Yu Wenye quietly watched her. Although the light was dim, for so reason, his eyes seed a bit brighter than usual.
"Then what do you an?"
"I—"
Shang Ruyi’s face almost burned up, and just as she didn’t know how to respond, a very light knocking sound ca from outside the door, and then she heard Shen Wuzheng softly say, "Ruyi, are you asleep?"
As soon as Yu Wenye heard this, he imdiately furrowed his eyebrows.
anwhile, Shang Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief—saved!
She hurried over to open the door, seeing Shen Wuzheng standing at the doorway, looking at her gently, "Not asleep yet?"
"No, brother, do you need sothing from ?"
"It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, I have so things to talk to you about. Are you going to rest now?"
After so much had happened tonight, Shang Ruyi wasn’t sleepy at all at this mont. Moreover, given the situation in the room, it was even more awkward for her to stay in the sa room with Yu Wenye, so she quickly said, "Actually, I can’t sleep either, I want to talk to you, brother."
"That’s good,"
Shen Wuzheng said, "Then, co to my room."
Saying this, he turned to leave, but seed to feel a sharp gaze on his back. He turned around, looked at Yu Wenye standing in the room, and calmly said, "Young Master Yu Wen, I have so words to say with my sister, so I won’t disturb your rest."
Shang Ruyi also turned back to glance, wanting to say sothing more, but in the end, she was too embarrassed and just nodded quickly before leaving.
Shen Wuzheng’s room was next door, and when she walked in, it was much like her own room.
Only, in the center of the room on a low table, besides a candlestick, there were two earthenware cups filled with water.
Shang Ruyi walked over and sat down facing him.
It was only at this mont that Shang Ruyi barely cald her earlier embarrassnt and her racing heartbeat. She took a sip of water from a cup and then looked up to see Shen Wuzheng carefully observing her through the candlelight with a smile.
Shang Ruyi smiled, "Brother, what are you looking at?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "Seeing if my little sister has changed after getting married."
Shang Ruyi pursed her lips and smiled, raising her face for him to see clearly, "What’s different?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "You look haggard."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat.
She instinctively lowered her head, saying with a complex expression, "After running such a long road overnight, I’m indeed a bit tired."
Shen Wuzheng said, "The haggardness I’m talking about is not from tiredness."
"..."
"I think you’re not happy."
"..."
"Ruyi, be honest with , is Yu Wenye good to you?"
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi felt a wave of bitterness flooding her heart, a burning sensation in her eyes that nearly overflowed. She quickly lowered her head to hide her vulnerability at that mont, and with a smile, said, "Brother, how can you ask like that!"
Shen Wuzheng said, "I only care about this, why can’t I ask this way?"
Shang Ruyi was silent for a while, then said, "He is good to ."
Shen Wuzheng fixed his bright gaze on her, "Really?"
Shang Ruyi took a deep breath, then looked up at him with a smile, "Everyone knows that coming here to save uncle and aunt is to defy the world, yet he was still willing to bring his people to accompany . If he wasn’t good to , how could he do this?"
"..."
Hearing this, Shen Wuzheng’s expression slightly relaxed.
But he didn’t show a relieved or even pleased expression.
He placed one hand on the table holding the water cup, but didn’t take a sip for a long ti. After a prolonged silence, he let out a long sigh, then looked up at Shang Ruyi softly saying, "My Ruyi has grown up after all."
"..."
"I just didn’t expect, you’d reach the age of marriage so soon."
Shang Ruyi smiled, "I can’t remain a child forever."
Shen Wuzheng’s gaze flickered slightly, suddenly reaching over to tousle her hair, "I wish you could be a child forever."
Even though she felt she had matured enough since becoming a wife, when her brother tousled her hair like that, a childlike temperant surged up once more. Shang Ruyi even felt sowhat bittersweet, thinking if she could truly remain unmarried for a lifeti, staying with uncle and aunt, staying by her brother’s side, that would be wonderful.
In this way, could she always be as happy as she was when young, without tasting the bitterness of emotions?
But now—
Fearing her thoughts might be seen through, she forced a smile, quickly changing the topic, "Brother, what are your plans next?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "What are your plans?"
"We should be returning to Luoyang tomorrow."
"Then take care on your way. I will go with our parents to Lingnan."
As soon as Shang Ruyi heard this, she imdiately said, "Brother, you have to go?"
Shen Wuzheng nodded, "Although the officers escorting them won’t trouble them, the road is long and winding, and the situation worsens the further south we go. My presence will at least spare them so suffering."
"..."
"Moreover, I’ll only be at ease after seeing the situation in Lingnan with my own eyes."
"..."
"Once I’ve settled them in, I’ll find ti to return and reunite with you."
"..."
Shang Ruyi looked at him sadly, having thought that his return this ti ant a family reunion, only for this unexpected event to arise. Shen Wuzheng didn’t even have ti to make a trip ho, yet he had to accompany uncle and aunt to Lingnan.
Shang Ruyi quietly said, "I also want to..."
Shen Wuzheng imdiately responded, "Don’t even think about it!"
"Brother..."
"Though I have reservations about your marriage—but now, staying in Luoyang is the best choice for you. Lingnan is a place of miasma, even if you wanted to go, I wouldn’t let you!"
"Brother..."
Shang Ruyi also knew that though her brother usually doted on her, when it ca to matters of her safety, no amount of coaxing would work. Moreover, given her circumstances, she indeed couldn’t accompany her uncle and aunt to Lingnan as Young Madam of the Duke Mansion, so she could only reluctantly nod in agreent.
Thinking it over, she asked, "By the way, brother, is your return this ti for a break, or have you completed your studies and co back for good?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "I have completed my studies."
"So, you won’t return to Mr. Li’s after this ti? What are your plans for the future, brother?"
"What do you an by plans?"
"For example, do you want to enter officialdom, or—"
Shen Wuzheng’s eyes twinkled, looking at her, "Do you want to enter officialdom?"
Shang Ruyi imdiately shook her head like a rattledrum, "No!"
Seeing her like this, Shen Wuzheng imdiately laughed, resting a hand on the table, lightly tapping his fingers on it, "I previously received a letter from Mother, ntioning you once advised Father to retire and return to the countryside. Ruyi, you seem to have little faith in the court."
Shang Ruyi looked at him, "Brother, do you?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Wuzheng’s gentle eyes imdiately beca deep and profound.
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