The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. Early in the morning, just as Wanqing had gotten up, she heard Wanchun inform her that Sun Fengyu had already arrived and was waiting in the side hall.
“Just tell him I left early this morning.”
Glancing at the sky, she saw the sun already high overhead. It was clearly past the hour of Chen. Hearing how eagerly he had come, and recalling his previous attitude and current intentions, Wanqing felt no joy. She turned to Wanchun and gave her instructions.
“Understood,” Wanchun replied respectfully before turning to relay the message to Sun Fengyu.
“Very well, I’ll come again later.”
Sun Fengyu, having arrived so early only to be met with disappointment, sighed helplessly and rose to leave.
However, his visit the previous day had already reached the ears of Mu Wanxia through the maids in the household. Now, hearing from the maids that he had come again early in the morning, Mu Wanxia, despite her lingering frailty, had the maids dress her beautifully and waited outside the Bamboo Fragrance Courtyard.
“Master Sun…” As Sun Fengyu emerged from the courtyard, lost in thought, he heard a delicate, pitiful voice that tugged at his heartstrings.
“Miss Mu, may I ask…”
Sun Fengyu turned and saw her, supported by a maid, her delicate face pale with weakness, making her appear even more pitiable. As he turned, her tear-filled eyes met his, like a pear blossom bathed in spring rain.
Instinctively, he stepped forward, but remembering they were right at the entrance of the Bamboo Fragrance Courtyard, he stopped himself, clenched his fists, and spoke distantly.
“Master Sun, Wanxia has no claim over you. You favor my younger sister, and I do not begrudge that. I only ask for a chance from you.”
Seeing the fleeting emotion in Sun Fengyu’s eyes quickly fade into calmness, Mu Wanxia gave a bitter smile and stepped forward weakly, her gaze sincere.
“Miss Mu, if there’s anything I can do for you, please speak frankly.”
Faced with such a beseeching look from the woman he once adored, Sun Fengyu pursed his lips. He approached her, suppressing the urge to embrace her, and spoke gently.
“Wanxia asks for nothing else. If we cannot be husband and wife, then let us at least be friends. I know your heart belongs to my sister, and I no longer hold any illusions. I only wish for us to remain close. Is that acceptable?”
Mu Wanxia’s eyes brimmed with sorrow as she stepped closer, her expression pleading.
“Yes, that’s acceptable.”
Unable to resist the pitiful plea of this delicate woman, Sun Fengyu frowned slightly and glanced back at the courtyard gate. Seeing no one watching, he stepped forward eagerly and took her hand.
“If we are merely friends, may I ask why you’ve come here today, Master Sun?”
Though she already knew the answer, Mu Wanxia smiled coyly and reached to take his sleeve. Outwardly, they maintained a polite distance, but their lingering connection was unmistakable.
“Ah, well… I came to see Qing’er, but she left early this morning…”
Mu Wanxia’s warmth remained unchanged, and Sun Fengyu sighed, glancing back once more. Confirming that no one had emerged from Wanqing’s courtyard, he walked alongside her as they spoke.
“Since you’re already at the Marquis’s residence, why not come to my quarters for some tea before you leave? Would that be alright, Master Sun?”
As Sun Fengyu walked with her, Mu Wanxia released his hand and walked ahead, turning back with a hopeful gaze.
“Very well.”
Though his heart was conflicted—aware that Wanqing now possessed something extraordinary, her entire demeanor transformed into something dazzling—he found it hard to refuse the woman before him, who looked so pitiful and earnest. Despite knowing the importance of his family’s standing, he couldn’t bring himself to reject her.
With a faint smile, he followed her.
“Master Sun, please have some tea. This is the finest Longjing, picked before the rains…”
Once they arrived at Mu Wanxia’s quarters, she dismissed the maids with a wave and poured tea for Sun Fengyu, pushing the cup toward him with a graceful smile.
“Thank you. Ah, no need—the tea is excellent.”
Though he had once felt at ease in her presence, now, in this rare moment alone, Sun Fengyu sensed an inexplicable distance. He forced a smile, telling himself it was just a cup of tea, and took a sip before praising it.
“If it pleases you, drink more. Master Sun, since we no longer have a betrothal, and your marriage with my sister is progressing, you’ve grown so distant… so distant that it pains me. Do you know, Master Sun? My heart has always held you, yet…”
At his praise, Mu Wanxia smiled faintly. Seated across from him, she reached out and placed her delicate hand over his, tears welling in her eyes.
“Wanxia, please don’t be like this. I know your feelings for me. But my marriage with Qing’er is under the Empress’s decree, so I…”
Sun Fengyu hesitated, patting her hand in consolation. When he mentioned his engagement to Wanqing, his expression turned troubled.
“But I don’t care, Master Sun. Wanxia only wishes to be with you. As long as you hold me in your heart and treat me kindly, that’s enough. Please…”
Desperate, Mu Wanxia clutched his hand, pressing it against her chest.
“Wanxia, I…”
Sun Fengyu stiffened. The softness beneath her grip sent his mind reeling. He tried to pull away, but she held on tighter, pressing closer.
His heart raced, his throat dry. Trembling, he looked at her, struggling to free his hand.
“No, I won’t let go. Master Sun, I only want you to take me. If you do, my father—even the Empress—will have to consent. After all, I am the eldest daughter of the Marquis’s household. Marrying me would be the most suitable choice, wouldn’t it?”
Her younger sister, Mu Wanjun, had been tending to their father these past days, leaving her neglected. Her mother had even been expelled from the household, though she didn’t know why. But she knew her father had turned his back on her mother completely.
Seeing Sun Fengyu’s hesitation, she refused to relent, gripping his hand tighter. When he struggled again, she glared tearfully and threw herself against him.
“Don’t—Wanxia, stop! You mustn’t…”
Though he longed to embrace and comfort her, the thought of his aunt the Empress’s wrath if this were discovered made him push her away, his brow furrowed in distress.
“I don’t care! I want you to take me, Master Sun. Don’t reject me. Even if the Empress refuses, I won’t regret it. As long as I’ve had you once, that’s enough. Please…”
Defiant against his resistance, Mu Wanxia stood and began loosening her robes, pressing herself against him—clearly willing to debase herself, to beg and cling, all for this man.
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