In the side room, a small stove was brewing tea, and Pearl helped bring her a cup. This place was exquisitely designed, used for escaping the summer heat, but since the scorching days hadn’t arrived yet, it wasn’t frequented much. It had just been tidied up a few days ago and hadn’t been fully arranged as a tea room yet.
However, the view was spectacular. Outside the window were ink bamboos, and below was a rippling lake surface, now full of lotus flowers as big as bowls. With the bamboo blinds lifted, one could see a corner of the theater stage at Fangshan. But looking straight ahead was the shimmering lake surface, with a gentle breeze that was very comfortable.
Yining leaned against the welcoming pillow of the chaise lounge, feeling a throbbing pain in her head. The breeze made it worse, so she couldn’t even enjoy the scenery. She asked Pearl to close the bamboo blinds.
Pearl brought her tea, worrying, “Should I go ask Miss Qingqu to come and check on you?” She could see that the pain was getting worse.
This migraine problem was said to have afflicted little Yining’s birth mother as well. Her elder sister didn’t have it, but she did. Yining covered her forehead and sighed, “It’s just taking a headache powder, treating the symptoms but not the cause. Let’s forget it. I’ll just sleep for a while.” She sent Pearl away.
As Pearl walked out, she saw two young maids with newly grown hair playing a game on the steps. When the little maids saw Pearl, they immediately stood at attention, frightened. Pearl, worried they might disturb Yining’s rest, scolded them, “Stop playing now, go guard outside the courtyard.”
She called two older women from the side room, intending to have them row a boat to pick some lotus buds.
The two little maids obediently went to guard at the door, and only then did Pearl leave with the two older women. Shortly after they left, Shen Yu arrived, looking for Yining. He saw the two little maids standing at the door and asked with a smile, “Is your young miss resting inside?”
One of the little maids nodded and asked vivaciously, “Who are you, sir?”
“Young Master Shen from the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s family.”
The other maid, more timid, quickly tugged at her companion’s sleeve upon hearing the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s name and said, “Young Master Shen! Our young miss is resting inside. Sister Pearl said not to disturb her. Do you have any urgent business with our young miss? Perhaps we could announce you!”
“No need,” Shen Yu smiled and said, “I just need to say a few words to her. Since she’s resting, there’s no need for you to announce me. It would be a shame if you were blamed for disturbing her rest.”
The two little maids had been serving in the side room, doing only simple chores. Being able to exchange a few words with the young master from the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s family was already quite something, and they didn’t understand much else. They had heard that the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s family was close to their household, so they didn’t dare stop Shen Yu. They bowed and said, “Young Master Shen, please call us if you need anything.” Then they let Shen Yu enter.
Inside the side room, an incense burner was still lit.
During a migraine, one becomes particularly sensitive to sounds and smells. The usually fresh and elegant fragrance of gardenia now became unpleasant.
Yining held her forehead as she sat up, calling for Pearl a couple of times but receiving no response. She had to go and move the incense burner herself. As soon as she stood up, she felt a dizzy, throbbing pain and stumbled, almost losing her balance. Unexpectedly, someone caught her in a half-embrace, asking softly, “Sister Yining, what’s wrong?”
Yining regained some clarity and realized it was Shen Yu holding her!
She immediately stepped back in shock, remembering that he had caught her, and forced a smile, “Brother Shen Yu, you… why are you here?”
Shen Yu’s handsome face showed a slight smile as he stepped closer, saying, “Sister Yining, I was too hasty when I had my mother come to propose marriage last time. Don’t be afraid… I’m here to clear things up with you.”
He saw Yining barely supporting herself on the armrest of the chaise lounge, her delicate body leaning against the chair. Her lips seemed redder due to her illness, making her appear even more radiant than usual. Her full chest rose and fell slightly, drawing one’s gaze. And she was so weak, unable to refuse him, whatever he might do to her…
At this thought, Shen Yu seemed to enter a sort of trance. The Duke of Ying didn’t want him to marry her, but he liked her so much.
If he could force her to be with him, then no matter how the Duke of Ying objected, he wouldn’t be able to stop it.
Yining, however, sensed danger from Shen Yu. He was slowly approaching her, his expression gradually deepening. She backed against the wall with nowhere to retreat, calling out for Pearl, but received no answer. Yining began to panic and immediately tried to flee, but Shen Yu grabbed her wrist and covered her mouth. She was pressed entirely into his embrace. Yining tried to struggle, but she was naturally weak, and Shen Yu easily restrained her.
“Sister Yining! Don’t be anxious, I like you,” Shen Yu said urgently in her ear. “Don’t shout, I’ll treat you well in the future…”
Has Shen Yu gone mad? Yining tried to slap him, but he immediately pressed down on her. Yining, in her two lifetimes, had never felt such helplessness as a woman. She felt him forcefully pressing down, his lips approaching her face, almost touching her.
“… Let me,” Yining struggled to say with his hand over her mouth, “I don’t like… don’t!”
Hearing this, Shen Yu held her shoulders and said, “You do like it!” As long as she became his, they could be together in the future.
Yining only resented her physical weakness; otherwise, she would have kicked Shen Yu away long ago. Now she only felt him pressing on her, staring at her, his breathing seemingly getting heavier.
She was powerless to struggle, feeling an increasing chill and fear in her heart.
The final black chess piece was placed, determining the winner.
Although Cheng Lang had lost, he wasn’t in a hurry. He picked up the chess pieces one by one, saying, “A few years ago when I visited Baoding, I met a high monk with superb chess skills. Besides that monk, Lord Luo is the first to break my chess formation.”
Luo Shenyuan took a sip of tea. He couldn’t tell Cheng Lang that he had helped Dao Yan play that game back then.
“However, Lord Luo is about to take office as the Junior Chief Minister of the Court of Judicature. You should be careful,” Cheng Lang said. “As far as I know, four censors have submitted memorials to the Emperor today impeaching you. I’ve never heard of someone being impeached before even taking office.”
Luo Shenyuan smiled, which was rare for him: “Thank you for your concern, Lord Cheng.” He then turned to ask the maid serving beside him, “Where is your young miss?”
The maid didn’t dare look at him; this new top scholar was too handsome. She lowered her head and bowed, replying, “The young miss should be watching the play on the back mountain.”
Luo Shenyuan knew that little girl didn’t like watching plays and surely couldn’t sit still. He had thought she would come to find him, but she hadn’t come at all.
“She finds the singing noisy and surely doesn’t enjoy listening to it,” Luo Shenyuan shook his head. “Never mind, I’ll go find her.”
Hearing this, Cheng Lang looked up.
“Yining doesn’t like watching plays?” he asked.
Luo Shenyuan glanced at him, wondering why Cheng Lang was repeating this.
Cheng Lang smiled bitterly for a moment. Luo Yining, oh Luo Yining, how could she be so similar to her! It was uncanny, sometimes giving him a sense of déjà vu.
But no one could replace her, no matter how similar they might be.
However, he wouldn’t remain indifferent now. If this child truly had some connection with her, and if something were to happen, he probably wouldn’t stand by. He might as well give Luo Shenyuan a hint, for her sake. Cheng Lang put down the chess container and said, “I saw Yining go to the side room earlier… the heir of the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s family followed her. You should go check on her.”
Although he had seen it at the time, he thought he understood Shen Yu. The guy might look good on the outside but was empty inside. However, he didn’t think Shen Yu would do anything out of line. At most, he might pester Yining, so Cheng Lang hadn’t thought to go check.
Hearing his words, Luo Shenyuan’s expression changed slightly.
Cheng Lang could almost be certain that he knew about the relationship between the heir of the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s family and Yining.
But this was a secret of the noble families, something no one would casually reveal. How did he know?
Regardless, Luo Shenyuan’s face had darkened, and he asked the maid beside him in a very low voice, “Where is the side room?”
Even Cheng Lang was frightened by his expression. He and Luo Shenyuan were old acquaintances, and this man always had a calm and taciturn demeanor no matter what he did. He had never seen such a gloomy look on his face. He couldn’t help but stand up and say, “You don’t need to be so anxious, the heir of the Loyal and Diligent Marquis’s family, Shen Yu, should know his limits… His father is preparing to request his appointment as heir.”
Luo Shenyuan only threw back a sentence: “We’ll see when we get there.” He quickly strode out of the pavilion.
Cheng Lang followed, with the maid leading the way. Luo Shenyuan now had an imposing aura, causing passing servants to avoid him. When they reached the outside of the side room, they only saw two little maids guarding it. Seeing the group approach, they became anxious and hurriedly came forward to ask, “What brings you here, sirs…”
Luo Shenyuan’s premonition worsened; there was no sound from inside. Thinking of the misdeeds he had investigated about Shen Yu, he looked at the two maids and no longer wanted to deal with them, his tone already severe: “Get out of the way.”
The two little maids were startled, unable to stop him. Luo Shenyuan, with a cold face, walked straight in.
Just then, there was a sound of something heavy falling inside the room. Luo Shenyuan kicked open the door. He saw the overturned incense burner by the screen, and Shen Yu pressing down on Yining, restraining her…
Shen Yu hadn’t expected someone to burst in suddenly. He hadn’t even reacted when someone grabbed his collar. He couldn’t resist the force and was met with a punch to the face. He struggled to fight back, but another merciless punch came down.
Hearing the commotion inside, Cheng Lang knew things had gone badly. He turned to the maids and servants behind him, saying word by word, “If anyone dares to let slip a single word about today’s events, beware for your life!” The maids and servants immediately knelt, the two younger ones trembling.
Yining’s head was splitting with pain, and she was powerless to resist. She didn’t know if she was crying, only that her whole body was shaking and she couldn’t muster any strength. She just felt Shen Yu’s hand pressing on her, exploring near her neck. Suddenly, someone walked in quickly, pulled Shen Yu away, and beat him until he was kneeling on the ground, unable to stand. Only then did the person come over, straighten her disheveled clothes, and wrap her in a jacket from nearby.
Yining saw his tall figure.
It was Luo Shenyuan. No matter when he was always the one to save her. When she was punished to kneel in the ancestral hall, when she had a high fever. Her feelings of dependence on him as an elder brother were very strong, and she couldn’t help but reach out and hug him, murmuring, “Third Brother…”
When Luo Shenyuan saw her disheveled state earlier, he almost wanted to kill Shen Yu.
She had grown up… he had never shown her any feelings beyond that of siblings, fearing it might frighten her.
He was very clear that Yining saw him as a brother. Even though she was no longer a child of the Luo family, their sibling relationship couldn’t be changed. Moreover, he had just entered officialdom and gained a high position; he had to be cautious at every step in the official circles. If others knew that he had developed feelings for the child he had raised… he probably wouldn’t be able to continue his career!
But now he didn’t want to care about any of that. Luo Shenyuan held her, hearing her call him, and said softly and lovingly, “Third Brother is here… Meimei, don’t be afraid.”
Yining clutched his collar, smelling his familiar, warm scent, gradually calming down. But tears still flowed.
Taking advantage of her current unclear state of mind, he lowered his head and kissed her cheek, his lips touching her soft, fragrant skin. She wouldn’t notice. “It’s alright now, I won’t let him off, it’s alright Meimei…”
He picked her up in his arms and walked out the door.
Seeing him carry Yining out, Cheng Lang’s face changed! He came over to ask something, but heard Luo Shenyuan say calmly, “… I don’t know what you’re thinking, and I don’t want to ask right now. Shen Yu is inside, detain him first.”
After saying this, he carried Yining away.
When Cheng Lang went in, he saw Shen Yu, beaten black and blue, looking very confused.
For Luo Shenyuan to beat him like this, it certainly wasn’t just for saying a few words to Yining… Cheng Lang took a sharp breath. That Shen Yu, he actually dared to do such a thing!