“I saw the thief fall right away when you hit him. Such a small thing—does it really have that much power?”
“It does.”
Liang Xu took out a clay pellet, placed it on the string, pulled tight, aimed at a nearby tree, and released.
A branch dropped.
“Impressive…”
Shen Youran clapped in admiration.
“Do you like it?”
He offered her the Tanyu.
“No, no, it’s not right to accept something for no reason. ‘Gentlemen don’t take what others like, and neither do women.’ You should keep it.”
“Pfft. I have many.”
“Really no, thank you.”
Shen Youran declined with a smile.
“My eyesight isn’t good; I can’t see far. If you gave me this, it would be a waste.”
“This isn’t just a toy. It also trains eyesight. For archers like us—and people with poor vision too…”
“Really?”
If this could help her eyes become clearer, it might be worth trying.
“Thank you for telling me about this. I’ll ask someone to buy one later.”
Since she was already married, it wasn’t proper to accept gifts from unrelated men.
Seeing her decline twice, Liang Xu didn’t insist and took back the Tanyu.
“There are sellers at the fair. I’ll take you to pick one out later.”
Having refused twice but not wanting to offend his goodwill, Shen Youran agreed.
“Okay.”
After praying and receiving a peace charm, she went with him to the fair and bought a Tanyu.
“Thanks for today.”
Shen Youran wanted to say goodbye but thought there was only one road down the mountain, so it wouldn’t be good to split up.
“Let’s head down.”
“Alright.”
She descended in the same sedan chair.
It had no enclosure, just a round chair with soft cushions.
Shen Youran enjoyed the mountain scenery while playing with her new toy, occasionally showing it off.
“Mrs. Shen…”
Liang Xu suddenly called, “I never had the chance to apologize to you earlier.”
“Hm?”
Shen Youran turned to him.
“Why apologize?”
“Earlier at the fair, my mother and I saw you being bothered by a lecherous man but didn’t intervene… We even thought badly of you, that you had bad morals, seeing you tangled with another man just after our match.”
“Oh, that matter.”
Without his mention, Shen Youran almost forgot.
“It’s nothing. You don’t need to feel sorry. I found out later the man was the Pei Family Seventh Young Master. He meant no harm—he just wanted to pay for me.”
Liang Xu fell silent for a while.
“So you married into the Pei Family because you met him that day?”
“You could say I formed a bond with the Pei Family then…”
But she dared not say it was a bond with Pei Huaian, since she was now married to his eldest brother Pei Huaijin.
Liang Xu said no more.
His sword-like brows shadowed deep, unreadable eyes.
He showed no expression—no telling what he was thinking.
After descending, they parted ways.
Shen Youran swung the Tanyu in her hand and bid him farewell, heading toward where the carriage awaited.
Unexpectedly, turning around, she saw a frightening figure not far off, arms crossed, face cold, eyes sharp.
Shen Youran jumped.
“Qingjian, what are you doing here?”
He spoke in his usual emotionless tone but very directly: “Missus had Qinghe trick me, sneaking out behind my back just to see that person?”
“Don’t jump to conclusions. I went out to offer incense for Xiao Yu. I just happened to run into him…”
“Who gave Missus that Tanyu?”
“I bought it myself.”
“When did Missus start liking Tanyus?”
“I just started. What’s wrong with that?”
He said no more and silently followed her and Danruo.
After they boarded the carriage, he rode behind on horseback.
Shen Youran knew his straightforward nature and guessed he would definitely report today’s incident to Pei Huaijin.
But she had nothing to hide with Liang Xu, and today was merely a chance encounter.
Perhaps they would never meet again.
If Pei Huaijin blindly believed Qingjian, she would fuss with him and refuse to let him hold her at night…
At dusk, Pei Huaijin returned from the Fuya and heard his mother wanted to see him.
He stopped by Haitang Garden first, then returned to Yunzhi Courtyard.
The sunset scattered a rosy glow, and the sky was still bright.
Shen Youran and two maids were in the courtyard playing with a Tanyu, hanging several small bells on the branches of a Yulan Tree.
Shen Youran tried shooting at the bells but missed eight out of ten times.
She caught sight of Pei Huaijin entering, and Qingjian quickly went up to him and spoke quietly.
Already eager to tattle on her?
Distracted, Shen Youran’s aim slipped, but this time she accidentally hit a bell.
“Missus, you’re amazing!”
Danruo and Qinghe clapped enthusiastically.
“I don’t want to play anymore…”
Shen Youran’s mood soured, and she handed the Tanyu to Danruo.
“Hold onto this for me.”
Pei Huaijin, having heard Qingjian’s report, saw the lively Shen Youran suddenly go silent and head into the room, looking like she was sulking.
Qingjian told him she had really sneaked out today.
He hadn’t said anything yet, but she was already upset.
Shen Youran sat alone in her room, guessing Pei Huaijin would believe Qingjian’s words and come to bother her soon.
With his old-fashioned nature, she might have to copy The Etiquette for Women again…
She definitely didn’t want to copy Nu Jie!
When Pei Huaijin entered, he saw her sitting on the bed, cheeks puffed, lips pouting.
“I heard from Qingjian…” he started, but the moment he spoke, she exploded like a firecracker.
“I won’t copy it!”
“You’re not allowed to hold me tonight!”
“…”
What on earth was this?
“At worst, we can divorce!”
“…”
Why say such things?
Pei Huaijin frowned, displeased.
“Don’t be unreasonable.”
“You suspect me and then say I’m unreasonable,” Shen Youran said, both angry and aggrieved, stiffening her neck to explain, “I just had a chance encounter with Liang Xu. Believe it or not.”
Pei Huaijin was stunned. “Liang Xu?”
The name sounded familiar.
He remembered the Liang Xu of the General Zhenhu’s Manor, whom Shen Yunshu had mentioned.
On the night of the swapped marriage, he suspected the forced wedding involved contact with an outsider.
When probing Shen Yunshu, she said that before their marriage, the only contact with an outsider was accompanying Shen Youran to Da Xiangguo Temple to look for a match, and the man they saw was Liang Xu.
Hearing this, it seemed she had met Liang Xu again today.
When he came into the courtyard earlier, Qingjian apologized, saying he hadn’t watched the Missus well and let her slip out beneath his eyes.
When he caught up, she was already descending the mountain.
Luckily, nothing serious happened.
Pei Huaijin didn’t blame Qingjian much, just told him to be more careful next time.
He hadn’t expected Liang Xu to be involved.
Seeing her expression, it was clear she had gotten angry because Qingjian told him about Liang Xu, but Qingjian hadn’t mentioned a word about Liang Xu…
What a Qingjian, already skilled at deflecting blame.
Pei Huaijin kept a calm face and sat beside her, his tone gentle.
“How did you happen to meet Liang Xu at the temple fair? Tell me. It’s okay, I’m not angry…”
Shen Youran looked at him, half doubtful.
“You really aren’t angry?”
“Your sister mentioned Liang Xu to me before. I know you two once met for matchmaking when you were unmarried. That’s normal.”
Seeing his calm expression and warm tone, Shen Youran relaxed and recounted everything: “At Da Xiangguo Temple, a stage was set up. While watching the puppet show with Danruo, a thief stole my pouch. Liang Xu caught him, but the pouch was already passed to the thief’s accomplices and lost…”
She glanced at him secretly.
Seeing he remained calm, she fully relaxed and spilled everything: “Liang Xu found out I hadn’t prayed yet, lent me money, and worried the thief’s accomplices would target us, so he followed us until we descended…”
“That Tanyu? Did he give it to you?”
He saw her playing happily in the courtyard earlier.
“No, I bought it myself…”
Though she used the money he lent her.
“Why did you suddenly decide to buy a Tanyu?”
“He said it’s not only a toy but also trains eyesight. Maybe it’ll help with my eye condition.”
“Oh? He knew about your eyesight problem?”
“It came up during conversation…”
You two chatted?
“What did you chat about? How did it come to eyes?”
“Well, since he used the Tanyu to hit the thief, I thought it was amazing. He wanted to give me one, but I said my eyesight is bad, so I couldn’t use it…”
“Heh, praising him for being amazing? Didn’t you say you bought it yourself? How did it become a gift?”
“He wanted to give it to me, but I didn’t accept. I’m married—can’t accept gifts from other men.”
“Mhm.”
Looks like all that Nu Jie practice wasn’t wasted.
From what she said, she had no feelings for Liang Xu, but Liang Xu obviously felt differently.
This Mrs. Shen had a remarkable ability to make people fall in love at first sight and never forget.
The Seventh Young Master fell ill with lovesickness after meeting her once and insisted on marrying her, even on the night of the swapped marriage, still wanting to take her back despite knowing she was no longer a virgin.
Liang Xu wasn’t any less persistent; even though she was married, he hadn’t given up.
Luckily, Mrs. Shen was oblivious. Liang Xu’s advances were like throwing flirtatious glances at a blind person.
Unfortunately, her obliviousness gave the other man opportunities.
Pei Huaijin imagined a little red apricot blooming on his courtyard wall, fluttering in the wind.
Inside the walls was the Seventh Young Master; outside was Liang Xu.
Add in the Lu Family’s stepbrother who harbored ill intentions toward the two sisters, and there were already three men Pei Huaijin knew of—truly troubles both inside and out…
He’d better keep a tighter watch on her in the future.
“By the way, when I returned to the mansion earlier, mother called me over. Tomorrow, a distant cousin from the Meng Family is getting married, and mother received an invitation. But she’s unwell, so she asked me to attend. You’ll come with me.”
Actually, mother only called him, but the cousin had served mother for two years, and mother once intended to match him with the cousin.
To avoid suspicion, it was better to bring Shen Youran along.
“Sure.”
Shen Youran was excited at the prospect of going out.
“Who is she marrying?”
“The Marquis of Changxing Manor’s Lin Wulang.”
“Lin Wulang?”
She not only knew the man but remembered him well.
Thinking of his previous behavior, she curled her lips.
“Why is your cousin marrying him?”
“Why? You know him?”
“Yes.”
Shen Youran trusted Pei Huaijin, since he hadn’t gotten angry about Liang Xu, so she told him everything.
“Two years ago, he came to my home to propose. Father almost agreed, but luckily my sister came and helped me refuse…”
Pei Huaijin: Hah, the fourth one…