The peach blossom cakes were ready soon. Shen Tang tasted one: crisp on the outside, soft within, sweet but not cloying.
Shen Tang nodded with satisfaction, divided the cakes into several portions, and told Ayun to deliver them to the different branches of the household later.
Ayun nodded in acknowledgment, then asked hesitantly, “Should I take some to the Heir’s residence, too?”
In the past, there had been no need to ask. No matter who else went without, the Heir would always get his share. But now… Ayun wasn’t sure whether they should still send him any.
Shen Tang considered it for a moment. “We should send some after all.”
If she sent cakes to every branch except Meng Huaiyan’s, it might look as if she were deliberately singling him out. She didn’t want to give anyone cause to talk.
Whether she sent them was up to her; whether he ate them was up to him.
Ayun delivered the cakes to the other branches first, leaving Qingyun Courtyard for last.
Only Tingsong was on duty in the residence today. Qingyang was nowhere to be seen; perhaps he had gone out on an errand.
Ayun didn’t much like Tingsong. Whenever she came by, he made snide remarks and had a vicious tongue.
Now that Miss Shen no longer liked the Heir, Ayun couldn’t be bothered to deal with Tingsong. She handed him the cakes and left at once.
Tingsong took the cakes, looking puzzled, and couldn’t help muttering to himself.
Whenever Ayun had brought cakes over before, she had always tried, openly or subtly, to find out where the Heir was.
And now she had simply left?
Tingsong clicked his tongue. Both mistress and maid were acting strangely today.
She put on a show of indifference, yet had still gone to the trouble of bringing him cakes.
Could it be that, having failed to cling to him, she was now playing hard to get—acting coy and then drawing him in?
Tingsong lowered his eyes to the cakes in his hands. They looked and smelled delicious; anyone could tell she had put care into making them.
What a pity their fate would be less than pleasant…
He knocked on the study door. After receiving permission to enter, he carried the cakes inside. “Heir, Ayun has brought over some cakes from Miss Shen.”
Meng Huaiyan was bent over some case files. At the words, he didn’t even look up. His voice was cold. “Throw them away.”
Just as he had expected. Tingsong lowered his head and acknowledged the order.
As he left the study, he casually handed the cakes to a servant who was sweeping. “Take these and throw them away.”
Ayun hadn’t expected to witness this. Halfway back, she had realized she’d lost her handkerchief.
She retraced her steps along the way and found it caught on a branch by the gate of Qingyun Courtyard. It must have snagged there when she turned around.
Ayun picked up the handkerchief and was about to leave when she faintly heard Tingsong’s voice.
Looking up, she saw the servant bow and take the box from Tingsong.
Hurrying into a corner of the courtyard, he threw it into the waste bin without a second thought.
Ayun knew that box all too well. It was the very one she had handed to Tingsong herself just moments ago.
*
Shen Tang knew nothing about any of this.
In Pear Blossom Courtyard, Second Madam sat quietly by the window, embroidering.
Shen Tang, meanwhile, was sprawled bonelessly on a chaise longue, reading a storybook and snacking. She couldn’t have been more comfortable.
Seeing her like that, Second Madam couldn’t help chiding her. “Sit properly. What kind of posture is that?”
Shen Tang wasn’t afraid of her at all. She wheedled, “Why bother putting on airs in front of you, Second Madam? I might as well make myself comfortable.”
Second Madam shook her head at her niece, looking helpless.
But Shen Tang was already seventeen. If she didn’t start discussing marriage soon, then…
Everyone knew how Tang’er had felt about Meng Huaiyan these past two years. The Duke and the Grand Princess had never intervened because they knew there could be nothing between them.
Tang’er, caught up in her own feelings, couldn’t see it, but Madam Shen could see it clearly as an outsider.
Meng Huaiyan had not the slightest affection for her.
Besides, he came from an exceptionally distinguished family. His father was the Duke, and his mother was the Emperor’s own Older Sister.
Though still young, he had already placed first in the palace examination, and his future was boundless. With his status, he could marry a commandery princess or a county princess.
Marriage among the great families was all about matching status and background. Given Tang’er’s origins, there was no chance for her to marry him.
Madam Shen had wanted to offer her some advice, but seeing how fixated Tang’er was on Meng Huaiyan, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
A few days earlier, she had heard Second Master say that the Grand Princess intended to arrange a marriage with the Right Chancellor’s daughter.
Second Madam looked at Tang’er, her expression troubled.
After weighing her words, she began, “Tang’er, you and Heir Meng…”
Shen Tang put down her storybook and sat up.
How could she not understand what her aunt was leaving unsaid? She had already meant to find a time to explain things to her, so this was as good a moment as any. “Aunt, I’ve thought it through these past few days. Heir Meng and I aren’t suited to each other.”
“Since ancient times, marriage between a man and a woman has been about matching status and background. He and I are incompatible in terms of family, and neither of us is in love with the other. So I’ll have to rely on you, Aunt, to give my marriage arrangements some thought.”
Second Madam was unable to hide her disbelief. How had Shen Tang suddenly come around and given up?
She had prepared a whole speech to persuade her, and now there was no need for any of it. She asked, still astonished, “You… you’ve really thought it through?”
Shen Tang’s voice was firm. “Aunt, I really have.”
*
By the time Shen Tang returned to her quarters, it was already the Hour of the Dog. But when she went inside, Ayun was nowhere to be seen.
She was puzzled. That was strange. It was so late; Ayun should have finished delivering the cakes long ago. Why wasn’t she there?
Could she have gone to bed?
Shen Tang went to Ayun’s room, but it was empty. She searched the courtyard, then finally found Ayun by the lake.
Her eyes were red, as though she had been crying.
Ayun was startled to see Shen Tang. She hurried to her feet and wiped her face with her hand, trying to pretend nothing was wrong.
“Miss, you’re back?”
Shen Tang furrowed her brow and studied her. “What happened?”
Ayun turned her head and bit her lip, torn. She didn’t know whether she should tell Miss Shen.
If she told her, Miss Shen would surely be hurt.
But if she kept quiet and let her remain in the dark, Ayun felt she couldn’t swallow her anger.
Miss Shen ought to know that Meng Huaiyan was a sanctimonious hypocrite, and see his true colors as soon as possible.
They had grown up together, after all. Shen Tang could read Ayun’s expression; whatever had happened, it had something to do with her.
Shen Tang gently reassured her, “Tell me what happened. Didn’t we agree that we would always be honest with each other?”
Ayun fell silent for a moment, then briefly told Shen Tang what had happened that day.
After hearing her, Shen Tang froze, then gave a self-mocking little laugh.
In her previous life, she had always thought he hated her because she had drugged him and he had been forced to marry her.
But had he really already hated her this much back then?
It was only a box of food, yet he had despised it so much.
What about her, then?
At the thought, Shen Tang felt as if she could barely stand. She leaned against a nearby ornamental rock, her chest weighed down as if by a huge boulder, leaving her struggling to breathe.
She had given him her whole heart, and he had cast it aside like rubbish. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t hurt.
It must have been hard for him, hating her so much while still keeping up the manners of a gentleman and humoring her with false courtesy.
Seeing Miss Shen like this, Ayun grew worried.
She stepped forward and gently hugged Shen Tang, cursing Meng Huaiyan over and over again in her heart.
Night had deepened. The moon cast a faint glow, quietly illuminating the small courtyard.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The courtyard was unusually still.
After a little while, Shen Tang felt less distressed. “I only sent them out of courtesy. Since the Heir doesn’t like them, there’s no need to send him any more.”
Ayun hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she kept it to herself and obediently replied, “All right.”