It seemed that the two were about to quarrel again, which made Song Zhen extremely worried. Their Song family now relied on the marriage alliance with the Pei family. If they fell out with the Pei family, the Song family's status would be even lower than before.
Just as Song Wanying was about to speak, Song Zhen quickly grabbed her. "You unfilial girl! Pei Yu took fifty strokes of the cane for you. It shows his deep affection for you. Moreover, he rushed here in a hurry to rescue us. If it were someone else, who would offend a family like the Marquis of Guangping for you?"
Song Zhen used brute force to drag Song Wanying in front of Pei Yu. "Now you're still being so unreasonable and arguing with Pei Yu. Hurry up and apologize to him!"
Song Wanying had never been wronged by Song Zhen before. Being roared at by him, her eyes filled with tears. She pursed her lips and sobbed.
But this time, Song Zhen didn't indulge her. After all, compared with the family's honor, Song Wanying's grievances were nothing.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, and she really didn't want to break off the engagement with Pei Yu. Now that he didn't seem to be going to coax her, she had no choice but to take the initiative to give in. She walked up to him, sniffling, and said, "Yu Lang... I'm sorry..."
Pei Yu pursed his lips and said nothing. Song Wanying then reached out and gently tugged at his sleeve. "Yu Lang, don't be angry. Don't break off the engagement with me. It was my fault just now..."
Although Song Wanying was not as beautiful as Song Ruotang, she was still somewhat charming. Now that she was lowering herself, a feeling of pity welled up in Pei Yu's heart.
He had once been attracted by Song Wanying's lively personality. He could tolerate her willfulness. Knowing that it was very difficult for her to admit her mistakes, now that she had taken the initiative to apologize, Pei Yu's anger subsided a lot.
Song Wanying's eyes were red at the corners, filled with a misty sheen. Her cheeks were also tinged with a blush. She was indeed quite charming. Pei Yu sighed and reached out to pull her. His tone softened. "I'll tolerate you, but you can't say such things again in the future."
"Got it." Song Wanying nodded obediently.
Seeing that the two had reconciled, Song Zhen couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. After comforting them for a while, he left with peace of mind.
Song Wanying took the initiative to support Pei Yu, and the two walked towards his courtyard.
When they arrived at the courtyard, Pei Yu gave the medicine to the maid and told her to decoct it. Then he went into the room with Song Wanying to rest.
Song Wanying helped him lie on the couch. Because Pei Yu had been beaten with the cane, he could only sleep on his stomach. So he took out the wound ointment from his bosom. Just as he was about to put it under the pillow, Song Wanying noticed it.
"Yu Lang, what's that in your hand?" She stared at Pei Yu's hand, looking a bit puzzled.
Pei Yu paused for a moment. Thinking of Song Ruotang's extremely beautiful face and then looking at Song Wanying, he hesitated a bit. But then he thought that it was just a box of ointment. She might not necessarily think that he had a connection with Song Ruotang.
"Oh, it's a box of medicine for treating injuries." Pei Yu replied casually and stuffed the ointment box under the pillow.
Song Wanying watched his actions, and the look in her eyes changed, but she still didn't say anything. She just covered him with the quilt. "Then Yu Lang, you can take a nap first. I'll come and wake you up when the medicine is decocted."
Pei Yu nodded. Song Wanying turned around and went out. He tossed and turned but couldn't fall asleep. Then he took out the ointment from under the pillow, opened the lid, and took a sniff.
This ointment had a faint fragrance, as if it still retained Song Ruotang's aura, which made Pei Yu infatuated.
He was sniffing the ointment in the room, not knowing that his actions had been seen by Song Wanying outside the door.
Pei Yu had walked a long way today and was really a bit tired. He fell asleep not long after. After Song Wanying waited for him to fall into a deep sleep, she entered the room again and fished out the box of ointment from under his pillow.
She opened it and took a sniff. Her face became even more gloomy.
She recognized this fragrance. It was the same fragrance of Chinese flowering crabapple as on Song Ruotang's body.
She also recognized this medicine. It was the ointment for treating chilblains.
There was no doubt that Pei Yu had met Song Ruotang today. As for whether this medicine was given to him by Song Ruotang or he gave it to Song Ruotang, it didn't matter anymore.
She was just wondering why Pei Yu had changed his temperament today. It turned out that it was all because of that vixen Song Ruotang!
"That bitch!"
Song Wanying cursed in a low voice and took away the chilblain ointment.
She wouldn't let that bitch off! If it weren't for her, how could the Song family and Pei Yu have been punished? Now she was even secretly seducing her man. She wouldn't let Song Ruotang have an easy time!
Song Wanying was supported by Cai Lian as she walked out of the courtyard. When passing by a corner, she suddenly stopped and looked at the extremely remote courtyard in the distance.
That was the place where Song Ruotang had lived when she was brought back. The place was drafty all around. Now that Song Wanying saw it again, thinking of how Song Ruotang had been bullied in the past, she felt a momentary sense of pleasure.
Just wait, Song Ruotang. She wouldn't have an easy time for long.
"Arrange someone to go to Song Ruotang's mansion and bring back one of her personal clothes." Song Wanying walked to a pond. Looking at the broken branches and withered lotus in it, she threw the ointment in her hand forcefully. It smashed through the ice on the lake and sank to the bottom.
Didn't Song Ruotang like to seduce men? Then they might as well completely confirm her dissolute behavior.
Song Wanying looked at the cracked ice surface and a smug smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.
Pei Zhiyan had been very busy recently and would return to the mansion very late every day. Originally, he felt sorry for Song Ruotang having to endure the cold, so he told her not to wait for him. But Song Ruotang refused and insisted on waiting for him in front of the corridor.
This night was the latest Pei Zhiyan had ever returned. When he stepped into the courtyard through the snow, the lamp that had always been lit for him in front of the corridor didn't light up for the first time.
Pei Zhiyan was startled. He quickened his steps unconsciously. He didn't doubt Song Ruotang's determination to wait for him. He was just afraid that something unexpected had happened to her today.
When he reached the steps in front of the corridor, he saw that the delicate figure was still there. It was just that the candle on the table had burned out and the lamp had gone out, so he hadn't noticed her before.
It was still very cold, and it was night. Song Ruotang was wrapped in a thick cloak and had fallen asleep lying on the table. But she didn't sleep soundly. Probably because it was too cold, her whole body was shivering a bit. Her lips were mumbling as if she was saying something.
Pei Zhiyan walked up to her quietly and finally heard what she was saying.
"Don't go... Don't leave me..." Song Ruotang frowned tightly, and the hand on the table was clenched tightly.
Pei Zhiyan reached out and shook her shoulder. "Ruotang, I'm back."
"Don't... Stop hitting..." Song Ruotang seemed to be caught in a nightmare. She shrank back, showing a painful expression, as if trying to avoid Pei Zhiyan's hand.
Pei Zhiyan frowned and shook her worriedly. "Ruotang..."
"Don't... My lord... Don't go!"
Song Ruotang suddenly opened her eyes and blurted out a few words in her dream. The moment she sat up straight, she met Pei Zhiyan's gaze.
Her chest was rising and falling greatly. She exhaled a few big breaths. There were some fine beads of sweat on her forehead. Seeing Pei Zhiyan's face, Song Ruotang's expression relaxed. As if all her strength had been drained, she said softly, "My lord, why did you come back so late today? Your concubine has been waiting so anxiously..."