What did she truly look like without makeup?
Yan Chiyun was asking in such detail? Why did he think she and Cheng Wenque were old acquaintances? Could it be that he noticed her staring at Cheng Wenque a little longer during the return banquet?
When he asked this question, Yan Chiyun kept observing her expression.
The woman in his arms first showed confusion, then realization. She shook her head and explained that they were not old acquaintances. “It’s just that he resembles someone.”
“Who?” Yan Chiyun pressed.
In just a moment, Pu Jinyu had already prepared an excuse. She explained succinctly that she had once gone out with her mother to worship Buddha and encountered a gaunt old woman on the road who was searching for her missing son.
The old woman was looking for her lost son and had a daughter with her. The little girl bore some resemblance to Cheng Wenque, which was why she was momentarily dazed when she first saw Cheng Wenque at the return banquet.
“Searching for a relative?” Yan Chiyun frowned slightly.
Pu Jinyu nodded. “At the time, my mother even sent people to help search, but unfortunately, it was like a stone sinking into the sea.”
“Since Master Cheng is my younger uncle’s friend, he naturally couldn’t be the son that old woman was looking for.”
Cheng Wenque was not her sworn brother—only their appearances were similar, their temperaments entirely different.
Although the matter of searching for a relative seemed somewhat coincidental, it wasn’t impossible. Yan Chiyun recalled the focused expression she had when looking at Cheng Wenque that day. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what felt off, but it didn’t seem that simple.
If it was merely about the son of an old woman searching for relatives, logically speaking, having never met before, why would she look at him with such an expression? So lost in thought, even stunned.
But one shouldn’t rely on feelings alone. Having presided over the Northern Pacification Office and investigated so many cases, he understood the importance of evidence.
Besides, there was something even more important: he and Pu Wange had been married for over three years, and their life had been smooth. She had no reason to deceive him.
Perhaps she did, but as the saying goes, everyone has their own secrets. Whether she truly knew Cheng Wenque or not, it was all in the past. There was no point in digging relentlessly.
“So that’s how it is.”
He let the matter drop, holding her close, his thumb stroking her rounded shoulder.
Although reason urged him to think as usual, a faint sense of displeasure stirred within him. He silently suppressed and digested it.
Yan Chiyun could discern her meaning with just a few words and help her “eliminate” Jing Chun. As for whether Cheng Wenque was truly an old acquaintance of hers, he might still have doubts, but it no longer mattered.
Pu Jinyu was certain he wouldn’t press further. The lingering warmth of their intimate passion had not yet faded, but she was not lost in it, and Yan Chiyun was surely the same.
Having lived through a lifetime, no one understood better than her how cold-hearted this man who shared her bed in name truly was. He wouldn’t care.
All she needed was to provide a plausible explanation—after all, who knew who else might have noticed at the return banquet? It would be easier to brush off if others asked.
The two of them held each other in silence. After a moment, he lifted her and stood up.
Hearing the call from inside, Jing Chun rushed forward as usual to attend to Pu Jinyu.
Yan Chiyun glanced at her twice, making Jing Chun feel somewhat uneasy. In the end, he said nothing, but Jing Chun did not feel relieved.
While bathing Pu Jinyu, she asked if something had happened? Yan Chiyun’s expression earlier had been strange.
The young lady soaking in the tub had washed away the smeared cosmetics from her face, revealing her originally exquisite, almost bewitchingly beautiful features. Especially the lazy, alluring charm radiating from the corners of her eyes—the entire person was indescribably captivating, and even Jing Chun couldn’t help stealing a few extra glances at her.
But the young lady remained silent, as if she hadn’t heard the question.
Recalling Yan Chiyun’s expression earlier, Jing Chun still couldn’t set her mind at ease. She tentatively raised her voice and asked if she knew what was going on.
Pu Jinyu half-raised her damp eyelashes. “Are you afraid?”
Meeting her deep, tranquil pupils, Jing Chun grew nervous again. “What are you saying, Miss? What would this servant be afraid of?”
“If you haven’t done anything wrong, why are you being so cautious?”
Her words sounded vague and confusing, yet they startled Jing Chun greatly. Her hand clutching the handkerchief involuntarily tightened, and a thought surfaced in her mind: Third Miss likely knew something. Exactly what, she didn’t know.
Pu Jinyu paid her no further attention, closing her eyes on her own. Suppressing the unease in her heart, Jing Chun bathed her, cleansed her body, and applied her makeup.
Yan Chiyun finished bathing faster than Pu Jinyu. Seeing that he was already on the bed, Jing Chun helped Pu Jinyu into the Inner Chamber and left without approaching the bed.
Pu Jinyu slept as usual in the spot she always lay, but before long, she began wriggling closer toward Yan Chiyun.
He had already noticed when the person beside him moved closer. He initially thought she was merely turning to face him to rest or seeking a more comfortable position.
Unexpectedly, she was actually coming toward him. She burrowed into his embrace, just as she had before bathing, wrapping her arms around his waist and cautiously inching upward—was she planning to bury her head against the side of his neck?
Yan Chiyun lifted his eyelids to look. Pu Jinyu met his eyes, staring directly at him.
The person before him had reapplied her makeup. She looked at him as if silently asking with her beautiful eyes whether she could hold him and rest as she had earlier.
Yan Chiyun watched her for a moment, his expression calm and indifferent as usual, yet he raised his hand to caress the side of her face, his thumb stroking her eyes. Out of instinctive wariness, Pu Jinyu subconsciously closed her eyes.
Yan Chiyun gazed at her meticulously adorned face, gently pressing her eyes and stroking her long, thick, curled lashes. He couldn’t help wondering what Pu Wange looked like without cosmetics.
She obediently allowed his touch. He lowered his head and kissed her eyes.
As the warm breath drew near and descended, Pu Jinyu paused slightly. “…”
The man withdrew as soon as he touched her, wrapping an arm around her waist, his large hand pressing her head against the side of his neck. His magnetic, deep voice came from above. “Rest.”
Pu Jinyu lifted her eyes slightly, then slowly closed them after a while.
It was truly because yesterday had been too exhausting and her waist was sore—rarely did she sleep so soundly the next day. When she woke, Yan Chiyun was gone, and Jing Chun was also absent.
The newly assigned maid was named Siyan, efficient in her work and possessing some martial arts skills.
She went to attend to Madam Yan and General Yan during their morning meal. During this time, Madam Yan noticed the change in her maid and casually inquired. Pu Jinyu explained that someone in Jing Chun’s family had fallen ill, an urgent message had been sent, and she had released her to leave that morning.
“Is this someone Brother Yun picked for you?” Madam Yan asked again.
Pu Jinyu smiled and said yes.
“Mhm.” Seeing the couple’s relationship growing closer, with water being requested many times last night, Madam Yan was pleased to see it come to fruition.
After the meal, Pu Jinyu said she wanted to return to her maiden home for a visit. Madam Yan asked what was the matter, and she casually made up an excuse to brush it off. Madam Yan did not stop her.
Recalling the events of her past life, Pu Jinyu’s emotions churned violently on the way, mainly with disgust.
Because soon she would have to see her concubine-mother again—the concubine she had loved and respected the most, who had deceived her for a lifetime and used her thoroughly.
The Pu Family servants did not seem surprised by her arrival, and Madam Pu had long been waiting.
As soon as Pu Jinyu entered the main hall to pay her respects, a slap was thrown at her. The force was truly too great; even though she tried her best to steady herself, she was still knocked off balance. Half of her face trembled and instantly flushed with a clear red mark, and the corner of her lip was split.
“Madam, if you have something to say, why not speak properly with the young miss? You must not resort to violence!”
The old nanny tried to comfort Madam Pu, hinting with her eyes that if Pu Jinyu’s face were damaged, it would be disastrous.
“I see this little wretch’s wings have hardened. She actually dared to send back all the people I placed there. Given time, wouldn’t she fly up to the heavens and do as she pleases?”
Pu Jinyu covered the side of her face that had been struck, hiding her lowered eyes, which were filled with coldness.
She rose and knelt down, kneeling before Madam Pu. “Mother, you have misunderstood your daughter.”
“Who is your mother?” Even though she had slapped Pu Jinyu, making her hair come loose and forcing her to kneel obediently before her, seeing her delicate appearance—her hair pinned with gold hairpins and dressed in fine silks—filled Madam Pu with rage. All of this should have belonged to her Wange, yet it was being enjoyed by this wretch born of a concubine.
Not only was she ungrateful, but she even dared to defy her and use such lowly tricks. If she didn’t teach her a lesson, she would truly step all over her face.
“Madam, there may be some misunderstanding.” The old nanny poured a cup of tea for Madam Pu.
After drinking it, Madam Pu’s anger remained unappeased. She coldly ordered Pu Jinyu to kneel right there. “When you’ve thought of how to explain yourself to me, then we’ll talk.”
After watching Pu Jinyu for a while, Madam Pu left directly.
When Lord Pu returned and learned that Pu Jinyu was being punished, he said nothing. Only during the evening meal, seeing Pu Jinyu still kneeling, did he symbolically remind Madam Pu to be mindful of the limits and not go too far.
Madam Pu sneered. With a single remark—”Did His Lordship pay attention to limits back then?”—she shut Lord Pu down completely.
He knew that Pu Wange’s illness and death, allowing Concubine Ruan into the household at that critical moment, and having Pu Jinyu replace Pu Wange in the marriage had left Madam Pu deeply unhappy. She was already somewhat unhinged, so even though he was displeased, he said nothing.
The clinking of jade bowls and silver chopsticks, the sounds of chewing food, reached Pu Jinyu’s ears. The disgust in her heart lingered, and ever since she stepped into this deep mansion, it had only grown more intense.
She lowered her head, looking at the fine, soft cushion beneath her. After kneeling for so long, she could no longer feel any softness—only a cold, hard sensation like stone.
By the light of the candles, she saw her own figure, prostrated on the ground like a dog.
She felt as though many things were pressing down on her spine, her body. Even moving slightly or making a sound had become an extremely difficult task.
Her mind flashed through many scenes—some from this life, some from the previous one, but most were from the past life, fleeting like a revolving lantern, cycling endlessly, ceaselessly.
Soon, Lord Pu and Madam Pu finished their evening meal. Madam Pu had someone extinguish the candles, still paying no attention to Pu Jinyu.
The young lady’s slender and resilient figure was framed in the open doorway, motionless. The night breeze brushed past, stirring the strands of hair at her temples.
The case of the Nine-Linked Rings was nearing its conclusion. Though it was almost over, a new case had arisen. Despite the busyness, Yan Chiyun returned earlier than usual tonight.
Only he hadn’t expected the Inner Chamber to be quiet and empty. “Has the young mistress gone to her maiden home?”
[Author’s Note]
Here we are! This chapter randomly drops a Luck-piecing red envelope [rainbow fart].