Chapter 36 No, I'm not stupid anymore, I'm cured.
At close range, she smelled a scent that was both cool and refreshing, a mixture of first snow and spring bamboo.
This is her favorite flavor.
Her pupils magnified the man's features: his eyebrows were raised like distant mountains, his eyes were calm like a still lake, his nose was straight and prominent, and his lips had a perfect curve. All these natural advantages were contained in his slightly sickly complexion, giving the impression that he was wearing a mask.
In public, he appears aloof and indifferent, but in private, he has a fit of madness and threatens others. He is two-faced, pretending to be detached and indifferent, but in reality, his heart is probably darker than anyone else's.
Just like her in the past.
Mu Hanshi lowered his eyes, his deep, dark gaze frighteningly intense. "Do you even know what kind of person I am? Yet you dare to want me?"
"If you dare to give it, I dare to take it."
Their eyes met, as if in a contest, neither of them looking away.
So close, close enough that she could see herself reflected in the other person's eyes: black, flowing hair, stunningly beautiful face, a half-smile playing on her lips, like a bewitching enchantress.
"As for what kind of person you are, I don't care at all. I'm not here to be your husband. You...you...why are you angry? You said you would make it up to me, that you would give me anything I wanted..."
"I'll say it again: money, status, and power do not include me, and are limited to yourself."
Mu Hanshi put his hands behind his back and instantly drifted away, as if afraid of being touched by her.
She curled her lip; this person was indeed cunning.
Women cannot be granted titles and positions, so the latter two are of little use to her. As for money, if she asks for too much, say the wealth of the entire marquis's mansion, this person is not the head of the mansion, so can he afford it?
In the end, it all comes down to Yu Liuzhu.
"You like Yu Liuzhu and are afraid I'll hurt her, so why don't you just marry her and take good care of her? Why go through all this trouble?"
It's better to rely on yourself than on others. If you can bring people under your wing, why would you need to coerce them?
"That's my business."
"How I get along with Yu Liuzhu is my business."
Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. Why should she listen to him? What is he to her?
It's absolutely ridiculous!
This man is incredibly arrogant, readily offering whatever conditions others set for him regarding money, status, and power; he must have some ability. Yet, he goes to great lengths for the girl he likes, even resorting to secret surveillance and threats, but refuses to marry her. Why?
It's nothing more than worldly etiquette and ethical norms.
The Yu and Mu families had a verbal engagement, and Yu Liuzhu could be considered Mu Lin's fiancée. If word got out that the uncle was coveting his betrothed, people would gossip.
"You want to protect Yu Liuzhu, but you refuse to marry her. Are you afraid?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she sensed a sudden change in Mu Hanshi's aura.
It only took a blink of an eye for her to go from aloof, dark moonlight to gloomy, insane madness. Then she felt an invisible pressure enveloping her, a feeling of suffocation and a frantic heartbeat surging over her at the same time.
Mu Hanshi suddenly leaned closer, his eyes lowered, but the corners of his eyes were slightly upturned, carrying a wicked air. "How did you know I was afraid?"
There was a hint of excitement in his light tone, not annoyance at being caught out, but rather a cheer, as if he had found a kindred spirit.
Shen Qinglu smelled the scent of cold snow and green bamboo on him again. Perhaps she liked the scent, which emboldened her. "As an uncle, you actually took a fancy to your own nephew's fiancée. You dare not marry her because you are afraid that the world will despise you and see through your filthy heart. You are a hypocrite who is actually the most vulgar person!"
“That’s right, I’m just a vulgar person with a filthy heart. I just like people I shouldn’t like.” He didn’t get angry; instead, he became even more excited. “You’ve been pretending to be stupid all these years, so you must understand my feelings best. No wonder you can see through me.”
He's definitely sick, and quite seriously so.
“Now I am the eldest daughter of the Yu family. If the Yu and Mu families are to form a marriage alliance, then the person to be married should be me, not Yu Liuzhu. What are you afraid of?”
"You?" Mu Hanshi's evil aura vanished, his demeanor instantly turning cold and stern, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
Is this person still unhappy?
Yu Liuzhu doesn't have to fulfill the marriage agreement, shouldn't he be overjoyed?
Even though she was the one who said it, Shen Qinglu realized at this moment that after she and Yu Liuzhu switched back their identities, it wasn't just that they had changed their parents and status in the Yu family, but also other things.
For example, marriage.
She just wanted to see Mu Lin's face often. If she married him... wouldn't that be a bit strange?
"Shouldn't it be me? You like Yu Liuzhu, so you should be happy. You're very capable, and you can have your status and power taken by others. Even if Yu Liuzhu is the daughter of a disgraced official, I don't think you would mind. Why not give her a new identity and marry her openly and legitimately?"
"I told you, my affairs are none of your business."
"Then you shouldn't worry about me either!"
After shouting that, Shen Qinglu immediately felt the atmosphere turn cold. Her scalp tingled, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet.
Her slender, white instep revealed faint blue veins, and her toes were all curled up, making her look small and adorable. These details were clearly seen in Mu Hanshi's downcast eyes, and he actually frowned.
Shen Qinglu was startled for no reason. She immediately disregarded her image and manners, climbed onto the bed, covered herself with the quilt, covered her feet through the quilt, and deliberately lowered her head to ignore people.
"You told me not to interfere in your life, but you insist on interfering. Why can't I retaliate against someone who has taken over my life? I know you like Yu Liuzhu, and I know you might kill me if I don't agree to your conditions, but I simply can't be a saint and tolerate her, even if it means death!"
Her hair was loose, covering most of her face, and her slender, pale hands looked even more delicate and fair on the green brocade quilt, making her seem even more pitiful.
Especially the increasingly low voice, filled with unbearable sorrow, "I only have one request: don't do it while I'm awake. Wait until I'm asleep, and then be quick and efficient. I don't like the process of dying, because I almost drowned once, and that feeling is truly awful."
A ripple appeared in Mu Hanshi's eyes. He unconsciously put his hands behind his back, and when his hands were clasped together, they touched the still-healing bite mark. It was as if he had touched something he shouldn't have, so he quickly separated them.
What does it feel like to drown?
That's a pervert!
Do we even need to listen to this?
"The water that went into my stomach burned like lava. I couldn't breathe. Everything was black. I was afraid and terrified, yet I wanted to live, but I knew I was going to die."
She never wanted to experience that kind of pain again—the pain of wanting to live but having to die.
Mu Hanshi's hand twitched, as if the bite mark had suddenly become hot. In his cold eyes, there was a volcanic eruption of emotion, so turbulent and unstoppable, fiercely burning and wanting to devour everything.
Everything else seemed to disappear in his eyes, except for the girl wrapped in a brocade quilt, who burst into his sight with a resolute and abrupt manner, forcefully squeezing in and brazenly occupying the center position.
As he walked step by step toward the bedside, Shen Qinglu thought death was approaching. With her lowered gaze, she could only see his lower body; his long legs seemed to sweep across the room, the movement so fast it was almost an illusion.
The surroundings suddenly became quiet. Shen Qinglu didn't dare to look up. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she actually felt sad in the oppressive atmosphere.
What is this person sad about?
Could it be that one of my relatives also drowned?
If that's the case, then it's a lucky accident.
She didn't know how much time had passed when the air seemed to lighten. When she looked over, the person had vanished without a trace, as if no one had ever been there.
He... just left like that?
She won the bet!
It took quite a while for her icy feet to warm up, and her whole body recovered as well.
As she prepared to get out of bed, she noticed that the embroidered shoe that had been slightly to the left was now placed in the center. Suddenly remembering Mu Hanshi's earlier action, she frowned and cursed under her breath.
You're insane!
*
When the cold wind blows through the eaves, only the lanterns under the eaves respond.
Looking out to the horizon, all that could be seen was darkness, the darkest hour of the night.
Bao Kui leaned against the doorframe, her eyes closed as if she were asleep. Her body was supported by the frame, which prevented her from falling over. However, upon closer inspection, it seemed that this was not the case, because her body was clearly stiff, rather than relaxed.
Shen Qinglu checked her breathing and breathed a sigh of relief.
In the still of the night, footsteps approached, and moving lights could be faintly seen.
In an instant, Shen Qinglu lay back down on the bed.
Before long, as the footsteps drew closer, Bao Kui stirred. She was puzzled, rubbing her stiff neck and muttering to herself, "How could I have fallen asleep?"
Then she went inside and saw that Shen Qinglu was still sleeping. She was visibly relieved. "Luckily, she didn't wake up."
The person carrying the lantern entered the courtyard and headed straight for this side room.
"Yinping, didn't you go to Ruianju with Madam? Why did you come back alone?" She was very familiar with the person who came; the two of them were both head maids of Shen Linlang.
Yinping carried a carved lacquer box, took out the bird's nest soup inside, and said, "Madam is worried... Eldest Miss, she is afraid that Eldest Miss will wake up hungry at night, so she asked me to bring her a bowl of soup. If Eldest Miss wakes up hungry, it will be good to fill her stomach."
As she placed the soup bowl near the charcoal, she noticed the pear soup that had been there all along and said with a smile, "You're so thoughtful. If I had known this, I wouldn't have gone to all this trouble."
Bao Kui gave a vague reply, without explaining that Xia Chan had asked her to prepare the things. Instead, she said, "We are all people who serve Madam, so we should think what Madam thinks and share her worries."
“That’s true.” Yinping glanced into the room, her gaze somewhat subtle, and said in a low voice, “This young lady has actually benefited from misfortune. If it weren’t for that fire earlier, the old lady would probably still be keeping her true identity a secret.”
People nowadays, even if they want to say a few words of gossip about the host, are very reserved.
Bao Kui was more cautious and didn't respond to that at all. Instead, she changed the subject, "When the magpie had an accident before, I don't know how many people in the manor were unsettled. Now that Liu Fang Xiao Zhu is changing masters, I imagine there is even fierce competition behind the scenes."
"Let them fight over what they want. You and I are both Madam's people, so there's no need for us to get involved in this mess."
"That's true."
As for whether they will fight or not, only they themselves know the answer.
Yinping tidied up the food box, but didn't leave in a hurry. "When Xique was sent away, many people were gloating. After tonight, it will be a good thing. At least she won't have to be sent to Jingxin Courtyard crying like Dengzhi."
“We servants are entirely dependent on our masters for fortune and misfortune. When our masters are favored, we have face; when our masters lose power, we have to be mindful of others’ moods. In that case, Xia Chan is the luckiest person in this whole affair, which is truly enviable.”
Bao Kui's words were met with disagreement from Yin Ping. She lowered her voice and said, "That's not right. She's the old lady's person. Do you think the madam will let her continue to stay by the eldest daughter's side?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she realized something was wrong, and when she turned her head, she saw Xia Chan by the door.
Xia Chan seemed not to have heard what they were saying. She came in carrying a large bundle and thanked Bao Kui.
Bao Kui hurriedly said it was what she should do, and Yin Ping took the opportunity to say goodbye.
After Yinping left, Baokui deliberately brought up what she had said, pleading with Xia Chan in a conciliatory manner, "We have known each other for many years, and you know her personality. She is the kind of person who can't keep a secret. But what she said makes some sense. Madam is probably very resentful of the old lady right now, so you should make plans as soon as possible."
Xia Chan hummed in agreement, as if she had taken his words to heart.
First, she took the things out of the bundle and tidied them up. Then she came closer to tidy up Shen Qinglu's bedding. With her back to Bao Kui, she blocked the other's view and softly called out, "Miss."
Shen Qinglu opened her eyes, her eyebrows curving upwards, and mouthed to her, "I only want you."
*
As dawn broke, Yu Zhiheng and Shen Linlang returned one after the other. In the dim light, both of them looked rather unwell.
The aftermath of the fire, including the scene and the statements made by those involved, requires two things: first, restoration of order, and second, sealing off any secrets. Meanwhile, Xie has not yet regained consciousness since fainting.
They went into the main room and then dismissed the servants.
"My mother has fainted twice and hasn't woken up yet. The doctor said it's not good and that she needs to be recuperated after she wakes up. We must not let her get upset or angry. Why do you still want to find out the truth?"
Yu Zhiheng rubbed his temples, his pale face showing obvious signs of fatigue, and his tone was quite helpless, "Linlang, you've always been magnanimous, can we just let this matter go and not keep harping on Qingxue, okay?"
“My mother is an elder, and I can’t hold her wrongdoings against her. But Qingxue clearly knew all along that Ali wasn’t her daughter. If she had treated Ali well, I wouldn’t have said anything. But… listen to what Ali said. Don’t you feel sorry for her?”
"She's mentally challenged, what does she know? And who knows if what she says is true or false? Why are you so relentless?"
Shen Linlang couldn't believe these words came from his mouth, and was speechless. "I'm not letting it go? My child has been switched, can't I even ask?"
“That’s not what I meant.” He softened his tone, “Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things. Fortunately, Ali has grown up with you since she was little, so you know the general situation. Qingxue may have been careless in some ways, but she still raised her safely and healthily.”
It would have been better if he hadn't mentioned it; the moment he did, it struck a chord with Chen Linlang.
The thought of her own daughter being so close to her, while she, as her mother, had deliberately ignored her for years and constantly reminded her other children to distance themselves from her, made Shen Linlang want to slap herself.
Is there anything more heartbreaking than seeing one's own flesh and blood without recognizing them?
She was so upset that she couldn't speak for a long time.
Yu Zhiheng thought he had convinced her and continued, "After what happened, Tang'er is the one who is most heartbroken. You have always doted on her, but now you speak coldly to her. I can see how sad she is. She is outstanding in every way and is even engaged to the Mu family's son. If this gets out, how will she face herself?"
The marriage between the Yu and Mu families originated from the old relationship between the Shen and Mu families. It was through her connections that the marriage was arranged, and naturally, it was her own daughter who was married off.
Her chest heaved violently, torn between her beloved adopted daughter and her newly reunited biological daughter. The scales of her emotions swung back and forth, one side rising higher than the other, making it impossible to determine a winner.
"We can talk about marriage later. Right now, the most important thing is Ali."
Yu Zhiheng disagreed with this statement, "Linlang, ask yourself honestly, if Ali had been raised by your side since childhood, given her unusual appearance, would you still be so comfortable all these years?"
“She is my own child, and no matter what she looks like, I will love and care for her with all my heart. Tang’er has been frail since she was a child, and it has been hard for me to raise her all these years.”
Why should she be expected to raise other people's children instead of her own? Even if her child is mentally challenged, he is still her flesh and blood!
She was provoked by the temper she had deliberately suppressed over the years, and her words no longer considered Yu Zhiheng's feelings.
"When Qingxue got married, I was the one who bought the estate and shops for her. All the money she has spent over the years has come from those products. In other words, it should all be my money. So how can it be considered difficult?"
When Yu Zhiheng heard her say that she was rich, her expression became a little strange.
Married for many years, the couple had never been concerned about money. To be precise, she intentionally protected her husband's self-esteem, even though she was the one supporting the entire Yu family and covering their expenses.
His pride was attacked, and he was powerless to refute it.
After a while, she changed the subject, "I know you are angry, but please think about it calmly. Tang'er is excellent in both temperament and appearance. Not only will she bring honor to you and me, but she will also be able to marry into a good family in the future, adding a boost to the Yu family."
If word got out that Ali was our biological daughter, how could we face anyone? Forget about marrying her off to a good family; she might even have to live at home until the end, burdening our children and grandchildren.”
"I have plenty of money, and I'm willing to support her for the rest of my life!"
Shen Linlang struck again.
He couldn't maintain his composure; his expression seemed a mixture of anger and restraint.
At that delicate moment, the door was pushed open from the outside.
Dawn has broken, and light is shining in.
The girl walking towards them had a plain face, yet her beauty was unparalleled; she was no longer dull and lifeless, but rather stunningly beautiful. Her previously empty eyes seemed to have shed their veil of darkness, like the moon emerging from the clouds, revealing their original clarity and purity.
She approached slowly, like the glow of sunset reflecting in the sky, or like flowers blooming all over the world.
Shen Linlang realized something was wrong, "Ali, you..."
"Mother." Shen Qinglu's voice was no longer childish, but calm and steady. "I'm all better."
Author's Note: The next chapter will be updated tomorrow night at 8 PM. All future updates will be at this time. See you then!
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