Сhарter 7: So Timid It Асhes the Нeart
Shеn Мingshu’s hеаrt suddеnlу skipреd а bеat.
Clоse, too clоsе.
She соuld сlеаrly smеll thе sсent on him—а fаint blend оf fir and ink, crisp аnd clеan.
But in an instаnt, that frаgranсе vanished.
Whеn she regainеd hеr соmposurе, Jiаng Хun hаd alreаdy rеturned to his sеat, resuming his usuаl comрosed and dignifiеd dеmеanоr.
Тhe pastriеs on thе tаble werе finished, and thе guests hаd аlrеadу left.
Thе lamplight in thе rооm was dim. Qing He’s voice carriеd а hint of urgency, “Му lord, how cоuld уou eat that?”
“You mustn’t touch osmanthus! Every time you eat it, you break out in rashes and itch all over. When you were twelve, didn’t you…”
Jiang Xun glanced at him sideways. “It’s fine. I didn’t eat much, just one piece.”
Qing He’s heart ached.
When Jiang Xun was twelve, it had been the same.
After mistakenly eating osmanthus cake, he endured the unbearable itching all over his body and forced himself to go out to hire a tutor for the young Shen Mingshu.
Only after returning did he fall seriously ill, unable to leave his bed for half a month.
And now, it was happening again.
Yet, the second young lady knew nothing about it.
“Go and fetch Dr. Meng. Don’t let her find out.”
Qing He acknowledged the order and withdrew. Before long, Dr. Meng arrived hurriedly with his medicine chest and examined Jiang Xun’s pulse.
“My lord didn’t eat much. You just need to rest quietly for three days. I’ll prescribe some medicine to alleviate the symptoms.”
After giving a few instructions, Dr. Meng packed his medicine chest and quietly left.
Qing He looked at Jiang Xun and finally couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Why… didn’t you tell the second young lady?”
Jiang Xun’s hand paused.
After a long while, he said, “Why would she care about such things?”
She was too afraid of him to even think of it.
Qing He lowered his head, his heart aching, but he couldn’t utter a single word.
Under the lamplight, Jiang Xun’s profile was as sharp as jade carving.
In the past, whenever she saw him, she would instinctively restrain her expression and bow cautiously.
Like a little deer, her ears trembling slightly, sniffing the wind for any movement, ready to flee at any moment.
Back then, she was so timid it ached the heart.
Now, she was finally willing to approach him, to be close to him.
Jiang Xun closed his eyes.
This was the first time she had personally made something for him to eat. How could he refuse?
If she never sent anything again in the future…
Perhaps, this would be the only time.
He couldn’t bear not to eat it.
The next day, on the training ground in the Western Garden, the sound of arrows cutting through the air rang out.
At the center of the target, a feathered arrow was firmly embedded in the bullseye, drawing continuous praise from the sidelines.
Xiao Zheng stood with his bow lowered, his eyes brimming with youthful pride.
His friend Qi Yu approached and teased, “General Xiao’s archery skills are getting more impressive. No one in our academy can surpass you for the title of top archer.”
Xiao Zheng raised an eyebrow, a faint, indifferent smile playing on his lips.
Qi Yu leaned in closer. “By the way, that Shen Mingshu who used to follow you around all the time—I haven’t seen her these past few days. Where has she gone?”
Everyone in the academy knew that Shen Mingshu liked Xiao Zheng. It was strange that she hadn’t been seen for days.
Such a beautiful young girl, following behind Xiao Zheng with her heart and eyes only for him—it had made countless people envious and jealous.
Xiao Zheng’s voice was indifferent. “She seems to be sick.”
“Aren’t you going to visit her since she’s sick?” Qi Yu raised an eyebrow. “Shen Mingshu has been so good to you. Last time you went to the northern border, she stayed up all night sewing knee pads and delivered them to the Xiao residence early the next morning, worried you’d freeze on the battlefield.”
Xiao Zheng smiled dismissively.”She was the one willing to sew it; I never asked her to. Besides, I haven’t treated her poorly either. That time I came back, I even brought her something.”
“You gave everyone around you a piece of that deer hide you brought back—even I got one,” Qi Yu said. “What she gave you was the only one of its kind.”
Xiao Zheng didn’t respond, still looking unconvinced.
At sixteen, Xiao Zheng had followed his father into battle, leading ten thousand soldiers through snowy forests, launching a night raid on the enemy camp, defeating thirty thousand troops in three days, capturing the enemy general alive, and making a name for himself in a single battle.
Now only eighteen, his future prospects were limitless.
Seeing his dismissive expression, Qi Yu said no more.
There was no need to upset him over this matter.
After class, everyone dispersed.
Despite what he had said earlier, after putting down his bow, Xiao Zheng found himself inexplicably distracted.
Logically, even if she were ill, she should have at least sent word or a message. Yet she had done nothing.
Quietly, as if she had vanished from the world.
Shen Mingshu, with her delicate and gentle nature, never truly got angry.
Over the years, he had upset her many times, but she would only redden her eyes, and the next day she’d be following him again, calling him “Brother Xiao Zheng.”
Why was she acting like this now? When did she learn to have such a temper?
Xiao Zheng unconsciously furrowed his brow, a flicker of irritation rising in his heart.
He didn’t know how to coax women, nor did he care to.
If she wanted to make a fuss, let her. She’d be back in a couple of days anyway.
Shen Residence.
Shen Mingshu leaned against an embroidered cushion, wearing a light peach-colored gauze dress embroidered with flowing clouds and branches, which accentuated her fair, luminous skin.
“Pack everything up.”
Xiao Tang, Chun Xing, and a few other maidservants responded in unison, beginning to retrieve various items from cabinets and chests—all things Xiao Zheng had given her over the years.
A small peachwood sword, a rouge box, a small piece of deer hide, and a few unused hair ornaments were all laid out on the table.
She looked down and examined them closely, confirming what she already knew.
None of them were valuable or rare.
Shen Mingshu gazed at the pile of items, a hint of mockery curling at the corner of her lips.
All of it together wasn’t worth fifty taels of silver.
It wasn’t that Xiao Zheng lacked money; he simply wouldn’t spend it on her.
No wonder, in her previous life, after they married, he had neglected her so coldly.
While for Lin Qingyan, he held her in the palm of his hand, protecting her and presenting her with rare treasures for her enjoyment.
She had nothing.
Shen Mingshu recalled her first meeting with Xiao Zheng. She was six years old, newly enrolled at Chengwen Academy, having lost her voice due to a high fever, becoming a little mute.
The Shen family was in decline at the time, and with her unable to speak, many took the opportunity to bully her.
Once, when she was cornered by these people again, an impatient shout suddenly came from the crowd.
“You’re all so annoying. What’s the point of bullying someone who can’t even speak?”
The voice was clear and proud.
Xiao Zheng was only ten years old then, wearing a well-tailored blue robe with a small jade pendant hanging at his waist, standing straight as an unsheathed sword.
He swept a cold glance over the crowd and shielded her behind him.
At that moment, Shen Mingshu stared at him, stunned, feeling a corner of her heart light up.
She thought he was the finest young man in the world.
And because of that, she had followed him all these years.
She had once believed it was he who protected her.
Only now did she understand—it wasn’t.
The one who had always protected her… was never Xiao Zheng.
Evening fell, and the dusk drum of Chengwen Academy sounded.
Standing outside the library, Xiao Zheng couldn’t help but think of Shen Mingshu again.At this time in the past, she would always follow by his side, softly asking, “Brother Xiao Zheng, where shall we go later?”
Back then, he always found her clingy, yet if she truly didn’t appear, he felt the surroundings grow too quiet.
Thinking of this, his feet had already unconsciously turned toward Xi Yi Studio.
Chengwen Academy admitted both men and women, but they did not study together. Men mostly practiced strategy, debate, and martial arts at Zunjing Pavilion and the training grounds.
Women, on the other hand, gathered at Xi Yi Studio and Yinhua Terrace to study music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
Xiao Zheng stopped a female instructor and asked, “Is Second Miss Shen here today?”