Chapter 40 It turns out Qi Xiuyuan's true love is...
Shen Lingyue stayed in bed for five days straight.
But it wasn't entirely because of Pei Jinghuai—it was because she had her period.
God knows that after that absurd and endless night, the next afternoon, Shen Lingyue lay in bed and felt a familiar, throbbing pain in her lower abdomen, which made her feel like she had been saved.
Zhao Lan raised the original owner's precious little daughter very well. Her period was very regular every month, and apart from a little bloating and pain in her stomach for the first two days, she hardly felt anything after that.
But Shen Lingyue had a hard time getting through those menstrual periods at her parents' home. There were no small wings, no pure cotton mesh extra-long tail fins for night use... only a long, narrow cloth bag filled with wood ash.
Despite her strong protests, Qingchan and Shuangxu improved the craftsmanship of the menstrual belt, adding several layers of cotton inside, and stipulated that it should be discarded after use and never reused.
But the various inconveniences still made her very irritable. Like now, she could only lie in bed to reduce her movement and prevent leakage.
She was fortunate once again to have been born into a good family, where her biological mother let her do whatever she wanted.
However, Pei Jinghuai was quite startled when she got her period this time. Seeing her lying on the bed looking pale and listless, he thought that the two of them had gone too far last night and swore that he would never be so indulgent next time.
He squatted by the bed, looking aggrieved, and reflected, "I don't know what happened last night, it was like... I suddenly lost control."
Shen Lingyue dared not admit that she had brought trouble upon herself. She simply took this opportunity to make a three-point agreement with him, emphasizing the need for sustainable development!
Pei Jinghuai readily agreed, as her complexion was extremely unpleasant, as if all her energy had been drained.
He turned down his friends' invitations and lay with Shen Lingyue in the warm bed, acting as her human pillow, gently massaging her lower abdomen in circles with his large hands.
"Are you feeling better? What else do you want? What do you want to eat or drink? Just tell me and I'll have someone buy it for you."
Shen Lingyue enjoyed the attentive and comprehensive care, and had a good time pinching and squeezing, and her anger had subsided.
Sigh, although she indulged herself last night, she did enjoy herself.
But as I said before, you can't eat state banquets every day.
You need some congee and side dishes every now and then.
Her period came at just the right time, and it also reminded her of something important.
Shen Lingyue nestled in Pei Jinghuai's arms and discussed with him, "Brother Xiaozhou, if I said I... don't want to have children so soon, what do you think?"
She felt like she was still a child and wasn't ready to be a mother.
Although wealthy families nowadays have a large number of wet nurses and maids, and can completely abandon their children after they are born... she still has to take care of the pregnancy for ten months by herself, right?
Besides, once the child is born, you can't just abandon her, or what will she become?
Shen Lingyue is a staunch believer that "becoming a parent requires passing an exam."
Although her parents in her previous life passed away early, they were very, very good parents who gave her all the love they could.
Being a parent is a great thing, and she feels that she is not that selfless yet.
Looking at Pei Jinghuai beside him again—he's probably in pretty bad shape too.
Although Shen Lingyue asked him a question, she had already made up her mind that she didn't want to have a baby anytime soon, regardless of whether he agreed or not.
Pei Jinghuai was taken aback for a moment, then asked her, "You don't like children? I see you really like Heng'er."
Shen Lingyue rolled her eyes at him, "Of course other people's kids are more fun."
Just like when she goes to Tanghua Garden to pet the cats, she doesn't have to do anything like feeding, cleaning up after them, or grooming them. All she has to do is play with them a few times and pet them a few times to satisfy their emotional needs.
However, she also emphasized to Pei Jinghuai, "I'm talking about now, for the time being. I don't really want it right now. Maybe I'll change my mind in a couple of years."
Pei Jinghuai suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, "That's great."
Shen Lingyue: ?
“I don’t really like kids that much either.” Pei Jinghuai scratched his head. “Daughters are a bit better, they’re well-behaved and obedient, but sons are a different story, they’re really annoying.”
Every year during the Lunar New Year, the Pei clan members would gather together to exchange New Year's greetings and hold a banquet. Pei Jinghuai was most annoyed by those mischievous boys running around everywhere, and he was often startled by the firecrackers they threw at his feet.
And then there were them climbing trees one minute and playing in the mud the next. Their newly worn clothes would soon be covered in mud, and they'd have snot hanging from their noses...
Pei Jinghuai made no attempt to hide his disdain.
Shen Lingyue found it amusing and deliberately asked him, "Weren't you like this when you were little?"
Meng Wanyin had already exposed his true colors.
Pei Jinghuai said matter-of-factly, "It's precisely because I'm like that that I know how troublesome it is to have a son."
He hadn't forgotten how, when he was two or three years old, he had sneaked into his mother's room several times in the middle of the night, wanting to sleep with her, only to be thrown out by Pei Xian, who appeared out of nowhere with a dark face...
He leaned in and kissed Shen Lingyue on the cheek, then said to her earnestly, "If your parents urge you to have children, just pretend you didn't hear them. Anyway, we're still young, it's only a matter of time."
Pei Jinghuai felt that his current life was the best, and he didn't want any annoying kids to bother him.
Shen Lingyue was unaware of his "dark history" and was deeply moved, showering him with kisses on the cheek several times.
The next second, he made a new request, "Then you have to think of a way, otherwise at this rate... what if you accidentally get pregnant?"
It's not even a "what if," it's a very high probability.
Shen Lingyue grabbed his collar, feigning fierceness: "If you can't come up with a safe and reliable solution, then you're not allowed to sleep in the bed anymore!"
"Okay, okay, I'll think of a way." Pei Jinghuai, worn down by her nagging, readily agreed.
Once she felt better in a couple of days, he went out to ask his group of cronies what was going on.
...
On the third day, Yan Yi came over and learned that she was having menstrual discomfort, which relieved her slightly.
Shen Lingyue was too embarrassed to tell the truth, but she gave her a rather resentful look.
If only I had asked her one more question that day, who would have thought that Yao Niang's gift would be so... effective?
A perfumery genius, terrifyingly so!
But then I thought about it again, Yan Yi and Pei Jingyi must have tried it before they agreed, otherwise why would she have stayed up so late that day?
So it's all her own fault for stupidly putting in three spices... moderation is key.
However, Shen Lingyue was not fortunate enough to enjoy it for a while, and she put the box of spices away at the bottom of her trunk.
You can't look, you can't look, if you see it you'll blush and your heart will race.
Neither of them dared to ask, and neither dared to mention it, and so the beautiful misunderstanding occurred.
Shen Lingyue just held Yan Yi's hand and whined, "You've already had a precognitive dream, so why can't you have a storage space too?"
Let's stock up on a ton of sanitary napkins first!
"Be content. We can't have all the good things in life."
Yan Yi felt sorry for her when she saw her miserable appearance. Her menstrual cycle was very irregular. She had only had her period once since she transmigrated. No wonder the doctor said that she was too weak.
After chatting with Shen Lingyue for a while, Yan Yi noticed that she yawned several times and was struggling to keep her eyelids closed. She patted Shen Lingyue's hand, stood up, and said, "You can sleep a little longer. I'm going back."
Shen Lingyue didn't stand on ceremony with her, "Okay, I'll come visit you when I'm better."
Yan Yi left Dan Yue Xuan and had only walked halfway when she ran into Mama Qian.
She went to Jiusi Courtyard to look for someone but found no one there. When she saw Yan Yi, she showed some displeasure and spoke in a stiff tone: "Young Madam, I've been looking for you everywhere."
Yan Yi stopped and glanced at her indifferently. "What is it?"
Madam Qian bowed slightly, "The Grand Madam requests your presence."
Yan Yi went with her to the Grand Madam's Pine and Crane Hall.
Upon entering, she saw the Dowager Madam sitting at the head of the table, with Pei Yuzhen and Dong Lanyi below her, glaring at her with unfriendly expressions.
Yan Yi walked to the center and bowed respectfully, saying, "Grandmother, Aunt."
Dong Lanyi was her peer and cousin, so Yan Yi simply straightened up and nodded to her in greeting.
Seeing her standing on the ground with such poise and composure, the old lady thought that she was indeed a boorish girl from a military family, who didn't know how to be close to her at all, and she snorted coldly in displeasure.
"Zhou, do you still remember what you said to Lan Yi a few days ago? Why did you curse her so that she would never get married!"
Yan Yi looked up, her expression somewhat surprised. "I didn't say that."
Turning to look at Dong Lanyi, he was utterly puzzled. "How could my cousin talk such nonsense?"
Dong Lanyi came to complain to her maternal grandmother today with Pei Yuzhen. Pointing at her with her handkerchief, she said, "You said you'd make me live in the Marquis's mansion for ten or twenty years. Isn't that cursing me to never get married?"
Yan Yi opened her eyes slightly, as if she understood something.
No wonder Pei Jingyi laughed so hard he spat out his tea... Did he already guess it?
These people have eight hundred schemes in their heads, all of which are used to plot against others.
Yan Yi explained earnestly, "Cousin, you're overthinking it. I mean everything I say. You can stay in the Marquis's mansion as long as you want. Nobody's pressuring you to get married."
A hint of confusion appeared on the old lady's face as she looked at Pei Yuzhen and her daughter—this is different from what you said.
Pei Yuzhen quickly said, "Mother, don't listen to her excuses. She only dares not admit it in front of you."
She shoved Dong Lanyi away, saying, "Lanyi is someone you watched grow up. She's the most well-behaved girl, how could she lie?"
"Grandmother..."
Dong Lanyi looked over with a pitiful expression, and the old lady immediately switched sides, saying with a stern face, "Zhou, don't think that just because Lanyi has lost her father, she can be bullied by anyone. She is my own granddaughter, and I can still make the decisions in this family."
“Grandmother is right,” Yan Yi agreed earnestly, and then suggested, “Since neither my aunt nor my cousin believes me, why don’t we draw up a contract, in triplicate, and ask Grandmother to be our witness?”
With everything written in black and white, surely you should believe her now, right?
Pei Yuzhen opened her mouth, but remained silent for a moment.
Is the key point to have a written agreement?
She just wanted to use the old lady to teach Zhou Yanyi a lesson, to make her completely obedient, and ideally, to get her to agree to take Lan Yi as a concubine for Pei Jingyi...
Besides that, Pei Yuzhen couldn't think of any other good ideas.
She only realized recently, when she went out to find a husband for her daughter, that it would be quite difficult for Dong Lanyi to marry into a good family.
Despite living in the Marquis's mansion for ten years and always referring to herself as the Pei family's aunt, the heads of several prominent families she chose for her daughters, whether it was the eldest son or the youngest son, all politely declined her offer with various excuses.
Pei Yuzhen was so angry that she would come home every day and scold them for being a bunch of snobs who couldn't see her daughter's talent and character, and only saw that her father had died young and she had no brothers to help her.
One of the ladies-in-waiting was kind-hearted. Although her own son was unsuitable, she had a son born out of wedlock who was the right age, hardworking, and studying for the imperial examinations.
But as soon as she started, she saw the disgust on Pei Yuzhen's face and wisely changed the subject.
When Pei Yuzhen returned home, she launched into another tirade of complaints. She, the esteemed eldest daughter of the Marquis's family, whose daughter was also the legitimate eldest daughter, how could she marry a son born out of wedlock! And she even had to treat concubines and mistresses who were not worthy of being mentioned in public as elders!
As for suggesting a newly appointed Jinshi or Juren for Dong Lanyi? Ha, Pei Yuzhen herself has suffered enough from this; how could she let her daughter repeat the same mistake?
She had to ensure that Dong Lanyi married into a family in the capital, as close to her as possible, right under her nose.
So, after going around in circles, she set her sights on her eldest nephew, Pei Jingyi.
The princess's son, the future marquis, a marriage between close relatives... what a perfect son-in-law!
As a result, Zhou Yanyi, that wild girl, got all the benefits.
Pei Yuzhen had completely forgotten that the Grand Madam had never agreed to the marriage between the two families, and all her hatred had been transferred to Yan Yi.
Even Dong Lanyi regarded her as the villain who "broke up the couple," as if without Yan Yi, she would already be the eldest young mistress of the Marquis's mansion.
With things having come to this, Pei Yuzhen had no choice but to settle for second best. If she couldn't be Pei Jingyi's principal wife, she could at least be a concubine.
With her and the Grand Madam backing up Dong Lanyi in the anti-corruption campaign, even as a concubine, Zhou Yanyi wouldn't dare to bully her like a wife.
If she has another child or daughter in the future, and she puts in a lot of effort in front of the old lady, then it's uncertain who will inherit the title.
However, it would be too undignified for her to bring up such a thing herself.
Pei Yuzhen could only stare at Yan Yi with unwavering eyes, hoping that she would play the role of a virtuous and generous wife and sister-in-law, and take the initiative to solve the problem of her cousin's lifelong marriage.
"Aunt, are your eyes bothering you? Why are they cramping?"
Yan Yi received her "light wave" and politely inquired, "Is the rash on your face still not fully healed? You should ask a doctor to take a look. I heard that facial twitching is a precursor to a stroke."
Pei Yuzhen: ...You're the one who had a stroke!
However, the matter of calling a doctor reminded her. Pei Yuzhen had an idea and deliberately said, "Speaking of which, Zhou, it seems that you were carried into the courtyard by the eldest son on the day you returned to your parents' home? These days, medicine is being brewed every day in Jiu Si Courtyard... How can a newlywed like you be in such poor health? How can you bear children for your husband like this?"
The old lady was unaware of this, and suddenly her eyes widened. "Is that so?"
Since it concerned the heir of her beloved grandson, the old lady had to become serious. "Zhou, you've been married for over a month now, and there's still no good news?"
Yan Yi: ...
Let alone the fact that she and Pei Jingyi are still just sleeping together, even if it were true, it wouldn't be this fast, right?
She composed herself and tried to defend herself: "The day I returned to my parents' home was just an accident. I got up too early in the morning and didn't eat anything, so I felt a little dizzy. My husband was too nervous, so he carried me back to the room."
Upon hearing this, Dong Lanyi's eyes turned red with jealousy again.
Showing off, absolutely showing off!
"As for the medicine brewed daily at Jiusi Academy..." Yan Yi smiled at Pei Yuzhen, "it's a nourishing soup I specially made for my husband because I see he's busy with official duties every day."
Anyway, once the courtyard gate is closed, no one knows whose stomach that medicinal soup ended up in.
Pei Jingyi will have to take the blame for now.
The Dowager Lady's train of thought was indeed swayed, and she became anxious upon hearing this, "Is Yunzhao working so hard in the Ministry of War?"
Yan Yi nodded seriously, "The other day His Majesty ordered my husband to investigate a case of embezzlement of military supplies at the border. My husband has to check many account books and letters every day, often working until late at night. He even had a headache a couple of days ago."
"Oh dear, His Majesty is so heartless towards him. He's still his own nephew..."
The old lady muttered a few words of dissatisfaction, then stopped urging him to give birth. She said to Yan Yi, "I have a hundred-year-old ginseng here. Take it back with you and give him a good boost."
Her precious grandson is so tired during the day, how can he have the strength to give birth at night?
We need to replenish ourselves, we absolutely must!
Yan Yi suppressed a smile and bowed to express her gratitude: "If my husband knew how much Grandmother cares for him, he would be very moved."
The old lady loved hearing this, and found it agreeable. She snorted, "What do you know? I raised Yunzhao since he was a child. He was so pitiful to lose his mother at such a young age. If I don't love him, who else can I rely on?"
Yan Yi seemed to have vaguely figured out the trick to making the old lady happy, and made up a few more stories about how Pei Jingyi missed his grandmother, and how he would mention how his grandmother was doing every day at mealtime, whether she had eaten well, and so on.
This immediately made the Dowager Lady beam with joy, and she found Yan Yi much more agreeable.
Well, although she hasn't gotten pregnant yet, at least she's someone who knows how to take care of people.
"Everything is fine here. Go back and tell Yunzhao that he doesn't need to work so hard for his uncle. His own health is the most important thing."
"Yes, Grandmother is old and knowledgeable, and we younger generations will definitely be right to listen to you."
Yan Yi left Songhetang safely, taking with her several bags of medicinal herbs and tonics, a very fruitful trip.
Pei Yuzhen watched her leave and became anxious, "Mother, are you just going to let her go back like that?"
"Otherwise what?" The old lady's mind was now completely focused on not letting her precious grandson suffer.
"Tell her to hurry back and brew medicine for Yunzhao, so that he can drink it as soon as he gets home, and it won't spoil his appetite for dinner. That would be great."
“Nalan Yi…”
The old lady didn't hear clearly, so she grabbed the Buddhist prayer beads and put them on her wrist. Mother Qian helped her walk to the back, saying, "I need to hurry and offer incense to the Bodhisattva, praying for Yunzhao's good health and that he'll give me a great-grandson soon..."
Pei Yuzhen looked at her retreating figure with a hint of resentment.
He says he loves his granddaughter Lanyi the most, but when something really happens, he only cares about his precious grandson!
"Mother, what should I do?"
Pei Yuzhen held her daughter's hand and said through gritted teeth, "They may not love you, but you still have me. Your mother will definitely make you get what you want."
Dong Lanyi lowered her head shyly, "As long as I can be with my cousin, I don't care about any title or status..."
Pei Yuzhen rolled her eyes at her. Silly child, how could you not want a title?
She hugged Dong Lanyi and patted her back, saying, "My son is such a devoted lover. I'll try to find a way for you."
*
After her period ended, Shen Lingyue took a long, refreshing bath; she felt like she would rust if she lay down any longer.
Fully revived!
She happily went to find Yan Yi, "Let's go shopping!"
You don't necessarily have to buy anything; the important thing is to browse.
Even if the Marquis's mansion is large, it's just a garden. After being married for so many days, Shen Lingyue has already visited every place she can go and is getting a little tired of it.
She and Yan Yi are quite different in this respect. She is enthusiastic about exploring every new place, but the novelty comes and goes quickly, and she doesn't like to stay in one place for long.
Yan Yi is the type of person who, once she has a clear understanding of her own little corner of the world, can stay peacefully in her own "territory".
Therefore, Shen Lingyue especially loves to go out. In the past, she would save money to travel during every holiday and keep unlocking new maps.
Although Yan Yi would make plans in advance, in practice she would often just follow Shen Lingyue around, and things would change faster than planned.
All she needed to do was make sure that Little Moon wouldn't lose her.
The two strolled around, entering unfamiliar shops to browse and randomly buying one or two trinkets that caught their eye.
All I need is a cup of brown sugar bubble tea in my hand.
Yan Yi followed Shen Lingyue out of a general store and saw her suddenly stop. "What's wrong?"
Shen Lingyue suddenly pulled her up and took a few quick steps forward, a warm smile on her face, and waved, "Editor Qi, you're off today?"
Yan Yi looked closely and saw that it was Qi Xiuyuan, with a handsome stranger standing next to him.
He was half a head shorter than Qi Xiuyuan, but his features were delicate, and he was very handsome and eye-catching.
"Miss Shen San," Qi Xiuyuan greeted her, then corrected himself, "No, I should call you Madam Shen now."
Shen Lingyue waved her hand to indicate that it was alright, and then introduced Yan Yi, "This is my sister-in-law, her maiden name is Zhou."
Qi Xiuyuan and Yan Yi greeted each other.
He also introduced the man accompanying him, "This is Jiang Yunlin, the third-ranked scholar in this imperial examination."
"Greetings, ladies." Jiang Yunlin bowed to the two ladies, his voice clear and pleasant.
Shen Lingyue's eyes lit up. As expected of the handsome scholar known for his good looks, this young man was just as handsome as Qi Xiuyuan, and even had his own unique charm.
She asked with a smile, "I heard that the third-ranked scholar is the most handsome among this year's successful candidates. I wonder if Jiang Tanhua is married yet?"
If he were still single, he would definitely be the most sought-after husband among the noble ladies of the capital.
Jiang Yunlin blushed slightly and explained with his hands clasped: "Not yet. A wandering Taoist priest once told my fortune, saying that if I marry early, I will surely be unlucky in marriage."
Shen Lingyue: ...
Ah, no wonder Father didn't mention the third-ranked scholar when choosing a husband for Shen Songyi.
Is it really appropriate for you to say it so casually?
Seeing her subtle expression, Qi Xiuyuan smiled and explained on behalf of Jiang Yunlin: "Ever since Brother Jiang passed the imperial examination, countless people have tried to find him a wife. Brother Jiang is afraid that his unusual fate might harm other families' daughters, so he made it clear early on that he would not marry before the age of thirty."
Shen Lingyue chuckled twice: "I see. Jiang Tanhua is truly, truly kind!"
"Madam Shen, you flatter me. I was just putting myself in your shoes."
Jiang Yunlin said that he and Qi Xiuyuan were off work today, so they made an appointment to go out and browse the bookstores together.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, it was time for them to go their separate ways and explore on their own.
Shen Lingyue hadn't forgotten her plan to curry favor with someone powerful. After thinking for a moment, she said to Qi Xiuyuan, "My elder brother has been full of praise for Qi Xiuyuan's talent. He even said he'd like to visit you sometime to learn from you. I wonder if that would be convenient?"
Editor Qi smiled and nodded, "Your brother is very talented, and I admire him as well. Let him come over when he has time."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi watched the two leave, then rested their chins on their hands and sighed, "If we were men, it would be so much easier. We wouldn't have to use my older brother as an excuse."
Although the social atmosphere between men and women in this dynasty is relatively free, that refers to unmarried men and women.
It would be too easy for people to misunderstand if she, a married woman, were to go to Qi Xiuyuan's house every day.
Yan Yi thought for a moment and said, "Once he gets married, we can try to befriend his wife."
"This is the only way... Huh? Huh? Huh?"
Shen Lingyue's eyes lit up, and she pointed to Qi Xiuyuan and Jiang Yunlin walking further and further away, "Yanyan, look!"
Are these two being a little too close in terms of social distance?
Even if two grown men are good friends, do they need to stand so close? Is the street crowded?
Shen Lingyue caught a whiff of melon and abandoned her shopping trip, instead sneaking off with Yan Yi, the dog.
The two of them landed at a distance of about ten meters behind.
Qi Xiuyuan and Jiang Yunlin were unaware that they were being followed. They walked and talked as they went, their attitude very natural and relaxed.
Just then, a vendor across the street pushed a cart full of fruit, wobbling as it came towards them. Suddenly, the vendor's grip shifted, the cart tilted, and the fruit spilled out with a clatter.
Jiang Yunlin was walking on the outside and was about to be hit by a fruit.
"Brother Jiang, be careful—"
Without thinking, Qi Xiuyuan put his arm around his waist and pulled him to the side.
Jiang Yunlin was clearly startled as well. She instinctively placed her hands on Qi Xiuyuan's chest, then suddenly realized what was happening and hurriedly took a few steps back.
He composed himself and gave Qi Xiuyuan an awkward smile. "Thank you, Brother Qi."
After saying that, he squatted down and helped the vendor pick up the fruit that had rolled around.
Seeing this, Qi Xiuyuan also came to help.
The two accidentally touched the same fruit, then separated as if electrocuted, avoiding each other's gaze and pretending to be very busy.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi watched the whole thing from behind a roadside stall.
Her eyes shone brightly, and she clenched her fist, stating definitively, "These two are definitely suspicious."
Hiss... it smells like bromance.
Qi Xiuyuan, you were hiding your true colors, but I caught you red-handed.
Shen Lingyue pulled Yan Yi to a secluded spot and excitedly danced around.
"It's all connected, everything's connected."
She confidently analyzed to Yan Yi: "No wonder Qi Xiuyuan swore to never submit to Princess Rongcheng, because he doesn't like women at all. And also, later when he became the Grand Secretary, he frequently entered and exited the palace, and even had an affair with Consort Gao... In fact, it was all false, it was his political enemies smearing him!"
Qi Xiuyuan's true love is clearly Jiang Yunlin, the scholar who claims to be a jinx to his wives!
Yan Yi was still not quite convinced. "Can't we just jump to conclusions based on that accident alone?"
Shen Lingyue stroked her chin, her face deep in thought. "You don't understand. Ambiguity is an atmosphere, a feeling... I'm well-read, I won't mistake it!"
Even if they don't have anything now, they definitely will in the future.
Shen Lingyue countered Yan Yi's question: "Think about it, would Pei Jingyi and Pei Jinghuai walk so close together when they go out? They are brothers."
Yan Yi imagined it for a moment, then got goosebumps and shook her head repeatedly.
Not only would they not get that close, but they would also never put their arms around each other's waists...
That's a bit too much.
"So what do you plan to do?"
Yan Yi quickly regained her composure. "If Qi Xiuyuan doesn't get married either, your plan to cling to his coattails will fall through."
Just as Shen Lingyue was getting excited about the new melon, a bucket of cold water was poured on her by reality, and she wilted again.
"Oh right, that couple is so loving, what should we do?"
However, Shen Lingyue was always good at comforting herself. She waved her hand and said, "We'll take it one step at a time. Right now, the two of them can only sneak out to date on their days off. Maybe one day they'll need us to cover for them."
There's still a long way to go, and sooner or later there will be opportunities to deal with Qi Xiuyuan.
*
The two spent most of the day wandering around outside before heading home in the afternoon.
They were stopped at the gatehouse.
"The two young mistresses are finally back. This afternoon, the Shen family and the Zhou family sent invitations, asking you to return to your parents' home as soon as possible."
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi each took a card from the gatekeeper and glanced at it quickly.
Shen Lingyue: "My father is sick?"
Yan Yi: "My stepmother...gave birth?"
Yan Yi was even more confused. She calculated the time and realized that Lin Qiyu was not yet due. This was premature.
But this time, she definitely won't be blamed.
Shen Lingyue said, "Then let's hurry back to our respective courtyards, take our gifts, and go home to visit our families?"
Yan Yi nodded, and the two parted ways at the gate, hurrying off to their tasks.
As soon as Shen Lingyue returned to Danyue Pavilion, Qingchan and Shuangxu had already received the news and prepared things for her in advance.
The three, master and servant, immediately returned to the Shen family.
Upon entering the front courtyard, one could see a middle-aged Taoist priest in a ceremonial robe performing a ritual. He held a copper coin sword, walked in the Seven Star Steps, and chanted incantations with great solemnity.
Shen Lingyue was stunned, and couldn't help but ask Qingchan, "Is my father sick or possessed?"
Why didn't you call a doctor, but instead called a Taoist priest?
Shen Lingyue entered Shen Hang's house, completely bewildered, and was immediately greeted by a burnt smell.
Shen Hang lay motionless on the bed, half of his face was crooked, and he could only utter muffled sobs as he tried to speak.
Aunt Liu was lying by Shen Hang's bedside, her eyes swollen from crying, holding a cup of dark liquid in her hands.
"Master, after drinking this cup of talisman water, you will recover your health..."
Shen Songyi knelt on the other side, wiping away her tears as well. "Father, don't scare your daughter. You must get better soon."
Shen Lingyue couldn't squeeze in at all. After looking around, she finally saw Zhao Lan sitting far away, leisurely drinking tea.
"Mother, what's going on?"
Shen Lingyue went over, completely bewildered, "Why is Father suddenly so ill?"
"I don't know. When I woke up this morning, half of my face was paralyzed. At first, I thought it was because I caught a cold last night and had facial paralysis, but by noon, I couldn't even speak."
Zhao Lan slowly and methodically recounted the illness, but she didn't seem very anxious.
Shen Lingyue seemed to understand but not quite, and then asked the Taoist priest outside what was going on.
Zhao Lan smiled sneer. "Aunt Liu said he must have offended some evil spirit. Anyway, your father has agreed, so let's ask a master to take a look."
She patted the seat next to her, inviting Shen Lingyue to sit down, and then took her hand and asked her carefully how she had been doing lately.
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Author's note: Just to clarify beforehand, Xiao Qi is definitely heterosexual 0-0, but there's always the possibility of a real gay scandal later on. After all, when we're going to have some gossip, we want the most dramatic (just kidding).
The announcement added new conditions for extra chapters; whether you can squeeze every last drop out of me depends on your skills. [doge emoji with rose in hand]
And I added less than a thousand words today, yes, I'll make up for it tomorrow, because my tooth hurts so much... I've taken painkillers for three days and they're not working. I need to get a root canal done before the clinic closes TAT
See you all tomorrow... (waves weakly)
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