18 The Genteel Sister-in-Law × The Beautifully Frail Yandere 18

Aying helped Xinyi get dressed early in the morning.

She noticed that her mistress—no, her lady—seemed quite drowsy, yawning several times, looking like a poor soul suffering from a hangover. Aying felt suspicious, but she dared not speak. Last night, the Second Young Master had carried her lady back himself. By the time they arrived, she was already drunk beyond recognition. What was stranger still was that the Second Young Master insisted on personally wiping her lady’s hands and face, and even knelt to remove her embroidered shoes and silk socks.

Watching the young man lower his handsome head and reach out to grasp the lady’s snow-white, delicate ankle hidden beneath her skirt, Aying felt an indescribable sense of oddity and unease. However, they were usually very close; the Second Young Master held his former sister-in-law in great respect and obeyed her every word. At times, Aying even felt he was a bit too clingy. Thus, although she felt vaguely uncomfortable, she did not dwell on it.

Because the Second Young Master insisted on doing everything himself, the lady’s innermost undergarments could not be changed. In the end, he simply removed her heavy, cumbersome outer robes, and she fell asleep on the couch.

This morning, as she helped her lady wash and dress, Aying noticed several red marks on her neck, like mosquito bites. Furthermore, there were strange, bruised marks hidden just below her collarbone. When her lady heard her inquiry, she paused, her sleepy expression flickering for a moment, then she smiled faintly and said, "It’s nothing; I must have bumped into the corner of the table after getting drunk."

Aying stammered, hesitant to say that those marks looked, well, rather like tooth marks. But she thought it impossible. With the Second Young Master by her side the whole night, what reckless scoundrel would dare bite her lady?

Perhaps because she subconsciously linked this to the sight of Shen Rujie crouching by the couch last night to remove the lady’s shoes, that strange feeling returned to Aying’s heart, growing even stronger. If—if it were as she feared, and the Second Young Master harbored such dark and forbidden thoughts toward her lady...

Aying’s eyes widened in fright, and she shook her head vigorously: No, no! How could that be! Even if the lady had divorced the Marquis, she was still the Second Young Master’s former sister-in-law. How could he, how could he...

After struggling with herself for a moment, she decided she must warn her lady to be on guard against the Second Young Master and keep her distance from him. After gathering her thoughts, Aying spoke hesitantly, "My lady, I feel... I feel..."

Xinyi waited for a long time, but the next sentence never came. She turned her head, puzzled, and asked, "What do you feel? Are you fretting again over which tassel matches my outfit, or which hair ornament looks better?"

Aying shook her head and finally spoke slowly, "I feel that the Second Young Master likes you very much."

It was the kind of unnatural liking that would earn one spit and insults, the kind that would lead people to call her a fickle vixen.

Xinyi fell silent. She thought of last night’s kiss and found it difficult to describe. Even now, her lips were still aching. She did not doubt for a second that if Shen Rujie were a spider, he would have spun a web over her.

Seeing her mistress remain silent, Aying continued to warn her, "My lady, let us stay further away from the Second Young Master in the future, lest others gossip. I know you have always been soft-hearted, wanting to repay his kindness in seeking medicine in Youzhou, and you pity his situation in the Marquis’s estate. But after all, men and women must maintain their distance, and you are no longer his sister-in-law."

Xinyi remained silent for a moment. "Don't worry, there will be no gossip." It was all the truth; those who walk straight fear no crooked shadows. Besides, if she wanted to max out the villain's favorability, she had to continue her strategy.

"My lady..."

Xinyi couldn't help but laugh, reaching out to pinch her cheek. "Why have you become like A-Jie, so fond of acting spoiled with me? That’s enough, go prepare breakfast; we mustn't go hungry."

Seeing that she couldn't get through to her, the little maid left, pouting.

*

The weather was pleasant today, and the capital was bustling.

The youth in black, with a long sword at his waist, walked in front. His sharp, phoenix-like eyes held no emotion, occasionally flickering with a hint of annoyance. Behind him, the young girl in blue was laden with bags of rouge, powder, and pastries.

Lu Yuan was furious. She had been turned away by the Seventh Prince for days and had hoped to vent her frustration by tormenting Shen Rujie, but she had only ended up exhausted herself. When she voiced her angry and shocked accusations, the youth merely sneered, "Miss Lu, His Highness only ordered me to accompany you for a stroll; he said nothing about carrying your things. I am only doing what His Highness commanded, which should be perfectly fine, shouldn't it?"

Lu Yuan was so angry she almost vomited blood: *Damn it, Xiao Congjing is a dog! And everyone around him is no better!* One was a flirt who showed mercy to every woman, and the other didn't know the meaning of the word. She felt like crying, especially when she thought of how Xiao Congjing had been avoiding and neglecting her lately. Her legs ached, her arms felt like they were being pulled from their sockets, the wind had chapped her pretty face, and she was dying of thirst.

Her eyes were red and sore; anyone with a shred of conscience would have come over to ask how she was or if she needed help. But when Shen Rujie saw her, he was completely indifferent. No, that wasn't right... he seemed even more impatient, his eyes clearly saying: *Why haven't you dropped dead yet? If you died sooner, he could at least collect your corpse for the sake of the Prince.*

Lu Yuan finally couldn't take it anymore and lashed out with sarcasm: "Shen, with a personality as rotten as yours, you deserve to never find a wife! No blind girl would ever like you. You will never know what it feels like to hold warmth and fragrance in your arms!"

Then, she noticed that instead of retorting as he usually did, the youth seemed stunned by her words, and his face flushed slightly.

*

Lu Yuan: "??" *Is he sick? Who on earth is worth him thinking about at a time like this?*

Just as she was feeling baffled, she suddenly heard a soft, delicate female voice from behind: "A-Jie?"

Lu Yuan turned her head and saw a beautiful, gentle-faced woman wearing a pale jade-colored dress. She had elegant brows, snow-white skin, and a flower-like appearance, followed by a clever-looking maid.

It was the first time Lu Yuan had seen this stranger, and she found herself blushing. Soon after, she realized who the woman was: Wu Xinyi, the sickly noblewoman cast aside by Shen Gui.

Shen Rujie seemed like a completely different person. The gloom and coldness that had been lodged in his brows vanished, replaced by a look so kind and harmless that he might as well have been wagging a tail. He leaned in and spoke in a tone that gave Lu Yuan goosebumps, "Xinyi, why are you here?"

Xinyi looked at him with watery eyes and smiled gently. "Nothing to do, so I came out to buy some things with Aying." She then looked at Lu Yuan, who was blushing at her. "A-Jie, who is this young lady..."

Xinyi knew, of course, that the girl was A-Yuan, the daughter of Magistrate Lu. But she asked on purpose, looking at them with an expression of vague misunderstanding.

Shen Rujie, fearing she would misunderstand, had no intention of hiding anything and immediately distanced himself. "She has nothing to do with me. She is the one the Seventh Prince fancies; I am merely following His Highness's orders to accompany her."

He was truly too good at playing the innocent, not at all like the youth who had been缠着 (clinging to) Xinyi, kissing and touching her the night before.

When Xinyi heard him calmly utter the words "Seventh Prince," she feigned slight surprise, but she didn't probe further, merely nodding with understanding. "So that's how it is."

Thus, the two pairs became a group of four.

Lu Yuan finally realized that Shen Rujie was "afraid" of his former sister-in-law. He was gentle and obedient to her, his concern for her bordering on the pathological.

Sparse birds chirped as they flew across the sky. It was noon, and the sun was warm enough that, despite the lingering chill, it wasn't biting. Shen Rujie stopped, frowning as he tightened the cloak on his "sister-in-law," and then went into a street-side shop to buy a hand-warming pouch, tucking it considerately into her hands. Not only that, but he also remembered that girls were delicate; he insisted they rest every few steps and even chose an expensive tea house for them to sit and have tea.

Under such starkly different treatment, Lu Yuan felt a deep sense of self-doubt: *Am I really that annoying?* Not only did that dog Xiao Congjing refuse to see her, but even Shen Rujie was the same. She had been walking around carrying a pile of things for half a day, her arms and feet aching, her throat parched, yet Shen Rujie acted as if he didn't see her. He had no intention of showing her any pity.

But when it came to his sister-in-law, he was incredibly observant. His voice was never cold or mocking; he didn't even raise his volume, as if she were a fragile beauty that would shatter at a touch.

If Xinyi could hear her inner thoughts, she would have thought: *...She wasn't that fragile.* At least when he bit her last night, he seemed intent on crushing her bone and marrow alike.

The waiter greeted them warmly and led them to an empty table. After introducing the various pastries and teas, he brought their orders shortly after. Aying sat down and handed her mistress a cup of warm tea. Xinyi smiled and drank slowly, her long, fan-like eyelashes lowered, pretending not to notice the dark, lingering gaze the youth kept fixed on her red lips.

On the other side of the table, Lu Yuan, having regained some strength after a cup of warm tea, shook off her frustration. But she was still indignant, especially when she saw the youth in black pick up his chopsticks and immediately place a gold-ingot-shaped crystal pastry onto Xinyi's plate. "Here, try this."

*Still pretending! Still pretending!* It was as if he were the only sensible and considerate person at the table.

She cursed inwardly, then her eyes darted as she thought of a way to sow discord. Leaning toward Xinyi, she said in a volume loud enough for the youth to hear, "Miss Wu, the Second Young Master is not as harmless as you think. He is heartless; don't let him trick you until not even your bones are left!"

She was speaking the truth. Lu Yuan was actually terrified of Shen Rujie, having seen his ruthless, cold-blooded side. She hadn't expected him to be such a good actor, and she feared Miss Wu was taking him for a bullied, simple-minded soul. She likely didn't know that this unfavored Shen was not only a killer who cleared obstacles for Xiao Congjing but also his most capable advisor. All those devious schemes to sow discord among the Crown Prince's faction had come from him.

She said this not only to anger Shen Rujie but also because she felt Miss Wu was beautiful and kind, and looked easy to deceive. She hoped the lady would wake up and stay away from this ruthless plague of a youth.

As Lu Yuan finished, she saw Shen Rujie’s expression turn icy. Although he was still smiling, the thick malice oozing from his eyes was enough to swallow someone whole. She had once had the "fortune" of seeing him torture assassins; this was exactly the look he had. Lu Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and goosebumps broke out all over her body. She instinctively shrank back, suddenly regretting her bravado.

Fortunately, Miss Wu, the recipient of her warning, didn't take it to heart. Treating it as mere banter between acquaintances, she simply smiled. "It's fine, A-Jie is good; he wouldn't lie to me."

*It was Xinyi who wanted to lie to him.* And she would lie, then run away where he could never find her.

Hearing this, the youth’s expression finally softened. Lu Yuan was still shaken. *Forget it.* Let her be deceived; she wasn't a Bodhisattva, and it was better for the Wu girl to have bad luck than for her to. She didn't want to be secretly marked for death by this pathological madman.

*

The night was cool, and the courtyard was quiet. A few candles burned in the room, casting soft light on the two figures on the bed and at the table. Shen Rujie still chose to sleep on a mat on the floor in her room. He refused to be given a separate room with a bed. His reason was, naturally, high-sounding: the house was located near the red-light district and wasn't safe at night; staying close allowed him to watch over her.

A screen separated the bed from the floor mat. Xinyi hadn't changed into her nightgown yet and felt no desire to sleep, so she walked over to the table outside the screen, poured herself a cup of tea, and took out the storybook she hadn't finished reading the day before. It wasn't "The Collection of Virtuous Women" or "Admonitions for Women," but a collection of supernatural tales Aying had found for her. Xinyi wasn't particularly satisfied, but as a noble lady, she couldn't read anything more exotic, so she used it to pass the time.

She set down her cup and saw the words "Sumeru Mustard Seed" at the beginning of a paragraph.

Suddenly, a scene from when she first entered this world flashed through her mind. In a night alley, the badly wounded youth, facing the biting wind, had said in a voice young yet coldly indifferent, "Shen Rujie. 'Jie' as in 'life as cheap as mustard.'"

As if having such a name meant that in the days to follow, he was destined to be unloved by anyone.

Xinyi sighed, suddenly feeling a softening in her heart. She looked up at the youth not far away, at those deep, overly beautiful eyes. Shen Rujie had been watching her the whole time.

"A-Jie."

Shen Rujie walked over. By the candlelight, one could clearly see the possessiveness and affection overflowing in his long, narrow phoenix eyes. Xinyi smiled and touched his hair, then said, "I read in a storybook that in the world of gods, there is something called a Sumeru Mustard Seed, which is very powerful—it can contain all things in the world."

She looked at him, her gaze earnest. "The 'Jie' in Sumeru Mustard Seed is the same 'Jie' as in A-Jie."

*So, your life is not as cheap as mustard. It never was, and from now on, it never will be.*

Xinyi removed her hand from his dark hair, a smile still on her lips, and asked in a natural tone, "If A-Jie also had a Sumeru Mustard Seed, what would you most want to collect in it?" Gold and jewelry? Horses and mansions?

The youth was stunned, his brows slightly furrowed, but he remained silent for a long time. Xinyi thought he hadn't heard her clearly, so she tentatively called out again, "A-Jie?"

"You."

Xinyi was still bewildered. "What?"

The youth’s dark eyes fixed on her, his expression quiet, without a trace of jest. "You just asked what I would want to put inside if I had a Sumeru Mustard Seed."

As he spoke, his long, thick eyelashes trembled suddenly. It was like a spring pear blossom being crushed.

"It is you, Xinyi."