She had actually kept it from him and promised herself to someone else…
Shen Yunshu steadied her emotions and asked Shen Youran, “How did you encounter Lu Yi? What did he say to you? Tell me everything in detail, don’t leave out a single word.”
“It was a chance meeting. He accidentally mistook me for you…” She hadn’t spoken much with that young master from the Lu family, but she still clearly remembered the few words exchanged and relayed them all to her sister.
After listening, though Shen Yunshu’s expression remained unchanged, inwardly she was already in turmoil.
Shen Youran noticed her sister’s unusual demeanor: “Sister, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Shen Yunshu didn’t want her younger sister to know about Lu Yi’s vile intentions, so she forced a calm smile. “Your hands need to practice the zither tomorrow. Have Qinghe fetch some ice for you to apply. I’m rather tired today and will rest first…”
“Then you should go back and rest well.” Shen Youran watched her sister leave, feeling unavoidably puzzled.
Mother would soon arrive in the capital, so why did her sister seem unhappy?
Moreover, her sister’s attitude toward that stepbrother from the Lu family was also strange. Unable to figure it out, Shen Youran decided to simply ask her sister directly tomorrow.
But who would have thought that early the next morning, Danruo would bring Tinglan from their eldest sister’s quarters to wake her. Tinglan was holding an unsealed letter, saying it was from their eldest sister.
Rubbing her eyes, Shen Youran took the envelope, wondering why her sister would write her a letter when they lived in the same residence. But when she pulled out the paper and read it, her sleepiness instantly vanished.
“The eldest young lady said she’s going to the Pei family’s estate outside the city to accompany Old Madam Pei in escaping the summer heat, and she doesn’t know when she’ll return. This letter contains assignments the eldest young lady specifically prepared for Third Sister. She said that during her absence, I’m to supervise Third Sister’s daily practice…”
Shen Youran was so angry she nearly fell backward: “Eldest Sister goes off to avoid the heat and enjoy leisure herself, yet she assigns me so much schoolwork! I won’t accept this, I won’t…”
Actually, Shen Yunshu had considered bringing her third sister along to the Pei family’s estate to escape the summer heat. It would just require more persuasion, but she thought Old Madam Pei would likely agree. However, the thought of that libertine Pei Huaian also being there made her abandon the idea.
Originally, Old Madam Pei hadn’t invited her to the estate to avoid the heat either. She had only learned about it yesterday from Pei Huaian himself. If not for needing to hide from Lu Yi, she wouldn’t have wanted to shamelessly stay at the Pei family’s estate in the capacity of a future granddaughter-in-law.
She had kept her engagement to Pei Huaijin secret from her mother and the Lu family. Now that Lu Yi had arrived in the capital, he would likely soon uncover this matter. Given Lu Yi’s obsessive nature, he would undoubtedly confront her and use underhanded means to force her to break off the engagement…
Unable to contend with that madman Lu Yi, she had no choice but to hide. Currently, the safest place was her future husband’s family home. No matter what schemes Lu Yi might employ, his influence couldn’t reach into the Pei family. Once Pei Huaijin returned to the capital after his two-month transfer and she married into the Pei family as scheduled, there would be no more worries.
Shen Yunshu had not slept all night. In the early hours, she pondered how to avoid Lu Yi, and in the later hours, she contemplated how to guide her Third Sister after leaving home. She wrote down two months’ worth of lessons on paper, stuffed the thick stack into an envelope, and at daybreak, handed it to her capable maid Tinglan. She then went to see her father, who was about to leave for the morning court session, and informed him of her plan to be away for two months…
Her father, knowing she was strong-willed, said little, only advising her to take care of herself and assuring her he would pay more attention to Third Sister.
However, her father’s official duties kept him busy, and he could never be as attentive as an elder sister. Yet, Shen Yunshu had no other choice. Carrying her worries, she left the manor in a carriage with her other personal maid, Qiong Zhi, heading toward the city gate.
The Pei family’s estate outside the city was not hard to find. Asking for directions along the way, they reached the foot of the hill with little trouble. The Pei family’s mountain villa was nestled halfway up the slope, its blue tiles and white walls blending into the verdant landscape like an ink-wash painting.
Shen Yunshu paused at the foot of the hill to admire the scenery until nearly noon, then alighted from the carriage with her maid. Weighing the five taels of silver in her purse, she began the ascent.
She needed a pretext for visiting the Pei estate. The five taels owed for the Mohe Le clay figurines that Pei Huaian had mentioned the previous day provided the perfect excuse. Though flimsy, it was better than nothing.
Thus, when Pei Huaian saw her, his phoenix eyes widened in astonishment, his handsome face full of disbelief: “You actually came all the way here just to return these five taels?”
“Didn’t you say if I wanted to repay the money, I should bring it to the estate?” Though she knew his words yesterday had been casual, she had to use her future brother-in-law to achieve her goal.
It was the first time Pei Huaian had encountered a woman so literal-minded. He nearly retorted, “Was it necessary?” but noticing her pale complexion and the fine sweat on her forehead, as if she were about to faint from heat, he swallowed his words and instructed a maid beside him: “Fetch a cup of sweetened water to relieve the heat…”
The midday sun was scorching. Having walked up from the foot of the hill, Shen Yunshu had inevitably succumbed to heatstroke. Even after drinking the sweetened water, she showed no improvement. By then, news of her arrival had reached Old Madam Pei, who came to see her. Upon learning what had happened, the old lady scolded her youngest grandson and sent for a doctor to examine Shen Yunshu…
Having stayed up all night and now suffering from heatstroke, Shen Yunshu was exceedingly weak. The doctor advised several days of quiet rest, and Old Madam Pei kindly offered to let her recuperate at the estate. Everything was going according to plan, and Shen Yunshu modestly accepted.
Though it was only a brief stay for now, she knew that if she could win Old Madam Pei’s favor, she would eventually be able to remain there long-term.
On the second day after Shen Yunshu left home, the Lu family arrived in the capital and sent a card to the Shen residence. The next day, Lu Yi, entrusted by his parents, visited with gifts, intending to take Shen Yunshu back to the Lu family.
Shen Tingyu had no desire to meet his former wife’s stepson and, pleading official duties, left the task of entertaining Lu Yi to Wei Shi.
Learning that the visitor had come to fetch Shen Yunshu, Wei Shi truthfully replied, “Unfortunately, the eldest young lady accompanied Old Madam Pei to the estate to escape the heat a few days ago. It’s unclear when she will return.”
Lu Yi was not surprised she had run away again, but…
“Might I ask who Old Madam Pei is…”
Wei Shi couldn’t help but find it strange: “Didn’t you know? The eldest young lady has been betrothed to the legitimate eldest grandson of the Grand Tutor’s Residence. That Old Madam Pei is her future grandmother.”
Lu Yi’s face abruptly changed color: “She’s engaged? When did this happen?”
Wei Shi fanned herself calmly, observing the other party without showing any expression. Unlike his sudden change in demeanor, her words remained unhurried: “It was settled when spring began. She’ll be married in another two months. What, you didn’t know about this matter?”
Logically, for such an important matter as marriage, the eldest young lady should have long written to inform her birth mother. How could this young master Lu remain completely unaware?
“Hah…” Lu Yi clenched his fist and struck his knee, a flash of coldness passing through his eyes.
She had actually kept it from him and promised herself to another.
Did she think that by hiding in her future husband’s household, he would have no way to deal with her?
Lu Yi curved his lips, his expression returning to normal: “Since Ashu isn’t here, I’ll come back to fetch her when she returns.” After a pause, he added, “By the way, is Third Sister in the residence? My mother has some words she wished me to personally convey to Third Sister…”
His repeated use of “Third Sister” sounded quite intimate, but Wei Shi couldn’t make decisions regarding Shen Youran’s matters, so she sent a maid named Lü’e to the rear courtyard to inquire.
At that time, Shen Youran was being supervised by Tinglan while practicing calligraphy in her room. The ink she used carried a floral fragrance, creating a page full of delicate scent, though her handwriting had noticeably deteriorated compared to previous days.
Tinglan watched silently with a sigh: since the eldest young lady left, Third Young Lady had become lax. No matter how strict she was, she remained merely a maid. With the distinction between master and servant, when Third Young Lady grew weary, she as a servant naturally had no way to compel her.
Actually, Shen Youran also wanted to concentrate on practicing, but her elder sister had left in such haste that she hadn’t adjusted yet. Moreover, since her mother should have arrived in the capital by now, she missed her terribly. With her mind divided three ways, naturally her calligraphy suffered.
She simply stopped practicing. Shen Youran propped her cheek, nibbled on her brush, and gazed out the window in a daze.
Tinglan watched as Third Young Lady’s delicate, jade-like features were bathed in the fragmented golden sunlight from the window, so beautiful it was hard to look away. Just as she was about to remind her to continue practicing calligraphy, she saw those eyes, rendered pale by the sunlight, suddenly brighten: “Oh? Why is Lü’e from Mother’s side coming over?”
Lü’e hurried along the corridor under the eaves, spotting Third Young Lady leaning against the lattice window watching her from afar.
She quickened her pace, came closer, and curtseyed: “Third Young Lady, the eldest young master from Councilor Lu’s family has come. He says he’s entrusted by Madam Lu to convey some words to you…”
Shen Youran had been thinking about her mother these past two days. Upon hearing this, she couldn’t sit still any longer, immediately setting down her brush and running out.
In the reception hall of the front courtyard, Lu Yi had just finished half a cup of tea when he saw the young lady he’d encountered on the street that day, holding up her spring-green skirt as she came running. Her dress fluttered in the wind, her slender figure clearly visible with each swaying movement. Unaware that the two had already met, Wei Shi introduced Lu Yi to Shen Youran before tactfully withdrawing, leaving a few servants to attend them.
“What does Mother want to tell me?” Those eyes, so similar to Ashu’s, sparkled with anticipation, clear as morning dew, allowing anyone to see through her simple thoughts at a glance.
Lu Yi concealed his true thoughts, curling the corners of his lips into an innocent and harmless smile. “Mother said she misses you dearly and wishes to see you, but she cannot come here herself. So she entrusted me to ask if you would be willing to visit our Lu residence to meet her?”
Shen Youran was naturally willing.
Although she had been separated from her mother for twelve years without meeting, her father had never spoken ill of her mother. Back then, when her father insisted on taking one child away, he had harbored the intention of using the child to persuade her mother to return.
Yet, not only did her mother not return, she also took her elder sister and remarried someone else. Her father had no choice but to abandon that hope and soon took a stepmother into the household.
There were no portraits of her mother in the manor, and Shen Youran could no longer recall her mother’s appearance. Now that she finally had the chance to see her, she agreed without hesitation.
“I want to see her! I can go see her right now!”
“Third Sister, there’s no need to rush. Since you’re willing, I will return and inform Mother immediately. We will come to pick you up in a few days…”
Lu Yi lowered his gaze to the eager young girl before him, inwardly sneering: A-Shu, did you think hiding would solve everything? Don’t you still have a sister, yearning for her mother, who is entirely at my mercy?