With a loud “bang,” the kitchen door was kicked open with great force.
Immediately following was the startled cries of Shen Zhixi and Yuanyang, their terrified voices clearly reaching Tang Zhou’s ears. He leaned against the window, as if ready to break through it at any moment.
“Auntie, please spare my sister. That Steward Liu is over fifty years old. How can my sister become a concubine for that old man?”
Yuanyang pleaded tearfully on Shen Zhixi’s behalf.
“Nonsense!” Mama Cui stood at the kitchen door, her eyes occasionally darting toward Tang Zhou’s room. “What status does Steward Liu hold, and what status does she hold? If it weren’t for your sister’s pretty face, she wouldn’t even be worthy of tying his shoes.”
Yesterday, Shen Zhixi had instructed her that these words were meant for Tang Zhou’s ears.
Therefore, they had to be spoken harshly to stir Tang Zhou’s sympathy.
She wondered what Tang Zhou looked like to have captivated her young mistress so much that she would go to such lengths to conceive a child with him.
“Get out of the way. If you block the path again, don’t blame me for being rude.”
Feigning anger, she pushed Yuanyang aside from the kitchen doorway.
Inside, Shen Zhixi stood calmly, her eyes fixed on the opposite window. Through the crack in the window, she caught a glimpse of a figure in white clothing, wondering what he would do if she were forcibly taken away.
This game was becoming more and more interesting.
Turning back, her expression shifted to one of sorrow as she said to Mama Cui, “Auntie, how can you do this to my mother? If it weren’t for my mother saving you back then, you might have died. But now, for the sake of money, you’re forcing me to marry a man over fifty as his concubine. Do you have no conscience?”
“I have no conscience? I’m sending you to the Liu family to live a life of luxury, and you say I have no conscience? Who is the one without a conscience?”
“Auntie…”
“Enough! I’ve already taken the money. You can’t escape. Last night, we tied you up, yet you still managed to run away. Today, let’s see where you can flee.”
“No!” Yuanyang cried out, pleading desperately.
“Auntie, please spare my sister. She’s still so young; she can’t marry that old man.”
“Auntie, don’t touch my sister.”
“Auntie, I beg you.”
“Sister!”
Amid the pleas, Shen Zhixi was dragged outside, half-pulled and half-carried.
Waiting outside were two servants from the Shen residence, both bound by lifelong contracts, making them the most trustworthy. As Shen Zhixi was pulled out, the two men followed the prearranged plan and began to tie her up.
Yuanyang rushed out, glanced in the direction of Tang Zhou’s room, and shouted again.
“Stop! Are you going to tie my sister up and take her away by force? Is there no law anymore?”
The servants surrounded Shen Zhixi from both sides, each holding a hemp rope. “Behave, or don’t cry if it hurts. I…”
Just as one of them was about to act, his words were abruptly cut off. He let out a sharp “ah,” then clutched his cheek and stumbled backward.
Everyone was startled, and Shen Zhixi instinctively looked toward the window where Tang Zhou was.
The two window panels suddenly swung wide open, as if a strong gust of wind had blown through.
Immediately after, the figure in moon-white robes flew out from the window. It happened so quickly that it was almost impossible to see clearly. In an instant, Tang Zhou had landed in the courtyard. Perhaps due to his severe injuries, he stumbled slightly upon landing.
He lowered his gaze, but his face was still turned in Shen Zhixi’s direction.
Looking closely, he was still holding a small pebble with soil on it, likely picked from the flowerpot by the window.
Earlier, the servant who had covered his cheek had been struck by the stone in his hand.
He couldn’t see, so he had to focus all his attention on his ears.
Now, he was also tilting his head to listen carefully, trying to pinpoint Shen Zhixi’s location.
“Come here,” he said coldly to Shen Zhixi, his ear still turned toward her.
“Tang Zhou, you…”
Shen Zhixi seemed surprised, and indeed, she truly was.
She hadn’t expected Tang Zhou to come out like this. The original plan was for her to be taken away alone. Since it was all an act, she naturally had excuses and explanations ready to return later. The only important thing was for Tang Zhou to know that she was about to be sold as a concubine to an old man.
Actually, it wasn’t that she hadn’t thought about it—she had hoped for it.
Now that her hopes had come true and Tang Zhou had actually done this, she felt uneasy instead.
She should have been excited and overjoyed, but at this moment, all she felt was fear.
Yet, she didn’t even know what she was afraid of.
Upon hearing Shen Zhixi’s voice, Tang Zhou became even more certain of her location. He closed his eyes to focus entirely on the sounds he heard with his ears and began walking toward her step by step.
“He’s blind, don’t be afraid. Stop him.”
Mama Cui calmly directed the servants, her eyes filled with admiration as she gazed at Tang Zhou’s face, which was as enchanting as a demon yet as ethereal as an immortal.
Now, she finally understood why Shen Zhixi had said she couldn’t take a liking to anyone else besides Tang Zhou.
Tang Zhou was truly exceptionally handsome. In all her years, she had never seen a man so good-looking. Come to think of it, her young mistress was already a stunning beauty. With a man like this, how beautiful would their children be?
Two servants rushed forward, blocking Shen Zhixi’s path.
Tang Zhou’s ears twitched as he listened to their movements, stopping in his tracks. With one hand, he flung the pebble he held, while his right foot shifted back before kicking forward, sending another stone that had been under his foot flying.
Shen Zhixi could tell he was a martial artist, but she hadn’t expected his skills to be this impressive.
With just two stones, not only did he hit his targets accurately, but the two servants were also forced back several steps, nearly stumbling. Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought they were struck by thunderbolts.
If Tang Zhou hadn’t been severely injured, those two servants might have truly been sent flying.
“Come here!” Tang Zhou raised his voice and called again.
Shen Zhixi snapped back to attention and seized the moment while the servants were still unsteady to rush over. Yuanyang was quick-witted too, following closely behind. Seeing Tang Zhou’s fierce demeanor, if they didn’t run fast enough to reassure him, she was afraid he might actually attack Mama Cui.
Only when Shen Zhixi was safely behind Tang Zhou did he relax slightly and open his eyes.
“Hmph!” On the other side, Mama Cui continued the act.
Although the current situation wasn’t part of the original plan, she knew the performance couldn’t be interrupted or thrown off.
“I see now. I wondered why you were so resistant. Turns out you’ve been hiding a man like this at home, no wonder you couldn’t take a liking to Steward Liu. How far have the two of you gone?”
Hearing this, Shen Zhixi’s eyelids twitched.
Mama Cui truly lived up to her expectations—mature, experienced, and an excellent actress. This question was particularly well-timed.
Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud.
“Auntie, don’t speak nonsense. There’s nothing improper between him and me. Don’t insult us.”
“Pure and innocent? It better be true, otherwise Steward Liu won’t want someone who’s lost their purity. But don’t think this blind man can protect you. I’ve already accepted the betrothal gifts from Steward Liu, so you’re practically his now. No one can save you.”
Tang Zhou shifted his stance, and with a slight tremor, a pebble was shaken loose from the ground, landing in his palm.
“Try it,” he said.
“My eyes may not see, but that doesn’t mean you can take her from me.”