The young man was lost in a dream filled with the fragrance of flowers…
“You’ve seen my Third Sister at the temple fair before. You couldn’t forget her and even asked me to deliver the Mohe Le to her…” Speaking of that clay figurine, it was still in Shen Yunshu’s possession.
At that time, she still held prejudices against Pei Huaian and didn’t want her Third Sister to have any connection with him, which was why the Mohe Le remained stored in her room.
“I didn’t really pine for her that much…” Although he had indeed thought about her for a few days back then, nearly a month had passed since the incident, and he had long since forgotten about her. “Besides, I’m still young and want to enjoy myself for a couple more years. I’m not willing to take a wife who would restrict me every day.”
“If you think having a wife would restrict you, then you should definitely marry my Third Sister,” Shen Yunshu said with a cheerful smile. “My Third Sister was spoiled by our father since childhood. She has a carefree nature and is adept at avoiding responsibilities, so she would naturally be too lazy to control you. Moreover, she shares your love for food, drink, and entertainment. She excels at wooden archery and pitch-pot games. In the future, the two of you would surely enjoy each other’s company…”
“Oh?” This did align with his interests. “But would she force me to study? Urge me to strive for success?”
“She doesn’t like studying herself, but she does enjoy reading storybooks.”
“Would she disapprove of me being idle and not attending to proper work?”
“With the fortune your father has built, as long as you avoid gambling and excessive extravagance, you’ll live a life of luxury and comfort without worries. That’s exactly the kind of life she prefers—why would she disapprove of you?”
“In that case, your Third Sister and I do seem quite compatible.” After all, he would have to marry sooner or later. If Third Maiden Shen was truly as suitable for him as described, marrying her would naturally be better than marrying any other young lady.
A rumbling sound came from his stomach. Pei Huaian was unbearably hungry. Rubbing his belly, he said, “The day after tomorrow, I’ll go to the estate to pick up my grandmother. Once I’m there, I’ll explain everything to her. If she agrees, I’ll send a matchmaker to your home to propose marriage soon.”
“Please hurry. You know how exceptionally beautiful my Third Sister is—there are many suitors vying for her hand,” Shen Yunshu said, worried that delays might bring complications. She needed to secure her Third Sister’s engagement before Lu Yi was released from prison. “If the Old Madam doesn’t agree, please let me know as soon as possible so I can find another suitable match for Third Sister…”
“Alright, alright,” Pei Huaian replied. His grandmother doted on him; if it was a girl he wanted to marry, how could she possibly refuse? “I’m going to eat now. I’m so hungry I’m feeling dizzy.”
“Mm, go ahead.”
The young man dashed off like the wind, his ink-black hair tied high in a jade crown swaying with unrestrained flair. In no time, he disappeared into the tavern.
It seemed he was truly starving.
Shen Yunshu smiled faintly, found the carriage Tinglan had hired, and the mistress and maid set off back to the Shen residence.
On the way home, Shen Yunshu kept pondering the marriage between Pei Huaian and her Third Sister. The more she thought about it, the more perfect it seemed.
They were both the same age, raised in luxury, innocent and unaware of hardship, with similar temperaments—one fond of play, the other somewhat indolent.
Pei Huaian had a father who earned money as effortlessly as flowing water, as well as an uncle and cousin serving as officials at court. The responsibility of bringing honor to the family didn’t fall on him. Even if he lacked ambition, Third Sister would still live a life of wealth and glory after marrying him.
Moreover, she herself, as the elder sister, was also married into the Pei family. In the future, she would be both the elder sister and the sister-in-law. With her around, Pei Huaian wouldn’t dare to bully Third Sister.
Thinking it over, Pei Huaian’s unintentional disruption of Third Sister’s marriage prospects at the temple fair that day must have been destined by heaven. Marrying into the Pei family would be far better for Third Sister than marrying into the Liang family.
Today could be considered doubly fortunate—first, Lu Yi had been thrown into prison, and second, Third Sister’s marriage was settled. Shen Yunshu could hardly contain her joy, returning to the Shen residence with a face full of radiance.
She had originally intended to tell Third Sister the news immediately, but at this hour, she was likely taking her afternoon nap, so Shen Yunshu decided not to disturb her.
She too felt somewhat weary, having meticulously planned this matter for three full days. Now that the weight in her heart had finally lifted, she let out a long sigh, removed her outer robe, and prepared to rest for a while.
As the silk garment fluttered lightly to the ground, Shen Yunshu suddenly froze, the joy on her face instantly vanishing: the bamboo tube she had hidden in her sleeve was gone!
Shen Yunshu hurriedly dressed and called for Tinglan, instructing her to take a servant and retrieve the hired carriage they had just used to check if she had dropped the bamboo tube inside. If it wasn’t there, they were to go immediately to Fengle Pavilion, find Pei Huaian’s carriage, and ask if it had been left there…
Pei Huaian quickly satisfied his hunger. Remembering that his friends had mentioned going to the music academy for a private performance, he had initially considered joining them. But then it occurred to him that he would soon be proposing to Third Maiden Shen, so it would be better to maintain his integrity. Thus, he instructed the coachman to take him back to his residence.
As the carriage started moving, something rolled out from under the seat.
Pei Huaian looked down and saw a bamboo tube, which he casually picked up.
It must have been left behind by Shen Yunshu.
It felt heavy in his hand. Opening it, he sniffed and recognized it as wine—Fengle Pavilion’s house-brewed yellow wine, mellow in flavor and not easily intoxicating.
Since it wasn’t particularly valuable, Pei Huaian didn’t bother returning it. He absentmindedly toyed with it throughout the journey and, upon alighting, didn’t discard it but carried it back to his own courtyard.
His residence, Ciyou Courtyard, was located in the deepest part of the estate. Though somewhat distant from the main gate, it excelled in tranquility and elegance, filled with colorful flowers and trees that presented ever-changing views with each step, making it utterly delightful.
More importantly, Ciyou Courtyard was adjacent to the back gate, making it exceptionally convenient for him to slip out unnoticed.
However, he had sneaked out too many times before, and now the back gate was constantly guarded. If he wanted to slip out in the future, he would have to climb the wall.
There weren’t many servants in Ciyou Courtyard. The maids tended to the flowers and plants and cleaned the rooms, while the menservants handled the heavy labor. The courtyard’s supervisor was a matron surnamed Tang, whom his grandmother had specially assigned from her own staff to help him manage the people and affairs within the courtyard.
“Why has the Seventh Young Master returned so early today?” Matron Tang’s gaze was gentle and kind as she smiled at him.
She knew the young master had gone out with a few friends for amusement today. In the past, he wouldn’t return until after dark, so it was quite unusual for him to be back just after noon.
Pei Huaian couldn’t very well say he had parted from his friends to look after his future sister-in-law, so he casually brushed it off: “I ate too much and feel terribly sleepy. I came back to nap for a while…”
“The noon sun is strong, and I see the young master is sweating. Would you like to bathe before resting?”
“No need.”
Pei Huaian stepped into his room, pushed the partition door shut, loosened his collar, and collapsed onto the bed. The bamboo tube rolled from his hand and landed on the thin quilt.
Feeling somewhat thirsty, Pei Huaian couldn’t be bothered to summon the maids outside to bring water. Instead, he opened a bamboo tube and drank half of its yellow wine before turning over and drifting into a hazy sleep.
Beyond the wide-open lattice window, vibrant reds and greens danced as the late summer wind, still carrying residual warmth, rustled through the leaves. The room remained as silent as before, and the slumbering youth sank into a dream filled with the fragrance of flowers.
A delicate and beautiful woman lay sleeping on a narrow couch, her jet-black hair and white robes creating an austere yet striking contrast. Peach-pink and pear-white petals rained down upon her soft cheeks, half-tied cloud-like hair, and the delicate hollow of her waist. As her elegant eyes slowly opened, her dark almond-shaped gaze shimmered, weaving countless threads of emotion that gradually entangled him…
Floating through the dream, his eyes were filled with her moist gaze, graceful neck, and snow-white skin faintly flushed with pink.
The youth’s bamboo-jade-like hands clenched the thin quilt, veins bulging beneath his pale skin until, with a soft sigh, everything faded away.
When Pei Huaian slowly awoke, a lingering tingling sensation remained in his body.
The indescribable pleasure left him savoring the memory. Experiencing such a feeling for the first time, he clung to the quilt, reluctant to fully wake. However, an uncomfortable stickiness between his thighs disturbed him. Dazed, he sat up and lifted the quilt to see what had happened…
Then his eyes widened in shock.
Nanny Tang was sitting in the hallway watching the courtyard bustling with activity when she suddenly heard a cry from the bedroom. She hurriedly rose and made her way there.
“Young Master, what happened?” Nanny Tang stood outside the partition door, her voice filled with concern.
“I—I’m fine,” Pei Huaian replied from the other side, covering half his body with the quilt, his face burning with embarrassment. “Nanny Tang, I wish to bathe. Please have water prepared quickly…”
“Of course, Young Master. Please wait a moment. I’ll have it arranged right away.”
Without giving it much thought, Nanny Tang sent someone to the kitchen to fetch hot water.
Inside the bedroom, Pei Huaian, his face flushed crimson, first used a cloth to wipe himself briefly and changed into fresh clothes. As for the soiled garments he had removed and the equally compromised cloth, he didn’t want anyone to see them. He bundled them up and stuffed them under the bed.
Having done this, he let out a sigh of relief and sat on the edge of the bed, reflecting on why he had such a dream.
Especially those familiar eyes and brows in the dream—they unmistakably belonged to…
Pressing a hand over his pounding heart, he tried to convince himself: It must be because my sister-in-law intends to betroth Third Maiden Shen to me that I had such a spring dream. The person in the dream must be Third Maiden Shen…
How vulgar!
He mentally slapped himself: To defile someone like this before even being formally engaged—utterly shameless.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the bamboo tube by his pillow. Now drenched in sweat and parched, he reached for it, uncorked the stopper, and gulped down the remaining yellow wine in one go.
It quenched his thirst and helped calm his nerves.
Before long, a maid knocked on the door, announcing that the hot water was ready.
Pei Huaian rose and headed to the washroom.
Though the water was only warm, he grew increasingly hot as he bathed, repeatedly calling for more cold water to be added.
His attendant Qing Wu was responsible for refilling the water. When Pei Huaian called for water the third time, Qing Wu reached into the tub to test the temperature and exclaimed in surprise, “Young Master, the water is already quite cold. Should I still add more?”
“Add more.” The hand gripping the bathtub tensed with bulging veins. The young man sitting inside furrowed his brow tightly, as if enduring something.
Noticing his master’s unusual expression, Qing Wu poured in the half-bucket of cold water he was holding and asked, “Are you feeling unwell anywhere, young master?”
This was the attendant who had grown up with him, two years his senior. They were both master and servant as well as close friends who shared everything. There were some unspeakable troubles Pei Huaian couldn’t confide in others, but he could only tell Qing Wu.
“Qing Wu,” the young man’s body growing increasingly restless, he confessed hoarsely with shame, “I’m thinking of women.”
Author’s note:
Next chapter: Younger brother and sister get engaged – double happiness coming!