Wen Shuyu was too absorbed in thought. When he finally withdrew his gaze, he suddenly saw Tang Li sitting across from him on the stove platform, her chin resting in her hand as she tilted her head and stared at him.
“What were you thinking just now?”
“Nothing… I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
Wen Shuyu denied it hastily, as though his thoughts had been exposed.
“You’re lying.”
Tang Li’s voice was cold as she spoke, her expression equally emotionless, as if she had been possessed, her eyes utterly indifferent.
“I…”
Wen Shuyu rarely showed even a trace of panic. The paper packet in his hand slipped, and the herbs inside scattered all over the ground.
“Haha, Ah Yu, you’re so easy to tease…”
Tang Li could no longer hold her expression and burst into laughter, the gloom on her face instantly swept away as she teased him.
“You said you weren’t spacing out? The madam already said the young master’s illness has completely recovered now. Don’t you know that?”
Wen Shuyu’s eyes darkened slightly.
Recovered?
How was that possible?
He had taken the young man’s pulse himself. It was clearly a case of exhausted life force, beyond even divine salvation.
“Don’t mess with those herbs anymore, they’re already moldy, it’s dirty…”
Wen Shuyu looked down at her words, only to realize that the fresh herbs from earlier had already turned dull and decayed on the ground. Some worms even crawled out from among them.
The medicine pot that had been steaming moments ago had also turned old and worn in an instant, covered in a thick layer of dust, its handle wrapped in cobwebs.
It was obvious it had not been used for a long time to boil medicine for a chronically ill young master.
This Paper Bridal Attendant nightmare was far too strange…
“When did Young Master Kang recover?”
“About half a month ago.”
Tang Li jumped down from the stove platform, the silver bells hanging from her skirt jingling crisply.
She clasped her hands behind her back and tilted her head to look at Wen Shuyu.
“All thanks to the divine medicine sent by Master Zhong. The young master is not only cured now, but even stronger than an ordinary person!”
“….”
How was that possible?
He had clearly shown signs of being beyond saving. What kind of divine medicine could bring someone back from the brink of death?
Wen Shuyu’s expression grew darker. His intuition told him there was something deeply wrong here.
“Where is Young Master Kang?”
“Hmm… at this time, the young master should be in the main hall meeting his father-in-law.”
“Yesterday, Master Zhong introduced him to a marriage arrangement. It’s with a prominent family in Wanzai Town next door. They say the young lady is extremely beautiful and well-versed in the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.”
“The young master is very satisfied. The wedding will be tomorrow.”
“…?”
Wen Shuyu’s suspicion deepened.
This marriage arrangement was far too strange.
Ordinarily, a proper union required matchmaking, formal proposals, and elaborate rites. Even for ordinary families, auspicious dates had to be chosen according to the calendar.
How could they rush everything and hold the wedding in a single day?
According to the nightmare’s clues, this so-called young master corresponded to the Paper Bridegroom causing trouble in reality.
Why had he suddenly recovered from a terminal condition?
Why had he agreed to such a bizarre marriage?
And what had turned him into the monster known as the Paper Bridegroom?
Wen Shuyu lowered his head in thought, sorting through the tangled mess of clues in his mind.
If escaping this nightmare required finding the most important thing tied to its source, then everything had to trace back to its origin.
The answers were likely hidden within the Paper Bridegroom himself.
“Take me to the main hall.” He said.
Tang Li led him through the moon gate, along a winding path, until they reached the main hall.
Wen Shuyu immediately noticed something different about the courtyard compared to when he first arrived.
It seemed… smaller.
Perhaps it was just his imagination, but there were also fewer servants and maids. The once lively estate now felt increasingly like an empty shell.
Tang Li pointed toward the hall ahead.
“We’re here… mm—”
Before she could finish speaking, Wen Shuyu swiftly covered her mouth and pulled her into hiding behind a rockery.
Tang Li blinked her bright deer-like eyes at him in confusion.
Just as she was about to ask, a middle-aged man dressed like a wealthy merchant walked out of the hall.
A servant waiting outside hurried forward with a flattering smile.
“Master, thank you for your hard work. How did the discussion go? Is everything settled?”
The middle-aged merchant nodded and handed him a marriage contract.
“Oh my! This is wonderful news. The young lady will finally no longer be alone. When shall we proceed with the rest—”
A flash of coldness appeared in the servant’s eyes.
The merchant seemed pleased with the arrangement but cautious of being overheard. Only when no one was around did he reveal a satisfied smile.
“No need to interfere. Master He Zhong handles things reliably… if the marriage succeeds, you will also be rewarded.”
“Yes, yes! Thank you, Master!”
The servant quickly flattered him further before escorting the merchant away.
Wen Shuyu stared at their departing figures, still thinking about their conversation.
From their clothing, the merchant appeared far wealthier than Young Master Kang’s family. So why was he so eager to marry off his supposedly well-regarded daughter to a declining man?
And yet he seemed pleased, while also wanting to keep it hidden.
The “He Zhong” they mentioned must be the Master Zhong Tang Li had spoken of.
What role did he play in this nightmare?
“Mmm…”
A warm breath landed on his hand, snapping Wen Shuyu back to reality.
In his distraction, he had forgotten to remove his hand from Tang Li’s mouth.
Perhaps she had been held there too long, her eyes were slightly misty as she looked at him.
Wen Shuyu quickly pulled his hand back.
The soft, swollen warmth of her lips had brushed against his palm earlier, sending a ripple through his chest.
If he could…
Wen Shuyu immediately cut off the indecent thought forming in his mind.
He had truly lost his sense of propriety.
How could he even think such things?
She was Tang Li…
“Sorry.” He turned away, his voice slightly hoarse.
Without meeting her eyes, he quickly walked toward the hall’s lattice window.
Inside, two figures sat: Wang Cuihua and Young Master Kang.
The innermost seat was blocked by a landscape screen, making it impossible to see clearly whether anyone sat behind it.
Tap, tap, tap!
Light footsteps sounded behind him. Without turning, Wen Shuyu could already picture it.
Tang Li, lifting the hem of her pale yellow skirt with its silver bells, approaching him cautiously like a small, confused kitten.
Soon, she leaned close to his shoulder, breath brushing his ear as she whispered,
“Ah Yu, what are you looking at?”
Within the nightmare, the amnesiac Tang Li was especially innocent and fearless.
She had no idea how dangerous such closeness was for a man…
“Shh…”
Wen Shuyu pressed a hand gently on her fluffy head, signaling her to stay still and remain silent.
“Kang’er, tell your mother the truth. Why are you in such a hurry to marry?”
Wang Cuihua’s tone was sharp as she looked at her son.
Kang’er, still thin but with a healthy flush on his face, looked nothing like the dying patient Wen Shuyu had once examined.
He subconsciously glanced toward the screen before stammering,
“Son… son has long admired Miss Zhao… so…”
Wang Cuihua let out a cold hum, her expression displeased.
“You have been weak since childhood and have never traveled far. Half a month ago you were still bedridden and unconscious. How could you possibly know a woman from Wanzai Town? Were you influenced by someone?”
She lifted her teacup, her gaze sharp as it swept toward the screen.
“Mother… I truly… truly want this marriage…”
Kang’er hurriedly insisted.
“Enough.”
Wang Cuihua took a sip of tea, her expression softening with reluctant affection.
“I have no other meaning. I am only worried you are naive and deceived by ill-intentioned people. If you like her, and the Zhao family is willing, I will add more betrothal gifts. I only hope you live peacefully and happily.”
“After all, since your father passed, I have been left alone with this vast family estate. As long as you are well, no one will be able to take this fat piece of meat away from outsiders.”
Then she raised her eyes coldly.
“Isn’t that right, He Zhong?”
At that moment, the previously silent figure behind the screen finally moved.
Wen Shuyu saw it clearly.
It was a pitch-black venomous snake.
The snake, as thick as a bowl and half a zhang long, coiled behind the screen, its tongue flicking as its eyes glowed a sinister green.
“My eldest sister-in-law is joking.”
A deep male voice echoed through the hall.
“Kang’er is my nephew. How could I possibly harm him?”
Wen Shuyu narrowed his eyes, still searching for the source of the voice.
But from his vantage point, he could only see Wang Cuihua, the young man, and… the snake.
Impossible. How could a snake speak?
That voice was clearly that of a middle-aged man.
He turned slightly and noticed Tang Li beside him standing on tiptoe, peeking curiously into the hall.
Tang Li had always been timid. If she saw a snake, she would have screamed. Yet now she remained calm, showing no sign of fear.
Could it be that they were seeing different things?
Wen Shuyu tested cautiously.
“Li’er, who is behind the screen?”
“Master Zhong, of course.”
Tang Li looked puzzled. “You can’t see him?”
“I… got sand in my eyes earlier.”
Wen Shuyu coughed lightly, brushing it off.
“Can you tell me what he looks like?”
Tang Li obediently nodded.
“Hmm… kind of chubby, around forty or fifty years old, with a beard, narrow eyes, very dark…”
As expected, their visions were different.
Tang Li had been trapped in this nightmare for some time and had lost her memory.
It was very likely that this Master Zhong was the key to unraveling the Paper Bridegroom nightmare.
As for why Wen Shuyu saw a snake instead of a man…
He was more inclined to believe this was a clue from the nightmare itself.
The young man who became a Paper Bridegroom might be connected to him.
Master Zhong…
He might not be a good person at all.