Wishing You Eternal Happiness 23
Wishing You Eternal Happiness
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Translation: marchmallow
Chapter 23
Biaomei is like my own sister.
***
Perhaps it had something to do with his childhood infirmities, or perhaps it was because of his mental burdens that, as he grew older, Pei You’an’s sleep quality became poorer and more shallow. Although he was fatigued with journey all through the day, drowsiness completely abandoned him this late at night. After tossing and turning in bed, he simply decided to rouse. Hush and quietude encompassing the room, he lit a lamp and perused an old book when, suddenly, a voice yelling “save A’Fu” penetrated through the partition wall. Faint though the sound was, it was like light piercing through still water. Albeit a hazy image, a very distinct figure immediately flashed in his thoughts.
He recognized with absolute clarity that this was a cry for help from his biaomei from the Zhen family. However, it was hardly worthy of belief. How could she appear here all of a sudden and call out to himself like that? After opening the door, he never would have imagined witnessing such a scene. What took him by even greater surprise was that she darted over and embraced him.
Pei You’an acutely sensed the body in his arms trembling weakly. It seemed that she had not heard the words he had just uttered and was still clinging to him with ardency, evidently frightened to the extreme.
The flesh and fragrance of a beauty enveloped him so suddenly, and such a feeling…… made him rather ill at ease. His heartbeat was a little abnormal, his breathing unsteady, and both his hands quite at a loss as to where to position themselves. But seeing her this terrified, he could not bear to just forcibly push her away. After a brief hesitation, and without any better option, he let her be for the time being, raised his eyes, and locked his sight on the granny from the Prince Manor across from him. “She is my biaomei who has lived in Quanzhou all her life. Who lent you the courage to seize a person under such dubious circumstances and bring her here?”
He had always treated people with equal calm and poise, and his fondness or hatred toward another never manifested in his expression. But right this instant, his pair of keen eyes were as piercing as lightning. His voice was not loud, but it had an implicit sternness to it that was perceptibly provoked by anger.
Before Zhu momo started her journey, she had been urged not to reveal word of this trip, so when she encountered Pei You’an at the entrance, she immediately concealed herself for fear of being noticed. What she never expected was that, although Pei You’an was not the biological brother this girl from the Zhen family had claimed him to be, the two were actually biao relatives. She had spent most of her life honing her skills and stratagem, yet everything fell headlong at the hands of this little demon. That girl seemed honest and sincere, delicate and timid, yet just now, she not only set the room ablaze and almost burned herself to death, but she also cried for Pei You’an to come out.
Now calling to mind her reaction to seeing Pei You’an at the entrance earlier, the woman finally realized that she had been completely fooled.
Zhu momo was furious and somewhat flustered. Compelling herself to calm down, she inched closer, plastered on a saccharine smile, and explained, “Master Pei has misunderstood. How could I dare commit such a crime? I had no idea that she is Master Pei’s biaomei. Just now, she set fire to the room and nearly burned me to death inside, as you, Master Pei, can also see. I only feared that she would disturb others, so I grew anxious. If I have committed an offense, I beseech your magnanimous self for forgiveness. In fact, it is not such a big matter. It is only that a nobleman has requested the pleasure of seeing Young Lady and nothing more. We mean no harm at all, Master Pei can rest assured. Please leave Young Lady to me.”
”Which nobleman?” Pei You’an asked icily.
Zhu momo opened her mouth, only to close it again. Seeing the Zhen girl latching onto Pei You’an and shaking her head at him uncontrollably, she knew that this matter wound up a complete failure.
The Heir’s name must never be mentioned. But since such was the case, how could Pei You’an release that person and hand her over? If she did not return with the person, how would she be able to explain herself?
”Master Pei! Did something happen?”
From the end of the corridor came the voice of the posthouse official.
The chaos just now had also lured the posthouse official over. When he saw fire in the direction of the main room where those people from the Prince Manor were dwelling, he was greatly alarmed and called for others to extinguish the fire. Fortunately, the room was not connected to other rooms, and he had discovered it early, so a conflagration did not follow. As soon as the fire was doused, he hurried to this place and very indistinctly witnessed a woman desperately clinging to Pei You’an. The woman from the Prince Manor was also right there, and it seemed that a conflict had ensued between the two sides. The whole situation seemed rather peculiar. The posthouse official surmised that there ought to be an underlying predicament in the middle, and that it also involved the Prince Manor. Having no desire to stir anything up, he did not dare to approach and only shouted from a distance in the corridor.
When Zhu momo turned her head, she perceived that a lot of people had gathered at the end of the corridor, appearing to have been drawn in by the tumult, and her face turned a little unsightly.
This matter truly culminated in failure. If the events of tonight had leaked to the outside, there was really no way of justifying it.
“There is nothing to see here! It is not too early. Tell the brothers to go and rest!”
Pei You’an raised his voice and responded.
Soon, silence returned at that end of the corridor.
Zhu momo set her mind in order and said, “Master Pei, where it is possible to let people off, one should spare them. You also know that I am acting under orders, so please do not make things difficult……”
”Biaomei is like my own sister. Go back and inform that nobleman that I have taken her away. If he has something to say, he should come to me. I will be waiting in Wuding prefecture.”
Pei You’an interrupted her. He then lowered his head and gently released Jiafu’s arms that still stuck tightly around his waist, assuring her, “Everything is fine. Follow me inside.”
Zhu momo watched him and the Zhen girl turn around and enter the courtyard gate. As the gate closed, the two figures disappeared. She touched her face that ached from varying degrees of burns, gritted her teeth, whipped around, and briskly marched away.
……
Jiafu’s hair was disheveled, and her face was smeared with soot and ash. Her hands tugged at the cloak she had used to cover her body. But even so, she could not conceal her snow-white legs and her pair of naked, jade-like feet with toes so round and dainty. She seemed ashamed to be perceived and tightly curled herself up into a ball. Despite cutting a sorry figure, looking so young and naïve, she still had a rather mysterious charm to her.
The originally solitary room soon became lively because of the addition of such a maiden.
Pei You’an averted his gaze, his voice a little dry, “Do you still have clothes over there? I will first ask someone to fetch them for you.”
Although she had already escaped danger, Jiafu was still suffering from the shock. Hearing him inquire about her clothes, she suddenly felt a blast of cold wind flutter upward from under the cloak. Overcome with incomparable shame, she firmly pressed her two legs close together. With a woebegone look on her face, she replied, “That woman had taken all my clothes away every night to prevent me from escaping. The fire just now should have reduced them all to ashes……”
Pei You’an paused for a while. He then fetched a heavy outer coat of his own and placed it on the side. He said nothing and only turned his back.
Jiafu understood. Enduring the humiliation welling up in her heart, she trudged over and took his clothes. She discarded the cloak, which had a length that did not suffice to cover her body, and went outside to don his clothes. She tightened its lapels and tied the belt. Although quite voluminous, the garments at least reached to her feet.
She gingerly said, “I am better.”
Only then did Pei You’an turn around. His eyes swept to her direction once again, and he then gestured for her to sit down.
Jiafu stole a glance at him and noticed that his countenance had reverted to its usual stoicism. She obediently took a seat with both her hands arranged rather scrupulously on her lap, remaining totally still.
“What happened just then?” He asked.
Jiafu recounted everything, from Xiao Yintang taking liberties with her on their way out of the city, to the accident that broke out at Mazu Temple that day. While she was narrating the events, Pei You’an listened without interjecting. He maintained his silence until Jiafu finished speaking. After which, he only faced the other way, paced languidly towards the window, and gazed out of it, rather pensive in his manner.
Jiafu peered at his rear figure and gradually felt unease creeping up in her heart.
Because he had aided her in her previous life, she naturally believed it to be a matter of course for him to help her this time around as well.
Indeed, he had just done what she had conjectured he would do and finally extricated herself from the peril. However, this affair had obviously not reached its end. Furthermore, on account of his position, this also ought to be a very challenging matter for him.
Jiafu bit her lip, slowly rose to her feet, and softly asked, “Da Biaoge, have I made things difficult for you?”
Pei You’an turned to look at her. Seeing her eyes wide open and her gaze firmly fixed on himself, he smiled faintly at her and consoled, “It is no bother. You have nothing to fear. I will handle everything.”
”I promise to send you home safely. Such a thing will never happen again.”
He added with an emphatic tone of voice.
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