Shen Shouyu, after all, was made of flesh and blood. That bowl of medicine had dealt him a heavy blow.
The elderly physician repeatedly warned, “Young master, for the next few days, you must only consume liquid foods—cold rather than hot. Moreover, you must not speak loudly. If possible, it would be best to avoid speaking altogether… Remember this well!”
“…”
Bathed in the bright sunlight filling the room, Shen Shouyu sat upright in plain clothes. Upon hearing the physician’s words, he nodded slightly without uttering a sound.
Seeing this, the physician breathed a sigh of relief and rose shakily to his feet. “The medicine prescribed for you, young master, will be delivered daily. Please take it on time. Farewell.”
Shen Shouyu remained silent, his unfocused gaze resting on the screen opposite him, lost in thought.
This state persisted until the physician left.
Only after the door closed did he slowly call out, “…A Yin.”
After a night had passed, Shen Shouyu’s voice was noticeably hoarser than it had been immediately after the injury, even sounding somewhat unpleasant.
But Jiang Yin only allowed the thought to cross her mind briefly before hastily dismissing it and responding, “I’m here.”
Unexpectedly, Shen Shouyu, with his gentle and mild tone, abruptly dropped a bombshell on her: “A Yin… if I were to lose my voice because of this, blind and mute, would you still be willing to marry me?”
“…”
Jiang Yin wanted to say that even with all five senses intact, she wasn’t particularly willing.
But she didn’t dare.
She wasn’t ready to die yet.
After carefully weighing her words, she replied earnestly, “A Yin is willing.”
“…Is that so?”
“…”
Silently suppressing the urge to bristle at those two words, Jiang Yin steeled herself and gave an affirmative hum.
Fortunately, Shen Shouyu seemed to have asked casually and didn’t press further.
He extended his hand, gesturing for her. “Come sit… I want you closer to me.”
“…Alright.”
Sitting down beside Shen Shouyu, she allowed him to gently stroke her hand, intimate as lovers.
But they were not.
At best, she could only be considered his accessory.
Thinking this, Jiang Yin secretly glanced at his gentle, jade-like face, tracing the contours of his features one by one, trying hard to discern what lay beneath such astonishingly beautiful skin.
What was it?
She truly couldn’t see clearly.
…
The room was filled with tranquility. The two of them remained peacefully like this for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Jiang Yin was still lost in her own thoughts when she felt her hand being released.
Looking up, she saw the person before her slowly rise to his feet and say softly, “I still have official matters to attend to and cannot join you for lunch.”
“…Alright.”
Jiang Yin was more than happy to oblige and naturally didn’t say more, only politely adding, “Take care, young master.”
Shen Shouyu paused while adjusting his collar, hummed in acknowledgment, and his tone grew even gentler. “If that medicine isn’t effective, stop using it starting today.”
“…”
Surprised that he still remembered this matter, Jiang Yin was momentarily stunned before replying, “Alright… thank you for your consideration, young master.”
“Don’t thank me.”
As he spoke, Shen Shouyu reached out to her and asked again, “Have you been dissatisfied with the meals during this time?”
Jiang Yin was already accustomed to it. As soon as he extended his hand, she obediently took it, looking up at him. “Not at all.”
“Good.”
The hand she placed in his was gripped tightly, given a gentle squeeze, and then slowly released.
Without another word, Shen Shouyu’s robe swayed as he turned and walked out, his slender figure quickly disappearing beyond the door.
Jiang Yin silently withdrew her gaze and looked down at her hand, her heart filled with complexity.
…
As agreed the day before, in the afternoon, Yin Niang came to Jiang Yin’s room.
She brought a box of crisp sweets, which Xinyue inspected before bringing them inside to Jiang Yin.
The door closed, shutting out the noise from outside.
Jiang Yin led her to the window in the inner chamber, chatting about trivial matters while retrieving a stack of banknotes from under her pillow and handing them over.
Yin Niang responded in kind, counting the banknotes in her hands. After confirming they were correct, she tucked them into the front of her own dress right in front of Jiang Yin.
… Watching her safely store the money, Jiang Yin finally felt a slight sense of relief.
After a moment’s thought, she asked about Qing Yao: “How is Sister Qing Yao doing now?”
Yin Niang knew that Qing Yao’s purchase was related to Jiang Yin, so she wasn’t surprised by the question. With a smile, she replied, “A Yin, you needn’t worry about her. She has already left this filthy place and is living a life of comfort now.”
“… Is that so?”
— Jiang Yin herself was taken aback the moment those two words slipped out.
But Yin Niang didn’t notice anything amiss and continued cheerfully, “Of course. She no longer has to serve others or endure hardship and toil. She’s pure and clean, with food and drink provided—how could that not be considered a life of comfort?”
“…”
Could being under house arrest truly be considered comfort?
Jiang Yin certainly didn’t think so, but she also wondered whether, for Qing Yao, life at Zui Xian Ju was better or if her current situation was preferable.
Or perhaps, it was six of one and half a dozen of the other.
She didn’t know where Qing Yao was being held… If she could find her, perhaps she could find a way to take her along.
… But with her own limited abilities, could she really manage to take her away?
…
Her thoughts were in disarray, and Jiang Yin didn’t register what Yin Niang was saying next. After exchanging a few perfunctory words, she sent her away.
Since Shen Shouyu had been there in the morning, the old woman who taught etiquette didn’t arrive until the afternoon.
After finishing her lessons, it was still early. Just as Jiang Yin was planning to go out for a walk, Xinyue informed her that someone was looking for her.
Stepping outside, Jiang Yin froze in place.
The window in the outer chamber was wide open, and in the bright sunlight, a young woman in a pale yellow dress, her hair styled in double buns tied with bright red ribbons, leaned against the windowsill, turning to look at her.
Winter sunlight was the clearest, casting a sparkling, fuzzy halo around the girl as it fell upon her.
The girl had almond-shaped eyes, rosy cheeks, and slightly upturned red lips—a picture of clever mischief, lively but not overly so, utterly charming.
—She was none other than the protagonist of this world, Li Zhixin.
Jiang Yin had originally asked Yin Niang to find her, thinking it would take another day, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.
The two stared at each other for a long moment before Li Zhixin broke into a wide smile: “A Yin, it really is you!”
“…”
Jiang Yin was bewildered by her smile and hesitantly replied, “Lady Li.”
“We’re no longer master and servant—just call me Zhixin!”
As she spoke, the girl by the window fluttered over like a butterfly, grabbing Jiang Yin’s hands and looking her up and down: “You’ve changed so much… I almost didn’t recognize you just now!”
“…”
After the awkward incident that had occurred between them, Jiang Yin couldn’t understand why Li Zhixin was still so enthusiastic. Unsure how to respond, she replied vaguely, “Not at all, not at all…”
But Li Zhixin, as if reading her mind, gave a sly smile and whispered in her ear, “Is A Yin still bothered by what my brother did?”
Jiang Yin choked: “I…”
“Brother was just angry at the time—it’s only natural he might act foolishly.”
Li Zhixin blinked her bright, almond-shaped eyes, her expression warm and natural, without the slightest hint of resentment. “If you still hold it in your heart, I’ll find him for you, and you can vent your anger on him!”
“…Huh?”
Clearly, Li Zhixin knew why Jiang Yin had been expelled from the Li Residence, yet now she was deliberately glossing over the matter, shifting all the blame onto her own brother. This left Jiang Yin utterly bewildered.
After holding back for a long while, Jiang Yin couldn’t help but ask, “Back then, it was I who failed you first. Why would you…”
“No, no, no!”
Before she could finish, Li Zhixin had already put away her smile, replacing it with a serious expression.
She glanced back, confirming that the door was closed, then lowered her voice slightly. Taking Jiang Yin’s arm, she whispered mysteriously, “I am now engaged to another. We must never mention Prince Qi again…”
Ignoring Jiang Yin’s astonished expression, she blinked once more, a complicated smile appearing on her face. “I don’t blame you for that matter. From now on, let’s pretend it never existed.”