The old lady's cough was like a basin of cold water, dousing He Chengyu's lust on the spot.
He withdrew his hand resentfully. The innocent look on his face seemed particularly ridiculous under the old lady's sharp gaze.
"What are you standing there for? Quickly pick up the embroidery patterns!"
The old lady said impatiently, "Tianyao, you may leave. We'll find some good ones and send them to you later."
"Yes, this humble maid takes her leave." Tianyao picked up several embroidery patterns and then scurried away as if fleeing for her life.
As soon as she stepped out of the door, Tianyao felt extremely nauseous. She rushed to the well and quickly washed her hands.
Once, twice, thrice...
【How disgusting! Stay away from me, you dirty man!】
【I feel I've been seriously harassed!】
She rubbed her hand desperately with the other until the back of her hand turned red and the skin was almost rubbed raw. Only then did the nauseous feeling subside a little.
She leaned against the well curb, gasping for breath. Her eyes were red, but she stubbornly held back her tears.
"What a heartless place this is. It's really terrifying..."
In the shadow of the porch column not far away, Mo Chen witnessed the whole scene.
On his expressionless face, he thought, So that's what happened to the night cat that night?
He turned around and left silently, like a shadow melting into the night.
In the study, sandalwood incense curled up.
He Ciyuan was sitting by the window, holding a military book in his hand. But his gaze was fixed on the dark courtyard outside the window. No one knew what he was thinking.
Mo Chen suddenly appeared and knelt on one knee. "My lord, this subordinate saw something..."
Then he told He Ciyuan everything that had happened to Tianyao that day in detail.
"She's quite unyielding," He Ciyuan said. At least she wasn't someone who would cling to anyone for anything.
She'd rather rub her hand raw than come to him crying for help. Did she think it was useless to ask him, or... did she not want to be a useless complainer?
"Keep an eye on He Chengyu," He Ciyuan said calmly. "I'd like to see what he's going to do next."
He had already set the net and was just waiting for the stupid moth to fly into it.
On the other side, in the Pine and Crane Hall.
After Tianyao left for a while, the old lady's face immediately darkened. She waved her hand and told all the servants to retreat, leaving only Lady Hou and He Chengyu.
"Chengyu, what on earth are you trying to do?" There was weariness and disappointment in the old lady's voice. "I've told you many times not to provoke your elder brother's people. Why don't you listen?"
She had made it very clear. Did he really not realize the seriousness of the problem?
He Chengyu looked nonchalant. He picked up the teacup and took a sip. Then he drawled, "Grandmother, you're just making a mountain out of a molehill. She's just a maid. Will elder brother really fall out with me because of her?"
"Don't you know what kind of person he is?" The old lady slammed her walking stick on the ground heavily. "He's sitting in a wheelchair now, but he has something in his hands that neither you nor I can shake. Why on earth do you provoke him?"
She was mainly worried that such behavior was too dangerous and really shouldn't be done.
"Why?" He Chengyu seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He suddenly stood up. "He's just a cripple. Why does he get to have all the good things? And why do so many of us have to give in to him?"
This was simply an unfair thing, and he couldn't accept it.
His eyes were full of jealousy and unwillingness. "Such a delicate beauty, why did she end up with him? Look at the women in my courtyard. None of them can even compare to one of her fingers. You're just being partial!"
A spoiled person would only think that if they didn't get what they wanted, it was because others were being partial. They wouldn't analyze the problem.
"You..." The old lady was so angry at his nonsense that her chest hurt. "If I didn't give her to him, wouldn't there be trouble?"
By then, no one would be at peace.
"I think he did it on purpose!" He Chengyu got more and more excited. "He's useless himself, so he can't stand to see us happy! Keeping such a beauty by his side, he can only look but not touch. He's just deliberately trying to disgust us!"
"Rascal! Shut your mouth!" The old lady was so angry that she trembled all over.
Lady Hou, who had rushed over, quickly stepped forward to persuade him. "Chengyu, stop talking. Don't make your grandmother angry."
But He Chengyu shook off her hand. His face was full of annoyance. "All right, all right, I know. She's just a maid. I won't touch her."
Although he said so, he felt even more eager in his heart.
The smooth and soft touch he had felt during the day was like a feather tickling his heart. The more he couldn't get her, the more he wanted her.
She was just a plaything for a cripple. What if he took her away?
He left perfunctorily, his mind full of Tianyao's panicked and charming face and her slender waist that could be easily grasped.
It was late at night and everyone was asleep.
He Chengyu drank a few cups of depressing wine in his own courtyard. Instead of suppressing his lust, it burned even more fiercely.
The ecstatic feeling of touching Tianyao's little hand during the day kept replaying in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more restless he became.
No, he couldn't wait any longer.
Almost as if he were very familiar with the way, he made his way to He Ciyuan's courtyard. He was sure he wouldn't run into anyone, so he became even more unscrupulous.
He looked around to make sure there was no one around. Then He Chengyu climbed onto the wall using both his hands and feet.
The courtyard was pitch - black and deathly silent, like a tomb.
He Chengyu sneered in his heart. A cripple. Even the guards in his courtyard were so lax.
He jumped down from the wall lightly. As soon as his feet touched the ground -
"Thud!"
A dull sound of hitting was particularly clear in the silent night.
Immediately afterwards, a sharp pain shot through his right calf!
"Ah—!"
He Chengyu let out a shrill scream. He fell to the ground uncontrollably and hugged his leg, wailing in pain.
He felt as if his leg bone had been broken by an iron rod!
His scream was like a signal.
"Clatter—"
The courtyard was instantly lit up. Several guards appeared out of nowhere under the porches around and surrounded him tightly.
He Chengyu was sweating profusely from the pain. He looked at the scene in horror, and most of his drunkenness instantly faded away.
No way. Did He Ciyuan set a trap for him?
Sure enough, He Ciyuan, sitting in his wheelchair and pushed by Mo Chen, slowly appeared at the door.
His gaze fell casually on He Chengyu, who was curled up on the ground. The corner of his mouth twitched into a faint arc. His voice was filled with just the right amount of surprise and concern.
"What brings you here, third brother?" He pretended to be puzzled. "It seems like you climbed down from the wall?"
He Chengyu felt that there was no warmth in He Ciyuan's smile, only mockery and killing intent.
"Elder brother, it's a misunderstanding. It's all a misunderstanding!" Ignoring the sharp pain in his leg, he tried to crawl up on all fours and pleaded clumsily, "I drank too much and accidentally went to the wrong courtyard. I'll leave right away..."
He struggled to escape, but the sharp pain made him fall back again. Now he really couldn't explain himself.
What drunk person would act like this?
Mo Chen stepped forward. "Don't be in a hurry, third young master. Our young master has something to say."
He bowed slightly. His posture was even respectful, but the words he said made He Chengyu feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.