The footsteps were light and orderly, stopping just outside the door. Then, Shen Wuzheng’s gentle voice sounded through the door: "Ruyi."
Upon hearing his voice, Shang Ruyi felt a joy in her heart.
She was about to respond, but Yu Wenye, who was close to her, had already darkened his expression and said with somber eyes, "Elder brother, it’s late, we are about to rest."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi was suddenly anxious, frowning at him.
The person outside the door didn’t leave imdiately upon hearing this, but paused before saying, "But I just heard Ruyi’s voice, she’s not asleep yet, is she?"
Yu Wenye furrowed his brow, wanting to say more, but at this mont, Shang Ruyi didn’t give him the chance and imdiately said, "Brother, I haven’t gone to bed yet."
With that, she pushed him away.
Yu Wenye stumbled back two steps. When he looked up again, Shang Ruyi had already turned and opened the door.
Shen Wuzheng was standing outside. At this mont, the moon hung high, and the bright moonlight shone on his fair face, revealing a different kind of gentleness compared to the serene restraint of the day. Especially when he saw Shang Ruyi, his eyes seed to light up even more.
However, when he looked up at Yu Wenye behind Shang Ruyi, a shadow flitted across his eyes.
He clearly heard the two of them speaking right by the door — soone about to rest wouldn’t be standing at the doorway.
Moreover, there seed to be an unusual atmosphere lingering between the two inside the room.
At this point, Shang Ruyi seed to sense sothing too. She instinctively reached out to smooth the clothes on her body that had beco sowhat disordered during their earlier entanglent and forced a smile, saying, "Brother, were you looking for ?"
Shen Wuzheng looked at Yu Wenye, then at Shang Ruyi, and said with a smile, "I have sothing I want to say to you."
This was exactly what she wanted to hear.
Shang Ruyi quickly replied, "Alright, let’s—"
She turned her face, and although she only caught a glimpse of Yu Wenye’s figure behind her from the corner of her eye, she seed to feel the oppressive atmosphere emanating from him that made it hard to breathe, so she imdiately said, "Let’s talk outside; it’s a bit stuffy in here."
With that, she turned back and said, "I’ll go for a walk with brother, you—rest first."
After speaking, she turned and hurried out.
Because the monastery was small, after walking out of the room, they walked a bit more and reached the front courtyard. At this ti, the monks were in the main hall of the monastery having evening classes, and the sound of their low recitations of Buddhist scriptures could be heard in the quiet night, with the scent of sandalwood in the air adding to the tranquility of the night.
It was only then that Shang Ruyi let out a long sigh of relief.
Turning back, she saw Shen Wuzheng quietly following behind her, his gentle gaze always on her back, like a soft hand caressing over her, easing the pain in her heart and body considerably.
Just as Shang Ruyi was about to say sothing, she heard the sound of the monks reciting in the main hall and feared disturbing them. Shen Wuzheng seed to share the sa concern, so they both turned simultaneously and walked along the corridor to the side hall.
As they walked, she whispered, "Brother, what did you want to say to ?"
Walking beside her, Shen Wuzheng asked, "Are you doing alright?"
It was a gentle question and one that was fitting after siblings had been apart for a long ti, yet for so reason, upon hearing it, Shang Ruyi’s heart involuntarily quivered.
She instinctively bowed her head, avoiding Shen Wuzheng’s gaze.
"I—"
But before she could finish, Shen Wuzheng continued, "It’s easy for you to keep things from . After all, we’ve been apart for so long that I can’t fully understand what has happened to you. Even if I could figure out what happened, I can’t know how you feel inside. I just hope that my little sister is truly well, and if not, at least don’t deceive your brother."
"..."
The words she wanted to say could no longer co out after hearing his.
Shang Ruyi suddenly felt a lump in her throat. When she tried to speak again, her voice was almost choked with emotion, and she softly said, "Brother, don’t say that."
Upon seeing her continued reluctance to be open, Shen Wuzheng sighed lightly and then said, "I am already aware that Duke Sheng has supported the new emperor. How could I not know about the Supre Emperor, who is respected from afar in Jiangdu Palace?"
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s breathing montarily stopped, and her feigned calm expression instantly shattered.
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