Chapter 23: Chapter 23: A Steadfast Heart

Liang Wan’s heart skipped a beat.

The little maid panted heavily, out of breath. "Cui, Cui Xiaolang."

Her suspended heart settled back down.

Liang Wan looked at the maid coldly. "Where is he?" She truly hadn’t expected that, even after everything that had happened, he still had the sheer audacity to seek her out.

"He is at the door. Would you like to see him, My Lady?"

"My Lady—" Seeing Liang Wan’s expression change the moment she heard Cui Hao had arrived, Qiuxi hurriedly tugged at her sleeve. Disregarding whether she would be scolded, she simply squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out, "You should stay far away from that Cui Xiaolang, My Lady!"

Liang Wan raised an eyebrow. She dismissed the little maid first before turning to look at Qiuxi with great interest. "Why?"

Qiuxi opened her eyes and glanced around before lowering her gaze in utter distress. "My Lady, just listen to me this once. I have always felt that Cui Xiaolang’s intentions are not pure."

To preserve the dignity and reputation of the Liang Mansion, the matter of Chun’er having an illicit affair outside had not been exposed. At present, only she and Mrs. Zhang knew about it within the household. Seeing Qiuxi hesitate like this, Liang Wan did not force her to explain. Instead, she headed straight for the woodshed where Chun’er was locked up. She had intended to deal with this matter anyway, and his arrival now actually made it perfectly convenient.

It had been raining for several days straight, leaving the woodshed damp, cold, and reeking of mildew.

Liang Wan merely stood at the door, lost in thought as she stared at Chun’er, who lay on the ground, battered beyond recognition. When she had spent ten thousand coins to buy her from the human trafficker back then, the girl had looked almost exactly like this. It was said that the trafficker had planned to sell her to a brothel. Upon finding out, she had tried to run away several times, only to be caught and brutally beaten each time. Since the girl was around her own age and looked truly pitiful, Liang Wan had begged Father for permission to buy her.

Hearing the noise, the half-dead figure on the ground weakly opened her eyes and looked over. "My Lady... please, save me."

Chun’er was pretty and stood out among the maids. Because she was normally exempted from heavy labor, she had been raised to be even more delicate than the daughters of ordinary households. Moreover, Liang Wan was never stingy with giving her fine clothes and jewelry. It was only natural that Cui Hao would take a liking to her.

"My Lady." Qiuxi brought over a basin of clean water.

Liang Wan stepped into the room and crouched beside Chun’er. Frowning, she gently brushed aside the girl’s messy hair to reveal the heavily bruised face underneath. The moment she reached out her hand, Qiuxi handed her a washcloth.

Liang Wan sighed. "Chun’er, why did you have to reduce yourself to such a state?" Her clear, watery eyes glistened, and her tone carried an indescribable sense of pity. Her gentle, lovely face was filled with profound sorrow. As she spoke, she used the washcloth to gently wipe away the grime from Chun’er’s face, little by little.

Sensing the kindness and affection of her visitor, Chun’er’s tears instantly welled up. Her cracked lips trembled slightly. "I... I’m sorry, My Lady—" Her voice choked with sobs, full of grievance and remorse. The slight movement of her lips caused more blood to seep out.

When they left the Little Bamboo Pavilion yesterday, she hadn’t been injured this severely. It seemed Feng Qingyue had taken all her anger out on her.

Seeing the blood, Liang Wan curled her lips into a faint smile. "What silly things are you saying?" She stood up and tossed the washcloth onto the ground. Without even looking back, she ordered, "Have someone wash her up and change her into clean clothes. Otherwise, it’s disgusting to look at!"

In the courtyard, the pear blossoms were in full bloom, fragrant and white. Wearing a cloak, Liang Wan sat in the corridor facing the lotus pond. As the spring breeze brushed past, her skirt swayed and her wide sleeves fluttered gracefully. The koi fish in the pond swam leisurely, each one plumper than the last. Liang Wan tossed fish food into the water lazily, drawing the koi into a frantic scramble, which was quite amusing to watch.

"My Lady."

Liang Wan glanced back. Chun’er was being supported by others, barely able to stand steady, but because she had been cleaned up, she looked in better spirits than before. Devoid of the filth and grime, she now possessed an endearing, pitiable charm. Perfect!

"Go invite Cui Xiaolang in."

Liang Wan set the fish food aside and washed her hands before turning around to sit properly, revealing the purple, multi-layered lotus petal designs on the tips of her shoes. Then, she picked up a pale green glazed cup nearby and spoke nonchalantly, "Chun’er, have I ever mistreated you?"

Chun’er’s eyes reddened, and she lowered her head. "You have shown me boundless kindness, My Lady—"

Liang Wan let out a soft laugh. "Then what did I do wrong to breed such dissatisfaction in your heart?"

"You have a gentle temperament, My Lady. You have always been kind to the servants, never beating or scolding us. You didn’t even mind the difference in our statuses. I—" Chun’er only shook her head, choking on her sobs.

Liang Wan gave a quiet, ambiguous laugh—half cold sneer, half mockery.

SMASH. The porcelain cup shattered against the floor, sending tea splashing everywhere.

"So, you just thought you could walk all over me because I’m an easy target?!" Her voice was deep and icy, startling the onlookers. They exchanged bewildered glances. The Third Lady had always been exceptionally sweet-tempered; she had never even raised her voice before. Now, she seemed like an entirely different person.

Liang Wan stood up slowly, her gaze sharp and penetrating. "Still not going to speak?"

Chun’er looked up tremblingly, her lips pale. "I... I—" But after mumbling for a long time, she still said nothing. Tears merely swirled in her eyes, hovering on the verge of falling—a truly pitiful sight.

When she first discovered the secret affair between Chun’er and Cui Hao, Liang Wan had merely assumed that Cui Hao had physical needs, and since Chun’er had reached a marriageable age, it was only a matter of time before undeniable physical attraction took over. Living under the same roof, it was almost inevitable that they would sneak around.

But this time at the Yulin Garden, even knowing it was right under everyone’s noses, Chun’er was still willing to risk everything just to help Cui Hao relieve the effects of his aphrodisiac. Looking at it this way, she had truly underestimated the unwavering steadfastness of their devotion to each other!

"My Lady, I’m sorry..." Chun’er sobbed uncontrollably.

A faint smile graced Liang Wan’s lips, and she nodded gently. "Very well. I will grant your wish and fulfill this deep infatuation of yours."

Chun’er looked at her through a haze of tears. "What do you mean, My Lady?"

Liang Wan merely waved her hand. Qiuxi pulled a small piece of cloth from her sleeve and handed it to Chun’er.

With trembling hands, Chun’er unfolded the cloth. Suddenly, her eyes went wide with sheer shock, and large, bead-like tears rolled down her cheeks. "My... my indenture contract?"

Liang Wan only smiled without saying a word.

At that moment, a maid walked over, leading Cui Hao. If this were in the past, the Liang Mansion would have absolutely forbidden this. But after last night, she figured the household would be too preoccupied to bother with her for a while.

Cui Hao wore a pale blue robe that had been washed until it was slightly faded. He looked exceptionally handsome and refined, with clean-cut features. Perhaps because he was nervous today, his footsteps were somewhat erratic.

Liang Wan shook her head. It was laughable, really. Back then, she had actually been smitten with this unique, unconventional scholar in a blue robe!

Seeing Liang Wan and Chun’er, Cui Hao rushed forward in a stride. He completely lacked his usual refined elegance and looked rather frantic. Liang Wan watched him nonchalantly. In this scenario, she felt like the villain mercilessly tearing two young lovers apart!

Cui Hao tugged at his collar, looking rather awkward. "A... Awan."

Seeing him approach, Qiuxi hurriedly stepped forward to block him. "How bold of you! Are you even worthy of uttering My Lady’s given name?"

Liang Wan lowered her gaze to the shattered porcelain pieces scattered across the floor.

Completely oblivious, Qiuxi continued to snap viciously at Cui Hao, "Stay away from our lady!"

Cui Hao was tall. He reached out and shoved her aside, hastily explaining, "Awan, I truly had my reasons yesterday. It was her who took the opportunity to drug me. You have to know that I only have you in my heart. If it hadn’t been for that aphrodisiac, how... how could I possibly have—" At this point, his face flushed slightly, and his eyes looked extremely innocent. "I was truly set up!"

Liang Wan took a few steps back, sat back in her original seat, and tilted her head as she leaned against the railing to observe him. "Yes, yesterday, Cui Xiaolang was indeed very innocent. You ended up letting my maid sleep with you for free. With looks like yours, I wonder what kind of price you would fetch if you were sold to the Tongle Hall?"

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