HomeA Cup of LoveYi Ou Chun - Chapter 77

Yi Ou Chun – Chapter 77

Now in this prosperous era of peace, His Majesty’s diligent governance had made the empire as solid as iron. Lamps were lit throughout the evening market. Youzhou was a place where nobles and wealthy merchants gathered, with ten li of wine-soaked splendor. A brilliant river of lights meandered forward, the scene reminiscent of the banks of the Qinhuai River.

Walking forward, unhurried, they could walk like this forever without tiring. Qingyuan’s fingers curled around the base of his fingers, his fist loosely enclosing hers – just the right amount of connection. Even though he had long desired this, he maintained his good manners and breeding. He was tall, and she seemed like a child beside him. She secretly glanced up at him, feeling somewhat defiant, and shook his hand saying: “Tell me, will I grow any taller?”

Hearing this, Shen Run looked down to examine her, “You’re tall enough as you are, this height suits me perfectly.”

But Qingyuan wasn’t discouraged at all, “I’ll grow a tiny bit more, even if I can’t match Second Miss Mu…” She raised her hand to his shoulder to measure, “I could grow to here.”

Hearing this, Shen Run immediately understood what was on her mind and stopped walking to face her directly, “Young lady, are you jealous of Second Miss Mu?”

Qingyuan was stunned for a moment, suddenly realizing that she was, a little bit. Though she didn’t want to admit it verbally, cutting open her heart, she was truly deceiving herself.

She lowered her head, “I was just talking about growing taller, why do you bring up that young lady!”

He said with a smile: “Weren’t you the one who mentioned her first?”

Ah, it seemed so… but he didn’t understand the principle that while girls could make implications, men shouldn’t pursue the matter to its root.

“It’s different when young ladies mention other young ladies.” She muttered softly, “For you, an outsider male, to mention a young lady’s name is highly improper. In the future, better to speak around it, to avoid suspicion, hmm?”

Shen Run made a sound of agreement, “I’ll follow your lead.”

Pleased with his response, her hand beneath her sleeve became more entwined with his, their touch shifting from palm to fingertips, each breath filled with trembling excitement.

She lightly teased between the gaps of his fingers, and his breathing became somewhat irregular. He had seen dancers at banquets who would drape themselves over people like they had no bones, but such crude wildness couldn’t compare to her delicate teasing.

This hand was her new plaything, and her understanding of his body began with these exploring fingertips. He endured until his jaw ached, all his attention focused on the spaces between their fingers, then infinitely magnified, a tingling sensation enveloping his entire body.

She was possibly deliberately mischievous – why did she linger precisely there? Perhaps she was studying how to seduce him. He took a deep breath, watching the distant neon lights begin to spin, countless points of light rotating into the shape of countless yin-yang fish.

He had thought only the spaces between their fingers were connected to the heart, but he seemed to be wrong – wherever her fingers moved, wildflowers bloomed. He couldn’t avoid it and tried every method, yet she was everywhere.

Qingyuan’s greatest skill was maintaining a straight face while being mischievous. If he didn’t know her character, he would have thought it all his imagination – that her fingers hadn’t moved deftly, hadn’t flowed upward, hadn’t fallen on his wrist.

Fortunately, his wrist was delicately formed – years in the military hadn’t made his joints thick and graceless. Though his whole body was ready to ignite at a touch, he still managed to control himself, keeping his arm stiff as she gripped his wrist.

“Commander, why is your heart beating so fast?” She suddenly flashed him a brilliant smile, “Could it be I’ve hit upon something, making you nervous?”

Shen Run realized he’d been teased, but didn’t show weakness. He bent down to bring his face close to her ear, “I thought the young lady was interested in my body, and was just thinking of finding a place where the young lady could examine me thoroughly from top to bottom.”

Her lips still held a smile as she looked at him with innocent longing, “I’m going to go back and tell Grandmother exactly what you just said.”

With just this one sentence, he admitted defeat, “Don’t, our private jokes wouldn’t be interesting to tell the Old Madam.”

Qingyuan raised her eyebrows at him, looking thoroughly pleased with herself. He couldn’t help but sigh, reaching out to smooth her temple hair, “I like how you’ve become since returning to the Chen family, afraid of no one, acting like you’re number one under heaven.”

But he didn’t know that her boldness wasn’t just because she had her grandparents behind her, but even more because she had him. She didn’t know when it began, but whenever she struggled, she would think of him. Though he frequently teased her, she saw him as a lifeline. Looking back now, it was like a great gamble, and fortunately, she had won – he truly liked her.

And so they stood, one looking up, one looking down, the crowds passing by seemed to be in another world. His hands tightly held hers, drawing closer, so close he could almost hear her breathing, some unnamed yearning in his heart – if they weren’t surrounded by such crowds, he would have kissed her.

Qingyuan still felt a bit nervous, saying softly: “I’m hungry.”

Hunger was a serious matter – marrying a man meant clothes to wear and food to eat. Shen Run knew well how to fulfill his duties before a young lady. Looking up, he said, “There’s the Hongyan Tower ahead, I’ll treat the young lady to a meal.” As he spoke, he held her hand and quickly led her there.

The crowds grew even thicker – this was Youzhou’s most prosperous market street. Tall buildings lined both sides, with foreign merchants’ camel caravans along the road, small shops set up on the camels’ humps selling all sorts of fascinating items. There were also beautiful foreign dancing girls, spinning and leaping on raised platforms, turning themselves into spinning tops.

The greeter at Hongyan Tower had the keenest eyes in all of Youzhou. He recognized every figure in official circles, especially someone as prominent as Shen Run – even without his usual contingent of guards, he was enough to make this fellow’s blood boil like seeing his father.

“Commander… Commander is so busy, yet today you have leisure to visit our humble establishment!” The servant came forward, generously wiping Shen Run’s official boots with a brand new handkerchief while enthusiastically calling out, “Ah, Commander didn’t come by carriage, look, your golden feet have gotten dirty… Quickly, let me escort the Commander and young lady to the upstairs private room. Today the Heaven Number One room is still vacant, it was just renovated yesterday. Young lady, please go in and sit – it directly faces the stage below, and when you open the window you can see the entire view of Rouge River.”

Perhaps because Shen Run had never brought a female companion before, the servant couldn’t help but look at Qingyuan a few extra times. When their gazes met directly, he grinned awkwardly, “What tea would the young lady like? Our Iron Guanyin is the best, shall I brew a pot for the Commander and young lady?”

Shen Run disliked such familiarity, especially toward Qingyuan, and immediately said coldly: “Just bring out the best, why all the chatter?”

So this was the Commander in public – cold eyes and an air of ferocity. Condescending to visit, yet having to listen to your prattle – dare to wag your tongue more, and you’ll be kicked out of the tower.

The servant shrank his neck in fear and repeatedly agreed, leading them upstairs.

The Hongyan Tower was built magnificently, divided into upper and lower floors. In the center of the main hall was a huge wooden staircase, wide enough for three to five people to walk side by side without issue.

Qingyuan lifted her skirt, following behind Shen Run up the stairs. Halfway up, she heard someone call “Fourth Sister.” Looking up, she saw Li Congxin and Zhenglun standing on the other side of the wooden stairs. Zhenglun bowed ingratiatingly to Shen Run, “Commander, I was just thinking of paying my respects at your mansion tomorrow, unexpected to meet you here.”

Li Congxin only had eyes for Qingyuan, their reunion filling his gaze with endless sorrow. After the betrothal was broken that day, he still hadn’t given up, going to the Xie mansion twice but never seeing her again. The Old Madam only told him to choose another match, without telling him Fourth Miss had gone with Shen Run. How could someone so fine become another’s concubine – it truly dishonored her? Now seeing her beside this wolf, the bitterness rising from his heart was like an endless river, impossible to fully express.

“I have wronged you.” The young lord’s remorse was genuine this time. If he hadn’t fallen for Shen Run’s scheme, Fourth Miss wouldn’t have broken the engagement, much less gone to be Shen’s concubine. He hated Shen Run, hated Old Madam Xie for disregarding their familial bonds, but would never hate her. He knew she had no choice – how could a minor concubine’s daughter stand against such pressure?

Qingyuan maintained her polite but distant manner, stepping back to curtsey, “Third Young Master, I am very well now.”

Li Congxin seemed to want to speak but hesitated, after several moments of indecision, he said softly: “You don’t need to hide it from me, I know… things aren’t good, it’s all my fault.”

Qingyuan couldn’t help but frown. This young noble’s tendency toward sentimentality was acting up again, constantly taking the blame as if owing her was some kind of achievement.

She smiled, “Third Young Master, at this point, self-blame is useless. I don’t think you would wish to become betrothed to me again, would you?”

He indeed hesitated – it was impossible now. If she were still in the Xie family, he would naturally seek to marry her wholeheartedly, but now that she was with Shen Run… Putting aside whether this Yama-like figure would let her go, even if he did, the Marquis’s mansion would never agree.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zhenglun hurriedly said: “Fourth Sister, why don’t you come home? Grandmother thinks of you every day, she’s nearly cried her eyes dry…”

Hearing this, Qingyuan’s anger surged like a mountain: “Second Master, clearly it was your Xie family who gave me away as a gift. Do you truly expect me to return? What kind of family are you, pushing away your flesh and blood – as long as it benefits you, you don’t care a bit about face or propriety!”

Zhenglun took this scolding, his expression darkening, but afraid of Shen Run’s cold observation from the side, he dared not contradict her.

Qingyuan’s anger subsided – after all, this matter wasn’t directly related to Zhenglun. Gradually calming down, she asked: “Grandmother truly misses me?”

Zhenglun quickly nodded, “She does miss Fourth Sister. These days she worries first about the Master and second about you…”

“Then why hasn’t the household sent a carriage to fetch me?” she said coolly. “Perhaps you had already planned to throw away this granddaughter. Otherwise, why did Grandmother leave me at the Commander’s mansion that day and return alone?”

Zhenglun was used to the submissive fourth girl, and now seeing her so aggressive, was both surprised and somewhat angry. He said in an annoyed voice: “Fourth Sister, don’t be unreasonable…”

But Shen Run sneered, “Second Master Xie, she’s no longer your household’s Fourth Miss now. Since you asked me for help and sent her to my mansion, I naturally must advocate for her. The young lady has returned to being the Chen family’s eldest miss. After all, your Xie household only fed her for half a year – she’s repaid that by protecting Inspector Xie’s safety, more than enough to settle accounts with the Xie family.”

Zhenglun’s face alternated between green and white at his words, forcing himself to say: “Commander, blood relations can’t be severed so easily…”

“Why not? My Imperial Guard hasn’t been dispatched to the frontier yet, and Inspector Xie’s life hangs by a thread. If I say it can be done, it can be done.” After speaking, he added with a cold smile, “I almost forgot – Second Master, when you return, please convey a message to your Old Madam: This Commander needed a principal wife, and unexpectedly the Old Madam threw the young lady out of her mansion. This Commander must thank the Old Madam – without her help, where would I have found such an excellent wife!”

At these words, both Zhenglun and Li Congxin were stunned. Wasn’t Shen Run about to become engaged to the Mu family? How did the position of principal wife change hands midway? A great melancholy surged from all directions – it was unclear whether they regretted missing out on Qingyuan herself, or regretted that missing her had led to her achieving such success.

Shen Run felt there was no need to let her face these unpleasantries anymore. Taking her hand, he said: “Young lady, the meal upstairs should be ready by now. Didn’t you say you were hungry? Why are we still lingering here?”

Qingyuan didn’t say more, slightly nodding to them before turning to follow Shen Run upstairs. Having finally said to the Xie family what had been bottled up in her heart for days, and with his support, it was extremely satisfying. But after the satisfaction passed and she came to her senses, she made a questioning sound and said: “I haven’t agreed to your proposal yet, how can you spread such talk?”

Shen Run smiled with peaceful beauty, “Don’t you think becoming my wife would be the most powerful revenge against them?”

This made sense. She propped her chin up in thought, looked at him once, then sighed and shook her head.

His heart anxious, he smiled and said: “Young lady, what’s wrong? Am I not enough to let you hold your head high, or did I not perform well today – are you unsatisfied with the cat we adopted?”

Qingyuan sighed again, “I’m thinking, although I’ve returned to the Chen family, without the Commander’s protection, would they try to take me back to the Xie family?”

Shen Run’s expression became profound, “What do you think?”

“But I don’t want to agree to you so easily – after all, my anger from that night hasn’t subsided.” She idly dipped her finger in the water from her cup, slowly drawing his face on the table – two slender eyes, a high straight nose. When finished, she was surprised – it looked like a fox.

He moved closer, mimicking her pose with his face propped on one hand, his gaze drawing nearer, “What would it take for the young lady’s anger to subside?”

Qingyuan’s ears burned red. She moved her chair back somewhat, stammering: “What… what are you trying to do? People are coming and going here, everyone can see…”

“Are you going to shout? Making a scene wouldn’t benefit you. At worst, I’ll have to marry you – exactly what I want.”

Qingyuan glared at him angrily, most of her frustration dissipating.

He spoke wistfully, “That night, the young lady wasn’t like this…” His fingers traced her mouth lightly. “What I owe the young lady, I’ll repay tonight. The young lady can touch wherever she likes… and then I’ll let you embrace me once.”

Qingyuan’s mind was a bit muddled, but it didn’t take much thought to sense something wrong with this losing proposition. “Is this compensation for me, or are you deliberately taking advantage?”

“Commander, with your quick wit and lively spirit, I foresee a most harmonious future together,” he replied with warm sincerity.

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