Handsome brows and fine eyes, so close at hand.
The storm raged all night, the banana trees in the courtyard battered and broken.
At mao hour, the sky was calm.
Water dripped from the eaves like a curtain, each drop striking the steps with a crisp sound.
After changing out of his soiled robe, Pei Xu went directly from Huaiyun Mountain Lodge to the Third Household.
It was still early, and Third Madam was having her morning meal.
Sang Wu, however, had already arrived.
Her hair was tied up in a low bun, and she stood beside Third Madam in a light spring dress, gently and thoughtfully serving her food, as gentle and considerate as ever. Upon seeing Pei Xu, she gracefully curtsied.
Just as Pei Xu was about to speak, she had already turned away: "Mother-in-law, today’s bean porridge is cooked soft and tender. Shall we have some sent to Father-in-law as well?"
Leaving him only half of her profile, pale and luminous.
Pei Xu paused for a moment before raising his hands and bowing: "Mother."
Third Madam nearly choked on a mouthful of bean porridge.
Suddenly having such a grown son was truly not something she was accustomed to.
Sang Wu quickly patted her back, and once she had recovered, Third Madam awkwardly made small talk: "Ahem… He Lang, you’ve come. Have you had your morning meal yet?"
Pei Xu’s gaze fell on the bowls and dishes on the dining table. The Third Household managed Household Management, so the provisions were still plentiful. Third Madam’s morning meal was quite lavish.
He replied: "Not yet."
Third Madam nodded politely and said: "Then sit down and join us."
"Yes."
Third Madam had only been polite and hadn’t expected him to agree so readily. She opened her mouth, somewhat embarrassed, and instructed the maids to make arrangements.
It was only a matter of adding another set of utensils, and the maids quickly had everything prepared.
Third Madam glanced at the soup on the table, and Sang Wu, perceptive as ever, stepped forward. Pei Xu sat properly beside Third Madam and naturally took the bowl from her hands, serving her soup. He said: "…White amaranth is cooling in nature. Mother should eat more ginger shoots to balance the cold."
Sang Wu’s hand paused briefly before withdrawing.
Pei Xu placed the bowl in front of Third Madam and looked up: "Mother, please."
"…You are filial." Third Madam nodded blankly.
Originally, with her daughter-in-law being obedient and the maids attentive, Third Madam ate slowly and meticulously, paying great attention to detail. But with Pei Xu present, although he was respectful and filial, his distant demeanor weighed on Third Madam, making her somewhat restless and uneasy.
She was not familiar with Pei Xu, but she had never seen him show such deference to Second Madam.
She finished the meal as if chewing wax.
Pei Xu only briefly accompanied her with a bowl of porridge before setting down his bowl and chopsticks.
Third Madam could finally speak with composure: "Alright, don’t linger here with me any longer. You may go back."
The two bowed respectfully.
Walking one after the other out of the main room, once they were out of Third Madam’s sight, Pei Xu stopped under a banyan tree.
Two steps away, Sang Wu came to a halt.
Looking up, under the pale light and drifting clouds, Pei Xu gazed at her with a solemn expression.
His eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles beneath them. Sang Wu’s gaze swept over them, and she smiled: "Is there something you need, my lord?"
If it was only intuition at work in front of Third Madam, now Pei Xu had clearly perceived the change in her attitude.
He glanced at her polite, faint smile and asked: "Is Yingtao working well for you?"
She replied: "Very well, we get along quite nicely."
Pei Xu nodded and said, "Good." For a moment, there was nothing more to talk about, and silence fell between them.
Pei Xu looked around. The maids of the Third Household were coming and going, and curious glances occasionally fell upon them.
It was not a convenient place to talk.
He propped his chin and said indifferently, "Follow me."
Then he strode ahead on his own.
Sang Wu tightened her grip on her sleeve and hurried after him.
Leaving the third branch's quarters and passing through the corridor, he unexpectedly led her to his own sleeping courtyard.
This small courtyard was similar in layout to Jibai Hall, but much more serene and elegant, with servants moving about silently.
Under the corridor, a young maidservant called out, "Young Master has returned?"
Then she saw Sang Wu, paused for a moment, and addressed her as "Young Madam." Sang Wu responded with a smile.
Linqin was experienced and capable, Yingtao lively and cheerful, and this maidservant was beautiful.
The people around Pei Silang were each outstanding in their own way.
Pei Xu instructed the maidservant to guard outside the door and not allow anyone to disturb them.
After sitting down, he slowly brewed a pot of tea.
The Xing kiln porcelain in his hands was light as clouds, pure as snow. As he poured the tea, his sleeves embroidered with subtle patterns slid down slightly, revealing slender and elegant wrists, also white as jade.
Amidst the rising mist of tea, his voice broke the quiet: "…It would be better to clarify some things in advance."
Sang Wu shifted her gaze from the back of his hand and looked up at him.
Pei Xu held the teacup, rubbing it gently before speaking slowly: "I know that all women in this world hope to marry a good man when they wed—that is natural. I also know that Sixth Brother used to attend to your every need, responding to all your requests."
"But you must understand, Sixth Brother had feelings for you. I am different from Sixth Brother; I will not indulge in the inner quarters. So…"
He said, "Someone quiet and dutiful like this is just fine."
After speaking, he glanced at Sang Wu's eyes.
Originally, Pei Xu had always believed he felt completely indifferent to such a delicate and submissive lady—it was merely to fulfill Third Uncle's heartfelt wishes and ensure the continuation of the family line. As for the woman occupying this position of "adoptive mother," her joys and sorrows were not particularly relevant to him.
But when it came to facing her and speaking openly, he suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.
Not only toward Sixth Brother but also because he could never indulge her as Sixth Brother had, nor could he ever fulfill that expectation of a "husband."
And she, who could have remarried and sought a better match, was now bound by Third Uncle's wishes and his own selfishness.
Sang Wu looked at him and asked, "Did you call me here just to say this?"
Pei Xu gave an affirmative "Mm."
Normally, he would not easily make promises.
But now, he added an extra word: "Even if I return to Chang'an in the future, you need not worry. I am not one to go back on my word; what is due will be given."
Sang Wu fell silent for a moment, then pursed her lips into a smile: "Very well, I shall take it as praise from you, sir."
She said softly, "Please rest assured, I understand such trivial matters."
She was perceptive and tactful: "I see you look weary now, likely from poor rest last night. If there is nothing else to instruct, I shall not disturb you further."
Holding her shawl, she bowed lightly and took her leave.
Outside the moon gate window, he could still see the maidservant escorting her to the corridor. She asked gently, "What is your name, miss?"
"Dan Ruo."
She smiled: "Thank you, Dan Ruo."
Her attitude was gentle and submissive, perceptive and tactful. Polite yet distant.
This was exactly what he had hoped for.
Yet Pei Xu felt inexplicably uncomfortable, sensing that her smile did not reach her eyes.
Perhaps it was because he knew this girl was accustomed to maintaining decorum, able to smile even in the face of awkwardness. And now, the one causing that awkwardness was himself.
He averted his gaze.
Indeed, if she were to transfer her feelings for Pei Liulang onto him, harboring expectations and throwing small tantrums when he neglected her due to official duties… wouldn't that be troublesome for both of them?
Just as he was thinking this, Dan Ruo entered and reported, "Young Madam has left." Pei Xu pinched the bridge of his nose and asked her, "How did you relay the message I asked you to deliver yesterday?"
Dan Ruo froze.
He sat amidst the hazy steam of tea, holding a white porcelain cup, his demeanor gentle and proper, yet the atmosphere around him was not so relaxed, tinged with displeasure.
Yesterday… Dan Ruo bit her lip.
This momentary hesitation was subtle, but Pei Xu keenly noticed it. "What is it?"
Dan Ruo defended herself, "Yesterday, the rain was too heavy. I thought I’d wait for it to stop before going."
"Later, it grew too late, and Yingtao didn’t come to ask, so I thought… I thought Young Madam must have already gone to bed…"
Pei Xu lifted his eyelids, his gaze sharp.
The trailing sound of the word "bed" involuntarily vanished.
His voice carried a frosty tone. "So you didn’t go?"
"…Please punish me, Young Master."
Pei Xu said nothing.
The room fell so quiet one could hear a pin drop.
After a moment, Pei Xu took a sip of tea and asked slowly, "Dan Ruo, I recall you’ve come of age, haven’t you?"
In noble households, maids and servants were also expected to marry when they reached the appropriate age. However, the maids serving young masters had another path besides being matched with servants.
Dan Ruo was beautiful and self-aware.
The Young Master’s voice was calm now, no longer cold as before. This made her forget her unease, and a light, floating warmth rose to her cheeks.
"Yes," she replied softly.
Little did she know that Pei Xu, swirling the teacup in his hand, let out a faint, mocking smile. What he said next extinguished all her romantic fantasies.
Two peaceful days passed. Apart from morning greetings to the Third Household and serving Third Madam during breakfast, where she occasionally encountered Pei Xu, Sang Wu had no further interactions with him.
After forcing herself to maintain a motherly demeanor for two days, Third Madam found it too much to bear and eventually found an excuse to excuse both of them from further visits.
Sang Wu pondered this thoughtfully.
However, having just been thoroughly "admonished" by him, she dared not indulge in wishful thinking and could only smile self-deprecatingly.
Then, that evening, she went to visit Third Master.
Third Master was drinking the sweet pear soup Third Madam had prepared for him.
Now that one of his worries had been resolved, he still couldn’t fully relax until there was good news. Seeing Sang Wu arrive alone, he couldn’t help but click his tongue.
But he also knew Fourth Brother’s temperament.
Leaning against a pillow, he took small sips of the soup and suddenly had an idea. "…Your mother-in-law can even prepare soup for me. Why don’t you, as a daughter-in-law, show goodwill in the same way?"
Sang Wu paused, slightly embarrassed. "Wu-niang is not skilled in the kitchen."
"Silly," Third Master instructed her. "Take your mother-in-law’s soup and say you made it yourself. How would he know?"
Sang Wu: "…"
Third Master added, "That He-lang is just like his father. If you don’t approach him, he won’t take the initiative to get close to you."
Sang Wu had no choice but to agree.
She only mentioned bringing lung-moistening soup for Pei Xu, and the maid led her inside.
The bedchamber was as serene as the last time she visited, devoid of any lived-in atmosphere. The man sat behind the desk, dressed in a moon-white ramie robe, with paper spread out before him, deep in thought about something.
Sang Wu did not approach immediately.
After a moment, he looked up. "Why aren’t you sitting?"
Sang Wu then approached, set down the food box, and smiled somewhat helplessly. She explained, "It was Father-in-law’s concern."
Her excessive politeness seemed almost like an attempt to cover something up.
Pei Xu pursed his lips. "There’s no need for that."
As she drew near, he gathered the papers on the table.
Sang Wu was puzzled. "Even on leave, you still have official matters?"
Pei Xu replied, "Yes."
He offered no further explanation, and Sang Wu tactfully refrained from pressing.
A maid entered to serve her tea. As Pei Xu stirred his drink with a spoon, Sang Wu suddenly remarked, "Hmm? Why don’t I see that girl named Dan Ruo?"
It was no wonder she was curious—Dan Ruo was strikingly beautiful, and Sang Wu couldn’t help but remember her vividly. Dressed like Linqin, she appeared to be a senior maid as well, so why was she nowhere in sight?
Pei Xu paused briefly before replying lightly, "She left the manor to get married."
Sang Wu was taken aback. "So soon?"
"…Why do you ask?"
Sang Wu smiled. "It’s nothing."
"I hope… she ends up in a good household."
Her tone was equally casual, as if she were merely offering well-wishes to someone she had met only once.
Pei Xu hesitated, words left unspoken.
Dan Ruo had been deceitful, concealing matters, and afterward, he had spoken harshly to her, missing the opportunity to explain.
That day, he hadn’t intentionally broken his promise. Over the past three months, rain had been frequent and sunny days scarce. A dilapidated temple in the suburbs, eroded by days of downpour, had collapsed, revealing corpses inside. In such remote mountain temples, it wasn’t unusual to find vagrants seeking shelter, but the identities of these bodies matched the list of missing children reported in Yuhang over the past year.
Shu Zhengqing, the Judicial Officer of Hangzhou, was Pei Xu’s colleague and a perceptive man. Knowing Pei Xu had returned to his ancestral home, he invited him to assist in investigating the case.
Pei Xu’s midday rest was interrupted, and he rushed out of the manor to the outskirts of the city, only having time to leave a message with a servant.
Thus, in this matter, he not only despised the maid for her selfish motives but also resented how her actions had tarnished his character.
Now, the act of "explaining" itself seemed entirely unnecessary.
After a moment of silence, he simply said, "She married a shop manager. As long as she makes no mistakes, she’ll want for nothing."
Sang Wu smiled faintly.
I hope she ends up in a good household… where elders are kind and her husband considerate.
What she meant and what he said were entirely different matters. But she couldn’t be bothered to explain.
Watching Pei Xu finish the bowl of sweet pear drink, she felt she had conveyed Third Master’s concern for his junior. Nodding, she stood up, about to speak.
But he asked, "Where are you going?"
Sang Wu was startled.
Pei Xu looked up in the candlelight.
"It’s late," he said. "Let’s retire for the night."
His tone was calm, delivered without a hint of emotion.
At times like these, people understood implicitly, needing no further explanation.
Sang Wu was momentarily stunned, then her cheeks flushed slightly. "Alright," she replied.
Neither said another word. One rose from the desk and headed to the washroom, while the other, after freshening up, sat on the daybed in the western chamber, gazing absently at the pale green bed curtains.
A faint plum fragrance wafted from the Boshan Censer.
The night deepened, and candlelight filled the room, yet someone’s heart was filled with uncertainty.
The sound of water from the washroom gradually ceased. Sang Wu looked up to see Pei Silang enter the bedroom in his sleepwear, the collar slightly open, revealing the hollow of his collarbone.
Unlike his composed daytime demeanor, he now appeared relaxed and casual. His handsome brows and refined eyes were as elegant as fine jade.
He walked slowly toward her but stopped before the daybed, extinguishing the two floor-standing copper lamps.
The candlelight grew increasingly dim, casting a clear yet deep, dark sea in his eyes.
After a brief silence, Sang Wu lowered her gaze and shifted aside. The bed sank slightly.
Pei Xu glanced sideways and saw her sitting in the hazy light, her dark hair loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, her nightgown soft and sheer.
The most intimate appearance of a woman was thus laid bare before him without reservation.
Pei Xu took a deep look. Unintentionally, he caught a glimpse of a faint blush behind her jade-like earlobe.
He raised his hand and pulled out the precarious jade hairpin.
A cascade of hair tumbled down, and the subtle fragrance from the hollow of her neck filled his nostrils.
Pei Xu gently rubbed his fingertips, his long lashes finally lowering.
His handsome brows and refined eyes were now within reach.
Sang Wu couldn’t help but tremble her lashes: “…Fourth Cousin.”
The man paused.
She lifted her eyes, her usually faintly smiling brows and eyes now filled with fearful tears.
Even her voice trembled: “I’m scared.”
Author’s Note:
I feel a bit dizzy writing this… In the next few days, I should update around 2000 words and revise the previous chapters.