【Chapter 4: Watching Her Intimacy with Her Husband】
Jiang Mei was still unwell, so Zhou Hongyuan did not press her too much. After she changed her clothes herself, he immediately brought her medicine.
Jiang Mei drank it all in one go. The bitter taste shot straight from her mouth to the top of her head. She took a deep breath to steady herself, only to have a candied fruit stuffed into her mouth, quickly masking the bitterness.
Zhou Hongyuan sighed helplessly, “Lan’er is always so delicate when she’s sick. Meiniang is only two years older than her, yet even when ill, she still pushes herself so hard?”
Zhou Lan could afford to be delicate because someone doted on her. Jiang Mei had never been pampered, so naturally, she dared not act spoiled.
Savoring the sweetness of the candied fruit, she smiled and said, “I’m not pushing myself; I’m just not afraid of bitterness.”
Zhou Hongyuan was taken aback for a moment, then reached out to ruffle Jiang Mei’s hair. “Don’t think you’re not afraid of bitterness just because you’ve endured so much hardship before. You have a husband now—you can afford to be a little more delicate.”
Zhou Hongyuan’s hands were not calloused like Pei Jingchuan’s. His fingers were long and slender, with distinct joints like bamboo—elegant and scholarly, gentle like the man himself.
Jiang Mei felt like a cat being petted, longing to nuzzle against Zhou Hongyuan’s palm. But the memory of what happened in the carriage made her hold back.
She couldn’t taint him too.
Jiang Mei’s illness was severe this time. The medicine had little effect, and her fever kept recurring. Even under two quilts, she shivered from the cold.
During the worst of her fever, Jiang Mei dreamed of Pei Jingchuan.
Because she often drank the Contraceptive Decoction, Jiang Mei suffered terrible pain during her monthly cycle. Once, when Pei Jingchuan was already on the verge of passion, he suddenly felt a touch of crimson and his face darkened with fury.
Jiang Mei endured the cramping in her lower abdomen and tried to relieve Pei Jingchuan with her mouth, but he wrapped her tightly in a quilt like a silkworm cocoon.
With a grim expression, he ordered someone to brew ginger tea with brown sugar, fed it to her with the same stern face, and finally held her in his arms all night, his expression never softening.
Returning to the dream, Jiang Mei’s heart still raced with fear, wishing she could entrust her very life to Pei Jingchuan.
Just then, the dream shifted. Pei Jingchuan took a dagger and plunged it through Jiang Mei’s heart.
Jiang Mei woke up in terror, her heart aching faintly as if it had truly been stabbed.
“Meiniang, what did you dream about? Why are you crying like this?”
Zhou Hongyuan approached with medicine, his face full of concern and worry. Jiang Mei reached up and touched a cold, damp patch on her cheek. She couldn’t tell whether she was afraid of death or afraid that Pei Jingchuan might truly stab her one day.
After resting for two more days, Jiang Mei felt a bit better. She urged Zhou Hongyuan to return to the academy to study and got up to work herself.
The next morning, as she went out early to sell tofu, she ran into Aunt Liu, who was preparing to leave the city to visit relatives.
Aunt Liu was a warm-hearted woman who often patronized Jiang Mei’s business. Knowing Jiang Mei had been ill, she expressed her concern. Jiang Mei, distracted by thoughts of what had happened in the alley that day, responded absentmindedly. After a while, Aunt Liu suddenly lowered her voice and leaned in mysteriously, whispering into Jiang Mei’s ear, “Let me tell you, the other day I saw a shameless couple in the alley, embracing in broad daylight. How disgraceful!”
Jiang Mei’s breath caught, her face burning, her mind blank.
Did Aunt Liu see her and Pei Jingchuan?
The sky was still dim, so Aunt Liu didn’t notice Jiang Mei’s distress and continued on her own, “It’s a pity I was too far away and couldn’t see clearly. By the time I got closer, they had mysteriously vanished.”
Jiang Mei finally regained her breath, her back soaked in cold sweat, her limbs weak and trembling.
Although Aunt Liu hadn't gotten a clear look at the person, Jiang Mei knew she could no longer wear those clothes from that day. For the time being, she had to avoid Aunt Liu at all costs.
Another few days had passed without opening the shop, and the tofu business was declining further. Jiang Mei stared at the leftover tofu, her thoughts drifting.
She had deceived Pei Jingchuan, and he would certainly not let her off easily. It was sheer luck that Aunt Liu hadn’t discovered them last time, but she couldn’t rely on being so fortunate every time.
After what had happened, she felt too ashamed to stay with Zhou Hongyuan. But with the Spring Imperial Examination approaching, she didn’t want to distract him. At the very least, she had to wait until after the examination to settle things.
Before that, she needed to find a way to please Pei Jingchuan. As long as he didn’t act recklessly again, keeping this secret would become much easier.
But back then, she had used flattery and pleasing tactics to deceive Pei Jingchuan. Now, how could she make him less disgusted with her?
Jiang Mei was at a loss. Just then, a person walked into the shop, slapped a piece of broken silver on the counter, and said in a low voice, "A bowl of tofu pudding, extra sugar."
"Guard Bai?"
Bai Yi was Pei Jingchuan’s trusted subordinate. Jiang Mei had seen him a few times but hadn’t spoken much with him. Seeing him now, she wasn’t entirely sure.
Bai Yi didn’t confirm his identity. Instead, he slapped his sword onto the counter and commanded stiffly, "Give me change."
His temper was as cold as Pei Jingchuan’s, which only confirmed Jiang Mei’s suspicion.
Bai Yi usually protected Pei Jingchuan from the shadows. His sudden appearance to buy tofu pudding likely meant something had happened to Pei Jingchuan. Recalling her earlier plan, Jiang Mei gathered her courage and asked, "I have something to say to him. Can you take me to see him?"
It was still early, and there weren’t many customers in the shop. Going to see Pei Jingchuan shouldn’t draw attention.
However, Bai Yi had no intention of taking her. He shot her a wary glance and asked, "What do you want to say?"
"…"
Some mushy and shameless words that weren’t suitable for someone else to convey.
Jiang Mei couldn’t bring herself to say them out loud. Silently, she scooped a bowl of tofu pudding and handed it to Bai Yi.
"I don’t have enough change here. How about I keep a tab, and you can come eat directly in the future?"
Before Jiang Mei could finish speaking, Bai Yi quickly replied, "Keep the change."
Bai Yi’s face was full of wariness, as if he feared Jiang Mei would seize the opportunity to cling to Pei Jingchuan again.
Jiang Mei couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
If Pei Jingchuan hadn’t refused to let her go, she wouldn’t have dared to pester him even with ten times the courage.
Not long after Bai Yi left, the weather turned. A cold wind suddenly rose, and it looked like snow was about to fall. The streets were even emptier, with hardly any pedestrians. Business was truly poor, and Jiang Mei was freezing. She decided to close early and head home. Just as she finished packing up, Zhou Hongyuan appeared.
He was wearing the blue-and-white scholar’s robe from the academy, the hem of his clothes and the ribbons of his hat fluttering in the wind. He looked truly elegant and handsome. Jiang Mei was startled at first, then felt a pang of fear. Luckily, she hadn’t left with Bai Yi, or Zhou Hongyuan wouldn’t have found her.
"Husband, why are you here?"
"Tomorrow is a day off, and the academy let us out early because of the bad weather," Zhou Hongyuan said, stepping forward to wrap Jiang Mei’s hands in his palms. "Didn’t you promise me you’d rest and recover from your illness before going out?"
After walking all the way, Zhou Hongyuan’s palms were warm. Jiang Mei felt her fingertips curl from the heat, wanting to pull away yet reluctant to do so.
"I just came out for some fresh air. I didn’t do anything."
Jiang Mei lied with her eyes wide open. Zhou Hongyuan sighed helplessly and helped her close the shop door.
As soon as they stepped outside, it began to snow. The snow wasn’t heavy, falling gently like willow catkins.
Zhou Hongyuan opened the umbrella, silently tilting it toward Jiang Mei’s side, leaving half of his own body exposed to the snow. Seeing this, Jiang Mei took the initiative to link her arm with his, drawing closer. "Seeing a doctor is quite expensive, so neither of us should get soaked by the snow."
The world remained dim and gloomy, but beneath the aged, yellowish umbrella, Jiang Mei’s relaxed brows and gentle smile became the only vivid color in Zhou Hongyuan’s eyes.
His throat unconsciously tightened, and his head involuntarily leaned closer to Jiang Mei.
Unaware of Zhou Hongyuan’s stirring emotions, Jiang Mei, while holding his arm, caught sight of Bai Yi returning through the low-hanging umbrella brim.
Bai Yi had come back in a carriage.
The carriage curtains were tightly drawn, obscuring the view inside, but Jiang Mei was certain that Pei Jingchuan was in there.
He had come for her.
She had just begged Bai Yi to let her see him. If she left with Zhou Hongyuan now, she might never have another chance to earn his forgiveness in this lifetime.
Moreover, Zhou Hongyuan would also be implicated.
In an instant, Jiang Mei made her decision.
She looked up at Zhou Hongyuan, only to realize how close he had gotten without her noticing—her nose was almost touching his lips.
Her mind exploded in a flash of panic, and she abruptly stepped back.
Snowflakes swirling in the sky fell onto her head and neck, chilling her to the bone.
The umbrella brim had been so low earlier—Pei Jingchuan couldn’t have seen, could he?