She felt utterly wronged.
She had done nothing at all.
Yet he kept pinning the blame on her, time and again.
“Coming to the capital, I am already deeply grateful that the Shen family has given me a place to stay. How could I dare to hope for anything more?”
“I don’t know why you see me this way?”
“Last time, it was I who helped you…” At this point, her voice choked with sobs. “I didn’t hold my innocence against you, yet you keep targeting me at every turn. Fourth Master Shen, don’t bully me like this!”
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Large teardrops slid down her fair, delicate cheeks. Her eyelashes fluttered lightly, her eyes glistening with moisture. Biting her lip gently, she glared at him with a mix of grievance and anger.
“If you truly find me an eyesore, I will tell my aunt tomorrow and move out.”
Shen Gongshen showed no trace of pity.
He snorted coldly. “Tell her what? That I bullied you?”
Liu Suisui remained silent, tears welling up in her eyes, her sense of grievance deepening.
He was indeed bullying her.
Shen Gongshen glanced at her, then shifted his gaze to the courtyard nearby.
“It’s good that you have no such intentions!” He paused, his tone suddenly turning icy. “Even if you do, I advise you to put them away! Especially regarding Third Young Master—he is already engaged. If even a hint of scandal emerges and ruins his marriage, I will not let it go lightly!”
With that, he did not look at her again, turning and striding away.
Liu Suisui stood where she was, unmoving for a long while.
Her tears had long since dried.
A cold wind blew, stinging the areas where tears had flowed.
She sat on the veranda, looking up at the moon in the night sky.
Her heart ached unbearably.
If her father were still here, who would dare to bully her so brazenly?
…
Perhaps due to the chill wind, Liu Suisui, who had always been delicate and frail since childhood, began to feel unwell that very night.
At first, it was just a sore throat. Chun Yao prepared lily and pear soup for her.
By the following evening, she had developed a high fever.
Upon receiving the news, Madam Liu hurried over. Seeing her beloved niece lying in bed, flushed with fever and unconscious, her heart ached, and tears streamed down her face.
She scolded Chun Yao, “How could you only tell me now that the young lady is this ill?”
Chun Yao knelt nearby, crying anxiously. “Madam, the young mistress kept saying she was fine, that she didn’t want to worry you.”
Madam Liu sighed and ordered a servant to summon a physician.
The Duke’s residence had its own household physician.
The physician arrived quickly. After an examination, he concluded, “The young mistress has always had a weak constitution. This time, she caught a chill, and coupled with emotional distress, the combination led to this high fever.”
Hearing this, Madam Liu felt even more distressed.
After the physician prescribed medicine, she supervised the maid as she prepared the decoction, then personally fed it to Liu Suisui.
Liu Suisui, delirious with fever, leaned against the pillow. Watching Madam Liu feed her medicine, it felt as if she had returned to her childhood, when both her parents were alive and her mother would feed her medicine when she fell ill.
Her heart choked with emotion, and she uncontrollably called out, “Mother…”
Madam Liu broke down in tears at her call of “Mother.”
At an age similar to her own youngest daughter, yet when ill, she dared not even utter a sound.
Madam Liu felt a pang of guilt.
She set down the medicine bowl and pulled Liu Suisui into her arms. “What mother? Why mention that heartless one? It’s all my fault. I failed to take good care of you.”
Held tightly by Madam Liu, Liu Suisui slowly came back to her senses.
It wasn’t her mother; it was her aunt.
She blinked, and a tear fell.
Madam Liu released her, looking at her pitiful and fragile niece, feeling somewhat angry: "Why didn't you tell me when you fell ill? Do you truly consider me as family?"
Liu Suisui hurriedly shook her head.
"Please don't be angry, Aunt. I thought it wasn't anything serious…"
"If you feel even slightly unwell in the future, immediately send Chun Yao to inform me. Your body is delicate; if anything serious happens, how could I face my deceased brother?"
Madam Liu spoke while wiping away tears again, "It's also my fault. I didn't take good care of you. Your cousin returned, and these past few days my attention has been on him…"
"Aunt, please don't blame yourself. It's just a slight cold; taking medicine for a few days will cure it."
"Then take your medicine properly. Tell me what you want to eat, and I'll have the small kitchen prepare it and send it over."
"Yes."
After drinking the medicine, Liu Suisui went to sleep.
Madam Liu stayed with her until she began sweating and gradually recovered from the fever, then left reassured.
…
When Shen Gongshen returned, the sky was already dark.
He first went to Huichun Tang. The Duke had an invitation today and hadn't returned yet. He accompanied the Old Madam for a while, and when he left Huichun Tang, the night was deep.
Returning from Huichun Tang to Shen'an Tang, he passed by the second household's Ziwei Pavilion.
The household physician happened to come out from the second household's courtyard gate. Seeing Shen Gongshen, he hurried forward to bow: "Fourth Master Shen."
Shen Gongshen stopped.
He looked at the physician, his voice steady: "Who fell ill?"
"Replying to Fourth Master Shen, it is Fourth Miss Liu who caught a cold."
Shen Gongshen hadn't expected it to be Liu Suisui.
He slightly raised his eyebrows: "A cold?"
Recalling yesterday, everyone was safely staying in the warm pavilion, yet she stood on the corridor blowing wind, even causing Third Young Master to eagerly follow her.
Probably not expecting the busy Fourth Master Shen to also care about a distant cousin niece.
The physician hurriedly replied: "Yes, Fourth Miss Liu caught a cold and developed a high fever, remaining unconscious. Second Madam was very anxious and had me go to diagnose and treat her."
Shen Gongshen wasn't truly concerned about Liu Suisui.
Her condition had nothing to do with him.
He just thought, merely blowing some wind caused a high fever and unconsciousness.
This person was indeed too delicate.
…
This illness lasted seven or eight days. By the time Liu Suisui fully recovered, only a few days remained until her father's birthday.
One day, after meals, Liu Suisui accompanied Madam Liu in the garden to digest.
Today Shen Yuling didn't follow; only she and her aunt were there.
After walking a round, Liu Suisui mentioned this matter: "I heard that the eternal lamps at Xiangguo Temple in the capital can illuminate the path for departed souls to rebirth. Aunt, I want to go to Xiangguo Temple on my father's birthday day to light an eternal lamp for him."
Upon mentioning her younger brother, Madam Liu felt sorrow rising.
Looking at Liu Suisui, her filial piety moved her.
Thus she nodded: "Good, on that day I'll accompany you."
"Thank you, Aunt."
Madam Liu continued walking forward: "At that time, we'll also perform a ritual for your father, burn more paper money, so he can live better there."
Liu Suisui felt choked in her heart.
She gently nodded: "Yes."
Half a month passed quickly. On the day of departure, Liu Suisui learned it was the first day of March.
On the first and fifteenth days of each month, Old Madam Lin would go to Xiangguo Temple to offer incense.
She thought only she and Madam Liu would go, but most of the household's female members went.
The wife of the eldest branch, Madam Miao, had matters to attend to in the household today and was in charge of the household affairs, so she could not accompany them. However, Shen Yurong and Shen Yurou were both by the Old Madam's side.
Meng Shi of the third branch brought Shen Yutang.
Shen Yuling naturally went as well. She stood by the carriage, clinging to Madam Liu's arm and coquettishly saying, "I don’t want to ride in the same carriage as Cousin. I want to sit with Mother."
Madam Liu gave her a reproachful look and was about to speak when Shen Yutang walked over.
She smiled warmly at Madam Liu and said, "Second Aunt, let Suisui ride with me. I’m really too bored by myself."
Since she had spoken, how could Madam Liu refuse?
Thus, she generously nodded and said, "Then go ahead. You two sisters are the closest of friends."
"Thank you, Second Aunt."
Shen Yutang happily took Liu Suisui and left.
Beside them, Shen Yuling was unhappy again.
She pouted, somewhat displeased, and said, "She’s only been here a few days and is already so close with Fourth Sister. If others didn’t know better, they’d think she was a relative of the third branch…"
"Be quiet!"
Madam Liu was a little angry. "You refuse to pay any attention to your cousin all day, yet you want to control who she spends time with?"
After saying this, she boarded the carriage first.
Shen Yuling hurried after her, pleading, "Oh, Mother, I was wrong. Who said I don’t pay attention to her? Last time she was sick, I even went to see her on my own…"