Chapter 9 009 Why are you crying? I didn't bully you.
Yun Sheng leaned against the door panel, covering his mouth with his hands.
She asked in disbelief, "How did the Marquis get in?"
Xie Zhan looked at her quietly and didn't say anything for a long time.
Yun Sheng lowered his eyes and chuckled in a self-deprecating tone. She was being foolish. He was the head of the Dingbei Marquisate. Was there any courtyard in the mansion that he couldn't visit?
He was afraid that as soon as the guard beside him opened his mouth, the maid in the yard would open the locked door for him.
After hearing his shameless words at noon, Marquis Xie guessed that he also had some dignity, so he wanted to avoid his mother-in-law and husband when he came in, so as to relieve Yun Sheng of a layer of worries.
But after only half a day's absence, the young lady had made herself sick. Xie Zhan frowned, "She was fine when we went back, how come she had a fever at night?"
Yun Sheng tilted her head, forcing back the tears, and asked, "Doesn't the Marquis know?"
He did such a vile thing to her, did he want her to come back happily as a reward?
Xie Zhan stood up and strode forward.
Yun Sheng had nowhere to retreat. She crossed her arms, panic reflected in her clear eyes. "You... don't come over here. If you take another step forward, I'll call my mother-in-law and husband over. Has the Marquis really given up on his dignity?"
The end of her voice trembled, and her whole body shook like a sieve, like a frightened rabbit, which made Xie Zhan laugh.
"If you really dared to let them know, why did you become so frightened and ill upon returning? With your limited courage, how dare you threaten me?"
He grasped Yun Sheng's two white and tender wrists with one hand, his tall figure completely enveloping her petite figure. He said slowly, "So you better behave yourself and don't try to anger me again."
Yun Sheng was stunned and burst into tears, and suddenly lost her spirit.
He had a firm grasp on her vital points and was certain that she would not dare to tell her husband and mother-in-law.
Xie Zhan was in a high position and had great power, and her family was staying in the Marquis's mansion. How could she say this...how could she say this?
Her mother-in-law would surely scold her for being shameless and causing such trouble. As for her husband... he should believe that she didn't actively seduce Xie Zhan, but what man wouldn't feel resentful and uncomfortable about this matter?
If he goes to Xie Zhan to reason with her again, will her husband still want to take the imperial examination next year and pursue his future career?
A feeling of despair and grief surged in Yun Sheng's heart. She didn't know how she had caught the attention of such a man.
The young lady's tears were like white pearls that had broken off the string. She wore plain clothes and had her hair loose. As she lowered her eyes and wept softly, her eyes were filled with sorrow. Her tearful look made Xie Zhan's blood boil.
He closed his eyes, then used his rough fingertips to gently stroke the tear marks at the corners of her eyes, and said in a hoarse voice: "Why are you crying? I didn't bully you."
Yun Sheng trembled even more violently.
Every time Xie Zhan touched her, she felt more guilty towards her husband.
Her voice choked with sobs as she pleaded again, "I am but a country woman, uncouth and unworthy, and truly unfit to serve the Marquis. Please be kind and let me go."
Xie Zhan's expression changed, and he waved his sleeves and said, "He looks docile, but why is he so ungrateful?"
His eyes were cold and his lips were raised. He grabbed Yun Sheng's jaw with his big hand and said, "Whether it's worthy or not is up to me to decide. Are you so reluctant? Is it because of your deep affection for Xie Qingyuan?"
Yun Sheng murmured, "He is my husband, so naturally I am attracted to him."
They grew up together, ate from the same pot, and slept on the same earthen kang. Ever since she was old enough to understand, she knew what a child bride meant.
Brother Qingyuan would be her husband, and they would have children. She would not marry anyone else except him.
Xie Zhan saw that she looked dazed and must be thinking about Xie Qingyuan.
His face was calm as he suddenly asked, "When I become your husband, will you also be happy with me?"
"Hmm? Yes or no?"
Yun Sheng was filled with anger. She closed her eyes and bit her lips until they turned white.
She was so stubborn that she refused to say anything nice.
Xie Zhan let him go and laughed, "What if he dies?"
He finally stroked Yun Sheng's cold face, slammed the door and left.
What if he died?
Yun Sheng's legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground.
What does he want to do to Xie Qingyuan?
How could Xie Zhan, standing before the Emperor, dare to treat human life with such disregard? He must be trying to scare her, right... that must be the case.
Yun Sheng had a dazed look on his face, and suddenly felt confused and helpless about what the future would hold.
The next day, she was still sick and Xie Qingyuan came to see her. Yun Sheng forced herself to cheer up, but when she saw his concerned face, she felt aggrieved and took the initiative to hug him for the first time.
Xie Qingyuan was flattered. He patted her on the back and asked, "What's wrong with Shengniang? Why are you so clingy to me today? Have you been wronged in the mansion recently?"
Yun Sheng buried her face in his arms and said in a muffled voice, "No... I'm not wronged, I just suddenly wanted to hug you."
Xie Qingyuan smiled and said, "How difficult is that? I'll let you hug me as much as you want."
The two of them were affectionate for a moment, and he sighed, "You should take good care of yourself. I will come to see you later."
Yun Sheng nodded reluctantly. She thought Xie Qingyuan was going to do his homework, and she never imagined that he was going out to Madam Xie Er's courtyard.
It was just an umbrella, so it would be the same if he sent a maid, but Xie Qingyuan went out in person for some mysterious reason.
He walked through the carved corridor and passed through two hanging flower doors, and unexpectedly bumped into Xie Tinglan halfway. It was also fate.
Xie Tinglan was wearing a lotus-pink skirt and was swinging in the garden with her eyes closed.
The girl's skirt fluttered, and half of her pretty face was visible among the flowers, with a sweet smile on her face.
Xie Qingyuan had never seen such a bright and charming girl before. She seemed to have never had any worries. Sheng Niang had never laughed so heartily before.
Hearing footsteps beside her ears, Xie Tinglan thought it was her personal maid coming back and said with a smile, "A Xiang, please help me push it up a little higher."
Xie Qingyuan was stunned, then his legs stood behind Xie Tinglan as if uncontrollably, and reached out to help her push the swing.
Xie Tinglan felt that something was wrong with the force she exerted. She turned around and was stunned for a long time: "Mr. Yuan, why is it you?"
Xie Qingyuan's face was embarrassed, and he quickly explained, "I was going to deliver an umbrella to the Second Lady, but I happened to run into you. I saw that you were having a great time, so I couldn't bear to disturb you."
"My dear, you are too polite. I just said it casually that day." Xie Tinglan blushed. She really didn't expect him to be so serious.
The two of them came and went, chatting and laughing. This peaceful scene was seen by Mrs. Xie Yulan, who was sitting in the pavilion not far away.
Seeing her daughter looking gloomy and the handkerchief in her hand nearly torn to pieces, the maidservant quickly spat, "Xie Qingyuan already has a fiancée, yet the Second Lady is so shameless as to joke with him without any sense of propriety. She's so shameless and has no sense of shame. If the girl reports this to the old lady, she'll be in big trouble."
Xie Yulan said calmly: "What's the point of reporting it to my grandmother? It's just a few casual remarks, and Xie Tinglan will not lose a piece of meat."
She chuckled softly, "Doesn't she love to steal men? I'm going to make her feel the excruciating pain."
The maid shuddered and whispered, "Girl...think twice. Xie Qingyuan is a fiancée after all. Why are you doing this? Besides, with his status, it's really not worth it."
"Shut up." Xie Yulan's face turned cold and she said unhappily, "Don't tell me you think even Xie Qingyuan looks down on me?"
The maid kowtowed and admitted her fault: "I dare not do that. I beg you to forgive me."
Xie Yulan looked up and saw two people separating not far away. Seeing nothing interesting, she turned around and left.
After returning to Qingtong Courtyard, Xie Qingyuan's mind was still wandering, and the shy pink face of the Second Lady was still in front of him.
Yesterday he thought his mother was talking nonsense, but now he felt an inexplicable itch.
He kept his word and went to visit Yun Sheng again before lunch.
Yun Sheng leaned against the bed, her complexion slightly rosy. She stared at Xie Qingyuan for a few seconds, making Xie Qingyuan's scalp tingle. He coughed twice and asked, "What are you looking at, Mother Sheng?"
"Why don't I see my husband wearing a purse today?" Yun Sheng asked him puzzledly, "Did he accidentally break it somewhere?"
Xie Qingyuan touched his empty waist and recalled the humiliation he suffered yesterday, and his expression changed slightly.
He evaded the question by saying, "It's inconvenient to wear it outside, so I hung it inside the curtain."
Yun Sheng had no doubts. She quickly stepped forward, sniffed Xie Qingyuan's scent, and said hesitantly, "I was wondering what that smell was. Turns out it's from my husband."
Xie Qingyuan's body stiffened, and he said guiltily, "What kind of smell could it be? Maybe I was tired from studying just now, so I walked around the garden for a quarter of an hour and accidentally picked up the fragrance of flowers."
Yun Sheng opened her lips slightly, always feeling that there was something strange about him, but she didn't ask any questions.
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