Chapter 85 Between You and Me, It Starts with Emotion and Ends with Courtesy
After leaving the wing, Du Heng bowed and said goodbye to Doctor Qian, then asked Qingquan to see the doctor off. He then accompanied Wanyi and Su Ying to the East Courtyard.
Wanyi and Su Ying walked slowly hand in hand, but she felt something was amiss. She glanced sideways, seeing her sister Ying'er as quiet and graceful as ever. She glanced back at her brother, only to see him trailing behind her a few steps, neither hurried nor slow, unlike his usual rapid strides in front.
Wanyi asked, "Brother, are you worried?"
Du Heng glanced at Su Ying, then said to Wanyi, "Go back and have a good rest. Don't let your mind wander."
Relevant answer!
Wanyi pouted, but didn't ask any more questions.
Arriving at the East Courtyard Gate, Su Ying watched Wanyi leave, then turned to Du Heng and said, "Cousin, please stay."
As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around and walked onto the corridor, leaving him without looking back.
Du Heng was stunned, not understanding what he meant, and then quickly chased after him.
On the corridor, servants passed by and saluted from time to time. Su Ying had no choice but to stop and receive the greetings before continuing on her way. While stopping and walking, she was soon caught up by Du Heng who was striding forward.
After walking down the corridor, not far away, she came to a three-way intersection leading to the garden, the library, and the side courtyard. Su Ying paused slightly, not knowing which way to go.
Du Heng saw her standing blankly on the path, his heart filled with pity. She could remain silent, but he couldn't let her frown.
He slowly reached out and held her wrist, his voice gentle but with an irresistible tone: "Follow me."
She didn't know where to go, so he became her guide.
Taoxi was inside the house, and upon hearing the footsteps, she came out to greet them. Seeing that it was the young master and his cousin, she submissively lowered her head and made way. She quietly closed the door behind her, then stood guard outside the main gate.
Du Heng brought Su Ying into the house. Seeing the door closed, he pulled Su Ying close to him and said softly, "Taoxi is smart. I'll go talk to Second Aunt and let her serve you personally from now on."
He said this naturally, and his body moved closer, so close that their breathing could be heard.
Su Ying looked at Du Heng's chest so close to her and couldn't help but wonder, "Does what we're doing count as intimacy between men and women?"
Du Heng hadn't expected her to use the very female virtues he despised against him, and he couldn't help but laugh. He released her hand, bowed to her, and said, "Miss Su, I apologize for my rudeness."
He wanted to make her laugh, but Su Ying's face turned even paler.
Du Heng's heart tightened, and he hurriedly pulled her to sit at the desk. "Have you had breakfast? Don't be like Jinniang, who didn't eat a single drop of water and fainted."
Su Ying finally raised her eyes. Instead of answering him, she asked him, "Just now in Sister Jinniang's room, Wanyi said that Sister Jinniang was injured because she was trying to block the knife for you. Is that right?"
Last night, her aunt returned to the courtyard and didn't say much to her. She only knew that her grandmother had arranged for Jinniang to stay in the main courtyard to recover from her injuries.
This morning, when she met Wanyi, she realized the injury might be disfiguring. But it wasn't until she was in Jinniang's room that she heard the truth. It turned out that Jinniang's injury was caused by Du Heng.
In this way, she understood her grandmother's actions clearly, but it was a pity that her cousin was a man, and even if he was well-educated, how could he understand the deep meaning behind it.
When love first begins, it is naturally hard to let go, but if you don't stop now, you will only fall deeper and deeper.
She hardened her heart and without waiting for Du Heng to reply, she broke free and stood up.
"Cousin, in my opinion, the relationship between you and me was based on affection and ended with courtesy. But if we go one step further, it would be inappropriate."
She took a step back and put some distance between herself and Du Heng.
"Taoxi is a good maid. She said she used to work in the front yard. But from what I see, that's not the case. She's proficient in calligraphy and is familiar with the four treasures of the study. If a maid like her hadn't been in the study since she was a child, it would be impossible for her to keep the library so well organized. She's clearly your maid."
"I wonder how much my cousin knows about me, and whether he knows why I came to the capital."
As she spoke, she turned to the desk, looked out the window, and no longer looked at Du Heng.
"My mother passed away when I was three. Before her body was cold, my father took his pregnant concubine into the family and made her his principal wife. My grandparents took pity on me and took me to the foot of Yandang Mountain, where there was an academy run by my grandfather. I spent my childhood surrounded by the sound of students reading aloud."
"I know I'm different from other women. Not only do I read, I read the Four Books and Five Classics. Not only do I write, I write in the Weibei and Yan styles. Since I was a child, I've attended lectures and studied with men. Perhaps that's why my cousin thinks I'm different and is curious about me?"
"I never had to worry about anything in my grandparents' academy, never having to worry about anything until two years ago, when the Su family took me back home. From childhood to adulthood, my grandparents and aunt never once said a word against my father. As for the concubine who was officially promoted, they only mentioned it briefly. Returning to the Su family should have been a joyous occasion, but only then did I realize it wasn't my home at all."
"For two years, I learned how to resist malicious intent and how to fight for my own interests. However, in the end, I was still defeated by someone who wanted to marry me off to a widower over 50 years old because of my mother's status. He was extremely wealthy and could pave the way for my father's business."
"If I hadn't done a favor for a little girl, I would have been forced to marry by now."
When Su Ying said this, she suddenly felt something salty and bitter on her lips. She raised her hand and touched her face, only to find that she was already in tears.
"My grandfather served as an official in the imperial court more than 20 years ago and trained many talents for the court at the foot of Yandang Mountain. My aunt brought me to Beijing because she wanted to find a reliable family of scholars among our old friends to marry me off to."
"But I know in my heart how difficult it is for my aunt to fulfill her wish. Although my grandfather has a good reputation among scholars, this still cannot change the fact that I am the daughter of a merchant who was born into a scholar family."
Su Ying smiled bitterly: "Scholars and commoners don't marry each other. Which scholar would be willing to marry a merchant girl?"
"Cousin, when I first arrived, my aunt told me that you had a promising future and that this year was crucial for you. She told me not to leave the side courtyard unless necessary, so as not to disturb your study for the exam. I agreed, but I didn't expect that things would happen one after another, causing me a lot of trouble."
Su Ying turned around and bowed to Du Heng, saying, "Su Ying is not a cold-hearted person. I am deeply grateful for your care and concern. However, from now on, please do not do anything for me. I just hope you can focus on preparing for the exam. When you pass the exam, I can leave the Du Mansion and say that I, Su Ying, did not disturb your peace of mind."
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