Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Madam Zhang had rushed to say all that not because she wanted to speak up for Ji Hanyi, but because she did not want Ji Hanyi’s divorce to affect her own daughter.

She had also made a point of mentioning that Marquis Shen had upheld justice in the matter. Since it had been handled by the Shen Family, her daughter certainly could not be implicated because of it.

Old Madam Shen paused upon hearing this and looked at Ji Hanyi. “You and the Xie Family have divorced?”

She had wondered what sort of favor Ah Si had done for them. It turned out he had helped Ji Hanyi secure a divorce.

Since Old Madam Shen had asked, Ji Hanyi promptly explained how the Xie Family had signed a written pledge back then promising not to take concubines. The Xie Family had indeed been the first to break their word.

Old Madam Xie gave Ji Hanyi a long, searching look before nodding. “In that case, the Xie Family was at fault.”

A divorce was a painful wound, after all, so Old Madam Shen did not question her further. First Madam Shen stepped in to smooth things over and changed the subject, bringing the matter to an end.

At noon, Old Madam Shen invited Gu Wanyun and the others to stay for lunch. First Madam Shen suggested inviting a few more people to make the meal livelier, including the eldest uncle’s household from across the way. Old Madam Shen cast Madam Bai a mild glance. “Let’s keep it simple.”

First Madam Shen was adept at reading the room and immediately dropped the subject. She privately chided herself for speaking out of turn when nothing had been settled yet.

After lunch, Madam Zhang brought Gu Wanyun over to take their leave. Old Madam Shen merely nodded without asking them to stay, then instructed the servants to see them out.

But as she watched Ji Hanyi’s retreating figure, she could not help letting out a long sigh.

No wonder Ah Si had refused to tell her what favor he had done for the Gu Family. He must have feared that if he told her, she would not invite the Gu Family over, and he would lose the chance to see the young lady of the Ji Family under a proper pretext.

But why did he have to take an interest only after the woman had married and divorced?

First Madam Shen, meanwhile, went out with them all smiles and personally escorted them part of the way.

Richly dressed and followed by a crowd of female attendants, First Madam Shen was poised and socially adept. She smiled the entire way and showed Gu Wanyun the utmost concern, attending to every courtesy flawlessly.

First Madam Shen’s status was hardly low. Every master in Shen Residence stood above those in Gu Residence. Madam Zhang naturally understood why such a woman would treat them with such courtesy.

She was delighted and smug in equal measure. Her daughter had won Old Madam Shen’s favor, and now even the dignitaries of Shen Residence were coming to ingratiate themselves with her.

If her daughter truly married into the family in the future, how many more people would come to curry favor with her?

First Madam Shen’s attentiveness also put Madam Zhang even more at ease. If the Shen Family had no intention of arranging this marriage, would First Madam Shen really be so solicitous?

Although First Madam Shen belonged to the First Branch, First Master Shen was not Old Madam Shen’s biological son. He was merely a concubine-born son of the Former Chief Grand Secretary’s elder brother. How could his future standing compare to Marquis Shen’s? Or to that of the Marchioness? Naturally, First Madam Shen had to be especially attentive.

With that in mind, Madam Zhang became even warmer and more gracious. The two women exchanged compliments all the way to the intersection.

First Madam Shen took a box from the elderly maidservant beside her and smilingly placed it in Gu Wanyun’s hands, saying it was merely a small token of her regard and asking her to accept it. Gu Wanyun naturally felt it would be improper to take it. After several rounds of polite refusal, however, she was unable to turn First Madam Shen down and finally accepted it.

Just as they were saying their farewells, a man’s voice suddenly called out, “Mother.”

Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a young man. He wore a blue-green, round-collared robe fastened to the right, with a black-bear rank badge on his chest. A silver belt circled his waist, from which hung an identity plaque and a saber. He was tall and slender, with a young, handsome face.

As the man approached, even those who had not recognized him understood his identity from how he had addressed First Madam Shen.

When First Madam Shen saw Shen Changling coming over, she asked, “Are you done at the barracks?”

Shen Changling gave an affirmative hum, but his gaze was fixed on Ji Hanyi.

He had spotted her at once and found her exceptionally familiar. After thinking for a moment, he finally remembered who she was, and a smile rose to his face.

So she was the woman he had seen last time.
A flicker of delight rose in Shen Changling’s heart. After Fifth Uncle had given him that look last time, he had abandoned the idea of asking about her. He had never expected to run into her again here.

His gaze traveled over Ji Hanyi’s shapely figure, and an intense sense of familiarity came over him.

He spent most of his time in the military camp. Although he had seen his share of women, this one was especially pleasing to his eye, and he could not help stealing a few more glances.

First Madam Shen did not notice where her son was looking. She was busy exchanging pleasantries with Madam Zhang, and once they were finished, the encounter came to an end.

Ji Hanyi, however, sensed the gaze fixed upon her. She raised her eyes slightly and met Shen Changling’s stare. When she saw him looking directly at her, she faltered, then lowered her lashes and moved behind Madam Zhang.

Judging by his age, Ji Hanyi had a vague impression of him, though she could not be sure it was the same person. Either way, it was not a pleasant memory.

Only after seeing Ji Hanyi’s reaction did Shen Changling realize how brazenly he had been staring. He hastily looked away and stood meekly beside his mother.

Once the pleasantries were over, Madam Zhang and the others departed. Shen Changling kept turning to look at that simply dressed figure from behind. The more he looked, the more familiar she seemed.

Her gait was graceful, and her glossy black hair was adorned with a single, plain silver hairpin. Everything about her was ordinary, yet he could not tear his eyes away. How could anyone be so serene, like still water?

His heart warmed, and he immediately began asking his mother about her.

Shen Changling was First Madam Shen’s youngest son. He had never cared much for his studies as a boy and had entered the military camp at thirteen. Now twenty, he still rarely stayed home, preferring to spend his days outside with the other scions of distinguished families who served in the army.

Although he was now a Company Commander in the Central Army Camp, he owed the position to his family’s connections. He had not grown much steadier despite the rank.

Madam Bai cast Shen Changling a sidelong glance and continued walking. After a moment, she smiled and said, “Have you forgotten? You met her when you were little.”

Shen Changling stared blankly at his mother. “When did I meet her?”

Madam Bai replied, “She’s the daughter of the Ji Family. When she was little, she often came with her father to visit your grandfather. How could you not have met her?”

Shen Changling stopped dead in his tracks, his entire body going rigid.

So that woman was the timid little white dumpling from his childhood.

Shen Changling had indeed met Ji Hanyi several times as a child. He had first seen her when he was around six or seven. She had been so fair, soft, and chubby that the sight of her made him want to give her a good squeeze.

One day when he was eight, he saw Fifth Uncle send her out of his courtyard. She crouched by the wall, using a twig to scribble strange shapes in the dirt. Shen Changling happened upon her there. Seeing that tiny bundle who looked like a lump of soft white dough, he was seized by a sudden impulse. He dragged her into his room and vigorously kneaded her fair, tender face, round as the full moon.

She truly was as soft as a little snowball and every bit as squeezable as he had imagined. He even planted two noisy kisses on her for good measure.

Shen Changling had been immensely satisfied, but he frightened her so badly that she burst into loud sobs. Her crying scared him in turn. No matter what he did, he could not coax her to stop, and he was afraid of being blamed. In the end, he dragged her to the back garden, abandoned her there, and ran away.

That evening, he heard that everyone in the residence had been searching for her. They did not find her until after dark, crouched inside the rockery after crying herself unconscious. His father kicked him twice, and Fifth Uncle forbade him from ever approaching his courtyard again.

Shen Changling regretted it afterward. He planned to apologize the next time Ji Hanyi visited, but from then on, whenever she spotted him from a distance, she either hid in her father’s arms or ran straight to Fifth Uncle’s courtyard.

Perhaps she had been deliberately avoiding him. Between that and his father seizing him and forcing him to study, he somehow never saw her again.

So it was her.