Dense Red Marks

Red Medicine paused in her tracks.

She never expected Xie Rutang to call her back.

Second Master is about to set off.

Xie Rutang didn't seem like the type to pester the Second Master relentlessly.

Hongyao is usually right about how she judges people.

Although Madam Shen came from a humble background, her elegant and refined demeanor was in no way inferior to that of the ladies from prominent families in the capital.

Knowing that she had brought it up rather presumptuously, Xie Rutang wrapped a handkerchief around her hand before speaking.

"The sandalwood-handled, purple-haired writing brush that I presented to Second Master, I wonder if Second Master would take it back to the Pei residence..."

To this day, she has never seen Pei Zhiheng use it even once or twice.

He has too many good things in his house.

The calligraphy brushes she gave him, he would at most put away in the storeroom.

She felt it was a pity.

Xie Rutang smiled gently, "If we don't take it back, and leave it at Suxue Residence, I wonder if you could give it to me..."

That writing brush was originally a gift from her to Shen Yuan.

Pei Zhiheng was leaving, and she thought that he wouldn't use the things she had given him, so she decided to bring them back as a memento.

If Pei Zhiheng wants to take it away, then forget it.

Hongyao's expression was somewhat strange.

She hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "Madam Shen, the Second Master has already thrown away that writing brush."

Xie Rutang's face was completely drained of color, turning as white as if covered with a thin layer of frost.

She gripped the handkerchief tightly.

It's almost like tearing a hole in it.

Hongyao couldn't help but feel sorry for her when she saw that her porcelain-white skin was completely bloodless.

She hesitated, unable to bear seeing her so heartbroken.

Pei Zhiheng mentioned last night that if Madam Shen asked, she should answer in this way.

But, Second Master actually brought the calligraphy brush back to the Pei residence!

That was the first thing Xie Rutang had ever given him, and it held special significance for him.

Xie Rutang opened her heart to him for the first time, shedding tears and revealing her grievances and bitterness. It was at that moment that Pei Zhiheng embraced her like her man.

Seeing that calligraphy brush reminds me of the moments when they sincerely shared their hearts.

They were neither husband and wife, nor even lovers; they had no marriage certificate, their relationship was clandestine, and not recognized by moral norms. Precisely because this affection could not be expressed and was suppressed for a long time, it deepened their feelings even more than many couples who were together.

Hongyao didn't know why the Second Master wanted Madam Shen to mistakenly believe that he was heartless.

Xie Rutang came to her senses and realized that she had been abrupt.

The gifts that were given out were Pei Zhiheng's.

He has the right to decide what to do with it.

Xie Rutang slowly withdrew her hand, her expression calm: "In that case, thank you, Miss Hongyao."

After saying that, he took Jin Yue and left.

Only Hongyao remained, letting out a long sigh.

After Pei Zhiheng's departure, it will be difficult for the two to meet again.

Rather than letting Xie Rutang stay alone in her empty room thinking about him, the man thought it would be better to let her give up all thoughts of him.

Pei Zhiheng closed his eyes last night, unwilling to imagine the scene of Xie Rutang spending her days in loneliness in Cuiwu Courtyard after he was gone.

From now on, Xie Rutang will have to spend the long nights alone in Cuiwu Courtyard, her pillow will be cold.

When it rained and thundered, no one held her against their chest to protect her or shield her ears.

She was terrified when her night blindness flared up.

Instead, Xie Rutang waited for him at Cuiwu Courtyard every day.

It would be better if he were ruthless and shattered any illusions she still held about him. Xie Rutang couldn't possibly develop feelings for the man who slept with her; that would be foolish.

Being ruthless is better for both of us.

It's better than her missing him day and night.

……

Pei Zhiheng arrived at the Pei residence at noon.

The sun was high in the sky when the carriages arrived at the vermilion gate of the Pei residence, where a group of family members were already waiting to greet them at the foot of the steps.

The gatekeepers hurriedly stepped forward to take the horse's reins and lift the carriage curtain, while the servants ran back and forth, so busy that their feet barely touched the ground.

The midday sun shone brightly on the bluestone slabs, casting a dazzling light. Pei Zhiheng stood beneath the vermilion gate, dressed in a white brocade robe. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he resembled an ancient pine tree in the mountains. The sunlight fell on his nose, making his jawline appear even more sharp and cold. His thin lips were tinged with a pale red. He truly lived up to the saying, "elegant and refined."

Pei's mother stood at the front, wearing a crimson brocade jacket and adorned with pearls and jade, still showing glimpses of her youthful beauty and charm.

She smiled warmly, "Yuanzhi, you're finally back."

Then he frowned, "We agreed to return to the manor, so why did you suddenly fall ill and stay at the Shen family's house for several more days?"

Pei Zhiheng has been physically strong since childhood and has insisted on morning exercise every day, even in the dead of winter when it snows. He rarely gets sick, so how could he suddenly fall ill?

Pei's mother's gaze swept over him carefully, as if trying to discern some clues from his expression.

Sunlight fell on Pei Zhiheng's shoulder. His expression was indifferent. "It's just a slight cold, nothing serious. Thank you for your concern, Mother. The Shen family is keeping me here for a few days to rest and take care of other trivial matters."

His words subtly shifted Pei's mother's focus to her illness, and her earlier doubts and questions were quickly overshadowed by his concern.

With a pained expression, Madam Pei said urgently, "How can the Shen family's medicinal herbs compare to those in our household? Come inside with me quickly. I heard you were returning home today, so I instructed the nanny to prepare a nourishing soup for you to recover."

"Go back and drink the soup first, then have the doctor come and take your pulse to see if the remaining pathogens have been cleared up. This cold is very persistent, so you must not take it lightly just because you are usually strong and healthy."

Pei Zhiheng simply smiled at his mother and said, "I'm fine."

He knew his mother's personality all too well, which was why he was able to handle her and prevent her from suspecting Xie Rutang.

Pei Zhiheng said no more and followed his mother to the inner hall. After drinking the soup, he returned to his former residence, Tingmei Residence, to continue handling his daily affairs.

……

Since becoming pregnant, various branches of the Shen family have sent her many tonics.

Since Pei Zhiheng left, Xie Rutang has been sleeping soundly for the past two days, sleeping until the sun is high in the sky and the warm sunlight falls on the bed before slowly waking up.

No more worrying about waking up the next morning with a dense rash of red marks on your body, no more thinking about wearing a high-necked jacket and how to cover it up properly.

Once the man became addicted, he completely disregarded whether she would need to use makeup to cover the marks on her neck the next day. He finally returned to the Pei residence, and Xie Rutang dreamt of waking up laughing.

Now that she's pregnant, Old Madam Shen doesn't really care about her anymore.

In her boudoir, she arranged flowers, embroidered handkerchiefs, painted, and played the zither.

With nothing else to do, Xie Rutang asked Jin Yue to take out the ornaments from the storeroom, replace them with new ones, and remodel the interior room.

The room is draped with light gauze curtains and low-hanging silk curtains, with calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, creating an elegant and tranquil atmosphere.

An embroidery frame sat on one side of the desk, its colorful threads shimmering in the sunlight. Accompanied by the faint fragrance of books filling the room, her boudoir was given a fresh new look.

These days, Xie Rutang has finally shed the constraints of her role as a daughter-in-law. She no longer needs to pay her respects morning and evening; she only needs to visit her parents-in-law at certain times. The rest of her time is spent quietly in the Cuiwu Courtyard, staying indoors and rarely interacting with the outside world.

The next day, the sky was clear and the autumn wind was gentle.

After Xie Rutang finished washing and dressing in the morning, she went to greet her parents-in-law and then took Hongyao with her and strolled into the garden to enjoy the autumn scenery.

She looked around slowly, pausing occasionally to make notes so she could draw them on paper later.

When she returned to Cuiwu Courtyard, she remembered something and took out Mr. Xiao's handwritten letter.

I've decided to take advantage of the clear weather today and head to Tongxi Mountain.