Chapter - 34
By Tea Time Translations
At five o'clock in the morning, between the rooster's crow and the dawn, the window outside had a faint and hazy morning glow.
Pei You'an was awakening from his slumber, though he hadn't fully come to his senses. As an adult, he hadn't enjoyed such a good night's sleep. Even though it had started with fragmented and unpleasant dreams, as those pieces were dispelled, his sleep was deep and serene, accompanied by an unusual fragrance—soft and warm.
He tightened his arm around her, feeling the tenderness he had in his grasp. Confusion and drowsiness slowly lifted, and his awareness began to sharpen.
His eyelids twitched, and he suddenly opened his eyes, waking up. In the dim morning light, he saw his cousin, Jiafu, who was now sleeping in the same bed, sharing the covers. She had curled up in his arms, her arm wrapped around his waist, looking petite with just her head and half of her face peeking out from the covers. She was still asleep, with her eyes closed and a flush on her cheeks, appearing to be soundly resting. He held her with one arm, their bodies entwined, and it seemed as if they had been sleeping like this for a while.
Pei You'an was utterly shocked. At first, he believed he was still trapped in a dream, but he eventually regained his senses. It felt like being pricked by a needle as he quickly pulled his hand away, sat up abruptly, and instinctively looked down at himself, examining his body in disbelief.
He was still wearing his undershirt, but it was messy and wrinkled. There was a strange sensation in his lower abdomen, a dull ache...
Suddenly, Pei You'an's head thundered as he quickly threw off the blanket and leaped out of bed. He snatched his clothes from the night before, which Jiafu had taken off and hung up, and hastily put them on. While dressing, he heard a voice behind him saying, "Cousin..."
Pei You'an's hands stopped. He slowly turned around and saw that she had been startled awake. She was sitting up, clutching the blanket to her chest with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other. Her starry eyes were half-closed, and she had just woken up, her voice was soft and drowsy.
She was seemingly naked, except for the blanket covering her chest. Her bare shoulders and snow-white arms were still exposed, and even in the dim morning light, her fair skin shone like snow, casting a tempting allure. Pei You'an's heart raced, and he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. He closed his eyes and turned abruptly, only to hear her voice again from behind, "Cousin, I belong to you now. Although we didn't have the complete union last night, my body cannot be given to another."
She must have fully awakened by now, and her voice, though gentle, was crystal clear. The air seemed to freeze. After a long pause, Pei You'an's shoulders moved, and he slowly buttoned his shirt.
"Put on your clothes," he said, his voice hoarse.
There was a faint rustling sound behind him as she dressed. After a moment, he heard her say, "I'm ready."
Pei You'an didn't immediately turn around, remaining in place. After a while, he asked, "Last night, you had returned to your room. How did you end up sharing the bed with me again?"
There was silence from behind.
Pei You'an didn't turn around immediately, standing still. After a long pause, he finally inquired, "How did you end up sharing the bed with me again after returning to your room?"
There was a rustling sound behind him as she dressed. A moment later, he heard her say, "I did it myself."
"As a young woman, who taught you to use such inappropriate methods?" His voice was tense, and his gaze was heavy.
"It was my own idea," she said softly, pulling her clothing tightly around her body, her dark hair covering her shoulders. At first, she didn't move, but gradually lifted her face, meeting Pei You'an's intense gaze.
"It was my own idea," she repeated.
Pei You'an's voice remained taut as he said, "You came up with such an unsuitable plan all on your own?"
The air grew heavy and oppressive. Jiafu's heart raced, and she felt a fine sheen of sweat forming on her forehead.
She was frustrated with her helplessness. She had a plan ready to explain to him, saying that when he woke up thirsty last night, she heard him, came over to assist, and, in his half-awake state, he pulled her onto the bed. She had no strength to resist. As long as she stuck to this story, even if he didn't believe it, he wouldn't be able to absolve himself.
She had the courage to climb into his bed, but when the moment came to explain, she didn't know why, but she didn't want to use this despicable excuse. Even if she told the truth, he might scorn or even loathe her. Because this excuse sounded so disgusting to her.
How could he be that kind of person?
All she wanted was to stay by his side. Based on her intuition about him, as long as he kept her with him, he would protect her. She didn't care about anything else. She told herself this, suppressing the anxiety and sadness that welled up inside, mustering all her courage. She lifted her head once more, locking eyes with his gaze.
"Cousin, I've shared a bed with you for one night. If you don't want me, and if I'm fortunate enough to escape from the crown prince and survive, I'll spend the second half of my life as a nun, cutting my hair!"
She finished speaking, held her breath, and stared at him with unblinking eyes.
After a moment of silence, without showing any emotion, he finally said, "Go back to your room. Without me, you're not allowed to take a single step outside!"
"Cousin..." Jiafu pleaded.
"Go back to your room," he repeated, turning his back on her.
Jiafu's body gradually grew cold, and she sat in a daze for a moment. Silently, she got out of bed, and with a heavy heart, she slowly walked away from him. The doorway had a low threshold, less than half a foot high. However, when she crossed it, her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, extremely heavy. She almost had to take each step back to her own room. Jiafu collapsed onto her pillow, and tears began to flow slowly.
She had a feeling that her final attempt had failed. Last night, she mustered all her courage to return to his room, undress herself, and snuggle into his arms. However, in the midst of her hesitation, she hadn't managed to do anything, and she didn't know why, but in the end, she just fell asleep. She had slept until now, only waking up when he made that noise earlier.
Was there anyone else in this world as foolish as her?
Jiafu cried even harder, but fearing that someone might hear, she desperately covered her mouth, sobbing silently. After crying for a while, she remembered she would have to leave today and was afraid her eyes would be swollen from crying. She forced herself to stop crying.
Around noon, a guard came to her door, saying that Mr. Pei had sent for her and she could come out, prepared to leave. Jiafu couldn't afford to delay, so she gathered her things and followed the guard out of the local chieftain's residence. As she approached the front gate, she saw Pei You'an standing there, bidding farewell to the local chieftain, surrounded by many people.
Her head hung lower, and she kept her gaze fixed on the horse carriage that was waiting for her. She was nearly there when she heard a voice from behind, "Cousin Zhen!"
Jiafu recognized it as the voice of An Cangzhu but pretended not to hear and hurried her steps. However, An Cangzhu quickly caught up with her and stood in her path, blocking her way. She said, "Cousin Zhen, when are you returning to Quanzhou? Give it some time, and when things calm down on my end, I'd like to visit Quanzhou as well..."
Pei You'an suddenly exclaimed and moved closer. "Cousin Zhen, what's wrong? Your eyes seem a bit swollen. Have you been crying?"
Jiafu felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration and shook her head. "I'm fine. I'll go ahead..."
She maneuvered around An Cangzhu and quickly headed towards the carriage. An Cangzhu asked, "Could it be that my sister has caused trouble for you again? If she has, please tell me..."
An Cangzhu was catching up to her when Yang Yun appeared and took the parcel from her hands, blocking An Cangzhu's path. He smiled and said, "Lady Zhen, I hope you're well. Young Master An, please don't trouble yourself any further."
Jiafu climbed into the carriage, closed the door, and sat inside. After a while, the carriage began to sway and finally set off on the journey.
That evening, Jiafu discovered something. She was not heading back to the Wu Ding Mansion, where she had originally departed from, but instead, she was traveling east, directly to Quanzhou. She was accompanied by Yang Yun and his men, but Pei You'an was nowhere to be seen.
She had exhausted all the strategies and efforts she could think of, but she had failed to stay by his side successfully. She couldn't even think about marrying him anymore. Although she had mentally prepared herself for this when she crossed the threshold that morning, the realization that it was all true left her overwhelmed with sadness, regret, and embarrassment.
Strangely, at a time when she should have been most concerned about losing the protection she had hoped to secure from Pei You'an, she found herself thinking less about that. Instead, as she traveled east, her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.
If, in the end, she found herself once again in the clutches of Xiao Yintang and faced the worst, she realized that death was the most she could fear. It didn't seem as terrifying as it used to. But the thought of what she had done that day weighed heavily on her, making her emotional and distraught.
Upon returning to her family in Quanzhou, her mother, Madam Meng, embraced her with tears and smiles, and her brother, Zhen Yaoting, was overjoyed. Even her grandmother, Lady Hu, wore a smile on her face. That night, they held a banquet to welcome Jiafu back home, and the whole family was filled with joy.
For Jiafu, this day marked the end of a chapter that had unfolded over the past few months since her abduction. She felt like everything had changed and had a sense of desolation, as if she had just awoken from a long dream.
Two weeks later, Lady Hu called her granddaughter into her room, dismissed the servants, and asked, "I heard from that man, Yang, who brought you back, that you were kidnapped and taken to Yunnan but managed to escape with the help of his master. Now he has returned you home. This is undoubtedly a good thing. I must express our gratitude when we meet this benefactor. However, Ah Fu, you must be honest with your grandmother. Are you still pure and innocent?"
On the day of the Mazu Festival, after Jiafu's disappearance, Lady Hu had been sending people everywhere to search for her. Meanwhile, she kept tight-lipped about the situation, only telling others that her granddaughter had gone to visit distant relatives. This was because, at the time, Lady Hu was busy arranging a marriage for her granddaughter. There was an official's family in the town who had a legitimate child, and they were interested in a union with the Zhen family. Lady Hu was afraid that any news would get out and harm Jiafu's reputation, so she revealed nothing about it. When there was still no news of Jiafu and her worry grew, they received unexpected good news: someone brought information about Jiafu's whereabouts. This finally put Lady Hu's mind at ease.
Now that her granddaughter had returned, Lady Hu had resumed thinking about the marriage. After questioning Jiafu, she nervously stared at her. Seeing Jiafu's silence, Lady Hu understood. Her face became heavy, and disappointment was evident in her eyes. After a long pause, she sighed deeply and said, "Forget it. You've had a hard time. You're back now; that's what matters. You can go."
Jiafu bowed to her grandmother and replied, "Grandmother, I know you've always wanted to arrange a marriage for me to bring support to the family. It was the case with the marriage proposal from the Duke's household before, and it seems to be the case again now. Since I've lost my purity, no respectable family would want to marry me. Even if I were to hide it and marry into a good family, the truth would eventually come out. Rather than helping the Zhen family, it could lead to disgrace and potential enmity. So, I dare to ask my grandmother not to arrange my marriage in the future. I have no intention of getting married, and I hope my grandmother won't force me."
This was the first time in her life that she had spoken to Lady Hu in such a manner. Lady Hu was surprised and somewhat displeased. She stared at her granddaughter and furrowed her brows, saying, "How can you speak like this to your grandmother? I've been considering your marriage options, not only with the Zhen family's interests in mind but also to find you good families. You're my granddaughter, and I would never marry you off carelessly. Even in your current situation, if you were to get married, there are ways to conceal the truth. Why are you so disheartened? Girls should get married; it's unreasonable to stay at home for the rest of your life, isn't it?"
Tears welled up in Jiafu's eyes as she replied, "Forgive me for my filial impiety. If my grandmother arranges another marriage, I'll cut my hair and become a nun!"
Lady Hu was furious and about to reprimand her when urgent footsteps were heard from outside. A servant entered and said, "Lady Hu, Madam asked me to hurry and relay a message to you. We have an esteemed guest in the house."
Lady Hu suppressed her anger, turned, and asked, "Which guest is it?"
The servant replied, "It's the eldest son of the Duke's family from the capital."
Lady Hu was momentarily stunned, hesitating for a moment. She then stood up from her seat and said, "Why has he come? Quickly, welcome him inside." With that, she left in a hurry, leaving Jiafu behind.
Chapter - 34
By Tea Time Translations
At five o'clock in the morning, between the rooster's crow and the dawn, the window outside had a faint and hazy morning glow.
Pei You'an was awakening from his slumber, though he hadn't fully come to his senses. As an adult, he hadn't enjoyed such a good night's sleep. Even though it had started with fragmented and unpleasant dreams, as those pieces were dispelled, his sleep was deep and serene, accompanied by an unusual fragrance—soft and warm.
He tightened his arm around her, feeling the tenderness he had in his grasp. Confusion and drowsiness slowly lifted, and his awareness began to sharpen.
His eyelids twitched, and he suddenly opened his eyes, waking up. In the dim morning light, he saw his cousin, Jiafu, who was now sleeping in the same bed, sharing the covers. She had curled up in his arms, her arm wrapped around his waist, looking petite with just her head and half of her face peeking out from the covers. She was still asleep, with her eyes closed and a flush on her cheeks, appearing to be soundly resting. He held her with one arm, their bodies entwined, and it seemed as if they had been sleeping like this for a while.
Pei You'an was utterly shocked. At first, he believed he was still trapped in a dream, but he eventually regained his senses. It felt like being pricked by a needle as he quickly pulled his hand away, sat up abruptly, and instinctively looked down at himself, examining his body in disbelief.
He was still wearing his undershirt, but it was messy and wrinkled. There was a strange sensation in his lower abdomen, a dull ache...
Suddenly, Pei You'an's head thundered as he quickly threw off the blanket and leaped out of bed. He snatched his clothes from the night before, which Jiafu had taken off and hung up, and hastily put them on. While dressing, he heard a voice behind him saying, "Cousin..."
Pei You'an's hands stopped. He slowly turned around and saw that she had been startled awake. She was sitting up, clutching the blanket to her chest with one hand and rubbing her eyes with the other. Her starry eyes were half-closed, and she had just woken up, her voice was soft and drowsy.
She was seemingly naked, except for the blanket covering her chest. Her bare shoulders and snow-white arms were still exposed, and even in the dim morning light, her fair skin shone like snow, casting a tempting allure. Pei You'an's heart raced, and he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. He closed his eyes and turned abruptly, only to hear her voice again from behind, "Cousin, I belong to you now. Although we didn't have the complete union last night, my body cannot be given to another."
She must have fully awakened by now, and her voice, though gentle, was crystal clear. The air seemed to freeze. After a long pause, Pei You'an's shoulders moved, and he slowly buttoned his shirt.
"Put on your clothes," he said, his voice hoarse.
There was a faint rustling sound behind him as she dressed. After a moment, he heard her say, "I'm ready."
Pei You'an didn't immediately turn around, remaining in place. After a while, he asked, "Last night, you had returned to your room. How did you end up sharing the bed with me again?"
There was silence from behind.
Pei You'an didn't turn around immediately, standing still. After a long pause, he finally inquired, "How did you end up sharing the bed with me again after returning to your room?"
There was a rustling sound behind him as she dressed. A moment later, he heard her say, "I did it myself."
"As a young woman, who taught you to use such inappropriate methods?" His voice was tense, and his gaze was heavy.
"It was my own idea," she said softly, pulling her clothing tightly around her body, her dark hair covering her shoulders. At first, she didn't move, but gradually lifted her face, meeting Pei You'an's intense gaze.
"It was my own idea," she repeated.
Pei You'an's voice remained taut as he said, "You came up with such an unsuitable plan all on your own?"
The air grew heavy and oppressive. Jiafu's heart raced, and she felt a fine sheen of sweat forming on her forehead.
She was frustrated with her helplessness. She had a plan ready to explain to him, saying that when he woke up thirsty last night, she heard him, came over to assist, and, in his half-awake state, he pulled her onto the bed. She had no strength to resist. As long as she stuck to this story, even if he didn't believe it, he wouldn't be able to absolve himself.
She had the courage to climb into his bed, but when the moment came to explain, she didn't know why, but she didn't want to use this despicable excuse. Even if she told the truth, he might scorn or even loathe her. Because this excuse sounded so disgusting to her.
How could he be that kind of person?
All she wanted was to stay by his side. Based on her intuition about him, as long as he kept her with him, he would protect her. She didn't care about anything else. She told herself this, suppressing the anxiety and sadness that welled up inside, mustering all her courage. She lifted her head once more, locking eyes with his gaze.
"Cousin, I've shared a bed with you for one night. If you don't want me, and if I'm fortunate enough to escape from the crown prince and survive, I'll spend the second half of my life as a nun, cutting my hair!"
She finished speaking, held her breath, and stared at him with unblinking eyes.
After a moment of silence, without showing any emotion, he finally said, "Go back to your room. Without me, you're not allowed to take a single step outside!"
"Cousin..." Jiafu pleaded.
"Go back to your room," he repeated, turning his back on her.
Jiafu's body gradually grew cold, and she sat in a daze for a moment. Silently, she got out of bed, and with a heavy heart, she slowly walked away from him. The doorway had a low threshold, less than half a foot high. However, when she crossed it, her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, extremely heavy. She almost had to take each step back to her own room. Jiafu collapsed onto her pillow, and tears began to flow slowly.
She had a feeling that her final attempt had failed. Last night, she mustered all her courage to return to his room, undress herself, and snuggle into his arms. However, in the midst of her hesitation, she hadn't managed to do anything, and she didn't know why, but in the end, she just fell asleep. She had slept until now, only waking up when he made that noise earlier.
Was there anyone else in this world as foolish as her?
Jiafu cried even harder, but fearing that someone might hear, she desperately covered her mouth, sobbing silently. After crying for a while, she remembered she would have to leave today and was afraid her eyes would be swollen from crying. She forced herself to stop crying.
Around noon, a guard came to her door, saying that Mr. Pei had sent for her and she could come out, prepared to leave. Jiafu couldn't afford to delay, so she gathered her things and followed the guard out of the local chieftain's residence. As she approached the front gate, she saw Pei You'an standing there, bidding farewell to the local chieftain, surrounded by many people.
Her head hung lower, and she kept her gaze fixed on the horse carriage that was waiting for her. She was nearly there when she heard a voice from behind, "Cousin Zhen!"
Jiafu recognized it as the voice of An Cangzhu but pretended not to hear and hurried her steps. However, An Cangzhu quickly caught up with her and stood in her path, blocking her way. She said, "Cousin Zhen, when are you returning to Quanzhou? Give it some time, and when things calm down on my end, I'd like to visit Quanzhou as well..."
Pei You'an suddenly exclaimed and moved closer. "Cousin Zhen, what's wrong? Your eyes seem a bit swollen. Have you been crying?"
Jiafu felt a mix of embarrassment and frustration and shook her head. "I'm fine. I'll go ahead..."
She maneuvered around An Cangzhu and quickly headed towards the carriage. An Cangzhu asked, "Could it be that my sister has caused trouble for you again? If she has, please tell me..."
An Cangzhu was catching up to her when Yang Yun appeared and took the parcel from her hands, blocking An Cangzhu's path. He smiled and said, "Lady Zhen, I hope you're well. Young Master An, please don't trouble yourself any further."
Jiafu climbed into the carriage, closed the door, and sat inside. After a while, the carriage began to sway and finally set off on the journey.
That evening, Jiafu discovered something. She was not heading back to the Wu Ding Mansion, where she had originally departed from, but instead, she was traveling east, directly to Quanzhou. She was accompanied by Yang Yun and his men, but Pei You'an was nowhere to be seen.
She had exhausted all the strategies and efforts she could think of, but she had failed to stay by his side successfully. She couldn't even think about marrying him anymore. Although she had mentally prepared herself for this when she crossed the threshold that morning, the realization that it was all true left her overwhelmed with sadness, regret, and embarrassment.
Strangely, at a time when she should have been most concerned about losing the protection she had hoped to secure from Pei You'an, she found herself thinking less about that. Instead, as she traveled east, her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.
If, in the end, she found herself once again in the clutches of Xiao Yintang and faced the worst, she realized that death was the most she could fear. It didn't seem as terrifying as it used to. But the thought of what she had done that day weighed heavily on her, making her emotional and distraught.
Upon returning to her family in Quanzhou, her mother, Madam Meng, embraced her with tears and smiles, and her brother, Zhen Yaoting, was overjoyed. Even her grandmother, Lady Hu, wore a smile on her face. That night, they held a banquet to welcome Jiafu back home, and the whole family was filled with joy.
For Jiafu, this day marked the end of a chapter that had unfolded over the past few months since her abduction. She felt like everything had changed and had a sense of desolation, as if she had just awoken from a long dream.
Two weeks later, Lady Hu called her granddaughter into her room, dismissed the servants, and asked, "I heard from that man, Yang, who brought you back, that you were kidnapped and taken to Yunnan but managed to escape with the help of his master. Now he has returned you home. This is undoubtedly a good thing. I must express our gratitude when we meet this benefactor. However, Ah Fu, you must be honest with your grandmother. Are you still pure and innocent?"
On the day of the Mazu Festival, after Jiafu's disappearance, Lady Hu had been sending people everywhere to search for her. Meanwhile, she kept tight-lipped about the situation, only telling others that her granddaughter had gone to visit distant relatives. This was because, at the time, Lady Hu was busy arranging a marriage for her granddaughter. There was an official's family in the town who had a legitimate child, and they were interested in a union with the Zhen family. Lady Hu was afraid that any news would get out and harm Jiafu's reputation, so she revealed nothing about it. When there was still no news of Jiafu and her worry grew, they received unexpected good news: someone brought information about Jiafu's whereabouts. This finally put Lady Hu's mind at ease.
Now that her granddaughter had returned, Lady Hu had resumed thinking about the marriage. After questioning Jiafu, she nervously stared at her. Seeing Jiafu's silence, Lady Hu understood. Her face became heavy, and disappointment was evident in her eyes. After a long pause, she sighed deeply and said, "Forget it. You've had a hard time. You're back now; that's what matters. You can go."
Jiafu bowed to her grandmother and replied, "Grandmother, I know you've always wanted to arrange a marriage for me to bring support to the family. It was the case with the marriage proposal from the Duke's household before, and it seems to be the case again now. Since I've lost my purity, no respectable family would want to marry me. Even if I were to hide it and marry into a good family, the truth would eventually come out. Rather than helping the Zhen family, it could lead to disgrace and potential enmity. So, I dare to ask my grandmother not to arrange my marriage in the future. I have no intention of getting married, and I hope my grandmother won't force me."
This was the first time in her life that she had spoken to Lady Hu in such a manner. Lady Hu was surprised and somewhat displeased. She stared at her granddaughter and furrowed her brows, saying, "How can you speak like this to your grandmother? I've been considering your marriage options, not only with the Zhen family's interests in mind but also to find you good families. You're my granddaughter, and I would never marry you off carelessly. Even in your current situation, if you were to get married, there are ways to conceal the truth. Why are you so disheartened? Girls should get married; it's unreasonable to stay at home for the rest of your life, isn't it?"
Tears welled up in Jiafu's eyes as she replied, "Forgive me for my filial impiety. If my grandmother arranges another marriage, I'll cut my hair and become a nun!"
Lady Hu was furious and about to reprimand her when urgent footsteps were heard from outside. A servant entered and said, "Lady Hu, Madam asked me to hurry and relay a message to you. We have an esteemed guest in the house."
Lady Hu suppressed her anger, turned, and asked, "Which guest is it?"
The servant replied, "It's the eldest son of the Duke's family from the capital."
Lady Hu was momentarily stunned, hesitating for a moment. She then stood up from her seat and said, "Why has he come? Quickly, welcome him inside." With that, she left in a hurry, leaving Jiafu behind.
