This world was like one where men had low status—just like in male-dominant societies where women were raised to obey strict rules from a young age. Sky was no different. Since childhood, his father had taught him to serve his wife well after marriage and to respect his in-laws.
Even today, when he left home, his father held back tears while reminding him, "It's all my fault for holding you back. If it weren't for my useless body, you wouldn't have to serve in the Gujo family.
Even if you're just a concubine in their house, you still need to serve your wife properly and be a good son-in-law. Once their daughter gets better, you two can live a peaceful life together.
Now that you've stepped into the Gujo family, you're one of them."
Everyone in the nearby villages knew what kind of people Aries and her widowed father were.
No family wanted their son to marry into the Gujo household. But the Sky family had lost its matriarch, and Sky's father, Ning Wushi, had been sick for years and relied on medicine. Then last month, Sky's older sister, Ning An, broke her leg. If it weren't for these misfortunes, they wouldn't have agreed to send Sky as a concubine to the Gujo family.
With one person sick and the other injured, the whole family relied on charity from neighbors just to survive. There wasn't even food in the house.
When Aries's father came over yesterday and proposed taking Sky in, Ning Wushi and Ning An refused right away. But Sky had quietly followed after them and agreed himself.
He didn't really want to become Aries's concubine. It's just—his family was in such a desperate state that without money, they wouldn't survive. Forget about medicine for his father and sister—they wouldn't even have food.
So, as long as his father and sister could live well, it didn't matter who he had to serve or what status he had.
Knowing her youngest son sold himself for three taels of silver, Ning Wushi cried all night. She cried for her lost wife and how she had dragged her children down.
Ning An's eyes were swollen from crying, and she stayed awake until morning.
Before he left, Ning Wushi held his hand and kept repeating instructions, while Ning An only said, "If Aries ever bullies you, just come back. I'll stand up for you."
But being a concubine wasn't like being a real husband. You couldn't just return home whenever you wanted.
Besides, concubines were treated like servants. Even if Aries's family beat him or sold him, no one would hold them accountable—not even the government. What could his sister really do?
Sky gave a bitter smile but didn't show it. Instead, he comforted his father and sister.
"Don't worry, Father, Sister. As long as I serve Aries and her father well, they'll treat me kindly."
And just like that, he walked to the Gujo home to become Aries's concubine—although now, he was actually Jade's concubine.
As soon as he entered, Sky was scolded harshly by his father-in-law. He knew he shouldn't argue, but he couldn't stop himself from replying.
"Since I've agreed, I won't go back on my word."
The moment those words came out, Aries's father slapped him across the face with a loud smack.
"What do you mean 'I'? You're just my daughter's concubine, a servant in this house. From now on, call yourself 'this servant.' Got it?"
With one hand on his hip and the other jabbing Sky in the forehead, he looked every bit like a nasty and rude father-in-law.
"This servant understands," Sky said calmly. He had already prepared himself for this when he agreed to join their household.
In the Dayan Dynasty, only the official husband had status. Other husbands or concubines were considered servants. Sky knew this and accepted it.
He had only spoken up to make sure they didn't think he was greedy. His family may be poor, but they weren't the kind to take advantage of others.
The neighbor peeked in after hearing the commotion, only to be scolded by Aries's father.
"What are you looking at? Never seen a father-in-law teaching a son-in-law a lesson? Go deal with your own family!"
Bang! The neighbor slammed the door shut—not because he was scared, but because Aries's father was too annoying. If you argued with him, he'd sit at your doorstep and curse for a whole day without stopping.
Over the years, the whole village had grown sick of him. If not for Aries being from the same clan, no one would care if he lived or died.
Better to avoid trouble than get involved.
After yelling at the neighbor, Aries's father turned back and saw Sky still standing there quietly, not showing any anger over the slap. He was just waiting respectfully. That calmed him down a bit. Feeling satisfied with himself, he finally waved Sky off.
"Since you understand, go serve your wife properly. If anything happens to Aries, you'll go down with her."
Sky flinched. That's right—he was here to bring luck to Aries. If it didn't work, he'd be discarded.
But as long as his father and sister could be well, he was willing.
With that in mind, Sky picked up his little bundle and entered the house.
There were only two rooms in the Gujo household that were livable. It wasn't hard to guess where Aries was staying.
He entered and saw Aries lying on the bed, covered in bruises, barely alive. His heart didn't waver much.
From now on, his life was tied to hers. She was his wife, his sky.
He had once dreamed of marrying someone kind, building a happy life together, and having children.
But those dreams were gone now.
His wife was Aries. He was her concubine. He didn't expect love or harmony—just a quiet life once she recovered. Hopefully, things wouldn't be as bad as before.
On second thought, maybe having a wife like Aries wasn't all bad. Maybe no one else wanted to marry her. That meant there wouldn't be a main husband, and he wouldn't have to compete for favor.
All he had to do was take care of her and her father.
Thinking that way made him feel a little better.
He set down his small bundle and looked around the room. It was dirty and messy.
Aries herself looked unclean too. She probably hadn't been washed since they brought her back.
It was already summer—not too hot yet, but after a few days without cleaning, it was starting to smell.
Sky turned and went to the kitchen, lit the stove, and started boiling water.
Aries's father thought he was about to cook, and seeing how willing Sky was to work made him feel a bit better.
He grabbed a chair and sat at the kitchen door to watch, worried Sky would waste food and oil.
"Don't use too many grains. Add more water. We need to save food for when Aries wakes up."
Sky nodded. "This servant understands. I'll clean the wife first, then cook."