Chapter 78 A Midnight Intrusion
The courtyard next to A Yuan’s had been empty for years with no one living there. Zhou Yan had once wanted to buy it but couldn’t find the seller. To everyone’s surprise, it finally sold.
Su Mengyun returned quickly, carrying a plate of grapes in her hand.
"Our new neighbors are way too friendly—I couldn’t refuse."
She’d meant to return a favor, but ended up with more gifts.
A Yuan was playing with her daughter and the puppy when she heard Su Mengyun’s words. Curious, she asked, "Who moved in next door?"
"Seems like a merchant’s family. The master is often away on business and rarely returns. Right now, only an elderly couple of servants are staying there, but they carry themselves like nobility."
Since working at Jinxiu Workshop, Su Mengyun had gained some discernment. Though the two next door were servants, they dressed and acted better than most housewives.
"Let’s drop by more. If they ever need help, we can lend a hand."
"Alright."
Su Mengyun agreed and went to the backyard to wash the grapes.
With her new pet, A Man stopped begging to go out. She even used her limited vocabulary to name the little puppy.
"Flower."
"Why ‘Flower’?"
A Yuan and the others burst out laughing—there was nothing flowery about the puppy.
A Man hugged the plump puppy and placed it under the osmanthus tree. Pointing first at the flowers above and then at the dog, she repeated, "Flower."
"Aha! A Man’s saying the dog’s fur matches the flowers!"
Hui Gu caught on first and kissed the little girl’s cheek. "Our A Man is so clever!"
Flushing at the praise, A Man buried her face in Hui Gu’s arms. "Grandma... Flower..."
"Alright, our little dog will be called Flower from now on."
Within a month, the puppy was full of energy. A Man took it everywhere with her.
The neighbors adored A Man too, often giving her snacks and fruits. A Yuan repaid them with homemade osmanthus cakes. Over time, they became familiar with each other, but the master never showed.
Autumn brought cooler air.
Zhou Yan had been very busy these days. Other than picking them up mornings and nights, he was rarely around.
Not wanting to trouble him, A Yuan suggested he no longer make the daily trips.
Wei Xun hadn’t appeared for over a month—clearly, he had left Jiangnan. Wei Xun couldn’t touch her now that A Yuan had a marriage certificate with Zhou Yan.
Of course, Zhou Yan disagreed, but after she insisted, A Yuan managed to convince him.
"Once I finish handling these matters, I might land a better position. Then, I can properly protect you and A Man."
Wei Xun’s appearance lit a fire under Zhou Yan. In his plain clothes, it was difficult for him to shield A Yuan and her daughter. Fortunately, the Crown Prince had given him another chance to rise again.
"Alright, I trust you, Yan."
A Yuan knew nothing of bureaucratic politics, but with Zhou Yan's abilities, he’d soar to greatness if given the chance.
Without Zhou Yan, A Yuan took A Man to the Brocade Workshop by herself.
After autumn arrived, Aunt Hui came down with a chill and, worried about passing it on, went back to Pingyang Street to recuperate. Only the mother and daughter remained in Osmanthus Lane.
It had rained the night before, and the osmanthus blossoms in the yard had fallen all over the ground. Flower's doghouse was placed under the osmanthus tree, and whenever the wind blew, the little dog would bark—its timid nature hardly befitting a stray mutt.
A Yuan put A Man to bed and went to the kitchen to heat water for a bath.
She applied osmanthus oil to the ends of her hair, making her silk-like hair even more lustrous.
Her damp hair cascaded down her back, outlining her curves.
Since she was at home, she only wore a light underrobe after bathing, her body barely concealed under the candlelight.
Holding a candlestick, A Yuan stepped out of the kitchen. Just as she opened the door to her bedroom, an arm snaked around her waist.
"Who—mmph!"
Her cry was cut short as a hand covered her mouth. The faint scent of pine at her nose made her heart skip a beat—a wild guess forming in her mind.
Wei... Wei Xun?
The man pulled her closer and took the candlestick from her hand. In the flickering candlelight, his face gradually came into focus.
He looked just as he had the last time they met, though now he bore the exhaustion of travel.
His gaze lowered, he leaned in close, the cool silk of his robe brushing against her skin, making her shiver.
"Don’t scream, and I’ll release you."
He pulled back slightly, whispering the words against her ear. A Yuan nodded frantically, "Mmm!"
Only she and A Man were home—who could she even call for help?
A Yuan felt hopeless.
Wei Xun released her, and she stumbled back several steps. The way she flinched from him like he was poison made his eyes turn cold.
He knew she didn’t like him, that she feared him—yet he couldn’t shake her from his mind. He had rushed to see her the moment he returned from Yangzhou without even resting.
"Come here."
He was dead tired. To see her sooner, he hadn’t slept for five straight days.
At his command, A Yuan shook her head and retreated further. "My lord, I... I am a married woman now. You shouldn’t be here—"
"Married?" The man scoffed coldly. "So where’s Zhou Yan? Why isn’t he here?"
A Yuan clenched her fists, suppressing her panic. "He’s been busy these days."
"Oh? Even if he’s busy, there should be signs of him in your room. A Yuan, you lie poorly."
Holding the candlestick, he advanced step by step. With the bed behind her, A Yuan had nowhere left to retreat. She staggered and fell onto the mattress.
The sash of her underrobe, already loosely tied, now slipped open in her panic. Her skin trembled slightly from fear, and his gaze turned hungry.
"Has he... touched you here?"
Wei Xun grabbed her foot and pulled her into his embrace, his fingers kneading her shoulders as the possessiveness in his eyes threatened to spill over.
"He... he touched me."
A Yuan fought back her shame, clutching the robe's sash to cover herself.
She knew what Wei Xun was asking—no man could tolerate the thought of his woman being touched by another.
She and Zhou Yan had never been intimate, but she wouldn't give him that peace of mind.
"Is that so?"
Wei Xun's gaze darkened as he gripped her chin, forcing A Yuan to meet his eyes. "How did he touch you?"
A Yuan bit her lip, staring straight back at him. "My lord, Yan-ge is my daughter's father..."
Crash!
The candleholder slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor, plunging the bedchamber into darkness.
A Yuan couldn't see his expression, but she could hear his heavy, uneven breathing. Her fingers clenched, her heart pounding wildly.
"The father of your daughter? So it was because of the child that you were willing to follow him without wedding rites or dowry. Then why couldn't you follow me?"
Wei Xun's voice was hoarse. "Hadn't I treated you better than Zhou Yan?"
"I'd have made you my principal wife."
"Yan-ge has no one but me."
At Wei Xun's mention of "no wedding rites or dowry," A Yuan realized their sham marriage was discovered. The only fortunate thing was that Wei Xun still didn’t know A Man was his child.
But knowing how shrewd he was, she wondered how much longer she could keep the truth hidden.
Yet A Man—she could never surrender her.