NOVEL WEB Chapter 175 - I Only Love You!
Chapter 175: I Only Love You!
The sky gradually darkened and began drizzling. The cold air was unforgiving.
Ji Yuxian strolled without using an umbrella. The hem of his red robe swept across the floor as he took light steps, and his looks were unparalleled.
“Eldest Young Master!”
Jin Feng came over with an umbrella, sheltering Ji Yuxian from the rain. He frowned and nagged, “Young Master, you’ve already barely eaten anything for the past few days! You can’t afford to get drenched in this rain!”
Tiny rain droplets gathered on Ji Yuxian’s long lashes. As he blinked, the droplets rolled into his eyes. In that instant, his eyes resembled the ones of a young girl, mysterious and enchanting. He did not say anything, and he merely strolled to the study.
Jin Feng furrowed his brows, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Your subordinate went out to handle some affairs, and I happened to see the Young Mistress and the nanny at the medicinal hall buying some medicinal herbs.”
As expected, the man stopped in his tracks immediately. “Did someone fall ill?”
“Your subordinate is unsure, but the nanny bought medicinal herbs that are used to treat the common cold!” Jin Feng reported.
Ji Yuxian nodded and stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at the rain scenery in his courtyard, briefly falling into a stupor.
That day, the young girl’s suffering expression had once again appeared right before him. He knitted his brows at that thought as he continued walking to his study.
Jin Feng was caught off-guard by the action, and he scrambled to follow with the umbrella.
The study was lit throughout the night, and it was soon 11 p.m. Jin Feng could not help but knock on the door in worry. “Young Master, it’s time to rest!
The rain had not stopped. Under the lantern, the light rain droplets fell with the wind, landing on the blooming flowers in spring.
Shortly, the door swung open. Ji Yuxian walked out of the room and ordered, “Get my carriage ready!”
Jin Feng was confused. It was already late at night and raining no less. Where was he going?
On the other hand, Ji Yuxian had already walked out, taking large strides and seeming to be in a hurry.
The spring rain continued to fall, seemingly never-ending.
Su Jiu abruptly woke up in the middle of the night. In a daze, she seemingly heard her nanny speaking to Qiao An. Shortly after, Qiao An left while holding on to an umbrella.
Su Jiu sat up and called out, “Nanny!”
The nanny immediately walked in. “My lady, you’re awake!”
In the dim yellow light from a lantern, Su Jiu asked, “Is Master An here? Any news for Chang Huan?”
The nanny frowned and wrapped the quilt around Su Jiu, “It’s not about Master Huan.”
“What is it then?”
The nanny heaved a sigh and explained, “It’s His Highness, Prince Rui. He never left, and he has been standing right outside the door!”
Shocked, Su Jiu heard the rain outside and asked, “He’s standing in the rain?”
“Yes, he has been standing there the entire night. Master An was worried that something might go wrong, so he couldn’t sleep too.” The nanny looked at Su Jiu. “My lady, what is happening between you and Prince Rui?”
“Let’s not talk about that for now! Pass him an umbrella and ask him to go back to his residence now!” Su Jiu said.
“I will try my best to persuade him!”
The nanny walked out with a bamboo umbrella.
Su Jiu laid on her bed, and her head was ringing. The sounds of rain never stopped, just like the confusion in her heart.
The nanny returned shortly, shaking her head. “His Highness refused to go back!”
Su Jiu took a deep breath, her face slightly pale. She got changed and walked out of the room with an umbrella.
“My lady, you can’t go out now! It’s still raining outside!” The nanny called out anxiously.
“You don’t have to worry, I’ll be back soon!”
Su Jiu answered her nanny and quickly walked into the rain.
In the sounds of the rain, and with a creak from the wooden doors opening, Su Jiu spotted the man standing still in the rain. At that moment, he was completely drenched. He looked in the direction of the sound with his deep-set eyes, and his gaze landed on her.
Su Jiu was furious. She walked over, held the umbrella over his head, and coldly snapped, “Xiao Lie, what do you want?”
Xiao Lie pulled Su Jiu into an embrace and hugged her tightly. He said with a low, hoarse voice.
“Ah Jiu, I don’t know what I should do! When I think about how you’re avoiding me on purpose, my heart gets torn apart! I can’t sit still thinking about it!”
“Ah Jiu, I know that I’m being very childish. I’ve even made fun of Hu Dapao for it, but now that I’m in his position, I’ve finally understood. I can’t control myself!”
“Tell me what should I do, Ah Jiu.”
The man’s mellow voice seeped in pain. As he hugged her tightly, despite his clothes feeling cold from being drenched, she could feel his heart racing.
“Ah Jiu, I like you! I love you!” Xiao Lie leaned in slightly and tucked his chin in her neck. His black eyes glinted with deep affection and pain.
The rhythm of the raindrops loudly hitting the umbrella and the man’s low voice traveled to her ears, knocking against her chest. As she gazed at the rainy night, her vision began to get blurry.
The cold wind hit her hard on the head, but it did not help her become more alert.
“Xiao Lie…” She did not know what to say. It was just like how she never knew, that loving someone could be as intense as this.
She was astonished!
“Ah Jiu! Can you please try to be together with me? I promise to never make you cry, and I will protect you for a lifetime!” With a feeble voice, the dignified man implored as he planted a kiss below her ear with his cold lips.
“Ah Jiu, let’s be together!”
The low voice resonated in the rain and seemed to merge into countless sounds ringing in Su Jiu’s ears, only making her more confused.
A horse carriage came to a stop some distance away. In the dark rainy night, a man watched on while the two remained locked in an embrace. The darkness in his eyes slowly dissipated as he seemingly came to a reconciliation, and a faint smile appeared on his face. At that moment, it was as though only the sounds of the rain could be heard.
Was he still going to fight for her?
And force her into that sort of misery?
She had fallen in love with someone else. Was it time for him to give up?
However, he did not want to do that!
The rain started pouring, washing down Shengjing City late at night. In that instant, Ji Yuxian felt the emptiness in his chest.
Everything in this world became colorless and tasteless to him.
The loud pitter-patter of the raindrops could be heard as they slid off the roof and landed on the ground. Qiao An and the nanny stood behind the door with an umbrella.
The nanny felt a tug in her heart as she watched the two in an embrace, under the dim light from the lanterns.
Be it Eldest Young Master Ji, or Prince Rui, she only hoped that Su Jiu would find someone who loved her and never let her suffer again.
That was all she could ask for!
The lantern’s candle flickered as a gust of wind came. Qiao An whispered, “Chief is not entirely well yet. We should get them inside!”
“Yes!” The nanny agreed while choking back a sob. She walked up to them and gently said, “Your Highness, it is raining out here. Let’s talk about this inside!”
Xiao Lie got up and glanced at Su Jiu with a bottomless gaze. “Would you let me in?”
Su Jiu nodded, and as she was about to turn around, she collapsed onto the ground.
“My lady!” the nanny exclaimed.
Xiao Lie carried Su Jiu in his arms and hurriedly walked towards the courtyard.
The nanny quickly caught up as she sheltered them from the rain.
The wooden doors closed with a loud creak. All that was left at the doorstep were two lanterns swaying in the wind.
The rain was relentless. Jin Feng sat rigidly upright, his expression as dark as the skies. He turned and asked, “Young Master, shall we go back?”
Ji Yuxian remained as silent as the night went. His beautiful eyes quietly stared at the lanterns from afar, and he felt the deep emptiness in his heart.
Jin Feng did not dare to ask again when he got no answers from the man, and he sat still in the horse carriage.
In the room, the nanny helped Su Jiu change out her clothes, fed her medication, and helped her to bed.
Qiao An walked in, carrying a set of clothes in his hand and politely saying, “Your Highness, you are completely soaked. This set of clothes is new and has never been worn before. May I trouble you to change into these for now?”
“Sure!” Xiao Lie nodded in agreement and took the clothes.
When the nanny came out, Xiao Lie immediately turned to ask, “How’s Ah Jiu?”
“She has just fallen asleep after taking her medication. She should be fine,” the nanny answered gently. “Allow your servant to prepare a guest room for you to rest for tonight, Your Highness!”
“There is no need for that,” the man replied as he stood tall and straight. With his wet black hair hanging on his forehead, he seemed to have lost his noble aura but still looked smart and suave. “I’ll accompany Ah Jiu tonight! You all go ahead and rest!”
The nanny turned to Qiao An and nodded. “That would be good as well. We will have to trouble you then!”
“Your subordinate will take his leave now!”
Both the nanny and Qiao An left the room. Xiao Lie walked into the inner room to check on Su Jiu, who was now fast asleep, before getting up to take a bath and changing behind the silkscreen.
It was almost daybreak now. Xiao Lie emerged from the screens with his waist-length hair let down. As he grazed his fingers along Su Jiu’s soft and fair cheeks, his lips curved into a smile. It was only when she was asleep that she shed her strong front and became so quiet. One could not help but swoon over her.
Xiao Lie lifted the quilt to lay down and gently pulled her into an embrace. “Ah Jiu, you agreed to be with me today, didn’t you?”
“In this lifetime, I’ll only love you!”
Su Jiu knitted her brows and wriggled herself into his embrace while being asleep. She unknowingly clenched the garment at his chest, rubbed her nose against it, and mumbled with her eyes still closed, “Ji Yuxian… don’t ever do this again.”
Xiao Lie’s body froze. He took a long glance at her, as bitterness from his heart spread to his limbs and bones, right to his very core.
He tightened his embrace. “Ah Jiu, I’ll make you forget about him. I definitely will!”
In the darkness, the man’s eyes glinted with indignation.
It was unknown when the rain stopped and when the horse carriage left. The night began to quieten down, and a new day was about to begin as the sky brightened.
Su Jiu woke up with a heavy head, a blocked nose, and a sore throat. If anything, she felt that her cold had gotten worse.
She never fathomed that a cold could become so unbearable!
With her eyes still closed, Su Jiu tilted her head and wanted to rub it. Suddenly, a hand landed on her forehead and then proceeded to rub her head for her.
“Do you have a headache? It’s a good thing that your fever has come down.”
Su Jiu’s eyes sprung open, and she saw the man lying next to her. Looking at him in horror, she stammered, “You… Why are you in here?”
The man laid on his side, supporting himself with one arm, and using the other to rub her forehead. With his fragrant black hair let down, it seemed to shine under the morning light, softening his features. He asked softly, “You were the one who let me in. Did you forget?”
Su Jiu frowned in utter confusion. “…Did I?”
“Yes!” The man leaned in closer with a deep gaze. “Not only did you let me in, but you also agreed to be with me.”
Su Jiu took a deep breath and stammered, “Nan… nanny might have given me the wrong medication last night…”
“Well, I don’t care. Since you’ve agreed to be with me, you now have to be responsible for me. The Chief of the Dragon Conqueror Gang has to honor her words!” Xiao Lie raised a brow at her.
Su Jiu looked down for a moment, as though she was mulling over something. She then sniffled and looked up with a determined gaze. “Alright, if that’s the case, let’s try being together!”
Xiao Lie’s eyes immediately lit up. “So it’s a yes?”
“Hmm?” Su Jiu raised her brows.
Xiao Lie quickly changed his words and gradually broke into a smile. “You won’t change your mind right?”
“Mhm!”
Xiao Lie’s smile only became wider, his eyes sparkling with happiness. He bent over to kiss her on the forehead.
“This is the best, my Ah Jiu!”
Su Jiu lowered her eyelids. She was not sure why this was happening.
The sky finally cleared up, and the sunlight illuminated the city early in the morning. The sun had just risen, and Xiao Lie’s personal bodyguard Ding Fei and several others were already waiting outside. They brought Xiao Lie’s garments and even items such as scented accessories.
A group of bodyguards randomly standing there was indeed a strange sight, and everyone began talking about it.
After Xiao Lie got them to place the items down, he immediately chased them back, including his bodyguard.
It was late when Su Jiu woke up. As she ate her first meal of the day, it was almost noon.
The air was fresh after the rain. Xiao Lie and Su Jiu were strolling along the cloister admiring the flower when a servant came to report that Princess Yu Long had come to see Su Jiu.
When Yu Long saw that Xiao Lie was there, she was surprised.
Su Jiu walked towards her. “Your Highness, has Chang Huan regained consciousness?”
Yu Long first greeted Xiao Lie, then chuckled. “Yes, Huan’er has regained consciousness, and he insisted to come to look for you. However, he is unable to move because of his injuries, so I can only trouble you to come with me.”
“Sure, let’s go there now!” Su Jiu nodded excitedly.
“I happen to be free as well. I’ll come along with Jiu to visit the prince!” Xiao Lie chimed in.
Chang Huan had returned to Lord Yun Nan’s Manor. His identity would soon be revealed that he was Lord Yun Nan’s son.
The trio got on a horse carriage and headed to Dongjiao Palace. As the carriage entered the courtyard, Yu Long sent her servant to inform her parents.
“My mother stayed by Huan’er’s bedside for the entire night yesterday, and my father accompanied her. They didn’t sleep a wink,” Yu Long said with a subtle smile. “Seems like it’s my fault that I was overthinking this entire matter. I should have let my mother and Huan’er meet each other sooner!”
Her mother was far stronger than she thought, especially when it came to Huan’er. She seemed to have brand new confidence and vitality.
If only she had known this, she would not have to be in a dilemma for such a long time, which had eventually caused a misunderstanding and led to Huan’er’s injury.
They reached the room as they spoke, and Lord Yun Nan and Lady Yun Nan walked out at the same time. They first greeted Xiao Lie and then turned to Su Jiu to express their gratitude once again.
“Don’t mention it!” Su Jiu answered. At this moment, she felt like she was giving Chang Huan away to someone else, and this tugged on her heartstrings.
When they entered the room, Chang Huan was sitting up on the bed while leaning against a quilt. His entire body was wrapped up in bandages like a mummy. An ointment has been applied on his face as well, and he seemed to be trying to smile at Su Jiu. Whenever he tried to widen his smile however, his brows would furrow in pain.
Lady Yun Nan walked up and held his hand in concern. “Huan’er, you should not and cannot move now!”
Su Jiu laughed. “Alright, let’s do away with greetings, look at you!”
Chang Huan glanced at her leisurely, smiling with his eyes, only to realize everyone was there. His smile faded as he requested, “Can I ask the few of you to leave the room for a while? I would like to have some time alone with my Chief.”
He sounded distant and apathetic. Lord Yun Nan saw that his wife looked upset, and he too could not help but frown. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently said to Chang Huan, “Sure, your mother and I will leave for now. Both of you can take your time!”
“I’ll wait for you outside then!” Xiao Lie looked at Su Jiu gently.
“Alright!”
Yu Long glanced at them, before turning to leave with the others and closing the door behind her.
As the room quietened down, Chang Huan sat up from the quilt and said, “Chief, I don’t want to stay here! I want to go back to the commercial house!”
Su Jiu bit her lip, looked up at him, and asked, “Have Lord and Lady Yun Nan confirmed your identity yet?”
Chang Huan was slightly taken aback. He slowly nodded and answered, “Yes, they said that my birthmark could confirm that I’m their son. Lady Yun Nan also told me many of my childhood stories, and I seem to vaguely remember some of them.”
“What do you think of Lady Yun Nan then?” Su Jiu asked.
Chang Huan contemplated for a moment, before commenting, “I feel like I want to become closer to her sometimes, but she also feels too distant to do so. It’s complicated!”
“Chang Huan, you’re Lord Yun Nan’s son now. Both Lord and Lady Yun Nan have confirmed your identity, so how is it possible that they would allow you to come back to the commercial house as a shopkeeper? They will never let you go!” Su Jiu asserted in a serious tone.
“But I don’t want to stay here! I want to be able to see you every day, Chief!” Chang Huan anxiously explained.
He was all the more unwilling to follow them back to Diannan City.
“Silly boy, don’t tell me that you planned to follow me around for the rest of your life! You would eventually be married and have children, just like Ah Shu and Dapao. We can’t go back to the life we had in the mountains!”
“No!” Chang Huan shook his head furiously. “I owe my life to you, so I will follow you for life. Don’t try to push me away. Ah Shu and Dapao each have their own families now, but they are still part of the Dragon Conqueror Gang. We will always be a part of the Dragon Conqueror Gang, and we will always listen to you!”
Su Jiu bobbed her head with a smile. “Yes, no matter what happens, we are part of the brotherhood. We’re family!”
Regardless of identity and status, they would always be a close-knit family.
Chang Huan finally smiled and held Su Jiu’s hand. “Chief, you’re the most important person to me!”
Su Jiu nodded. “All of you are also the most important people to me!”
Just right outside the door, Xiao Lie stood at the cloister with his arms behind his back, wearing a black cotton robe. He stood there majestically, emitting a natural aura of nobility and aloofness.
Yu Long looked over and slowly walked towards him, saying, “It’s cold after the rain. Your Highness, why don’t you wait at the parlor next door over a cup of tea?”
“It’s okay, I’ll just wait here!” Xiao Lie uttered.
He wanted Su Jiu to see him the moment she walked out.
Yu Long stood next to him, admiring his handsome looks. Her gaze deepened as she smiled weakly and said, “I never understood why Huan’er refused to recognize us previously, but now I do.”
Xiao Lie turned to her. “Why?”
“Huan’er likes Su Jiu. He’s afraid that if he took on his actual identity, he would have to return to Diannan City with us, and he won’t be able to remain by Su Jiu’s side.”
Xiao Lie explained matter-of-factly, “The prince started following Su Jiu at a young age, so, normally, he would be reliant on her. Everyone is family in the Dragon Conqueror Gang!”
Yu Long raised her brows and laughed. She seemed to hint to him, “No! I think that Huan’er’s devotion to Su Jiu seems to have gone beyond the boundaries of family.”
Xiao Lie’s black eyes narrowed as he looked at the scenery after the rain. His hands slowly clenched into a fist.
After waiting for a moment and not seeing Su Jiu leave the room, Xiao Lie knocked on the door and walked in. In all gentleness, he said, “Ah Jiu, you have to go back to take your next dose of medication!”
“Chief, you haven’t recovered?” Chang Huan asked in shock.
Xiao Lie held onto Su Jiu’s shoulders with both hands, and continued with an affectionate and coddling tone, “If she could take her medication on time, she’ll be well in two days. She’s too stubborn!”
Chang Huan gaped at Su Jiu in confusion, having noticed that they seemed closer than before.
Su Jiu shrugged helplessly. “I know, this cold was nasty!”
“Let’s go back. Chang Huan should rest!” Xiao Lie softly said as he pulled Su Jiu closer to himself.
“Take care of yourself. I’ll visit you when I’m free!” Su Jiu waved goodbye to Chang Huan.
Just by looking at the sliced fruits and all kinds of desserts on the table, Su Jiu knew that Chang Huan was in good hands.
Chang Huan could not help but frown when he saw Xiao Lie’s arm over Su Jiu’s shoulders.
Both of them headed back. Just right before they stepped in, they bumped into Nangong Bi.
Nangong Bi hopped off the horse carriage and hurriedly ran over. She looked at Su Jiu from head to toe and frowned. “Su Jiu, I heard that you’re sick! Is it serious?”
Su Jiu casually answered, “Not at all!”
Xiao Lie chuckled and gave her a side-eye. “You’re dizzy, your head feels heavy and you almost fainted. That’s not serious?”
“Ah?” Nangong Bi widened her eyes in astonishment. “Su Jiu, you fainted?”
“Don’t listen to his nonsense!” Su Jiu sneered as she walked into the house.
When they entered the East Pavilion, Ah Shu, Hu Dapao, and Qiao An were also there. They immediately got up to greet Xiao Lie.
“Let’s do away with these formalities in the future when we are out here!” Xiao Lie and grinned.
When Qiao An saw that Xiao Lie was in a good mood, he knew that Xiao Lie and Su Jiu were now together. Although it was slightly upsetting, he was still happy for them.
However, he still could not help but feel worried. The potential Princess Consort Rui could be the next Empress. Was this the best for their Chief?
Then again, they had never expected that she would become the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor previously, but she had done a great job. Since she had left Yuhu mountain, she had grown a lot. Who knew what she could do in the future?
Nangong Bi blushed when she saw Hu Dapao. Perhaps it was because they were getting married, but he seemed so different as compared to the past. She felt her heart racing, and could not bear to look at him.
Hu Dapao saw her expression and assumed that she did not want to see him. He felt upset, but he soon remembered what he was here for and quickly asked.
“Chief, how’s Chang Huan doing?”
When they were looking for Chang Huan the previous day, Xiao Lie ordered someone to inform them that they could cease their search and that Chang Huan was at Lord Yun Nan’s manor.
Hu Dapao and Ah Shu were bewildered by that news. They then asked why Lord Yun Nan’s men would capture Chang Huan.
The person only said it was a misunderstanding, and left afterward.
They had believed that such was the case until they heard that Chang Huan was still there when they came to visit Su Jiu. As a result, they began to panic.
The nanny brought in tea and left the room, closing the door behind her.
After drinking half a cup of tea, Su Jiu began to recount the entire story, starting from Yu Long coming to see her, and the revelation that Chang Huan was Lord Yun Nan’s son.
Everyone was dumbfounded, and the entire room fell silent.
“Chang Huan is Lord Yun Nan’s son?” Qiao An asked in shock.
Maybe it was because they had always been with each other, grew up together, and knew each other so well, that they could not believe that Chang Huan was of such nobility.
“I couldn’t believe it at first, but it seems that Lord and Lady Yun Nan have recognized Chang Huan. His identity is probably confirmed!” Xiao Lie said.
“Who would have thought? This lad hid his secret very well!” Nangong Bi joked.
Ah Shu gloomily asked, “Does that mean that Chang Huan will return to Diannan City then?”
The moment this question was asked, everyone went silent again.
Indeed, if Chang Huan was the son of Lord Yun Nan, he would undoubtedly have to return to Diannan City with his family.
Diannan City was miles away from Shengjing City. It would be difficult for them to meet!
“Isn’t it just Diannan City? We can always go to visit him in the future. Don’t look so depressed! It’s not as if we are separated forever!” Nangong Bi’s crisp voice broke the silence.
“Yeah! If Chang Huan returns to Diannan City, he can still come back to Shengjing City and we can always go visit him.” Xiao Lie reassured her as he placed his hand on Su Jiu’s.
Su Jiu wanted to retract her hand, but he maintained his grip on it. Everyone noticed.
Nangong Bi was the first to see it, and a crafty look flashed across her eyes as she teased, “So are we going to attend Your Highness’ and Su Jiu’s wedding soon?”
She knew that Prince Rui was interested in Su Jiu, and she hoped that they would be together.
Ah Shu was astonished after hearing the question. As he looked at their hands, he could not help but be worried.
Hu Dapao simply chuckled.
Su Jiu continued to drink tea calmly, while Xiao Lie glanced at Nangong Bi. His lips curved into a smile as he teased, “I think we’ll have to attend yours and General Hu’s wedding first.”
Nangong Bi’s face flushed scarlet at that comment. As she tried to look away, her gaze happened to meet Hu Dapao’s. Feeling utterly embarrassed, she got up and muttered, “I’m going back for today! I’ll come back on another day!”
She hastily left in a fluster.
Hu Dapao became slightly pale, and he cast his gaze down, looking dejected.
“Oh, that’s right!” When their marriage was mentioned, Su Jiu stood up, holding on to a list. “This is a list of betrothal gifts which will be sent to the General’s Manor. Master An and I have made the arrangements have a look!”
Hu Dapao took the list, and after scanning it through, he looked up and gaped in amazement. “This much?”
“It’s not a lot!” Su Jiu’s eyes brightened, “Nangong Bi is the Young Miss of the Nangong Family, so we ought to show our sincerity! Besides, you are a general of the fourth rank, which means your betrothal gifts cannot look cheap. The Dragon Conqueror Gang can afford this much. We’ll certainly make it a grand affair!”
Hu Dapao laughed. “Alright, I’ll listen to you, Chief!”
Su Jiu took out another list to Ah Shu. “Yours will be the same!”
Ah Shu did not even look at the list. “I owe it to Dapao for having the same betrothal gifts as marrying Lady Nangong. There’s no need for me to check!”
This sent everyone guffawing.
When Xiao Lie left, Su Jiu went to see him off. As they walked to the door, Xiao Lie suddenly turned around, smiled, and whispered, “Should I also be preparing betrothal gifts as well?”
“Ah?” Su Jiu was stunned, but she instantly understood what he meant. She muttered in all seriousness, “…Isn’t it too early?”
Xiao Lie’s smile widened as he pinched Su Jiu’s cheeks. “Ah Jiu, you’re so adorable sometimes that I just want to hide you away from everyone else, and keep you to myself!”
Su Jiu, in her elegance, stared at him with her large eyes, and her lips gradually curved into a smile.
“I’ll take you to meet my mother in a few days. Is that okay?” the man gently asked as he gently stroked her face.
Behind Su Jiu stood a peach blossom. The tree was in full bloom, with colors as vibrant as the horizon. A petal landed on Su Jiu’s shoulder, softening her sharp features and accentuating her elegance and beauty.
The girl raised her brows slightly as her eyes widened. “I’ll probably scare her!”
“Believe me, I’ll get her to accept you!” Xiao Lie’s black eyes looked at her affectionately, his hands never leaving her face. He wanted to kiss her, but as he was afraid that it might scare her, he only held her in his embrace instead. He said, “Ah Jiu, I love you! Even if the entire world is against this, no one can stop me from loving you!”
Su Jiu hugged him, extremely touched.
“Thank you, Xiao Lie!”
The nanny came over to pass Su Jiu her cloak, and when she spotted the pair hugging under a peach blossom tree, she heaved a sigh of relief and smiled in reassurance.
…
It had been two days since Su Wenqian returned from the Ji Manor. He felt troubled, as he did not understand why Ji Yuxian had insisted that he divorce Madame Su. They were childhood sweethearts, having been together for decades. Moreover, she bore him two sons and a daughter. How could he just abandon her?
However, it was certainly Madame Su’s fault this time.
When Su Di and his brother went to the capital, they had way too much fun, as though they were fishes who had been released into the water.
They visited brothels, drank, and gambled. When they ran up massive debts and pleaded with Madame Su, she was afraid that Su Wenqian would punish her sons. Hence, she secretly gave them more money.
However, the brothers only got into more debt, and eventually lost all of Su Wenqian’s money.
When he found out about it, he passed out from anger.
Yet when he regained his consciousness, he still had to solve the mess created by the brothers.
His entire family had been depleting their fortune while living in Shengjing City, and now it was completely gone. He could only depend on Ji Yuxian.
As he sighed, Madame Su walked in sobbing, sat on the chair, and cried out loud, “I don’t want to live anymore!”
“What now?” Su Wenqian asked impatiently.
“Two people came and asked us to pay up. They said that Di’er didn’t pay for the jewelry he bought from their shop and asked for 2,000 taels. He’s lying! Why would a man like Di’er buy jewelry?” Madame Su wiped her tears and complained angrily, “When they didn’t see the money, they proceeded to insult me. I’ve never been through such abuse before!”
Su Wenqian’s face turned green. “Why wouldn’t it be him? He must have bought the jewelry to impress some woman in the brothel. This is the kind of son you raised!”
Madame Su stopped crying immediately. Why did she not think of this?
Could it truly be Di’er?
Madame Su started to avoid his gaze, muttering, “Who knows if that’s the truth? Di’er would never be so stupid to buy such expensive jewelry for some woman at the brothel!”
“Is there anything else that your son is incapable of?” Su Wenqian became more furious at the thought, and he smashed a teacup on the floor.
Smash! Madame Su turned pale as a sheet and sobbed, “Old Master, they are your sons after all! They’ll be the ones caring for you when you’re old and attend to your burial after you pass on. You have to come up with something to fill up that gap!”
“Care for me when I’m old? Attending my burial when I’m dead? I’m about to be driven to an early grave now!” Su Wenqian bellowed with rage while sitting on his chair.
Madame Su pondered for a moment, got up, stood behind Su Wenqian, and began massaging his shoulders. “Old Master, don’t be angry anymore. It’s more important to think of a way to get more money!”
“What else can I do? Did you expect me to put my pride aside and go beg with Su Xing and the rest?” Su Wenqian scoffed.
“They’re all so poor, there’s no way they have money to lend us!” Madame Su bent down and whispered into his ear, “I heard that when the Eldest Mistress got married, one of her dowries was a chest bestowed by the royal family. Every single item is worth lots of money. There’s also an additional 10,000 taels, and I’ve never seen the Eldest Mistress using it. Why don’t we borrow from her?”
Su Wenqian immediately dismissed the idea. “No way! Her dowry was brought over from her maiden home. Not even I can touch them without her permission.”
“Well, it’s for an emergency! The Eldest Mistress is not here at the moment. We can’t touch the money, but we can pawn a few items and get them back once we have money!” said the Second Mistress.
“I said no! No matter how bad my situation is, I’ll never do such a thing!” Su Wenqian got up and strode off indignantly.
The Second Mistress scoffed internally. She bore the Su Family two sons and worked hard to maintain the household. Why was she being treated like a servant now?
Her two sons must suffer just to help the Eldest Mistress save some money. That did not make sense at all!
It was night time. Maidservant Peach got up in the middle of the night to use the latrine. Just then, she noticed a flame in the Eldest Mistress’s room.
Shocked, Peach went close to the window to take a peep inside. She saw a shadow flashing past.
The Eldest Mistress was in the palace accompanying the Empress Dowager. Why would there be anyone in the room?
Her eyes twinkled. She hid behind a pillar and waited quietly.
A while later, she saw someone stealthily walking out of the room, carrying a vase and a redwood box. She looked left and right, before walking away like a thief on the cloister.
Peach’s eyes widened in anger. It was the Second Mistress!
The Second Mistress came to steal the Eldest Mistress’s dowry! How could an elder in the manor do such a thing?!
How shameless!
Peach contemplated for a moment and came to a decision. However, she was not jumping straight into action for now.
It was now March, and the days were getting warmer. By midday, cicadas could be heard from the trees.
Su Wenqian was taking a nap in his room, and the two young masters were out. As the servants did not need to serve their masters, they also found a corner to skive off and take naps.
The Second Mistress carried a bag and walked out of her room. After seeing that there was no one, she hurriedly strode towards the main door.
Peach had been hiding behind a pomegranate tree and standing on a stone for over two hours. She was becoming increasingly impatient when she heard footsteps approaching.
As expected, it was her!
Peach ducked behind the tree, waiting for the Second Mistress to walk over.
As the sound of her steps got closer, she pounced towards the Second Mistress in a flash and placed a sack over her head.
“Argh!” The Second Mistress fell to the floor, hugging the item she was carrying tightly. She screamed, “Who did this?!”
Peach got up from the floor. With a stick, she began hitting the Second Mistress, who had a black sack over her. “You thief! How dare you steal?!”
“Argh!”
“Who’s hitting me?!”
“Argh, it hurts!”
Peach was beating the Second Mistress viciously all over. As she was hitting her, she hollered, “Someone help! There’s a thief!”
Hearing her yells, everyone came running over. They only heard that a thief was caught, and they immediately grabbed something near them to hit the person on the floor, without confirming what happened.
The Second Mistress was still grimacing earlier, but soon she went silent.
“Peach, which room did this servant work at? And what was stolen?” someone asked.
Peach shook her head. “I don’t know either! I just saw someone suspiciously carrying something and running away, and I knew that something was stolen. As a result, I trapped the thief in a sack and started beating her!”
“Hey! From the shoes and skirt, this person doesn’t seem like a servant!” Someone noted in surprise.
“Oh my, that is true! It looks like the Second Mistress!”
“Stop hitting, stop it! It is the Second Mistress!” someone cried out.
Everyone stopped, and one of them took off the black sack over her head. Everyone was flabbergasted.
The Second Mistress was beaten to a pulp, with her face swollen, and her lips bleeding.
Everyone took a step back, in utter silence.
In the crowd stood the Second Mistress’ loyal servant, Nurse Li. “Ah!” she cried and fell forward. “Second Mistress, Second mistress!”
“Someone go get the Old Master!”
A few of them sprinted to Su Wenqian’s room to bring him here, while the rest quietly backed away.
Nurse Li saw that someone was trying to get away, and immediately ordered, “No one leaves! I saw everything!”
Everyone stood still.
Su Wenqian hurriedly walked over and was astounded to see the Second Mistress beaten into this state. “What… what is going on?”
Someone reported, “It was Peach who shouted that she caught a thief, that’s why we are all here. We genuinely didn’t know it was the Second Mistress!”
Peach dropped to her knees and nervously explained, “Your servant has committed a crime! I saw someone suspiciously carrying something and trying to leave, so I thought a servant might have stolen my mistress’ jewelry. Hence, I pounced on her. Your servant has made a mistake, I didn’t know it was the Second Mistress!”
“How dare you?! You lowly being! You did this on purpose!” Nurse Li screamed furiously. She turned to Su Wenqian, wailing, “The Second Mistress has been set up by a servant and beaten into this state for no reason. Old Master, you have to uphold justice for the Second Mistress!”
“Your servant was wrong! Your servant did not do this on purpose!” Peach knelt and sobbed.
Just then, the things Second Mistress was hugging tightly rolled out of her embrace. There was an incense burner made of pure gold with red rubies on it, as well as a red wooden lacquered box with intricate carvings and 18 pearls on it. Whatever that was there was worth an insurmountable amount of money just by looking at it.
Peach picked up the items and cried, “Aren’t these part of Eldest Mistress’ dowry? Why are they here with the Second Mistress?”
Everyone gasped in shock.
Peach crawled forward, tears welling up in her eyes. She loudly claimed, “Old Master, as you can see, these things belong to the Eldest Mistress. You should have seen them before. I didn’t wrongly accuse the Second Mistress! She did steal my mistress’ dowry to sell while my mistress was away!”
“Old Master, these things were bestowed by the palace. The Second Mistress may be ignorant of the consequences, but if this was sold and the palace gets hold of the news, this household may face beheading and have our assets confiscated!”
Peach did not know if that was the case, but she purposely made it sound severe.
As expected, after she spoke, everyone’s expression changed. Even Nurse Li hung her head and stopped talking.
Su Wenqian was completely pale and aghast. Of course, he knew what happened. His second wife had brought up selling his first wife’s dowry on the previous day. He did not allow this, but he never expected that she would steal it herself!
She even got caught in the act. This was utterly embarrassing!
“Old Master, you have to uphold justice for my mistress! The Eldest Mistress is now in the palace. If the Empress Dowager knows about this, the consequences would be severe!” Peach exclaimed out loud, knowing that she has the upper hand now.
Su Wenqian frowned deeply. “Find a physician for the Second Mistress. When she regains her consciousness, I’ll explain to your mistress!”
“Yes, thank you, Old Master!” Peach kowtowed.