Liu Chang didn’t dodge or resist the slap. After enduring it, he said in a low voice, “Mother, have you vented enough? If so, I’ll take my leave.” The wound on his arm where he had been stabbed was throbbing painfully. That woman must have used considerable force—truly vicious.
Madam Qi was taken aback by his response, her eyebrows rising high. “Explain yourself! What kind of chaos are you trying to create? I told you this morning that I won’t allow that woman to enter our family under any circumstances! Give up that idea! She’ll only enter over my dead body!”
Liu Chang pressed his hand against the wound inside his sleeve, his gaze fixed heavily on Mudan’s door. He said casually, “Did I ever say I wanted her to enter our family? It was just for fun. Why did you take it seriously? I know what I’m doing. Tonight was just an accident. It won’t happen again.”
Madam Qi said coldly, “I forbid anything like this from happening again! Remember, you can be as reckless as you want, but you can’t let that woman in or let this one die or fall ill in our house! The He family will visit soon. You’d better think about how to explain this! If there’s any more trouble, I’ll die to make you see reason!”
Liu Chang replied noncommittally, “I understand. I’ll treat her well from now on.”
Madam Qi looked at him suspiciously, almost thinking she had misheard. This was the first time he had given her a serious answer. Before she could inquire further, Liu Chang had already turned and left. He didn’t believe He Mudan could escape his grasp! The more others tried to hand something to him on a silver platter, the more he disdained it; the more others tried to hide something away, the more he wanted it! He Mudan, we’ll see about this!
I’ll teach you to look at pretty boys! I’ll teach you to flirt with other men! I’ll teach you to pour water on me! I’ll teach you to stab me with scissors! I’ll teach you to hit me with a teapot! I’ll teach you to scheme against me! I’ll teach you to look down on me!
Liu Chang kicked a nearby tree in frustration, accidentally hurting his toe. The pain made him wince. As he stood there, he felt the spot behind his knee where Mudan had pinched him, suddenly feeling a tingling sensation throughout his body. Why hadn’t he been kicked out at that moment? Was he afraid her delicate waist couldn’t withstand the blow? Or that her snow-white skin would bruise? Or was it the contempt and disdain in her eyes? Or perhaps he feared she might stab him with a knife next time?
He didn’t know. He only knew that in all his years, he had never been so looked down upon, never been treated with such disregard. He couldn’t swallow this insult. One day, he would make her think of and see only him.
Lost in thought, Liu Chang walked on until he encountered Biwo, who had sneaked out to gather news and possibly take advantage of the situation. Seeing Biwo’s coy smile, he felt inexplicably irritated. “What are you doing here?”
Biwo adjusted her hair and held up a red-lacquered food box, smiling sweetly. “I heard you were drunk, so I made some sobering soup for you.” Noticing Liu Chang’s disheveled appearance in just his undergarments, she exclaimed, “My lord, what happened to you?”
Liu Chang glared at her fiercely. “Get lost!”
Biwo felt deeply wronged but quickly followed him, smiling obsequiously. “My lord, shall I play the pipa to soothe your mood? I’ve recently learned a new piece you haven’t heard yet.” The pipa was her specialty, and Liu Chang often cheered up after listening to her play when he was in a bad mood.
Liu Chang remained silent, turning back to glare at her coldly. Biwo’s face turned pale with fright, and she struggled to maintain her smile. “This servant was impertinent. Please forgive me, young master.”
When she looked up again, Liu Chang was already far away. Tears streamed down Biwo’s face. What had gone wrong? She hadn’t done anything to upset him. It was all that He Mudan’s fault for angering the young master, causing her to suffer as well.
A sharp laugh cut through the air as Xiansu, wearing a thin white gauze robe, sauntered over. She curtsied mockingly to Biwo and said with a smirk, “Oh my! Who do we have here? It’s Sister Biwo! Tsk, seeing you all tearful and pitiful makes me feel so sorry for you!”
Shameless vixen! Dressed like that, she must be out to seduce someone. Go on then, go and get a taste of his bad temper! Biwo wiped her tears, straightened her back, and pretended not to see Xiansu, gesturing for her maid to leave with her.
Seeing Biwo retreat without a fight, Xiansu smiled triumphantly and hurried after Liu Chang. These women—some old, some pregnant, some unlikable, some lacking in charm—who could compare to her?
While Liu Chang was behaving contemptibly and the women in his household were each harboring their thoughts, competing for favor and attention, Mudan’s room had finally quieted down after the commotion. Mama Li and Lanchi had gone to sleep, while Mama Lin, Yuhe, Kuan’er, and Shu’er gathered around Mudan, their faces full of concern and worry.
They didn’t know the truth, and Mudan had no intention of explaining. She repeatedly assured them that she was fine and urged them to go to sleep.
Yuhe, of course, refused to leave. Kuan’er and Shu’er also shook their heads. Mama Lin had to instruct them, “You two are young and need to wake up early for your duties. Go rest. Yuhe and I will be enough to attend to the young mistress. Tomorrow you can take turns napping while we keep watch.”
Kuan’er and Shu’er finally agreed and left. Mama Lin then told Yuhe, “Go watch outside the door. I need to speak with the young mistress alone.”
After witnessing today’s terrible events, Mama Lin would no longer force Mudan to maintain a good relationship with that scoundrel Liu Chang. This was a chance to win Mama Lin over. If she agreed to speak up, surely Master He and Madam He would believe her words and support Mudan’s decision. After all, parents always want what’s best for their daughters. What parents would knowingly send their daughter to her death? Mudan quickly sat up, looking at Mama Lin expectantly.
Mama Lin sat down on the edge of the bed with a troubled expression. She gently stroked Mudan’s hair and sighed, “My poor Dian’er. How can you be so unfortunate to end up with such a husband?”
Mudan’s lips quivered, and she threw her arms around Mama Lin, burying her face in her shoulder. She choked out, “Mama, you saw it yourself. I can’t live like this anymore! Not even for one more day! I’d rather die than live in such humiliation! Back at home, my parents never even raised a finger against me. How does this family treat me? If you hadn’t been here to protect me, wouldn’t he have taken my life? And it’s not just him—if this continues, that princess will surely be the death of me.”
What was meant to be a lifeline had become a death warrant. Mama Lin heaved a long sigh, silently rubbing Mudan’s back. After a long hesitation, she finally said in a low voice, “My dear child, when the master and mistress come, I will speak to them. We should…” She hesitated again before resolutely continuing, “We should leave this family. You’re in the prime of your youth, and you have a long life ahead of you.”
Mudan was overjoyed. She looked up at Mama Lin and asked softly, “Mama, do you mean it? You’ll truly help me?”
Mama Lin smiled bitterly. “I raised you, my dear. How could I bear to watch you suffer like this?” If things continued this way, even if they managed to cling to life, they would eventually die at the hands of this family. Rather than living in constant misery, it would be better to return home and enjoy some peaceful days.
Mudan was so excited that she rolled over on the bed, laughing. “Mama, hearing you say this, my head doesn’t feel dizzy anymore, and my body doesn’t hurt as much.”
Mama Lin’s tears turned to laughter. “Really?”
Mudan leaned her shoulder against Mama Lin, acting coquettish. “Only here, where he grabbed me, it still hurts. Mama, can you rub it and blow on it for me?”
Mama Lin drew out her response, “Alright…” She pulled back Mudan’s jacket to look and saw several bluish fingerprints on her snow-white shoulder. The sight filled her with both pain and hatred, and she silently cursed Liu Chang dozens of times in her heart.
Yuhe, listening outside, sensed that the conversation was winding down and said with a smile, “It’s getting late. Is the young mistress ready to rest? If you still want to talk with Mama Lin, shall I bring some bedding to make up the chaise lounge?”
Mama Lin was about to agree, but Mudan shook her head. “Mama has had a long day and should get some proper rest. The chaise lounge isn’t as comfortable as a bed.”
Yuhe understood and smiled. “Then I’ll keep watch tonight. Mama, you should go to sleep.”
Mama Lin tried to decline, but Mudan said seriously, “Mama if I fall ill and can’t get out of bed, I’ll be relying on you to take charge. How can you do that if you’re not well-rested? Who will stand up for me?”
Mama Lin realized she had a point. After giving Yuhe a few more instructions, she finally returned to her room to wash up and sleep.
Mudan stretched and said, “Yuhe, tomorrow, chop up that bathtub and burn it!” The thought of the bathtub used by that scoundrel made her sick.
Yuhe replied, “It would be a waste to burn it. Why don’t we drill some holes in it and use it as a large flower pot?”
Mudan rolled her eyes and said, “I’m afraid the flowers would die from the stench.”
Yuhe burst out laughing. She bent down to retrieve a gilded incense lion from Mudan’s bed, used silver chopsticks to stir the ashes inside, placed a small piece of charcoal in it, covered it with ash, and carefully poked a few holes in the ash to ensure the charcoal wouldn’t go out. She then placed a silver leaf over the ash as a fire barrier. From a red-lacquered gold-painted cabinet, she took out an ivory incense box and carefully extracted a coin-sized piece of agarwood incense made from pear juice. She placed it in the incense lion, made sure everything was in order, and then put it inside the bed curtains. She closed the screen for Mudan, lowered the curtains, and said with a smile, “The madam has excused you from paying respects tomorrow and has instructed that no one is to disturb you. Get a good night’s sleep, and when you wake up, everything will be fine.”
With a brighter future in sight and her mood lifted, Mudan took in the fragrance of the incense. Lying on the soft bed, she let out a contented sigh and drifted off into a deep sleep.