15,015

The Xie residence was governed by strict rules. The front and back courtyards were separated, and maids and servants were not allowed to wander freely. Maids from the back courtyard were absolutely forbidden from entering the front courtyard unless instructed by their mistress. Those serving in the front courtyard were generally second-class maids, different from the third-class maids who worked in the back.

Xiaoxiao was a third-class maid, usually confined to the back courtyard. Last night was her first time entering the front courtyard, and she was nervous and uneasy. Fortunately, the young master seemed cold and distant but was indeed a gentleman; after giving her a few instructions, he allowed her to leave. After returning, Xiaoxiao was especially cautious, glancing around anxiously, afraid anyone would notice her unusual behavior. Thankfully, it was late at night and visibility was poor, so no one paid her any attention.

However, Xiaoxiao’s relief was premature.

The next day, while cleaning in the back garden, a sister who was not particularly friendly approached her and asked, “What did A Si want from you yesterday? Tell me.”

Xiaoxiao was startled—last night they had met away from others, yet someone still saw them. Previously, whenever she met A Si, it was always in secret to avoid gossip. They had been careful not to be caught, but this time, by coincidence, they were seen.

She glanced at the sister and feigned nonchalance. “It was nothing important.”

“What was it then?”

The sister stared at her as if she would not relent until Xiaoxiao spoke. To avoid further pestering, Xiaoxiao resorted to a lie.

“The young master slipped near the back courtyard yesterday and almost fell. He warned me that if it happened again, I’d be kicked out of the Xie residence.”

“No way,” the sister scratched her head, sensing something was off. After pondering a moment, she added, “Would such a minor thing warrant the young master personally looking for you? Even if he wanted to reprimand someone, wouldn’t he go to the steward?”

The women in the backhouse were not easily fooled; everyone was sharp and wary, not to be taken lightly.

Xiaoxiao had no choice but to continue lying. “I’m just a scapegoat.”

Her tone was pitiful and fearful, and the young maid immediately believed her. Everyone in the residence knew that if someone made a mistake, the steward would often push the blame onto others to evade responsibility. Xiaoxiao’s situation was precisely this.

The little maid sighed and patted her shoulder comfortingly, lowering her voice. “You have to be careful. Don’t say the wrong things; the steward is very shrewd.”

Xiaoxiao knew this well and resolved to be even more cautious than before.

“You also shouldn’t speak carelessly in front of the steward.”

The little maid nodded, her broom slowly scraping the ground. “Hey, you…”

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, her peripheral vision caught sight of a large group approaching. She immediately shut up and stepped aside, working much more briskly than before.

“The young mistress is here.”

Xiaoxiao stole a glance and felt her heart race.

—

From a distance, Shen Shuyao paused briefly and asked Zhiwei to point out which one was Xiaoxiao. Zhiwei indicated her, but from afar, the figure was small, and her face blurred—too far away to see clearly.

Shen Shuyao led her group slowly toward Xiaoxiao, watching her as they walked. Everyone tensed up due to Shen Shuyao’s arrival, working harder, fearing that any mistake might bring trouble.

Shen Shuyao was not a harsh mistress but was not lenient either. After all, the Xie residence had its rules that no one could break.

She walked over but did not stare at Xiaoxiao deliberately. Instead, she headed toward the pavilion and sat down on a stone bench that was spotless.

Fanning herself with a handkerchief, she glanced at Xiaoxiao occasionally but said nothing.

Up close, Xiaoxiao was not strikingly beautiful, at best delicate and pleasant-looking; her features were gentle and non-threatening, appearing very obedient. Shen Shuyao was puzzled—Xiaoxiao was not as pretty as the previous enchanting beauty. Did Xie Yi really like her?

Tilting her head slightly, she scrutinized Xiaoxiao without restraint, blinking not once. She could not understand why Xie Yi preferred this type.

Instinctively, she touched her own face. Others said she was excessively beautiful, with skin as white as snow and a seductive figure. Yet, Xie Yi was always indifferent toward her.

In the year since their marriage, he had never shown much enthusiasm—except in bed. Was it his nature, or did his heart not belong to her?

The more Shen Shuyao thought about it, the more irritated she became. She clicked her tongue in displeasure, her expression clearly unsettled. After sitting in the pavilion for a while, she rose and left, casting one last look at Xiaoxiao, lost in thought.

Once the young mistress left, the maids finally relaxed. Though she had sat silently in the pavilion, working under the mistress’s watchful eye was never easy.

Xiaoxiao looked down in the direction the young mistress had departed, took a deep breath, and sighed inwardly: When gods fight, the mortals suffer.

That was true.

Meanwhile, Shen Shuyao returned to her room. She had not slept well all night because of Xiaoxiao’s matter and had grown even more exhausted after seeing her in the morning. On the way back, her eyelids began to droop; her body could not hold up any longer.

She collapsed onto the bed without even removing her embroidered shoes, rubbing her feet on the floor to remove the shoes. Then she weakly instructed Zhiwei, “I’ll sleep for a while. Don’t disturb me.”

Zhiwei drew the curtain and bent to reply, “Understood. Please rest well.”

After a sleepless night, dark circles were visible under her eyes. Zhiwei and the others noticed and felt sorry for her. Once she was asleep, they closed the door and left her to rest peacefully.

Xie Yi was not returning tonight; he was staying at the government office, relieving Shen Shuyao of many worries. She slept until the afternoon.

—

She stretched and sat quietly on the bed for a moment before calling for Suihua. Suihua entered, poured her a glass of water, glanced at her slightly parted red lips, and then looked into her eyes.

“Miss Chen sent a note just now. Would you like to see it?”

She sipped the water, then lowered her gaze to think. It had been many days since they last met; logically, meeting again should pose no problem. But the previous incident still weighed on her mind, leaving her aggrieved for days. So when Chen Shuyi sent a note now, Shen Shuyao instinctively felt something was amiss.

However, she had known Chen Shuyi since childhood, and their families were close. She could not embarrass her, nor could years of friendship be affected by the matter involving Xie Jun. So, she decided to meet.

“Bring it here.”

Suihua handed it over and poured another glass of water. The July heat was stifling; without water, her throat would dry out.

Shen Shuyao scanned the note and set it aside, taking a sip of the lukewarm water. Chen Shuyi invited her to meet the next day but did not specify the reason. Shen Shuyao guessed it had something to do with Xie Jun.

She had not heard anything from Lin Shi about Xie Jun recently and did not know how things stood between them now.

She thought, “Fine, I’m already irritated. I might as well go out and clear my mind.”

—

The next day, the sky was overcast, with clouds blanketing the heavens, casting a gray haze. There was likely to be a heavy rainstorm around noon.

Afraid of getting caught in the rain, Shen Shuyao left early. Suihua and Lingchun each carried an oiled-paper umbrella just in case. Soon after leaving the orchid garden, they met Xie Jun under a corridor.

She intended to turn and leave but then thought it unnecessary. What was there to avoid? She had done nothing wrong and had no reason to feel guilty.

Xie Jun was stunned to see her from afar but quickly smiled as if nothing had happened. He greeted her politely and showed no intention of leaving immediately.

“Sister-in-law, where are you headed?” His voice was gentle, pleasant to hear. He glanced at the gloomy sky and said, “There’s going to be heavy rain soon. You might want to postpone your outing so you don’t get wet.”

Shen Shuyao showed little reaction, responding coolly, “It’s no matter. I brought an umbrella.”

She intended to leave, but Xie Jun blocked her path, clearly unwilling to let her go. She looked up, coldly meeting his gaze, silently asking if there was anything else. If not, she did not want to waste time.

Xie Jun, oblivious to her mood, continued, “The last matter was my fault. Are you still angry, sister-in-law?”

That incident had happened some time ago. If Xie Jun had not mentioned it, Shen Shuyao would have long forgotten it, certainly not letting it trouble her mind.

Not mentioning it was better. Now that he had brought it up, she felt annoyed again, her expression darkening slightly. Yet Xie Jun failed to notice—truly lacking in tact.

“Oh, since it’s over, there’s no need to bring it up again.”

Xie Jun breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Good that you’re not upset.”

She gave a faint hum and lifted her foot to leave, but saw Xie Jun step closer, scratching his head, hesitant to speak.

Shen Shuyao did not want to hear his pointless rambling; it had nothing to do with her. Yet, at the moment, she could not leave. She shifted aside, and Xie Jun moved with her, unwilling to let her go.

Resigned, she asked, “Is there anything else? I have an appointment soon.”

Her question gave Xie Jun courage. He smiled awkwardly, glanced at Suihua and Lingchun, not wanting them to overhear. Suihua caught her look and understood, walking ahead with Lingchun.

Now alone, they could speak more freely.

“Sister-in-law, Shuyi hasn’t been talking to me lately. Could you help me deliver a message to her?”

Shen Shuyao raised an eyebrow—of course. She knew it was about that. She still regretted helping them get together last time, and now there was no way she would help again.

“Second brother, you saw mother’s attitude last time. I think you should convince her first before considering your own matters.”

She spoke bluntly to avoid future trouble. After a moment, she added, “Or maybe you should think about whether you’re truly compatible.”

“Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that?”

She looked up, serious. “I mean exactly what you think. Also, your marriage is decided by our mother. As your elder sister-in-law, I have no say. If you have any thoughts, speak to mother.”

Hearing this, Xie Jun understood that his sister-in-law neither wanted to help nor involve herself further. It was not stinginess but that mother’s words last time had upset her. He dared not say more.

Shen Shuyao glanced at him, then walked away with a stern face, not looking back.

Just as she left the Xie mansion’s main gate, thunder rumbled and heavy rain began to fall. Shen Shuyao clicked her tongue in annoyance. Xie Jun had wasted her time. If he had spent less time talking, she would have arrived sooner.

“Walk quickly. Don’t get caught in the rain.”

The coachman urged, whipping the horses to a quick pace.

—

She was lucky to arrive at the teahouse before the heavy rain started. Had she been a moment later, the downpour would have struck the carriage.

She glanced outside and then went upstairs.

She wondered if Chen Shuyi had arrived yet. Just as she reached the door, Chen Shuyi came out to greet her.

“Yaoyao, you finally made it.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed for being late, she replied, “I was held up by something.”

Chen Shuyi pulled her inside. “No worries, I just got here myself.”

The back door closed behind them, shutting out the noise. The air was peaceful. Chen Shuyi ordered her favorite tea and snacks, the fragrance wafting invitingly.

They sat facing each other, chatting and laughing for a while. Then, without warning, the mood turned tense and quiet. Chen Shuyi forced a few laughs before looking at Shen Shuyao’s smiling face and losing her own smile. The atmosphere became subtle and oppressive.

Shen Shuyao recalled what Xie Jun had said before she left and guessed the reason for the meeting. She sipped her tea and asked, “Shuyi, is there something you want to talk about?”

Chen Shuyi’s expression darkened. “Yes. It’s my father. He doesn’t approve of my relationship with Xie Jun. I don’t know what to do.”

Shen Shuyao had not told Chen Shuyi about Lin Shi’s reprimand last time. If she did, Chen Shuyi would feel even worse.

She thought for a moment and asked, “Do you really want to marry him?”

Chen Shuyi was silent for a while, not insisting that she would marry only Xie Jun, but confessed she had feelings for him.

Biting a rose pastry, she tentatively said, “Maybe you should listen to Uncle Chen. Marriage is a big matter, and if the elders on both sides don’t agree, it won’t work out.”

“But Xie Jun said he would convince his parents. He told me to wait. I’m undecided.”

Shen Shuyao did not want to hurt her feelings but felt compelled to speak frankly.

She licked her lips. “A young woman’s prime years don’t last long. How long will you wait? After a few years, you’ll be older and it’ll be harder to find someone. Xie Jun is different. Even after five years, he’ll still be fine.”

Her words were harsh but necessary.

“Have you considered that maybe you’re not suitable? Perhaps Xie Jun isn’t as good as he appears. What if he’s timid and cowardly?”

Xie Jun had said he would convince his parents, but knowing him, he might just ask his brother for help.

After saying this, Chen Shuyi stared at her without blinking, her lips moving but no words coming out.

Feeling she had been too blunt, Shen Shuyao lowered her gaze to drink her tea, avoiding eye contact. The silence was suffocating, and she couldn’t help but look up again. “Don’t trust men too much.”

“Does that mean your Xie isn’t trustworthy either?”

“…”

—

An hour later, Shen Shuyao returned to the Xie residence. It was drizzling lightly, so a few steps wouldn’t wet her shoes or socks. Suihua closed the umbrella and shook off the water. Shen Shuyao bent slightly to pat her skirt dry.

Before she could enter, Zhiwei hurried over and whispered, “Master is back. Just asked about you.”

She pursed her lips but didn’t care. “Let them ask.”

What harm was there in going out? Xie Yi used to go drinking at night with Fu Yingcheng without her saying a word. Yet she was not allowed to do the same.

Zhiwei’s expression changed. “Master first went around the back courtyard, then returned to the front. Our people said he seemed to have seen Xiaoxiao.”

A sharp sound of something breaking echoed.

Her crimson lips trembled twice. With a scowl and eyes full of grievance, she looked pitiful.

He had returned and immediately sought out Xiaoxiao. It was clear Xie Yi’s heart was truly bewitched by the woman from the back courtyard.

Just as she turned to leave, the man who had just arrived turned back to go out again. Unfortunately, as soon as he turned, Xie Yi emerged from the study and spotted her at once.

She stopped in her tracks, pretending not to see him, and walked straight back to her room.

“Shen Shuyao.”