Chapter 13: Good News
She entered Wen Gui Courtyard, and it wasn't until Granny Zhao reminded her that Shen You realized she was still clutching the small porcelain bottle Chu Xiao had given her.
She stared at the bottle for a while before finally placing it at the bottom of the dressing case.
As the sun began to set, after eating the osmanthus cake that Green Luo had brought back from Qian Gao Ji, Shen You only had a bowl of light fish and meat porridge for dinner before ordering the meal to be taken away.
Night had fallen, and in the main room of the Wen Gui Courtyard of the Marquis's residence, only a floor lamp remained lit in the bedroom.
On the bed, lightly covered by a gauze curtain, the girl closed her eyes, her delicate brows furrowed, and her fingertips gripped the corner of the quilt tightly, as if she were having a nightmare.
In her dream, Shen You returned to four years ago.
On the fifteenth day of the tenth lunar month, the Lower Yuan Festival, every household in Qingxi Town worships their ancestors.
After the sacrificial ceremony, there was a competition in the town.
From ancestor worship to prayers for blessings, Qingxi Town was exceptionally lively on this day.
As night falls, although it is not as bright as day when the lantern festival takes place in Lin'an City, with throngs of pedestrians, the small town of Qingxi is still bustling with activity, with men and women coming and going.
During this period, Shen You and Chu Xiao's relationship became increasingly strained. Taking advantage of the Lower Yuan Festival, Shen You clung to her last hope and wanted to go for a walk with him.
Chu Xiao left early in the morning, but did not return until nightfall.
Shen You sat in front of the dressing table, watching the sun jump from one window to the other, until it finally disappeared completely.
Instead, there were candlelight flickering in the corridors and lively noise outside the courtyard.
She blinked, forcefully concealing the intense disappointment in her eyes.
He probably doesn't like to join in these kinds of commotion.
A knock came at the door; it was the old lady next door with her grandson, inviting her to come out together.
With a forced smile, Shen You followed the old woman and the little boy out the door.
The full moon hangs high in the sky, cool and elegant, its gentle light falling upon the earth, reflecting off the lights in front of every house in the town.
The sounds of juggling, conversation, and street vendors' shouts, each carrying a beautiful vision of life, struck Shen You's ears directly.
The corners of her lips curved upwards even higher, as she genuinely felt the warmth of everyday life.
But with so many people around, she lost touch with her neighbor, an elderly woman, and a little boy just a few steps away.
Shen You followed the flow of people, walking and looking around.
Suddenly, her eyes flickered, and amidst the lush light and dense crowd, she seemed to spot that all-too-familiar figure.
Chu Xiao?
Overjoyed to see him, a smile spread across her face as she struggled through the crowd to run toward him.
He ran while calling his name.
He seemed to hear it, but he still kept walking forward without turning his head.
Shen You was not giving up and continued to follow.
Just as she was about to turn into a side alley after finally pushing through the crowd, she was bumped by someone coming from the opposite direction, causing her to stumble and twist her ankle with a sharp sound.
"Ah," she exclaimed, collapsing to the ground.
Her ankle was throbbing with pain, and she instinctively touched the spot and cried out.
"Stop right there!"
The candlelight in the alley was not as bright as on the main road outside, making the man's tall and imposing figure appear particularly sharp.
He paused for a moment, but showed no intention of turning back.
Shen You's heart sank instantly.
Why? Why is he still so cold and aloof even though she's injured?
When did they become like this?
The October night was chilly, and the wind blowing in her face gradually froze her hands and feet.
It's still some time before the dead of winter, so why is it so cold?
"Stop right there!"
She called out again, but the figure didn't hesitate at all and strode out of the alley.
They left her there.
He never looked back even once.
Shen You finally understood that it wasn't that he didn't like coming to the competition, but that he didn't like coming with her.
The pain in my ankle came at the same time as the long-accumulated pain in my chest.
Her nose tingled, and large tears fell, one after another, blooming like cold flowers in the dim alley.
My heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by a giant hand, squeezed so hard that it bled profusely and I could hardly breathe.
She was so tired, so very tired.
Chu Xiao's blood was cold, and her heart was cold; she simply didn't have the strength to warm it up anymore.
The lanterns hanging in the alley creaked in the wind, as if mocking her overestimation of her abilities.
A moment later, she stopped suppressing her sobs.
Like the low growl of a young animal, it tore apart this small piece of world.
——
"Waaah..."
Shen You gasped in shock from her dream, then abruptly sat up, clutching the blanket.
I had another nightmare.
A nightmare exactly like the one from back then.
She reached out and touched her face; it was covered in tears.
This time, she cried even more bitterly than last time.
The room was quiet, the curtains blocked out all the light, and the bed was dimly lit, just like the alleyway in my dream that overlapped with the one from four years ago.
How did she get back?
It was the elderly neighbor who found her and painstakingly helped her walk back.
Chu Xiao did not return for several days afterward.
When he returned, the first thing he said was,
"Shen You, let's get a divorce."
Recalling this, my breath trembled slightly.
Like a draped towel sinking into the water, covering her face and pressing her down.
Shen You disliked this feeling; it was heavy, oppressive, and she couldn't see the future.
She raised her hand and patted her cheeks, telling herself not to dwell on these emotions any longer.
After that, she and Chu Xiao went their separate ways.
Wiping away her tears, she threw back the covers, about to get out of bed to get some water, when Green Ivy outside woke up. "Miss, would you like some water?"
Shen You responded, and then the curtains were lifted and drawn back, letting in the dim morning light.
The rising sun is like a newly born sun.
After washing up and having breakfast, I heard some noises outside.
A moment later, Granny Zhao entered and said, "Miss, Madam Chen invites you to the flower hall."
Chen Qiurong...
Shen You roughly knew why she wanted to see him.
After agreeing to the matchmaking in the study that day, she must have been busy selecting a candidate during this time.
Shen You responded and led Granny Zhao to the flower hall.
It was summer, and the flowers in the yard were in full bloom.
As the master and servant walked, Granny Zhao quietly reported on the progress of taking Fang Qi to various shops to sort out accounts over the past few days.
This was Fang Qi's first time managing accounts for Shen You, so he needed someone to guide him and familiarize him with the various businesses. Granny Zhao was the perfect candidate.
"Over the past few days, apart from the properties in other cities and counties which I haven't been able to actually inspect yet, all of these properties in Lin'an have been handed over to Steward Fang."
"The people living on that estate in the suburbs have been falsifying accounts and concealing income from the estate's land for the past six months. Steward Fang has already collected all the evidence and has taken them to the Prefect of the Capital."
Shen You listened carefully to what Granny Zhao was saying, "This old servant thinks that Steward Fang is indeed a man of skill."
This move also deterred those who were in charge of other businesses. Some people, hoping for a lighter sentence, voluntarily reported their past petty thefts.
Upon hearing this, Shen You nodded, as she trusted Fang Qi's abilities.
After passing through the corridor, they arrived at the front yard. Shen You and Granny Zhao stopped talking in tacit agreement and stepped into the flower hall one after the other.
Chen Qiurong, who was sitting in a round-backed chair drinking tea, smiled broadly when she saw the visitor, "The young lady has arrived."
"I have some good news to tell you."
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