The moment Shen Zhou jumped out of the carriage, he regretted it. He told himself: Wen Ning was just a young girl, inexperienced in the ways of the world—how could she resist Zhou Zilang’s sweet words?
He was at fault, too. Losing his temper so easily, snapping at her—what if she grew angry and decided she didn’t want him anymore? What then?
The more Shen Zhou thought, the more frightened he became. He quickly ordered Feng Xing to prepare a horse and rushed back to the Duke’s residence. When he arrived home, he found the little girl sitting at the table, chin propped in her hands, lost in thought.
Indeed, Wen Ning was wondering why Shen Zhou had been angry today. She retraced the events: it seemed his mood had soured after they exposed Song Yan and Liu’er. But Shen Zhou hardly cared about Liu’er—he couldn’t have been upset over her.
Perhaps seeing Song Yan take Liu’er reminded him of Qiao Yanxin?
Yes—last lifetime, Duchess Xu had no choice but to accept Qiao Yanxin into the household. Later, Wen Qing couldn’t tolerate her, forcing Shen Zhou to elope with Qiao Yanxin.
Though Shen Zhou eventually went to war and earned honors, at heart, he was simply a man ruled by love. Seeing others united with their beloved, he must have felt envy. That was why he lashed out in the carriage—but perhaps those words weren’t his true feelings.
After all, if Wen Ning hadn’t married in, Shen Zhou might have fulfilled his wish and married Qiao Yanxin.
Thinking this way, Wen Ning realized his outburst wasn’t so serious. She quickly made peace with it, secretly deciding that when the time was right, she would allow Qiao Yanxin to enter the household—repaying Shen Zhou for saving her.
Watching her inside, Shen Zhou let out a long, quiet sigh.
Suddenly, Shen Zhou stopped in his tracks. Had he hurt her feelings?
Of course, nothing was more precious to a young girl than her reputation. And Wen Ning was delicate by nature; even small grievances often brought her to tears. How much more so after being spoken to like that?
Shen Zhou stepped back, tugging Feng Xing along. He asked him: “How should I coax a girl into being happy again?”
Feng Xing scratched the back of his head: “Master, I haven’t married yet. I don’t really know…”
Shen Zhou shot him a look of disdain: “Then fetch Ling Zhi.”
Soon Ling Zhi arrived, carrying a whole chest of storybooks—supposedly containing every secret trick to win a young lady’s favor.
So Shen Zhou spent the entire night sleepless, poring over dozens of the capital’s most popular romances.
When Duchess Xu heard of it, she scoffed: “If only you showed such diligence during the examinations, you’d have taken first place in all three rounds long ago.”
The next morning, Wen Ning opened her door and found Shen Zhou waiting outside. His handsome face was shadowed with dark circles, his steps unsteady.
Wen Ning asked worriedly: “Heir, what… what happened to you?”
Like a magician, Shen Zhou pulled a bouquet from behind his back—freshly picked at dawn, the buds still glistening with dew.
Wen Ning’s eyes widened: “Isn’t this…?”
Shen Zhou said: “Wen Ning, I beg your pardon. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you yesterday.” His expression was slightly awkward: “I didn’t know how to explain myself, so I read those storybooks. They said misunderstandings must be cleared up quickly.”
Wen Ning pressed her fingers to her brow: “I wasn’t angry with you. But don’t you know? This flower was specially transplanted from overseas by Father, just waiting to bloom to please Mother. Now that it finally has a bud, you plucked it. If Father finds out…”
Shen Zhou sucked in a sharp breath. “If Father asks, just say you haven’t seen me these past few days.”
As he was about to flee, his gaze caught the flower in Wen Ning’s hand. He snatched it back, hastily explaining in a gentle tone: “For your sake, I’ll take this flower away. When I return, I’ll bring you chestnut cakes.” With that, he nimbly vaulted over the wall and escaped.
Barely half an hour after Shen Zhou’s flight, the gatekeeper reported: a young lady was outside asking for Young Madam.
Wen Ning was surprised. “For me?”
The gatekeeper nodded. Wen Ning ordered her to be invited in, but the gatekeeper looked troubled. “That young lady refuses to enter.”
Wen Ning was stunned—refuses to come in? She tidied her appearance and, accompanied by Little Tao, went to the Duke’s residence gate.
There, in the middle of the entrance, knelt a frail young woman, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
Wen Ning looked closely—it was Qiao Yanxin.
Her head throbbed. Qiao Yanxin had chosen her timing well, arriving precisely when Shen Zhou and the Duke and Duchess were absent.
At this moment, Wen Ning did not know Duchess Xu’s stance. In her previous life, Duchess Xu had disliked Qiao Yanxin intensely. Only because Wen Qing and Shen Zhou had quarreled so bitterly did she finally relent and allow Qiao Yanxin into the household.
But in this life? If Wen Ning admitted Qiao Yanxin today, following Shen Zhou’s wishes, would Duchess Xu resent her? She had planned to test Duchess Xu’s attitude first. Unexpectedly, Qiao Yanxin had come knocking so soon.
If Qiao Yanxin were just an ordinary mistress, it would be easier. But she was Shen Zhou’s beloved. As the storybooks say: *the one not loved is always the third party.*
Wen Ning sighed, forcing herself to gather her composure and step forward. “Miss Qiao, why are you kneeling at my gates?”
Qiao Yanxin’s eyes brimmed with tears, her posture pitiful and fragile.
Kneeling, Qiao Yanxin clutched Wen Ning’s skirt, pleading humbly: “Please, Madam, grant me a way to live. I truly have no other choice but to beg you.”
With so many eyes watching, Wen Ning dared not let her kneel before her. If word spread, Shen Zhou would be heartbroken!
So she quickly bent down to help Qiao Yanxin up, lowering herself to the same level.
“Miss Qiao, stand first. Speak properly.”
“No—I am deeply in love with Brother Shen Zhou. I beg Madam to let us be together.”
Wen Ning pressed her temples. *This girl is bold indeed!* To declare her affair with Shen Zhou in public—if Wen Ning admitted her into the household, it would be tantamount to acknowledging their relationship. By tomorrow, rumors of the Duke’s heir and a courtesan’s scandal would spread everywhere. Yet if she refused, Shen Zhou might pity his beloved and later hold Wen Ning accountable.
Caught between both sides, Wen Ning glanced at the blazing sun and made her decision. She let her body sway backward and fainted.