Her Prey.
Cheng Wenque was not entirely certain whether Pu Jinyu would actually come.
During the waiting hours, he recalled how at the return banquet, Pu Jinyu had stared at him so intently, almost losing herself in the sight. She must have some interest in his appearance, he thought; otherwise, she wouldn’t have gazed at him for so long in front of others.
“Young Master Cheng, our young mistress has arrived.” A maid knocked on the door to announce.
Cheng Wenque quickly snapped back to attention, straightened his attire, and stood up to open the door.
Perhaps because his mind was preoccupied, when he opened the door and met the lady’s exquisitely made-up, smiling face, he grew even more nervous. However, he didn’t let any hint of it show on his face.
“…Greetings, Young Mistress.” He lowered his eyes.
Pu Jinyu nodded in acknowledgment of his greeting, and the two entered the courtyard pavilion to talk. She spoke first, “May I ask what matter Young Master Cheng seeks me for?”
Cheng Wenque remained silent for a moment.
Pu Jinyu did not press him, waiting quietly. Before long, Cheng Wenque took out a brocade box from his person.
“What is this?” Pu Jinyu watched as he pushed the box toward her.
Cheng Wenque did not reply, lowering his gaze to conceal the look in his eyes, appearing both nervous and embarrassed.
Pu Jinyu reached out, took the box, and opened it. Inside lay a hairpin adorned with intricate floral patterns and tassels.
In her heart, she was already well aware of the game this man was playing, yet she feigned ignorance on the surface, praising, “What a beautiful hairpin. Young Master Cheng, this is…”
Cheng Wenque lowered his eyes, quietly awaiting her next words. He did not notice the faint trace of amusement at the corners of Pu Jinyu’s eyes, nor did he expect her to suddenly shift the topic, much like she had that day, “Is this meant for your younger sister-in-law?”
He quickly looked up, explaining as he had before, “N-no, it’s not.”
“Is it not?”
When the man looked over, the playful glint in her expression had vanished without a trace, replaced only by pure confusion and admiration for the hairpin.
She held it in her hand, studying it intently. “I thought it was meant for my younger sister-in-law. After I returned to my family home for a few days, I heard upon my return that she had spoken highly of you, Young Master Cheng. Even my mother-in-law mentioned the rapport between you and my sister-in-law.”
She had misunderstood.
Cheng Wenque hurriedly explained, “Young Mistress, you’ve misunderstood. I harbor no feelings for the Fourth Miss Yan beyond friendship.”
Perhaps it was due to her noble status—after all, she was the mistress of the Yan Family—but in her presence, he felt somewhat nervous, not as at ease as he had been when dealing with merchant daughters and official ladies in Lanling.
“Young Master Cheng may have no feelings for my sister-in-law, but she has developed an interest in you.”
She placed the hairpin back into the brocade box.
Seeing this, Cheng Wenque’s heart sank instantly.
He wondered why Pu Jinyu, who had previously told him how much she liked the rouge and powder he had gifted her, now seemed unwilling to accept this hairpin.
Had the head of the Yan Family grown fond of her, bringing the two closer? He had heard from the Yan Family servants that Madam Yan was urging them to have a child. To have offspring, they would inevitably have to engage in intimate acts, so perhaps their relationship had grown closer because of this?
At this thought, Cheng Wenque’s mood darkened.
How could he compare to the character of Yan Chiyun, the head of the Yan Family? All he had was youth and charm, but if even charm had been taken by the other, all he truly had left was youth.
Just as he thought of youth, she happened to mention it.
“My sister-in-law is beautiful, young, and comes from a prominent family. Why aren’t you moved by her, Young Master Cheng?”
Cheng Wenque noticed that although she had put the hairpin back, her gaze still lingered on it.
Instantly, he felt she might not be as composed as she appeared on the surface and could be testing his intentions.
Could it be that she was displeased because she had recently heard from the Yan Family servants that he and Yan Mingxi were getting close?
“But I… I truly have no feelings for the Fourth Miss Yan beyond friendship.”
Listening to the man’s clumsy lie, Pu Jinyu smiled on the surface. She reached out, her slender, beautiful fingers gently tracing the hairpin, her voice soft and slow,
“If Young Master Cheng has no feelings beyond friendship for my sister-in-law, then for whom does he have such feelings?”
He hadn’t expected her to ask so directly.
“I…”
Though he had guessed what she might be hinting at, he still didn’t dare reveal his thoughts rashly. What if it was a trap? He was willing to gamble, but he had to be cautious—every word and action had to be precise.
“Is it for the owner of this hairpin, the one Young Master Cheng intended to gift?”
She was becoming more and more direct, even looking straight into his eyes, the smile at the corner of her lips deepening.
He still didn’t dare voice his stance, only giving a slight nod when he turned his head away.
Seeing the man’s reaction, Pu Jinyu’s smile widened, her eyes curving like crescents.
Catching a glimpse of the young lady’s smile from the corner of his eye, his heart finally settled a little. And when he saw her put the hairpin away, Cheng Wenque felt even more at ease.
“Thank you, Young Master Cheng, for the hairpin. Like the rouge from last time, I like it very much.”
She mentioned the rouge and cosmetics, and Cheng Wenque grew even more reassured.
Indeed, there was no cat in this world that didn’t steal a taste, regardless of gender. But he truly wanted her to steal.
If she didn’t, once he failed the Imperial Examination, he would have no way out.
He couldn’t gamble on Yan Mingxi’s slight fondness for him, not only because he had no desire to become a live-in son-in-law, but also because he had long grown tired of living under someone else’s roof, unwilling to be openly mocked and criticized.
Moreover, when noble families chose a son-in-law, they would inevitably select a young master from a family of equal status. If he succeeded in the Imperial Examination, he might still earn the Yan Family’s appreciation. But if he failed, everything would come to nothing—he couldn’t afford to take that risk.
If he could establish a connection with Pu Wange, she would undoubtedly become his network, his stepping stone, and his… fallback.
His mother had accumulated far too much usury debt in Lanling. Even if he passed the examination and became an official, he didn’t know how many years it would take to repay it all. Pu Wange was the legitimate daughter of a noble family and the Young Mistress of the Yan Family—she wouldn’t lack money. Even the smallest amount she might spare would be more than enough.
The rouge, cosmetics, and hairpin he had given her had cost him a significant portion of his savings, but one couldn’t catch a wolf without risking the bait.
“Has the Young Mistress finished using the rouge and cosmetics from last time?” he asked, looking at her.
Pu Jinyu nodded and then shook her head.
Cheng Wenque was puzzled, so Pu Jinyu explained that she liked them very much but couldn’t bear to use them up, “so I put them away myself.”
“If the Young Mistress likes them, please use them freely. I will send more in a few days.”
“Alright,” she replied with a smile, her eyes curving happily, clearly delighted.
“…”
Pu Jinyu didn’t stay much longer before leaving.
After dinner, Cheng Wenque received a package of items she had sent over.
On the surface, most items appeared ordinary, but as he flipped through, he unexpectedly found key strategy books needed for the Imperial Examination, along with past years’ exam papers, all meticulously annotated in exceptionally neat and elegant handwriting.
In addition, there was also a set of clothing!
He glanced outside, then secretly measured the size behind the maids’ backs—it was his.
Seeing these things, a relaxed smile gradually appeared on Cheng Wenque’s face.
It seemed this move was well-played and could be put to use.
On the other side, a maid reported back to Pu Jinyu, saying the items had been delivered to Cheng Wenque.
“Did he accept everything?” Pu Jinyu inquired.
Before the maid could respond, a man’s voice came from outside, “Accept what?”
It was Yan Chiyun. He had returned.
Although he hadn’t come back for dinner, compared to usual, he had indeed returned a bit earlier today.
“Husband,” Pu Jinyu stood up, smiling as she looked at him.
Meeting her gaze, Yan Chiyun felt a stir in his heart. “Mm.”
She walked over to him and explained that Cheng Wenque had been lacking some items today, so she had just sent a maid to deliver them.
Hearing Cheng Wenque’s name inevitably reminded him of how she had stared at this man in a daze. Even though Pu Jinyu had later offered an explanation, he still felt it wasn’t entirely convincing. Perhaps it was his years of handling cases that made him overly sensitive instinctively.
Deep down, he didn’t like her interacting with this man, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. After all, Cheng Wenque was a guest in the residence, and she was the mistress of the household. His mother had also instructed her to take good care of him and not neglect him.
However…
Yan Chiyun removed his cloak and handed it to a subordinate nearby, remarking nonchalantly, “Fourth Sister seems to have taken a liking to him.”
Yan Chiyun was always busy with official duties, leaving early and returning late—how could he know this? Yan Mingxi’s fondness for Cheng Wenque was indeed quite obvious, but Yan Chiyun had never concerned himself with his sisters’ marriages and rarely paid attention to such matters.
A flicker of interest passed through Pu Jinyu’s eyes. She stepped closer to Yan Chiyun and asked with a smile, “Does Husband think a match between Little Sister and Master Cheng is possible?”
Looking at her smiling face, he countered, “What do you think?”
“I don’t know, but…”
“But what?” He washed his hands, turning his back but secretly observing her expression through the bronze mirror.
“But Little Sister is indeed, as Husband said, infatuated with Master Cheng. Mother-in-law is also keeping an eye on the situation. I think it might be possible, depending on Master Cheng’s results in the Imperial Examination.”
“Do you hope Fourth Sister and he will marry?”
He took a towel to dry his hands, his lowered eyes appearing casual, his tone seemingly offhand, but his peripheral vision was fixed on her.
Pu Jinyu naturally noticed this.
She smiled and said, “I do hope so. What about you, Husband?”
Hearing the answer he wanted to hear, the man’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
“My thoughts align with my wife’s. I also hope Fourth Sister gets her wish.”
She was slightly shorter than her elder sister, so to avoid giving herself away, she usually wore boots and shoes with added height. Even so, she still had to look up at the man before her.
“If Husband says so, it must be possible,” Pu Jinyu remained smiling.
Meeting her gaze, he too was drawn into a smile. “Mm.”
At that moment, Yan Chiyun’s subordinate presented a rather large brocade box.
Pu Jinyu asked what it was. Yan Chiyun slightly lifted his chin, signaling her to open it and see.
She approached in confusion and opened it, only to see a box filled with high-quality and expensive rouge and powder. Her fingers paused for a moment, “…”
He noticed her reaction. “Don’t you like it?” he asked. Before leaving duty today, he had specifically ordered someone to buy it.
Despite the disgust in her eyes, Pu Jinyu said she liked it.
Yan Chiyun remarked, “I thought you didn’t like it.” Her reaction was off—not only was she too calm, but her eyes also showed no clear sign of delight.
Pu Jinyu looked up, her gaze fixed intently on the man. She stepped forward, drew close to him, and rose onto her toes.
A soft warmth brushed against Yan Chiyun’s cheek as the young woman pulled away almost immediately, leaning close to his ear and whispering softly,
“I really do like it.”
[Author’s Note]
Here it is, sorry for the wait! This chapter randomly drops a Luck-piecing red envelope [rainbow fart].