Chapter 53 You're different, He Hansheng. ...
Chapter 53
Shen Suining slowly raised her eyes. Rainwater streamed down her long eyelashes and stung her eyes. She blinked a few times unconsciously and said softly, "Please enlighten me, Mother."
When she says this, it's either because she genuinely doesn't know what she did wrong, or because she truly believes she's done nothing wrong.
Madam Shuyu sighed softly, said nothing, and turned to go into the house.
Shen Yan glanced at his wife's retreating figure, then at Shen Suining kneeling in the rain, sighed heavily, and followed her into the house.
He had barely stepped into the room when he heard a loud crash as a porcelain cup shattered at his feet. Madam Shuyu said in a deep voice, "Jingyun, go to the Vermilion Bird Pavilion and ask them to immediately send someone down the mountain to kill the swordsman who is harassing the young master!"
"yes."
Jingyun accepted the order and was about to leave when Madam Shuyu called him back.
She waved her hand, "Never mind, let her be."
Shen Yan watched the whole thing unfold, gave Jing Yun a wink, then stood his umbrella by the door and strode forward. “Why are you doing this? Not only are you ruining your health, but even if Ningning faints in the rain, she won’t understand your good intentions.”
Madam Shuyu took a few deep breaths to compose herself, clenching her teeth. "How could she not know? She clearly understands better than anyone else, yet she insists on being stubborn!"
Shen Yan sighed and gently patted Madam Shuyu's back. She was so angry that her whole body was trembling uncontrollably.
“Ningning has her reasons. As she said, the person has already been beaten half to death, and with such heavy rain on the mountain, even if he is lucky enough to survive, what kind of trouble can he cause?” Shen Yan gently advised, “She is a bit soft-hearted. After all, the person did not do anything heinous, and his crime does not warrant death.”
"You're so kind-hearted! Ningning has picked up your indecisive and lousy ways! Do you and your daughter even know what kind of situation we're in right now?" Madam Shuyu angrily pushed Shen Yan away, preventing him from touching her again. "That person knows Ningning's identity and that she's now married to a man from Huadu. If he wanted to, he could easily find out that Yun Chu is from the Yong'an Marquis's mansion in the capital! At that point, Ningning's identity won't be a secret in the martial arts world or even in the imperial court! How is she supposed to face herself after that?"
Shen Yan let out a soft breath, "Ningning is not a wanted criminal. She has neither committed any heinous crimes nor is she a former traitor who cannot be brought to light. Madam is worrying too much."
"I'm too lazy to talk to you." Madam Shuyu was furious and threw a cup at him, which Shen Yan caught steadily.
She didn't want to talk to this person anymore, so she turned her back and said, "Get lost, don't hang around in front of me, I get annoyed just looking at you!"
While the two were arguing inside the house, He Hansheng had already come to Shen Suining's side with an umbrella.
He saw the thin, proud figure kneeling in the torrential rain. His lips moved, but he walked behind her without saying a word and held the umbrella over her head.
Shen Suining paused slightly, looked up, and saw He Hansheng's calm and jade-like face. A mist of water vapor surrounded him. He was dressed in white, looking so clean that he seemed untouched by the world, which made Shen Suining look even more disheveled.
"What are you doing up here?" Shen Suining chuckled self-deprecatingly, exhaled softly, and said calmly, "If you stay here with me, you'll only make my mother angrier. She's not as good-natured as the Princess. When she gets angry, she'll even scold my father if he pleads for her. Don't do anything that's thankless and exhausting."
He Hansheng didn't speak, but stood quietly behind her, tilting his umbrella forward to create a small space for her, shielding her from the wind and rain.
The two remained silent for a moment, with only the sound of heavy rain hitting the eaves and washing over the bluestone slabs. Water splashed up as it hit the ground, wetting the corners of their clothes.
"You're not even going to ask me why, and you're just going to stand here with me in the rain like this?" Shen Suining finally couldn't help but ask.
He Hansheng smiled slightly, "If it's something I can know, you will naturally tell me. If you don't want me to know, I won't ask, and that won't affect my staying with you."
“You’re saying things like that again,” Shen Suining said helplessly. “I really don’t know if you’re genuinely magnanimous or just pretending.”
“Ningning,” He Hansheng called her softly, and slowly said, “I have never been a magnanimous person. It’s just that at this moment, I want to stay by your side.”
The two stood in the rain for an unknown amount of time, and He Hansheng's clothes were almost completely soaked.
When Shen Yan came out of the house with an umbrella and saw this scene, he paused slightly, then secretly breathed a sigh of relief, slung the umbrella over his back, and walked forward.
Seeing him come out, Shen Suining asked him with amusement, "Did Mother kick you out too?"
"Ningning, don't be silly." Shen Yan's expression was serious, especially since He Hansheng was also present. He couldn't stand in Shen Suining's shoes and condone her actions today.
As a father and husband, he couldn't just abandon the situation. He could only tell Shen Suining the truth: "Your mother is worried about you. If you don't nip the problem in the bud, there will be endless trouble in the future. She originally wanted to ask Zhuque Pavilion to clean up the mess for you, but she respected your decision."
“What decision do I make? It’s not like I absolutely have to keep him alive,” Shen Suining said helplessly. “Back then, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. I needed to find a decent man to marry into the family to appease you and Mother, and that man needed money to treat his mother and sister’s illnesses. It was just a win-win situation for us, and there was no affection involved. Even if he eventually backs out, I’ll only feel ashamed.”
"Then why did you let him go today?"
"Father, he only broke his promise to me, he didn't kill or set fires. That's enough to vent my anger. He's a pitiful person, all alone in this world. Why would I take his life? In front of He Hansheng, can you please stop acting as if I spared his life because I still have feelings for him? That's so strange."
Shen Suining's voice sounded tired. She rarely explained herself so much, simply because she didn't want to cause any more misunderstandings in front of He Hansheng.
Shen Yan glanced at He Hansheng and coughed awkwardly, "That's not what Father meant."
"It's best if it isn't."
Shen Suining gave a soft snort. She couldn't see He Hansheng's expression behind her, but these words were meant for him anyway. She didn't want her current husband to think that she was still hung up on another man. That was not something Shen Suining would do.
Madam Shuyu came out of the house and overheard what Shen Suining said. She paused for a moment before slowly walking forward.
"Whatever your reason for letting that person go, it was your decision, and I won't interfere. I'm punishing you today just to teach you a lesson."
Madam Shuyu spoke calmly, looking quietly at Shen Suining through the curtains of rain. "Ningning, it's not that I, as your mother, am heartless. It's just that in the future, if those you let go out of kindness become powerful and turn against you, then perhaps you will understand the painstaking efforts I've made today. Since you can be so open in front of Yunchu, you must be aware of the pros and cons of this matter. If there are any consequences in the future, you will bear them yourself. Your father and I will not interfere."
After saying that, Madam Shuyu went into the house without looking back.
Shen Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said to Shen Suining, "Get up quickly. You two are soaked. Come in and change into clean clothes. Go back when the rain gets a little lighter."
...
The rain in the mountains comes and goes quickly, in bursts.
When He Hansheng carried Shen Suining back to Yuquan Villa, the rain had lessened considerably, pattering softly on the leaves and scattering petals all over the ground.
The autumn rain was chilly, so the two of them took a hot bath as soon as they got back inside. Huai Xia brought over some ginger soup, and after Shen Suining drank it, she asked He Hansheng, "Is there anything you'd like to eat?"
He Hansheng shook his head, took the empty bowl from her hand and put it down, then instructed Huai Xia: "Just make something simple."
Huai Xia responded, took the two empty bowls and went out, closing the door behind her.
Shen Suining sat on the bamboo couch in the outer room, her hair still damp. She carefully wiped it with a handkerchief, the water wetting her inner garment and sticking to her skin.
He Hansheng pulled Shen Suining to his side and took a handkerchief to wipe her hair.
Shen Suining: "Your hair isn't dry yet."
“My head isn’t wet, it’s fine,” He Hansheng said gently and patiently. “If your hair gets wet and you don’t dry it in time, you might catch a cold and get sick.”
Shen Suining let him be, her tired body gently leaning against him.
Rain pattered against the window, and the sound of wind occasionally drifted in from outside. The room was unusually quiet, except that the wet clothes clung to their bodies, giving them a slight chill, while the places where their bodies touched felt somewhat hot.
Shen Suining turned around and nestled in He Hansheng's arms. She looked up at him, her eyes red from the rain, and the dark circles under her eyes were particularly noticeable on her fair cheeks.
He Hansheng paused his actions slightly, lowered his head to kiss her eyes, and then gently touched her lips, but did not go any further.
Shen Suining: "Don't you want to ask anything else?"
He Hansheng smiled and continued to dry her hair. "You've made it very clear. I understand and won't ask any more questions."
Shen Suining blinked at him, "Really?"
He Hansheng, somewhat helpless, followed her words and asked in return, "What do you want me to ask?"
Shen Suining thought for a moment, "Indeed, I have said everything that needed to be said, so don't take it to heart. This matter was also unexpected for me. So many years have passed, and if Feng Yu hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten what his name was."
Her tone was indifferent, as if she were talking about an unimportant passerby, but it inexplicably made He Hansheng feel a nameless irritation. He reached out and cupped Shen Suining's face, and kissed her fiercely.
The kiss was different from the usual tenderness and lingering; it carried a hint of catharsis, relentlessly invading her lips and teeth, disturbing her breath.
He Hansheng pressed Shen Suining down onto the bamboo couch and showered her with kisses.
Still somewhat rational, Shen Suining was a little nervous, constantly watching the movements outside the door, afraid that Huai Xia would push the door open with the food at any moment. When she heard footsteps, her body tensed up, and she tried to push He Hansheng off her, but he held her hands tightly and raised them above her head.
Fortunately, the footsteps only paused briefly at the door, as if they had put down their things and left.
Shen Suining secretly breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed her body. He Hansheng released her hands, and she cooperated by wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting her head back to kiss him.
A moment later, He Hansheng released her and slightly raised his head, panting.
Shen Suining's red lips were slightly swollen from his kisses. Her eyes were like spring water as she looked at him and chuckled, "Didn't you say you didn't mind? Then where did all this anger come from?"
He Hansheng didn't say anything, got up, opened the door, and brought in the food box that Huai Xia had left at the door.
He took the food out and placed it on the small table. "Eat something first."
Shen Suining found it somewhat amusing. She let out a soft breath, realizing she was indeed a little hungry, and sat up from the bamboo couch to eat.
The evening meals at Yuquan Villa are mostly light and simple, which is Shen Suining's usual habit. In addition, Shen Heyang specifically instructed that Huai Xia should prepare three dishes and a porridge in the kitchen.
The meal was simple, but He Hansheng felt nothing. He looked at Shen Suining, who seemed to have no unusual emotions, and after a long while, he finally couldn't help but ask her, "If we were to separate in the future, would you treat me this heartlessly?"
Shen Suining exclaimed "Huh?" in bewilderment. "You're a proper young master who's officially married into the family. What are you comparing yourself to them for? You're condescending to be so high and mighty."
She picked up a piece of bamboo shoot, intending to put it in her own mouth, but noticing He Hansheng staring at her with intense eyes, she coughed twice and silently put the dish into his bowl, her tone slightly reassuring and coaxing.
“You are different, He Hansheng.”
Shen Suining spoke softly, no longer looking at him, but haphazardly stirring the food on her plate, "Back then, I was with those people just because I felt that as I got older, I needed someone to accompany me and appease my parents. Whether they agreed or not, I didn't care, even if they had no sincerity and just thought they could profit from me. Even if these people broke their promises in the end, I just felt that I couldn't bear the shame."
"But you are different. Although there were times when we didn't get along, I was mostly happy when I was with you. Perhaps it's because I met you later that I feel that those people and things that used to make me feel embarrassed and ashamed are no longer important. I even feel a little grateful to them because if they hadn't turned away, the person I'm having dinner with now might not be you."
“So, He Hansheng,” Shen Suining put down her chopsticks, a smile playing on her lips, and turned to look at him, “even if we part ways in the future, I will not only not easily forget your name, but I will also sincerely wish you a bright future and a peaceful and smooth life.”
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