Chapter 19 Chapter 19 "Is my sister still bathing in the bathroom? ...
Shuyun slept for a while, and when she woke up in a daze, she was no longer sleepy. She didn't want to get up or talk, so she lay on the bed with her eyes closed.
When she heard the door being pushed open, she thought it was Qiongzhi coming in to see her, so she didn't say anything and just went back to sleep.
It was not until she smelled a familiar, clear breath that Shuyun woke up and realized something was wrong, but a voice in her heart told her not to open her eyes.
She was pretending to be asleep.
Shuyun's palms were covered in cold sweat, she was terrified and uneasy, her heart was beating chaotically, as if it was about to jump out of her chest.
Brother, how could this be?
Shu Yun was panic-stricken, her face pale, and she held the arm that the man had hugged with her trembling hands. She wiped it hard, as if it was stained with dirt.
The more she rubbed her arms, the hotter they became, and her palms were aching from the friction. Shuyun sat at the head of the bed, hugging her knees, curled up into a small ball, buried her head between her knees, and sobbed softly.
She was afraid of attracting people, so she bit her lip and dared not make a sound.
Since when did Shuyun begin to vaguely feel that something was wrong with her brother?
That rainy night when I went to beg him to cancel the engagement?
Shuyun's whole body was stiff, her back was numb, and she covered her left ankle in panic. She rubbed her ankle with the palm of her hand, but it always felt not clean enough.
Shuyun broke down and cried, not knowing what to do for a moment.
"Qiongzhi, prepare water!"
There was no sound outside the house. Shuyun called a few more times before she heard Qiongzhi's response.
Qiongzhi hurried into the house, explaining as she walked, "Biluo just came and asked me to go to the kitchen. Tonight we have squirrel mandarin fish and bamboo fungus stewed with milk pancakes that the young lady likes! The eldest master will treat the young lady..."
Qiongzhi said nothing. Seeing Shuyun with red and swollen eyes and tears, she ran to the bed in panic and wiped her tears with a handkerchief. "What's wrong with you, young lady? Did you have a nightmare?"
Worse than a nightmare.
Shuyun leaned in her arms and cried helplessly.
It was him again. It was he who sent Qiongzhi away.
The move from Chanxueju to Hengwuyuan was probably his doing.
One thing after another, Shuyun was terrified when she thought about it carefully. She covered her heart with her hands, and couldn't stop crying because of the pain. It was like a big hand was holding her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe.
Seeing her like this for the first time, Qiongzhi was frightened and at a loss, "Miss, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me."
Shu Yun was in a trance, and after a while she came back to her senses and ordered, "Prepare water, I want to take a bath."
Shu Yun slipped on her slippers and got out of bed, saying, "Change the bedding. I don't want this set of clothes anymore. Throw it away quietly at night."
Qiongzhi was stunned, nodded in agreement, and went outside to tell the maid to fetch hot water from the kitchen.
*
Xiao Shuzhen fantasized about marrying Zheng Shaojiu every day, but in the end the Zheng family married the Wei family. She was angry and resentful. If she had been in the Marquis' Mansion since birth and had been childhood sweethearts with Zheng Shaojiu, it would have been natural for them to fall in love when they grew up.
Xiao Shuzhen blamed Shuyun for all the things she had missed out on, saying that she had taken away everything that should have been hers and made her lose the husband that should have been hers.
Now that Xiao Ye is protecting her, Xiao Shuzhen doesn't dare to openly make things difficult for Shuyun, but she will feel disgusted with her. Seeing her having a hard time makes her feel happy.
Just like this morning, when everyone was paying their respects to the old lady in Shou'an Hall, Xiao Shuzhen saw that Shuyun's face was so haggard that no amount of makeup could cover it up. She had lost a lot of weight in just two days.
Xiao Shuzhen laughed secretly in her heart, and couldn't help it, so she raised her round fan and covered her lips with her hands while smiling.
Today is the fifth day of May, the Dragon Boat Festival. The weather is getting hotter and I can hear the cicadas chirping in the trees early in the morning.
One sound became louder than the other, rising and falling. Some people thought it was noisy, but Xiao Shuzhen was clapping in her heart.
Xiao Ye arrived a little late. After paying his respects to the old lady, he saw that Shu Yun looked haggard. "Sister Yun, why do you look so haggard? Did you not sleep well last night?"
As he spoke, he walked closer. Almost at the same time, Shuyun unconsciously took a small step forward, not as close as usual, and replied, "I've been having trouble sleeping lately."
Xiao Ye didn't move forward. He just stared at her as she avoided him and said calmly, "I happen to have some incense that helps you sleep. I'll have my maid bring it to you later."
Shuyun agreed reluctantly and thanked him.
Madam Cui ordered, "Everyone is here, let's set the table."
Because it was the Dragon Boat Festival, after everyone greeted each other, they had breakfast with Mrs. Cui in Shou'an Hall.
On the table were millet porridge, bird's nest and smoked duck shreds, delicious and fragrant rice dumplings, a plate of golden and oily Gaoyou salted duck eggs, a dish of braised beef in soy sauce, a dish of Longjing shrimps, a plate of stir-fried wolfberry sprouts, a dish of bamboo fungus and milk cakes, and several plates of pickles.
Old Madam Cui sat down, and Wang Huilan and Aunt Fang stood on both sides, serving the old lady food and waiting for her breakfast.
Xiao Qi was sitting on Shuyun's left, and the fourth lady Xiao Shuyi was supposed to sit on her right, but Xiao Ye lifted his robe and sat down first, right next to Shuyun.
"Brother Ye has been very busy and hasn't come to Shou'an Hall for dinner for a long time. Today we have your favorite bamboo fungus and milk pancake." Mrs. Cui said, putting a piece of milk pancake on his plate.
Xiao Ye smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Grandmother."
Mrs. Cui started eating, and then everyone else started eating. Shu Yun looked at the bamboo fungus and milk pancake in Xiao Ye's bowl with mixed feelings. For a moment, she wasn't sure if this was really what he liked.
The milk pancake is served with fresh bamboo fungus and Xuanwei ham, and cooked in soup. The bamboo fungus is crispy and smooth, and the salty fragrance of the ham neutralizes the sweetness of the milk pancake, making it tender and fragrant. Shuyun has always liked it. In the past, when he occasionally ate at Xiao Yeyuan, he would always prepare this dish, but he didn't eat it as often as Shuyun.
Everyone ate quietly during the meal. When Mrs. Cui had almost finished eating, she did not ask Wang Huilan and Aunt Fang to serve the dishes and sent them to sit down and eat.
The meal was quiet. Shuyun had no appetite as she had eaten little in the past few days. The scent of the man next to her lingered in her nostrils, and his legs were spread apart under the table so close to her, which made her panic and feel as if she was sitting on pins and needles.
Xiao Ye picked up some tender bamboo fungus and handed it to Shu Yun. He asked with concern, "Why aren't you eating yet, sister? You always like eating these tender bamboo fungus."
This concern was the same as usual. The man looked at her, as if he could see through her thoughts. Shuyun's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her hand holding the chopsticks tightened, there was no way to avoid it.
Shuyun lowered her head and ate the bamboo fungus he picked up.
It tastes smooth, but...
nausea.
Shuyun ate very slowly, and it took great concentration to swallow his food.
Xiao Ye's brows were calm and he raised his lips in a faint smile.
Xiao Qi was drinking porridge with a bright yellow salted duck egg. He also followed Xiao Ye's example and picked up a Longjing shrimp in front of him and put it on the plate. "Sister, have some too."
Shu Yun's tense nerves relaxed for a moment, "Thank you, Brother Qi."
After a while, Mrs. Cui put down her chopsticks, rinsed her mouth, wiped her lips, and left the dining room with the help of a nanny.
Xiao Ye also put down his chopsticks and sipped his almond tea leisurely, neither hurried nor slow, and he just didn't leave the table. His long, bony fingers rested on the table, and he glanced at the girl beside him.
Shuyun's scalp was numb, and she couldn't avoid it. Her whole body was like a fully drawn bowstring, and her nerves were tense.
After breakfast, Wang Huilan took the ladies of the Marquis' Mansion to the lake to watch the dragon boat race.
Shuyun didn't even want to leave Hengwuyuan, let alone leave the mansion. She lied to Wang Huilan and said she was not feeling well and stayed in the mansion.
Shuyun and Xiao Ye lived together on the east side of the Marquis' Mansion, so they naturally came back together after leaving Shou'an Hall.
After passing through the moon-shaped doors, Xiao Ye turned around and looked at the girl who was a little far away. He said, "My sister seems to have changed recently. Why do I feel like she is avoiding me?"
His eyes didn't move away. Shu Yun's heart tightened at the question. She pretended to be calm and said worriedly, "Brother knows that I've been in a bad mood recently and have no interest in anything."
Shu Yun frowned, "I don't want to watch the dragon boat race today. I didn't sleep well last night, so I'll go back and rest first."
Shuyun bowed, said goodbye to Xiao Ye, passed by the man, and went back first.
The scent of cosmetics was floating in the air. Xiao Ye opened his eyes and watched her figure slowly disappear into the distance.
He raised his foot and walked towards Yanfu Residence.
The servants started working in the morning, tying together a few fresh mugwort and calamus picked that day, hanging them upside down on the door, and sprinkling realgar wine inside and outside the yard.
Shuyun went back to the room and lay down for half an hour. She felt a little hot, so she fanned herself with a fan and snuggled up on the couch by the window.
It was windy outside and cool.
Shuyun left the house and sat on the stone by the pond, fanning herself with a round fan and looking in the direction of Yanfuju.
He seemed to be out.
Tuantuan had played enough in the house and came outside to catch butterflies. He was having a lot of fun and made a lot of noise, which attracted Shuyun's attention. She looked over and stared at the kitten, which was a few months old, thoughtfully.
The attempt to catch butterflies was in vain, as all the butterflies flew away. Tuantuan lost interest and came towards Shuyun, wagging its tail and circling around the stone.
Shuyun bent down, picked up Tuan Tuan, and placed him on her lap, caressing him gently.
Qiongzhi walked down the corridor and came to Shuyun and said, "Miss, the herbal soup is ready."
On the Dragon Boat Festival, all herbs are medicine. There is a custom of taking a herb bath and drinking herb soup. The herbs picked on the day, such as mugwort, calamus, patchouli, magnolia bark, and coptis chinensis, are washed and boiled with water. The medicinal soup is used for bathing to clear away heat and detoxify.
Shuyun sat for a while, put Tuan Tuan down, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
The maids poured the prepared herbal soup into the bathtub. The bathroom was steaming hot and the rich smell of herbs hit the face.
Qiongzhi helped Shuyun take off her clothes and folded the underwear neatly on the beauty bed.
Shuyun submerged in the bath water and leaned against the edge of the tub. Qiongzhi combed her hair and placed it outside the tub.
"Go out, I'll call you if there's anything." Shuyun said, scooping a handful of hot medicine on her shoulder.
The water dripped down, creating ripples. The only sound left in the quiet bathroom was the sound of washing water.
The bath water was a little hot, and it was particularly comfortable to soak in the tub, relieving fatigue. Shuyun leaned against the tub and closed her eyes for a nap.
Her fair cheeks were flushed and rosy due to the heat. Shuyun was sweating and fell asleep in the bathtub unknowingly. When she woke up, the water was a little cold.
There was a small bucket of hot water next to the bathtub, probably put there by Qiongzhi.
Shuyun rubbed her cheeks and poured hot water into the bathtub.
She held the jade pendant that she had been wearing on her chest, and stroked the exquisite carvings on the pendant with her wet fingers, as if she was in a trance.
What was her mother's temperament like before she went crazy?
What does your mother look like?
Shuyun raised her eyes and looked at the dressing mirror next to the clothes rack. Because of the angle, she could only see half of her face.
Shuyun held the jade pendant and looked intently in the mirror. Her mother must have looked similar to her when she was young.
There was a sudden noise outside the bathroom, interrupting Shuyun's thoughts.
The bathroom and bedroom were separated by only a curtain. Shuyun turned her head and looked at the curtain.
After staring for a long time, Shu Yun inexplicably had a bad feeling and asked, "Qiong Zhi? Are you outside?"
"It's me, Sister Yun."
Xiao Ye's low and mellow voice came from behind the bathroom curtain. Shu Yun's head was buzzing and the jade pendant in her hand fell with a thud, splashing water.
Xiao Ye spoke slowly, "Is my sister still taking a shower in the bathroom?"
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