Chapter 36
The evening sunlight was dim, but the sun hanging halfway down the mountain still gave Shang Jinyue a dazzling scene.
Even though standing beside those two were Shi Wendong and Cen Yuan, who, in the practical sense, were wearing matching couple outfits, the two of them standing together still looked exceptionally well matched.
When Cen Yuan had originally custom-made these sets of clothes, this was the effect she wanted. The similarly cut skirt hems leaned together, faintly and indistinctly.
They were indeed sisters, yet there was not the slightest blood relation between them, making it impossible not to let one’s imagination run wild.
Shang Jinyue quietly looked at Shi Xiu, but her gaze was pulled away by Cen Anning.
There was silent flaunting in this person’s eyes. Standing beside Shi Xiu, she openly leaned especially close to her.
Unfortunately, a certain someone was completely unaware.
“Wu wu.”
At some unknown point, Grape had slipped through the crowd and rubbed up beside Shang Jinyue.
Its fluffy head leaned against Shang Jinyue’s ankle, letting out a burst of unhappy whimpers.
All around were the sounds of guests being welcomed and sent off. Humans could so easily trample the voices of weak animals beneath their feet.
But Shi Xiu’s expression moved slightly. Amid Cen Yuan’s fawning voice, she heard Grape’s whimper.
She followed the sound and looked over. Unsurprisingly, she saw Grape hiding beneath someone’s skirt hem.
A puppy attending a family banquet also had to be dressed up carefully. A pretty bow was tied on Grape’s head, and its soft fur looked like satin, appearing very pleasant to touch.
The puppy noticed Shi Xiu’s gaze and immediately wagged its tail to greet her.
Its tail wagged so quickly that it slightly lifted the skirt hem of the person beside it.
The blurred, freehand patterns changed over the light, translucent fabric, faintly revealing the calf hidden beneath.
Stockings wrapped around skin, light flowing over them, spotless and untouched by dust.
Before Shi Xiu could suppress the thoughts in her head, Shang Jinyue’s name jumped out.
She lifted her gaze and met this person’s eyes, only to see Shang Jinyue greeting her with her gaze.
Those cool eyes were restrained and subtle. Whether it was because of the qipao’s effect or not, she had lost a few traces of chill and carried a natural gentleness, making people feel she was not distant.
“Ai, why don’t I see Youqing?”
As if a key name had been mentioned, Cen Yuan’s voice suddenly became clear beside Shi Xiu’s ear.
“Old Master Wen’s eightieth birthday is this year, and it happens to fall on the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Wen family is quite lively today,” the housekeeper auntie told Cen Yuan.
“Look at me, I was only thinking about coming to see you, and I actually forgot about this.” Cen Yuan linked arms with Shang Xiunian, covering the awkwardness very well.
“You can’t be blamed. The timing is too much of a coincidence.” Shang Xiunian patted Cen Yuan’s hand. “I almost forgot too. It was only when their family came to visit last Saturday that I remembered. Mingde reminded me again yesterday too. That child is attentive, so I sent him over there today.”
This answer was clearly giving Cen Yuan a way down.
But what kind of person was Shang Xiunian? Who was worth her giving them a way down?
Hearing this, Cen Yuan was flattered and hurriedly echoed, “Matters like this are best left to the children. You should rest more too.”
These words were indeed suitable when said to an ordinary old person in their seventies. After all, they would long since have reached retirement age.
But in the Shang family, in the Shang family controlled by Shang Xiunian, they were the most unsuitable words.
Shang Xiunian’s eyes paused as she heard them.
The housekeeper auntie’s as well.
And at the overlooked edge of them, Shi Xiu’s gaze also paused slightly.
But not because Cen Yuan had said the wrong thing.
She keenly caught Shang Xiunian’s “the Wen family came to visit the Shang family last Saturday,” and memories slowly unfolded.
In the previous life, the first time she and Wen Youqing met had been last Saturday.
She had sent Shang Jinyue home and happened to run into Wen Youqing coming out from the Shang family’s entrance, coming to pick up Shang Jinyue.
She had worn a complicated cotton dress, soft like the clouds at the edge of the daytime sky.
Wrapped around her originally bare arms was Shang Jinyue’s shawl. Who knew who had given it to her, or perhaps this was simply her privilege.
Shi Xiu had seen it at the time. This person was clearly not a member of the Shang family, yet she could enter and leave the Shang family freely.
So Shi Xiu had not said anything. Wen Youqing had gently greeted her, then taken Shang Jinyue away from her hands.
Originally, after being reborn, Shi Xiu had already forgotten this matter.
But unfortunately, last Saturday was a special day.
Shi Xiu’s thoughts moved slowly, forming with difficulty.
Yet also not that difficult.
She was only restraining herself from thinking in certain directions—in this life, on the night that should originally have been Shang Jinyue and Wen Youqing’s welcome dinner, she had a fever.
Shang Jinyue said something else had happened at home, which was what caused her cold.
Was that something else that, in order to take care of her, Shang Jinyue had not attended the gathering?
“Since you mentioned the Wen family, I have some new tea Youqing bought from Sichuan. Let’s all try it together.”
“Anning, come over. Accompany the Old Madam for tea and conversation.”
Shang Xiunian called Cen Yuan, and Cen Yuan then waved to call Cen Anning.
Cen Anning knew Cen Yuan was pulling her over to show her face in front of Shang Xiunian. She did not like this sort of thing, but Cen Yuan knew her temper and, as she spoke, directly grabbed her.
In this kind of occasion, Shi Wendong was simply Cen Yuan’s follower, so while speaking, he also followed along.
Only Shi Xiu was left neglected, hung out by the entrance.
Once the person beside her was gone, sunlight fell in from one side.
Shi Xiu had long since gotten used to it. After all, she was not Cen Yuan’s biological daughter, and Shi Wendong was a hands-off manager.
Moreover…
“Woof!”
After everyone left, Grape immediately came over to Shi Xiu excitedly, just as it had in the previous life.
The puppy’s tail wagged nonstop as it circled Shi Xiu, enthusiastic and proactive in wanting her to play with it.
“Grape, long time no see.”
“Woof woof!”
Shi Xiu happily picked up Grape, her tone and expression both more relaxed than when she had just entered.
Grape excitedly squirmed in Shi Xiu’s arms, but it also obediently tucked away its claws and did not scratch Shi Xiu’s exposed skin.
“Let’s go to the back courtyard.” Shi Xiu spoke quietly to Grape.
At this kind of family banquet, there were many people. They would not all squeeze into one hall, and it was not considered impolite for everyone to go to the courtyard to chat.
Shi Xiu knew the Shang family well. She was also especially practiced in how to sneak away under everyone’s eyes.
The atmosphere of autumn was growing thicker, and some trees in the back courtyard had also started turning yellow.
The puppy’s paws stepped on the withered leaves, making crisp crunching sounds, like a bright little symphony.
Grape also did not like being confined inside the house. Stepping onto the lawn, it ran with joy.
The setting sun draped a layer of flowing light over the puppy’s white fur, making it look like a little dumpling that had absorbed its fill of sunshine.
Shi Xiu held a little ball and played back and forth with Grape, fresh air pouring into her chest.
Ever since restarting her life, she had spent every day in tense tutoring and practice. Her nerves had been stretched exceptionally tight, and it had also been a very long time since she had been this relaxed and at ease.
But even so, there was still someone particularly tactless who barged in.
“Whose little girl is this, not going inside and playing with a dog out here? Birds of a feather, huh?”
A man’s teasing voice came from behind Shi Xiu, his tone sounding especially contemptuous.
Shi Xiu’s brows furrowed. Turning her head, she saw a man with his hands in his pockets, looking at her with an amused gaze.
Shi Xiu did not have that much social etiquette and immediately retorted, “Then shouldn’t you go inside? Why aren’t you going? Are you not welcome?”
The man’s expression changed. “Little girl, Uncle was only teasing you. Acting like this is no fun.”
“Uncle, with so many mistresses around you, that still isn’t enough for you to tease? Coming here to joke around with me, are you hoping I’ll mention it to Auntie today?” Shi Xiu looked at the man coldly, her voice not restrained at all as she exposed his dirty secrets.
She had some impression of this man.
He was the boss of a production line under Shang Group, a Shang family relative whose connection was even more roundabout than Cen Yuan’s.
What this circle lacked least was family marriage alliances. Most couples were harmonious on the surface but estranged in spirit, simply each playing their own games while saving face for one another.
It was just that several years later, the man’s mistress would come to the company entrance with a big belly and refuse to leave, insisting on being promoted to wife.
That incident had been known to everyone back then, gossip flying everywhere, and Shi Xiu had been forced to eat melons for several days.
So Shi Xiu also knew that he and his wife both knew the other fooled around outside. They had an agreement that whoever caused trouble would have money scraped from their hide, millions upon millions as compensation to the other party.
So when the man heard Shi Xiu’s words, his expression immediately changed.
How could he have known this little girl would know these things about him? Even his speech became stuttered.
“You, I, I’m warning you, don’t talk nonsense! Otherwise, I’ll throw you out of here. Believe it or not!”
The man tried to verbally intimidate Shi Xiu, all the flesh on his face tightening.
But before Shi Xiu could sneer disdainfully, someone else tore down his stage first.
“I didn’t know that the Shang family was now run by Uncle Wang.” Shang Jinyue appeared from somewhere, speaking as she walked over.
Xiangyun silk was light and thin, and even the breeze stirred by walking could make the skirt hem move slightly.
As Shang Jinyue walked over, from far away, she looked like a fluttering butterfly, making people’s hearts stir, yet leaving them afraid to approach.
When the man saw Shang Jinyue coming over, the arrogant flame from just now immediately shriveled up, leaving only deep respect. “Miss Shang.”
“I was only teaching this girl a lesson for you. Look, she even got your puppy dirty while playing with it.”
The man’s especially vicious expression from just now turned into fearful flattery.
Shang Jinyue glanced at him with disdain, her eyes carrying the expression that even looking at him made her feel dirty. Then she curled a finger, signaling for Grape to come over.
Seeing the gesture, Grape immediately came over obediently and affectionately rubbed against Shang Jinyue. “Wu.”
Shang Jinyue also bent down and rubbed Grape, asking the man about the scene now before him. “I wonder whether this counts as birds of a feather for me?”
The man’s heart lurched, and he denied it repeatedly. “Miss Shang, what are you saying? How could you be in the same category as a dog?”
“Then who should be in the same category as a dog?” Shang Jinyue said faintly, watching the man with a very calm gaze.
The man immediately understood and hurriedly said, “Me! I’m in the same category as it!”
But these words clearly did not satisfy Grape.
This gentle puppy bared its teeth just like that and barked at the man. “Woof woof!”
Shang Jinyue stroked Grape and chuckled softly. “Uncle Wang, it seems she doesn’t want to be in the same category as you.”
“Even dogs look down on him. Who knows what kind of thing he is.” Standing to the side, Shi Xiu could not help cursing him more directly.
The man’s expression immediately became even uglier.
He could not provoke Shang Jinyue, and even less did he dare provoke Shi Xiu, who had a hold on his weakness. He sensibly said, “I’m sorry, Miss Shang. I spoke improperly.”
Then this person pretended to pick up a call, speaking in an exaggeratedly serious way. “Hello, hello, I can’t hear you. I’ll go over there and talk to you!”
Shi Xiu listened to his performance. Seeing such a big, rough man act like a rat with its tail tucked, leaving dejectedly as he spoke, felt somewhat satisfying.
It was also thanks to Shang Jinyue coming over. Otherwise, she would not have gotten to watch such a wonderful “face-changing” performance.
“Thanks.” Thinking this, Shi Xiu turned and thanked Shang Jinyue.
“It was nothing.” Shang Jinyue nodded, then somehow conjured up a box and handed it to Shi Xiu.
The box was neat and proper, a standard jewelry box.
To be honest, Shi Xiu had somewhat developed PTSD toward this thing and did not mean to reach out and take it. “What is it?”
“A brooch.” Shang Jinyue gave Shi Xiu’s vigilance a faint explanation. “Just now, when I saw you wearing these clothes, I remembered that I have a brooch that matches very well, so I found it for you.”
Shang Jinyue thought that since she could not change the way their family of four was dressed today, then she might as well add flowers to brocade.
She would gift Shi Xiu a brooch, attending a gathering where Cen Anning was present together with her in this way. It could not be considered Cen Anning monopolizing Shi Xiu.
Shang Jinyue felt that her possessiveness had become ridiculous.
She hid it carefully and retreated again and again, only so that she could get a tiny bit closer to Shi Xiu.
“One respects the clothes before respecting the person. With a brooch on, there will be fewer troubles,” Shang Jinyue continued, also wanting to dispel Shi Xiu’s concerns.
In the previous life, after Shi Xiu opened Shang Jinyue’s brooch box, what she had obtained was a cruel fact.
Looking at this equally jet-black box under the setting sun, she did not know whether it would be just as cruel after opening it.
Perhaps she really did have some masochistic tendencies.
So she also wanted to open it and see whether it was a pomelo.
“All right.” As if guided by ghosts and gods, Shi Xiu nodded and accepted the box from Shang Jinyue.
The box, which had a fair bit of resistance, was slowly opened with one hand, and the setting sun was taken into it.
A silver butterfly rode the orange halo at the edge of the sky, elegantly spreading its wings and flying into Shi Xiu’s vision.
Shi Xiu recognized this brooch.
Many years later, Shang Jinyue would also give her this brooch, also because she had a dress that suited it very well.
But only later did she find out that this was something Shang Jinyue’s mother had left her.
So she had cherished it especially, and every time she wore it, she was careful.
Who knew everything would later remain the same while people changed.
“Do you like it?” Shang Jinyue looked into Shi Xiu’s eyes and asked softly.
“Why give it to me?” Shi Xiu’s eyes held melancholy as she lifted them inch by inch toward Shang Jinyue.
“Because it suits you very well.” As Shang Jinyue spoke, she took the brooch out of the box and reached out to pin it on Shi Xiu.
At first, Shi Xiu wanted to refuse Shang Jinyue.
But for some reason, her arm was too heavy to lift, and her throat seemed blocked too.
Perhaps she only wanted to see what it would be like when Shang Jinyue pinned the brooch on for her.
Clearly, this current Shang Jinyue was not the one from her previous life.
The young girl’s fingers were long and fair, and even beneath the shadow, they appeared slender.
Her lowered side profile was clear, her brow bone high. The loose strands of hair hanging down were like a thin veil over her eyes, softening the coldness in her gaze.
Shi Xiu’s eyes always held a restrained sense of distance, not wanting to have much eye contact with Shang Jinyue.
But a brooch had to be worn on the chest. As Shang Jinyue leaned closer, a light fragrance drifted into Shi Xiu’s nose.
There was also a little bitterness in the base note.
Bitterness.
Looking at Shang Jinyue’s lowered head as she did this for her, Shi Xiu finally sensed what was wrong. “What happened to your leg?”
The pupils hidden beneath Shang Jinyue’s loose hair paused slightly.
She was used to concealing things, and her hands continued steadily pinning the brooch for Shi Xiu. “I…”
“Do I have to ask you once before you tell me the truth once?” As if she had also accurately guessed that Shang Jinyue would want to make excuses, Shi Xiu struck first.
Shi Xiu’s questioning blocked Shang Jinyue’s path.
She lifted her head and looked at the young girl’s serious gaze, lightly inhaling. “I talked back to Grandmother and was punished by her.”
“Because of the Wen family matter?” Shi Xiu asked Shang Jinyue by instinct.
“I didn’t attend the banquet that day,” Shang Jinyue confessed, not wanting Shi Xiu to misunderstand.
But hearing this answer, Shi Xiu’s thoughts grew even more complicated. “Why?”
They understood each other too well.
Just as Shang Jinyue knew Shi Xiu would definitely get to the bottom of things.
And Shi Xiu knew that Shang Jinyue had her own behavioral logic and would not break it rashly.
For a moment, many thoughts appeared in Shi Xiu’s mind, and every single one was connected to the matter of her fever on Saturday.
Was she unwilling to believe it?
Or was she already unable to expect that Shang Jinyue would do anything or change anything for her?
Shang Jinyue could clearly see this expression of Shi Xiu’s.
She did not want to give Shi Xiu too much pressure and only told her seriously, “There is always a price to pay for pursuing freedom.”
“I never thought those words would come from your mouth.” Shi Xiu laughed.
Shang Jinyue was simply the most rule-abiding person Shi Xiu had ever known.
Someone like this would also pursue freedom?
Would also be willing to pay a price for it?
“Let me see where you were hurt,” Shi Xiu demanded.
“It’s already healed.” Shang Jinyue was unwilling to let Shi Xiu see and unnaturally smoothed down her qipao.
“If it’s healed, would you still need to apply medicine?” Shi Xiu did not believe it. As she spoke, she circled around behind Shang Jinyue.
The wind stirred by her movement lifted the young girl’s skirt hem. Hidden beneath the stockings was a patch of blood-dark bruising.
Although much of it had already been covered by the stockings, that color against her fair skin was still unbearably glaring.
No matter what, Shi Xiu had not expected Shang Jinyue’s injury to be this serious.
Shang Jinyue already had a coagulation disorder. How could Shang Xiunian, who had always looked so kind before Shi Xiu, lay such a cruel hand on the granddaughter she loved most?
No wonder Shang Jinyue had developed a fever and gotten sick, unable to go to school for an entire week.
So what freedom was Shang Jinyue talking about?
Was it the freedom to control her own time and do whatever she wanted?
Or was it something else, something that made Shang Xiunian even angrier and forced her to punish Shang Jinyue…
Many questions uncontrollably stuffed themselves into Shi Xiu’s mind, and each question mark burned a blazing red, as if it wanted to burn her dry.
She could not help wondering whether it was because Shang Jinyue had taken care of her for one night that Shang Xiunian had flown into a rage.
“Don’t blame yourself.”
Amid her chaotic thoughts, Shang Jinyue’s voice landed by Shi Xiu’s ear.
It was as if a cool breeze had blown from far away, brushing past Shi Xiu’s heated nerves.
Shi Xiu lifted her head and looked at Shang Jinyue.
That familiar face overlapped with many of her memories, as if no matter how many times she discarded them, she would still remember their past.
Shi Xiu hated this kind of conditioned reflex in herself.
Even more, she hated her heart, which had just gone mad and would not stop pounding simply because Shang Jinyue had pinned a brooch on her.
Blame herself?
Why should she blame herself?
Shi Xiu once again raised her spines. She lifted her chin toward Shang Jinyue and sneered coldly. “Don’t be so self-important, Shang Jinyue. You were pursuing your freedom. Why would I blame myself?”
She did not blame herself.
In the past, she had done so much for Shang Jinyue and had never seen Shang Jinyue blame herself.
How was it that now it was Shang Jinyue’s turn to do something for her, she absolutely had to feel guilty?
The young girl’s eyes were filled with stubbornness.
As if, as long as she did not admit it, this emotion would not exist.
Shang Jinyue’s chest was stabbed by this gaze.
But the depth in her eyes still did not change. She looked at Shi Xiu just like this and said to her, “So please feel free to use me from now on.”
This person spoke in an utterly serious manner, yet somehow it did not seem that serious.
The look in her eyes, impossible to describe, carried a hint of bewitchment, like Pandora’s box after it had been opened by someone.
What did she mean by use?
Shi Xiu felt that this person’s words had something behind them, making one’s ears heat and face flush even more.
After all, in certain days that had already been erased by time, they really had “used” each other countless times.
Crash!
“Aiyo, what kind of eyesight do you have?”
Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking and a man’s dissatisfied voice came from far away.
Shi Xiu immediately lifted her eyes and looked over, as if wanting to shift her own attention.
Shi Xiu saw that man from just now again, only this time, the one who had collided with him was Cen Anning.
“Sorry. Didn’t see you,” Cen Anning apologized, but there was no apology on her face.
The man felt Cen Anning’s words had another meaning. Looking at his wet clothes, he was truly furious.
But before he could speak, a servant came over. “Mr. Wang, the banquet is about to start. I’ll take you downstairs to tidy up.”
The man glared fiercely at Cen Anning. “I’ll remember you.”
Cen Anning was fearless and only smiled at him.
Shang Jinyue could tell that this person had done it deliberately, and her purpose was the same as Shang Jinyue’s—
to vent Shi Xiu’s anger for her.
Shang Jinyue watched like this, her brows furrowing slightly.
Only to see Cen Anning first smile at Shi Xiu. Then, under both her and Shi Xiu’s gazes, she walked over. “So you were here. Mom has been looking for you for ages.”
“Looking for me?” Shi Xiu was surprised.
“Yes. Don’t delay. Come with me. Don’t make Mom and the others wait too long.” Cen Anning did not explain much either. She took Shi Xiu’s wrist and left.
Too intimate.
Cen Anning called “Mom” again and again to Shi Xiu. Someone who did not know better might think they were already married partners.
Shang Jinyue tightened her grip on the cup in her hand.
Jealousy was far larger than she had imagined, covering the sky and blocking out the sun, as if it wanted to swallow her whole.
.
Shi Xiu was led by Cen Anning and very quickly reached the small hall where Cen Yuan was.
The moment she walked in, she saw several people chatting and smiling at her, while the painting she had given Shang Xiunian was placed on the table.
“Where did you go? We couldn’t find you for so long. Auntie was so worried about you.” Cen Yuan pulled Shi Xiu’s hand with exceptional affection, her words making goosebumps rise on Shi Xiu’s skin.
“I won’t get lost.” Shi Xiu was in no mood to act with Cen Yuan. As she spoke, she withdrew her hand from Cen Yuan’s and explained to Shang Xiunian, “I played with Grape for a while just now and also ran into Miss Shang.”
“I see.” Shang Xiunian smiled and looked at Shi Xiu, her gaze falling on the brooch on Shi Xiu’s chest.
Her expression was as kind as always, and she reached out to gesture to Shi Xiu. “Come sit.”
“Okay.” Shi Xiu nodded and obediently sat over.
“Grandma has seen your painting. It’s truly very well done. I like it very much.” As Shang Xiunian spoke, she picked up Shi Xiu’s painting.
It was only a Mid-Autumn gift, so Shi Xiu had not painted anything especially complicated. She had used watercolor to make a painting imitating a traditional Chinese round-moon scene.
The moonlight was bright and clear, the bamboo leaves relaxed and graceful, rather possessing character and integrity. It firmly stepped right onto Shang Xiunian’s preferences.
“It’s good that Grandma likes it,” Shi Xiu said respectfully.
Cen Yuan added from the side, “This child is filial. No matter what she does, she thinks of you.”
“So I think of her too,” Shang Xiunian said, looking at Cen Yuan and Shi Wendong with a bit of reproach in her eyes. “Relying on the two of you as husband and wife is unreliable.”
“No matter how much we plan for the child, it isn’t as good as one word from you,” Shi Wendong said with an ingratiating smile, as if he had some other purpose.
Listening to the three of them trade one sentence after another, Shi Xiu grew increasingly confused.
She cast a glance at Cen Anning, only to see this person also shake her head, expressing that she did not know what they had just talked about either.
And what Shi Xiu could not see was that Shang Jinyue, who had just walked in, seemed to realize something and clenched her hand tightly.
She knew—
“Old Madam likes your painting very much and praised your talent. She’s discussing it with your father right now.” Cen Yuan enthusiastically revealed the answer. “The Old Madam wants to write a recommendation letter and send you directly to Italy to study abroad.”
As the words fell, Shi Xiu saw Shang Xiunian smile kindly and squeeze her hand. “How about it, Xiao Xiu? Are you willing?”
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