Chapter 3

Su Yunxi's heart grew colder bit by bit as Shen Qingyun left.

The lover who once filled her heart and eyes has now become someone else's servant under her skirt.

At the later banquet, the surroundings were filled with clinking glasses, but only Su Yunxi was absent-minded.

Shen Qingyun had been gone for a long time, and only returned from outside when the banquet was about to end.

There was still a faint look of satisfaction on his face.

Su Yunxi supported herself on the table to stand up, her legs had become stiff from not moving for so long, and she stumbled a bit as she rose.

Shen Qingyun instantly supported her arm, his expression flustered, "Be careful."

His every move was so cautious, as if he was afraid she'd accidentally get hurt. But who could have guessed that this man, who was once all about her, had just come back from another woman's bed.

What a loving couple, she, Su Yunxi, was simply the most ridiculous woman in all of Shangjing.

Su Yunxi subtly withdrew her hand, "Let's go."

Shen Qingyun didn't know what she was thinking, still attached himself to her, took her hand as he pleased, and spoke gently, "These past few days you haven't looked well, probably because you've been worrying too much after the New Year. You always had an old ailment."

"I say, for now, don't bother with any trivial matters at home. Just leave it to the servants. If that doesn't work, you still have me, don't wear yourself out. I also feel bad seeing you so tired."

As he spoke, he raised his hand to shield Su Yunxi from the bustling crowd.

Someone saw his eagerness to care for his wife and couldn't help but tease, "No wonder they all say 'if you marry, marry Second Brother Shen'. Indeed, Second Brother Shen is truly his wife's slave."

Su Yunxi smelled the fragrance on Shen Qingyun, and coupled with these words, she only felt a bitter ache in her heart.

But Shen Qingyun, accustomed to such words, was evidently pleased, gently patting Su Yunxi's back, with affection in his eyes as he looked at her.

"It's hard-won, the wife I sought, why not pamper a bit more?"

Su Yunxi avoided meeting Shen Qingyun's gaze. His affection wasn't an act. But how much of this gaze was genuine?

When lying in the same bed with Ye Qianqian, what were you thinking? Was it guilt, or were you glad your affair with Ye Qianqian was undiscovered, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds?

The family of three walked to the carriage amid praises from the crowd.

Just before getting into the carriage, Shen Qingyun's confidant hurried over.

Glancing warily at Su Yunxi, then covering his mouth with a hand, he whispered something hastily to Shen Qingyun.

Su Yunxi pretended not to see. She recalled how, a few years ago, when Shen Qingyun's confidant would speak out of her sight, he would scold him, saying she wasn't an outsider.

Now, finally, there were things between him and his confidant that had to be said away from her.

It turned out this marriage had long changed its nature, yet she was so slow to realize it.

"...Tell her to stay put, I'll go see her later," Shen Qingyun frowned.

Su Yunxi lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked at him, "If it's urgent, just go."

Shen Qingyun was startled, seeing his daughter by her side, his tone softened, "It's nothing urgent, it's just a mistake by someone down below."

After speaking, he pretended to be annoyed as he looked at his confidant beside him, "You come to me for such a small matter? Don't you see I'm with my wife?"

The confidant quickly apologized and cautiously asked, "Then... not going?"

Just as Shen Qingyun was about to say yes, a window on the third floor of Zuixiang Building quietly opened halfway.

Then, Ye Qianqian in a red dress appeared behind the window.

At this moment, most of the guests at Bright Moon Building had left, and besides Shen Qingyun, hardly anyone noticed Ye Qianqian on the dimly lit Zuixiang Building.

She wore a cool red dress, exposing a portion of her fair waist, extremely seductive.

Ye Qianqian had always shown a pure and gentle image, this bold and enchanting side was the first time...

Shen Qingyun's throat tightened instantly, and his gaze towards Su Yunxi became evasive.

"Yunxi, I'll head back to the office for a bit. If there's a mistake, I'm afraid the Emperor will blame me."

Su Yunxi's expression didn't change, she glanced at him lightly, "Since it's so important, you should go."

Her indifference sent a streak of unease through Shen Qingyun, "I really have something."

He quickly reached out, grasped Su Yunxi's hand, and rubbed it a few times, "Don't take it to heart, tell me if you want something, I'll bring it later."

Su Yunxi's gaze fell on the lipstick stain on his collar, her tone unchanged, "Your clothes are dirty, remember to find a place to change."

Shen Qingyun nodded repeatedly, "Then be careful on the way back."

After speaking, he lowered the curtain and urged the carriage to go quickly.

As the carriage wheels rolled forward, Su Yunxi couldn't help but turn to lift the rear curtain. As expected, she saw Shen Qingyun heading toward Zuixiang Building.

Su Yunxi stopped the carriage, instructed the maid to take care of her daughter, then turned back and walked toward Bright Moon Building.

She booked a private room in the corner of Bright Moon Building by herself.

This room just happened to have a view of Ye Qianqian's elegant room in Zuixiang Building across the way.

The reason she knew of this place was still because of Ye Qianqian. It was Ye Qianqian who had someone lead her here, opened the window wide, allowing her to witness her own husband live with someone else.

And today she came, just to make herself give up completely.

Unexpectedly, the window that had been shut in Ye Qianqian's room seemed forgotten and left half-open.

So the figures of Ye Qianqian and Shen Qingyun kissing fell directly into her gaze.

Ye Qianqian dressed very boldly today, the red sheer veil covered nothing, and her long hair scattered messily.

She looked exactly like the seductive temptress from a storybook.

Shen Qingyun was so intrigued he wanted to meld her into his body.

The two passionately kissed as they walked inside, their figures disappearing before Su Yunxi's eyes.

Watching the overlapping figures, Su Yunxi's tears blurred her vision, falling in large droplets.

She grew up in Medicine God Valley, immersed in medical practices, thus developed a cold demeanor towards others.

She feared her nature was too cold, but he said he liked her quiet and gentle.

She recalled the day he was imprisoned for refusing a beauty offered by the Emperor.

She pulled strings to see him in jail, and he had been tortured, wounds all over his body.

She felt sorry for him, urged him to relent and accept the two beauties, but Shen Qingyun, trapped inside, looked at her with moist eyes.

His voice was hoarse, every word firm, "Su Yunxi is the only wife I acknowledge in this life, I won't betray you."

"No matter the vast waters, I drink only a dip; no matter how beautiful the flowers outside bloom, I only love you, this one branch, I want nothing else."

"Su Yunxi, since I vowed to be with you forever as one, then even if I shatter to pieces, I won't let you down..."

How moving those vows were.

Especially since back then, Shen Qingyun would truly risk his life for those promises.

However, good things are never solid, the more beautiful something is, the more fragile it is.

Shen Qingyun, you broke your vow.

In the empty private room, Su Yunxi cried for a long time until her makeup was smeared by tears, and the handkerchief was soaked before she supported her weary body and walked toward Shen Mansion.

On the way, she took off the Mandarin Duck Bracelets from her wrists and gave them to a mother and daughter begging by the roadside.

These bracelets were a testament to her youthful love with Shen Qingyun.

And now, the youthful affection had turned foul and repulsive with time, so these bracelets needed not to be kept anymore.

Shen Qingyun, let us settle our debts once and for all.

The next morning.

At breakfast, Shen Qingyun finally returned.

Seeing Su Yunxi's bare wrists, his heart was in his throat, his voice trembling, full of disbelief:

"Yunxi, where is your bracelet?"

That was a bracelet he bought with most of his fortune back then.

A testimony to their many years of feelings.

Su Yunxi had never taken it off in over ten years, so seeing it gone, Shen Qingyun panicked suddenly.