If you don’t let me out, I’ll starve myself to death!…
The pale orange morning glow in the sky slowly faded. Despite experiencing so many unpleasant events early in the morning, less than two hours had actually passed. Only now was the sky truly brightening.
Shen Youran returned to Junzhi Courtyard, where Danruo had already prepared the herbal steam. Seeing her return, Danruo lit the incense burner.
Shen Youran sat down beside it. Wisps of medicinal mist curled upward from the incense burner, wafting toward her reddened eyes. The stinging pain that had plagued her all morning finally began to ease.
“Miss… Young Madam, why have you returned alone?” Danruo was still not quite used to addressing her young lady as “Young Madam.”
“It’s a long story,” Shen Youran replied wearily, rubbing her temples. “Never mind, I’ll tell you later.”
Seeing her dispirited expression, Danruo guessed that something unpleasant must have happened. Not wanting to upset her further, she refrained from asking more.
Shen Youran had slept very little the previous night and had been tossed about all morning. Before the herbal steam treatment was even finished, she slumped over the table and fell asleep.
Danruo had no choice but to put away the incense burner and help her to bed.
However, she did not sleep for long before someone shook her awake.
“Youran, wake up…”
Her elder sister’s slightly urgent voice reached her ears. Shen Youran groaned, not even wanting to open her eyes. She drowsily leaned closer and mumbled, “Sister, why are you here?”
Shen Yunshu cupped her face, trying to rouse her. “I heard you made The First Madam faint from anger. Is it true?”
Shen Youran hummed in acknowledgment. “I didn’t do it on purpose. She couldn’t win the argument and fainted from anger herself. It’s not my fault.”
“Then tell me, what exactly happened?”
Only then did Shen Youran reluctantly open her eyes. She nestled into her sister’s embrace and briefly recounted the events. “The First Madam doesn’t like me. She tried to fool me with a worthless bracelet, and that old servant by her side joined in to bully me…”
After hearing the gist of the matter, Shen Yunshu had anticipated that her younger sister would face difficulties after marriage, but she never expected such a major incident to occur on the very first day. Although Third Sister had not initiated the conflict, if the matter were scrutinized, she could still be accused of disobedience and lack of filial piety.
After all, no matter how much The First Madam provoked her, she had not done so openly. Third Sister, with her straightforward nature, responded to covert attacks with direct confrontation. When things escalated, even if others were clearly at fault, the blame would ultimately fall on her.
“Youran, this is not the Shen family. We are newly married women here. Whether speaking or acting, we must think carefully before making decisions. You can’t be so impulsive…”
“I couldn’t help it,” Shen Youran said, growing even more aggrieved that her sister was lecturing her instead of comforting her. “At worst, they can divorce me. I’d be more than happy with that.”
“They’ve already accepted the marriage substitution to preserve the dignity of both families. Why would they easily grant a divorce?”
“If even that won’t make them divorce me, what do I have to fear?”
“There are plenty of ways to discipline a new bride in the inner courtyard…”
“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Let’s talk about it then.” She had no intention of worrying over things that hadn’t happened yet. She’d rather spend her energy getting more sleep—that seemed far more practical.
Shen Yunshu, being more thoughtful and less optimistic than her sister, sighed softly as she watched her sister drift back to sleep. Since she was the one who had brought her sister to the Pei residence, it was only right that she, as the elder sister, should bear the punishment for her sister’s mistakes…
She gently supported her sister’s head and settled her back on the pillow before rising to go to Chunxuan Hall and confess their faults to the matriarch.
Before she could even leave Junzhi Courtyard, she encountered Pei Huaijin returning from Haitang Courtyard.
As his sister-in-law now, Shen Yunshu naturally showed him due respect, giving a slight curtsy as she asked, “Elder Brother, has the First Madam improved?”
Pei Huaijin looked at this cultivated and reasonable sister-in-law before him, inevitably recalling the unreasonable girl who had thrown hairpins during arguments. He sighed inwardly: How could two sisters be so different?
“Mother has regained consciousness and is out of danger,” he replied.
“I must apologize on Youran’s behalf,” said Shen Yunshu, twisting her handkerchief anxiously. Since the First Madam had awakened, he must have come to confront Third Sister. She took responsibility for her sister’s faults first: “When Youran was still in her maiden chambers, I failed to discipline her properly as her elder sister, allowing her to develop this impulsive nature that leads to such rash actions…”
Then she revealed her protective intent: “Youran may be willful, but she’s fundamentally kind-hearted without malicious intent. I heard you were present during the dispute, so you must have seen more clearly than I that this wasn’t Youran being unreasonable…”
“I know,” his calm tone immediately soothed Shen Yunshu’s anxious heart, “I know it wasn’t her fault.”
Earlier in his mother’s chamber, he had indeed seen clearly – Mama Zhang had withdrawn the tray just as Shen Youran’s hand touched the jade bracelet, causing it to fall and shatter.
Then the three of them had started arguing back and forth, and before he could interject, his mother had fainted from anger after Shen Youran’s remarks.
He had no choice but to send Shen Youran back first while he stayed to wait for his mother to wake.
After the doctor administered acupuncture, his mother gradually regained consciousness. Her first words upon waking were demanding that he divorce his wife.
“My son, you saw how arrogant and domineering she was yourself. Such temperament is utterly unfit to be the wife of the eldest son. You should divorce her immediately and find another suitable bride…”
“Mother,” he interrupted calmly, his voice slightly lowered, “You went too far today.”
His mother stared in disbelief: “I went too far? She smashed bracelets and hairpins before me, spoke disrespectfully to her elder – and you say I went too far?”
“You and Mama Zhang deliberately provoked her, then shifted all the blame onto her. Mother, I have eyes to see. The weaker party isn’t automatically in the right.”
His mother sneered, “Fine, fine. They say a son forgets his mother after taking a wife, and indeed it’s true. I’ve raised you for nothing.”
“As her mother-in-law, if you wish to discipline her, you should do so properly instead of deliberately finding fault to control her.” As her son, he saw through his mother’s intention – she simply wanted to test the new bride’s temperament to see if she would be easily manipulated.
Shen Youran’s outburst had revealed her unyielding nature to his mother, who naturally wanted him to divorce her and remarry.
But though he respected his mother, he wasn’t blindly filial. While Shen had acted improperly in some aspects today, it didn’t warrant divorce.
“As a senior, Mother should possess the magnanimity befitting an elder. One must understand that family harmony relies on elders’ virtue and children’s filial piety—not merely demanding obedience from the younger generation.”Seeing his mother again struggling to catch her breath from anger, he concluded with finality, ‘The Shen family has committed no major offense.'” I will not divorce her. Until you genuinely accept her, I shall not bring her to see you again. Rest well—I shall return to check on her…”
Upon returning to Junzhi Courtyard, he encountered Shen Yunshu, who had likely rushed over fearing he might blame her younger sister, seeking to take responsibility for Shen Youran’s actions.
“I know this wasn’t her fault,” he stated, then added pointedly, “But excessive rigidity invites breakage. She must soften her temperament, or she will suffer for it someday.”
Relieved to find him reasonable, Shen Yunshu nodded.
“Indeed, I will admonish her more from now on.”
“As her husband, I shall discipline her appropriately. As for your side…” She was once his betrothed, now both his sister-in-law and his wife’s elder sister. “Seventh Brother is at an impressionable age. You must keep a closer watch—do not indulge his wanderings. If he falls in with bad company and picks up vile habits, you will be the one to bear the consequences…”
Though harboring her own designs, Shen Yunshu sincerely appreciated his concern. “Understood.”
“Return now and send someone to find Seventh Brother. Do not trouble yourself over Youran’s matter—I will not punish her. Should this reach Grandmother, I will account for it…”
His words, clear and honorable as moonlight, carried conviction she trusted. “Then this sister-in-law takes her leave.”
After seeing Shen Yunshu out, Pei Huaijin strode directly toward the bedchamber.
Upon entering, he detected a faint medicinal scent in the air—different from his mother’s chambers, unlikely carried over from there.
He questioned the maid Danruo, who had accompanied Youran as part of her dowry: “Why is there a medicine odor?”
Having just stored the steaming medicine pot, Danruo replied, “The young mistress’s eyes were discomforted. She underwent medicinal steaming before bed.”
“What troubles her eyes?”
“She injured them in childhood and occasionally suffers recurrences. Perhaps staying up late last night triggered this morning’s episode.”
“Is that so.” No wonder he had noticed her rubbing her eyes all day, the whites tinged red—he had assumed it was from last night’s tears. “What occurs during these episodes?”
“Blurred vision, accompanied by pain…”
So her stumbling over the threshold in the hall, misaligning while serving tea to elders, failing to catch the falling bracelet—all stemmed from enduring blurred sight and pain throughout the ceremonies.
How stubborn. Had she mentioned her discomfort earlier, he would have delayed their outings until after treatment.
Pei Huaijin drew aside the low-hanging gold-woven crimson bed curtains. On the eight-foot pearwood round-frame bed carved with landscapes, the girl who had earlier been defiant now lay curled under quilts, sleeping with innocent serenity.
Suddenly, her long lashes fluttered, delicate brows knitting together. Pale pink lips parted slightly as she murmured incoherently.
Leaning closer to decipher the whispers, he caught her grievance:
“I’m not wrong… I’m just not wrong…”
A smile touched Pei Huaijin’s lips. Straightening, he smoothed her furrowed brow with a fingertip:
“Very well. I know you’re not wrong.”
The events of the day had indeed reached Old Madam Pei’s ears. After noon, someone from Chunxuan Hall came, saying the old madam wished to speak with the eldest young mistress.
At that time, Shen Youran had not yet woken. Considering her eye ailment that day, Pei Huaijin thought more rest might help her recover faster, so he didn’t have her awakened and went to Chunxuan Hall himself.
He explained the day’s dispute to his grandmother. Though she understood the rights and wrongs of the matter, she still held strong prejudices against Shen Youran’s behavior.
“Filial piety is the greatest of all virtues—nothing should override it. No matter how wrongly your mother acted, Shen, as a daughter-in-law, ought to show her due respect. If she felt wronged, she could have sought redress from you, her husband, or from me, her grandmother. She should never have overstepped the bounds of the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship by uttering such sharp, acrimonious words that she made her faint…”
Though Pei Huaijin didn’t entirely agree with his grandmother, he intended to guide Shen Youran toward reforming her temperament in the future, so he didn’t argue. “Yes, your grandson will instruct her properly from now on.”
“Don’t speak of ‘from now on’—a wife should be taught from the very beginning. Discipline her well starting today.”
“Understood. I’ve already arranged for her to copy ‘Admonitions for Women’…” This had been agreed upon the previous night. Originally, he planned to let her postpone the task due to her eye trouble, but seeing his grandmother’s determination to punish her, Pei Huaijin used this as a temporary response.
“Merely copying ‘Admonitions for Women’ is not enough…” Traditionally, women in the household who erred were made to kneel in the ancestral hall for reflection. Old Madam Pei intended to impose this, but before she could speak, her grandson interjected again.
“Indeed. Therefore, I plan to hire a female tutor to instruct her meticulously.”
Seeing her grandson repeatedly cut her off, Old Madam Pei recalled the young girl’s red-rimmed, glistening rabbit-like eyes in the flower hall that morning.
Her gaze was pure, so her heart couldn’t be truly wicked. Her clever retorts when the sisters-in-law provoked her showed she wasn’t foolish—it was just her unruly temperament…
“Very well. She is your wife. Since you don’t wish for me to intervene, then take more care with her yourself.”
After returning, Pei Huaijin gave orders for Shen Youran to reflect on her actions in her room for two days, during which she was not to step beyond the bedroom door.
This served two purposes: it provided an explanation to his grandmother, preventing his mother from troubling the old madam further about the matter, and it might also help tame her willful nature. As for copying “Admonitions for Women,” that could wait until her eyes improved.
When Shen Youran awoke, the room was darker than when she had fallen asleep.
Dusk clouds drifted outside the wide-open window, the setting sun melting into the horizon—it was already late evening.
She had slept soundly, and her eyes felt much clearer.
But she was rather hungry.
Rubbing her rumbling stomach, she opened the door to call Danruo for a meal. To her surprise, two unfamiliar maids immediately blocked her way.
“Please stay inside, Young Mistress. The young master said you are to reflect in your room for two days and may not leave. If you need anything, just instruct us servants…”
What did that mean?
She wasn’t allowed to leave?
Was Pei Huaijin confining her?
On what grounds? She hadn’t been at fault in today’s incident—why was she being locked up?
“Where is Pei Huaijin?” she demanded angrily.
“The young master is in his study…”
“Tell him to come see me!”
“He previously instructed that he won’t be seeing you these two days…”
“Then I’ll go see him!”
“The young master said you are not to step outside this room, young mistress.”
Shen Youran tried to force her way out, but the two maids were clearly much stronger than her. After blocking her and pushing her back inside, they immediately shut the door and refused to open it no matter how many times she called out.
“So I’m not allowed to leave, huh…” Shen Youran stood with hands on her hips, fuming for a moment before turning to carry a stool to the window. “This young lady will just climb out the window then.”
Hitching up her skirt, she stepped onto the stool and grasped the window frame, leaning half her body out.
Suddenly, a long arm appeared horizontally before her, startling her into scrambling back inside.
“Young mistress, please return inside.” It was Pei Huaijin’s attendant, Qing Jian.
She hadn’t gotten a clear look at him in the morning, but now she could see him properly – just like his master, he had sharp, cold features and a dead-fish expression.
With both the door and window blocked, Shen Youran finally accepted the reality of her confinement. With a stern face, she declared, “I’m hungry. I want to eat.”
Qing Jian replied expressionlessly, “Young mistress should instruct the maids at the door. I’m not responsible for meal delivery…”
Shen Youran slammed the window shut with a “smack.”
Convinced she had done nothing wrong today, she decided to protest by refusing to eat – she would starve herself, abstain from water, and absolutely not yield to him.
Qing Jian kept watch outside the window until the moon reached its zenith. Hearing no sound from within, and taking advantage of his master still being awake, he went to the study to report: “Young master, the young mistress hasn’t requested any food.”
Meaning she hadn’t had a single drop of water since the early morning hours.
“She’s protesting what she sees as my unfair treatment of her.” No self-reflection to be found, but she certainly had a talent for provoking people. “Have the maids bring some soup and rice from the kitchen. If she still refuses to eat, report back to me…”
He couldn’t actually let her starve.
“Understood. Should I continue watching by the window?” Qing Jian asked.
“No need.” Given her simple, stubborn nature, she probably wouldn’t attempt to climb out again knowing someone was outside.
Qing Jian accepted the instructions and left.
Late at night, the bedchamber was utterly silent, except for occasional gurgling sounds coming from behind the bed curtains.
Shen Youran hugged her stomach, so hungry she felt like taking a bite out of the quilt.
She had never starved herself before and didn’t realize extreme hunger felt like this – heart palpitations, trembling hands, stomach pain, dizziness, numbness throughout her limbs…
So hungry, she really wanted to eat something.
She rolled around on the bed, searching from headboard to footboard: during the wedding ceremony last night, the bed had been scattered with red dates, peanuts, and longans. After the Hair Combining Ceremony, the maids had remade the bed and cleared away all those items. They had been thorough – not a single one remained.
Finding nothing, Shen Youran lay limp, resting for a while. Unable to bear the gnawing hunger in her stomach any longer, she was about to get up and call the maids outside for food when she suddenly heard the window opening.
The moment she was about to soften her stance, she immediately lay back down, feigning weakness while her mouth remained stubborn: “Tell your master that if he doesn’t let me out, I’ll starve myself to death!”
“Huh?” A lazy voice came from the window. “Why would you want to starve yourself to death?”
Huh?
Shen Youran peeked out from the bed curtains toward the window: “Pei Huaian? Why is it you?”
“Who else were you expecting?”
“Where’s Qing Jian?”
“Didn’t see him…”
Qing Jian actually wasn’t outside the window anymore?
He must have guessed she wouldn’t open the window again and had slipped away long ago.
“Damn, whose cunning nature did she inherit?”
Shen Youran climbed down from the bed, rising too abruptly as dark and white spots danced before her eyes. Supporting herself on wobbly legs, she stumbled to the window.
“I’m starving. Do you have any food?”
Pei Huaian fished out a small pear he’d pocketed from the temple: “Only this.”
“Give it here!” Before he could hand it over, Shen Youran stepped onto a stool, snatched the pear, and devoured it in three bites. Finally, the dizziness subsided. “That was close… I nearly starved to death…”
Having grown up indulging in delicacies, this was the first time she found a bland pear so delicious.
Pei Huaian chuckled, watching her wolf down the pear in moments. “I heard you made Aunt so angry she fainted today,” he said. “That’s why Elder Brother confined you to your room for reflection.”
Shen Youran shot him a glare: “Are you here to scold me too?”
“No, I’m here to admire you. You’ve got guts,” he gave a thumbs up, “You’re the real deal!”
Shen Youran remained unmoved: “Oh, so you’re here to mock me.”
“Not at all, I genuinely think you’re impressive,” Pei Huaian explained. “To be honest, last night at Chunxuan Hall, Aunt strongly opposed the marriage arrangement. She thinks you’re not good enough for Elder Brother. I thought she’d bully you, but you turned the tables and made her faint. How did you manage it? Tell me everything…”
Shen Youran rubbed her still-empty stomach: “It’s a long story. I’ll need more delicious food to have the energy to tell you.”
Pei Huaian shook his head: “Let’s go then. I’ll take you to the kitchen to find something.”
“Fine.”
With his help, Shen Youran climbed out the window, stepped on his shoulders to scale the courtyard wall, and followed him, sneaking furtively toward the kitchen.
As they approached the kitchen, they spotted a maid carrying a food box leaving.
Pei Huaian had her hide behind a tree while he entered the kitchen first. After confirming it was empty, he waved her in.
Though the kitchen was filled with the aroma of food, the pots were completely empty.
“I’m so hungry, so hungry…” She crouched down, clutching her stomach, unable to take another step.
Seeing her pitiful state, Pei Huaian scratched his head and pulled half a bag of flour from the pantry: “Hang in there a bit longer. I’ll make you some dough strip soup.”
Shen Youran glanced at the noble young master in his luxurious clothes and jade-like fingers, recalling she’d also been raised never doing manual labor. “You know how to make dough strip soup?”
“I’ve eaten it before. Should be simple enough.” Isn’t it just kneading dough, rolling it into strips, and boiling them in water?
The refined young man rolled up his sleeves, scooped half a ladle of flour into a basin, added half a ladle of water, and began kneading.
Shen Youran watched eagerly, deciding to trust him this once.
Fifteen minutes later, after repeatedly adding flour to water and water to flour, the dough still hadn’t taken shape. Pei Huaian disgustedly shook the sticky paste from his hands and asked, “Well… would you like some paste soup instead?”
Hah, knew he couldn’t even make the simplest dough strip soup.
After a moment of awkward silence, Shen Youran asked, “Paste soup… what’s that?”
“A specialty invented by yours truly…”
Shen Youran, who was so hungry that she was about to vomit stomach acid, said, “Fine, as long as it’s cooked.”
Pei Huaian gave up kneading the dough, washed the paste off his hands, and gathered firewood to start a fire.
Fortunately, the fire was built quite well, and the water boiled quickly.
He scooped some paste from the basin, picked up a ladle and stirred it haphazardly, then wandered around the kitchen. When he returned, he had an eggplant, half a sweet potato, a section of yam, and a water bamboo shoot in his hands…
He chopped all these into pieces and tossed them into the pot.
Watching his carefree movements, Shen Youran suddenly recalled a past incident and casually began to share it.
“When I was little, my father took me to play at a rural estate. I stumbled into the kitchen and saw the cook chopping vegetables with a rhythmic thud-thud-thud…”
“Hmm?”
“She chopped so many things—potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, pumpkins, and many vegetables I didn’t recognize. As she chopped, she kept tossing them into the pot…”
“Oh?”
“She made a pot of colorful mixed stew, just like you did earlier…”
“Was it tasty?”
“I don’t know. She said it was for feeding the pigs…”
Pei Huaian: “…”
The young man, attempting to cook for the first time, threw the kitchen knife onto the cutting board and glared at her indignantly. “I was kindly making a meal for you, and you’re saying what I cooked is pig slop?”
“If you won’t eat it, fine! I’m not serving you anymore!”
Pei Huaian pretended to leave, deliberately passing by her. As he did, the hem of his robe was gently tugged by her.
She looked up, her dark, moist eyes blinking, and the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile. “Don’t be angry. I was just teasing you.”
From Pei Huaian’s perspective, her eyes sparkled, her smile carried a hint of appeasement, and her slightly messy hair made her look soft and fluffy, like… like a little rabbit named “Snowball” he had once raised.
Forget it—why bother arguing with a little rabbit? He hadn’t really been angry in the first place.
He went back, added some firewood to the stove, and waited for the soup in the pot to boil. He scooped out a little to taste: it was undercooked and had no salt.
So he sprinkled in some salt, let it simmer a while longer, and tasted it again: still undercooked, and now too salty.
He added some water, brought it to a boil once more, and this time it was finally cooked. The flavor was neither too salty nor too bland, but it still didn’t taste good…
He ladled out a bowl, hesitantly offering it to Shen Youran. “Do… do you want to eat it?”
Shen Youran looked at the unappetizing “mixed stew” in the bowl, devoid of color, aroma, or flavor, yet she still managed to offer a supportive compliment: “It smells quite refreshing.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean. I don’t like hearing lies.” The bottom of the bowl was hot, so he turned and set it down on the serving table, then handed her a clean spoon. “Eat up. It’s better than starving to death.”
Shen Youran took the spoon, walked over, scooped up half a spoonful of soup, blew on it, and began eating in small sips.
As she ate, bean-sized teardrops fell into the soup.
Pei Huaian noticed and leaned closer, exclaiming in surprise, “Is it really that bad?”
Was it so awful it made her cry?
“No,” Shen Youran replied with a tearful smile. “I’m touched. You’re the second person today, besides my sister, who has shown concern for me…”
Pei Huaian curled his lips into a smirk, crossing his arms as he teased her. “Regretting it now, aren’t you? Who told you not to choose me last night…”
Shen Youran took a sip of the unpalatable soup. “…Not really that regretful.”
Pei Huaian snorted. “You’re just being stubborn.”
After half a bowl of hot soup, her hunger faded, and strength returned to her limbs.
Shen Youran now had the energy to talk with him.
After telling him about how she had angered the First Madam to the point of fainting that morning, she had a question for him: “During the morning gratitude ceremony, why didn’t you come with my sister?”
“I,” Pei Huaian lazily leaned against the table edge, “went out to have some fun.”
“Going to a temple for fun so early in the morning?” She had caught the scent of temple sandalwood on him from the window earlier. “What’s so interesting there that made you abandon my sister to go play?”
“How did you know I went to the temple?” He then lowered his head to sniff before understanding. Seeing he couldn’t hide it from her, he told the truth: “Actually, I went to listen to the monks chant scriptures.”
“Ah? Are you planning to become a monk?”
“Become what monk?” Pei Huaian gave her an amused glance. “Do I look like someone with such enlightenment?”
“If you don’t want to become a monk, why go listen to scriptures so early in the morning?”
Pei Huaian’s expression turned somewhat awkward, his gaze flickering: “You’re my sister-in-law now, not my wife. I don’t have to explain myself to you, so stop asking.”
The more he refused to explain, the more Shen Youran suspected he truly intended to become a monk. After all, she had entertained similar thoughts herself last night.
“Are you deciding to become a monk because of the marriage swap? Don’t do it! I also considered becoming a nun last night, but look at me now – I’ve accepted reality!” Shen Youran anxiously and clumsily comforted him. “Besides, my sister is wonderful – smarter than me, more dignified than me, accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Marrying her is much better than marrying me. Please don’t become a monk, otherwise my sister would end up a living widow…”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Pei Huaian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Are you worried about me becoming a monk, or about your sister becoming a widow?”
“Both!”
Pei Huaian knew exactly what she was truly concerned about: “Don’t worry, your sister won’t become a widow.”
Shen Youran tentatively asked: “So you’re not becoming a monk?”
“It has nothing to do with whether I become a monk or not…” The Letter of Separation had long been prepared. Even if he were to become a monk, or if something were to happen to him someday, Shen Yunshu could produce the separation letter and wouldn’t need to remain a widow.
The reason he had rushed to the temple early in the morning was because last night, he had another erotic dream.
This time, he saw clearly in his dream that the person wasn’t Shen Youran, but unmistakably Shen Yunshu.
Moreover, in this dream, when Shen Yunshu was intimate with him, she actively nibbled on his ear.
When he woke up and recalled the dream, he suddenly remembered why he had dreamed of Shen Yunshu kissing his ear.
It was because last night in the hall, when she suggested they become a pretend couple, she had leaned close to his ear and whispered it.
Recalling the timing of his first such dream, it was also after meeting Shen Yunshu – that was in the backyard of Fengle Pavilion, when she sought his help due to physical discomfort and fell asleep in his carriage. After returning home, he dreamed of a beautiful spring slumber scene…
But at that time, she was still his future sister-in-law.
He had actually developed lustful thoughts toward someone who was about to become his sister-in-law – he was truly despicable.
Pei Huaian couldn’t accept being such a lustful and wicked person, so early in the morning he had called Qing Wu and slipped out of the house, galloping on horseback to Xiangguo Temple, attempting to purify himself through scriptures and eliminate his wicked thoughts.
He had stayed at the temple the entire day, thoroughly soaked in sandalwood scent. While he couldn’t smell it himself, Shen Youran had detected it immediately.
“Don’t you dare tell anyone about me going to the temple, understand?” He threatened her with pretended fierceness.
But Shen Youran wasn’t afraid of him: “Then swear you won’t become a monk, and I won’t tell anyone.”
Pei Huaian casually held up three fingers. “I promise, no monastic vows. Satisfied?”
Seeing his perfunctory attitude, Shen Youran refused to believe him. “You’re not taking this seriously at all. Swear it again properly…”
“How childish.” Pei Huaian lowered his hand, unwilling to indulge her. “Are you finished eating? If you’re done, I’ll escort you back.”
Though still hungry, Shen Youran found the porridge utterly unpalatable and couldn’t force another sip. “I’m full. Let’s return…”
The moon hung like a crystal plate in the midnight sky. By its silvery light, Pei Huaian led Shen Youran back along their original path. Halfway there, they spotted several figures carrying lanterns through the profound darkness, seemingly searching for something.
The searchers made no sound, leaving Pei Huaian uncertain whether they sought Shen Youran. Regardless, being discovered alone with her in the dead of night would be problematic.
“Come with me…”
He grasped Shen Youran’s hand, weaving through winding paths to evade the figures before taking temporary refuge among some rockeries.
“Are they looking for me?” Shen Youran whispered anxiously. “Does your elder brother already know I slipped out? I meant to protest with a hunger strike, but if he finds out I sneaked out for food, he’ll surely mock me…”
Pei Huaian glanced down at her fretful expression. “The stolen meal is trivial. If they discover us together, no amount of explaining would clear our names.”
“Is it that serious?”
“Yes.” Pei Huaian’s expression turned grave. “After all, we were once a couple.”
“Then…” Panic stirred in Shen Youran’s heart. “We shouldn’t hide together. You go somewhere else.”
“They’re nearby. If I go out now, wouldn’t I walk right into their hands?”
“What should we do then?”
“Shh… Someone’s coming…”
Shen Youran hastily covered her mouth. In the hazy moonlight, they stared wide-eyed at each other, neither daring to breathe loudly.
Amid the profound silence, approaching footsteps grew distinctly audible.
From the footfalls, Pei Huaian deduced it was a single person—light-stepped, likely someone of shorter stature and slender build.
He subtly shifted position, shielding Shen Youran behind him. If discovered, he resolved to knock the intruder unconscious before they could identify them.
The footsteps drew nearer.
Pei Huaian’s sharp phoenix eyes scanned the darkness like a hawk tracking prey. When a slender figure entered his line of sight, he swiftly seized them, covering their mouth and slamming them toward the stone wall…
But the moment his arms filled with soft warmth, he realized: it was a woman.
Too late to retract his force, he twisted sideways, taking the impact against the wall together, mitigating half the damage.
The woman struck her head while he injured his shoulder. Ignoring the pain, he looked down to identify the person in his arms.
His large hand obscured half her petite face, leaving only a pair of familiar delicate brows and bright eyes.
It was Shen Yunshu.
“Why is it you?” Startled, he immediately released her.
Shen Yunshu had been badly dazed by the impact. Fighting dizziness, she leaned against the rock wall for support.
Shen Youran emerged from behind Pei Huaian, gazing at her sister in panic. “Sister, are you alright?”
“I’m alright.”
More troubling than the dull ache in her head was the fact that Third Sister was actually with Pei Huaian.
“Why are you together so late at night?”
“Sister, please don’t misunderstand. Pei Huaijin locked me up, and I was so hungry I couldn’t bear it anymore, so I sneaked out to get some food from the kitchen…” For now, she could only share the most urgent details. She would properly explain everything to her sister after getting through this immediate crisis.
“I only came looking for you because Danruo told me you’d been confined by our elder brother, and then a maid discovered you had secretly escaped from your room.” Shen Yunshu believed her younger sister wouldn’t do anything improper, but others might not be so trusting. As she pondered how to return Third Sister with her reputation intact, she suddenly heard multiple footsteps approaching – likely drawn by the commotion from their earlier collision.
She absolutely couldn’t let outsiders discover Pei Huaian’s connection with Third Sister.
Shen Yunshu pushed her sister back behind Pei Huaian, then took his hand and said to him while he was still stunned, “When they arrive, I’ll hide in your embrace. You pretend to be angry and scold them away, understand?”