Chapter 9: I Should Be the One Apologizing

Wanting an heir wasn’t something that could be achieved by focusing efforts solely on Pei Zhouwu alone.

To ensure absolute certainty, everything had to be planned well in advance.

“Madam, are you alright?” Jin Li noticed that Liu Fuying’s mood seemed to shift suddenly, though it was hard to tell whether it was sorrow or bitterness.

“I’m fine. Let’s go to my mother-in-law’s place. I’ll have dinner with her.”

Old Madam Shen’s Zhaiyun Courtyard grew lively with Liu Fuying’s arrival. The table was filled with dishes Liu Fuying had ordered—all of Old Madam Shen’s favorites.

“Mother-in-law, look at you, eating like a child and getting food all over your mouth.”

Liu Fuying took out a handkerchief and wiped the soup stains from Old Madam Shen’s mouth.

“You’re making fun of me.” Old Madam Shen pouted like a child, complaining with a hint of grievance.

“How could I, Mother-in-law? I just think you’re as adorable as a child. Eat as much as you like. If you dirty your mouth, A Yin will wipe it for you.”

Liu Fuying smiled at her, her eyes filled with affection as she spoke.

“I knew A Yin was the best.” Old Madam Shen took another sip of soup, swallowed, and then remembered something. “What about Xiunian? Why didn’t he come with you? I feel like I haven’t seen him in ages.”

“Mother-in-law, he holds a second-rank official position. He’s usually busy with military affairs.”

Busy with military affairs? Ever since Shen Xiunian returned severely injured, he had been recuperating in the estate, shutting himself off from the outside world and rarely even leaving his room.

“Well… does he treat you well? If he doesn’t, tell me, and I’ll go give him a beating. The two of you were betrothed since childhood. I made him swear to treat you well.”

Liu Fuying served Old Madam Shen a few more dishes, a smile never leaving her face.

When it came to acting, she had long since mastered it.

“Mother-in-law, Xiunian is your son. Shouldn’t you know his character best? He’s doing just fine.”

Tonight’s dinner was served in the courtyard. As the weather grew warmer, it was perfect for sitting and enjoying the cool breeze after the meal.

In the shadows outside the main courtyard gate stood a figure.

He had heard every word of the conversation inside.

It was Shen Xiunian.

The dim, flickering light of the lanterns at the gate cast intermittent shadows on him, never quite illuminating the darkness that clung to him or the face that hadn’t smiled in years.

His deep, emotionless gaze fell upon Liu Fuying inside.

At the very least, Liu Fuying treated his mother well.

That was enough.

No one knew how long he had stood there, and he left just as silently as he had come.

By the time Liu Fuying returned to Shuxing Courtyard, the night was already deep.

She felt utterly exhausted, too tired even to wash up.

Jin Li, worried she wouldn’t sleep comfortably, persuaded her to take a hot bath. Liu Fuying leaned weakly against the edge of the tub, her drooping eyelids struggling to stay open.

“Madam, when will we go into the mountains again?”

Liu Fuying didn’t reply, though she wasn’t truly asleep either.

“Without a proper reason, we can’t go up the mountain too often, can we? Going too much without cause might arouse suspicion. But if we don’t go regularly, how long will it take to conceive?”

After a long moment of gathering her thoughts, Liu Fuying finally spoke softly.

“Didn’t I have you spread the news this afternoon? That’s our reason.”

“Huh?”

Jin Li didn’t understand. The news spread that afternoon was about the second branch of the family vying for the estate’s assets. What did that have to do with her madam going into the mountains to find Marquis Pei?

But hearing the exhaustion in Liu Fuying’s voice, Jin Li’s heart ached, and she decided not to press further.

Just the time spent finding her way into the mountains was enough to leave her exhausted for quite a while.

Not to mention the anger she felt after returning home, which was equally draining.

Liu Fuying couldn’t even remember how she made it back to her bedroom, only feeling dazed and confused before lying down and falling asleep.

As for when to go up the mountain, she had her own plans.

As she had said, she already had a reason to enter the mountains but remained patient. Nearly half a month had passed, and she still hadn’t made a move.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t in a hurry—she was deliberately keeping Pei Zhouwu in suspense.

Ever since he was imprisoned in Xiangshan, Pei Zhouwu had lost track of the days.

At first, he tried counting the days to see how much time had passed, but in the end, he only kept it up for less than a month.

Counting was pointless anyway—his imprisonment wasn’t set by the number of days.

He only knew that when he first arrived, the snow on the mountain hadn’t yet melted.

Now, it was already midsummer.

But recently, he had started counting the days again, beginning from the day Su Yueying left. He remembered her saying it was the first day of the lunar month.

It wasn’t that he had any special feelings for her.

It was just rare for someone to break into his lonely prison and talk to him, making him feel alive and reminding him that he was still breathing.

The look of disappointment on her face that day had stayed with him ever since.

She knew his identity and the crimes he was accused of, yet she wasn’t afraid of him. She had risked danger to seek him out—such sincerity was rare.

And if she truly believed he despised her status, then…

She might never come again.

Pei Zhouwu stood by the window, a bitter smile playing on his lips.

How many such fates existed in this world? It was unlikely there would ever be another person like Su Yueying, unafraid of being implicated or even death.

Even his own parents, to avoid suspicion, had never once visited him.

He felt guilty, regretting how coldly he had treated her that day.

Today was the fifteenth.

The first and fifteenth days of each lunar month were considered auspicious for offering incense and praying.

He wondered if… if the elderly lady of her family would come to the mountain, and if she would bring Su Yueying along. He wondered whether she had been punished after returning last time.

But even if she did come to the mountain, she might not come here again.

Suddenly, his ears perked up.

There seemed to be movement by the pool, and along with his raised eyelashes came a flicker of joyful surprise.

Dragging his chains, he walked out the door and headed straight for the Deep Pool.

But the poolside was empty, with nothing there.

Had he misheard?

Pei Zhouwu’s pounding heart slowly calmed, disappointment replacing his anticipation.

But soon, he noticed something unusual.

The stones by the sun-dried pool were usually pale, but along a path leading behind the bamboo grove, there was a strange trail of dampness.

Pei Zhouwu walked slowly over, circling around the small bamboo grove.

Behind the bamboo grove, someone was hiding.

Who else could it be but Su Yueying, the one he had been thinking of!

Pei Zhouwu’s calm heart suddenly began to race again. Overwhelmed with shock, he was momentarily speechless.

The person before him was drenched, her skirt dripping with water.

The stray hairs at her forehead and temples clung obediently to her face, unmoving, much like her current state—too afraid to move or speak.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Her first words were an apology, causing Pei Zhouwu’s brows to furrow.

“You’re not the one who should be sorry.”

Before speaking, he silently reminded himself several times to be gentler and not scare her away again.

Liu Fuying lowered her head, hiding the amusement in her eyes.

She thought to herself that the results of keeping him in suspense for half a month were truly excellent.

With the groundwork laid properly, some scenes don’t require her personal appearance—he can perform them flawlessly on his own, then personally deliver the splendid results into her hands.