You Yuji didn’t answer immediately. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded, “This courtyard is spacious, with many empty rooms. You are always welcome.”
Si Que looked into You Yuji’s eyes and smiled obediently, “I want to stay closer to you, sister.”
You Yuji gently averted her gaze.
If she didn’t understand Si Que’s intentions at first, she did now. She didn’t respond, lowering her eyes to take another roasted chestnut from the white plate.
Cuiyu asked doubtfully, “Renovate in the middle of winter? Why not wait until spring?”
Si Que also withdrew his gaze from You Yuji, picking up another chestnut and slowly peeling it, clearly not wanting to respond to Cuiyu’s question.
—He was always like this, too stingy to spare even a word for people he wasn’t interested in.
Lin Yingying laughed and tried to ease the situation, “New year, new look! It’s best to get it done before the year ends!”
You Yuji also said warmly, “You three too, if there are any uncomfortable places in your rooms, you can take this chance to fix them.”
Lin Yingying smiled, “Sister! The drawer in my bedside cabinet is a bit loose!”
Cuiyu quickly added, “The window on the west side of my room leaks! And… and the bed curtains are old!”
Chunxing kept her head down, focusing on her embroidery, and said nothing.
You Yuji smiled and nodded, speaking softly, “I’ll have the steward visit your rooms later. Just tell him.”
“Big sister is so kind!” Lin Yingying said sweetly.
After a while, Lady Jing came in from outside, smiling as she reported to You Yuji, “Madam, lunch is ready.”
“So, it’s already this late,” Lin Yingying quickly got up, intending to leave.
You Yuji didn’t let anyone go, keeping them to have lunch together.
Lin Yingying first praised, “Good sister,” then looked at You Yuji with eager eyes.
You Yuji understood her meaning and smiled, “Tomorrow is the last day of the year. We can go out together in the afternoon.”
“Good sister, you are so kind!” Lin Yingying’s voice was even sweeter, as if coated in honey.
Si Que lifted his eyelids and glanced at her.
That afternoon, Si Que had Tingyun and Liufeng pack up his things and moved to Tanxiang Yingyue.
You Yuji naturally always stayed in the main house of Tanxiang Yingyue. Lady Jing, Zhenxu, and Baohe, a few managing servants, lived in the west wing, while other servants stayed in the inverted houses. The east wing had always been empty. Si Que moved in, perfectly occupying the idle east wing. Although it had been vacant, the diligent servants kept it clean, allowing him to move in directly after Tingyun and Liufeng did a simple tidying up in advance
You Yuji personally went to the east wing and carefully examined the layout inside, instructing Zhenxu to fetch many more items from the storage room.
“Yes, put this zither table under the window.”
After giving the instructions, You Yuji turned her gaze to Si Que and asked, “Do you think it’s appropriate to place the zither table here?”
“Appropriate. Anything you choose, Sister, is naturally appropriate.”
You Yuji smiled gently and said, “If you need anything else, just let someone tell Lady Jing. You’ve been busy for so long, rest early tonight. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
Si Que still had a faint smile on his face, but was momentarily stunned inside—was she leaving just like that?
Si Que stood by the zither table, watching You Yuji’s graceful figure as she walked out. His hand accidentally brushed against the strings, producing a sound. He turned back, frowned, and instructed Liufeng to bring scissors.
He wanted to change the strings again.
Si Que sat behind the zither table, expressionlessly cutting the strings with the scissors and replacing each one.
Liufeng quietly exited, and on her way out, she saw Tingyun. She quickly pulled Tingyun to a corner and whispered, “Sister Tingyun, I’ve always had a question that I hope you can answer.”
Tingyun looked over, waiting for her to speak.
Liufeng glanced back at the room and asked in a low voice, “Everyone knows how much His Highness treasures that zither, so why does he always change the strings?”
Liufeng scratched her face and murmured softly, “I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but it seems His Highness likes to change the strings more when he’s in a bad mood, and he seems even more upset after changing them?”
Tingyun was silent for a moment before she said, “That zither was made by His Highness himself using the wood from his mother’s coffin.”
Liufeng was stunned.
“Changing the strings is probably like flaying the Empress alive,” Tingyun laughed.
Liufeng’s mouth dropped open in shock.
Tingyun glanced over, her look seemingly mocking—serves you right for asking.
Chen Anzhi returned home very late. Today, he had been drinking with a few friends, accompanied by several beauties. He had been somewhat tempted after drinking, but found those beauties vulgar and didn’t touch them. He returned home and went straight to find Fang Qingyi, but Fang Qingyi had just seen a doctor, saying her pregnancy was not stable. At this time, no matter how much Chen Anzhi was tempted, he couldn’t touch Fang Qingyi.
“Take good care of yourself, cousin,” Chen Anzhi coaxed Fang Qingyi for a while and then left Anxiang Courtyard.
As soon as Chen Anzhi left, Fang Qingyi’s face turned cold: “Hongzan, go and see which lowly woman the heir has gone to.”
Hongzan sent a maid to follow, and the maid soon reported that Chen Anzhi had gone to Chunxing’s room.
Fang Qingyi frowned and then sneered, “Interesting, the heir hasn’t gone to Yunxiao Courtyard’s one yet.”
Hongzan said from the side, “You’ve forgotten, the one from Yunxiao Courtyard moved to Madam’s Tanxiang Yingyue today.”
Fang Qingyi snorted coldly, “Two hypocritical pieces of trash sticking together!”
After leaving Fang Qingyi’s courtyard, Chen Anzhi hesitated for a while about where to go. The first person he thought of was Si Que, but he was still apprehensive.
……Wait a little longer?
He still wasn’t ready. He knew that the princess didn’t like him and feared seeing even a hint of disgust on her face when they met.
As for Cuiyu and Lin Yingying?
It was actually quite unbelievable to others. Chen Anzhi had never truly slept with Cuiyu or Lin Yingying. They had shared many intimate moments, but he had never taken the final step.
Initially, in the brothel, he was attracted by their refined elegance, which slightly resembled Princess Que. In such a place, Cuiyu and Lin Yingying seemed like a breath of fresh air. He would often summon them to accompany him—drinking, chatting, playing the zither.
But in the end, he despised their origins. Though he righteously told others that Cuiyu and Lin Yingying were not prostitutes, but courtesans who sold their art, not their bodies, they had to survive in such a place, welcoming guests with smiles for money. Who knew if they stripped themselves and threw themselves at wealthy patrons? Even if their chastity was intact, they had certainly been held and caressed by others, just as he had done to them.
Chen Anzhi found the idea of being touched by other men repugnant.
When Chen Anzhi stepped into Chunxing’s room, she was sitting at the bedside, embroidering a wedding dress.
“What are you embroidering?” Chen Anzhi asked.
Chunxing quickly put down what she was holding and said, “Yingying’s younger sister is getting married. Yingying said her needlework is poor, so I’m helping with some embroidery.”
Chen Anzhi didn’t really listen, standing by the bed, opening his arms, waiting for Chunxing to serve him.
Chunxing knelt at the bedside and habitually went to untie his sash. Suddenly, she stopped. Placing her hands on her knees, she tentatively said, “My Lord, you have been married to the Lady for so long without consummating the marriage. This… this will cause people to talk about the Lady behind her back.”
Chunxing’s hands on her knees tightened nervously. She rarely advised the heir about anything.
“Hmph, you’ve known her for a few days and you’re already speaking for her?”
Chen Anzhi glared coldly at her, and she shrank back, lowering her head, not daring to say more.
“Ruining the mood!”
Chen Anzhi raised his hand, and Chunxing’s shoulders flinched.
Chen Anzhi laughed angrily, “What does that movement mean? Do you think I’m going to hit you? Do you think Chen Anzhi is that kind of rough person?”
Chen Anzhi, enraged, flicked his sleeves and left.
After his footsteps could no longer be heard, Chunxing, still kneeling on the bed, slumped her back. She got off the bed, knelt on the wooden couch, reached out to push open the window, and stared blankly at the moon in the sky.
Despite being angered by Chunxing for speaking on behalf of You Yuji, Chen Anzhi still headed towards You Yuji’s residence.
After bathing, You Yuji changed into loose, soft night clothes and lazily leaned against the beauty couch under the window, struggling to read the medical book in her hand.
Ever since her mother fell ill, she had started reading medical books. To someone who had never studied medicine before, these books were indeed a bit difficult.
Baisui was curled up like a ball on her lap, already asleep.
Si Que had been inside for quite a while. The servants all knew that You Yuji and Si Que were close, but none knew that he was actually a man. Even if it was nighttime and he wanted to come to You Yuji’s bedroom, the servants around her allowed him to come and go freely.
Tonight, he had been lying on his bed for a long time without falling asleep. So, he came to find You Yuji. He wanted to see why his sister hadn’t come to find him tonight. Was she with another man, perhaps the pale-faced useless young master they had seen yesterday?
“Hasn’t sister gone to bed yet?”
You Yuji looked up in surprise at the approaching Si Que.
Si Que said, “Sister is so focused on reading that you didn’t even hear me talking to Baohe outside.”
You Yuji put down the medical book in her hand and said softly, “You haven’t gone to bed either.”
Si Que walked over to You Yuji, sat down beside her, glanced at the book in her hand, and said, “Sister is reading a medical book.”
“Just skimming through it,” You Yuji replied casually. She lowered her gaze, feeling a bit uneasy about the loose nightgown she was wearing.
After her bath, she had changed into her nightclothes and naturally did not bind her chest as she did during the day. She didn’t know why she seemed fuller than other women, and without binding, it was not only inconvenient but also not very presentable. She didn’t like facing others this way and wanted to send him away. “It’s very late, you should go back to bed.”
Si Que’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and his bright eyes looked into You Yuji’s, saying, “Sister, I can’t sleep in my bed.”
You Yuji was surprised and after a moment’s hesitation said, “Shall I have someone move the bed from Yunxiao Courtyard over tomorrow?”
She frowned slightly, gently coaxing, “It’s too late tonight, let’s not trouble the servants, okay?”
“Okay.” Si Que looked into You Yuji’s eyes and nodded with a smile.
You Yuji lightly held the corner of the medical book, troubled about how to persuade Si Que to go back. She was silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.
As she remained silent, Si Que also said nothing, just looking at her and smiling obediently.
Baisui stretched lazily and woke up. It glanced at Si Que, then turned its head back, rolled over on You Yuji’s lap, and enthusiastically started licking its fur.
After a long, awkward silence, or perhaps it was just You Yuji who felt awkward. She lowered her eyes, looking at the text in the medical book again, and spoke, “I have some sleep-inducing incense over there. Should I have Baohe bring you some?”
Si Que shook his head, “I had Liufeng light some sleep-inducing incense, but it still didn’t work. I can’t sleep because I’m not used to the bed.”
You Yuji frowned, asking, “Then… is there no other way to help you sleep?”
Si Que’s smile deepened, his bright eyes always fixed on You Yuji, and he said, “Sister, I want to sleep here with you.”
You Yuji looked up in surprise at Si Que, meeting his smiling eyes. She felt a different kind of emotion stir in her heart, and after a couple of breaths, she softly asked, “Didn’t you say you weren’t used to the bed?”
Si Que nodded and said, “I’m not used to the bed, but I’m also not used to being without you.”
You Yuji looked at Si Que in a daze, her slender fingers loosening their grip on the book. The rustling sound of the pages turning back and forth brought her back to the present, the page she had been reading now lost.
