Overdo

Mulan tossed the small silver spoon onto the saucer with a soft clink. Susu settled the bill, and the two stepped outside. Mulan remained silent, not uttering a word even after getting into the car. Worried about her, Susu told the driver, "Take us to Wuchi Lake Park."

The car drove straight to Wuchi Lake. Upon arriving at the park, Susu accompanied Mulan along the lakeside corridor, strolling slowly. The weather was sweltering, and within moments, both were drenched in sweat. The lotus flowers on the lake were just beginning to bloom—their emerald leaves standing tall, setting off a few pristine blossoms like ethereal nymphs floating on the waves. A breeze carried the fresh scent of water, and a large-eyed dragonfly silently flitted past them, its wings glinting silver in the sunlight before circling back.

Fearing Mulan was distressed, Susu struggled to make conversation. After a moment’s thought, she asked, "Has the Dance Troupe been rehearsing a new production?" Mulan let out a long sigh and replied, "I don’t know. I haven’t been there in a month." Puzzled, Susu was startled when Mulan suddenly halted. She stopped as well and saw two lines of tears slowly tracing down Mulan’s face. Susu had never seen her cry before and was at a loss. Mulan’s weeping was subdued, choked sobs clearly restrained, which only made Susu feel more heartache. Softly, she called out, "Mulan."

Mulan’s voice was thick with emotion, "What should I do? What am I to do…"

Susu, already unsure how to respond, fell silent at her question. Beyond the corridor stretched a vast expanse of jade-green waves, with lotus leaves swaying densely. Occasionally, a gust of wind would flip the verdant canopy, revealing the dark green water beneath. The humid breeze remained warm against their skin, and the cicadas’ chirping resumed all around.

Returning home, Susu still felt unsettled. Since Madam Murong had gone to the Fenggang residence to escape the summer heat, the house was unusually quiet. Weiyi, as usual, was out and wouldn’t be back for dinner, leaving Susu to dine alone. The kitchen had put in extra effort—aside from the usual dishes, they had prepared her favorite bamboo shoot and ham soup. Preoccupied and bothered by the heat, she only managed half a bowl of rice and a few sips of soup. Upstairs in the study, she picked up a book to read. As dusk fell, she couldn’t be bothered to turn on the lamp, tossing the book aside and walking to the window.

The courtyard lights had come on, attracting swarms of insects circling endlessly in dark clouds around the lamps. No one moved about the spacious grounds, making the silence feel even more profound. A heavy weight seemed to press on her chest, like a stone. Pacing the room twice, she finally sat down. Sandalwood incense smoldered on the low table, a single red ember glowing faintly. The air felt stagnant, like a still pond, the faint scent of sandalwood drifting like a sleek fish brushing past her sleeves.

She turned on the light and tried reading for a while but still felt unwell, her stomach churning as if in turmoil. Forced to go downstairs, she happened to meet the maid, Sister Yun, and apologized as she asked, "Sister Yun, could you please check if the kitchen has prepared any supper tonight? My stomach has been bothering me."

Sister Yun, accustomed to Susu’s politeness toward the staff and her rare requests, promptly agreed. After a short while, she returned with a small bowl on a lacquer tray, saying, "It’s rose tangyuan. I remembered you enjoy these, so I had them make some."Susu felt it might be indigestion. Seeing the food, she didn’t really want to eat, but she didn’t wish to disappoint Sister Yun’s kindness either. After forcing down two glutinous rice balls, her stomach felt even more uncomfortable, so she had to stop. Just as she returned upstairs, a wave of nausea hit her, and she hurried into the bathroom, where she vomited everything until her stomach was empty, finally feeling a little better.

She drifted into a hazy sleep until midnight, when she heard soft footsteps and noticed the lamp had been dimmed. She quickly sat up and asked, “You’re back—why didn’t you wake me?” Murong Qingyi hadn’t wanted to disturb her and said, “Go back to sleep, don’t get up.” Then he asked, “Are you feeling unwell? Your face looks a bit pale.”

Susu replied, “It must be the lamp casting a yellowish glow—why are you back so late?”

Murong Qingyi said, “I wanted to get home earlier, so I rushed back through the night. That way, I can free up a whole day tomorrow to spend with you.” The bedside lamp was very dim, and Susu felt uneasy under his gaze, slowly lowering her head again. But he wouldn’t allow it, lifting her chin with his hand. His tender kiss was like a spring breeze, coaxing a hundred flowers to bloom.

A faint sheen of sweat appeared on Susu’s face. Exhausted and drowsy, she felt a slight tickle on her neck. Susu had always been ticklish and couldn’t help smiling as she reached out to gently push his face away. “Stop teasing.” He murmured in response, and she lightly traced her fingers over the stubble on his jaw. He asked, “I can’t always be with you—do you get lonely staying home alone?” She said, “Mother, Eldest Sister, and Fourth Sister are all very kind to me. How could I be lonely?” After a moment, he asked again, “They treat you well—but don’t I treat you well too?” Shy by nature, she turned her face away. By the bed stood a sandalwood Suzhou Embroidery screen, embroidered with a large spray of crabapple blossoms, the lavish flowers sprawling across six panels. She said, “You treat me very well.” But unable to help herself, she let out a soft sigh. He asked, “Then why are you unhappy?” She whispered, “I was just thinking of that child… if only we could find him and bring him back…”

Murong Qingyi had always been sensitive about this matter, and hearing her words, his expression shifted slightly. He patted her head and said, “I’ve already sent people to keep searching. Don’t dwell on it.” Seeing the change in his expression, Susu said, “How can I not dwell on it?” Tears already glistened in her eyes. He let out a long sigh and drew her into his arms.

It was rare for him to have a day off, so the next day, he slept until the sun was high in the sky. Since he had risen so late, he skipped breakfast altogether. When he entered the study, Susu was sitting there, a book open in front of her, but her eyes were fixed elsewhere, as if lost in thought. He said, “When did you get up? I didn’t even notice.”Susu was lost in thought and seemed startled when she heard him speak. Suspecting she hadn't caught his words clearly, he simply smiled and asked, "You're up?" He grunted in response, saying, "Home is still most comfortable." Noticing characters written on the white paper beside her hand, he inquired, "Practicing calligraphy? Let me see." Without waiting for her reply, he had already pulled it out to look. Scattered lines of poetry read: "The Han River stretches wide, impossible to swim across; the Yangtze runs endless, no raft can ford its course." Another line stated: "Only now I see past mistakes, my heart lost in sorrow, stealthily crimson tears fall, spring breezes fill my eyes yet everything feels wrong." Though educated in Western traditions, his childhood tutoring had given him deep mastery of classical studies. He instantly recognized the origins of these verses, and suspicion surged in his heart, though not a trace showed on his face.

Susu had merely been sighing over Mulan's situation through these spontaneous musings. Seeing him pick up the paper, she felt somewhat guilty. Then she heard him ask, "You said you went out for afternoon tea with friends yesterday—who was it?" Remembering his previous warning to limit interactions with Mulan, she feared displeasing him by telling the truth. After a hesitant pause, she said, "An old classmate you wouldn't know." This was her first lie to him, and she didn't dare meet his eyes, feeling her ears burn as if her cheeks might burst into flames. He made a noncommittal sound, and just then a phone call came for him. He walked away to answer it, allowing her to finally release a breath of relief.

After taking the call, he had to go out again. Susu noticed his expression wasn't particularly good. But his official matters had always been beyond her questioning, so she simply saw him out, watching him get into the car before going back inside.

That evening, he dined at Ruyi Pavilion. The gathering was filled with scions of prominent families, mingled with several film stars, making it naturally quite lively. Upon his arrival, Huo Zongqi immediately laughed and called out, "Third Young Master is here! This way, this way," seating him beside the movie star Yuan Chengyu. Yuan Chengyu, an old acquaintance, smiled and said, "Third Young Master, it's been so long." Murong Qingyi replied with a laugh, "I haven't attended any of Miss Yuan's recent film premieres—I truly deserve punishment."Seizing this opening, Huo Zongqi declared, "Just punishing with wine won't do—that's too ordinary." And your alcohol tolerance is too good. Today, our punishment should be more... fragrant and alluring." The whole table erupted in enthusiastic agreement. Xu Changning asked, "How exactly should this 'fragrant' punishment be? We must consider carefully." Huo Zongqi proposed, "Let's punish Third Young Master by having him receive a fragrant kiss from Miss Yuan." Yuan Chengyu was already doubled over with laughter, exclaiming, "No, no, that won't do!" Xu Changning added, "Exactly! This is supposed to punish Third Young Master, not give him an advantage." Huo Zongqi chuckled, "On the surface, it seems he's benefiting, but there's a catch—he's not allowed to wipe off the lipstick mark. Just imagine him returning home tonight—how could he explain that to his wife?" The group indeed clapped and laughed uproariously, praising the idea. He Zhongze, ever eager to stir trouble, added, "Make it on his collar where it won't easily rub off." Yuan Chengyu naturally refused to comply, and Murong Qingyi also laughed, "Don't go too far, all of you." But several people swarmed forward, pressing Murong Qingyi down while Huo Zongqi pushed and pulled Yuan Chengyu over. They were accustomed to such rowdiness, and only after a bright red stain was clearly imprinted on Murong Qingyi's collar did they release him, roaring with laughter.