“Brother hit You Ran?”
Shen Yunshu was utterly shocked.
“How could that be?”
He is so refined and gentlemanly; how could he possibly hit a woman?
“Is there some kind of misunderstanding?”
“It’s true,” Danruo stammered as she explained, “Earlier today, First Madam called the Eldest Young Madam over to Haitang Courtyard and said that the Young Master was to take a concubine. The Eldest Young Madam was very upset about this and even had the maids, including Qinghe, start packing her things tonight, preparing to return to Shen Fu tomorrow.”
“Later, when the Young Master came back from his bath, he slammed the door to the bedchamber so hard it shook the whole room. Not long after, the maids heard the Eldest Young Madam crying…”
Ever since First Madam brought that Meng Family Cousin into the residence, Shen Yunshu had suspected she intended to have a concubine for Pei Huaijin.
Now the truth was out in the open.
With You Ran’s fiery temperament, she would certainly cause a commotion.
But wasn’t Eldest Young Master usually very tolerant of her?
Besides, the idea of taking a concubine was difficult to accept.
He should be trying to soothe You Ran, yet instead of calming her down, it had escalated to the point of hitting?
Shen Yunshu’s heart was three parts doubtful, seven parts convinced.
She told Danruo to wait in the main hall and returned to her room to change.
It concerned You Ran—no matter what, she had to go see for herself.
Pei Huaian was still on the bed, warming the blankets for her.
Seeing her return, he didn’t lie back but instead opened the wardrobe to change.
Sitting up, he asked, “You’re going out?”
“Yes, something’s happened between You Ran and Eldest Young Master. I’m going to check on it.”
“What happened?”
“They had a quarrel, maybe something worse…”
Although she still found it hard to believe the well-mannered Eldest Young Master would hit someone, Danruo was no liar.
Pei Huaian climbed off the bed and dressed quickly.
“I’ll go with you.”
“It’s snowing outside, and you’re injured. Lie back down…”
“It’s nothing serious.”
Pei Huaian insisted on accompanying her.
Shen Yunshu couldn’t refuse and helped him wrap a thick cloak around him before they braved the snow outside Ci You Courtyard.
On the way to Yunzhi Courtyard, Pei Huaian asked about the cause of the quarrel, and Danruo repeated the story.
Learning it was because First Madam wanted Eldest Young Master to take a concubine, Pei Huaian, using his increasingly sharp mind, guessed First Madam’s true intent.
“Perhaps First Madam isn’t trying to have the cousin as a concubine but is using this as a ploy to force You Ran away from Eldest Young Master so the cousin can become his official wife…”
Shen Yunshu realized this too: Although the Meng Family Cousin wasn’t as prestigious as You Ran, she wasn’t from a minor house, and First Madam favored her greatly.
How could she bear to let her be a concubine?
Moreover, First Madam brought up taking a concubine now because she learned that the person kidnapped by bandits was You Ran.
Already disliking You Ran, she wouldn’t want a “tainted” daughter-in-law.
If You Ran didn’t see through this and insisted on divorcing Pei Huaijin, she would be playing right into First Madam’s hands.
You Ran’s voice, recently recovered, suddenly turned hoarse again.
Pei Huaijin, worried for her, stopped for a moment and sat her up, pulling her into his embrace and gently patting her back to help her rest.
She was sweating heavily, clinging to his neck and leaning against his shoulder, breathing shallowly.
Her dazed mind slowly returned to clarity as she watched his Adam’s apple bobbing with restraint.
It was clearly her who was exerting herself, yet she felt utterly exhausted while he showed no sign of fatigue.
Despite the exhaustion, the moment was genuinely pleasant.
No wonder the novels often say a single night of intimacy is worth a thousand gold, or that the night is fleeting and one must seize it, or the euphoric confusion of lovers lost to the world…
Unable to resist any longer, Pei Huaijin shifted slightly and stroked her sweat-soaked body.
“Rested enough?”
You Ran let out a soft murmur and shyly bit his shoulder.
“Not yet, tell me to rest some more.”
“You’re so weak, must be because you don’t exercise enough. When I return from Songzhou, we’ll do morning exercises together every day.”
You Ran snorted.
“If you make me get up early, I’ll just stay at my mother’s house and never come back.”
That was true; for someone as fond of sleep as she was, early mornings were a challenge.
“Fine. If morning exercises aren’t possible, then we’ll practice more at night…”
Practice more at night?
She thought about how he had already made her recite lessons in the evening, and now he wanted her to exercise at night as well?
Just as she was about to scold him, he suddenly pressed her down, and only then did she realize what he meant by exercising at night…
Outside the bedchamber, Qinghe finally saw Danruo returning with reinforcements.
“Qinghe, how is it inside?”
Danruo asked anxiously.
“The Young Madam’s voice was hoarse from crying earlier but has quieted now. I hear the Young Master speaking—he must be comforting her. But he did hit her for quite a long time, and she’s still sniffling occasionally…”
Pei Huaian was shocked.
“Eldest Young Master really hit her? And for that long?”
Qinghe nodded emphatically.
The couple exchanged a glance.
Shen Yunshu said to Qinghe, “Knock and announce us when you do.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Qinghe followed orders, pounding on the door loudly.
“Young Master, Young Madam, Seventh Young Master and Seven Young Madam are here!”
The sound reached inside, making the two inside startle.
At this hour?
Why did they come?
You Ran, originally weak and soft, tensed instantly and whispered to Pei Huaijin, “What should we do?”
Their intense embrace made Pei Huaijin sigh, then he steadied his voice and called outside, “We have already rested. If there’s something, speak tomorrow.”
Unexpectedly, the two outside had already been waiting at the door.
“Eldest Young Master, come out for a moment, I have something to tell you…”
It was Pei Huaian’s voice, followed by Shen Yunshu’s, “You Ran, are you asleep?”
The familiar scene reminded Pei Huaijin of their wedding night, when halfway through, they had come knocking.
That time was understandable, but this time…
The woman in his arms was already upright, supporting herself on his shoulders, trying to get up.
But their night was not yet finished.
How could he let her go?
The soft body had only moved half an inch before he pressed her back down.
Caught off guard, You Ran sat down heavily.
Just as she instinctively tilted her head and opened her mouth to call out, he silenced her with his lips.
Outside, there was no response, and those waiting didn’t know what to do.
Pei Huaian, unable to stay calm, knocked on the door again.
“Eldest Young Master, Eldest Young Master…”
Still no answer.
Very unusual.
“Eldest Young Master, please open the door. I really have something important to say.”
The knocking grew more urgent, and the plum blossom canopy swayed violently.
The plum blossom canopy had been replaced only a few days ago; the embroidered flowers danced gracefully in the gusty wind and rain, blooming fully as the storm ceased.
You Ran’s back tingled like it had been struck by lightning.
Trembling, she blossomed with the plum blossoms while Pei Huaijin’s tongue silenced her voice completely.
“Eldest Young Master, if you don’t come out soon, I will, I will…”
Pei Huaijin hugged her tightly and reached for a thin cord beside the bedpost, pulling it.
The clear chime of a bell immediately sounded outside.
The knocking abruptly stopped.
Pei Huaijin exhaled heavily and coldly demanded, “What is so urgent that it can’t wait until morning?”
There was still no reply.
Outside, the four stood frozen—the two couples exchanging glances.
They all understood what the bell meant.
Beside Shen Yunshu’s bed was a similar cord, running along the post and into the next room, ending with a bell.
She had never used it.
So, You Ran and Eldest Young Master hadn’t had a fight at all; in fact, things had gone quite well.
Eldest Young Master didn’t hit her, and You Ran hadn’t cried.
It was two foolish maids who had misunderstood.
Shen Yunshu and Pei Huaian looked at each other, then simultaneously turned to Danruo and Qinghe.
The two maids finally realized: tonight, the Eldest Young Madam and Young Master had truly consummated their marriage…
What to do, what to do?
Their well-meaning but misguided interference had nearly ruined their masters’ night.
Danruo was so frightened her voice trembled as she apologized to Pei Huaian and Shen Yunshu.
“S-sorry, we’re at fault…”
Pei Huaian pointed at them, teeth clenched.
“What can I say? You caused this mess; you clean it up yourselves.”
Then he called inside, “Eldest Young Master, it’s nothing serious. We’ll leave first.”
He pulled Shen Yunshu’s hand.
“My lady, we shouldn’t stay here.”
Shen Yunshu’s face burned with embarrassment, and without concern for decorum, she let Pei Huaian drag her swiftly away.
Inside the room, Pei Huaijin still heard no response and asked, “Why are you silent? Weren’t you going to say something important? You seemed so desperate to barge in, but now you’re quiet.”
“Y-Young Master,” Danruo’s voice came, thin and trembling, like it was squeezed from her throat, “Seventh Young Master and Seven Young Madam…have already left.”
“Hah!”
Pei Huaijin nearly laughed with anger.
So the reason Young Master Seven and Seven Young Madam risked the snowstorm to come to Yunzhi Courtyard at night was just to interrupt their consummation?
The woman in his arms was now as soft as spring water, weakly breathing and still trembling.
Since those outside had gone, Pei Huaijin didn’t separate from her immediately.
He held her close, leaning against the bed frame, wiping the sweat and tears from her face.
Danruo and Qinghe soon brought two basins of hot water.
Qinghe was too scared to look around, but Danruo boldly peeked inside the canopy.
The winter curtains were thick, revealing only a vague silhouette.
They were embracing face to face, their forms merging inside the canopy.
Danruo blushed deeply, quickly withdrawing her gaze, setting down the water and towels, and preparing to leave with Qinghe.
“Wait.”
The Young Master inside called after them.
Danruo thought he was going to punish them and nearly knelt to apologize, but then she heard his slightly hoarse, calm voice: “Tell the kitchen to boil more hot water and send it to the washroom.”
Both he and You Ran were sweating profusely, especially You Ran, who was soaked like a fish freshly pulled from water.
A simple basin bath wouldn’t be enough; a proper wash would make her feel much better.
The maids left to carry out the order, while Pei Huaijin waited until You Ran’s breathing steadied before carefully slipping out from the canopy and placing her on the inner side of the bed’s dry sheets.
He put on a garment, went downstairs for the water, and began to gently wipe her clean…
You Ran wanted to help, but lacking strength, she lazily let him tend to her, embarrassed but helpless.
Afterwards, he pulled the quilt up to cover her, cleaned himself off, and returned to her side, reaching to pull her back into his embrace.
Her temples were damp, and her body sticky and unwilling to cling to him.
She turned over, facing away.
“I haven’t bathed yet. I don’t want to…”
He kissed her moist cheek.
“We were a bit rushed earlier. Did you enjoy yourself?”
You Ran was too embarrassed to admit she had enjoyed it very much, so she only mumbled, “Mm, it was okay…”
“Oh? Then it wasn’t enough.”
His voice, still charged with desire and warmth, whispered into her ear, “Since we’ll be bathing later, why not…”
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, lifting her waist, and found the perfect position once more.
The canopy stirred gently again.