The man's broad and warm palm enveloped her entire shoulder.
Even through the thick winter clothes, the sensation he gave Song Wanchu was not negligible.
Those hands had caressed her body countless times, bringing her pleasure and heart - break.
The calluses on his palms seemed to be more numerous than they were a year ago.
Song Wanchu thought she was so spineless. She had made up her mind to forget him, but a simple touch from him made her notice such details as the number of calluses on his hands.
Those conditioned reflexes engraved in her bones seemed to be activated, violently colliding with her sealed memories.
She suddenly dodged backward. The warmth on her shoulder disappeared instantly. Liang Yuzhou's eyes were calm as he slowly withdrew his hand.
Their gazes met for a moment and then shifted away.
No one knew that their hearts, though in their own chests, were beating in resonance.
Ning wasn't surprised at Wanchu's strong reaction.
Daoist Qingzhou was an outsider. It was out of kindness that he quickly gave her a hand.
But after all, he was an outsider. Wanchu, being a reserved girl, naturally dodged backward.
Liang Yuzhou left just like that.
He neither went crazy nor tried to snatch her away. Instead, he was calm and self - restrained, as if he and Song Wanchu were really just strangers meeting for the first time.
It was this normality that made Song Wanchu feel something was off.
She knew Liang Yuzhou so well. He made plans step by step and would never act without a purpose. He would never make a fruitless trip.
What on earth was he up to?
Song Wanchu held back the urge to shout out the question.
Liang Yuzhou walked out of Mei Ying Xuan. His back was straight, and his steps were steady. Just looking at his back, one could tell he was full of nobility.
Chu Shangxu politely saw him off to the main gate.
"The evil spirits in Miss Song's courtyard have been dispelled. Next time, when the poor Taoist has calculated a suitable day for the ritual, he will send someone to deliver the message in advance."
Chu Shangxu bowed with his hands clasped, "Thank you for making so many trips, Daoist."
Every time he came, he exposed the true nature of that mother - son pair. His wisdom and strategy were far superior to others.
Chu Shangxu already wanted to be good friends with him for a long time.
Liang Yuzhou mounted his horse. Just as he reached the street corner, Shi Luohan stepped out from the turn and blocked his way.
"Liang Yuzhou, what kind of game are you playing?"
Shi Luohan questioned coldly, his black eyes filled with anger.
"Pretending to be a Taoist and being mysterious? If you think you can win Wanchu's favor with such a clumsy method, I advise you to give up now. Wanchu hates you!"
Liang Yuzhou sat on his horse, looking down at him haughtily, his eyebrows and eyes cold.
"I'm not pretending to be a Taoist, nor being mysterious. You have eyes. You saw clearly what happened just now. I was just helping the Chu family recognize the true nature of that mother - son pair."
He also didn't try to win Wanchu's favor in this way.
What he had done was too little and too easy.
The intensity of Wanchu's hatred for him was reflected in the scar on his chest that almost took his life.
He just wanted to see her, even if it was just from afar.
The past year without her by his side was agony every single day.
Today, just seeing that she was well, he was already satisfied.
But why should he tell Shi Luohan all these?
Since he saw Liang Yuzhou, Shi Luohan's alarm bells had been ringing non - stop.
Liang Yuzhou was more patient than he had imagined.
He knew so much about the Chu family, including who was who and the relationships among relatives. It was obvious that he had been lurking in Yunzhou for a long time and gathered a lot of information.
He was waiting, waiting for Wanchu to come to her aunt's house for winter. His judgment was so accurate, and his determination and endurance were incredibly strong.
"Stay away from Wanchu!"
No matter what plan Liang Yuzhou had to snatch Wanchu away, Shi Luohan was determined to guard against him.
He would never allow Wanchu to be hurt by Liang Yuzhou a second time.
Liang Yuzhou sneered slightly, "I've stayed away from Wanchu for a whole year, Shi Luohan. But aren't you still just Wanchu's elder brother?"
His words were like a cold blade, stabbing into Shi Luohan's chest.
This past year, he had been by Wanchu's side, never leaving.
But Wanchu had always been lukewarm and respectful to him.
Their relationship seemed to be stuck in the sibling relationship and couldn't move forward at all.
Shi Luohan knew better than anyone that Wanchu hadn't forgotten Liang Yuzhou at all.
He had walked by Wanchu's room late at night and heard her tearful murmur in her dream.
She was saying, "Liang Yuzhou, why did you do this to me?"
She hated Liang Yuzhou, but she just couldn't forget him.
Even after a whole year away from Liang Yuzhou, her heart still couldn't let go.
And Liang Yuzhou's sudden appearance would only stir up her heart to an unknown degree!
Shi Luohan didn't want Liang Yuzhou to see his disappointment. With a gloomy face, he retorted rudely, "At least, she will happily call me elder brother and rely on me for everything. You don't even have the qualification to stand beside her!"
Two veins on Liang Yuzhou's forehead twitched slightly.
But he still remained calm and self - restrained. He clamped his horse's belly with his legs, glanced at Shi Luohan indifferently, and then rode away.
...
Ning was still in Mei Ying Xuan.
Nan Zhi brought her a bowl of milk custard with a few drops of rose honey on it. It was sweet and delicious.
"Auntie, you should eat more milk during pregnancy. The baby you give birth to will surely be fair and plump."
Song Wanchu already knew that Qian had given the red coral with musk hidden in it to Ning.
Ning had been holding a grudge.
When she came to Mei Ying Xuan and saw Chu Hao'an giving Wanchu a corset, she was even more angry.
Song Wanchu asked Nan Zhi to make this dessert to cheer her up.
"Come, auntie. Let Wanchu feed you."
Ning smiled shyly. After taking a few bites, she snatched the spoon from Song Wanchu's hand, "I'm not that delicate. I don't need you to serve me!"
She picked up the bowl and ate by herself.
Thinking that the two "evil spirits" had been recognized and dispelled by Daoist Qingzhou without causing any trouble or bad reputation, her mood improved a bit.
"The old lady took pity on that mother - son pair and took them in, providing them with food and shelter. They've been living in luxury. They don't look like the down - and - out family they used to be at all. Your uncle and I have treated them with all our hearts, but they've turned against us and used so many underhanded means to harm me. They almost ruined your reputation..."
Ning couldn't help but pour out her grievances.
Over the years, Qian had often gossiped in front of Old Lady Chu.
She also often bossed Ning around.
She seemed to think that she was the real mistress of the Chu family.
Song Wanchu had seen this kind of thing too many times.
In the mansions of wealthy families, how many were truly clean?
She calmly comforted her, "The Qian mother - son pair have lived in your house for a few years, and their ambitions have expanded. It's obvious what Qian is thinking. If your child is gone and uncle has no son to inherit the family business, she probably wants all of the Chu family's huge wealth to go to Chu Hao'an."
Ning widened her eyes, "She's daydreaming! I bet she also wants her good - for - nothing son to marry you and get a huge dowry from our family. Bah, a toad trying to eat swan meat!"
"People like them are venomous snakes. They'll jump out and bite at any moment. They're a great threat to you, to me, and to the Chu family."
"Tomorrow, I'll take that broken coral and confront her!"
Ning was full of fighting spirit, "We have the evidence. Are we still afraid that she won't admit it?"
"Auntie, you can't do that." Song Wanchu shook her head, "What if she flat - out denies it and says she didn't know there was musk hidden in the coral? She might even bite back and say that we're slandering her and bullying their orphaned mother and son, trying to drive them out.
Auntie, have you ever thought about how you can prove your innocence? Rascals are not afraid of making a scene. They don't care about their reputation or dignity, but the Chu family is the number one merchant family in Yunzhou and is also a royal merchant. Once it gets the reputation of treating orphaned mother and son harshly, what will you do?"
"I didn't do anything wrong. I'm upright and not afraid of shadows..." Ning lost her confidence.
Song Wanchu was calm instead, "When confronting someone, the most terrifying thing is to be provoked by the other party's emotions and fall into the trap of self - proof."
Ning looked at Song Wanchu. Was this still the carefree, innocent, and lively niece in her memory?
What exactly had she experienced during those three years in the duke's mansion that made her so insightful and steady?
Ning couldn't help but feel heartache.
She would rather Wanchu was still that bright, lively, innocent, and carefree little girl.
"Do you have a way to drive that mother - son pair out?"
"It's very simple. We just need to wait for Qian to mess up on her own and catch her in the act."
Ning listened to Song Wanchu say a lot more.
When it was completely dark, the maids and servants from Chunhui Hall came to pick up Ning.
Song Wanchu was also physically and mentally exhausted. She ate some simple porridge and side dishes and then prepared to rest.
Nan Zhi and Su Yue served her to wash and groom.
As soon as she took off her outer robe, a note fell to the ground.
"Strange. How did a note get stuck on the girl's shoulder?"
When Song Wanchu saw the elegant and powerful handwriting, her vision went black.
It clearly read: Meet at the northwest corner gate of the Chu family at midnight tonight.
Liang Yuzhou, what was he up to?
Was he trying to have an affair with her?