Chapter Forty-Two: Sweetness

The facts that Ye Yuandao and Wen Qiumei knew were all told to them by Ye Qianran; as for Ye An, who had declared he would give his mother an explanation, he said nothing at all.

Just the appearance of Meng Lanyi alone was enough to throw his heart into disarray.

This child had arrived so unexpectedly that Ye Yuandao and Wen Qiumei were torn between joy and worry—joy because this was the first child of the Ye family, worry because the child’s mother was merely a lowly maid.

Ye Yuandao believed that since she carried Ye An’s flesh and blood, it was only right to grant her a legitimate status. The Ye family’s first grandchild could not be allowed to be branded a bastard. Wen Qiumei agreed as well, but neither of them knew what Meng Lanyi herself thought.

In truth, it would have sufficed for Ye Yuandao and Wen Qiumei to make the decision about Ye An taking a concubine. However, the Meng and Ye families had been close for many years, and Meng Lanyi’s father was currently a high minister at court. They had to exercise some caution. For Ye An to take a concubine less than three months into marriage was truly difficult to justify.

Ye Yuandao asked Wen Qiumei to probe Meng Lanyi’s feelings; as long as she had no objections, there would be no issue with Ye An taking a concubine, and they would have an answer to give the Meng family.

Meng Lanyi’s response was simple and clear: she would leave everything up to her father and mother’s decision. This surprised Wen Qiumei. Though she knew Meng Lanyi had always been courteous and sensible, it was rare for a woman to be so indifferent about sharing her husband with another. Wen Qiumei could not decide whether to feel relieved or to sigh.

When Ye Qianran encountered her in the courtyard, Meng Lanyi was followed by her maid as she walked through the flowers and willows. Ye Qianran called softly, “Sister-in-law.”

The hint of a cold smile at the corner of Meng Lanyi’s eyes made Ye Qianran feel uneasy, though she still forced an air of nonchalance. “Sister-in-law, where have you been? Why isn’t my brother with you?”

The smile at Meng Lanyi’s lips deepened, her voice crisp and cold. “If you remembered even a little of our sisterly bond, you should have told me about that matter first, instead of announcing it in front of everyone and turning me into a laughingstock.”

Ye Qianran’s fingers trembled slightly, but she tried her best to control herself. “Sister-in-law, I absolutely didn’t mean that…”

“Sister-in-law?” Meng Lanyi repeated the words with a mocking smile, her voice cold and devoid of emotion. “I never had many friends in the capital, but you were an exception. I always thought: what a special young lady you are—neither affected nor arrogant, never relying on favor to act spoiled, and you always had so much to say to me. I enjoyed being with you. I treated you as a younger sister. When I married into the Ye family and saw you every day, I felt so at ease. I thought, even if this place is strange, you are here, you are my sister. I believed I was important to you. But I forgot, no matter how important I am, I am still an outsider, no match for those close to you. Lülan is your person, and you were afraid to tell me, afraid I would hurt her, isn’t that right?”

Having grown up amid the world of officials and politics, Meng Lanyi could see through such small machinations. Yet she would rather not have known, for then it would not have hurt so much.

“Sister, I truly didn’t know it would hurt you. I didn’t mean it…” Ye Qianran’s anxiety brought tears to her eyes.

Meng Lanyi’s expression was tinged with weariness, her tone distant and calm, as if after experiencing the vicissitudes of life. “I really do feel like I’ve failed. The two people I care most about don’t care about me. My husband let another woman bear his child, and my sister chose to hurt me to protect someone else. You should keep calling me sister-in-law; I am not worthy of being called sister.”

She swept her sleeves and walked forward, her wide sleeves brushing past, and for a moment, a gust of wind left her feeling unsettled.

Juanbi looked at Ye Qianran with concern, calling to her softly. Ye Qianran forced a smile, wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “I did it on purpose. If she sees me cry, she won’t be able to hate me.”

This was half-true—her tears were put on for Meng Lanyi’s sake, but the emotion was real. She did feel Meng Lanyi’s care and protection. Seeing the cold, mocking smile in Meng Lanyi’s eyes pained her, but she had no choice. Perhaps this child was only a passing conflict for Ye An and Meng Lanyi, but for Lülan, it was her whole life. She could not take the risk. If Lülan could not marry her brother, her life would be ruined.

She kept telling herself she had done nothing wrong, deliberately avoiding those cold words, but her heart remained uneasy and unfocused. Meng Lanyi was her first friend upon arriving in the capital; they had spoken intimately, played together, played chess together… and now things had come to this. To say she did not care or feel pain would be a lie. She felt she owed Meng Lanyi, yet also believed she had done nothing wrong. The two conflicting emotions tangled in her heart, making her unspeakably miserable. In moments like these, there was only one person she wanted to see.

Liuyun, the one she loved, the one her heart belonged to.

She longed for him, endlessly.

She thought of his cool, elegant features, the curve at his lips, that trace of boyishness in his smile, the warmth of his palm at her waist, his tight embrace, his gentle words, the lingering affection between them. It seemed that with him, all her grievances would cease to matter, all her sorrow would become insignificant.

But he was not here, not by her side. Her heart ached, as if she wanted to dig him out of her chest.

Night grew deeper. A solitary moon hung high outside the window, illuminating the world in a silvery shroud, all was still. Ye Qianran draped a cloak over her shoulders and sat on the stone steps before her door. The night air was cold, her teeth chattered, her whole body shivered, yet she refused to go inside. In her room, she would only think of him—miss him more and more, unable to restrain herself. The cold, at least, dulled her longing just a little.

But she still missed him, kept missing him, missed him until her heart hurt, until tears came.

She so wished that if she looked up, she would see him, and rush into his arms without a care, close her eyes, clasping him tightly. Impossible—how could that be? He would not come.

She buried her head in her knees, tears falling silently.

Something swayed ahead of her. She couldn’t make out what it was, thought it was the shadow of a tree, but there were no trees in view. She could not think, nor did she want to. She remained motionless, head on her knees.

A deep voice sounded above her. “Qianran.” The hoarse tone barely sounded like his. Ye Qianran’s body trembled. It felt as if she had waited a thousand years, yet she had no courage to look up. Was it him? Was this a dream? If so, why did it feel so real, so real she could feel his rapid breath.

At last she lifted her head slowly. At the end of her gaze was his handsome, aloof face—eyes deep as a lake, a high nose, thin lips—his familiar features. Her nose stung, tears threatened to fall again. She turned away, not daring to look, not wanting him to see her so disheveled.

The next instant, her body slipped into his embrace. His arms were so warm and broad, so steady. Once she fell into them, she never wished to leave.

Her body was icy cold, so numb that she could barely feel it. He only held her tighter, his breath brushing her ear. His voice was soft and low, almost a sigh. “I missed you.”

Tears welled up, and she sobbed uncontrollably, clutching his waist, afraid that if she let go he would disappear.

After a while, his forehead pressed to hers, his voice hoarse. “There, I’m here. It’s all right. It’s all right.”

She had just been longing for him, and in the next moment he stood before her. This man was the one she loved, and now that she held him, nothing could feel more real.

After a while, his arms loosened a little, but he still held her. His slender fingers brushed away her tears. He lowered his head to gaze at her, eyes dark and fathomless. Only then did Ye Qianran notice he was dressed in night-clothes, a mask hanging around his neck. Her nose stung again; her eyes were hot and red. For some reason, her tears seemed endless tonight. She sniffed, lifted her head, and gave him a smile, wanting to reassure him. Unexpectedly, he frowned and said, “You look terrible.”

Ye Qianran burst out laughing, hugging him tighter, feeling utterly at peace. “Why did you come?”

Liuyun stroked her jet-black hair lovingly and sighed so softly it was almost inaudible. “I don’t know why, but tonight I missed you more than usual. At first I thought it was late and you’d be sleeping, so I told myself I’d come tomorrow instead. But I just couldn’t help it. I thought, even if I only stood outside your window and took a look at you, it would be enough. So I came, as if possessed. And you? Sitting outside in the middle of the night—aren’t you afraid of catching cold?”

Ye Qianran squirmed restlessly in his arms, her voice muffled against his chest, but Liuyun heard her. “I was thinking of you. I was waiting for you.”

The moon grew rounder, brighter.

Liuyun lowered his head and kissed her hair, hugging her tightly. “Fortunately, I came.”

He escorted her back to her room. No lamp was lit inside, but the moonlight streamed through the window, casting a pool of brightness before the bed. Liuyun sat at the bedside; Ye Qianran rested her head on his lap. In the darkness she could not see his expression, but her heart was filled with joy, and in the dark she laughed out loud.

His slender fingers traced her delicate face, his voice beautiful as the night dew. “What are you laughing at?”

Ye Qianran shifted her position, still resting on his lap, her tone a little proud and teasing. “I always thought only Qingfeng would do something like climbing walls. I never expected you’d be the same.”

She heard him laugh quietly, like silent fireworks blooming, his tone slightly helpless. “I always thought I’d never do such a thing, but I wanted to see you and could think of no other way, so I did it. I didn’t expect it would feel so good.”

Ye Qianran burst out laughing at his last remark. “I always thought you were so proper and serious, but here you are, saying things like this.”

Liuyun fondly tapped her nose, as if smiling in his voice as well. “I never dreamed I would end up like this,” he paused, then continued, “and it’s all your fault.”

Ye Qianran murmured, turning to bury her head in his waist, her heart awash with a sweet, burning heat, a hint of shyness.

Zhuge Liuyun laughed softly, his hand gently stroking her hair. As he glanced down at his night-clothes, something suddenly came to mind. He called her name. “Qianran?”

“Hmm?”

“Tonight, something strange happened in your residence. Do you want to hear about it?”

Ye Qianran was immediately intrigued. She sat up, staring at him, eager to hear what strange encounter he’d had.

In the darkness, he held her hand, his voice low and gentle. “When I climbed over the wall, I was extra careful to avoid being seen. But as I passed by the rockery, I encountered another person in night clothes, heading in the opposite direction.” As he spoke, Ye Qianran’s hand suddenly trembled, her heart skipping a beat. Liuyun wrapped his other arm around her waist, drawing her close, and continued, “I was surprised, and he looked surprised too—he hadn’t expected to meet me either. We exchanged a few moves, and I found his martial arts were no weaker than mine. I worried about alerting the guards, and he seemed unwilling to continue fighting as well, so he took the chance to escape.”

Ye Qianran’s heart pounded as she suddenly remembered that night when she’d also glimpsed a figure in black—she’d thought it a trick of the eyes, but now it seemed it had been real. Had that mysterious figure been roaming the residence all along?

Liuyun smiled, reassuring her. It had been a while now, and nothing had been stolen, nothing had happened, so it was probably nothing serious. Still, he advised her to have the household increase patrols for peace of mind.

Ye Qianran thought about it and realized there was nothing else she could do.

The moon had already set. A scattering of faint stars hung in the night sky, and it was deep into the night. Liuyun gazed at Ye Qianran, who had fallen asleep, tucked her in, and after a long while, quietly slipped away.