"An explanation?"
"Laobo said yesterday that if my young lady didn't want to be a concubine, she would have to be an unacknowledged mistress. May I ask, Young Master Wen, isn't this your intention?"
Liuyun's tone was very aggressive. She was almost pointing at Wen Heyu's nose and scolding him.
But Wen Heyu's smile remained unchanged. Instead, he bowed to Liuyun with an apologetic look and said, "I knew it was that old servant Laobo who didn't explain clearly and made Miss Shen misunderstand."
Liuyun frowned, half - believing and half - doubting. "You don't mean that?"
"Of course not. I'll explain it to Miss Shen when I see her..."
At this moment, Shen Linyi was leaning against the window, looking at the elegant back figure like a bamboo outside through the hazy window screen.
"Misunderstanding? Oh..."
Shen Linyi repeated in a low voice, her eyes full of sarcasm.
It wasn't until Liuyun pushed open the door and looked at Shen Linyi with a hesitant expression that Shen Linyi put on her veil and went out to receive the guest.
"Young Master Wen," Shen Linyi's gentle voice sounded, causing a stir in Wen Heyu's heart.
He looked at Shen Linyi's graceful figure with burning eyes. The bright eyes behind the veil always seemed gentle and powerful. Every time Wen Heyu felt tired while studying, just one look at Shen Linyi would make him feel full of energy.
After getting along with Shen Linyi for several years, Wen Heyu naturally had feelings for this woman who had spared no effort to support his imperial examinations. So after he became the third - place winner in the imperial examination, he immediately sent Laobo to pick Shen Linyi up to the capital.
"Miss Shen must be very tired after the long journey. I shouldn't have come to bother you so early in the morning. But after hearing what Laobo said, I knew that Miss Shen might have misunderstood my intention. That's why I came early to explain."
Wen Heyu's words were as gentle and sincere as ever. For a moment, Shen Linyi was in a daze and began to doubt her own conjecture.
After becoming the third - place winner in the imperial examination, Wen Heyu seemed to be doing extremely well. His figure had become more imposing. Every gesture of his was like that of a graceful noble young master. His eyes were clear, and when he saw Shen Linyi, they brightened a bit, hiding joy and tenderness.
On the surface, Wen Heyu really lived up to the description of a peerless and elegant young master.
Seeing that Shen Linyi's eyes were unfocused, Wen Heyu didn't rush to explain. Instead, he opened the parcels on the table one by one and took out the things he had carefully prepared with his slender fingers.
"Miss Shen, look. These are the pastries from Yilinxuan in the capital. All the noble ladies in the capital like them. I thought Miss Shen, as a young lady, should also like these."
"And these bedding and clothes. Please trouble Miss Liuyun to help Miss Shen put them away. The surface of this quilt is the soft silk bestowed by the emperor, and the lining is made of tribute satin. Even the cotton inside is new. The clothes are in the popular style in the capital. Miss Shen likes cyan and green, so I picked the ones she likes..."
"And these," Wen Heyu took out several delicate boxes carefully. After opening them, he placed the items in front of Shen Linyi one by one. "These are my sincere gifts."
After saying that, Wen Heyu seemed a little embarrassed and turned his head away.
Shen Linyi looked and saw that there was a delicately - made hairpin in each box. All of them were made of gold and jade, but with different styles, looking extremely luxurious.
Liuyun secretly observed Shen Linyi's expression. After being master and servant for many years, with just one look, Liuyun guessed that Shen Linyi didn't like these things.
"What does Young Master Wen mean by this?" Shen Linyi closed the boxes containing the gold and jade hairpins. When her fair hand passed over these hairpins, Wen Heyu even felt that the gold and jade lost their luster.
Seeing that there was no joy in Shen Linyi's eyes, Wen Heyu guessed that she must still be concerned about what Laobo had said yesterday. He sighed in his heart.
"Miss Shen, don't you understand my intention?"
Wen Heyu's tone was faintly aggrieved.
He took a step forward, getting closer to Shen Linyi. The burning and expectant look in his eyes seemed to drown Shen Linyi.
Shen Linyi gave a faint smile, with the laziness of the early morning, which made Wen Heyu's heart burn again.
"If what Young Master Wen means by his intention is to ask me to be your concubine, then I'd better stay away from such an intention."
Shen Linyi said calmly, laying bare Wen Heyu's carefully - hidden heart.
Wen Heyu frowned, a little unhappy, but still patiently explained, "Miss Shen, I know very well how you've treated me over the years. I'm not indifferent to you. But you have to know that I've entered the court and am a student of the emperor. My future... I don't need to say much, and you should understand."
"So, I naturally need a noble - born mistress to manage the backyard for me and attend banquets. And Miss Shen, you're just a little embroideress from the south of the Yangtze River. How could you understand the hardships in this?"
"I can't bear to see you face those ridicules and humiliations in the future and struggle every day. I just want to hide you in the backyard and be with you day and night, growing old together. Isn't that... better?"
"If you agree, just sign the document for taking a concubine. I'll immediately help you get out of the low - status register."
Wen Heyu thought he had explained clearly enough and that Shen Linyi would be very touched.
After all, he was the imperial - appointed third - place winner in the imperial examination. He was handsome, elegant, and extremely talented. Shen Linyi had also taken a fancy to these qualities and embroidered handkerchiefs to support his studies without complaint.
Now that the ripe fruit was ready to be picked, Wen Heyu didn't believe that Shen Linyi would let go of the wealth and honor at hand and run back to the south of the Yangtze River.
Moreover, the fact that Shen Linyi didn't leave after being humiliated by Laobo but moved into the courtyard he had arranged was the best proof.
This woman couldn't leave him.
Shen Linyi listened quietly to Wen Heyu's shameless speech. She watched as he unconsciously straightened his back and raised his chin, as if bestowing a favor on her and casually deciding her future.
Her heart felt cold, and she regretted misjudging people.
When she spoke again, Shen Linyi's voice was already cold and distant. "Young Master Wen, I don't think we're so familiar that you can directly decide my future. I supported you just because I couldn't bear to see a bright pearl covered in dust. But you can't repay kindness with enmity, can you?"
"Repay kindness with enmity?" Wen Heyu was a little stunned. He couldn't even maintain the gentle smile on his lips. "Why does Miss Shen speak so seriously?"
Shen Linyi turned around, with her back to Wen Heyu, and said coldly, "I've never made a private promise of marriage with you, nor have I ever had any improper exchanges with you. But you keep asking me to be your concubine. A woman's reputation is extremely important. What you've done, Young Master Wen, is pushing me to a dead end."
"If you really want to repay me, just give me some money and end our kindness."
"That's all I have to say. Young Master Wen, please leave."
After saying that, Shen Linyi entered the house and closed the door.
Liuyun also had a cold look on her face. She packed up the things on the table and stuffed them back to Wen Heyu. Then she bowed perfunctorily and went back into the house.
Wen Heyu stood in the courtyard for two quarters of an hour and then left.
Outside the courtyard, Laobo carefully peeked in. He had heard the conversation inside clearly.
"Young Master..."
Wen Heyu's gentle expression cracked bit by bit. A sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth. "If you don't drink the toast but prefer the forfeit, then don't blame me..."