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Song Mingyan was overjoyed. After three years and three months, he finally saw his Mian'er again. She seemed to have grown taller and become even more beautiful.
He remembered how every time he went out, she would reluctantly part with him on the bridge, longing for his early return, and he felt the same way.
For the past three years, he has thought about her constantly. Every time he dreams of her, he sees her crying face. The little girl is blaming him for not going back.
He wanted to explain, but felt as if something was blocking his throat, his heart heavy, and he couldn't utter a single word.
Fortunately, he can come back. He will give her the most prestigious status and marry her as his wife in a proper and respectable way.
The heir of the Marquis of Anyang's family?
Jiang Mian was somewhat incredulous. The person in front of her was clearly Song Wenshi, but she felt that something was different. Three years ago, Brother Wenshi exuded a clean and gentle aura, was kind-hearted, and would bring her novelties every time he came back from outside.
Upon hearing the news of his death, Jiang Mian was in her room sewing winter clothes for him. He had said he was going to the capital to take the imperial examination, and she didn't know when he would return, so she thought of making some clothes for him to pass the time.
But she never expected that less than half a month after he left, news of his death would arrive.
He fell off a cliff and was never seen again.
She used the clothes in her hand to build a cenotaph for him, and then stood there for a long time. Her parents were dead, and she thought she still had her brother Wen Shi. Wen Shi promised to take care of her for the rest of his life, but he was also dead.
She didn't know where to go. A wave of helplessness and desolation washed over her. She looked at the person in front of her, her throat tightening, and choked out, "Wen Shi... Brother?"
"It's me, Mian'er, I'm back."
Jiang Mian's eyes were red. He was still alive. He hadn't fallen off the cliff. Although he didn't know why he had become the heir of the Marquis of Anyang's mansion, it was good that he was safe and sound.
"Xiao Wu, sit down quickly. The young master has long admired you, and you two grew up together. Why not set a wedding date soon and make up for all these years of regret?"
Shen Yuan laughed and looked at Song Mingyan.
The latter's gaze remained fixed on Jiang Mian. Seeing that she did not react, he said gently, "No rush, Mian'er. We have been betrothed since childhood. If you are not in a hurry, you can take your time. Anyway, you will marry me sooner or later."
"Mian'er, you will be my wife sooner or later."
She had heard these words countless times: the innocent promises of young boys and girls. He would give her his most precious jade pendant, and one day, when he passed the imperial examinations, he would hold a grand wedding for her, making her the most beautiful bride in the world.
But now, when Jiang Mian heard these words, she felt a mix of emotions.
She lowered her eyes, unsure how to answer. She had a Gu worm in her body and had to take medicine every seven days. Only Shen Ji had that medicine, and she couldn't escape his control, so she couldn't easily agree to other people's requests.
Just as she was hesitating, someone suddenly ran in from outside. She looked up and saw that Shen Tang was panting heavily.
"With such a distinguished guest here, what kind of behavior is this, all flustered and disorderly? Guards, take the Third Miss away."
Caught off guard, Shen Yuan feared that Shen Tang would ruin his plans, but to his surprise, Shen Tang was very stubborn: "Father, I have something to discuss with you."
"Mother is ill; please ask Father to go and see her."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Tang's gaze fell on Song Mingyan. She couldn't forget that fleeting glimpse she had seen that day, and now that she heard he had come to their residence, she immediately changed into a beautiful dress to see him.
It wasn't until she noticed the young man's eyes were fixed on the person next to him that Shen Tang finally came to her senses; it was Jiang Mian again.
Not only did she make her mother sick with anger, but now she's trying to steal her beloved. Shen Tang secretly clenched her handkerchief and stubbornly stood still.
Helpless, Shen Yuan knew he couldn't air his dirty laundry in public, so he could only leave with Shen Tang.
In the flower hall, only Song Mingyan and Jiang Mian remained.
A gust of wind blew by, and her muddled thoughts cleared a little. Looking at the person in front of her with an extraordinary air about him, she pursed her lips and forced a smile.
"I am so happy to hear that Brother Shi is alive."
Upon hearing this, Song Mingyan took a step forward. He longed to hold her in his arms and let her feel how much he missed her. Now that he was back, no one could take her away from him this time.
"If you feel the engagement is too hasty, we can postpone it, but it can't be called off, okay? Mian'er, you know that my wish since I was little is to have you as my wife."
“I…” Jiang Mian raised her eyes, her emotions somewhat complicated.
"After we get married, if you like it here, we'll live here. If you want to go back to Yangzhou, we can go back too. Or if you want to go somewhere else, I'll go with you. As long as I can be by your side, Mian'er, please don't refuse me, okay?"
Song Mingyan said gently. Jiang Mian looked up and almost drowned in his gentle gaze. He seemed to still be her Wen Shi brother, but something about him seemed to have changed.
But looking at him, she suddenly felt a little soft-hearted.
Those tender moments from the past flooded her mind. Even though she knew they could never go back to the way things were, she still couldn't push him away.
Wen Shi is an excellent person.
She was the one who wronged him.
“…Okay.” She nodded with difficulty, but in reality, she felt that they would never get married.
Shen Ji will not allow it.
Song Mingyan suddenly laughed. He no longer held back and reached out to hug her tightly. He stroked her hair, just like when they had parted countless times before, with reluctance, longing, and deep affection.
"Mian'er, I'm so happy to have you again."
Jiang Mian leaned silently against his chest. He was different from Shen Ji. Shen Ji was always unpredictable, one moment treating people gently and the next suddenly going crazy, but Brother Wen Shi made people feel at ease.
For a fleeting moment, a thought suddenly popped into her mind: perhaps she could really escape Shen Ji with the help of Brother Wen Shi.
But the next moment, she suddenly noticed a masked person hiding in the shadows. Her palms were sweating, and without thinking, she pushed Song Mingyan away.
"What's wrong? Mian'er, are you feeling unwell?" Song Mingyan didn't blame her; instead, he was concerned about her health.
Jiang Mian shook her head, her mind a mess. She looked back at the spot where she had just been, but there was no one there anymore. Yet she had clearly seen one of Shen Ji's bodyguards just now.
She felt she hadn't misread it.
He was watching her all the time.
He could hear her every move, and she suddenly felt a little scared. What would he do if she had hugged Brother Wenshi just now?
"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired. Brother Wenshi, I'd like to go back and rest first."
“Alright. I’ll come see you again tomorrow. It’s my first time in Jeju, so please show me around properly, Mianniang,” Song Mingyan said gently.
Jiang Mian nodded, her mind a jumble of emotions.
She hurriedly said goodbye to Song Mingyan, her mind still replaying the scene from earlier. Shen Ji had disappeared that morning; where had he gone? Did he know about her marriage to Wen Shi? Jiang Mian felt her head was about to ache if she kept thinking about it.
Upon returning to the Begonia Courtyard, Yunji looked surprised.
"Miss, you're finally back! I was so worried!"
"It was my fault, I won't do it again next time." Jiang Mian felt apologetic, but it wasn't her fault either; Shen Ji had taken her away without even asking what happened.
"How can you return to Yangzhou without me? That cannibalistic place could be dangerous if we encounter Jiang Chong and his men. But what brings you back to Yangzhou, Miss?"
Jiang Mian was taken aback. It seemed that Shen Ji had made her sudden disappearance very reasonable. Even Yun Ji hadn't noticed anything amiss. She pursed her lips, not wanting to explain too much. After all, she didn't know how to explain it.
"I went to retrieve some of my grandmother's belongings. Has anything unusual happened at the manor while I was away?"
She quickly changed the subject, took a sip of water, and moistened her lips.
"Nothing much, the second madam is seriously ill, the fourth young lady has gone back to her maternal grandparents' home, and the eldest young master is often away from the mansion; I wonder what he's up to..."
Jiang Mian felt a little guilty, her eyes darting around as she couldn't help but ask, "How did you know that my cousin wasn't at home?"
"It was Yunqing who said that the eldest young master has something to do recently, but I don't know what it is. Would you like to go and ask him, Miss?"
"No, no need." Jiang Mian blinked. She knew best where Shen Ji had been and what he had been doing these past few days. He had been with her almost every moment during those seven days.
After Jiang Mian returned, Yun Ji was completely relieved.
Jiang Mian returned to her room and pondered what to do next. Her mind was in a mess today, and she forgot to ask why her brother Wen Shi had become the heir of the Marquis of Anyang. If he was of noble status, was it possible that he could help her escape from Shen Ji?
However, the problem of the curse has not yet been resolved.
She cannot act rashly.
As night deepened and the night watchman's drum fell, Jiang Mian emerged from behind the screen, startled. The window lattice opened slightly, and the flickering candlelight swayed. She subconsciously looked up and saw a young man in white leaning lazily against the table, his face handsome, but his captivating eyes were somewhat dark.
"come over."
He raised his eyes and said calmly.
Jiang Mian hesitated for a moment, but still walked towards him. Her palms were slightly damp with sweat as she slowly approached him.
An ambiguous emotional undercurrent was stirring between the two.
"He hugged you today."
He spoke slowly and deliberately, his fingertips gently tracing her soft, slender neck, his lips moving down almost imperceptibly, as if they touched, yet also as if they didn't.
Jiang Mian trembled. She tried to push him away, but he easily controlled her, kneeling her down and forcing her to remain immobilized.
"You're engaged to him, and he's come back to life. You're happy, aren't you?" His hot breath brushed against her skin, sending a tingling sensation through her.
"Cousin..."
The young man paused, slowly raised his eyes, and said with dissatisfaction, "You call him brother, but only call me cousin. In your heart, he is closer than me, isn't he?"
"No..." Jiang Mian wanted to explain, but he reached out and pressed his hand against her lips.
"Chen Ji." She was finally able to utter a complete sentence, and couldn't wait to push him away.
Shen Ji lowered his eyes, and the allure in them vanished.
He curled his lips coldly and reached out to lift her chin: "Your fiancé is back, and you immediately want to break off our relationship? Cousin, that's not how you treat someone who crosses the river and then discards the bridge."
"No, he is my friend. I only have my cousin in my heart. My cousin knows that I would die if I fell in love with someone else. I cherish my life and dare not fall in love with anyone else."
Shen Ji was amused by her; she actually used his words to shut him up.
He didn't want to listen to her anymore, so he lowered his head and kissed her lips. She couldn't resist, so she stopped struggling. After a long time, he reluctantly let go of her.
"If you behave and stay by my side, I will give you everything you want."
Jiang Mian remained silent, and he had no idea what she wanted.
Shen Ji gently kissed her forehead, and she calmed down, which made him feel at ease. He had been in a great mood tonight and shouldn't have been interrupted by someone irrelevant.
He hadn't been intimate with her in a long time.
Although they had been sleeping together every day for the past few days, she had always been avoiding him. Tonight, perhaps feeling threatened, he no longer wanted to let her go.
He placed Jiang Mian on the couch. She tried to back away, but he grabbed her palm and pulled her back.
A familiar, aggressive aura swept over her. She wanted to refuse, but before she could speak, her voice was swallowed by him. In the warm candlelight, the two figures on the screen were inseparable.
He lowered his head, his fingertips glistening with water, as smooth as jade.
Jiang Mian bit her lip, letting out a soft groan. Her body was limp and wet, as if she had been pulled out of the water, with her hair clinging tightly to her forehead.
“Chen Ji…”
Jiang Mian raised her head, unable to utter a complete sentence. Her eyes were wet with tears, and her long eyelashes shimmered, making her look incredibly pitiful.
"Stop... I don't want to..."
"Don't want what?" Shen Ji lowered his head, a faint smile playing on his lips: "But you're clearly very happy."
Jiang Mian turned her head away, her face flushed. She bit her lip, not daring to look him in the eye. Shen Ji licked away the tear stains on her lips and coaxed her softly, "You are not allowed to see Song Mingyan tomorrow."
How did you know?
Shen Ji slowly withdrew his fingertip. Jiang Mian dared not look. He used a handkerchief to wipe the mark on it, and suddenly said, "I told you, I know everything you do."
Then, he leaned slightly closer.
Until… he sank slightly, Jiang Mian suddenly opened her eyes and said tremblingly, “Cousin, you can’t…”
"Now you know to call me cousin." Shen Ji lifted her legs and leaned over to press her down: "Too late."
Jiang Mian couldn't stop crying. Although she didn't care that much about chastity, she wasn't ready yet.
At this moment, Jiang Mian was truly frightened.
Even the mother-child Gu worms hadn't terrified her this much. She knew Shen Ji wouldn't let her die easily, but now, she had absolutely no confidence.
"Cousin, Mian Niang really won't do it again. Please don't treat Mian Niang like this." The girl cried softly and movingly.
A deeper desire surfaced in Shen Ji's eyes.
Jiang Mian closed her eyes, but the scene she had imagined did not happen.
"Mianniang, what were you thinking about just now?" Shen Ji asked her deliberately.
Has Song Mingyan ever kissed you?
Jiang Mian was extremely tired and bored.
If you don't say anything, I'm going to kiss you.
"No," Jiang Mian replied immediately. He himself was a shameless scoundrel; did he really think everyone was like him?
Shen Ji smiled, and her mood inexplicably improved.
Jiang Mian's mind raced, and she suddenly turned around and hugged him: "Cousin, you won't let me die, right?"
"As long as Mian Niang stays by my side, she will not die."
Jiang Mian gritted her teeth secretly. She would not allow herself to be imprisoned and exploited by him every day. She would definitely find a way to escape from him.
"What if your blood doesn't work? Will I die?"
"If the offspring Gu does not betray the mother Gu, it can live indefinitely. If it does not take the medicine for seven days, it can only mate with the mother Gu. Otherwise, it will be like being under the influence of an aphrodisiac, unable to live or die."
"..."
Shen Ji smiled. He knew what she was thinking all along. Even if she didn't take the medicine, she couldn't leave him.
Jiang Mian lowered her eyes, her expression suddenly turning ugly. Shen Ji, that old fox, he was definitely doing it on purpose. Even if she didn't drink that medicine, he had other ways to make her unable to leave him.
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