“Mm.” Shen Ruoyi gave a nod.

She ought to rest properly. Otherwise, the child in her womb would likely not be able to bear it.

Yuncai helped her over to the bed. Shen Ruoyi had not yet taken off her cloud-toed shoes when the sounds of bustling commotion drifted in from outside.

“Move everything to the side chamber next to mine.”

“Yes, Manor Master.” The maidservants answered respectfully.

“A’Bai, put me down.” Shen Ruochu smiled gently. “There are so many people watching.”

“What is there to be shy about? Last night…”

“A’Bai.” Shen Ruochu coyly covered his mouth with her hand.

Shen Ruoyi’s fingertips began to feel cold. “It is A’Bai. Yuncai, let us go out and see.”

Yuncai helped Shen Ruoyi up, her heart full of worry. She could feel the Madam trembling. They stepped out of the side chamber, and Shen Ruoyi saw Jiang Zhibai carrying Shen Ruochu in his arms, his head bowed as he teased her with a smile.

The maidservants were packing up Shen Ruochu’s belongings and moving them to the room adjacent to the master bedchamber.

“A’Bai.” Something seemed to press against Shen Ruoyi’s heart.

Jiang Zhibai did not even lift his eyelids, his lips curved as he teased the woman in his arms.

Shen Ruochu hooked one arm around his neck, laughing at his coaxing.

The color drained entirely from Shen Ruoyi’s face. Why? Had A’Bai not said he would never show tenderness to any woman other than her?

“Manor Master, Madam waited for you the entire night. Where did you go last night?” Yuncai’s pretty face showed clear displeasure.

She felt grief on the Madam’s behalf. The Madam was still with child, and the manor master was already taking a concubine — and that woman was the Madam’s own elder sister. How deeply the Madam must be suffering.

“A’Bai, quickly set me down in the wooden chair and go keep Yiyi company.” Shen Ruochu smiled.

Jiang Zhibai flicked a finger against her nose. “You tired yourself out last night too. Let me stay with you a little longer.”

Shen Ruochu flushed and gave him a light tap.

Jiang Zhibai smiled at the corner of his brow. “Shy, are you?”

Her vision obscured by a mist of tears, Shen Ruoyi cried out, “Jiang Zhibai.”

Jiang Zhibai glanced at her sidelong. “What is it? Do you need something?”

Shen Ruoyi bit down on her lip, her eyes burning with pain. “Jiang Zhibai… you… Why? Why!”

Jiang Zhibai’s brow creased faintly. Why, when he saw her cry, did his heart ache?

“A’Bai.” Shen Ruochu tugged at his sleeve, saying softly, “Put me down.”

Jiang Zhibai lowered his gaze and looked at her for a moment, then instructed a maidservant to push the wooden wheelchair over.

Shen Ruochu bit down inwardly. She had told him to put her down, and he had actually done it.

Jiang Zhibai took the blanket from a maidservant and draped it over Shen Ruochu’s legs.

“Jiang Zhibai, I want a separation.” Shen Ruoyi wiped at her tears.

A fierce, overwhelming dread surged in his chest. Jiang Zhibai pressed at his throbbing temple, his voice hoarse and raw. “I cannot… cannot agree to a separation.”

Shen Ruochu’s brow gave a twitch, and she hurried to say, “A’Bai, go outside first. Let me speak with Yiyi.”

An incessant ringing filled Jiang Zhibai’s ears, his complexion ashen. He kept murmuring over and over, “Cannot… cannot separate. Yiyi…”

“A’Bai, what is wrong with you?” Shen Ruoyi came carefully to stand before him.

“Yiyi, you cannot abandon me…” Jiang Zhibai felt a sting behind his nose, his throat seized in a raw, aching knot. “Do not abandon me…”

The man clutched his head in his hands, his vision blurring. “Yiyi…”

“A’Bai.” Shen Ruoyi wrapped her arms around him, sobbing heart-wrenchingly. “I am sorry, A’Bai. I should not have made you take my elder sister’s medicinal pill.”

She had thought it would be good for A’Bai’s health. She had never imagined her elder sister would give the wrong one — or perhaps her elder sister had done it on purpose…

But why?

Why would elder sister do something like this?

“Yiyi.” Jiang Zhibai held her in return, enduring the searing pain drilling through his mind, and said with great effort, “Do not blame you. Do not blame yourself.”

“A’Bai…”

“Do not cry.” Jiang Zhibai’s brow furrowed in pain. He swept his gaze over the maidservants present and said with difficulty, “From now on… no matter what I say… you are all to listen to the Madam… do you understand?”

“Understood.” Yuncai took the lead, and the other maidservants quickly echoed their assent.

“A’Bai.” Shen Ruoyi raised her trembling hand and dried her tears.

“Mm.” Jiang Zhibai gave a muffled groan.

“A’Bai, what is wrong?” Shen Ruoyi pressed down the panic in her heart.

Jiang Zhibai instinctively encircled her waist. “It is… it is nothing.”

The man clenched his jaw tight, his vision before him growing dimmer and dimmer, and he collapsed into a faint in Shen Ruoyi’s arms.

“A’Bai, A’Bai.” Shen Ruoyi called his name again and again, her eyes red-rimmed.

“Madam, let us first bring the manor master back to the side chamber and have a physician come to examine him.” Yuncai’s voice had taken on a trembling edge.

Shen Ruoyi sniffled. “All right.”

Several maidservants stepped forward to support Jiang Zhibai and bring him to the side chamber.

After composing herself for a moment, Shen Ruoyi walked to stand before Shen Ruochu, raised her trembling hand, and dealt her a sharp slap across the face.

“Yiyi.” Shen Ruochu’s mouth fell slightly open, her chin trembling faintly. “You struck me?”

“Why? What exactly was it you had me give A’Bai to take? Was it truly something good for his health?” Shen Ruoyi’s fingertips quivered beyond her control.

She had trusted her elder sister so completely. Why?

“Yiyi, elder sister took the wrong medicine. It was not intentional.” After a long pause, Shen Ruochu continued, “Last night, A’Bai came to elder sister’s chamber. Elder sister refused him, but A’Bai…”

“Be quiet.” Shen Ruoyi’s tears fell, one by one.

“Yiyi, you know elder sister’s legs cannot move. I had no choice but to let A’Bai…”

“Be quiet.” Shen Ruoyi’s eyes blazed crimson. “The antidote. Within three days, I want the antidote.”

“Yiyi, elder sister cannot produce an antidote in three days.” Shen Ruochu curved her lips.

She looked to be in great pain, did she not? But it was not nearly enough — not even a tenth of what she herself had suffered.

“Someone, take Shen Ruochu away. Until the antidote is produced, she is not permitted to leave the pill workshop for a single step.” Shen Ruoyi buried the anguish in her heart.

“Yiyi…”

“Take her away.” She did not want to hear another word from her right now.

Shen Ruochu concealed the hatred in her eyes and allowed the maidservants to wheel her to the pill workshop.

Shen Ruoyi!

Jiang Zhibai had been under the influence of that medicine for half a year. She had originally intended to use Jiang Zhibai to make her suffer — yet before she had even begun in earnest, Shen Ruoyi had spoken of separation, and Jiang Zhibai had come to his senses.

How deeply he must love her.

On what grounds was she permitted to be happy? On what grounds?

She still did not know whether Jiang Zhibai’s clarity was temporary, or whether his love for her was so strong it had overcome the drug.

“Miss Shen, what happened to your face?” Yan Shiyao had been strolling with Qi Qingchen when she came face-to-face with Shen Ruochu, who was being wheeled along by a maidservant.

“I…” Shen Ruochu’s gaze flickered evasively.

“Is it inconvenient to say?” Yan Shiyao’s delicate brows knitted.

A flash of pain crossed Shen Ruochu’s eyes. “First Miss Yan, it is I who upset Yiyi.”

“Was it the Manor Mistress who struck you?” Yan Shiyao was mildly startled.

“If the Madam struck her, then she deserved it.” The maidservant pushing Shen Ruochu’s chair did not wait for Yan Shiyao to respond, and wheeled Shen Ruochu away.

Yan Shiyao clenched her fist tightly. What kind of younger sister treated an elder sister this way?

“Yaoyao.” Qi Qingchen pouted his lips. “I am tired. I want to go back.”

He did not want to walk anymore. His legs were so weary.

“All right, let us go back.” Yan Shiyao smiled.

And on the way back, she would tell Ningning about it — this Manor Mistress truly was too much.

On the other side, Yan Yunning was in the middle of a heated argument with Ye Jian, both their faces flushed.