Сhaptеr 16: Саrriеd Firmlу in Jiang Xun’s Arms
Jiаng Хun suddenly stеppеd fоrwаrd.
Shеn Мingshu wаtchеd him drаw сlоser, his cоolly handsomе fаcе арреaring bеfоrе her eуеs in an instаnt.
Beforе she сould reaсt, she sаw Jiang Хun suddеnly reаch out towаrd hеr. А gаsp cаught in hеr thrоаt, and befоre thе sound cоuld escаpe, shе was alreаdу liftеd firmly intо Jiаng Xun’s arms!
Thе girl in his embrасe was hаlf-soakеd, her dаmр hаir clinging tо the sides оf her faсе аs she stared up at him in a daze.
Jiаng Хun looked down аt hеr. “Let’s go homе first. Yоu’ll fall ill like this.”
He took the cloak beside him and draped it over her.
The cloak still carried his scent, and as it settled over her, she couldn’t help but shiver.
Shen Mingshu instinctively tried to struggle, but the moment she moved, she heard him murmur softly, “Don’t move. Your ankle is still sprained.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but they were so close now that the words… seemed whispered right into her ear.
Wait, how did Jiang Xun know her ankle was sprained?
Had he noticed even that earlier?
Jiang Xun strode outward, his steps as composed and steady as ever, though his arms tightened slightly around the girl he held.
In another private room, Xiao Zheng sat alone.
He held a wine cup in his hand, which had been filled and emptied repeatedly.
The strong liquor slid down his throat, yet it did nothing to ease the restlessness in his heart.
His seat was perfectly positioned, facing the stage directly, but he hadn’t heard a single word of the performance.
Xiao Zheng raised his cup and drank again, his eyes tinged with impatience and irritation.
Hu Qing stood nearby, watching him drink alone, and couldn’t help but advise, “Young Master, it’s still raining outside. Don’t drink too much.”
“Quiet,” Xiao Zheng’s voice turned colder.
Hu Qing immediately fell silent.
Xiao Zheng lowered his head, his throat moving as he downed the last cup of wine.
After a long while, he finally stood up, his expression icy as he flung his sleeves and strode out.
As he turned to descend the stairs, his gaze suddenly caught a familiar figure at the corner of the corridor.
Jiang Xun?
Shen Mingshu’s foster brother?
He had never liked him. His father often used Jiang Xun as an example to lecture him, urging him to learn from Jiang Xun.
To learn his steadiness, restraint, caution, and propriety.
Xiao Zheng sneered inwardly. What was there to learn?
Jiang Xun always wore a cold expression. Though only a few years older, he seemed as stern as his own father.
Who would want to become someone like that?
But now, Jiang Xun was walking briskly through the corridor below, holding someone tightly in his arms. The cloak covered them completely, revealing only a few damp strands of hair clinging to the neck and shoulders.
The person’s face was hidden, but the silhouette appeared slender and delicate, almost entirely sheltered in Jiang Xun’s embrace.
A woman!
Xiao Zheng raised an eyebrow. Someone as unapproachable as Jiang Xun actually had a romantic interest?
How unusual.
Who could that woman be? He truly wanted to see.
Reaching the ground floor, Xiao Zheng glanced idly at the night outside the window. The rain poured down, blurring the lights of the capital.
With such heavy rain, it was only natural she hadn’t come.
Though he thought this, his expression remained grim.
Just as Xiao Zheng was about to step into his carriage, his gaze froze on a spot not far from the entrance of Qiyin Pavilion.
A woman in pale green robes stood there, the hem of her dress slightly damp, holding a slender-handled umbrella embroidered with white flowers.
Lin Qingyan?
What was she doing here?
And in weather like this.
Puzzled, he instructed Hu Qing beside him, “Go, bring her over.”
“Yes,” Hu Qing replied.Lin Qingyan was quickly brought over. Standing under the lamplight, her eyes and brows carried a hint of timidity. Upon closer inspection, the corners of her lips even seemed slightly pale.
“Why are you here?”
Lin Qingyan lowered her head, her voice tinged with grievance. “It was my elder sister. She insisted I come out to buy rouge for her. If I don’t do it well, she’ll punish me. No one in the household is willing to plead for me, so I had no choice but to…”
Before she could finish, her eyes reddened, making her appear especially pitiful and delicate.
Xiao Zheng’s expression instantly darkened. “They’re going too far! Sending you out alone in such heavy rain—do they even see you as a person?”
Hearing this, Lin Qingyan bit her lip. “It’s fine. I’ll just endure a little hardship. I don’t want to cause more conflict at home. I can bear it.”
The more she displayed this sensible, forbearing attitude, the more it stirred anger in Xiao Zheng’s heart.
Instinctively, he wanted to protect her. “Let’s go. The rain is too heavy. Let’s find a place to take shelter first. I’ll escort you back. From now on, with me here, I won’t allow them to bully you like this again.”
Lin Qingyan looked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and dependence. “Thank you, Young Master Xiao.”
Seeing her so gentle and sensible, Xiao Zheng couldn’t help but feel a surge of pity for her.
She was truly too good—never making unreasonable demands of him, enduring everything silently. In this regard, she was far better than Shen Mingshu.
Shen Residence.
After returning to the residence, Shen Mingshu went straight to bathe.
Her dark hair was tied up, revealing a stretch of snow-white neck. She then changed into a simple, embroidered gauze house dress.
The color was an extremely soft lotus pink, with light golden embroidery adorning the collar. As she walked with light steps, she resembled a lotus emerging from water.
She entered the main hall and sat down opposite Jiang Xun. As soon as she settled, she couldn’t wait to speak.
“Brother, why didn’t you tell me you can’t eat osmanthus?”
“There was no need,” Jiang Xun replied casually.
After all, she wouldn’t have cared anyway.
“There was a need,” Shen Mingshu blurted out, growing somewhat anxious. Even the corners of her eyes glistened with moisture. “There was a great need!”
“If I had known earlier, I could have avoided it and wouldn’t have sent the wrong pastries, causing you to break out in rashes…”
In her past life, she had deliberately distanced herself from Jiang Xun out of ignorance. How could she repeat the same mistake in this life?
He was good to her, and she genuinely wanted to be good to him in return.
Jiang Xun looked into her clear, watery eyes, and his tone softened slightly. “Alright, I understand. I’ll tell you in the future.”
Seeing his willingness to speak, Shen Mingshu eagerly leaned forward, blinking her eyes.
“Why wait for the future for such matters? Brother, do you have any other dietary restrictions? Tell me now, and I’ll write them down immediately.”
As she shifted slightly, a butterfly embroidered on her sleeve swayed along with her movement. She quickly instructed, “Chun Xing, go fetch paper and a brush.”
Jiang Xun was taken aback.
She was actually taking it seriously… when it came to matters concerning him.
“Not many,” he said softly. “Besides osmanthus, there’s also crab roe.”
Shen Mingshu nodded repeatedly, lowering her head to write while murmuring softly, “Osmanthus, crab roe… noted.”
Jiang Xun watched her as she bent over, her hair slipping from behind her ear and falling against her neck. That soft glow illuminated her profile, making her cheek appear radiant and tender.
His tone gentled further. “What I particularly like is milk cake. Red bean pastries and white fungus soup are also fine.”
“What a coincidence! I also like milk cake.”
She looked up at him with a smile, her eyes sparkling, the corners of her lips curving into a soft arc that seemed to melt one’s heart.”I’m quite good at making milk cakes, I’ll make some for you another day, Brother…”
As Shen Mingshu spoke, her flood of words had just begun to flow, with a whole basketful of thoughts still waiting to be shared. Unexpectedly, the person who had been sitting across from her suddenly stood up.