“What I mean is…” Lady Jin’s face showed embarrassment and a hint of guilt. “My daughter is clumsy and not very bright. Marrying Lord Shen would only lower his status. Perhaps… you could consider her a burden and be better off without her.”
Shen Du was speechless. Even now, he couldn’t understand what had happened. Why was the Zhu family’s attitude so puzzling to him?
Seeing Shen Du’s silence, Lady Jin, unsure if she had said something wrong, invited him to sit down. “Please sit here for a moment. I’ll call Xiao Liu out, and you can talk among yourselves.”
In the side room, Zhu Kuo and the other Zhu family members asked Lady Jin about the situation.
Lady Jin frowned, looking troubled. “This isn’t easy to resolve. From Shen Du’s current attitude, he has no intention of letting our Xiao Liu go.”
Zhu Yan felt like crying. Her family’s concern for her was touching, but this matter had nothing to do with Shen Du. Why had her mother suddenly blamed him?
“Mother,” Zhu Yan stood up and said, “This has nothing to do with Shen Du. You don’t need to worry.”
“Alright, alright, say no more,” Lady Jin interjected. “I’ll prepare some tea for you. You can talk among yourselves.”
With that, Lady Jin left the room.
A moment later, she returned with a cup of tea and handed it to Zhu Yan. “Go, take this tea to him. Make sure he drinks it all.”
Zhu Yan was confused but took the tea, still bewildered. It was just a cup of tea; what could be so special about it? Whether he drank it or not shouldn’t matter.
Without thinking too much, Zhu Yan carried the tea to the main hall.
“Have some tea,” Zhu Yan said bluntly, placing the cup on the table before sitting to one side.
Shen Du didn’t say much either. He lifted the lid, gently brushing the floating tea leaves, and took a sip.
As soon as the tea entered his mouth, Shen Du’s brow furrowed.
The Zhu family members, watching from the side room, quickly came out. Lady Jin said, “Is the tea not to your liking?”
As she spoke, she glared at Zhu Yan disapprovingly. “I told Xiao Liu to add some sugar to make it taste better. This child has never been able to tell sugar from salt since she was young. Lord Shen, did she put salt in your tea by mistake?”
Zhu Yan was utterly confused. Her mother had prepared the tea herself. When had she ever added salt?
Shen Du understood the implication. Instead of getting angry as expected, he suddenly smiled. “This tea is excellent! It seems my wife already understands her husband’s taste. I truly can’t do without you now.”
…
The main hall fell silent, so quiet that one could hear their heartbeat.
Lady Jin was especially surprised. Had her plan backfired?
Zhu Yan was truly at a loss for words, now understanding her mother’s well-intentioned scheme.
“Wife,” Shen Du turned his gaze to Zhu Yan, “Now that we’ve had tea and seen your family, shall we return home?”
“Alright,” Zhu Yan stood up, about to leave with Shen Du, but suddenly stopped.
Turning to Lady Jin and Zhu Kuo, she bowed. “Thank you, Father and Mother, for your concern. I’m doing very well, so please don’t worry about me.”
With that, she left with Shen Du.
Watching the couple disappear, Lady Jin could no longer hold back her sobs.
Zhu Yan’s words were sincere, but to Lady Jin, they sounded like she was forced to save face under Shen Du’s threats.
Zhu Kuo also looked troubled, believing that Zhu Yan was suffering under Shen Du’s oppression. The whole family was distraught.
On the way back to the Shen residence, Shen Du couldn’t resist his curiosity and asked, “Why did you suddenly return to your family without telling me?”
“It’s nothing,” Zhu Yan lowered her head. “I just felt frightened by the Liang family affair and wanted to go home… for some comfort.”
Hearing Zhu Yan’s tone, Shen Du felt a strange sensation in his heart. After pondering for a while, he said, “In the future… if you feel uneasy again, you can tell me. I’ll help you work through it.”
Hearing these words, Zhu Yan was stunned for a moment, then laughed, “Are you joking? By the way, can you tell me about what happened to the Shen family in the past?”
Shen Du’s slightly caring gaze suddenly darkened. “That’s all in the past. What’s there to talk about?”
“But I’m part of the Shen family now. If you tell me, maybe I could help somehow.”
The depth in Shen Du’s eyes intensified. “You don’t have much time left. Even if you knew, what could you do? Rather than worrying about others’ affairs, you should focus on how to spend your remaining time.”
Zhu Yan pouted. Shen Du’s words were indeed cutting.
Seeing Zhu Yan fall silent, Shen Du’s mind was in turmoil.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want this woman to know about the Shen family’s past. It was just that the events of those years were complicated. Knowing too much might bring fatal danger, and he didn’t want her to get hurt.
Thinking of this, Shen Du smiled bitterly. Why did he care so much about this woman?
Unaware of his thoughts, Zhu Yan still believed Shen Du was deliberately teasing her and felt displeased with him.
As they passed Pingkang Ward, Zhu Yan suddenly had an idea.
Late that night.
Shen Du returned to the room as usual, removing his outer robe. “Do you think Rong Zhui’s words can be trusted? I feel she’s still hiding something from us. What do you think?”
As he placed his robe on the stand, Shen Du asked.
Just as he finished speaking, a pair of delicate hands slid around his waist from behind.
Shen Du’s body stiffened. What had come over this woman? Why was she so forward today?
“What’s wrong?” Shen Du asked his heart rate quickening.
The woman behind him shook her head, pressing her entire body against his back, making him feel unusually warm.
“Are you alright?” Shen Du’s tone suddenly softened. Then, as if remembering something, he said, “Are you still troubled by the Liang family affair? Don’t worry, with me by your side, you’ll be safe.”
As he spoke, Shen Du gently patted the small hands in front of him to comfort her.
What should have been a tender moment suddenly felt off to Shen Du as he noticed something strange about the hands.
Zhu Yan’s hand had been injured recently. Although it had mostly healed, it shouldn’t be this smooth and perfect yet.
There was also a faint perfume in the air since he’d entered the room. Zhu Yan never used perfume; she only had her natural scent.
Could it be…
Shen Du’s heart jolted. He abruptly threw off the hands and pushed the woman behind him several steps away!
“Who are you? Why are you here?” Seeing the unfamiliar woman, Shen Du’s anger flared.
“Forgive me, Grand Secretary,” the woman knelt in panic. “I was sent by Lady Shen. She said the Grand Secretary has been tired from recent cases and asked this servant to take good care of you.”
“Zhu Yan!”
Shen Du’s fist smashed into the table, shattering it. His roar of anger tore through the night sky, scattering birds and beasts.
In the study, Zhu Yan suddenly shivered. Even Jing Lin, resting on the roof eaves, abruptly opened his eyes.
The woman before Shen Du was now pale with fear, trembling, and unable to speak.
“Get out!”
At his cold command, the woman scrambled out of the room.