Cui Yunchu’s gaze lingered for a moment on their intertwined arms before she said, “Miss Chen, your family sent someone this morning to ask about your condition. I’ll have someone escort you home later.”
Shen Zilan said, “Little Aunt, it hasn’t been three days yet.”
“…”
“You don’t want her to leave?”
Chen Miaohe glared at him. “Shen Zilan, what do you mean? Do you really want me to starve to death in here?”
Shen Zilan fell silent.
Chen Miaohe pouted, and tears began to fall. “Your family has it in for me. From now on, I’m never coming here again. If it weren’t for Sister Cui, who knows how much longer I would’ve been stuck in this dark woodshed.”
She limped toward the door, and Shen Zilan silently supported her.
Cui Yunchu watched in silence as the two of them leaned against each other and helped one another out. They looked exactly like a young married couple who had fallen on hard times.
After following them out of the woodshed, Chen Miaohe suddenly stopped.
Cui Yunchu asked, “Is something wrong?”
Chen Miaohe looked at Shen Zilan. “Um… You really don’t want me to leave?”
Cui Yunchu thought, …She’s actually grown attached to their woodshed.
Shen Zilan said, “Go home and take good care of yourself. I’ll visit you in a few days.”
“Really?”
Shen Zilan nodded, then stole a glance at Cui Yunchu.
Cui Yunchu looked from one to the other, growing anxious.
At a time like this, couldn’t they stop acting so lovey-dovey?
Just then, the steward came to report, “Madam, Young Master Chen has arrived and wishes to see you.”
Chen Jiuhe!?
Cui Yunchu glanced at the two people still reluctant to part and felt a headache coming on.
“Bring him here.”
Cui Yunchu barely remembered Chen Jiuhe.
The group went to the reception hall. Before long, the steward led Chen Jiuhe inside and stood to one side, watching him with both eyes fixed on him as though he were guarding a criminal.
He remembered that this man had once been betrothed to his mistress. With the lord away from the residence, he had to keep a close watch over Madam.
Cui Yunchu noticed the steward’s stare and felt speechless. Truly, servants took after their masters.
“Madam Shen.” Chen Jiuhe lowered his head and cupped his hands in greeting.
“You needn’t be so formal, Young Master Chen. Please, sit.”
Chen Jiuhe sat down to one side. His gaze swept over Chen Miaohe, who was seated opposite him, before he said, “I’ve come today on my sister Miaohe’s behalf. She has a rather reckless nature, and the Chen family has failed to discipline her properly. She has caused trouble for Lord Shen and Madam Shen, so I’ve come to apologize on behalf of the Chen family.”
Cui Yunchu glanced at Chen Miaohe, who had lowered her head guiltily. “Even if you hadn’t come, I was planning to send someone to take Miss Chen home.”
Cui Yunchu was unfailingly polite, with all the bearing of a proper noblewoman. Chen Jiuhe stared at her in a daze, repeatedly raising his eyes to look at her.
She seemed different from before. The woman he had heard about was never quite the same as the woman he encountered in person. Each time, she was entirely different.
While he was distracted, a figure suddenly blocked his view.
Shen Zilan’s robe was wrinkled and filthy, but his back was ramrod straight. His expression was solemn, and displeasure was written all over his face.
“My Younger Uncle isn’t home. Whatever you have to say, you can say to me.”
Chen Jiuhe withdrew his gaze. “I’m here to take my sister home. Our family will discipline her properly and make certain she never comes to the Shen residence to cause trouble or entangle herself with Young Master Shen again.”
Shen Zilan fell silent.
He glanced at Chen Miaohe, who had her head lowered in guilt and shame. “This has nothing to do with her. She and I were the ones who got carried away and caused trouble.”
“The family has arranged a marriage for Miaohe. She’ll be married in a month. I won’t bring up what happened before, but from now on, I’ll keep a close eye on my sister. I also ask Young Master Shen to conduct himself appropriately and stop seeking her out.”
The moment those words were spoken, both Shen Zilan and Chen Miaohe froze.
“Brother, what did you say?” Chen Miaohe sprang to her feet. “Who am I betrothed to? When did I agree to get married?”
“The eldest son of an official from the Ministry of War. Lord Shen arranged the match. The man is of good character and comes from a respectable family. Father and Mother are very pleased.”
Shen Zilan stood there stunned, unable to react for a moment.
His Younger Uncle had arranged the match?
Why? Why hadn’t he heard anything about it? How could she be getting married so soon?
“I’m not marrying him!” Chen Miaohe exclaimed. “I don’t even know what he looks like. How can you make such a casual decision about my future without ever consulting me?”
It had been the same before, and it was the same now. In the end, her family was simply wary of the Shen family’s power and unwilling to offend them. Whatever Shen Xiabai said, they accepted without question.
Chen Jiuhe stood up. “Come home with me. Father and Mother are waiting for you.”
Chen Miaohe refused to move.
Chen Jiuhe grew angry. He glanced at Shen Zilan.
Miaohe had been running wild with him for so long and causing trouble again and again. If Shen Zilan truly had feelings for her, he would have brought up the marriage long ago instead of leaving things so vague—or allowing Shen Xiabai to come to their home and apply pressure. It was obvious that the Shen family looked down on his sister.
The Chen family might not compare to the Shen family, but they would never allow their daughter to be casually mistreated by them.
“If you refuse to come home, what are you planning to do here at the Shen residence? Continue staying in the woodshed?”
Chen Miaohe’s face went rigid, and she turned to look at Shen Zilan.
Shen Zilan seemed lost in thought, staring blankly into space.
Chen Jiuhe seized his sister by the wrist. “Come home with me.”
Heartbroken and disappointed, Chen Miaohe followed Chen Jiuhe toward the exit.
Cui Yunchu nudged Shen Zilan with her foot. “They’re leaving. Don’t you have anything to say?”
Shen Zilan’s face was twisted with hesitation and conflict, and his panic was plain to see. But by the time he made up his mind to chase after them, the Chen siblings had already left.
Cui Yunchu stood in the courtyard and watched him return, looking utterly dejected. She shook her head and sighed.
If she were Shen Zilan, she would have chased after the Chen siblings’ carriage without a second thought and taken the girl back.
Shen Zilan lowered his head, clearly in a terrible mood. “Why did my Younger Uncle arrange a match for Chen Miaohe?”
“The girl’s reputation has been ruined because of you. You refuse to marry her and won’t take responsibility, so the Shen family can’t simply ignore the matter.”
“He never asked whether I was willing to marry her.”
“What did you say?” Cui Yunchu raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing.” Shen Zilan drooped as he cupped his hands in salute, preparing to leave.
“Wait. Something has happened at the palace, and your Younger Uncle still hasn’t returned. You’re an official, so go to the palace and find out what’s going on.”
Shen Zilan immediately perked up. “Something happened? Is my Younger Uncle all right?”
Cui Yunchu shook her head. “You’ll know once you go and see for yourself. Having one more person there will make things safer.”
Realizing how serious the situation was, Shen Zilan ordered the steward to prepare a horse and hurried out of the residence.
There were many guests at the Shen residence today. Cui Yunchu had barely returned to her room when someone came to report that Princess An had arrived.
Before long, Cui Yunfeng entered the courtyard, her belly prominently round with pregnancy. The moment Cui Yunchu saw her, she felt a headache coming on.
“What are you doing here?”
Couldn’t she stay safely at the Prince An’s residence while heavily pregnant? If anything happened to her, that mad prince would come charging out and start biting people again.
Cui Yunfeng was surprisingly agile. She grabbed Cui Yunchu by the wrist and began rubbing herself against her. “I haven’t seen you in so many days. I’ve missed you. Don’t you miss me?”
“Not particularly.”
Cui Yunfeng glared at her unhappily.
Cui Yunchu spread her hands. “I’m only telling the truth. I just got married, and my husband and I still don’t have enough time to be affectionate with each other every day. Where would I find the time to miss you?”
Cui Yunfeng’s lips trembled, and she looked as though she were about to cry.
