Chapter 3 Tongfang Wen Xi

“What does… ‘mama’s boy’ mean?” Wen Zhaoyin looked confused, knowing from Meng Huan’s expression that it wasn’t a good term.

However, he widened his eyes and slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and chopsticks clatter. “Two more large bowls!”

It seemed he had no intention of explaining.

Wen Zhaoyin called for the maid Pei Lan to bring another bowl of porridge. Pei Lan understood and left with a smile. Now only the two of them remained in the room, the atmosphere unclear.

“What are you looking at?” Meng Huan knew what he looked like now. He hadn’t bathed for at least a week, had been wearing the same clothes without changing, and his hair was so oily it was clumping together.

If he had modern short hair, he could have washed his face in a basin, but now he had waist-length hair. Not only was washing it a chore, he felt it was a burden just having it on his head.

One day, when he got the chance to find scissors, he would definitely cut off all his thick, dense hair!

Wen Zhaoyin read the forced composure and shyness on his face, finding it fascinating.

In their few encounters over the past half month, this was the first time she had seen Meng Huan show such a boyish expression. This was how a man should be.

“I don’t know why you pretended to act like a woman before, like a wild girl. Actually, you’re just right like this now.”

She felt that Meng Huan had been like a prickly pufferfish before, his rough personality likely related to his previous living environment.

She had heard that there were many rough men in the marketplace, and perhaps being tough was a way for men to protect themselves. Beneath the rough exterior, they should actually be gentle and weak inside.

Due to some misconceptions, Meng Huan didn’t understand what she meant by pretending to act like a woman. “What do you mean by ‘just right’? I think you’re the one who’s like a woman!”

No, that’s not right. Wen Zhaoyin was already a woman!

He realized after he said it that this was already a matriarchal world. Although the women here hadn’t changed in appearance, their behavior was quite manly. On the contrary, the men were all weak, not even daring to speak loudly in daily life.

And the body he now inhabited, he didn’t know what was going on with it. Not only was it weak, but the physique was also very frail, as if a gust of wind could blow him away.

Pei Lan, who had gone to fetch the porridge, returned, followed by several young servants. Some were carrying clothes, some held soap, and there was even one carrying an incense burner.

Meng Huan ignored all those things and walked towards the one holding a tray. He was stunned when he saw it wasn’t porridge, but a bowl of pitch-black medicinal soup!

“Where’s my porridge?” He turned his gaze to Wen Zhaoyin. What’s going on? Your maid didn’t bring me porridge.

Wen Zhaoyin remained silent. Pei Lan, standing to the side, said with a smile, “The porridge is being cooked. It will be ready in an hour and a half.”

She didn’t say there wasn’t any, just that it was being made, essentially telling him there was nothing to eat now.

Meng Huan slumped back into his chair, dejected. “If you’re not going to let me drink it, just say so. No need for all these twists and turns.”

He knew that the roundabout delay was for his own good, but he was really hungry now and wanted to eat something to fill his stomach.

“Young master, this is medicine prescribed by the doctor to regulate your stomach. Please drink this first.”

The medicine looked unpalatable. Meng Huan’s body and mind both rejected it, but seeing the determined looks in everyone’s eyes, he feared that if he refused, they might force it down his throat.

He was determined to win over Wen Zhaoyin, and the current focus was on improving their relationship. It wasn’t the time to cause trouble. It was just a bowl of Chinese medicine after all. A real man fears nothing.

“Cough cough cough!” But he drank too quickly and choked, coughing for a good while before stopping, nearly fainting from the bitterness.

Wen Zhaoyin took a handkerchief from the side and helped wipe the water from the corners of his mouth. Seeing his face flushed red from coughing, eyes brimming with tears, she found it quite adorable.

“Next time, drink slowly.”

She turned and beckoned the servant holding the clothes, a handsome youth of about sixteen or seventeen, and pointed him out to Meng Huan: “From now on, Wen Xi will attend to you. He was personally trained by Pei Lan, has a gentle temperament, and is efficient in his work.”

Living up to his name, Wen Xi had been smiling at her the whole time she was speaking. Hearing her praise, his smile widened even more as he stepped lightly to stand beside Meng Huan.

He said in a clear voice, “Young master, I am yours from now on. Please feel free to order me as you wish!”

Meng Huan almost got goosebumps hearing this, and started to negotiate with Wen Zhaoyin, “Can I not have a personal servant?”

Before Wen Zhaoyin could speak, Wen Xi fell to his knees with a thud, crying quickly, “Young master, if there’s anything I’ve done wrong, please tell me. Don’t reject me!”

Being personally trained by the head maid of the family mistress, he was naturally not just a simple servant. After Wen Zhaoyin’s late husband passed away, there were no men in her chambers, and Wen Xi was originally kept to serve as a tongfang.

Ever since Meng Huan arrived half a month ago, he had been anxious and worried, thinking his future was bleak, and had been busy looking for a way out.

Now being assigned to serve Meng Huan, he was quite willing. This might increase his chances of seeing the family mistress, preventing him from wasting his youth in the mansion.

“Why are you kneeling to me? Get up quickly!” Meng Huan was overwhelmed by the kneeling. When Wang Fu harmed him, he felt justified in receiving a kowtow, but Wen Xi kneeling just because he said he didn’t want a servant was too much for him to bear.

Although the youth in front of him was crying like a girl, which was quite annoying, most men in this matriarchal society were like this, so it wasn’t his personal fault.

After helping him up, Meng Huan explained, “It’s not that you’ve done anything wrong, it’s just that I don’t want someone to take care of me personally. Understand? I’m fine on my own usually.”

Wen Xi had thought that being helped up meant he was accepted, and had just stopped crying. Now hearing these words, that the other party still didn’t want to keep him, his legs immediately bent as if to kneel again.

Meng Huan was completely unable to handle this situation. He could firmly refuse if the attitude was bad, but he really had no way to deal with all this crying. So he quickly turned to the side for help.

“My goodness, Wen Zhaoyin, can’t you say something!”

As soon as these words left his mouth, the surroundings fell silent. Even Wen Xi, who was about to cry, held it back, his cheeks puffed out like a frog.

Men were not allowed to directly call women by their names. Only uncouth country men would disregard this rule. As the head of the family, Wen Zhaoyin especially could not be directly called by her name, as it would be considered disrespectful.

The Wen family was a prominent clan, with strict requirements for etiquette in all branches. Even servants entering the household had to be taught for two months first. The household had never had someone so unruly from beginning to end.

Meng Huan didn’t know what he had said wrong, and stared blankly at Wen Zhaoyin.

The latter had no expression at first, but seeing him confused, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She had rarely laughed like this since that person left.

It was just being called by her name, not a big deal. “It’s alright. Pei Lan, take everyone away for now.”

He didn’t want someone to serve him, perhaps because of Wang Fu. It would be fine to arrange it again after a few days, no need to rush.