others might say, you should boldly accept it and ignore them. If I were the type to be easily manipulated, you accepting this property in your name would give you the confidence to deal with it. In case you ever feel that I’m not treating you well…”

 

“Ugh! That day will never come! You’re wonderful!” Chuxia interrupted Jing Yi, firmly.

 

Jing Yi saw that Chuxia was genuinely upset, so he quickly reassured him, “Alright, alright! I was just joking! Every man in the world can be influenced, but I’m wholeheartedly yours!”

 

Chuxia was easy to appease.

 

With the conversation settled, both of them felt much better, and they continued to explore the estate with enthusiasm.

 

“Let’s go! I’ll show you our large garden!” Saying that, they walked through the gateway of the western main courtyard to reach the large garden in the eastern courtyard.

 

This garden was larger than the previous two front courtyards, with a full-sized rockery, a pond, and various pavilions and corridors. It was early February, and the earth had not yet fully recovered, so the flowers, trees, bamboo, and moss were only just beginning to show some green, giving it a slightly desolate appearance.

 

However, in one corner of the garden, a few plum blossoms were in full bloom. Their red petals and green leaves filled the branches, and their fragrant scent pervaded the air.

 

“It’s the perfect time to enjoy the plum blossoms. In a few days, when they wither and other flowers and plants begin to bloom, the entire garden will be filled with spring colors, and we can come back to enjoy the flowers.”

 

They walked along the smooth stone path towards the pavilion. The winding path led them through the serene garden, and this particular pavilion was located next to the rockery and pond. It was an ancient and charming octagonal pavilion, surrounded by some green bamboo. When the spring breeze blew, it made a rustling sound.

 

Jing Yi and Chuxia were now sitting in the pavilion, resting and admiring the scenery. The rockery stood at the center of the garden, towering two or three stories high and built with various large stones, creating a towering figure.

 

Around the rockery was a pond, a large one, dug artificially. Now, the grass around the pond was quietly sprouting, and some floating plants were discreetly covering the surface of the water. It had rained a little earlier, and now it was drizzling lightly. Raindrops fell on the surface, creating ripples that spread out in concentric circles.

 

Jing Yi and Chuxia sat in the pavilion, savoring the beautiful scenery. Jing Yi explained, “This pond has multiple uses. Although it seems quiet now, the landscapers said it’s very beautiful here in summer. You can fish here in autumn, and during winter, you can ice skate on the frozen surface.”

 

“The summer scenery here is truly beautiful. The graceful willow trees by the side, the colorful wildflowers on the ground, and the lotus flowers competing in the pond make it a delightful place. We also have some fish in the pond, and occasionally, they leap out of the water to play.

 

As for whether we can fish or skate, it’s a thought because the landscapers wouldn’t accept responsibility.”

 

Facing the direction of the pavilion, there was an arched bridge over the pond, quite small but charming. The loving couple sat in the pavilion, chatting while waiting for the rain to stop or for steward Tong, to bring an umbrella.

 

Jing Yi said, “Xiaxia, this estate isn’t large, but the surrounding land includes 40 mu of fertile land and 20 mu of ordinary land. Along with this house, the large three-entered courtyard next door, and this garden, there’s also a smaller courtyard behind the garden, which serves as living quarters for the household staff.”

 

Chuxia commented, “This still doesn’t sound small to me; the fields outside seem vast!”

 

Jing Yi replied, “A few days ago, middleman Zhang  came to find me. He mentioned two estates and some farmland for sale. The farmland is close to the Wang family estate, so I had my father and grandfather go inspect it. My main focus was on the estate itself. Zhang San has made some connections over the past couple of years due to his official position. He actually heard about an estate in the neighboring county with a hundred mu of land, but the relationships with the seller were complicated. Since I thought it would be inconvenient to visit the area due to my lack of familiarity, I decided to forgo that one and only bought this estate.”

 

Jing Yi playfully pinched Chuxia’s cheek and said, “We’ve just started; we can’t take too big of a step.”

 

Chuxia then let go of his worries and asked, “Sure, but my dear, this place must have cost quite a bit of money, right? It must be several hundred taels, right?”

 

Jing Yi replied cautiously, “The estate was eventually secured for 1,200 taels of silver, which includes the house, the surrounding empty land, the farmland, and the relationships with eight tenant farmers, which all came with the package. The seller initially asked for 1,350 taels, but your dear husband haggled it down by 150 taels!”

 

Chuxia was astounded when he heard the price. He exclaimed, “So expensive?!”

 

No wonder my mother kept an eye on my husband! Such an expensive property, and he didn’t even consult with our family. It had to be registered under my name. Chuxia felt short of breath, and his palms began to itch!

 

Jing Yi realized he had made a mistake. He was getting angry now. If I mention that I also bought the small barren hill next door, Chuxia might resort to domestic violence!

 

“Wife, hear me out. Although the farmland isn’t extensive, having such a large area of good fertile land is worth more than buying it separately. In addition, there’s some empty land around the house, all of which needed to be acquired as residential land. This whole set of courtyards, the furniture inside the house, the fish in the pond, and even the stones in that artificial mountain, they were all transported from Jizhou,” he explained.