Under the warm, dim light of the gauze lantern, Ji Hanyi did not dare pull away, forcing herself to endure the tremors of unease.
Shen Si looked at her. Her skin felt warm beneath his hand. Her stunningly beautiful eyes were filled with panic, and her thick black hair framed her red lips and white teeth. She looked like a nymph shrouded in the ethereal mists of Mount Wu, or a young rabbit cowering under an eagle’s talons—so fragile that it truly tempted one to bully her.
Having not seen her for several years, she had grown even more radiant.
The fingertips pressing against her chin pulled away, and his cool voice rang out. “Has Madam Xie made up her mind?”
Ji Hanyi nodded hurriedly, as if grasping at a final lifeline. “I have. I only ask that Lord Shen save my cousin.”
Shen Si pursed his lips and watched her quietly, noting the faint, flickering light that rose in her eyes.
This was a one-time opportunity, yet she was using it on such an insignificant person.
It was just like years ago when he had given her the jade pendant; she hadn’t taken his words to heart then, either. She had never known what that pendant truly signified.
But it no longer mattered. He only wanted this woman to never appear before him again.
Shen Si lowered his gaze, his expression growing even more distant and cold. He placed the jade pendant before Ji Hanyi. “I can help you.”
“However, this pendant was never truly meant to be a gift for you. Since you have touched it, there is no need to return it to me.”
Having said that, Shen Si stood up and signaled for Ji Hanyi to leave as well.
As the shadow before her receded, Ji Hanyi stared blankly at the jade pendant lying quietly on the table. Shen Si’s words stung her heart—because she had touched it, he no longer wanted it.
It made sense. He had always been a favored son of heaven, standing high above the rest, with few people ever permitted to get close to him. That he had allowed her to see him and agreed to help was already a display of immense grace.
Clutching the jade pendant tightly in her palm, Ji Hanyi stood up with some difficulty. Looking at Shen Si’s back as he stood facing away from her, she lowered her head and performed a grateful curtsey before donning her veiled hat and walking out.
The courtyard was empty. Not a single servant girl waited outside. Aside from the sound of the falling snow, it was terrifyingly quiet.
The moment she stepped over the threshold and onto the veranda, the cold wind whipped snow against her. The white veil of her hat fluttered incessantly in the gale. She gripped a corner of the veil with her fingers, pulled her dark cloak tighter around her, and huddled her body as she walked out.
Shen Si stood by the window, his hands behind his back, silently watching that petite figure.
The lanterns along the veranda were being tossed about by the wind. Large flakes of snow fell onto the hair of that thin figure. No one was there to carry a lamp for her; she walked alone, step by step, into the darkness beyond the courtyard until her graceful silhouette vanished into the flying snow.
Alone, her figure appearing so fragile.
A taut string seemed to pull at his heart.
A somber darkness flickered in his quiet eyes. Shen Si watched for a long while before finally turning away.
He sat back down behind his desk and picked up his brush to continue reviewing the reports sent by the Touring Censor. His expression remained unchanged, as if no one had ever been there.
Wen An had been waiting at the courtyard gate. Seeing Ji Hanyi emerge from the room alone, he hurried forward with a lantern to light the way.
He did not know what had happened inside, nor did he dare to peek. He didn’t even know who this woman was.
However, Wen An felt a great deal of respect for the lady beside him. If for no other reason, it was because the Marquis’s study had never allowed a woman inside before. Even the cleaning was handled by the Marquis’s personal valets.
The study contained vital documents. Given the Marquis’s position, the correspondence kept there was highly classified. Not only was it difficult for outsiders to enter the manor, but even if they did, the study was a restricted area that no one—save for the Old Master—was permitted to enter.
Yet the Marquis had let this woman in and spent a considerable amount of time with her.
The night was dark, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn’t help but steal a few glances.
The woman walking beside him was very quiet and polite. She had even curtsied to him when she came out. Looking at her embroidered silk clothes stitched with silver thread, it was obvious she came from a good background. Though he didn’t know exactly how high her status was, she at least appeared wealthy and noble.
The light from the glass lantern flickered. Her face beneath the white veil was a blur in the snow, but even so, her lithe, graceful posture and her slender, fair fingers were enough to make one imagine that the face beneath the veil must be exquisitely beautiful.
Wen An thought that if the Marquis truly took an interest in this woman, it would be a good thing.
The old Grand Secretary was nearly seventy, and the Old Madam was also advanced in years. Whenever the Marquis went to the palace to see the Empress, Her Majesty would also press him on the matter. The Empress had tried every way possible to get the Marquis to look at any noble lady in the capital with even a bit of a reputation, but the Marquis never went to see them. Even if he did, he never spared them a second glance.
He would say anyone was fine, but when it actually came to discussing marriage, it never worked out. There were even rumors in the capital that his relationship with the Marquis was “unusual,” which had led to noble young ladies keeping their distance from Wen An as well.
With these thoughts in mind, Wen An became even more careful. He personally escorted her through the side gate to the carriage outside and even arranged for men to protect her on the way back.
Of course, he had his own little scheme. The carriage was too plain to reveal anything, and he wanted to find out which family the lady belonged to so he could keep it in mind and avoid offending her in the future.
Ji Hanyi had not expected to be escorted all this way. Now that the matter of her cousin was settled, a path had finally opened up in her chaotic life, and she felt a sense of relief. She was never worried that her cousin wouldn’t be released; since Shen Si had promised, he would certainly be freed.
Seeing how polite Shen Si’s subordinate was, Ji Hanyi felt a bit dazed. She said courteously, “There is no need to trouble you. My destination is not far.”
As she spoke, Ji Hanyi curtsied to Wen An again. “Thank you for escorting me this far. The weather is cold and the snow is heavy; please return quickly.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, with a delicate quality that was very pleasant to the ear. Wen An couldn’t help but look at Ji Hanyi once more.
The woman before him was dressed in elegant but plain silk, with her white veil like a mist. Although her attire was very low-key, it left much to the imagination.
Wen An was startled by his own lingering gaze. He suddenly realized that it was no wonder the Marquis treated this woman differently; who could possibly resist her?
Wen An quickly took two steps back, returned the bow, and watched the carriage depart.
Ji Hanyi sat inside the carriage. The reason she had hired another carriage and had Rong Chun sit inside was that she didn’t want anyone to know her identity. After all, she was currently a wife of the Xie family. Even though the Shen family was a prestigious and noble household, she needed to be careful for the sake of her own reputation as well as Shen Si’s.
In truth, coming to find him alone was already an extremely bold move.
Earlier, her heart had been set on seeing Shen Si, and she had cast all her concerns to the back of her mind. Now, sitting in the carriage and seeing the concerned look in Rong Chun’s eyes, she finally felt a lingering sense of fear.
She looked down at the jade she had been clutching tightly in her palm. Only now, as she let go, did she realize her palm hurt slightly from the grip.
She thought that this jade pendant would likely never be taken out again.
Just as Shen Si had said, this jade wasn’t truly a gift to her, and the two of them would never have any further interaction. It was just like after that incident when she fell into the water; they had never met again until now.
Rong Chun looked at Ji Hanyi, clearly having many questions. Ji Hanyi put the jade pendant away, turned her head to meet Rong Chun’s gaze, and whispered, “Do not mention where we went today. Just say I stayed late to take care of Mother.”
Rong Chun nodded quickly. “Rest assured, Third Young Madam. I won’t say a word.”