Binding Spring Love

It started raining in the capital at dusk. The misty fog and gentle breeze made people want to sleep. Song Wan lay half-lying in the room, smelling the scent of grass outside the window, lost in thought.

A sudden gust of damp air hit her nose, and the slight coolness made her even more irritable.

"Miss, the new bedding and your undergarments are ready..."

Hengzhi stood by the couch, holding a stack of bright red clothes, and softly called out to Song Wan.

Song Wan turned to look at the red dress embroidered with twin lotus flowers, then lowered her eyes and remained silent.

The master and servant remained silent, but Lingyun and Xieyi entered the room, one carrying a large square lacquer tray and the other carrying folded men's clothes.

"Miss Hengzhi, these are the Marquis's things."

Lingyun smiled sweetly, put down Jiang Xingjian's clothes, told the servants to prepare hot water, and then slowly left. Hengzhi pursed her lips and looked at Hengwu, and the two of them lowered their heads at the same time.

Only Granny Zhao knelt with her hands clasped together in the southwest corner, muttering incessant thanks to all the gods and Buddhas in the sky.

Her young lady is finally going to consummate her marriage with the Marquis. If she can give birth to a legitimate son of the Marquis's family, she will have someone to rely on in the future. Even if the Marquis takes three or five more concubines, she will not be afraid of anything.

"Miss, the Marquis has entered the courtyard."

Song Wan stiffened, instinctively clutching her skirt: "Is there any movement from Xiuyan Pavilion?"

Hengzhi shook her head, while Song Wan pursed her lips, looking dazed.

After a long while, she slowly got up and walked towards the bathroom.

The bath was steamy and the fragrance of orchids in the bath water made Song Wan feel irritable. She couldn't help but walk behind the embroidered screen and casually propped up the window.

The dampness outside made her nose and eyes sting.

The rain grew heavier and heavier. Song Wan sat on the embroidered couch, waiting blankly.

When Jiang Xingjian entered the room, only Zhao Mama had a slight smile on her face. Hengzhi and the others had very blank faces, which made him suppress the inexplicable joy in his heart.

"Where is Grandma?"

"The young lady is in the bath room."

Jiang Xingjian's face flushed slightly as he turned and sat on Song Wan's canopy bed.

Several soft pillows were placed on the bed, and perhaps because they were filled with flower petals, a faint fragrance permeated the air.

Jiang Xingjian casually tugged at the newly changed wedding quilt beneath him, his jaw tightening slightly as he suddenly felt a strange tension.

"No need to serve you anymore, you may leave."

Jiang Xingjian spoke in a deep voice, and several maids slowly retreated. Seeing Hengwu's hesitant appearance, Zhao Mama stepped forward and pulled her out.

He was suddenly left alone in the room, the silence unsettling.

There was no sound from the bathroom. Jiang Xingjian knew that she was holding a grudge, so he didn't urge her and just stood quietly outside the door waiting.

Looking at the reflection in the door, Song Wan's eyes reddened slightly.

She and Jiang Xingjian were betrothed since childhood. All the things she learned and did during her twelve years of seclusion were in preparation for becoming a wife in the Jiang family. Even before she was formally educated, she knew that Jiang Xingjian was her husband. In her childhood, she only felt that her future husband was a gentleman, unparalleled in the world.

Therefore, she was willing to remain a widow for six years simply because of a white jade plum blossom hairpin that he had carved himself.

But now...

The figure outside the door remained motionless, and Song Wan gritted her teeth but did not get up.

The two remained silent, facing each other until the rain outside grew heavier and the noisy sound fueled their anger. Only then did Jiang Xingjian lose some patience and gently knock on the door.

"Wan'er?"

Song Wan pursed her lips tightly, remaining silent.

Jiang Xingjian asked anxiously, "Are you alright? If you don't say anything, I'll go in."

As the man approached and was about to push open the door, Hengwu outside shouted at the top of her lungs, "My lord, my lord, Consort Lin is here to see you!"

Upon hearing this, Song Wan suddenly stood up from the embroidered couch, hastily wiped her cheeks, and said, "I'm fine, husband, you can go ahead and attend to your business."

Her tone was urging, which made Jiang Xingjian pause for a moment for no apparent reason.

"My lord, Consort Lin is here looking for you..."

"Take her back to her room."

Jiang Xingjian's forehead creased. Even hearing Lin Jiayue's name now made him feel uneasy. Many times, he wondered if it was worth it to give up Song Wan for that firearm.

Hengwu wanted to say something more, but Jiang Xingjian's eyes were fierce, and she suddenly swallowed back all the words she had in her mouth.

"Open the door."

Jiang Xingjian lost his patience and reached out to pull the door of the bathroom.

But as soon as it was opened half an inch, there was a thud from inside, and it was closed again.

"Song Wan".

Jiang Xingjian's tone was low and somber. Recalling how she had rejected her grandmother's dying words, he grew even angrier. He increased the pressure on his hand and actually pushed the door open.

Song Wan was leaning against the door when he suddenly pushed her back two steps.

She was still wearing her everyday clothes, and all the hairpins on her head were still in place. Jiang Xingjian lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions in them.

She truly didn't want to be close to him...

"Jiang Xingjian".

Just as Song Wan was wondering how to respond, Hengzhi helped Lin Jiayue in.

It was raining heavily outside, and Lin Jiayue was soaked to the bone, standing timidly behind the two of them.

Jiang Jingtong's death made her realize how out of place her actions were. She had imagined the world to be too simple and had beautified many harsh and heavy worldly concepts.

But this came at the cost of two lives.

Lin Jiayue has become extremely thin, and her already large, cat-like eyes now appear even more pitiful.

"Jiang Xingjian, you promised me."

Large tears rolled down her cheeks, burning her heart with pain.

She cannot lose Jiang Xingjian. If she loses Jiang Xingjian, then what will all her actions and the lives of Jiang Jing and Aunt Zhou amount to?

Lin Jiayue stepped forward and took Jiang Xingjian's hand. Jiang Xingjian looked down and saw that she was wearing a thin layer of gauze on her hand.

Song Wan raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over Lin Jiayue's face before she frowned. She didn't see any love in Lin Jiayue's eyes; all she saw was confusion and obsession.

Jiang Xingjian pulled her hand away and said softly, "You're sick. I'll have Hengzhi take you home."

"I'm not going back."

"I can't go back, where can I go back to?"

She was soaked through, and the dripping water formed a circle at her feet, like an invisible shackle that made it hard to escape.

"Jiang Xingjian, keep your promise, and I will keep mine."

Lin Jiayue suppressed a sob and smiled slightly: "Come back to Xiuyan Pavilion with me. I'll take you to see that firearm in five days, how about that?"

Jiang Xingjian's eyes were unreadable. Song Wan gestured to Hengzhi, and after she helped Lin Jiayue put on a clean outer robe, she said softly, "Go prepare an umbrella and escort the Marquis and Consort Lin back to Xiuyan Pavilion."

Lin Jiayue turned around, then suddenly avoided Song Wan's gaze in a flustered and embarrassed manner.

Hengzhi helped Lin Jiayue, while Hengwu deftly held up an umbrella and waited at the door. Jiang Xingjian looked at Song Wan and sneered before helping her out.

The two returned to Xiuyan Pavilion. Jiang Xingjian told her to rest well, but Lin Jiayue took off her clothes and hugged him tightly.

Jiang Xingjian tried to dodge, but Lin Jiayue kissed him on the lips, crying, "Don't go, I have nothing left but you..."

She really can't live without Jiang Xingjian.

Holding the man's slender waist like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood, Lin Jiayue cried as she pulled him onto the daybed and reached out to untie the rope tying the curtains.