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After breakfast, Shen Shuyao used paying her respects to her mother as an excuse to leave Xie Yi alone in the room. Before she went out, Xie Yi gave her a resentful look, plainly displeased. Shen Shuyao paid him no mind. It was his own fault for setting a trap for her the night before.

If he had not dug that hole for himself, she would not have spent the entire night tossing and turning. When she rose that morning, she had sat on the edge of the bed feeling dizzy, and it had taken quite some time before her head cleared.

She had thought about it all night. Shen Zheng'an wanted to taste her cooking, but she did not know how to cook. She had no choice but to seek her mother's help. After all, Lady Wang knew exactly how capable she was and would surely help her.

There was no place like home. She did not need to announce herself before entering any room and could go wherever she pleased. When she reached Lady Wang's courtyard, she simply lifted her skirt and walked in, without bothering to put on any airs of decorum.

"Mother, Mother."

Shen Zheng'an was not there; only Lady Wang was in the room. Hearing her, Lady Wang answered and poked her head outside.

"You're not at your husband's home now. Why have you come so early?"

The older maid beside Lady Wang smiled and said, "The young lady has been married for a year and has grown more sensible. She knows to rise early and pay her respects."

Lady Wang shook her head with a smile. No one knew her daughter better than she did. When Shen Shuyao had returned home for the New Year and stayed the night, she had slept until noon. She had complained endlessly that the Xie household had too many rules and that even sleeping in was forbidden. Thus, whenever she came home, Lady Wang always let her sleep to her heart's content.

But today was strange. She had actually risen so early.

Could it be because Xie Yi was there, and she was putting on a show for him?

That would explain it.

Lady Wang put on her hair ornament and rose. Shen Shuyao happened to enter just then. She looked around, then walked toward her mother.

"Mother, I need your help with something."

Lady Wang wore an expression of dawning comprehension. She had known there must be a reason for her daughter to arrive so early. Sure enough.

"What is it?"

Shen Shuyao tugged at her arm and shook it coquettishly. "It's all Xie Yi's fault. He insisted on telling Father that my cooking was excellent. Now Father says he wants to taste my handiwork."

The moment Lady Wang heard this, she burst out laughing. She laughed for quite a while, her stomach heaving, before she finally managed to stop. Shen Shuyao drew a stern face, dissatisfied with her reaction, and glared at her with pursed lips.

"Mother, you have to help me."

"All right. How do you want me to help?"

Her eyelashes were long, curled, and thick. Whenever she blinked, her eyes seemed like those of a trembling fawn—clear, pure, and utterly innocent. Lady Wang had always doted on her, and seeing her troubled expression now, she felt even more distressed for her.

Shen Shuyao pressed her lips together and thought for a moment before saying, "Cover for me."

She certainly was not going into the kitchen. She did not know how to cook, and the heavy smell of smoke and grease made her uncomfortable. She would have the kitchen staff prepare the dishes for her while she merely made a circuit outside. Her only concern was that her father might suddenly come to inspect the kitchen. If he did, she would be finished.

When she was young and had made a mistake, her father had punished her by ordering her to copy Buddhist scriptures. Too lazy to do it herself, she had secretly asked Zhiwei and the others to copy them for her, only to be caught red-handed by her father. After that, no matter what she did, Shen Zheng'an kept a close eye on her.

Shen Shuyao was afraid that he might be idle and start watching her again. So, in the afternoon, she wanted her mother to keep an eye on him. That way, there would be no chance of anything going wrong.

Lady Wang gazed at her with maternal affection and naturally agreed. She also reminded her that she ought to learn some cooking when she had the chance. She could not keep pretending forever; if Xie Yi discovered the truth one day, it might cause trouble.

Shen Shuyao murmured her agreement twice, but did not take the warning to heart. Xie Yi was busy outside all day long. He would never notice. He was far too occupied to observe her every day.

With Lady Wang's help secured, Shen Shuyao had nothing left to worry about. She stayed to have breakfast with her mother, then returned.

Back in the courtyard, Xie Yi was drinking tea and reading. His expression was focused, and from a distance he looked both distinguished and elegant. Shen Shuyao stared at him for quite some time, a trace of fascination flashing through her eyes before her expression returned to normal.

"Have you changed your dressing?"

The wound on Xie Yi's leg was not deep. Though it hurt a little, it did not affect his movements. After she had abandoned him that morning, he had changed the dressing himself. Now that she had returned and asked after him, he felt she was making a needless fuss and became slightly displeased.

"I have."

Shen Shuyao gave a soft acknowledgment, and silence descended over the room once more. Since she had risen early, she usually took a nap in the morning or after noon. Now that she had nothing to do, she lay back down on the bed.

Seeing this, Xie Yi frowned.

"You're going to sleep now?"

"Mm. Why not?"

She answered indifferently, but the instant she closed her eyes, she suddenly remembered the image she had created in his mind. In Xie Yi's eyes, she ought to be reading, reviewing account books, or doing needlework at this hour—not lying in bed and sleeping away the day.

She bit her lip and sat up at once. Her expression softened, and her voice grew several shades gentler, sweet and delicate.

"I didn't sleep well last night, and I have nothing urgent to do, so I thought I'd rest for a while."

Xie Yi had not thought so deeply about it. He merely felt that she should not waste her time, but ought to read or practice her calligraphy instead. Besides, her hands were small and soft, and the characters she wrote ought to be beautiful.

His gaze dropped to those hands. She was clutching the edge of her skirt, looking slightly nervous.

What was she nervous about?

Xie Yi lowered his eyes and said in a clear, mellow voice, "Come over and read for a while."

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She scratched her head, her tender, pale face full of reluctance. She shot him an annoyed look, then slowly put on her shoes and climbed down from the bed. She pulled a random book from the shelf to pass the time, then sat down beside Xie Yi.

She opened it casually and read whatever page she happened to turn to, looking perfectly at ease.

She did not comprehend a single character on the page. Her mind was numb with sleep, and the last shred of wakefulness she possessed was spent grumbling inwardly about him. It would have been one thing if he wanted to read by himself, but why drag her along? Did he need someone to accompany him while he read?

After a while, Shen Shuyao could hold out no longer. A pair of bright, sparkling eyes appeared above the book.

"Xie Yi, you're injured. You should rest more."

"Mm."

He merely hummed and said nothing else. His ambiguous attitude irritated her terribly. Fine. She would stop pretending and speak plainly.

"I'm a little sleepy. I want to sleep for a while."

At last, the man who had been absorbed in his book moved. He set it down and rose after her.

"Help me over."

Xie Yi was tall, with long legs. Whenever she looked at him, she had to tilt her head back, and his broad frame could completely envelop her. Her vision darkened as he stood before her, and Shen Shuyao nodded blankly.

Only after Xie Yi leaned against the daybed did she understand what he meant.

He wanted to recline on the bed while reading.

Shen Shuyao suddenly could not make sense of him. What was he trying to do?

It was almost as though he was clinging to her. She wanted to lie down and rest, and he followed her. Did he like following her that much?

After thinking for a while, Shen Shuyao shook her head. She was imagining things. How could Xie Yi possibly be clinging to her? He was probably planning to lean back and sleep once he grew tired of reading, so he had chosen this spot for convenience.

Shen Shuyao yawned. Her gaze drifted upward, lingering one last time on the man's firm, angular jaw, before she slowly closed her eyes.

She fell asleep quickly and deeply. She was genuinely exhausted.

The room fell completely silent, save for the rustle of turning pages and the even rhythm of her breathing.

Xie Yi turned his head. His hand reached naturally toward her cheek. As he read, he gently stroked her face, his movements tender and lingering.

—

She slept soundly. When she awoke, the sun was blazing overhead. It was already noon.

Her mind had yet to fully awaken, and her eyes were hazy, as though veiled by a thin mist. She rubbed them. As her vision cleared, a handsome face suddenly appeared before her, its owner staring at her with burning intensity.

Shen Shuyao instinctively shifted away.

"What are you doing?"

Watching her while she slept was unsettling.

After her nap, her cheeks were flushed, her bright eyes glistening with moisture and even more alluring than usual. A fine sheen of sweat covered her slender neck, sparkling against her skin.

The man's gaze roamed over her without restraint. He pressed her down.

"What are you hiding from?"

His eyes darkened, and desire colored his features, laid bare before her without the slightest concealment. She knew that look well. It was the expression he wore late at night, when no one else was around and he intended to devour her whole. She was the only one who had ever seen it.

Heat rushed to Shen Shuyao's face. She stammered, "It's daytime."

Xie Yi glanced at the glaring sunlight, then lowered his heavy body over hers.

"It won't matter."

He would not indulge in anything improper in broad daylight. He only meant to kiss her.

The truth proved that a man's promises in bed could not be trusted. His words might sound pleasant enough, but his actions were another matter entirely.

Half an hour later, Shen Shuyao had bathed and changed clothes. She turned back angrily and gave a huff. Seeing Xie Yi still fully dressed and impeccably composed only made her angrier.

How could a man who appeared so proper, restrained, and steady behave like that in bed? He had said one thing and done another. The phrase "polished rogue" had been invented for the Xie Yi of just now.

Shen Shuyao flung her sleeves and left to clear her head. Xie Yi called after her several times from inside, but she pretended not to hear and walked away, gathering up her skirt.

The man behind her froze for a moment, then tugged helplessly at the corner of his mouth.

His wife was angry. What was he supposed to do now?

Shen Shuyao went straight to the Pavilion at the Heart of the Lake. There was a cool pavilion where one could escape the heat. If she grew bored, she could feed the fish or admire the lotus blossoms. It was an exceedingly pleasant place.

She had not wanted to leave the house, but she had been so furious that she had come out to dispel her frustration.

She would be heading to the kitchen soon. She had promised her father that evening she would prepare some good dishes for him to taste. She could not forget, or he might accuse her of being unfilial.

The scenery around the pavilion was beautiful. Behind it stood a rockery that kept the area cool, while lotus blossoms filled both sides. Sitting on one of the stone stools, Shen Shuyao could feed the fish.

She watched the little fish wagging their tails and let out a deeply emotional sigh.

After she sighed several times, Suihua could not help asking, "Young Madam, why are you sighing?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Suihua glanced at Lingchun, then back at her, and smiled.

"Tell us, and we'll understand."

She arched her brows and winked at Lingchun. Lingchun immediately understood and chimed in, "Exactly. Let us help ease your troubles."

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Shen Shuyao tossed down a handful of fish food, clapped her hands, and shifted her gaze between the two women.

"I don't want to go to the kitchen. It's such a nuisance."

The moment she said this, they understood.

Suihua bent down and lowered her voice.

"Just put on a show. You won't have to lift a finger. Simply move a chair over, sit back in it, and wait for the kitchen to finish the dishes. Then say that you made them."

"Just like at Orchid Garden. No one will know."

That was true enough, but Shen Shuyao suddenly felt irritated. How long could she keep deceiving people like this? If Xie Yi found out that everything he had seen in her was false, what would he think?

He would probably be terribly disappointed.

His wife was neither virtuous nor refined. She was even lazy and miserly. He might be furious enough to die.

At the thought of that scene, Shen Shuyao shuddered and hugged her arms.

"If Xie Yi finds out that I've been deceiving him every day, won't he divorce me?"

At the mention of divorce, both Suihua and Lingchun grew frightened, their faces paling slightly, though they continued to comfort her.

"This isn't deception. At most, it's a disguise."

Lingchun nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. A disguise."

Suihua offered a few more gentle words of reassurance, and Shen Shuyao felt better. The gloom that had weighed on her moments ago disappeared. Suihua was right. She was not deceiving anyone; at most, she was merely hiding her true nature.

Which woman in an inner household did not have her own schemes? Take her mother-in-law, Lady Lin. Wasn't even her kindness toward Shen Shuyao just an act? Who knew what she said behind her back? And Lord Xie's concubines were the same—one face in public, another in private.

Compared with them, deceiving Xie Yi for a year was hardly a serious matter.

Shen Shuyao lifted her head and stretched lazily into the breeze.

"After dinner, we'll go home. Oh, right—when we return, hurry and finish the summer clothes, so Xie Yi won't come asking me for them."

Shen Shuyao had personally told Xie Yi that she would make him spring and summer garments. Only a few days earlier, she had even told him they were nearly finished. She had counted off the work on her fingers and complained to him that making clothes had made her hands ache and her fingers hurt. At the time, Xie Yi had become noticeably gentler.

"I know, Young Madam. You can rest assured."

By then, the sun had begun to weaken. The breeze swept over the rockery and brushed against them, cooler than it had been at noon.

Shen Shuyao kneaded her shoulders and said lazily, "It should be about time. Let's go rest in the kitchen."

The mistress and her attendants walked toward the rear kitchen, their voices growing fainter as they went.

On the rockery behind the pavilion, the trees were thick with leaves. A stout trunk concealed a tall figure, leaving only a blurred silhouette visible.

—

A-Si was waiting along the path. When he saw Xie Yi approaching with a dark expression, his heart gave a jolt.

This was bad.

The master looked even more displeased than when he had left. Surely the young madam had been speaking ill of him over there, and he had heard it with his own ears.

What were they going to do? Would they quarrel when they returned?

A-Si followed behind him without daring to utter a word, afraid that one mistake would make Xie Yi even angrier. Anyone could tell from his expression that he was in a foul mood, so no one would willingly walk into the line of fire.

He followed in trepidation for some distance, head lowered as he walked. The next moment, he crashed into the man's hard back, and his head began to ring.

The master's back was truly solid.

Xie Yi stopped and said coldly, "Go find the young madam. See where she has gone."

"Young Master, I'm not familiar with the Shen residence," A-Si said awkwardly.

The man's face was stern, his dark eyes brimming with icy displeasure. His voice sank even lower.

"Use your head and think of a way. Do I have to teach you everything?"

He was angry.

"Yes, yes."

A-Si hurried away, half running.

Xie Yi remained where he was for a long while, his jaw tense and his teeth clenched.

Shen Shuyao. Very well.

She had been deceiving him all day long.

No one had ever toyed with him so shamelessly. He was angry and frustrated, but more than anything else, he wanted to know why she behaved this way.

Was it not better for husband and wife to be honest with each other?