After marrying the fierce god, her handsome young husband was pampered to the extreme.

After dealing with all the elders, Lin Er was so hungry that his stomach was practically sticking to his back.

After leaving the ancestral hall, the two went directly back to Xia Ying's courtyard—Lotus Leaf Garden.

Xia Ying's personal servant had already prepared the meal.

After dismissing the servants, Xia Ying served Lin Er a bowl of seafood porridge and handed it to him.

"I am the eldest grandson of the eldest son's family, and both my parents have passed away. In our branch of the family, besides me, there is also a younger brother born out of wedlock, who is nine years old this year," Xia Ying said. "However, he is not close to me and is not considered one of our own."

Judging from Xia Ying's words, his relationship with his younger brother must not be very good.

Lin Er tasted a bite of Yunzhou's specialty seafood and meat porridge and found it to be very fresh and sweet.

"So, out of this whole family, you're all alone, right?" Lin Er asked.

Xia Ying nodded, "Yes, only... myself."

He paused, then continued nonchalantly, "In other words, the Xia family's business is only being temporarily entrusted to me. Once my half-brother comes of age, I will have nothing left."

Lin Er immediately understood that Xia Ying was taking this risky step to seize the family fortune.

But... Lin Er was puzzled: "Since this family business will eventually be handed over to your younger brother, what's the point of you getting married now?"

Xia Ying said, "Only when I get married will they have no reason to marry me off. I am confident that I can make the entire Xia family belong to me before my younger brother comes of age."

"I understand," Lin Er said. "But Yingying, this move of yours is very risky."

"I know," Xia Ying smiled, "but it works, doesn't it?"

"Why don't you find someone from your own circle to fake a marriage with you, instead of choosing a complete stranger? If I had ulterior motives, you and your family fortune would all be mine."

Xia Ying mixed the salted egg yolk into the seafood porridge and said nonchalantly, "Because it's easier to make a move on a stranger. I was originally planning to break your legs and gouge out your eyes after I met with my elders today, so that I wouldn't raise a tiger to cause trouble."

Lin Er, upon hearing this, showed no fear whatsoever. "A good plan," he said. "Give me a salted duck egg."

Xia Ying asked curiously, "Aren't you scared?"

"I'm scared, so I hope Yingying will go easy on me."

Xia Ying scoffed, "You men never tell the truth."

Lin Er slowly peeled the salted duck egg. Seeing that Xia Ying stopped moving after eating a few mouthfuls of porridge, he thought to himself: "She eats so little, no wonder she has such thin arms and legs."

Xia Ying elegantly twirled a handkerchief to her lips. "I've thought about it and decided to let you go for now."

Lin Er readily agreed: "Thank you for your mercy, Young Master Xia."

"I can consider the suggestion you made yesterday, but we'll have to see how you perform first," Xia Ying said. "If you can bring down the Wu family branch in Yunzhou, I can hand over all the silk-making business in Yunzhou to you in the future."

Lin Er said, "But now I've changed my mind."

Xia Ying thought he was going to try to raise the price, and said in a deep voice, "What right do you have to negotiate with me? I can kill you anytime."

Lin Er put down his chopsticks and gave Xia Ying a perfect smile. "I want both Jiao Sha and you."

Xia Ying suddenly opened his eyes wide. He was so frightened that he took several steps back. He stammered for a long time, his face turning red.

"Alright, I'm not teasing you anymore," Lin Er said. "Come and sit down."

"I...I need to go to the shop. Who...who wants to sit here?" Xia Ying said, and hurriedly ran out.

Lin Er watched his departing figure, a slight smile playing on her lips.

He was a kind-hearted young man after all; even though he pretended to be vicious, it all looked like a bluff.

As soon as Xia Ying left, several servants came in.

One servant carried the bowls and plates, another servant swept and cleaned, and yet another servant was there specifically to set rules for him, the son-in-law.

"My young master dislikes talkative people the most. So don't go around him all the time, lest you get in his way."

Lin Er listened and said, "Okay, is there anything else?"

"Our Xia family is not some small or insignificant household. You must toned down your previous shabby and stingy ways, or you'll become a nuisance."

"Your monthly allowance is ten taels of silver, which will be delivered to you. You don't need to worry about your daily food, clothing, or shelter."

"From now on you will live in the side courtyard, and you can no longer come to the main courtyard," the servant said. "If you trespass, don't blame me for being merciless with my stick."

Lin Er said, "Okay, I've noted it all down."

The servant said with satisfaction, "Let's go, I'll take you there."

Lin Er had just stood up when a small figure rushed over, followed by several servants and maids.

"Young master, please slow down."

Just as the child was about to run into the room, the servant who had been reprimanding him earlier quickly stopped him.

"Get out of my way! Who do you think you are to dare block my way?"

Lin Er raised his eyelids and saw that the fat little man, who was almost as fat as a pig, was grabbing the servant's arm. His face was not only fleshy but also had a fierce look.

The servant insisted, "This is the eldest young master's residence; you cannot trespass."

The chubby boy wouldn't listen to that, so he grabbed the servant's arm and started biting it, using a lot of force, and soon bloodstains appeared on the servant's sleeve.

Lin Er frowned as he looked at the noisy, ugly child. It was hard to imagine that such a beautiful Yingying would have such an ugly younger brother.

Xia Ci'en was biting hard when suddenly someone grabbed her by the back of the neck and threw her away.

Lin Er shook his wrist; at only nine years old, he was already so heavy that he could barely lift him.

"Who! Who dares to touch this young master!" He spotted Lin Er in the crowd at a glance and immediately roared, "Where did this lowly servant come from who dares to touch this young master? Quickly grab him and give him a good beating."

The servants and maids behind Xia Ci'en immediately surrounded her.

Lin Er sighed, "Think carefully. If something happens to me today, how will your concubine explain it to Xia Ying?"

Just as the others hesitated, a voice suddenly came from outside the room.

"—Oh? What kind of explanation do you want?"

As soon as the husband appeared, all the servants bowed.

"I have met Han Cejun."

Lin Er had never seen this person in the ancestral hall before, so this Han Cejun must be the concubine that Xia Ying's father married.

Xia Ying's marriage is a major event, but he did not appear at the ancestral hall to wait for the newlyweds to pay their respects. There are only two possibilities.

Either he overslept, or he was of low social status and could not enter the ancestral hall.

It now appears that it should be the latter.

"Little Daddy!" Xia Ci'en quickly ran over and hugged the husband. "He bullied me, please help me beat him to death."

"Who's making such a big fuss? It's just our Xia family's newest son-in-law," Han Cejun sneered. "My Ci'en is the only son in the family, his status is so noble, how could I allow you, a mere son-in-law, to bully him!"

Lin Er said, "So what? Kill me?"

"You shameless bastard, how dare you speak to Consort Han like that!" Consort Han's husband immediately stepped forward, seemingly wanting to teach him a lesson himself.

Lin Er calmly replied, "I have a pretty good memory. Just now in the ancestral hall, this concubine didn't seem to be present, did she?"