【Chapter 2: Come Up】
Two years had passed, yet Pei Jingchuan had not changed much.
He still had sharp brows and bright eyes, noble and dignified, but a faint scar now marked his chin, adding a touch of ruthlessness and an overwhelming sense of intimidation.
Jiang Mei tightened her grip on her silk handkerchief and stepped forward, her voice soft: "Let's talk."
Pei Jingchuan did not look directly at Jiang Mei, asking coldly, "What is there for us to talk about?"
Back then, she had vanished without a word, and now, upon meeting again, she was offering herself once more. Words from her mouth truly held little credibility.
Jiang Mei understood this better than anyone. She did not retreat, staring straight at Pei Jingchuan: "I came to save my husband. If I cannot ensure his safety, I will not be willing. If you force me, sir, it would be beneath your dignity."
Jiang Mei had no desire to have any further entanglement with Pei Jingchuan, but given the circumstances, she had no choice but to strike a deal with him.
Pei Jingchuan did not respond, the silence pressing down on Jiang Mei until she could hardly breathe.
Not daring to show weakness, Jiang Mei continued, "As long as my husband returns home safely, I will do anything you ask."
Hearing this, Pei Jingchuan finally lifted his gaze to look at Jiang Mei.
His eyes were dark, bottomless, devoid of any warmth, like sharp blades of ice that seemed to pierce through her.
After a long moment, Jiang Mei heard him ask, "So, back then, you swindled my money just to support such a worthless man?"
Jiang Mei's heart trembled violently. She dug her fingernails into her palms to keep from fleeing.
After eavesdropping at the princess's estate that day, she had used every trick in the book to please Pei Jingchuan—on the bed, on the table, on the windowsill—she had tried every position with him.
She would call out Pei Jingchuan's name in moments of passion, deliberately talk in her sleep to show her dependence and adoration for him. She made Pei Jingchuan believe she was madly in love with him, that she could not live without him. Unable to reciprocate such affection, Pei Jingchuan showered her with money.
She used the money Pei Jingchuan gave her to buy her freedom, disappeared when he thought she loved him deeply, and then married someone else.
What kind of man was Pei Sanlang, a figure of such grace and nobility, with all the noblewomen of Hanjing at his disposal? How could he tolerate being deceived by a courtesan?
Jiang Mei knelt, her expression resolute as if facing death: "I was the one who deceived you. It has nothing to do with him. You can punish me however you wish, just don't harm him."
After leaving Pei Jingchuan, Jiang Mei's life had not been easy. Her face and body were far too striking, and she could easily attract unwanted attention. If not for Zhou Hongyuan, she might not have survived to this day.
She was the one who had recklessly offended Pei Jingchuan; Zhou Hongyuan was innocent.
The room fell into silence. Pei Jingchuan neither agreed nor disagreed, simply watching her with an icy gaze.
His eyes were bone-chillingly cold, yet despite this, Jiang Mei mustered the courage to crawl forward on her knees and began to undo Pei Jingchuan's belt. Halfway through, her wrist was seized. Panicked, she looked up and met Pei Jingchuan's inscrutable gaze: "Come up."
"…"
It was not until the candle had burned out that Jiang Mei emerged from the room.
Her legs were so weak that she nearly stumbled as she stepped out.
"Be careful, madam."
An elderly woman steadied Jiang Mei, noticing her flushed cheeks and the faint sweat still lingering on her skin. She thought to herself that this wife of the Zhou family, who usually seemed so ordinary, could be so enchanting in bed. No wonder the young master had resorted to such means—who wouldn't be tempted after seeing her?
A soft sedan chair was provided for her return, and Jiang Mei arrived home earlier than the day before.
Mrs. Li and Zhou Lan had both gone to bed, leaving the house quiet and still.
Jiang Mei fetched a basin of cold water, hastily wiped herself down, and went to sleep, only to rise early the next morning to push her cart of tofu to the shop for sale.
After several days of being closed, business was noticeably slower; she hadn’t sold more than a few pieces all morning.
Jiang Mei planned to take the leftover tofu back home to make dried tofu. Just as she reached the doorstep, she overheard Zhou Lan arguing with Mrs. Li.
“Sister-in-law was forced into it. That Zhang fellow is shameless and refused to let her go—what else could she have done?”
“What do you know? Men are easiest to persuade in bed. If she had performed better and spoken a few sweet words, your brother would have been back long ago. I’m afraid it’s because I kept stopping them from sharing a room before, and now that she’s tasted the sweetness, her mind has wandered to other men.”
Zhou Lan was shocked. “Mother, why wouldn’t you let Sister-in-law and Brother share a room?”
Mrs. Li shot her a sharp look. “Your brother is going to the capital next year for the imperial exams—this is a critical time. How could we let him focus on such matters?”
Then why did you agree to let him marry in the first place?
Zhou Lan thought to herself but didn’t dare argue further with Mrs. Li.
Jiang Mei stood outside a while longer before entering. Zhou Lan couldn’t hide her unease, her gaze shifting guiltily.
Jiang Mei pretended not to notice, swiftly prepared lunch, and then resumed making tofu.
For dinner, they had noodles. After a full day’s work, Jiang Mei’s appetite was still quite good, but Zhou Lan was distracted, frequently glancing toward the door. Yet, even as night deepened, no one from the Zhang family came.
Zhou Lan grew anxious. “Sister-in-law, what does this mean? Can Brother still come back?”
“Yes.”
Since Pei Jingchuan had tacitly agreed, he wouldn’t go back on his word.
Unwilling to say more, Jiang Mei comforted Zhou Lan with a few words before going to bed.
The following days passed without any visitors from the Zhang family, and Jiang Mei’s life returned to its usual calm. On this day, she rose early as usual to go to the tofu shop. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Zhou Hongyuan standing like a pillar at the entrance.
Jiang Mei hurried to support him.
His limbs were frozen stiff; it was unclear how long he had been waiting outside.
Jiang Mei frowned. “It’s so cold out. Why didn’t you knock when you returned, husband?”
Zhou Hongyuan’s gaze remained fixed on Jiang Mei, unwilling to look away. He licked his chapped lips and said hoarsely, “I was afraid that if I pushed the door open, you wouldn’t be there.”
He would rather ruin his future and go to prison than let her suffer humiliation.
Jiang Mei’s throat tightened. Softly, she asked, “What would you have done if I weren’t here?”
“I would have risked my life to seek justice for you!”
Zhou Hongyuan answered without hesitation. Jiang Mei’s eyes instantly grew hot with emotion. She lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze, and forced a light tone. “Don’t talk about risking your life so easily. When we married, you promised to stay with me until our hair turns white.”
“Alright.”
The sky gradually brightened, and morning mist rose once more. Jiang Mei kept her head bowed, looking utterly fragile. Zhou Hongyuan longed to embrace her, but just as he raised his hand, Mrs. Li rushed out. “My son, you’ve suffered!”
Zhou Lan emerged at the sound, tears streaming down her face.
Watching this scene, Jiang Mei felt a tumult of mixed emotions.
Though only a few days had passed, seeing Zhou Hongyuan again felt like a lifetime apart. After the initial wave of emotion, she found it difficult to face him. After offering some comfort, she still went to the tofu shop.
After selling the tofu, Jiang Mei went to the pharmacy to buy medicine for external injuries, then to the market for half a chicken and half a pound of pork.
On her way back, she saw Pei Jingchuan.
Pei Jingchuan had also just come out of the pharmacy.
He had changed into a dark brocade robe, somewhat similar to the one from last night. The sensation of that fabric rubbing against her skin seemed to linger on Jiang Mei’s body, and she unconsciously clenched her palms.
Almost at the same moment, Pei Jingchuan also spotted Jiang Mei.
Even though there was still a considerable distance between them, even though the street was bustling with people, Jiang Mei could still feel the aggression in Pei Jingchuan’s gaze.
Her heart tightened, and she quickly averted her eyes, ducking into a nearby alley and disappearing from sight.
“By the way, sir, after applying this ointment, it’s best to restrain yourself for a few days. Otherwise, it’s easy to worsen the injury.”
The medical assistant from the clinic hurried out to relay the doctor’s instructions.
Pei Jingchuan withdrew his gaze, glancing at the ointment in his hand with a cold, mocking smile.
And here he was, worried that he had hurt her that day. Yet, she couldn’t even bear to look at him, fleeing at the very sight.
He’d see just how far she could run.