The carriage was already on its way, its jolting motion stirring an increasing unease within.
Jiang Yin took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, then rose and stepped forward, kneeling at Shen Shouyu’s feet.
…Though she was no innocent maiden, and she knew that modern and ancient values differed—that Shen Shouyu’s mindset held no concept of equality for all—she still felt deeply frustrated.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, yet because the System had crashed, she had to endure all these undeserved hardships. It was truly infuriating.
Even more infuriating was that she had no one to vent her anger on.
…
The carriage was quiet. After a brief moment of peace, Shen Shouyu reached out, his fingertips landing on Jiang Yin’s shoulder.
His hand was just as it had been outside the carriage—dry and warm, slender and elegant, with neatly trimmed nails that glowed a soft pink under the lamplight.
But to Jiang Yin, that momentary touch felt scaldingly hot.
She shrank back slightly but did not pull away.
Sensing Jiang Yin’s resistance, Shen Shouyu lifted his gaze slightly, his distant eyes looking past her shoulder to what lay behind her.
He could clearly feel her trembling, yet he asked nothing.
Instead, he moved his hand upward from her shoulder, reaching the hair ornaments that held her hair in place. One by one, he removed them and tossed them aside.
Freed from their restraints, her long, dark hair cascaded down, draping over Jiang Yin like a soft cloak, offering her a sliver of security.
Jiang Yin silently lowered her head, looking at the scattered garments and jewelry on the floor. She bit her lower lip and sighed.
“…What are you thinking?”
Amid the silence, Shen Shouyu withdrew his hand, sat up straight, and asked softly.
“…”
What Jiang Yin was thinking could not be spoken to him. After a moment’s consideration, she chose to feign weakness again and replied softly, “A Yin is reflecting on today’s mistakes.”
“Is that so?”
“…Yes.”
Jiang Yin’s gaze was level with Shen Shouyu’s knees, allowing her to clearly see the intricate patterns on his robes and his hand resting on his knee, fingers slightly curled.
The faint, elegant fragrance still lingered at the tip of her nose, like invisible threads winding around her, trapping her within.
Shen Shouyu reached out again, his finger touching her chin before slowly moving downward.
“Then tell me, A Yin, what have you been reflecting on?”
“…”
When she first met Shen Shouyu, Jiang Yin had loved listening to him speak.
Unhurried, gentle, and patient, like the warm spring sun or a refreshing breeze, it had made her feel comfortable and at ease.
But now, hearing his voice sent chills down her spine.
Weighing her words carefully in her mind, Jiang Yin guessed at Shen Shouyu’s preferences and, suppressing her discomfort, answered obediently, “A Yin was only able to escape safely thanks to young master’s rescue… Young master has shown A Yin great kindness, so A Yin should naturally prioritize young master in all things and heed young master’s words. A Yin should never be ungrateful, disregard promises, or trouble young master to go to such lengths…”
“…”
Shen Shouyu’s fingers paused at her collarbone, tracing its curve with a gentle, almost caressing motion.
His expression was blank, his demeanor composed, devoid of any suggestive intent—as if he were merely handling some lifeless object.
Only when he heard the words “go to such lengths” did he seem to recall something. He applied pressure, interrupting Jiang Yin’s words with a sharp, fleeting pain.
As she let out a muffled groan and reached to cover the sore spot, Shen Shouyu said indifferently, “…Lying to me again.”
“I…”
“No need to explain.”
He brushed aside Jiang Yin’s hand, which was trying to stop him from continuing, and asked, “Why do you always lie to me? A Yin… do I look easy to fool?”
“…No.”
“Then is it because you’re afraid of me, so you guard against me? Or… do you have other intentions toward me?”
“…”
Jiang Yin did not answer again. Pressing her aching knees, she looked up at him.
Seeing her silence, Shen Shouyu frowned. “Why are you silent?”
“…Young master.”
After much thought, Jiang Yin finally gave up on the endless pretense. Enduring the discomfort all over her body, she earnestly confessed, “From the very beginning, A Yin only wanted to escape the advances of the Liu family’s master. I never intended to cling to you, young master. If any of my actions have been inappropriate and caused you misunderstanding, I beg for your forgiveness…”
Shen Shouyu’s face remained cold, and she couldn’t tell whether he was displeased or not. She could only brace herself and continue, “A Yin does not care about what happened that night, and I can also repay all the money I owe you. I hope you will let me leave. From now on, A Yin will never again…”
“What if I refuse?”
“…”
Before she could finish speaking, Shen Shouyu interrupted her. Jiang Yin was taken aback and slowly curled her fingers. “…A Yin is of humble appearance and possesses no special skills. I am truly unworthy of being a suitable match for you, young master…”
Shen Shouyu interrupted her again. “In your eyes, am I the kind of person who lusts after beauty and profit?”
Jiang Yin panicked. “…No.”
“A Yin.”
Shen Shouyu’s emotions were already churning inside, but his expression remained unchanged. Only in his voice was there a trace of a strange smile. “At the Li Residence, you went to such lengths to cling to Shen Fengzhi, even at the cost of humiliating yourself. Now that I am actively offering you a higher branch, you refuse to take it and even go to great lengths to escape… Why? Do you think my tree is not as tall as Shen Fengzhi’s, unworthy of your ambitions?”
“…”
As soon as she mentioned the word “cling,” Jiang Yin had already anticipated that Shen Shouyu would ask this question.
She was exhausted, hungry, thirsty, her throat dry and hoarse, the bruises on her knees throbbing faintly with pain. On top of that, she had to endure Shen Shouyu’s mental attacks, which felt as heavy as torture. Her head was spinning, and she was utterly worn out.
Even under such questioning, she truly lacked the energy to explain. Jiang Yin pinched her leg to force herself to stay awake and weakly shook her head. “A Yin does not mean that, young master. Please understand.”
Shen Shouyu did not accept her answer. “If you don’t mean it, why treat me differently?”
This question almost took Jiang Yin’s breath away.
Her face pale, she struggled to speak. “A Yin didn’t… A Yin…”
“…”
Halfway through her words, her nerves, strained for days, could no longer bear such a heavy burden and snapped with a sharp twang.
A wave of dizziness suddenly washed over her, briefly drowning Jiang Yin’s consciousness.
It felt as if she had fallen into a deep pool in an instant, water surging from all sides, stealing her breath and engulfing her.
She only felt her neck heavy and weighed down, her already chaotic mind going completely blank.
Her vision darkened, and Jiang Yin finally got her wish—she fainted.
…
Watching the girl before him sway, her expression dazed as she instinctively clutched his sleeve, Shen Shouyu’s icy face showed a rare flicker of emotion.
Perhaps it was morbid to say… but he liked her like this.
He liked the way she looked when pushed to the brink—teetering on the edge, yet stubbornly clinging to a sliver of life, struggling to survive.
Just like when they first met.
…Crying out to heaven brought no response, calling to earth yielded no relief—fragile, helpless, pitifully delicate.
In such moments, she had no other choice, no other path to take. She could only wholeheartedly flatter him, cling to him, even at the cost of promising everything, just to seek his protection.
Without Shen Fengzhi, without anyone else, without any System, without any destiny ordained by heaven—there was only him.
She could only choose him, only bite the bait he cast.
…The feeling of being so firmly chosen, so urgently needed, truly invigorated him, making it impossible to resist.
Shen Shouyu closed his eyes, tracing and retracing the hand that clutched his sleeve.
Slender fingers, pale knuckles, faint blue veins on the back of her hand, the vibrant red bloodstain on the pad of her thumb…
He heard the sound of her collapsing, but he paid it no mind.
Tracing and retracing, etching it over and over.
Until the surging impulse gradually subsided.
…
Shen Shouyu let out a long sigh, slowly opened his eyes, his expression already restored to its usual indifference.
He turned his head slightly, looking at the young woman lying amidst the scattered mess on the floor. His gaze lingered on her pale, lifeless face for a long time before settling on her slender calf, still bruised and swollen.
It took a long while before he suppressed the dark, violent thoughts winding their way up from the depths of his heart and finally looked away.