Yu Yi stood at the fork in the road, looking into the distance. When she saw Ji Cheng going up alone, her eyes widened in surprise. She asked Ni Shang, who was coming towards her, in a low voice, “Why did you let her go up?”
Ni Shang shot Yu Yi a sharp glance, and Yu Yi immediately shrank her shoulders, not daring to ask further.
Meanwhile, when Ji Cheng reached the wooden door, her palms were sweating. She wiped them on her skirt, took a deep breath, and then pulled the bronze bell before pushing the door open.
In the small courtyard, Shen Che sat on the bamboo steps in front of the house. One leg was bent on the second step, the other stretched out diagonally on the third step, in a lazy and casual posture.
Ji Cheng moved forward a few difficult steps under Shen Che’s gaze, stopping three feet away from him. In front of Shen Che, it was always better to say less, so Ji Cheng had no intention of speaking first.
The man before her was always accustomed to using silence to make others uneasy. Ji Cheng gritted her teeth inwardly and persisted, strongly resisting the urge to avoid Shen Che’s eyes.
“It’s rare to see you in pink,” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng tilted her ear towards Shen Che, thinking she had misheard. But looking at Shen Che’s expression, she felt that he must be confused.
Ji Cheng indeed rarely wore pink, always feeling it was too childish and delicate. Her features were already inclined towards frailty, and pink would only make her appear more easily crushed. She didn’t like such weak colors; her clothes were mostly blue or green, and at most, she would wear goose yellow for a change.
However, the old lady of the Shen family seemed to like young women dressed in pink and jade. During the year Ji Cheng lived in the Shen mansion, whenever the family had new clothes made each season, they wouldn’t forget her. But the colors were usually not for Ji Cheng to decide, especially after moving into the Rui Ying Hall. The fabrics the old lady chose for her tended to be soft and delicate.
The only stand-collar jacket and skirt Ji Cheng could find was in this cherry pink or water-red color.
Shen Che’s sudden comment on her clothes was something Ji Cheng hadn’t expected. She had thought this would be a treacherous journey, but the opening remark was such casual “small talk” that Ji Cheng didn’t know how to respond.
“Has Liu family’s birth date card been sent out?” Shen Che asked again.
Ji Cheng felt relieved inwardly. She was really impatient with insincere small talk. They had already dropped all pretenses, so what was the point of pretending everything was fine?
“Yes,” Ji Cheng nodded. Madam Liu was very satisfied with Ji Cheng, so she promptly wrote Liu Jun’s birth date card for Ji Cheng’s sister-in-law. And Fan Zengli immediately had someone send the card back to Jin Bei. They were just waiting for Ji Qing to receive Liu Jun’s birth date card and send Ji Cheng’s in return. Then the two families would be considered engaged.
Fan Zengli was probably afraid that something might go wrong if they delayed, so she hurriedly sent the message back.
“I didn’t expect your family to be in such a hurry,” Shen Che smiled, full of mockery. He indeed looked down on the Ji family, especially the behavior of Ji Cheng’s sister-in-law, which seemed almost like selling a girl. But he didn’t consider who had started all this.
For Ji Cheng, no matter how many faults the Ji family had, it was still the family that gave birth to her and raised her. Even if she was dissatisfied, she wouldn’t allow outsiders to criticize them. “It’s not my family that’s in a hurry, isn’t it because we’re afraid you’re in a hurry?” she retorted.
Shen Che glanced at Ji Cheng with a smile, stood up, and walked inside. Without turning his head, he asked, “Would you like some tea?”
Ji Cheng said, “I’ve been out for too long. I’m afraid the old ancestor might ask about it.” Her meaning was clear: say what you have to say quickly, or once rumors spread, the Liu family might not be willing to marry her.
“The old ancestor has already retired at this hour. Even if she wants to ask, it will be tomorrow’s matter,” Shen Che said.
Hearing this, Ji Cheng’s heart skipped a beat. What exactly was Shen Che implying? Ji Cheng wasn’t afraid of Shen Che beating or killing her, or even making her marry Liu Jun. What she feared most was having to continue interacting with Shen Che.
“What exactly do you want to do?” Ji Cheng took two steps forward but still stood at the bottom of the steps, unwilling to enter the room.
Shen Che had already sat down by the small table and started scooping water to boil tea. His casual manner only highlighted Ji Cheng’s anxiety.
“The accounts from the Western Regions for the past half year have been sent over. I want you to take a look,” Shen Che made a gesture of invitation.
This inexplicable shift from arrogance to courtesy made Ji Cheng’s sense of danger rise sharply. She still stood motionless, “Didn’t you say you didn’t need me for the Western Regions anymore?”
“Indeed, I found someone else to be in charge, but they’re too conservative. They’re good at maintaining borders but not at expansion. Take a look at these accounts first, then compare them with what he gave me.”
Ji Cheng glanced at the two large black lacquered boxes in the corner of the room, almost half as tall as a person. She took off her shoes, lifted her skirt, and walked up the steps. Sitting opposite Shen Che, she asked, “You think I’ll take this seriously and responsibly?”
“Da Tong was built up by your hand. You put in so much effort, don’t you want to see its future?” Shen Che asked in return.
Ji Cheng laughed coldly, “Let’s not beat around the bush. Can you trust me now?” Then Ji Cheng added, “Oh, no, you never trusted me.” If he had really trusted her, he would have been buried in the Western Regions by now.
Shen Che smiled faintly, “I thought you were a clever person.”
Being clever wasn’t actually a compliment. Too clever people always look before they leap, but looking back, they often accomplish nothing in their lives.
Although Ji Cheng wanted to be carefree, she always lacked the courage to be reckless. “Did you kill Mei Changhe?” she asked.
Shen Che raised an eyebrow, “Do you think I’m a demon who kills at the slightest provocation?”
This question made Ji Cheng inexplicably guilty, as if she were the demon.
“Mei Changhe is quite capable. He could stir up trouble alone in the Western Regions. It would be a waste to kill such a talented person, and he’s also very pragmatic,” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Pragmatic people tend to live longer.
“Can you return Liu Ye’er and Yu Qian’er to me?” Ji Cheng asked again.
Shen Che lifted the boiling spring water, first warmed the cups, then looked at Ji Cheng leisurely, “What right do you have to negotiate with me now?”
Stung by Shen Che’s words, Ji Cheng leaned back slightly, stubbornly saying, “Because you still keep me around.”
Hearing this, Shen Che smiled, “I forgot to tell you earlier, Mei Changhe is not only pragmatic but also recommends talents in difficult times. Various forces now occupy the Northwest, so I’ve invited Ling Ziyun to assist in the Northwest.”
Ji Cheng’s face changed, “You…” What assistance, this was just a veiled way of detaining Ling Ziyun, “What are you using to threaten him?”
Shen Che poured a cup of tea for Ji Cheng, then leaned back, “You care about him, and he cares about you equally. This man is indeed devoted, afraid that the Su family’s matter will be exposed.”
Ji Cheng felt a chill down her spine, not knowing how she would face her Brother Ziyun in the future. Her straight back slumped a little, “Don’t hurt him.”
Shen Che took a leisurely sip of clear tea, “That depends on you. You should be grateful that you still have value, and so does the Ji family.”
“Then how can I know that in the future, you won’t discard me once I’m no longer useful?” Ji Cheng still refused to sit idly by.
Shen Che said, “Then you’d better pray that you can always find new value.”
Ji Cheng was silent for a moment, “Can I take these accounts to the secret room to look at?”
“Lan Yue Study has been repurposed. Besides, you’re right, I don’t trust you much, so I can only keep you under my watchful eye,” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng’s hand hidden in her sleeve pinched her palm, “Can I come back tomorrow?”
“And climb up from the foot of the mountain again?” Shen Che asked with a smile.
Ji Cheng wanted nothing more than to pour the tea in front of her on Shen Che’s face, but she did nothing. She struggled to stand up, supporting herself on the small table. People who have lost so thoroughly often lack strength.
The next day, Ji Cheng naturally couldn’t go to the Jiu Li Courtyard openly, because just this one time had caused many people to find various ways to inquire about her visit to the Jiu Li Courtyard, either from her or from those around her. The old lady had naturally also asked a couple of questions.
Ji Cheng could only use the Liu family’s marriage proposal as an excuse, making everyone think she was desperate to get married.
The following evening, Ji Cheng walked through the secret passage again, smelling the unique musty odor underground, feeling that even breathing was difficult. The entanglement she thought she could escape kept wrapping around her, making it hard to breathe.
Ji Cheng stood at the door behind the wardrobe and pulled the bronze bell. There was no answer. She waited for ten breaths before pushing the door open. Shen Che wasn’t in the room, which made Ji Cheng feel relieved. She took the account books out of the box and concentrated on scanning them quickly, just wanting to complete the task as soon as possible and not have to come to the Jiu Li Courtyard again.
When Shen Che returned, the moon was high in the sky. Ji Cheng’s hand paused briefly as she turned the pages of the account book, then continued, treating Shen Che as if he were invisible.
Shen Che didn’t say a word either. He sat cross-legged on a reed mat not far away and began to meditate with his eyes closed.
In the quiet night, there was only the rustle of turning pages, presenting a scene of peace and harmony. If someone unaware of the situation saw this, they would think it was the way a couple of many years interacted, no longer clinging to each other with sweet nothings, just occasionally glancing at each other.
However, before Shen Che returned, Ji Cheng could finish a detailed account book in half an hour. After he came back, a full hour passed, and she had only read half a book, with no clear outline in her mind, not knowing where to start writing a summary.
Ji Cheng always felt a burning gaze on her back, but when she turned her head under the pretext of drinking water, she saw that Shen Che’s eyes were always closed, as if they had never opened.
When two strong personalities meet, the calmer one side is, the more uncertain the other becomes.
A candle had already burned out. Ji Cheng yawned, covering her mouth with her sleeve, feeling a bit tired. She stood up and went to the washroom, splashing a handful of cold water on her face to wake herself up. For her, the less time she could spend in the Jiu Li Courtyard, the better.
When Ji Cheng returned to the room, she saw that Shen Che had opened his eyes and was staring at her.
“You can go back first,” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng said, “I’m almost finished with that book.”
“You might not need to sleep, but I do,” Shen Che said.
Ji Cheng had no choice but to return to Rui Ying Hall. She didn’t have much time to spend in the Jiu Li Courtyard each day. After having dinner with the old lady, sometimes she had to accompany the elder to the garden for a digestive walk. After the old lady retired, she couldn’t leave immediately, always having to wait until the dead of night when no one was moving about before going to the Jiu Li Courtyard. And now Shen Che was complaining that she was disturbing his sleep.
A man who was used to meditating all night long was actually saying she was affecting his sleep?!