“Father, I’m going to check on Lan’er!” It was already late at night, and Bai Manor had finally begun to quiet down after an entire day of wedding festivities.
The laughter and music that had filled the courtyards earlier were gone, leaving only the occasional footsteps of servants making their final rounds.
Inside the guest room, a single candle burned on the table.
Shen Mo’an suddenly stood up, his chair scraping lightly against the floor.
Worry was written all over his face.
He resembled his father, especially around the eyes and brows, but unlike Shen Yuxing, who was usually calm and composed, Shen Mo’an had never been particularly good at hiding his emotions.
Tonight was no exception.
Ever since they returned to the guest room, he had barely managed to sit still.
Every few moments, he would glance at the door, then the window, then back at the door.
Shen Yuxing had been watching him for nearly half an hour.
Finally, Shen Mo’an couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m going to see her.” He headed straight for the door, but before he could open it, Shen Yuxing’s voice came from behind him.
“Stop.” Shen Mo’an turned around.
Shen Yuxing sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his son with a slight frown.
“Mo’an, it’s late.” “But I just want to make sure Lan’er is all right.” “You’ve already asked about her three times.” “Four,” Shen Mo’an corrected.
Shen Yuxing stared at him.
Was that something to be proud of?
Apparently, his son thought so.
“Father, Lan’er was poisoned.” “I know.” “She lost consciousness.” “I know.” “And we still don’t know exactly what happened in that alley.” “I know.” Shen Mo’an frowned.
“Then how can you sit there so calmly?” Shen Yuxing’s eyelid twitched.
Calm?
What part of him looked calm?
He had spent the entire evening wondering whether Lan’er had woken up, whether the poison had been completely removed, whether her wound still hurt, and whether she had eaten anything.
But he was the father.
If he started pacing around the room as well, who was going to keep his son under control?
Shen Yuxing cleared his throat and kept his expression steady.
“Your Uncle Bai has been busy with the wedding all day, and there are still guests staying in the manor.
Everyone has only just settled down.
If you go over there now, you’ll disturb them.” “But—” “No buts.” Shen Yuxing waved a hand before his son could continue.
“Lan’er is safe here.
I’ve already spoken to your Uncle Bai, and he promised that someone would watch over her tonight.” Shen Mo’an still didn’t look convinced.
“What if she wakes up?” “Someone will take care of her.” “What if she’s in pain?” “There’s a physician.” “What if she’s scared?” Shen Yuxing paused.
Shen Mo’an immediately caught it.
“See?” “See what?” “You hesitated.” “I did not.” “You did.” “I was thinking.” “That’s the same thing.” Shen Yuxing’s expression darkened.
“Shen Mo’an.” That was enough to make him shut his mouth.
Still, after a moment, Shen Mo’an muttered, “Lan’er is my sister.
What’s wrong with wanting to see her?” Shen Yuxing’s expression softened.
There was nothing wrong with it, of course.
He understood exactly how worried his son was.
Lan’er had disappeared in the middle of a crowded wedding celebration and had later been found injured and poisoned.
When they first heard what had happened, Shen Mo’an had nearly lost his mind.
If Shen Yuxing hadn’t stopped him, he probably would have turned half of Bai Manor upside down looking for the men responsible.
But understanding his son’s worry didn’t mean he could let him run around someone else’s home in the middle of the night.
“She’s safe now,” Shen Yuxing said.
“You can see her tomorrow morning.” Shen Mo’an frowned.
“Tomorrow morning?” “Yes.” “First thing?” “Yes.” “Before breakfast?” Shen Yuxing paused.
“…Yes.” Shen Mo’an studied his father’s face for a moment before finally giving in.
“Fine.” He turned away and blew out the candle with considerably more force than necessary.
The room immediately went dark.
Shen Yuxing sat there in silence.
This child…
The faint smell of extinguished wax lingered in the room as Shen Mo’an returned to his bed, pulled the covers over himself, and turned toward the wall.
Shen Yuxing lay down as well.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The night outside grew quieter.
Insects chirped beyond the courtyard wall, and the wind occasionally stirred the branches outside the window.
Shen Yuxing closed his eyes, but sleep didn’t come.
The physician had said Lan’er’s condition was stable, but stable didn’t necessarily mean fully recovered.
And then there was the wound on her arm.
He had only seen it briefly, yet the sight had stayed with him.
Lan’er had always been afraid of pain when she was little.
When she was seven, she had once scraped her knee while running through the courtyard.
The injury had barely bled, but she had stood there with tears in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to cry until he picked her up.
The moment she was in his arms, she buried her face against his shoulder and cried as though something terrible had happened.
Now she had been cut by a poisoned blade.
How could it not hurt?
Shen Yuxing opened his eyes.
For a moment, he considered getting up.
Then he stopped himself.
Lan’er needed rest.
That was what he had just told Mo’an.
As a father, he should at least follow his own advice.
Shen Yuxing closed his eyes again and remained where he was.
A short while later, Shen Mo’an shifted on the other bed.
Shen Yuxing immediately went still.
After a few moments, the room became quiet again.
He waited until his son’s breathing gradually grew deep and even before opening his eyes.
Shen Yuxing turned his head toward the other bed.
“Mo’an?” No response.
He waited a little longer.
“Mo’an?” Still nothing.
Good.
He was asleep.
Shen Yuxing quietly pushed aside the covers and got out of bed.
He moved with surprising care, making sure not to make a sound as he crossed the room.
When he reached the door, his hand rested on the latch.
Then he paused.
The words he had said to Shen Mo’an earlier suddenly came back to him.
It was late.
There was no need to disturb anyone.
Shen Yuxing stood there for a moment.
Then he opened the door anyway.
He wasn’t going to disturb anyone.
He was only going to take a look at his daughter.
Those were two completely different things.
A cool night breeze greeted him as he stepped outside and quietly closed the door behind him.
The courtyard was peaceful beneath the moonlight.
Most of the lanterns under the eaves had already been extinguished, leaving only a few along the stone paths.
Shen Yuxing adjusted his sleeves and immediately returned to his usual calm, dignified appearance.
Then he headed toward the courtyard where Lan’er was staying.
His pace was steady and unhurried, as if the man who had just waited for his own son to fall asleep before sneaking out in the middle of the night had absolutely nothing to do with him.