Ah Shu, why are you running?
To surprise his grandmother, Pei Huaian had spent his free time training two parrots to speak. The little creatures had already learned quite well, but just when it was finally their time to perform today, the noisy little things suddenly refused to mimic. He had no choice but to stay in his room feeding them their favorite pine nuts, coaxing them until they started talking before hurrying over.
Though he arrived a bit late, fortunately, the two little ones didn’t let him down in the end. Their chattering brought a joyful smile to his grandmother’s face, making his efforts worthwhile.
Just as he was about to move the parrots aside, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye of a bright-eyed young lady sitting in the second seat to his grandmother’s left. Her familiar eyes overlapped with those of the young lady he had met at the temple fair.
Delighted, he turned to look at her: “It’s you!”
The other party was taken aback, showing a puzzled expression.
He then scrutinized her and realized that although this young lady’s eyes closely resembled those of the young lady he had met at the temple fair, the lower half of her face was quite different. Clearly, she was not the same person.
“Oh, it’s not you…”
He recalled that the young lady at the temple fair had mentioned she had an older sister who was also there. This young lady before him must be that sister.
What a coincidence to meet her sister at a family banquet. It seemed he and that young lady truly were fated.
Pei Huaian’s mind worked quickly, and he soon deduced the identity of the young lady before him. With a cheerful smile, he cupped his hands and apologized: “Eldest sister-in-law, Huaian was rude just now.”
Shen Yunshu had not yet married into the family, yet he addressed her as “eldest sister-in-law.” Though she didn’t feel particularly embarrassed, the teasing glances from the elders at the table forced her to feign shyness. She stood up and returned the gesture: “May I ask whom Seventh Young Master Pei mistook me for just now?”
Pei Huaian curled his lips into a smile but didn’t answer her question immediately: “It’s not appropriate to discuss it now, sister-in-law. After the banquet concludes, may I ask for your assistance with something?”
“With what?”
Pei Huaian wore a mysterious expression: “It’s not appropriate to say now, either…”
His deliberate mystification only amused the elders present even more.
Although future siblings-in-law ought to maintain some boundaries, his open request for help from his future sister-in-law in front of the elders appeared so straightforward that no one thought much of it. Besides, he had always been somewhat frivolous and was the youngest in the family, so the elders still saw him as a child and didn’t comment further.
Afterward, Pei Huaian excused himself and went to sit at the table for the younger generation.
Back at Old Madam Pei’s table, his interruption sparked speculation about what exactly he wanted to ask of his future sister-in-law. They tossed around guesses but couldn’t come to any conclusion. When they asked Shen Yunshu, she shook her head, saying she didn’t know either—after all, this was her first time meeting this future brother-in-law.
Eventually, everyone gave up guessing and moved on to other topics.
Shen Yunshu sat quietly with a serene expression, but inwardly she couldn’t help wondering: Earlier, Pei Huaian had mistaken her for someone else. The only person in the world who resembled her was Third Sister. Could he have mistaken her for Third Sister?
But when had he ever met Third Sister?
She had never heard Third Sister mention him before.
For the past two years, Third Sister had been confined at home under her guidance. On the rare occasions she went out, she would always beg Shen Yunshu to accompany her. There were no secrets between the sisters—Shen Yunshu knew every outsider Third Sister had encountered. The most recent incident involved that rogue at the temple fair…
With a slight frown, Shen Yunshu took a sip of tea, masking her subtle expression. Could it be that the scoundrel Third Sister encountered at the temple fair was this infamous young noble from the capital?
Her suspicion was confirmed after the birthday banquet, when Pei Huaian produced a Mohe Le clay figurine encased in a green gauze cover.
So it was him after all.
“During the temple fair at Xiangguo Temple, your younger sister took a liking to this. I bought it for her, but perhaps because I was wearing a mask at the time, it frightened her, and she refused to accept it,” Pei Huaian handed the figurine to Shen Yunshu. “I didn’t mean to scare her that day. Please give this to her as my apology…”
Shen Yunshu stared at the clay figurine in his hand, her eyes tinged with wariness. Had she not learned from Third Sister that he had not only lifted her veil but also torn off her face covering, she might have been deceived by his sincere and harmless demeanor.
Unwilling to let her sister become entangled with such a person, she declined, “Thank you for your kindness, Seventh Young Master Pei, but my sister doesn’t like accepting gifts from strangers. You should keep this Mohe Le for yourself.”
“You are my future sister-in-law. Soon our families will be related by marriage—we can hardly be considered strangers.” Pei Huaian understood her implication and could guess why she was so guarded. He chuckled lightly, “There’s no need to be wary of me, sister-in-law. I simply thought your sister was lovely and impulsively bought this for her. I assure you, my intentions were pure. If you refuse to pass it on, I’ll have no choice but to deliver it to her in person…”
Shen Yunshu was taken aback by his not only frivolous behavior but also his thick-skinned persistence. Now that he knew Third Sister’s identity, she feared he might actually follow through with visiting their home. Reluctantly, she reached out and accepted the clay figurine. “There’s no need for you to spend your money. I’ll send someone to reimburse you tomorrow…”
Was she so determined to keep her Third Sister from any connection with him?
A glimmer of understanding flashed in Pei Huaian’s slightly upturned Ruifeng eyes. “I won’t be home tomorrow.”
“Then the day after—”
“Not then either,” he replied lazily, a hint of mischief in his expression. “Tomorrow I’m accompanying my grandparents to our villa outside the city to escape the heat. The return date is uncertain. If you insist on repaying me, you could always send the money directly to the villa…”
It was only a few taels of silver, hardly worth the trouble of chasing him to the countryside to repay. She could settle the debt another time.
Shen Yunshu said no more. Taking the Mohe Le, she turned and left.
The evening glow spread like scattered brocade as dusk began to fall. Shen Youran emerged from the entertainment quarter outside West Liang Gate, reluctant to end her outing. Qinghe followed, carrying the items and snacks she had purchased, while Danruo helped her fasten her veil and urged, “Miss, we should hurry back. By this hour, the birthday banquet at the Pei residence should be over. We need to return home before Eldest Young Lady does…”
Taking advantage of her elder sister’s absence at a birthday banquet in the Pei residence, Shen Youran sneaked out with Danruo and Qinghe, spending most of the day enjoying herself in the entertainment district. With ample silver to spend today, she even bought a Mohe Le clay figurine, similar in craftsmanship to the one she had seen at the temple fair, though it was more expensive here.
Happily clutching the figurine, she headed toward where her family’s carriage was parked when she suddenly heard someone call out from behind, “A-Shu…”
Hmm? Was there a young lady with a name so similar to her elder sister’s?
Or had her elder sister come here?
Shen Youran immediately grew tense, stopping in her tracks to look around. Amid the bustling crowd, her eyes met those of an unfamiliar young gentleman, who then strode purposefully toward her.
The man wore a dark green brocade robe embroidered with cloud patterns. His face was narrow, his lips pale, and his features sharp. His dark, intense gaze fixed on her like a hawk’s, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
Certain she did not know this man, Shen Youran turned to leave, but he moved swiftly, catching up to her in a few large strides.
A heavy grip clamped around her wrist: “A-Shu, why are you running?”
His tone held a note of accusation, yet seemed to tremble slightly.
Shen Youran was wearing a veil, revealing only her eyes and brows—features that closely resembled her elder sister’s. Likely, this man knew her sister and had mistaken her.
She turned back and lifted her veil: “You’ve mistaken me for someone else…”
The man froze, quickly releasing her wrist. “My apologies.” Then, as if recalling something, he looked up and asked, “Is your father the Vice Minister of Revenue? Are you the Third Sister of the Shen family?”
Shen Youran frowned in confusion. “Who are you?”
He introduced himself: “I am Lu Yi, son of the Prefect of Xunzhou, and also A-Shu’s elder brother…”
Shen Youran remembered that her sister’s stepfamily, after their mother remarried, bore the surname Lu. Her sister had mentioned that the Lu family originally had one legitimate eldest son and three children from concubines. After their mother remarried into the family, she gave birth to another son.
This man before her was likely the legitimate eldest son of the Lu family—her elder sister’s stepbrother.
Yet, she had never heard her sister speak of this stepbrother, and she had no interest in learning about a “stepbrother” who held no relation to her.
She responded with a detached and polite “Oh,” then asked, “So it’s Elder Brother Lu. What brings you to the capital?”
“Did A-Shu not tell you? My father has been reassigned to the Capital Administration Commission as Right Assistant Administration Commissioner. Our entire family is moving to the capital. I arrived ahead of them to inspect the residence arrangements. Soon, my father, mother, and the rest will arrive…”
“Mother is coming to the capital too?” Shen Youran’s heart trembled, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the figurine as she tried to suppress the surge of emotion.
The mother she had secretly yearned for over twelve years was finally coming to the capital.
“Yes,” Lu Yi noticed her barely concealed excitement and seized the chance to build rapport. “I’ve often heard Mother speak of you. She said you were very adorable as a child…”
Shen Youran was four when she parted from her mother—an age when memories begin to form. She vividly recalled falling asleep in her mother’s arms one night, only to wake up the next morning to find her father alone. As the carriage wheels turned, she never saw her mother again.
She had asked her father, “Why did Mother leave me? Did she stop loving me?”
Her father replied, “Your mother loves you very much. She just stopped loving me.”
Later, when her father remarried and she gained a stepmother, she was already eight years old and could never truly bond with her stepmother. Despite her father showering her with endless affection, the void in her heart remained unfilled.
“How much longer until Mother arrives in the capital?” She lifted her gaze to Lu Yi, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Approximately two more days,” Lu Yi replied, noticing her lowered guard. Seizing the opportunity, he ventured, “Since fate has brought us together, why not allow me to invite Third Maiden for a cup of hot tea at the nearby teahouse? We can sit and have a proper conversation…” He wanted to discuss her mother and incidentally inquire about A-Shu’s recent circumstances.
Shen Youran, her heart aching for the mother she hadn’t seen in years, nearly accepted his invitation. But then she remembered that her elder sister would soon return to the estate. If her sister discovered she had skipped calligraphy practice and studies to sneak out for leisure, she would surely reprimand her severely.
“Not today, I have urgent matters,” Shen Youran declined with a slight bow of gratitude. “Thank you for sharing this good news. I must take my leave.”
Without waiting for further remarks, she clutched the Mohe Le clay figurines and hurried away.
Though she rushed back by carriage as fast as possible, she still arrived a quarter-hour late. Her elder sister was already waiting in her courtyard, ruler in hand.
Caught red-handed, Shen Youran didn’t dare offer excuses. She handed the clay figurines to Danruo, then walked over with downcast eyes and promptly admitted her fault: “Sister, I was wrong. I won’t dare do it again…”
The quicker her confession, the clearer it was that she felt no genuine remorse and would likely repeat the offense.
Shen Yunshu ordered her to extend her left hand, gripped her wrist firmly, and delivered five sharp strikes with the ruler.
Shen Youran hopped in pain, tears welling in the corners of her eyes as she protested, “I already admitted my mistake! Why still punish me?”
“Without rules, there is no order. Since you committed an error, you must face the consequences,” Shen Yunshu stated. In the past, she couldn’t bear to truly strike her younger sister, usually just brandishing the ruler as a warning. But now, with her impending marriage, if she didn’t sternly correct her sister’s behavior, she would lose future opportunities for discipline.
Yet, seeing her sister’s rapidly swelling palm, her heart softened with pity. Gently taking the trembling hand, she blew softly on it: “If you wish to go out in the future, don’t sneak away. If no one in the estate knows your whereabouts and you encounter danger outside, we wouldn’t know where to find you…”
Shen Youran pouted, initially wanting to cry from the pain, but her sister’s tender consolation eased the urge.
Instead, she remembered joyful news to share: “Sister, I met your stepbrother outside today. He said Mother is coming to the capital too…”
A chill shot through Shen Yunshu, icy dread spreading through her limbs: “You encountered Lu Yi?”