The annoyance in Qu Yue's eyes was once again tinged with a glimmer of water, and her angry gaze seemed to scold him for teasing her.
She was truly angry. She slammed the dough in her hand onto the cutting board. "Making a hibiscus cake takes a lot of effort!"
The soft and elastic dough spread out limply under the force, turning into a flat cake.
Wen Wuyou felt a chill run down his neck.
Although he had intended to rile Qu Yue up, he found himself flustered instead.
He stopped fanning himself with the folding fan. "I'm just joking."
Qu Yue wasn't buying it. Her willowy eyebrows knitted in annoyance. "General Wen, I'm not someone to be bullied."
With that, she picked up the prepared ingredients and was about to pour them out.
Wen Wuyou twirled his fan, and the fan tip pressed against the bottom of the stone mortar, stopping her. "Are you really that angry?"
Qu Yue pressed down harder. "Let go!"
Wen Wuyou regretted his actions. "I want to eat it now. Okay?"
Qu Yue glared at him resentfully. "But I don't want to make it anymore."
She seemed to have forgotten that she had made this hibiscus cake to please Wen Wuyou in the first place.
Now she needed to be coaxed into doing it.
Wen Wuyou took the stone mortar from her hand. "Then should I eat it raw?"
Qu Yue felt her palm go empty as the stone mortar fell into his hands.
She was even angrier that she couldn't pour it out!
"Do whatever you want!"
She untied her apron and limped out of the kitchen in a huff.
As she walked, she crossed Wen Wuyou off her list of suspects.
If he were really the one she suspected, with his cruel nature, he would have already found an excuse to torture her.
Wen Wuyou didn't chase after her. The Marquis's Mansion was full of prying eyes. It was fine when they came along the small path before, but now she was walking on the main road, which could easily lead to rumors.
The hibiscus fragrance wafted from the stone mortar in his hand, but it brought back his most painful memories.
His delicate fox - like eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched the figure stumbling away.
Wen Wuyou murmured her name, "Qu Yue..."
His tongue slid across his teeth as he pronounced the syllables, as if he wanted to dissect her through her name, a mix of tenderness and cruelty.
Sooner or later, he would expose her.
---
Qu Yue limped back to her courtyard angrily, cursing Wen Wuyou as a "bastard" many times in her heart and swearing that she would never talk to him again.
But his medicine was quite effective. By the time she reached the courtyard gate, the pain in her foot had subsided a lot.
As the pain lessened, the hunger from a long - day's toil came rushing in.
She raised her hand and knocked on the rusty door lock.
Since Mu Yuan had been sent to the battlefield on their wedding day, the two had not consummated their marriage. Madam Song didn't allow Qu Yue to live in Mu Yuan's courtyard. Instead, she had a side courtyard cleaned up for her.
This so - called side courtyard was actually even worse than the servants' side rooms.
The dilapidated wooden door barely held on, and the peeling red paint on it told of its long history.
Liu Xu's surprised cheer came from afar. "Miss! You're back!"
With a creak, the door opened from the inside, revealing a beaming face just as Qu Yue had expected.
She smiled faintly. "Yes."
Liu Xu reached out and supported Qu Yue into the courtyard.
Unlike its shabby exterior, the inside of the courtyard had been transformed by Qu Yue into a warm and peaceful place.
Large patches of honeysuckle climbed on the trellises, thriving. There were stone tables and benches beside them for people to rest and enjoy the view.
The lush vines extended inward, connecting two bedrooms, one large and one small, which belonged to her and Liu Xu.
Liu Xu supported her towards the stone table. "Miss, does your foot still hurt?"
Qu Yue didn't go into details. "It doesn't hurt much anymore."
Liu Xu asked with concern, "Did Madam and the others make things difficult for you?"
When they reached the stone table, Qu Yue withdrew her hand before Liu Xu could let go.
She shook her head obediently. "No."
Liu Xu felt her palm go empty, and her heart sank into loneliness.
The miss still had a grudge against her.
Although Qu Yue looked soft, cute, and easy to bully, once someone crossed her bottom line, it was almost impossible to gain her trust.
Since that incident, there had always been a barrier between them.
"Has today's meal been delivered?" Qu Yue's question interrupted Liu Xu's thoughts.
Liu Xu looked over. Qu Yue was sitting upright at the stone table, gently pounding the table with both hands alternately. "I'm a bit hungry."
Liu Xu took a deep breath, suppressing the sourness in her heart, and took out the food box sent from the front hall. "It's already here. Let's have dinner."
Qu Yue's peach - blossom eyes, with a hint of water in them, curved slightly. "Okay."
Liu Xu opened the lid and took out the already cold food.
Along with it, a strong, nauseating stench filled the air.
Liu Xu's hand holding the plate trembled. "Ugh—"
The ceramic dishes shattered on the ground. The congealed grease floated on top, mixed with the discolored, rotten food, emitting a foul smell.
Liu Xu's eyes immediately welled up with tears of grievance. "Miss, they're going too far!"
Previously, at least the leftovers were still edible. How could they now just send rotten food?
An unnamed anger welled up in Qu Yue's chest, turning into a real cough as she choked it out.
She knew she was unpopular, but why did they have to humiliate her like this?!
Qu Yue grabbed the food box. The bamboo - woven shell dug into her palm, but it was nothing compared to the pain of having her self - esteem trampled on.
The only edible things inside were two slightly moldy steamed buns.
She picked them up with a solemn face, pulled Liu Xu to the door of the house, and sat down on the ground.
Liu Xu looked at her in confusion.
Qu Yue pinched off the moldy parts of the bun and gave one to Liu Xu. "Eat."
Liu Xu stared at the dry bun in her hand. "Miss, this is moldy..."
Qu Yue stared at the bun, took a deep breath, and took a bite. The gritty and astringent taste immediately made her wrinkle her face.
But the more difficult it was to eat, the faster she swallowed, as if only in this way could she stop the sourness in her nose and the tears welling up in her eyes.
Qu Yue's cheeks were puffed out, and her fair little face turned bright red. Liu Xu's heart ached at the sight.
In the silent courtyard, Liu Xu heard Qu Yue promise her like this.
"From now on, we won't eat this kind of food anymore."
Liu Xu wiped away her tears and broke into a smile while biting the bun. "I believe you, miss."
Qu Yue and Liu Xu cleaned up the mess on the ground together. Since Mu Yuan's funeral ceremony would be held early the next morning, the mistress and the maid went back to their rooms early.
Liu Xu fell into a deep sleep, but Qu Yue tossed and turned, unable to sleep as she stared at the crescent moon outside the window.
She might be naive, but she wasn't stupid enough not to notice the problems at this critical moment.
Mu Yuan was a noble heir, but his funeral was so carelessly prepared. Not a single person from the Marquis's Mansion even attended the memorial service yesterday.
She, a half - married wife, even had to prepare the burial objects. Why was this so?
And the man in the mourning hall that night... who on earth could he be?
Just as she was on the verge of falling asleep from her thoughts, there was a sudden knock on the door!
"Miss Qu, are you asleep?"
The clean and clear male voice was like a mountain stream, slowly flowing through her ears, washing away the tiredness of her body and mind; it was also like the cold snow in winter, carrying a chill that kept others at bay.
Why would he come so late?
Qu Yue lifted the quilt in confusion, wrapped herself in a coat, and went to open the door.