Young widow in her boudoir

"you!"

Xie Rutang was stunned speechless by his teasing words. How could he say such a thing so openly!

Of course she had experienced it herself; she knew how fierce he was, how strong he was, how much he could sweat in one night, and how he had to take another shower the next morning before going to court.

He never belonged to her in the first place.

She only borrowed him for a month; he was staying at the Shen residence, and she lured him there with soup and broth. He was never someone she could even dream of.

Xie Rutang felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. He was leaving tomorrow, yet all he could think about was this. She angrily cursed, "Shameless!"

Pei Zhiheng stared at her coldly, extremely displeased that she hadn't even glanced at him after entering the main hall today. "I have even more shameless acts to share. Do you want to see them?"

"Or perhaps I was too gentle with you in bed, and you didn't remember it well enough?"

Xie Rutang trembled.

She dared not forget, and believed he truly could do it.

His hand pressed her down, preventing her from escaping. "Do you know how much he misses you?"

Fifteen minutes later, Xie Rutang's hands ached as if she had been painting for an hour, and she walked out of the bamboo forest with a flushed face.

Pei Zhiheng followed closely behind, his robes spotless.

Xie Rutang retorted, "Are you a dog? You're in heat everywhere you go!"

Pei Zhiheng had already brought over a lantern.

His lantern was a silk lantern specially made for the Pei family. It was made of precious materials and was exquisitely crafted. When it was gently shaken, light shone through countless small holes, like a myriad of stars, magnificent and dazzling. Xie Rutang usually had no access to this precious silk lantern.

Seeing that his Chang Sui Yue sword was guarding nearby, and that the Luo Bo lantern he had just sent was also from him, she knew that she and Pei Zhiheng had a secret rendezvous in this bamboo forest.

Xie Rutang's face flushed red again, her neck and the roots of her ears glowing with a cherry blossom-like color, breathtakingly beautiful, like a shy, drooping flower. Pei Zhiheng's eyes darkened at the sight, and a strange sensation flowed through his abdomen.

The moonlight shone like silk, and Pei Zhiheng could see clearly without a lantern. He had prepared this lantern for her, in case she tripped and fell while walking.

Pei's mother and Shen's mother are both at Shou'an Hall nearby. They haven't left yet, and he's acting so recklessly! How can he be so domineering, doing whatever he wants without any regard for the consequences? Xie Rutang was furious, but she was helpless against him. She had just punched his chest with her hand, but he was like an impenetrable wall, not feeling any pain at all.

Yue Jian was no longer following, but Xie Rutang still felt ashamed, so she took the silk lamp from his hand and walked away.

He was satisfied and gently instructed, "Walk slowly, don't fall."

Pei Zhiheng paced slowly behind her, watching her back.

Her waist was as slender as a willow branch, and her black hair was as smooth as satin.

He stayed at the Shen residence and, by a twist of fate, developed a relationship with her. Pei Zhiheng had already tacitly agreed to end the relationship and not pursue it any further.

His eyes turned cold. "You're really not coming tomorrow morning?"

Xie Rutang stared at the footprints on the ground, not turning her head, "I'm not going."

Pei Zhiheng looked at her intently. "Okay."

He wondered when they would meet again. He was momentarily lost in thought, knowing he would become increasingly busy.

Xie Rutang only wanted to wash her hands. She carried a lantern, found a well in the woods, drew water, squatted down, put the lantern aside, and bent down to wash her hands.

Pei Zhiheng stood in the shadow of a tree not far away, his gaze quietly falling on her as he watched her scoop up water from the well. Even the way she washed her hands was more beautiful than that of an ordinary woman.

The lantern rested on the bluestone of the well, its dim yellow light spreading out in circles, softening her lowered profile. The well water shattered the lantern's reflection, which was gently rippled by the wind, creating a shower of golden fragments.

Pei Zhiheng felt a sudden warmth in his heart, and he could no longer suppress the urge to protect her. He went over and took her hand, condescending to help her wash it.

Xie Rutang stiffened, instinctively trying to pull her hand back, but he held her even tighter, their fingers intertwined.

He first scooped up a handful of water and gently covered her hand, carefully rinsing away the lingering scent between her fingers. His face remained as cold and hard as ever; even a baby would be frightened and cry in the middle of the night upon seeing his menacing face.

Looking at his straight nose, Xie Rutang's heart calmed down. Although he was domineering and tough, he also had his gentle moments.

How many women in his life could make him bend down and help him wash his hands?

Xie Rutang thought again that she would never enjoy his warmth and protection again. Even though she didn't like him and knew that it was a mutually beneficial arrangement, she still felt inexplicably empty inside.

A moment between people is enough; she couldn't be greedy. He was gone, and she still had to continue guarding Shen Yuan, living a life as stagnant as an ancient well.

The well water was cool, but his palms were warm, his rough fingertips gently brushing against her knuckles.

At that moment, Pei Zhiheng implicitly considered her as his woman, not Yuan Cheng's wife.

Tonight, his profile was much more handsome than usual, and his shoulders were broad and reliable. Xie Rutang stared at his face under the moonlight, lost in thought, and stared for a long time as if possessed.

She had always known that when Pei Zhiheng rescued her from the river on the mountain, he was young and had some feelings for her.

However, she resolutely chose Shen Yuan and married into the Shen family, never expecting that she would become a widow and regret it.

Pei Zhiheng's initial affection for her faded over time, and he no longer felt anything for her.

She thought sadly, if she had chosen Pei Zhiheng instead of the prematurely deceased Shen Yuan, would the ending have been different?

Such thoughts, however, were like an inescapable demon, relentlessly dragging her downwards. Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs," and one shouldn't be too greedy.

Xie Rutang's gaze was as if it had been burned, and she quickly looked away; she couldn't look anymore.

After cleaning up, Pei Zhijin held her hand in the cold wind, no longer angry, and his face was no longer frightening. Instead, he took her hand one last time and gave her a final touch of warmth, saying, "Keep the jewelry and clothes I gave you. Don't be reluctant to use them."

"That's not enough. Send someone to the Pei residence to deliver a letter to me."

However, let's not see each other again.

But Pei Zhiheng stopped himself from saying those words.

He didn't say it aloud, but he believed she understood.

He will leave tomorrow.

The night was quiet, with only the chirping of autumn insects.

His palms were large, even larger than Shen Yuan's, and they could just cover her fingers with room to spare.

Xie Rutang's nose stung even more.

She was willing to accept it all, yet she felt she was being pretentious and disgusted with herself.

She sniffed, her eyes gradually clearing. If she was going to break up, she would do it cleanly. She wanted him to know that she could take things in stride and was not the kind of woman who would only shed tears in the face of trouble and could not survive without a man.

Otherwise, even she would look down on herself.

Xie Rutang closed her eyes, banishing the lingering attachment in her heart.

She and he were both at peace, and she also had her painting shop to run. With the world so vast around her, Xie Rutang believed that she, as a woman, could live a good life.

She should listen to Mr. Xiao's advice and gradually pave the way in the circle of wealthy ladies and their wives, sell her paintings, and actually hold onto the money, instead of getting bogged down in things that are neither here nor there.

Xie Rutang's eyes were clear and bright, and she suddenly felt a sense of clarity.