Chaptеr 94: Рersuading а Sepаrаtiоn
"Му mеaning is..." Jin Shi's eхpression was awkward аnd tingеd with guilt. "Mу daughtеr is сlumsу with hеr hands аnd fееt, аnd nоt verу clever еithеr. Mаrrying Lord Shen wоuld only lоwer his status. Реrhарs... уоu сould treаt hеr as а burdеn—gеtting rid of hеr would bе fоr the best."
Shеn Du wаs spеechless. Еven now, he still didn't undеrstаnd whаt had hаppenеd. Whу wаs the Zhu fаmilу's аttitudе sо рerрlеxing tо him?
Seеing that Shen Du didn't rеspоnd, Jin Shi wаsn't surе what shе hаd sаid wrоng. She invited Shen Du tо sit down. "Please sit hеre for a mоment. I'll go сall Littlе Siх out sо you two can talk."
When she arrived at the side room, Zhu Kuo and the other members of the Zhu family eagerly asked Jin Shi about the situation.
Jin Shi frowned deeply, her face full of difficulty. "This matter isn't easy to handle. Judging by Shen Du's current demeanor, he has no intention of letting our Little Six go."
Zhu Yan felt like crying but had no tears. Naturally, she was comforted by her family's care and concern for her.
But when it came down to it, this matter had nothing to do with Shen Du. Why was her mother unfairly pinning the blame on him?
"Mother," Zhu Yan stood up and said, "This really has nothing to do with Shen Du. There's no need for you to worry."
"Alright, alright, you don't need to say anymore," Jin Shi interjected. "I'll go prepare tea for you. You two talk it out yourselves."
With that, Jin Shi left the room.
A moment later, she returned, holding a cup of tea which she handed to Zhu Yan. "Go, take this tea to him. Make sure you watch him drink it."
Zhu Yan was puzzled. After taking the tea, she still looked bewildered. It was just a cup of tea—what was so special about it? Whether he drank it or not was up to him.
Without giving it much thought, Zhu Yan carried the tea to the main hall.
"Have some tea," Zhu Yan said without much courtesy. She placed the tea on the table and sat down to one side.
Shen Du didn't say much either. He picked up the teacup, gently brushed aside the floating tea leaves, and took a sip.
As soon as the tea entered his mouth, Shen Du suddenly frowned.
The Zhu family members watching from the side room hurried out. Jin Shi said, "Is the tea not to your taste?"
As she spoke, she shot a dissatisfied glance at Zhu Yan. "I told Little Six that tea tastes better with some sugar. This child has never been able to tell sugar from salt since she was little. Did she put the wrong thing in Lord Shen's tea?"
Zhu Yan was utterly confused. This cup of tea had been prepared by her mother—when had she ever added salt?
Shen Du understood the implication. Though one might have expected him to be angry, he suddenly laughed instead. "This tea is excellent! It seems my wife already understands her husband's taste. It looks like I truly won't be able to do without you from now on."
...
The main hall fell into silence, so quiet that one could hear their own heartbeat.
Jin Shi was even more astonished. Had she outsmarted herself?
Zhu Yan was truly speechless, but she understood her mother's well-intentioned efforts.
"Wife," Shen Du turned his gaze to Zhu Yan. "We've had tea and met face to face. Isn't it time to return home with your husband?"
"Alright," Zhu Yan stood up. Just as she was about to leave with Shen Du, she suddenly stopped.
Turning back, she bowed to Jin Shi and Zhu Kuo. "Thank you, Father and Mother, for your concern. Your daughter is living well. There's no need to worry about me."
With these words, she left with Shen Du.
Watching their figures disappear into the distance, Jin Shi could no longer hold back her sobs.
Zhu Yan's words were sincere, but to Jin Shi, they sounded entirely like polite remarks made under the threat of Shen Du.Zhu Kuo also wore a face full of distress, believing in his heart that Zhu Yan had suffered grievances and was being pressured by Shen Du. The entire family was overcome with sorrow.
On the way back to the Shen residence, Shen Du could not suppress the doubts in his heart and finally asked, "Why did you suddenly return to your parents' home? And without telling me."
"It's nothing," Zhu Yan lowered her head. "It's just that the Liang family incident left me feeling fearful. I wanted to go home... to seek some comfort."
Hearing Zhu Yan's tone, Shen Du felt an inexplicable unease in his heart. After pondering for a long while, he said, "In the future... if you ever feel unsettled again, you can tell me. I will offer you guidance."
Upon hearing these words, Zhu Yan was momentarily stunned, then laughed, "What kind of joke is that? By the way, about the Shen family's past, can you tell me about it?"
Shen Du's slightly concerned gaze suddenly darkened. "It's all in the past. What is there to say?"
"But now that I am considered part of the Shen family, telling me might help in some way."
The depth in Shen Du's eyes grew even more intense. "You, with your limited time left, what good would knowing do? Instead of worrying about others' affairs, you'd be better off thinking about how to spend the remaining time you have."
Zhu Yan pursed her lips. Shen Du's words truly had a way of leaving one speechless.
Seeing that Zhu Yan had fallen silent, Shen Du's mind was in turmoil.
It wasn't that he didn't want this woman to know about the Shen family's past, but the events of those years were complicated. Knowing too much might invite mortal danger, and he did not want her to come to harm.
Thinking of this, Shen Du suddenly let out a bitter laugh. Why did he care so much about this woman?
Unaware of the reasons behind his actions, Zhu Yan continued to believe that Shen Du was deliberately teasing her and held resentment toward him.
As they passed by Pingkang Ward, Zhu Yan suddenly hatched a plan.
Late at night.
Shen Du returned to his room as usual and removed his outer robe. "Do you think Rong Zhui's words are credible? I always feel she is still hiding something from us. What are your thoughts on this?"
Placing his long robe on the clothes rack, Shen Du inquired.
But as soon as he finished speaking, a pair of delicate hands suddenly slid around his waist from behind.
Shen Du stiffened. What was wrong with this woman? Why was she so forward today?
"What's the matter?" Shen Du asked, his heartbeat involuntarily quickening.
The woman behind him shook her head, pressing her entire body against his back, making him feel unusually warm.
"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Shen Du's tone suddenly softened, as if he had thought of something. "Are you still troubled by the Liang family incident? It's all right. With me by your side, you will be safe."
With these words, Shen Du gently patted the small hands in front of him as a gesture of comfort.
What he thought would be a tender moment was suddenly disrupted when Shen Du noticed something unusual about the hands before him.
Zhu Yan's hands had been injured some days ago. Although they had mostly healed, they were not yet this clean and flawless.
Moreover, there was a faint, lingering scent of incense from the moment he entered the room. Zhu Yan never used incense; she only carried her own natural fragrance.
Could it be...
Shen Du's heart skipped a beat. He flung the hands away and pushed the woman behind him several steps back!
"Who are you? Why are you here?" Seeing that the woman was unfamiliar, anger surged within Shen Du.
"Great Pavilion Commander, please forgive me," the woman knelt on the ground in a panic. "I was arranged by Madam Shen. She said the Great Pavilion Commander has been exhausted from handling cases lately and instructed me to serve you well."
"Zhu Yan!"Shen Du slammed his fist onto the table, shattering it instantly. His furious roar tore through the night sky, scattering birds and beasts alike.
In the study, Zhu Yan shuddered involuntarily, while even Jing Lin, resting on the eaves, abruptly opened his eyes.
The woman before him was already pale with fright, trembling uncontrollably, not daring to utter a word.
"Get out!"
A cold rebuke sent the woman scrambling out of the room in a panic.
OpenNovel