Chapter 23(1/2): Come up, fell into his arms

“Tease you?”

Pei Huaijin’s gaze deepened, laced with a hint of disbelief. “How exactly did she tease you?”

“She asked me to show her some lightness skills. I refused, so then she wanted me to do a backflip………………”

This young madam really had patience.

She had pressed him at the window for a whole hour, and in the end, he couldn’t resist and gave her a full set of fist techniques.

Only then was she satisfied enough to return and rest.

Pei Huaijin laughed after hearing this.

“Oh, so she was just making a monkey dance?”

Qingjian’s face darkened.

“All right,” Pei Huaijin patted his shoulder.

“I’ll go see her and say a few words on your behalf………………”

“The young madam isn’t in her room,” Qingjian replied.

“You just lifted her house arrest, and she ran out immediately.”

She ran off pretty fast.

In this huge Pei Mansion, the only place she could have gone was probably the Ci You Courtyard where Shen Yunshu stayed.

After two days of house arrest, she must have been full of grievances she wanted to share with her sister.

He had heard this morning that Seventh Young Master had gone out early again and wouldn’t be back before dark.

Since Seventh Young Master wasn’t at Ci You Courtyard, Pei Huaijin didn’t rush to call her back.

Ci You Courtyard.

When Shen Youran entered, the kitchen staff had just delivered the evening meal.

Tinglan was arranging the dishes, and her sister stood under the corridor, feeding a small, exquisite Huamian Bird.

It was Shen Youran’s first time visiting Ci You Courtyard.

Upon entering, she was amazed by the exquisite and delicate arrangement—the green bamboo and pines, colorful flowers and trees, creating a unique charm.

At this season, the Autumn Chrysanthemums and Wenxin Orchids bloomed beautifully, and there were over a dozen pots of Changshou Flowers in full bloom, filling the air with fragrance………………

She hadn’t realized before, but compared to Yunzhi Courtyard, this place felt like a fairyland.

This was the garden she had dreamed of.

If there hadn’t been a Marriage Swap, she would be the one enjoying the flowers and teasing birds here.

ASOS……

“Sister, I was under house arrest, and you didn’t come to see me, but you still have time to play with birds?”

Shen Youran pouted and hugged her sister, her face full of grievance.

Shen Yunshu quickly wrapped her arms around her younger sister, explaining, “No, it’s just that the bird was noisy and bothering me, so I came to feed it………………”

“Sister, you have no idea how unreasonable Pei Huaian has been,” Shen Youran complained.

“It’s bad enough he put me under house arrest, but he also made me eat leftovers…”

“He made you eat leftovers?”

Shen Yunshu was surprised he would do such a thing and asked concernedly, “What happened?”

“How should I know? Early this morning, he had someone bring me leftovers. He said that if I could drink that thick, indistinguishable starchy soup, eating leftovers shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Wait, what’s this starchy soup about?”

“Just the night before last. I was starving, and Seventh Young Master took me to the kitchen to find something to eat. Since there was nothing, he made me a pot of starchy soup. It was horrible, but I was so hungry I drank almost half a bowl……………”

Pei Huaian had already explained that night’s events to her.

Shen Yunshu only knew that he saw her starving and made her some food casually—it turned out it was that starchy soup.

Thinking it over, Shen Yunshu pieced together the full story.

“It must have been the night you were starving. Pei Da Lang feared you’d harm yourself from hunger, so he ordered food sent to you. But you had sneaked out with Seventh Young Master and didn’t get the good food; instead, you ate that terrible soup. Pei Da Lang must have been jealous, so he deliberately reheated the leftover food from that night and sent it to you………………”

“Jealous? What’s there to be jealous about? He doesn’t even like me………………”

“But I heard, last night……………”

Shen Yunshu sent away the maid beside her before continuing softly, “He stayed overnight in your room?”

At this mention, Shen Youran got even angrier.

“That old stick-in-the-mud has no sense of romance at all. Matters of the heart should be natural; how can he force things?”

“Heavens!”

Shen Yunshu gasped, “He forced you?”

Seeing her sister’s face fall, Shen Youran knew what she was thinking and quickly explained.

“No, no, not that kind of force. It’s just…”

She frowned, trying to find the right words.

“He seems to know I strongly resist him, so he purposely does certain things to draw us closer.”

“So what exactly did he do?”

Shen Youran recounted everything that had happened that morning.

After listening, Shen Yunshu pondered for a moment and surprisingly agreed with his methods.

“Actually, what he’s doing isn’t all bad. You keep pushing him away, but he’s actively trying to shorten the distance between you two. If he stayed frozen in place, when could you really accept each other?”

“But at least he shouldn’t say it out loud! Once he says it, there’s no romance left.”

“I think being open and straightforward like this isn’t bad either……………”

Shen Youran’s face fell as she let go of her sister’s arms, staring at her for a long moment before saying, “So that means you two really are a perfect match, but I ruined it……”

“Don’t say that,” Shen Yunshu gently stroked her little sister’s tearful face.

“The Marriage Swap isn’t your fault.”

Shen Youran insisted, “It is my fault!”

It was all because she got involved with her Lu family stepbrother that this mess arose.

“Really, it’s not your fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me.”

Shen Yunshu pinched her cheek and took her hand.

“Since it’s come to this, we have to look forward. Didn’t you say you’ve been eating leftovers all day? The dishes in my courtyard are fresh today. Stay and eat with me………………”

Dinner.

Shen Youran’s eyes brimmed with tears as she whimpered in grievance, “Since last night until now, I haven’t had a single good meal.”

“Coincidentally, today I asked the kitchen to make your favorite Crab Stuffed Orange. Eat plenty later………………”

Danruo and Tinglan washed their hands and stood by their mistresses to help crack the crabs.

Shen Youran took a few bites of the other dishes first, then held her chopsticks, waiting patiently for the crab meat.

After the crabs were ready, she told Danruo and Tinglan to eat as well and not to keep waiting on her.

“Sister, actually, the reason I came over tonight is to tell you something very important.”

With her own sister, she didn’t have to follow the rule of “no talking while eating,” so she whispered while eating, “Pei Huaian is going to become a monk.”

Shen Yunshu burst out laughing, “No way! Where did you hear that? He’s a playboy who enjoys life. How could he give up all that joy to retreat into a monastery?”

Seeing her sister’s disbelief, Shen Youran grew anxious.

“It’s true! He said it himself—I heard it with my own ears!”

“Oh? What did he say?”

Shen Youran recalled, “I guessed it first because I smelled sandalwood on him and figured he’d been to a temple. He told me he was at the temple listening to the monks chant. But why would he go to a temple on the second day of the Xin Hua? I asked if he wanted to become a monk. He dodged the question and said no matter whether he became a monk or not, I wouldn’t be left a widow………………”

Although Pei Huaian swore to her under pressure that he wouldn’t become a monk, she clearly felt he didn’t say it sincerely.

“He also told me not to tell anyone. I haven’t even told Pei Huaijin, but you’re my sister and now his wife, so I had to tell you……………

Seeing her sister’s serious expression, Shen Yunshu felt she was taking the matter to heart and relaxed slightly, scooping up another bite of crab roe.

Before long, Shen Youran finished the crab on her plate.

Seeing her love for the dish, Shen Yunshu handed over her own untouched crab meat.

Shen Youran didn’t hesitate and continued eating heartily.

“……”

“Hm?”

“You tell me, why exactly would Pei Huaian want to become a monk?”

Though nothing was certain yet, Shen Youran had already made up her mind.

“I can’t guess yet, but if he really is thinking that way, it’s probably related to the Marriage Swap.”

“So he wants to reject the Marriage Swap by escaping from the marriage to you?”

“No, I talked to him about it. He’s accepted the Marriage Swap.”

Besides, the He Li Shu has already been signed.

It wouldn’t make sense for him to make a fuss about becoming a monk now.

“Then why?”

Shen Youran was troubled.

“Could it be because he loves me but can’t have me, so he wants to become a monk?”

She hadn’t believed there were people who’d do crazy things for love like in storybooks, but after suspecting Lu Yi’s possible role in the abduction, she believed such obsessive people existed—people driven mad by feelings they couldn’t see or touch.

Shen Yunshu glanced at her innocent-looking sister and found it cute.

“Maybe it’s because you’re just very good.”

Shen Youran doubted her sister was being sarcastic.

“I’m lazy and greedy, how am I good?”

“You don’t even know how good you are………………at playing!”

Shen Youran snorted.

“I knew you were teasing me…………………”

After dinner in her sister’s courtyard, Shen Youran dragged her sister to stroll around the garden until night fully fell, unwilling to leave.

Shen Yunshu finally urged, “It’s late; you should go rest. We’ll have time to talk more when we return to your family tomorrow.”

“But I don’t want to go back………………”

Shen Youran clung to her sister’s hand, whining, “Sister, can I sleep with you tonight?”

“We’re both married now. We can’t be like before we left home.”

Seeing her sister dawdle unwillingly, Shen Yunshu guessed the reason immediately, “Are you afraid of Pei Da Lang?”

“Yeah,” Shen Youran lowered her head.

“He made me copy the fourth chapter of The Etiquette for Women ten times today. I haven’t written a single word yet.”

“I see…”

Compared to fainting her mother-in-law on the first day of the Xin Hua and sneaking out with Seventh Young Master late at night, copying The Etiquette for Women was a light punishment.

Besides, it wasn’t the whole book—just the fourth chapter, less than two hundred words.

Copying it ten times was only about two thousand characters, which, given her previous practice of three to four thousand characters every morning, was easy.

Shen Yunshu knew why her sister resisted copying so much: she believed she had done nothing wrong, so she refused from her heart.

“I know you feel wronged, but outsiders don’t know. Just fainting your mother-in-law caused quite a stir. Pei Da Lang suppressed it, so it didn’t escalate. Your house arrest and copying the book are just for show to calm the outside. You should cooperate. Copying two thousand characters is just like practicing your handwriting………………”

Though stubborn and headstrong during the day, Shen Youran felt guilty now.

Especially after hearing her sister’s reasoning, she dreaded facing Pei Huaijin again.

“Then what if I really don’t copy it? How should I face him when I go back?”

He just wants you to show an attitude.

Go back and humble yourself. Tell him you’ll definitely copy it later.

He’s a gentleman, older than you by a few years.

He won’t really hold a grudge against a little girl…………………

“Really?”

“Trust me.”

Encouraged by Shen Yunshu, Shen Youran finally mustered some courage and took Danruo back to Yunzhi Courtyard.

It was late, and the courtyard was brightly lit.

Shen Youran’s heart was restless.

She washed up, then used eye medicine, passing half an hour.

When she returned to her room door, she whispered to the maid on duty, “Has he slept yet?”

The maid answered, “The young master didn’t ask me to extinguish the lights, so he’s probably not asleep.”