Pei Huaijin carried the person into the mansion, and Shen Yunshu took the medicine from Pei Huaian’s hand, saying to him, “Go back and change your clothes, then go to Chunxuan Hall to pay respects to Grand Madam. She has been very concerned about you these past couple of days since you’ve been away.”
“Alright.”
Pei Huaian looked wistful, dragging his heavy footsteps as he went inside.
Shen Yunshu carried the medicine and quickened her pace to catch up with Pei Huaijin and her younger sister.
After arriving at Yunzhi Courtyard, she instructed Danruo to help her sister wash up and change clothes.
Then she took out two more doses of medicine and handed them to Qinghe, telling her to bring them to the kitchen for decoction.
Only after that did she approach Pei Huaijin.
“Big Brother, I have something to discuss with you…”
Pei Huaijin led her to the study.
The door was left open, with Qingjian waiting outside, while the other maids had been sent away.
Shen Yunshu relayed the old doctor’s words from the clinic and subtly expressed her suspicions.
“Big Brother, You Ran said that everything she has eaten these days was sent from the kitchen. Could it be that someone in the kitchen carelessly added some extremely cold ingredients to the food? If we can’t get to the bottom of this, and the elders accidentally consume the same, the consequences could be unimaginable…”
Both were intelligent; there was no need to say it outright.
Pei Huaijin understood her true meaning.
“She’s been wronged. From now on, I’ll have someone keep a close watch on the kitchen.”
Yunshu nodded slightly.
“Thank you, Big Brother. I’ll head back now.”
“Oh, by the way, I visited the Xiao Family this morning and chatted with Xiao Ci for a while…”
Hearing this, Shen Yunshu stopped in her tracks.
“The abduction case is showing signs of progress. Lu Yi is indeed a suspect. The Fuyamen is secretly dispatching people to gather evidence.”
Shen Yunshu felt quietly pleased and hoped, “I hope the Fuyamen can arrest him soon…”
After visiting her sister’s room, Shen Yunshu left Yunzhi Courtyard.
When she returned to Ci You Courtyard, Pei Huaian had just changed clothes and was about to go to Chunxuan Hall to pay respects to Grand Madam.
He must have bathed; his body still carried the fresh, sweet scent of soapberries.
Since she had no urgent matters at the moment, she accompanied him to Chunxuan Hall.
The old madam scolded the mischievous youngest grandson sternly, even threatening to use the family discipline.
Pei Huaian, thick-skinned, took the scolding with a cheeky grin, acting apologetic by pounding his legs and squeezing his shoulders, eventually coaxing a smile from Grand Madam and avoiding punishment.
“Go see your grandfather. His episodes have been getting more frequent lately.”
“Yes, Grandmother.”
Shen Yunshu intended to go with him to visit Old Master Pei, but was called back by Pei Laofuren.
“Yunshu, stay a while longer and keep me company.”
“Yes.”
Shen Yunshu sat back down, her expression calm as she looked at her.
Pei Laofuren deliberately sent the youngest grandson away because there were matters she didn’t want him to overhear.
“Yunshu, I heard that you and the seventh young master have been sleeping in separate rooms?”
Yunshu’s heart tightened, guessing the old madam’s intention in summoning her alone.
“Yes, since neither of us truly loves the other, we need time to adjust.”
“Your grandmother understands the distance between you, but now that you’ve both accepted this marriage, it’s not right to keep things like this,” Pei Laofuren said earnestly.
“You’re two years older and more sensible. Why don’t you take the initiative? Look at your elder brother. By the second day of his marriage, he had moved back into the main room. Things are going well now. You should learn from him.”
“Yes, granddaughter-in-law will obey Grandmother and have Seventh Young Master move to the main room tonight.”
Fortunately, she had anticipated this and had a Luo Han Bed installed in the bridal chamber earlier, replacing the screen with a six-panel painted screen.
With one sleeping on the bed and the other on the couch, separated by the screen, it wouldn’t be too awkward.
Seeing her so obedient, Pei Laofuren showed a satisfied look and continued, “Your grandfather’s condition worsens day by day, and his lucid moments grow fewer. A few days ago, while he was still clear-headed, he told me he didn’t know when he’d be able to hold the children of both Huaijin and Huaian…”
The old madam sighed.
“Huaijin is no longer young; he should have started a family earlier. But his wife is too young, so she can only wait another year or two before having children. Now it depends on you and Seventh Young Master. The third branch has only one son and lacks heirs. You must work hard to give the branch more descendants…”
Shen Yunshu’s eyes widened briefly, then she lowered them to hide her unease, still managing to stay composed.
“Yes, Grandmother, granddaughter-in-law has noted that.”
She silently thanked heaven that the Fuyamen had already begun investigating Lu Yi.
It wouldn’t be long before the abduction case was solved, and then she could leave the Pei family early.
Otherwise, she didn’t know how much longer she would have to endure this pressure to bear children.
“Grandmother, granddaughter-in-law wishes to visit Grandfather as well…”
Fearing that more lies would only deepen Grand Madam’s disappointment when she left the Pei household, Shen Yunshu sought an excuse to depart.
“You’re such a filial child. Seventh Young Master is lucky to have married you. He will realize your goodness one day.”
Pei Laofuren nodded approvingly. “Go ahead.”
Shen Yunshu stood, bowed, and headed toward the back of the main hall.
The back courtyard of Chunxuan Hall was quiet and simple.
After the maids swept away fallen leaves, they busily moved chrysanthemums from the corridor out to sunbathe.
In the courtyard stood a pomegranate tree, at least ten years old.
The low-hanging fruits had been picked clean, leaving only a few large, bright red pomegranates high up on the branches, hard to reach.
When Shen Yunshu arrived, Pei Huaian was being directed by Old Master Pei to climb the tree and pick pomegranates.
“More to the right. Yes, that one — that’s the best…”
Pei Huaian carefully stepped along the thinning branches, inching forward to reach the fruit Old Master Pei pointed out.
Shen Yunshu watched anxiously from below.
“Be careful.”
His slender fingers inched closer to the pomegranate. Pei Huaian took another step forward and finally grabbed the entire fruit, pulling down hard—
Suddenly, there was a crack.
The branch underfoot snapped along with the pomegranate being plucked, and he tumbled down with the fruit.
“Are you alright?”
Shen Yunshu hurried over to check.
Pei Huaian shielded the pomegranate with his hands and stood amidst the broken branches, brushing dust off.
“I’m fine. The tree’s not tall.”
It seemed he hadn’t injured any tendons or bones, only some scrapes on his hand and face.
He carried the pomegranate over to Old Master Pei.
“Here, Grandfather.”
The old man accepted it but then handed it to a servant.
“Take this pomegranate to An Ge’er to eat. He loves pomegranates…”
It seemed the old master was getting confused again.
Pei Huaian was used to this and gave the servant a knowing glance.
The servant took the fruit and pretended to deliver it.
Old Master Pei shot him a look of reproach.
“I told you to pick a pomegranate, but you broke a whole branch off my tree. Clean it up quickly and go apply medicine.”
Pei Huaian exchanged a helpless look with Shen Yunshu.
The old master folded his arms and leisurely walked away.
Noticing a pomegranate still hanging on the broken branch, Shen Yunshu picked it and handed it to him.
“Let’s go back and treat your wounds.”
Pei Huaian took the fruit dumbfounded.
“Why are you giving me this?”
“Didn’t Grandfather say you love pomegranates?”
“Grandfather’s confused. I’ve never liked pomegranates since I was little. They’re too troublesome because of the seeds.”
“Is that so? Then give it back to me.”
Shen Yunshu tried to take the pomegranate back, but Pei Huaian dodged and laughed.
“Once it’s given, there’s no taking it back.”
“But you said you don’t like to eat it…”
“I don’t eat it, but I like to fiddle with it.”
Shen Yunshu smiled and glanced at him.
“Suit yourself.”
The two walked side by side through the front hall and out of Chunxuan Hall, following the corridor back to Ci You Courtyard.
“Grandmother told me something to do, but I can’t do it alone. I need your help.”
Pei Huaian casually balanced the pomegranate in his hand.
“What is it?”
“She wants us to share a room…”
Pei Huaian dropped the pomegranate in shock; it rolled far across the ground.
He turned and looked at her in disbelief, his words stumbling, “That kind of thing…me help you? That’s… not really appropriate, right? We’re not…”
Shen Yunshu suddenly realized her phrasing had been off and blushed.
“I don’t mean sharing a bed like that. I just don’t want us to sleep in separate rooms anymore. From now on, you sleep in the main room at night, alright?”
“…”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already arranged the room. I’ll sleep on the Luo Han Couch, and you on the bed. A screen will separate us so neither of us can see the other.”
“But…”
The thought of sharing a room with her made him unexpectedly happy at first, but then he thought of a major problem: he often had vivid dreams at night, and after such dreams, his clothes would be soaked.
Aside from Qing Wu, no one knew this secret.
If she found out by sharing a room…
“No, no, I can’t sleep in the same room as you.”
He refused repeatedly.
Shen Yunshu thought she had planned it well and expected him to agree, but his reaction surprised her.