Pei Huaijin and Shen Youran returned to the third floor and told Qing Jian about his official trip to Shuizhou, instructing him to rest and recover at the Medical Hall. By the time Pei Huaijin returned from Shuizhou, his wounds should be mostly healed, and then he would bring him back to the Shen Residence for the New Year.
After leaving the Medical Hall, the sky was still bright. Pei Huaijin took Shen Youran to stroll through a few shops in the city, carefully choosing gifts for the elders and children of the Shen Residence. They arrived at the Shen Residence just before dusk and happened to meet Shen Father returning from the Official Residence.
“Father!” Shen Youran happily ran to her father’s side as soon as she stepped off the carriage.
“My dear daughter, and my worthy son-in-law, what brings you here at this hour?” Shen Tingyu looked at Pei Huaijin approaching him, while behind him Dan Ruo and Qing He were busy carrying luggage. “And who are these…?”
“Father-in-law,” Pei Huaijin came forward and bowed properly, “I’m bringing Youran back to stay for a few days.”
Shen Tingyu glanced at the bundles Dan Ruo and Qing He carried. It didn’t seem like just a short visit.
He recalled that when Youran came home for the wedding, he had told this Pei Family’s Dalang that their third daughter was spoiled by him. If he couldn’t raise her properly, he could send her back to Shen Residence, and as her father, he would teach her. If he wasn’t satisfied, he could even return his precious daughter.
Could it be… that she was really sent back to him?
Shen Tingyu felt half happy, half puzzled. “Why, all of a sudden, are you coming back to live here?”
“Father-in-law, please don’t jump to conclusions. Let’s go inside first; I will explain everything slowly…”
Leaving the explanations to Pei Huaijin, Shen Youran led Dan Ruo and Qing He excitedly back to the courtyard where she used to live.
Her return was so sudden that the stepmother Wei Shi, upon hearing the news, personally brought some maids over to help tidy up the yard and rooms.
After the two sisters married out, the courtyard had remained empty.
Shen Tingyu had arranged for someone to clean the third young lady’s courtyard every three to five days, just in case she was not welcomed by her in-laws and sent back, so she could move in at any time.
Recently, Shen Tingyu had also asked Wei Shi to have the servants keep the eldest young lady’s courtyard clean. After what happened to the eldest, it was uncertain if one day she might divorce the Pei Family’s seventh young master.
Thinking that the one who returned first was the third young lady, Wei Shi saw that Youran’s face was radiant, without a hint of worry. It didn’t look like she had been “rejected.” She asked, “Youran, why did you suddenly want to come back and live here?”
“It’s nothing, I just missed home. Don’t think too much of it. I’ll only stay for a while before going back…”
Since Shen Youran and Wei Shi were not biological mother and daughter, Youran never confided anything truly personal to her. Wei Shi smiled awkwardly and didn’t ask further.
In the front courtyard, Pei Huaijin and Shen Tingyu drank tea in the flower hall, and Pei Huaijin began to explain the reasons for bringing Shen Youran back to stay.
Since he was Youran’s husband, Pei Huaijin spoke frankly: “Father-in-law, actually, the person kidnapped by bandits recently was not my seventh sister-in-law but Youran…”
Pei Huaijin deliberately omitted Lu Yi’s involvement and told him the whole story. “Xiao Ci mentioned that the Dali Temple might frequently ask about Youran. If she stayed at the Pei Family’s, the officials from Dali Temple would come to visit often, which could raise suspicion among the family. It’s more convenient if she stays at the Shen Residence…”
“There is one more thing I dare not hide, Father-in-law. Youran is only a few years older than me, and my mother is eager for grandchildren. Since Youran is still young, she thinks it’s inappropriate for her to get pregnant now and wants me to take a concubine. I have refused. If my mother sends someone to ask Youran to return, please do not agree. I will personally come to fetch her back after I return from Shuizhou…”
Shen Tingyu was shocked to hear that it was his third daughter who was kidnapped, and when Pei Huaijin mentioned the concubine matter, he thought he was testing his attitude: “Speak honestly to me. Since Youran was kidnapped, do you harbor any resentment?”
“Father-in-law, you worry too much. Youran’s survival is the greatest blessing. Everything else I do not care about…”
Still unconvinced, Shen Tingyu tested him further, “Taking concubines is common in officialdom, and you hold a high position. If you wish to take a concubine, I wouldn’t say much.”
“Rest assured, Father-in-law, I have absolutely no intention of taking a concubine,” Pei Huaijin said firmly. “If one day I do cause Youran any grievance because of taking a concubine, I will leave her to your disposal.”
Only then did Shen Tingyu relax and pat his shoulder: “Don’t worry tonight, let’s drink well, just the two of us…”
“My thoughts exactly.”
After the rooms were tidied, Wei Shi left with the servants. Shortly after, Pei Huaijin returned.
“Have you explained everything to my father?” Shen Youran asked.
“Yes.”
“How did you explain it?”
“He is your father; I trust him. I told him about your kidnapping and also mentioned the concubine matter with Mother.”
“You told him about the concubine matter too?”
“When you came home, Mother wasn’t pleased to see you, so I thought I couldn’t hide it from your father.”
“Then if I stay at my parents’, won’t that embarrass Mother?”
“It’s more about her suspecting your integrity. If you hadn’t made a fuss this time, she probably wouldn’t have let you go so easily. Just rest here and wait for me to come get you…”
“Mm.” Pei Huaijin asked with concern, “Is your waist uncomfortable?”
“It’s nothing. It’s just a side effect after the acupuncture. It’ll get better soon.”
“The needle is still inside, isn’t it?” Shen Youran quickly glanced toward his back but then looked away. “How could your waist hurt?”
“The Langzhong said so. It’s not pain, just a bit of soreness.”
Shen Youran helped him onto the bed and told him to take off his coat and shoes. “Lie face down. I’ll massage your waist.”
Pei Huaijin didn’t refuse her kindness and allowed her to massage him.
Shen Youran took off her shoes and sat cross-legged beside him, pressing and rubbing his waist. “Is this pressure okay?”
The muscles on his waist and back were tight, and her hands were soft and small. She was not good at sewing or needlework and had never done a proper massage before. Her random kneading felt like a cat scratching—rather than easing the soreness, it tickled instead.
“It’s okay,” he said.
Okay, meaning not really okay.
Last night, when she asked if he enjoyed himself, he also said “okay,” and that was how she understood it.
Then Shen Youran changed her approach, clenched her fist, and started pounding: “How about this?”
“Much better.” That had more strength.
She alternated fists for a while and within fifteen minutes ran out of energy. Her strength lessened as she stopped. Pei Huaijin noticed her fatigue and turned over, grabbing her hand: “Enough, that’s good. Thank you for your effort…”
It still wasn’t great, but Pei Huaijin thought it would improve by nightfall and didn’t worry.
That evening, the kitchen prepared a table of Shen Youran’s favorite dishes. She accompanied her father and Pei Huaijin in having a few drinks before focusing on eating.
After she finished, seeing her father and Pei Huaijin engrossed in their drinking, she returned alone to the courtyard.
Although it was her own boudoir for sixteen years, now that she was somewhere new, she surprisingly didn’t feel sleepy.
Besides, Pei Huaijin was leaving for Shuizhou tomorrow. He clearly planned to spend a good night with her, and although she was tired last night, she had to admit he had taken good care of her—just wished the frequency hadn’t been so high.
Dan Ruo came in to tell her the bath water was ready. Shen Youran was distractedly heading to the Jingfang when she encountered Pei Huaijin being supported back.
He reeked of alcohol. Shen Youran thought he was heavily drunk and helped him back to the bedroom to rest.
Unexpectedly, he suddenly stopped and pulled her into his arms. “Father-in-law was in high spirits tonight. If I hadn’t pretended to be drunk, he wouldn’t have let me go back…”
Though not completely drunk, he was tipsy, losing some of his usual calm and gaining some of that carefree drunkenness. “Going to bathe? Together.”
Recalling what happened in the Jingfang last night, Shen Youran poked him sharply: “No way. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking…”
Pei Huaijin teased, “Oh? What am I thinking?”
She shot him a sidelong glance, and once inside the Jingfang, she pushed him out.
The positions from last night’s Jingfang were truly too much for her to bear; she wasn’t willing to try again.
Since they were still at the Shen Residence, Pei Huaijin dared not force her. After sending her in, he waited outside to air out the alcohol scent.
The sound of water was clear and gentle, and Pei Huaijin couldn’t help but picture her smooth, soft skin as it was bathed.
Closing his eyes, he sighed and wondered how a man as steady and reserved as himself could suddenly lose control like this.
Because they bathed three times last night, tonight Shen Youran only took a quick bath.
Pei Huaijin bathed even faster. Less than fifteen minutes after he returned to the room, he was back, still damp with steam.
To avoid being overheard by the little maids, Shen Youran told them to stay outside.
Everything was well-prepared tonight, but halfway through, Pei Huaijin suddenly grabbed his waist and stopped.
He hadn’t told Shen Youran that the Langzhong warned him of some discomfort after the acupuncture, advising no intimacy for three days. But since he was leaving for Shuizhou tomorrow, he didn’t want to waste tonight’s time and pushed himself through.
Unexpectedly, after only fifteen minutes, his waist ached and drained his strength.
Shen Youran was forced to snap out of her daze. Seeing him clutching his waist and frowning in pain, she immediately understood.
She wanted to tell him to stop, but after being so well cared for, she couldn’t back out now.
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whimpered, “Rest a moment… will that help?”
Rest a moment… that would hardly be enough.
Stopping now was unbearable, not just for Shen Youran.
Pei Huaijin’s whole body was burning with desire, shouting to continue, but his waist ached with a dull pain. He hugged her tightly, rolled over, and shifted to be on top.
Shen Youran hadn’t even reacted yet when he was already above her.
The deeper connection made her let out a muffled moan.
Pei Huaijin supported her waist and told her to sit up.
But how was that possible?
It was even harder to bear than last night in the Jingfang.
Shen Youran trembled as she straightened her body, but before long, she softened and leaned back, wrapping her arms around his neck, refusing to sit up. “No, I can’t do it.”
His large hands still firmly held her waist. He kissed her ear, “You can…”
Encouraged by him, Shen Youran slowly adapted. In the end, she propped herself up on her arms and shakily sat up.
Still dazed, she asked, “Th-then, what do I do?”
With eyes brimming like tides, he gazed at her: “Wife, have you ever rowed a boat?”