Unexpected Visitor
Cheng Yayin raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked repeatedly, "Where is she? Is she safe? Are there any strange people around her?"
Pei Songsheng shook his head. "We found her at the inn she mentioned in her letter to Xia Changan. When my people found her, she was indeed busy with business matters, and there was nothing unusual. To be on the safe side, I had people secretly lurk near her for a few days, but they didn't see her interacting with any unusual people. So it seems that she really didn't meet the murderer."
So how did the fact that she was Song Lingjun leak out?
Cheng Yayin was puzzled, but at least now she knew Xia Changhuan was safe, she felt much more at ease.
"Boss Xia was shocked to learn what happened in Shengjing. But she still has some urgent business matters to wrap up, so she should be back in a few days." Pei Songsheng said gently, "I know you have a lot of things you want to ask her in person. I have sent people to stay by her side and will protect her all the way back to Beijing. She will be back safely soon."
Cheng Yayin believed in Pei Songsheng's meticulousness and felt much more at ease.
It was getting late, so after clearing the dishes on the table, Pei Songsheng was going to rest and told Cheng Yayin to go to bed early as well.
Pei Songsheng's room was right next to his study. It had originally been a servant's quarters, so it wasn't very spacious, and the bed was even smaller. Cheng Yayin hadn't known about it before, but after he was poisoned, she had visited it to take care of him. She compared the two beds in her mind and concluded that the bed was barely wide enough for him to stretch out straight, making it uncomfortably small.
At that time, the two of them were still strangers to each other. Now, when she thinks about how busy he is every day and how he has to sleep in that cramped little bed at night, she feels a little bit uncomfortable.
"You shouldn't leave tonight," Cheng Yayin blurted out before her mind could react. She was a little surprised, but the words were already out. Facing Pei Songsheng's surprised look, she said, "You're so busy every day. You should get a good night's sleep to rest up. Your little bed isn't comfortable. Why don't you... just rest here?"
The more she spoke, the lower her voice became and the redder her face became. Pei Songsheng looked a little embarrassed, but he stayed.
It was not the first time they slept in the same bed, but it was the first time she lay with Pei Songsheng while he was awake. When he got on the bed, Cheng Yayin's heartbeat was more violent than any other time they had slept in the same bed.
Pei Songsheng lay flat on the bed properly. The distance between the two of them was wide enough for another person to lie down.
Cheng Yayin asked, "Aren't you afraid of falling?"
"No." Pei Songsheng said dryly, "This bed is very spacious."
Cheng Yayin propped herself up and leaned towards Pei Songsheng.
A delicate fragrance suddenly filled his nostrils, and Pei Songsheng's breath stopped, his whole body unconsciously tensing up. Cheng Yayin simply leaned over to glance at his side, seeing that he was pressed tightly against the edge of the bed, afraid that he would fall off if he turned over.
The original intention was to make him sleep more comfortably here, but this made him even more uncomfortable. Cheng Yayin said: "This bed is very big. If you feel uncomfortable with me here, I can sleep on the chaise longue."
Before he finished speaking, Pei Songsheng immediately moved inwards, shortening the distance between the two of them. Cheng Yayin felt a little shy and a little funny about his actions, so she lay down as well.
Their bodies were still keeping a little distance, but their body temperatures were intertwined and transmitted under the quilt. In this familiar temperature, Cheng Yayin gradually fell asleep.
Before falling asleep, they both maintained their proper positions, not crossing the line. But perhaps because their previous intimacy had left a mark on their hearts, they subconsciously followed the familiar source of heat and huddled close together, so that when they woke up the next morning, they were hugging each other tightly.
The two stared at each other from a short distance, their consciousness returning to clarity. Pei Songsheng was the first to react, hastily releasing Cheng Yayin's waist. Cheng Yayin also pulled away her hand, tightly grasping his shirt, turned away, and buried her face in the quilt to calm down.
There was a rustling sound behind him. It was Pei Songsheng lifting the quilt, getting up and getting dressed.
Cheng Yayin showed a pair of eyes from under the quilt and quietly took care of his back. Pei Songsheng seemed to sense something and turned back, and she immediately covered herself again.
Pei Songsheng looked at her sneaky appearance and unconsciously curled his lips. When he went out that day, his steps were much lighter than usual.
Xia Changhuan will be back from Ganchuan soon. Cheng Yayin, who has been bored in the mansion every day, now has something to look forward to.
Unexpectedly, instead of Xia Changhuan, an unexpected person showed up.
Cheng Yayin was sitting in the garden reading a book when Lan Yue came to report that there was a visitor.
During this period, the Pei Mansion has been refusing outside visitors. The servants in the mansion all know the rules and will politely refuse even if someone comes. This time, they specifically informed Lan Yue, so it must be an extraordinary person who came.
Cheng Yayin looked at Lanyue and saw her take out a white jade hairpin from her sleeve.
Cheng Yayin raised her eyebrows and said, "Please invite her in."
*
Qu Xiaoyou, under Lan Yue's guidance, came to a pavilion in the backyard. Before he even reached her, Cheng Yayin eagerly approached him and asked, "Madam Qu, is there something urgent you're looking for me about? Is Liu Chang bothering you again?"
Seeing Cheng Yayin's concerned expression, Qu Xiaoyou was deeply moved and said, "Madam, don't worry, I'm fine. I came to bother you today just to see you. I've had this intention for a long time, but I thought you might not want to see outsiders because you've been busy lately. However, I'm still concerned about you. I hope you won't think I'm being presumptuous."
Cheng Yayin understood what she meant and smiled faintly, "Not many people come to my house these days just to see me laugh. Thank you for thinking of me. I'm very happy that you can come."
"Madam, what are you talking about? I'm actually very happy too." Qu Xiaoyou followed Cheng Yayin into the pavilion. The servants served her tea, which she accepted with both hands. "Even when Madam Fanlelou rescued me from a difficult situation, I felt a strong connection with Madam from the moment we met. I didn't know Madam's identity at that time, but later I heard that you were Lord Songling, the author of 'The Story of the Red Tassel'. Then I understood where my affinity for Madam came from."
"Although we have never met before, we have long been close friends through books. After this brief conversation with you, I feel that we are even more compatible."
Cheng Yayin raised her teacup, using tea instead of wine, and clinked glasses with Qu Xiaoyou. "I feel the same way."
After they drank a cup of tea together, Qu Xiaoyou lowered his gaze and said with regret, "It's a pity that I can't visit you often, Madam. I came here not only to see you, but also to say goodbye."
Cheng Yayin looked at her in surprise, then immediately understood what she meant. She said sadly, "What happened to me must have had a huge impact on your troupe. I'm sorry for affecting your livelihood."
Qu Xiaoyou said quickly, "Madam, please don't think that. I've actually been planning to leave for a long time, but I couldn't bear to leave 'The Story of the Red Tassel' behind. I wanted to finish singing it before leaving. Now, perhaps the old man is guiding me, telling me to make up my mind sooner rather than later."
"Mrs. Qu doesn't like Shengjing?"
Qu Xiaoyou shook his head. "Although Shengjing is prosperous, it's not where my heart desires. I came here following the vague fantasies in my heart. But people can't live on empty hopes alone. Although my life is like a floating duckweed, I also want to live according to my own wishes. I was hesitant at first, but after reading "The Story of the Red Tassel" written by my wife and living the life of the characters in the book, I realized that in life, you must make decisions when you have to. Hesitation will only waste time. The right way is to withdraw in time."
Cheng Yayin had been subject to a lot of gossip lately. Outside the Pei residence, everyone denounced her as absurd and denigrated her writings as decadent. Hearing someone so acclaim her writings as a golden rule moved her so deeply that tears welled up in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and said, "Thank you so much for saying that. You have no idea how much it comforts me. I thought my writings were just a pile of waste paper, no one would appreciate them anymore."
Qu Xiaoyou reached out and shook Cheng Yayin's hand, which was resting on the table. He spoke from the bottom of his heart, "Why bother caring about the praise or criticism from those short-sighted people? I know I'm an insignificant person, and my praise is also insignificant, and I can't say anything flattering. But I just want to tell you - what you write is very good, and no matter how others criticize you, it can't diminish your talent in the slightest."
These words, like a gentle breeze, dispelled the long-held gloom in Cheng Yayin's heart. She felt the resentment in her heart vanish. She personally poured a cup of tea for Qu Xiaoyou, thanked her for her words of advice, and asked her where she planned to go after leaving Shengjing.
"I don't know where, I just want to see the mountains and rivers of Daxi." Qu Xiaoyou said, his eyes full of longing. "First, I'll go to a nearby town, then go to Jiangnan to see the waterside scenery. When I've seen enough, I'll go further afield, all the way to the depths of the desert, and touch the vast yellow sand myself."
Cheng Yayin imagined her graceful figure traversing every inch of Daxi, how free and carefree she must have felt. She smiled and said, "Then I wish you a safe journey. Although we have only known each other for a short time, please remember me as your friend and write to me often to tell me about your experiences along the way."
Upon hearing this, Qu Xiaoyou also smiled and said, "Of course."
When seeing off Qu Xiaoyou, Cheng Yayin asked her when she would leave, and she said three days later. Cheng Yayin then said she would go and see her off, and Qu Xiaoyou agreed.
After a long chat with Qu Xiaoyou, Cheng Yayin felt much better. The next day, she got another piece of good news: Xia Changhuan had returned.
The person was escorted back by Pei Songsheng. When entering the city, he was busy in the yamen and couldn't get away, so he asked Jian Zhu to go back to the mansion to report to Cheng Yayin.
Cheng Yayin couldn't wait any longer and immediately went to Zhijin Bookstore. Pei Songsheng had predicted her personality and had already made arrangements with Jian Zhu, asking him to bring enough people from the mansion to escort her.
This was the first time Cheng Yayin had set foot in Zhijin Bookstore since the incident.
The bookstore's business seemed to have been affected as well. The entrance wasn't as crowded as usual, with only a few people coming in and out. Cheng Yayin entered the store through the back door, but didn't see Xia Changan. The shop assistant saw her and, having apparently been instructed, led her upstairs.
It was still the familiar quiet room. As Cheng Yayin entered, Xia Changhuan came to greet her and said in a hurry, "Your Lord Pei scared me to death. I don't know why he arranged for a large number of officers and soldiers to come to me, questioning me all kinds of things, and even escorted me all the way back. I thought I had committed some crime and was going to throw me in jail."
"Don't blame him. I asked him to do this." Cheng Yayin pulled her and asked, "Have you met any man in Ganchuan who sweet-talked you, said he loved you and asked you to go with him?"
"Why are you asking me the same question as those officers and soldiers? What happened? Why are you all so nervous?"
Cheng Yayin told her the whole story of how the mysterious man lured the innocent woman. Although she was not targeted by the murderer, Cheng Yayin was worried and it was also a warning to her.
Xia Changhuan was very surprised when he heard this. After a long silence, he said, "To think there is such a thing."
She quickly put the matter aside and talked about Xia Changan's daughter-in-law.
Some time had passed, and Cheng Yayin still didn't want to recall the scene that day. She had actually heard Xia Changhuan talk about her sister-in-law earlier, saying that they had been engaged since childhood. After her parents' death, the family business was in decline, and the Zhou family had originally considered canceling the marriage. However, seeing Xia Changhuan's talent and his revival in just a few years, they eagerly married their daughter to him.
Xia Zhou was a fiery-tempered woman, unhappy that Xia Changhuan was the sole controller of the Xia family's business, and she often tried to sow discord between the siblings. However, the siblings shared a deep bond, and Xia Changan, aware that he wasn't as intelligent as his sister and that the family depended on her for support, ignored his wife's provocations.
Xia Zhou did not give up and became annoyed with her husband as well, often scolding him for being useless. The couple often quarreled. Xia Changhuan also occasionally complained to Cheng Yayin that there was no peace and quiet at home and she would rather rest in the shop.
When Cheng Yayin heard her complain, she never thought that one day she would be able to experience Xia Zhou's fierceness firsthand.
Xia Changhuan said apologetically, "Chang'an knows he can no longer face you, so he has resigned from his position as the owner of Zhijin Bookstore. After this incident, he can no longer live with his sister-in-law and has decided to divorce her. Ultimately, this is because my Xia family has failed you and caused you to suffer this in vain. If you and Lord Pei want to blame anyone, please blame me alone."
"Why would I blame you? It wasn't you who ordered this."
Cheng Yayin recalled how Pei Songsheng had come to her a few days earlier to ask her what she wanted done with Xia Zhou. She had already suffered enough in prison for assault, and the man behind the scenes couldn't get anything out of her. But whether or not to release her depended on Cheng Yayin's wishes.
Cheng Yayin hated this man immensely, but thinking that she was being used, she decided to do whatever she had to do. She didn't want to see this man again. Now that she knew her husband's family was planning to divorce her, for such a narrow-minded and stupid person, the punishment she had received was more than enough.
What she wanted to know most now was how that person knew her identity, and how he found out that Xia Changhuan's sister-in-law was a breakthrough point, so that she was forced to reveal her identity in such a humiliating way.
After much thought, the most likely person to have leaked the news was someone on Xia Changhuan's side. The killer might not have targeted Xia Changhuan for a while, but he had already set his sights on those around her. Cheng Yayin once again worriedly reminded her, and asked her to check for any suspicious people around her.
Xia Changhuan agreed, and then he was lost in thought. Suddenly, he slammed his hammer on the table and said angrily, "I won't let this go for nothing. I won't let this person go easily."
Cheng Yayin knew that Xia Changhuan had always been strong-willed. After her identity was exposed, the business of Zhijin Bookstore was also affected. This was not something she could easily swallow. After giving Xia Changhuan a few more instructions, she prepared to return home.
Cheng Yayin hadn't been out for many days and was worried that there would be a violent storm outside. But when she lifted the curtain and looked out from the carriage, she found that everything was the same as usual and no one even looked at her. The anxiety in her heart was relieved a lot.
No matter what happens, it will pass. It is just a temporary topic of conversation and will eventually be forgotten in the days that flow forward.
It was a rare opportunity for her to go out, so she thought about visiting the academy. She hadn't been there for a long time, and the people there must be worried about her. So she asked them to put their minds at ease.
The director and the nanny hadn't seen Cheng Yayin for a long time, and the children were very happy to see her, surrounding her and asking her about her life. Seeing that she looked a little less handsome than before, but still full of energy, they were relieved.
They all knew what had happened, but no one mentioned it to Cheng Yayin, and no one's expression hid any disdain for her writing the storybook. Cheng Yayin felt warm in her heart amidst the caring and concerned voices.
Everything was fine with the people at the Salesian Home, except for one unusual thing—
There Cheng Yayin saw Du Lanxin, who was supposed to be temporarily living in the countryside outside Beijing.
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