Upon waking from her stupor, the first thing Jiang Yin did was summon the System.
…Unfortunately, there was still no response.
Her heart sank heavily. She lay silently for a long time before finally opening her eyes.
The pale blue gauze curtains before her eyes were as clean and bright as ever, yet they cruelly signified that she had once again fallen into captivity.
Jiang Yin felt like crying, but she didn’t want to break down right after waking, so she held back her tears.
With great effort, she sat up, dragged her sore body out of bed, pulled aside the gauze curtains, and staggered to the table to sit down.
Outside, the sky was bright, with sunlight slanting from the east—it must have been nearing noon.
The teapot on the table held hot tea, still slightly scalding to the touch.
Perhaps because she had been forced to take medicine not long ago, a strong, bitter medicinal taste lingered in Jiang Yin’s mouth, almost unbearable.
She silently poured herself a cup of tea, drank it quietly, then poured another and drank it just as quietly.
Only then did the bitterness in her mouth begin to fade.
She adjusted her robe and was about to go to the window to look outside when she heard a creak—the door outside opened.
…The person who entered was Shen Shouyu.
Jiang Yin didn’t know how he had arrived at such a coincidental moment, but she didn’t ask. Instead, she remained where she was, watching him approach slowly, sit down calmly, his steps steady and without the slightest stumble.
If not for the lifelessness in his eyes, she might have doubted whether he was truly blind at all.
In fact, she should have realized it earlier… Shen Shouyu had lived here for so long that he was intimately familiar with every corner of this room. Why would he need her assistance every time?
She truly had been both eager and foolish.
The two sat facing each other. Jiang Yin, in a fit of pique, remained silent for a long time.
Shen Shouyu, however, appeared as composed as ever, as if the discord from that day had never occurred. He called to her gently, “Madam Jiang.”
…This unfamiliar form of address made Jiang Yin’s expression falter.
Unaware of her reaction, he continued on his own, “Are you awake, Madam? Is your body feeling unwell?”
Jiang Yin snapped back to attention, glanced at him, then silently lowered her head, answering a question with another question, “How does the young master plan to punish me?”
“…”
Shen Shouyu remained silent and unmoving.
Sunlight filtered through the window gauze, drifting across the white walls of the room. An unbearable silence hung in the air.
After a long while, he finally spoke in a faint voice, “How could I bear to punish Madam Jiang when I cherish her so dearly?”
…The tone of these words was strange and unsettling. Jiang Yin felt a shiver run down her spine, her body trembling as if struck by an electric current.
She instinctively clenched the hem of her robe and glanced at Shen Shouyu once more.
Seeing his expression as calm and detached as ever, her sense of unease grew even more intense.
After all, based on her understanding of Shen Shouyu during this time, the calmer his face appeared, the more likely he was plotting something sinister in the shadows.
…The thought of “sinister plots” inevitably brought to mind those humiliating scenes.
Jiang Yin pinched her own fingers, forcing herself to push the thoughts away.
She had always valued her life and was not the type to break rather than bend. This moment was no exception.
No matter how unwilling she felt inside, facing Shen Shouyu, whose facade remained intact, she forced a faint smile and replied softly, “A Yin knows how well the young master treats her.”
“…Is that so?” Shen Shouyu’s voice wavered slightly before settling again. “…That is for the best.”
Unsure of how else to respond, Jiang Yin simply rolled up her sleeves and poured him a cup of tea.
Shen Shouyu did not refuse. As he took it, he even showed concern for her: “Madam Jiang, please avoid drinking cold tea these next few days. I have instructed Xinyue to look after you constantly, but oversights may still occur. You must take care of yourself.”
“…Alright.”
Only after hearing her agreement did Shen Shouyu bring the teacup to his lips and take a small sip.
Finally, he added, “That day, I was too hasty and caused you much distress, Madam Jiang. I hope you will not take it to heart.”
“…”
Jiang Yin had not expected him to apologize for that day’s events. She was momentarily stunned, staring directly at his face.
The other party seemed to understand her thoughts. Setting down the teacup, he apologized once more: “Previously offering you a generous sum was truly my own wish, with no intention of using it to coerce you, Madam Jiang. That day, I vented my anger from others’ provocations onto you, which was indeed improper. And all that followed only compounded the mistakes…”
Speaking to this point, his tone remained steady and sincere. His brows slightly furrowed, his eyelids half-lowered, and the butterfly-wing-like lashes at the corners of his eyes fluttered faintly, glistening with a thin sheen of moisture—as if he were genuinely filled with deep regret and remorse.
This pitiful, vulnerable demeanor, combined with his delicate and gentle features, made it impossible for anyone to utter a single harsh word.
Jiang Yin was momentarily speechless.
—But she did not know that, in places she could not see, an entirely different scene was unfolding.
Beneath the brocade sleeves edged with gold-embroidered floral branches, those beautiful, slender, pale hands were trembling uncontrollably.
Especially when he uttered the words “Madam Jiang,” the owner of those hands secretly curled his fingers.
He slowly clenched his hand, as if gripping something tightly, intent on crushing it to dust, applying more and more force.
The wound on his palm from before had not yet healed. Under this pressure, beads of blood seeped out once more, and pain followed.
But it was not enough.
Such actions alone were far from sufficient to suppress the inexplicable, indescribable itch in Shen Shouyu’s heart.
He paused, relaxed the strength in his hand, and instead pressed his thumb heavily against the knuckle of his index finger, grinding it back and forth. The fair, jade-like skin was pressed into a rouge-like crimson, as if he were trying to scrape off a layer of flesh.
…Still not enough.
But he could only go this far.
Wait a little longer… just a little longer.
Once he obtained what he wanted, he would settle every matter, every detail, with her slowly and meticulously.
Having taken his bait and fallen into his hands, did she think she could escape unscathed…
A fool’s dream.
…
Thinking this, Shen Shouyu tensed his muscles, closed his eyes briefly, and a thread of crimson seeped through the watery gleam at the corners of his eyes.
He still maintained this expression—one tinged with hidden remorse and restrained composure—as he spoke softly: “I was unfortunate in my youth, left alone in the world, forced to live under others’ authority, lacking parental guidance and discipline. My character inevitably carries many flaws… What happened then was indeed my offense. I earnestly hope Madam Jiang will be magnanimous and grant me a chance to reform myself…”
Regardless of Jiang Yin’s reaction, Shen Shouyu raised his hand, bit his fingertip, and gropingly let a drop of blood fall into the cup. He then refilled it with tea and presented it to Jiang Yin with both hands, his words filled with genuine emotion: “I am willing to swear by my blood that from now on, I will never force you again, Madam Jiang. If I break this vow, may I suffer a thousand cuts, my flesh rot, and my heart and liver be torn apart.”
“…”
Lowering her gaze to the teacup almost pressed against her lips, Jiang Yin noticed that within the clear, refreshing fragrance of the tea, the scent of blood remained unmistakable.
Jiang Yin frowned and leaned back slightly, feeling as if the words from Shen Shouyu’s mouth gradually took shape in the warm, curling mist, transforming into vivid, terrifying, and nauseating images.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally accepted the tea. Suppressing her discomfort, she said tactfully, “A Yin believes in you, young master. There’s no need to swear such a dreadful oath—it might harm your fortune.”
…Fortune?
What fortune could a mere, insignificant accessory like him possibly have?
Shen Shouyu’s expression remained unchanged, his thin lips slightly pursed. “Shen has no fear. Please drink the tea, Madam.”
“…”
The teacup in her hand was slightly scalding. Jiang Yin glanced once more at the faintly orange-hued tea, its scent of rust mixed with a fishy odor, making it truly unpalatable. Once again, she tried to change the subject, hoping to evade the matter. “Young master is injured. A Yin should tend to your wounds first…”
“Drink, Madam Jiang.”
Shen Shouyu sighed softly, as if somewhat helpless. “If Madam does not drink, Shen’s blood will have been wasted in vain.”
After a pause, he turned his head, “looking” toward Jiang Yin.
“Sooner or later, you must drink it. Even if you avoid it now, can you avoid it next time?”