Chapter 9. Sunlight streamed in, half of it illuminating Liang Shao…

The carriage slowly came to a stop at the second gate of the Liang residence. Shanhe, supported by her maid Qingyue, stepped down from the sedan chair. The moment she landed, a soft, resentful voice sounded before her: "Shanshan, where have you been?"

Liang Shao stood beneath the hanging flower gate, gazing sorrowfully at Shan He. He was supposed to return this afternoon, but to see Shan He as soon as possible, he finished all his errands, declined Lord Chen's lunch banquet, and rushed back. When he reached Shuyu Pavilion, the maid told him that Shan He had gone out, and she didn't know where she had gone or when she would return. Liang Shao remembered that Shan He rarely went out.

Shanhe frowned: "Why are you back? Weren't you supposed to be back this afternoon?"

Liang Shao didn't like hearing this and his face immediately turned cold: "You don't want me to come back?"

Liang Shao was a good half a head taller than Shan He, standing there like a pillar. He blocked Shan He's path, his brows furrowed and lips pursed, staring intently into her eyes. Shan He didn't know what was wrong with him again; she couldn't fathom his thoughts. Besides, she had a joyous occasion today; if things went well, she might never have to depend on others again. Therefore, Shan He was only thinking about going back to read the books Wu Tianqi had given her, and didn't bother to coax Liang Shao. Shan He smiled and squeezed Liang Shao's hand: "No, it's good that you came back early. The longer you stayed outside, the more Grandfather worried about you. Let's go, the Shouxi Hall will be serving dinner soon." With that, Shan He hugged the books in her arms and walked towards the pavilion.

Liang Shao was initially pleased by these words, but after slowly processing them, he started arguing with the next two sentences. Liang Shao caught up with Shan He and asked, "Grandfather is worried about me? And you? Aren't you worried?"

Shanhe walked to the octagonal table, sat down properly, and glanced at Liang Shao with her beautiful eyes. A question suddenly arose in her mind. Shanhe was unsure, so she asked slowly, "Shao, did you come back so early because of me?"

Liang Shao's ears turned bright red. He hurriedly looked away, sat down opposite Shanhe, and gazed out the window. He said in a stern voice, "What are you saying... Who did this for you? I only came back after finishing all the work at the yamen. Who knew that when I got back, you weren't there, and the maid said she didn't know where you went. You're sick, and you still went out like this. What if something bad happened to you—" He remembered Shanhe's words of "worry" earlier and deliberately said in a strange tone, "Grandfather must be very worried."

Shanhe looked at him across the table, unsure whether she felt relief or a touch of disappointment. It turned out Liang Shao's kindness towards her stemmed from his affection for her. If it weren't for the old master's high regard for her, perhaps Liang Shao would still be ignoring her. No, without the old master, they would never have become husband and wife. Shanhe's disappointment wasn't due to her love for Liang Shao. She was a sentimental person, and having married Liang Shao, she couldn't completely treat him as a stranger. In the past few days, she was happy to sense a slight affection from Liang Shao. Of course, perhaps this affection stemmed from their intimate relationship. But after all, they had sworn brotherhood and shared a bed, and perhaps one day they would conceive a new life together. Given this, she always felt a hidden longing in her heart. This longing wasn't large; she didn't need Liang Shao to truly treat her as a wife, just a distant but not overly close relative would be enough. If that wasn't possible, what about friends? All her former relatives were gone, and she had long regarded the Liang family as her second home, and the Liang family members as her own. She hoped that her feelings for the Liang family would be reciprocated, even if the response was small. As long as there was some, it would be enough. Shanhe had a long-term wish: that after her connection with the Liang family was over, she could still kneel peacefully with Liang Shao before the memorial tablet of Old Master Liang, kowtow, and offer incense; she hoped that whichever of them went to see the old master first, the other could one day come to the grave to say a final goodbye. After all, there would never be any Xue family members to say goodbye to her again.

Shanhe grasped his hand resting on the table, clearly feeling the other person stiffen. Shanhe said softly, "If anything were to happen to me, would you worry?"

Liang Shao raised the tip of his nose and pursed his lips: "Who cares about you? If it weren't for Grandfather liking you..."

Shanhe lowered her eyes: "Yes, if it weren't for Grandfather, we wouldn't even be able to be husband and wife." She let go of his hand, got up and slowly walked towards the dressing table.

Liang Shao froze. His gaze was fixed on Shan He's retreating figure, and he unconsciously stood up. He heard the desolation hidden in Shan He's words, and it felt as if a knife had been ripped from his heart. Liang Shao chased after her, stood behind her, and grasped her shoulders: "Why are you leaving? I haven't finished speaking."

Shanhe removed the white hairpin from her temple, her tone wistful: "What else is there to say?" She sighed deeply in her heart.

"Of course," Liang Shao replied hastily. "I want to say, if it weren't for Grandfather's fondness for you, I'd truly be seeing shit in my eyes—"

Shanhe frowned and turned around, looking a little annoyed, and met Liang Shao's eyes directly.

Their eyes met, and Liang Shao's Adam's apple bobbed: "With such a good person like you by my side, how could I not see it? I must have been out of my mind and blind."

The hands that were holding Shanhe's shoulders slowly slid down, and Liang Shao grasped Shanhe's hands, interlocking his fingers with hers. He raised one hand, looked down and saw that Shanhe's nails were neatly manicured, and couldn't help but kiss her fingertips.

A dense, ticklish sensation spread across her fingertips, like gentle raindrops pricking her skin—not painful, just itchy. Shanhe let out a soft moan. Liang Shao paused, then reached out and grabbed Shanhe's waist, pulling her close to him.

Liang Shao lifted Shanhe onto the dressing table and was about to separate her legs when Shanhe pressed his hand down: "No."

“I know.” He remembered that Shanhe Yuexin hadn’t left yet. “Let’s hug like this for a while.”

Shanhe shook her head: "That won't work either. Spreading it too wide will hurt too."

Liang Shao reluctantly placed both of Shan He's legs on the same side beside him, then immediately pressed himself against Shan He's body, kissing her fingertips as he asked, "Does it hurt every time?"

Shanhe nodded.

Liang Shao gradually kissed Shanhe's fair neck: "How about we ask the doctor to prescribe some medicine?"

"It's no use. Every woman experiences pain."

Liang Shao's muffled voice came from behind me: "Is there any way to alleviate this?"

"Warm it up with a hot water bottle or drink some ginger tea, that's fine too."

Then, a large hand pressed against Shanhe's abdomen, and warmth immediately spread through her. Liang Shao slowly raised his face: "Shanshan, I'm in a little pain too."

Shanhe was stunned: "What?" Then she instantly understood what he meant. The two of them lowered their heads at the same time. Shanhe sighed, jumped off the dressing table, and walked towards the outer room: "Let it cool down for a while, and it will be fine."

"No." Liang Shao grabbed Shanhe's wrist. "You've been cold for three days."

"How could there be three days..." Before Shanhe could finish speaking, she was pulled into someone's arms.

Liang Shao held Shanhe's earlobe in his mouth: "Use your mouth, okay?" Shanhe blushed deeply and tried to struggle free, but Liang Shao held her tightly. Liang Shao didn't expect Shanhe to actually agree; she was shy, and they had only recently reconciled. Using her mouth in broad daylight would be too embarrassing. However, he understood the principle of "aim high and you'll get a middle; aim low and you'll get a lower." Since Shanhe refused to use her mouth, he would have to use his hands. If he had suggested using his hands from the beginning, Shanhe would have made him take care of it himself, which would have been a huge loss for him.

Sure enough, Shanhe, seeing that she couldn't resist Liang Shao or break free, could only blush and ask, "Is my hand okay?"

Liang Shao immediately smiled and readily agreed: "Of course!"

Shanhe slowly narrowed her eyes, feeling as if she had fallen into this guy's trap. But now she realized it was too late; Liang Shao had already grasped her hand and lowered it. Through the fabric, his manhood was hard and erect. Shanhe's face flushed, and Liang Shao's face also turned red.

The maid Qingyue, having received word that food had been served at Shouxi Hall, skipped over to call Shanhe and Liang Shao to dine. The door was ajar, and there seemed to be no movement inside. Qingyue's heart immediately tightened. Shanhe and Liang Shao rarely shared a room before, and given their sudden improvement in their relationship a few days ago, she wondered what they were doing. Qingyue dared not be presumptuous, but instead peeked in cautiously. She saw Liang Shao sitting on the edge of the canopy bed, his hands supporting him behind his back, his neck tilted back; Shanhe was kneeling on the footstool, also looking up at Liang Shao.

“Shanshan…” Liang Shao murmured.

Qingyue was startled and gasped. Liang Shao's sharp gaze immediately swept over her. Qingyue quickly lowered her head, closed the door, and quietly retreated.

As they approached the entrance of Shuyu Pavilion, they ran into Cheng Bao, who was rubbing his hands and waiting under the porch: "Hey? Why are you all alone? Where are our Second Master and Second Mistress?"

Qingyue blushed deeply, smacked her lips, and said, "Hurry up! Second Master isn't feeling well and can't go. We'll eat at Shuyu Pavilion today."

"Impossible, when has Second Master ever been unwell?" Cheng Bao was completely baffled. Just as he was about to go in, he suddenly seemed to remember something, his face flushed red, and he exchanged a glance with Qing Yue. The two of them quickly lowered their heads and stood guard at the door.

Inside the main room of Shuyu Pavilion, Liang Shao let out a final, extremely comfortable sigh.

*

Shanhe's plain blue cross-collar shirt got stained.

Liang Shao then realized that Shanhe was acting very strangely today; she was dressed plainly, and the carriage she rode in was rented. He casually picked up a handkerchief from the couch and wiped the stains off Shanhe's clothes: "Why are you wearing this today?"

With Liang Shao's support, Shanhe sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at her red palm. She couldn't help but recall how that bastard had been thrusting in and out of her palm earlier, and how thick and long it was. No wonder she always felt uncomfortable after doing that with Liang Shao, and even walking fast would cause her some pain. Shanhe pursed her lips: "I went out to take care of something important."

"Hmm?" Liang Shao asked, "What?"

Shanhe looked up at him and said, "I've saved enough money. I'll go buy a soft armor."

Upon hearing this, Liang Shao's eyes immediately lit up, and he raised his voice at the end: "Really?" He quickly craned his head to look at the table, only to see a stack of books: "Why don't I see them?"

Afraid that he would look at the things in her Danxia Painting Studio, Shanhe quickly cupped his face in her hands and turned him to face her: "That is a rare item, and it takes a long time to make. There is only one in the shop. So you have to place an order first, and you can pick it up in two months."

The two faced each other, and Liang Shao could almost see his own reflection in Shan He's eyes. He watched Shan He's pink lips move, not caring what she said, only focusing on the opening and closing of her lips, her cherry lips and pearly teeth, so alluring. For a moment, his chest heaved with blood, and he kissed her lips. Shan He, seeing him staring intently at her lips, blushed slightly, but when he kissed her, her heart melted with desire. The two kissed deeply. The kiss was long and passionate, and Shan He could almost hear the soft smacking of water. When she was almost out of breath, Shan He struggled to push him away, and Liang Shao reluctantly released her, licking the glistening corner of his mouth: "Shan Shan." He smiled slightly: "Thank you."

At that moment, Shanhe suddenly had the thought that "it would be good if we didn't get a divorce."

At this moment, Liang Shao, wearing only a jacket and underpants, held her in his arms. Sunlight streamed through the lattice window, just reaching Liang Shao's trouser legs. Shan He, fully clothed, rested her head against Liang Shao's chest. Liang Shao whispered, "When my brother returns home in glory, we'll hire a painter to paint a portrait of Grandfather, my elder brother, and us together, as a keepsake. Shan Shan, don't you know how to paint too?"

Returning home in glory...

draw……

Shanhe shuddered. Her eyes were fixed on the brick floor as she recalled everything that had happened at Danxia Painting Studio that morning.

She has already signed a contract with Wu Tianqi and is now a painter at Danxia Painting Studio. This morning, she just received her first job from Wu Tianqi—to create an embroidered portrait for the new version of "The Palace of Eternal Life".

Shanhe's heart pounded. If her painting was chosen, what would happen to Liang Ye and Liang Shao's careers? Her identity had already hindered Liang Shao's career; if someone with ulterior motives found out that she had painted those pictures for the art studio, how could she face the Liang family?

Shanhe shifted his gaze to Liang Shao.

Liang Shao raised his chin slightly, completely unaware of Shanhe's change, and said to himself, "There's only one month left until the imperial examination. Shanshan, let's go to Ciyun Temple to pray in a couple of days, and um, we'll go to Guangtong Temple too."

Liang Shao counted the days on his fingers, but Shan He's heart grew colder and colder.

If she were to paint just a few copies of "The Palace of Eternal Life" this time, Wu Tianqi would surely reject them. She could then simply say she couldn't paint them and refuse any more work from Danxia Painting Studio. This shouldn't have any impact on Liang Shao and Liang Ye's careers.

But……

Shanhe gradually realized that she was unwilling to accept this.

She finally found a way out, a way out that she fought for entirely on her own—on her own two hands and her own talent. Was she just going to give it up like that?

On one hand, there is the immense kindness the Liang family has shown her; on the other hand, there is the path she has finally found. How should she choose?

"Shan Shan?"

Liang Shao called out to her, "What's wrong? You seem distracted."

Shanhe was startled and quickly gathered her thoughts, forcing a smile: "I'm counting the days."

Liang Shao opened his mouth as if to say something, but Cheng Bao stood under the eaves and said loudly, "Second Master, the yamen has sent another message, requesting that you go to Yuetuo Village immediately."

"Yuetuo Village?" Liang Shao frowned. "Has the case taken a turn for the worse?"

Cheng Bao replied respectfully, "Yes, the wrong person has been arrested. The one Second Master arrested, Zhuang Yizhao, has witnesses who can prove he wasn't present when the murder occurred."

Liang Shao and Shan He exchanged a glance. Knowing he was preoccupied with the case, Shan He straightened up from his embrace, propping herself up on her arm: "Go ahead."

Liang Shao pinched Shanhe's hand and lightly kissed her cheek: "Wait for me to come back." He then immediately stood up, putting on his coat as he walked towards the door, asking, "Who's the witness? Is he credible?"

Shanhe heard Cheng Bao's voice: "It's the third son of Magistrate Wang from the neighboring Puhui County. That night, this Third Master Wang celebrated his birthday and invited Zhuang Yizhao to the banquet. Lord Chen has confirmed that Zhuang Yizhao did indeed go to the Wang residence, and the owners of several pharmacies in Puhui County who sat with him all testified on his behalf." Cheng Bao's voice grew softer and softer until it could no longer be heard. In his memory, Liang Shao had never made such a mistake in a case before. He must be very anxious about arresting the wrong person this time.

However, Shanhe stopped thinking about Yuetuo Village. She looked down at her hands, watching time slip through her fingers.

For her, the more important things were the paintings from Danxia Painting Studio and Wu Tianqi. How should she choose?

When he looked up again, the sky was getting dark, and Shanhe lowered his hands.

Just now, she suddenly remembered something extremely important: the divorce papers were still there. As long as the divorce papers were still there, she and Liang Shao were not truly husband and wife; she would leave sooner or later, and she would eventually be Liang Shao's ex-wife. As an ex-wife, even if she committed a capital crime, it wouldn't affect Liang Shao or the Liang family. Why should she dwell on it? Shanhe smiled self-deprecatingly.

The fog suddenly parted, and sunlight streamed in, illuminating even the hidden corners that Shanhe had overlooked, while dust drifted lazily in the air.

Shanhe realized that Liang Shao had never actually told her that they would not divorce.

Shanhe recalled that the most tender and passionate moments Liang Shao showed her were during their time together in bed.

Shanhe remembered that Liang Shao said: It was because the old master liked her that he realized he had such a good person by his side.

Yes, she was calm, loyal, and devoted to her family. She took care of the old man without complaint and even voluntarily bore Liang Shao's child. He simply thought she was "good." That was all.

Therefore, as long as he divorces Liang Shao, all problems will be solved.