Shen Che wrapped his arms around Ji Cheng’s waist and said, “Oh, done using me already and now you want to leave?”
Ji Cheng couldn’t stand Shen Che talking like this. “Who used you?”
Shen Che leaned in to sniff Ji Cheng’s collar. “Are you disappointed we didn’t go all the way?”
Ji Cheng tried to elbow Shen Che in the chest. He dodged and pinned her to the reed mat. “You smell so good. I can never get enough.”
Ji Cheng grew anxious. She didn’t want anything to happen with Shen Che in Jiuli Courtyard. People were everywhere, and if they were discovered, she’d be done for.
“Don’t worry,” Shen Che said, holding down Ji Cheng’s restless legs and kissing her cheek. “I won’t touch you. Can’t you stay and keep me company for a while? I just want to look at you.”
She’d be a fool to believe that. Ji Cheng struggled fiercely, her eyes wide and bright, but to no avail. She could only plead coyly, “Not here. Let me go back.”
Unfortunately, her voice tickled Shen Che’s heart like a feather. Though he truly hadn’t planned on doing anything, things soon spiraled out of control.
Night had fallen completely, and even the moon had hidden away. Everything was pitch black, yet not as dark as the depths of Shen Che’s eyes.
The tea had long since gone cold. Shen Che threw back a cup, lacking his usual elegance in savoring tea – it was no better than gulping water.
In the darkness, Ji Cheng’s fair back seemed even more luminous, almost ethereal with a faint glow. Her ink-black hair cascaded to her waist like seaweed, half-concealing her jade-like body, making one want to shatter it with a blow.
Shen Che pulled the blanket up to cover Ji Cheng’s shoulders. Moments later, her legs moved, kicking the blanket down impatiently to her waist, exposing her back and long legs.
This was the fifth time Shen Che had covered Ji Cheng. She kicked off the covers at an alarming rate. Shen Che grew impatient and left her exposed.
He drank another cup of cold tea, feeling confused. He had always prided himself on his self-control, but now even he doubted himself. Uncontrollable things always make one want to destroy them.
Shen Che’s fingers slowly crept up Ji Cheng’s slender neck. Two fingers could snap it. But escape was only for the weak. Shen Che’s gaze slowly traced the marks on Ji Cheng’s neck and shoulders – purple bruises, blue marks, and fading reddish spots. His fingers lightly caressed them. He had been too out of control, nearly violent, venting his uncontrollable anger on Ji Cheng. This made Shen Che feel a twinge of guilt.
Shen Che lowered his head and kissed the purple bruise on Ji Cheng’s shoulder. He thought he heard the mewing of a kitten again. In Jiuli Courtyard, Ji Cheng wasn’t as uninhibited as in Sibing Residence. She held her voice in her chest, only letting out soft “mm” sounds when she couldn’t hold back anymore.
How lovely.
The lingering peach fragrance still hung in the air. Shen Che sought out Ji Cheng’s lips and bit them again. Thankfully, Ji Cheng remained in deep sleep. Otherwise, Shen Che wasn’t sure he could control himself.
After taking a deep breath, Shen Che straightened up and drank three cups of cold tea in succession. Only then did he wrap Ji Cheng in the blanket and carry her to the secret room.
Nan Gui tried to take Ji Cheng from Shen Che’s arms, but he looked down at her sleeping face. Her eyelashes were long and curled, like butterflies disturbing one’s heart. “I’ll take her,” he said.
When Ji Cheng woke in the morning, she frowned from the soreness and pain. She couldn’t help but curse inwardly, wishing she could send Shen Che to a male brothel to experience being pinned down himself.
It was now April, the beginning of summer. While the early mornings were cool, by noon it was already hot. Everyone had changed into thin clothes. The necks and chests of young ladies, hidden away during winter, were now eagerly displayed.
Shen Yuan and the others had changed into thin gauze dresses, revealing their long necks and delicate collarbones. Only Ji Cheng wore a modest standing-collar undershirt with a light goose-yellow thin gauze dress over it, cinched at the waist with a wide belt that accentuated her willowy figure.
Shen Yuan laughed, “Are you that afraid of the cold? It’s already April.”
In truth, Ji Cheng wasn’t afraid of the cold at all. She often felt unbearably hot, sleeping with just a thin cover while others still used blankets. But her body was covered in marks as if mauled by a dog, so she had no choice but to cover up.
“Today, both Big Sister and Second Sister are coming back. What a coincidence – one from the south, one from the east, both returning on the same day,” Shen Qin chimed in.
The Old Madam had been longing to see these two granddaughters, her neck stretched from anticipation.
The eldest daughter Shen He and the second daughter Shen Yun were both from the second branch of the family, one legitimate and one born of a concubine. Shen He had married into a family in Yangzhou, a southern city known for its cultural refinement. Shen Yun, a renowned talented woman in the capital, had married into a family in Licheng.
Both had returned for Shen Yuan and Shen Cui’s weddings, bringing the Old Madam’s great-grandchildren with them. The Old Madam was overjoyed, her eyes crinkling with happiness.
After the family had met, first crying then laughing, and after wiping their tears and refreshing their makeup, it was finally time for Ji Cheng and Lu Yuan to come forward and pay their respects.
Shen He had noticed Ji Cheng as soon as she entered.
Shen He hadn’t returned for the Old Madam’s birthday celebration last year as she was in confinement after childbirth, so she hadn’t met Ji Cheng before. But she had heard about her.
Seeing Ji Cheng today, Shen He realized that Shen Yuan hadn’t exaggerated in her letters. Ji Cheng was indeed of celestial beauty, captivating at first sight. Not just men, even women like herself couldn’t help but want to look again.
Although Shen He had been married for many years, she had seen many outstanding women both in the capital and Yangzhou. However, compared to Ji Cheng, they all fell short in terms of beauty. She wondered how breathtakingly beautiful Ji Cheng would be when she fully blossomed.
Such beauty born into a merchant family was truly not a blessing.
Before Shen He could speak, Shen Yun had already pulled Ji Cheng close, calling her “sister.” “Truly a fairy-like sister, making us all seem vulgar in comparison. The unmarried hairstyle suits you best, making you look so sweet and innocent. One can’t help but adore you.”
Ji Cheng, feeling guilty due to her circumstances, hadn’t dared to wear elaborate hairstyles since the Lantern Festival. She only wore double buns every day, adorned with simple hairpins of magnolia, butterflies, or auspicious flower designs, trying her best to appear more like a young girl – a pure and innocent young girl.
That’s why Shen Yun praised her for looking sweet and innocent now.
Whether genuine or not, at least on the surface, both Shen He and Shen Yun were very warm towards Ji Cheng. After Ji Cheng and Lu Yuan had paid their respects, Shen Yun, as if suddenly remembering, pulled out a young girl from behind her.
“Great-grandmother, this is Fengqing, the youngest daughter of my husband’s third uncle,” Shen Yun said, giving Fengqing a gentle push. “This girl is just shy, so her third uncle asked me to take her around to socialize.”
“Indeed, she should go out more. A young lady shouldn’t always be confined at home,” the Old Madam said, beckoning to Fengqing, who had been hiding behind others. “Child, come let me have a look at you.”
Fengqing timidly took two steps forward. When the Old Madam saw Fengqing’s face, she noticeably paused. Not just the Old Madam, but even Second Madam Huang seemed startled. Ji Cheng observed this.
However, the reason was unclear. Fengqing was quite young, at most fourteen or fifteen. Though beautiful, her timid demeanor made her less noticeable. It was puzzling why the Old Madam and Madam Huang would react this way.
After her initial surprise, the Old Madam took Fengqing’s hand, repeatedly calling her a “good child.” She asked if Fengqing had studied, what she had read, and other such casual questions. From then on, she didn’t let go of Fengqing’s hand, even having her sit beside her during meals.
Ji Cheng and Lu Yuan exchanged glances. Although the Old Madam was fond of young girls, she had never shown such affection before.
In the end, the Old Madam simply had Fengqing stay in the gauze-curtained bed in her room, clearly intending to keep her close.
That evening, the Old Madam held a family banquet at Canjin Tower in Qing Garden to welcome her two granddaughters home. When Ji Cheng went to find Shen Yuan, Shen He, and Lu Yuan were also in her room talking.
They were discussing Fengqing, as both Shen Yuan and Lu Yuan were very curious. Shen Yuan joked, “How did the Old Madam become so fond of Miss Fengqing at first sight? It makes us all quite envious.”
Since Shen Yun had just left, they dared to ask Shen He.
Shen He smiled wryly, “How could she not love her? Who knows, our family might soon have another joyous occasion.”
Even Shen Yuan didn’t understand, let alone Ji Cheng and the others.
Shen He was unwilling to say more, only commenting, “How come I haven’t seen Second Brother all day? Even Big Brother, who’s rarely seen, has returned.”
“Don’t even mention it. Even we who stay at home barely see him once a month or so,” Shen Yuan said.
Shen He adjusted Shen Yuan’s hair, saying, “Even you are about to be married off. How come there’s still no movement from Big Brother and Second Brother? The Old Madam must be getting anxious.”
“Exactly. That’s why Big Brother and Second Brother are afraid to go to the Old Madam’s room to pay their respects,” Shen Yuan giggled, completely reverting to a little girl in front of Shen He.
Shen He glanced at Ji Cheng, who lived in the Old Madam’s quarters. “Sister Cheng seems to be quite reserved.”
Shen Yuan replied, “Cheng has always been quiet.”
Shen He smiled without saying more, but her eyes were sharp, making Ji Cheng uncomfortable to maintain eye contact for too long. Shen He viewed Ji Cheng entirely as an outsider, only thinking how incredibly beautiful she was. She found it unbelievable that having such a beautiful cousin living at home hadn’t caused any commotion.
Ji Cheng’s well-behaved nature made Shen He even more curious.
When Ji Cheng and the others arrived at Canjin Tower, Shen Yun and Fengqing were sitting beside the Old Madam, keeping her company. They must have said something amusing, as the Old Madam couldn’t stop smiling.
Shen He remarked, “In our family, the Second Sister is the best at conversation. She always manages to make Great-grandmother happy.”
Shen Yuan knew there was some tension between Shen He and Shen Yun. One legitimate, one born of a concubine, only three months apart in age, they were constantly compared, inevitably leading to rifts. However, Shen Yun was indeed better at pleasing the elders. As a child of a concubine, she often couldn’t be as willful as Shen He.