352: confused

The two house servants worked together, one lifting the shoulders and one lifting the legs, trying to be gentle, but the bumps were unavoidable.

Steward Wang was jostled, grumbled discontentedly twice, and rolled over, mumbling drunken, incoherent words:

“Beauty... drink one more cup with your master...”

He smacked his lips, his eyes glazed over, as if the figure of a charming beauty was appearing before him, his tone carrying a hint of wretched obsession:

“Wan Xiangyu, that bitch... she doesn't know what's good for her! An ungrateful thing... If it weren't for her looks, I...”

The vulgar language clearly entered Wan Xiangyu's ears. Her fingertips clenched tightly, nails digging deep into her palm, the sharp pain barely allowing her to suppress the hatred that surged up again.

She turned her face away, unwilling to look at the sickening figure on the ground again, her voice cold as ice:

“Hurry up and carry him away. Don't let him cause a drunken scene here.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The house servants dared not delay, quickly increasing their pace, trying to keep Steward Wang steady as they carried him towards the bedroom. Their figures quickly vanished around the corner of the courtyard gate, leaving only a faint trail of alcohol fumes.

The Servant Girl Xiao He remained in place, holding a horn lantern. The warm yellow glow shone on Wan Xiangyu's pale cheeks. The side of her face that had been struck was still visibly red and swollen, and one could even see faint finger marks.

Xiao He felt distressed watching her, her eyes slightly red-rimmed, her voice choked with emotion:

“Madam, does it hurt? Should Servant Girl go find some herbs for you to apply?”

“No need.”

Wan Xiangyu shook her head and pointed to the white jade bottle on the dressing table:

“I have ointment here; I already applied it.”

She paused, looked at Xiao He, and her tone softened slightly:

“Xiao He, you go take care of... take care of Master. Wipe his face and change him into clean clothes. Otherwise, when he wakes up tomorrow, he'll blame me again.”

Servant Girl Xiao He's heart tightened, and she immediately understood.

Madam did not want to personally step into that alcohol-reeking bedroom, nor did she want to leave herself open to criticism, lest the servants in the manor or outsiders say that she, as the official wife, had forgotten her duty to instruct servants to care for her drunken husband.

Over the years, everyone in the manor has witnessed the Master's harsh treatment of Madam, yet Madam has always been cautious and meticulous, unwilling to let anyone catch her in the slightest mistake.

Servant Girl Xiao He quickly nodded, bowing in response:

“Servant Girl understands. Servant Girl will go take care of Master immediately.”

Wan Xiangyu softly hummed in acknowledgment, raised her hand, and waved slightly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible exhaustion:

“Go. I want to be alone for a while.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Servant Girl Xiao He looked at her worriedly. Seeing her expression was calm but failed to conceal the weariness in her eyes, she ultimately did not dare to linger. Carrying the horn lantern, she quietly closed the door, the soft “click” sound separating the silence inside from the night outside.

Silence returned to the room, broken only by the crackling of the jumping candlelight, which stretched Wan Xiangyu's shadow long across the cold floor, making her appear extraordinarily lonely.

She slowly turned around and walked step by step toward the dressing table.

The Mutton-fat White Jade Bottle sat beside the mirror. The jade was warm and delicate to the touch, as if containing a sense of warmth.

There were no complicated patterns on the bottle body; only a very shallow band of intertwined vine patterns was carved around the opening. It was simple yet exuded an unspeakable nobility, clearly indicating it was no ordinary object.

Wan Xiangyu extended her fingertip and gently stroked the bottle. The cool sensation spread along her finger, yet strangely, it calmed her chaotic emotions slightly.

She pulled out the stopper, and a rich yet clear fragrance instantly wafted over her. It was unlike the cloying sweetness of ordinary cosmetics or the bitterness of medicinal herbs; instead, it resembled fresh flowers bearing dew in the spring morning, mixed with the moist, clean air of deep mountains and old forests, pure and clean.

The fragrance seemed to contain the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth. Upon inhaling it, she felt all the pores on her body open up, and even the melancholy accumulated in her heart for years seemed to be cleansed by the scent, dissipating somewhat.

This was the jade dew ointment.

Situ Jun said that this ointment could whiten skin and eliminate scars. No matter how deep the mark, applying it for a few days would make it disappear without a trace.

Although she did not understand the market of the Cultivation World, she knew from books how precious Millennium Jade Marrow was.

Spring flower dew must be collected from a hundred flowers at dawn, refined with morning mist, and Snow Grass only grows on cliffs in extremely cold regions, rarely seen by ordinary people.

The value of the ointment refined from these medicinal materials was certainly incalculable; calling it priceless would be no exaggeration.

Yet he so easily left it for her, without the slightest hesitation or reluctance. In his eyes, there was only unconcealed heartache, focused only on helping her erase the scar left on her face by Steward Wang.

Wan Xiangyu's fingertips gently stroked the smooth jade bottle, but her eyes gradually became moist. Warm moisture gathered between her eyelashes, blurring her vision and blurring her reflection in the mirror.

Over the years, she had long grown accustomed to submission, accustomed to wrapping herself in a hard shell, never hoping for pity or care from anyone.

But Situ Jun's appearance was like a beam of light, forcefully cutting through her impenetrable darkness, allowing her to glimpse a warmth and hope she had never known.

His voice was deep and hoarse, carrying an imperceptible tremor, as he asked if she was in pain.

His fingertips were slightly cool, gently brushing her cheek, his movements unbelievably tender.

In the secret chamber, their breaths intertwined, like an unreal dream, yet deeply imprinted in her heart.

He told her to take the Bodhi Jade and find him at the City Lord's Mansion in Beijiang City. He would stand up for her, arrange everything properly, and allow her to live a free and worry-free life thereafter.

Freedom... these two words were like a fine needle, lightly pricking her heart.

How long had it been since she thought of that word? So long that she had almost forgotten what freedom tasted like.

But the shackles of reality were too heavy for her to break free.

She was Steward Wang's wife, the nominal Head Madam of the Wang Family, but in reality, she was merely a discarded woman in name only.

Her Family had fallen, leaving her without support or reliance on any power.

As for Situ Jun, the fact that he could easily produce a rare treasure like the jade dew ointment, the poise in his speech, and the composure in his every movement all indicated his noble status and profound Cultivation.

What separated them was not just thousands of mountains and rivers, but the difference between heaven and earth.

How could someone like her be worthy of that kind of warmth and freedom?

Just then, several distant sounds of the night watch drum came from outside the window, “Dong—Dong—,” three times in total. It was the third watch.

Wan Xiangyu suddenly snapped back to attention, forcefully suppressing the moisture in her eyes.

She tightly clenched the jade dew ointment in her hand. The warmth of the jade bottle pressed against her palm, bringing a sense of stabilizing strength.

She quickly walked to the bedside, bent down, lifted the brocade bed curtain on one side of the bed, and felt around under the bed board for a moment until she touched a loose wooden plank.

With a light press, the plank sprang open, revealing a small secret compartment.

She carefully placed the jade dew ointment inside, then meticulously restored the wooden plank and smoothed the wrinkles on the bed curtain, as if nothing had happened.

She could not accept this gift, at least not now.

She and Situ Jun were merely acquaintances who met by chance, an accidental entanglement. If she accepted this priceless ointment, and if she truly went to find him, it would only drag both of them into deeper trouble.

The main Family behind Steward Wang held vast, deeply entrenched influence, to the extent that even the authorities had to show them deference.

Even if Situ Jun was powerful, he might not be able to contend with them easily.

She could not allow him to fall into danger because of her selfish desires.

Moreover, the stirring and dependence in her heart were themselves a danger.

She was no longer the innocent and naive Young Miss of the Wan Family she once was. Having gone through so much, she knew deeply that human affection was fickle and fate was fragile.

Rather than yearning for that unattainable warmth only to end up with nothing, it was better to hold onto the humble stability she currently possessed.

At least, this way she would not experience the pain of loss again, nor would she fall from the clouds into the mire once more.

Wan Xiangyu walked to the window and pushed it open slightly.

The late-night breeze carrying the fresh scent of grass and wood blew in, bringing a touch of coolness, dispersing the lingering smell of alcohol and the moist, clear fragrance of the jade dew ointment.

She gazed at the deep night sky outside the window. The moon was hidden by dark clouds, leaving only a few sparse stars twinkling behind the clouds, their faint light seeming to recount endless solitude.

After a long time, Wan Xiangyu sighed lightly in her heart. The sigh was as faint as a wisp of smoke, dissipating into the night.

Some things, once they appear, can never be erased.

Situ Jun's eyes filled with heartache, his deep, hoarse voice, the tenderness of his fingertips, and the scene of their intimacy in the secret chamber were all engraved in her heart, impossible to dispel.

She raised her hand and touched her cheek. The redness and swelling had significantly subsided, leaving only faint marks, which she supposed would completely vanish in a few more days.

But the mark on her heart—the stirring caused by him, the yearning for freedom, the hope of glimpsing light in the darkness—she did not know how long it would take to calm down, or perhaps, it might never calm down.

Wan Xiangyu sighed softly, closed the window, and turned back toward the dressing table.

She picked up the comb and slowly combed her dark, long hair.

The woman in the mirror had eyebrows like distant hills, naturally relaxed; her eyes contained autumn water, clear yet profound. The beauty mark below her eye was still charming and captivating, adding a unique allure to her.

Only deep in her eyes, there was added confusion, struggle, forbearance, and a hint of faint yet stubborn anticipation that she herself had not even noticed...