Because Lin Henglǐ was resolute, the main branch of the Lin family had no way to turn back.
It felt extremely unpleasant to have the lifeline tied to someone else, especially for Li, who was already prejudiced against Su Mei. Being deliberately called “Third Sister-in-Law” by her made her blood boil. She hated herself for having followed her mother-in-law’s advice in the first place, choosing a disaster of a daughter-in-law for her son, forgetting how satisfied she had been with Su Mei at the start.
No matter how much Li resented it now, she had to grit her teeth and face it, or else it would be her own disgrace.
Su Mei, unaware that her casual retort had caused Li endless grievances, smiled sweetly as she received the tea from a little maid and handed it to Lin Yian.
“Hubby, drink some tea.”
She called out coquettishly. Princess Jiaxi coughed heavily at the head of the table.
Hearing the sound, Su Mei glanced back but continued her own way: “Hubby, drink quickly. Before leaving, I saw you only ate one lotus seed cake. Aren’t you hungry?”
Her words nearly drove everyone in the room half mad, even Princess Jiaxi hesitated. Could someone like her really act politely around others?
At that moment, Lin Henglǐ stepped over the threshold.
The young man wore a purple-blue robe with a jade belt, a palm wide at his waist, a faint smile at the corner of his mouth adding a few strands of charm to the proud young master.
“Third Sister, that is cheating.” Lin Henglǐ had heard her coaxing voice as soon as he came down the corridor, and upon entering, he masked his discontent.
Su Mei’s bright apricot eyes shifted and her gaze turned into a poised smile. She handed the tea to Lin Yian again, now calling it properly: “Third Master, here is your tea.”
Lin Yian had wanted to tell her to stop playing around but was interrupted. When she said “Third Master,” his eyebrows lifted slightly, and the hand that had intended to take the tea froze under an inexplicable urge.
Su Mei pursed her lips and smiled, seeing his minor displeasure at the corners of his eyes, which delighted her, making her feigned poise almost impossible to maintain.
Before leaving, he had instructed her not to act spoiled, but just calling him “Third Master” made him act first. Clearly concerned, yet insisting on appearing indifferent.
Su Mei thought men really did like to contradict themselves.
Her small gesture made her heart sweet. She extended the tea and quickly teased him with her little finger before it reached his hand.
In plain view of everyone, the secret intimacy was thrilling. Despite knowing she shouldn’t, she felt compelled to misbehave.
Lin Yian’s attention was entirely drawn, but he managed to take the tea, bringing it to his lips. Through the narrow gap between his gaze and the cup, he saw her covering her mouth with her handkerchief, her apricot eyes gleaming with clever delight and cuteness.
This young girl was tormenting him mercilessly.
The tea warmed him both physically and emotionally. Their small interaction went unnoticed by others, but Lin Henglǐ watched the whole thing, especially when Su Mei teased with her finger, making him want to close his eyes. Memories of the wedding night in a dream came flooding back.
Since that day, he had dreamt repeatedly of that scene, each time clearer. Last night, he had heard dream-Su Mei say, “I have always been devoted…” but the rest was missing, waking him suddenly.
Devoted to him.
Lin Henglǐ pondered repeatedly, the regret in the dream overwhelming, making him unwilling to dwell further. Seeing Su Mei now, her heart still set on Lin Yian, made the dream’s words painfully ironic. Even a fleeting dream could make a man feel it down to his teeth, especially when Su Mei should have been destined to be his wife.
“Mother, perhaps we should go greet the guests,” he said, using a small tactic to separate the two.
At his mention, Li snapped out of her lingering resentment and said to her mother-in-law, “It is time to go to the front. Mother, Third Miss…”
Although they had planned for Su Mei to accompany them, she now refused.
Princess Jiaxi hesitated, unsure how to deal with Su Mei. The girl stepped forward herself: “Today is not entirely to save your face, I have a part to play as well. I know what is more important. If you fear I might err, I will just speak less.”
Months of special training had given her a commanding presence. Her demeanor alone was convincing.
Princess Jiaxi finally made up her mind: “Since the Third Miss is sensible, Oldest Daughter-in-Law, you need not worry.”
Li’s face darkened as she spoke to Su Mei: “Then Third Miss, you will have to trouble yourself.”
Suppressing her anger, she quickly left.
Su Mei wrinkled her nose at her retreating figure and turned to Lin Yian, smiling brightly: “Hubby, I’ll be back soon.”
She walked lightly, helped by Zikui.
Lin Yian did not respond or follow her with his gaze, only holding the tea steadily.
Princess Jiaxi, accustomed to the inscrutable expression of the concubine-born, ignored him and called the eldest grandson to her side. Quietly she asked: “Have the Su family mother and daughter been arranged? They should not appear publicly, but as stepmother and stepsister, it looks off if they are absent.”
“Grandmother, rest assured.” Lin Henglǐ smiled confidently. “They can only cooperate with us and do their best to help Su Mei clear her name. I have already arranged it all.”
This link with the Su family was critical. Princess Jiaxi nodded and patted his hand: “Once today is over, it will be settled. We can then find a skilled doctor for her, you should not suffer for a lifetime.”
Lin Henglǐ glanced at Lin Yian, still meditating over the tea. Over today, Zhongyi Marquis would side entirely with the main branch, so Lin Yian was probably both annoyed and resentful. No matter, Su Mei was never his desire.
As Princess said, his origin would forever leave him under the shadow of the main branch, never able to lift his spine.
Lin Henglǐ felt some relief and, after a few more words with his grandmother, went to oversee the estate. Having been outmaneuvered once by Su Mei, he would not let her slip again.
After everyone else left, only Princess Jiaxi remained. She avoided the concubine-born, wary of scheming, and recalled her husband’s warning about divorcing, so she did not provoke further.
Lin Yian, rare as it was, did not hear his stepmother’s reproach and was left in the yard.
Wu Zisen hurried over: “Cousin, how is she? Why did you return first?”
“Stay calm, just remain with me and await good news.” Lin Yian reassured him, sliding onto the bed and picking up a book to pass time.
It was a storybook she read. Seeing the opening quote from After Passing the Exams, he recalled the plot: a poor scholar works ten years to marry a noble’s daughter.
Such books were often written by struggling scholars, mixing dreams they dared not voice. He smiled, and though he meant to change the book, he stayed, reading attentively.
Meanwhile, Su Mei had already seen two waves of people with Li. She was dressed carefully in a crabapple red skirt, her step-hair ornaments swaying slightly with her every smile, elegant yet bright. Anyone seeing her would realize the rumors outside were false.
Some tried to provoke her.
“Third Miss, it’s been a while, you look even more striking, must be the care at the Duke’s house!” said a woman in light green, teasing.
This referred to Su Mei’s recovery at the Wei Duke’s household, a fact that Lin Henglǐ had circulated without hiding.
Li felt a pang, knowing the words were true but ill-intentioned.
Su Mei’s young attendant laughed lightly, covering her face: “It has been a while, Madam jokes at me. I was clumsy and fell at the banquet, causing a big scene. Madam laughs at me today? I’ll make sure you drink properly to vent my anger.”
Her clever response left the woman’s smile frozen, regretful.
Seeing Su Mei so composed, she realized she had nearly offended someone without reason.
The other women kept their mouths shut, believing the earlier rumors were false.
Princess Jiaxi arrived late, as expected, greeted warmly by all. She saw Su Mei laughing with the young girls and quietly nodded in approval. Su Mei’s attendants included Zikui and the maids arranged by Lin Henglǐ, making her calm demeanor believable.
The young girls were less cautious than the elders, so Su Mei faced her sternest test when a sharp-chinned girl asked: “Did you fall on your head before daring to meet us?”
The rumor implied she had been mad for nearly ten days. Some present immediately defended her, while the proud Qingyi County Lady did not bother responding, only staring coldly at Su Mei.
Su Mei’s eyes blinked slowly, alert. Qingyi County Lady’s previous mentions by Zikui warned her of this.
“County Lady…” Su Mei faltered, holding her handkerchief in a pitiful manner.
Seeing her hesitation, Qingyi became even sharper: “Can’t answer? Speak! Don’t tell me it’s true, serving two masters and ruining my cousin’s reputation!”
The other young girls, angered but silent, glanced at Qingyi with resentment. Zikui wanted to defend Su Mei but she walked away instead.
A sudden, loud cry rang out in the garden.
Sympathetic, Su Mei ran to Princess Jiaxi, crying: “Thanks to Your Highness, but the slander stops here. My engagement with the Young Master ends now. I leave pure and innocent to avoid further blame.”
She cried wholeheartedly, shocking Princess Jiaxi.
The Qingyi County Lady was also stunned. How could Su Mei be shameless, resorting to appealing to elders?
Following her words, all the women checked her previous position, backing away and exposing Qingyi to all.
Su Mei’s crying seemed insufficient, so she ran to a tree near Zikui. Princess Jiaxi instinctively tried to restrain her. Su Mei rammed her into the princess, and both fell in a heap.
The women and servants panicked.
Su Mei, helped up, wailed, looking pitiful. Lady Du supported her, adjusting her ornaments while scolding: “Poor Third Miss, who dares to harm you like this!”
Su Mei cried harder. Princess Jiaxi, recovering from the bump, scolded Qingyi: “What did you say to Third Miss? Is this how your mother taught you?”
Qingyi, shocked at Su Mei’s boldness, denied: “Aunt, she is pretending!”
“Shut up! Go wash your face!” Princess Jiaxi barked, sending Hui Momo to remove Qingyi and help Su Mei clean her face.
All doubts melted. Even if Su Mei had been mad before, she was clearly fine now.
Lin Henglǐ, satisfied, prepared to leave for the estate.
Wu Zisen, spinning around in worry, was told by Lin Yian to remain calm.
Su Mei, woken by Zikui and escorted to the West Courtyard, had no idea of the chaos outside. She saw Lin Yian and ran into his arms: “Hubby, you called me back so quickly, did you miss me?”
She pressed against him like a cat.
Lin Yian gently pushed her back slightly, noticing her swollen, tear-stained eyes. He brushed the corner of her eyes with his finger, causing her to shiver from the strange, tingling sensation.
Her heart raced and she forgot what she wanted to say.
Wu Zisen, unaware of Lin Yian’s subtle touch, lifted his sword angrily: “Who bullied you? I’ll handle it!”
Su Mei, amused, reported the insults at the banquet, laughing into her handkerchief: “Hubby, you didn’t see, I almost killed her with anger. Am I powerful or not?”
Lin Yian smiled back: “Third Miss is the most powerful.”
She leapt up, tugging Wu Zisen’s sleeve: “Cousin, did you hear? Hubby praised me!”
Wu Zisen glared at Lin Yian, but she ignored him, nodding along.
Su Mei pointed at his chest: “Hubby, you haven’t replied. Did you call me back because you missed me? Did you?”
A stern voice suddenly called: “Wu Zisen, are you a fool?”
Wu Zisen recognized the voice, startled.
A man in black armor, sword at his side, stood behind them.
He lifted the hat, revealing a strong, wind-burnished face and apricot eyes like Su Mei’s, hardened and cold.
“Cousin!” Wu Zisen stuttered.
Lin Yian understood immediately.
The Young Master of the Zhongyi Marquisate, Su Mei’s biological brother, had returned.