The door was shut, yet the musty smell seeped in, permeating the air and filling their nostrils.
Su Xiaoqi felt nauseous.
She wanted to leave this place immediately.
She couldn't stand to stay another moment.
Sensing her thoughts, Shen Yun took her hand and led her out of the courtyard.
Xiao Jia quickly extinguished the lantern and hurried over to see them off.
“Xiao Jia, attend to your duties diligently. Listen more, observe more, speak less.”
Xiao Jia bowed his head in response. “Yes, benefactor.”
Shen Yun said in a low voice, “Stop calling me benefactor. It was just a small favor.”
But Xiao Jia refused, shaking his head stubbornly. “Benefactor…”
“Enough, it’s late. We’re leaving.”
With that, Shen Yun pulled Su Xiaoqi and left without looking back.
Xiao Jia was left holding the extinguished lantern, watching their blurry figures recede until they completely blended into the darkness, becoming indistinguishable.
Only then did he turn to close the courtyard gate, sighing at the vast storeroom.
Su Xiaoqi and Shen Yun remained silent on their way.
It wasn't until they were on the mule cart that Su Xiaoqi asked, “How did you find that place?”
“Xiao Jia was there all along. He’s a shop assistant at Su Ji Grain Store.” Shen Yun’s voice was flat, devoid of any discernible emotion.
Yet, Su Xiaoqi could sense his suppressed anger.
Indeed, although Shen Yun was an unscrupulous and powerful minister, he would not act in ways that harmed the interests of ordinary people.
The novel described him as upright; even when competing with rivals, he wouldn't resort to such actions.
“Then why does he call you benefactor?” Su Xiaoqi was curious.
Xiao Jia’s attitude towards Shen Yun was exceedingly respectful.
It was more than that of a subordinate, it surpassed it.
“A year ago, his mother fell ill, and he had no money for treatment, so he sold himself by the roadside.
I happened to be passing by and casually gave him some silver.
Later, his mother recovered, and he found me, saying he wanted to sell himself to me.
But you know, even our own family members are not well-fed. How could I afford to support another mouth? So I told him to find his own way to make a living in this county town.
By chance, he ended up at Su Ji Grain Store.”
Su Xiaoqi was a little disbelieving. “Was it really just by chance?” Wasn’t it Shen Yun’s arrangement?
The novel mentioned that Shen Yun had indeed dealt with the Su family.
Because Su Xiaoqi had caused the deaths of his family members, he harbored a deep-seated hatred for the Su family, extending it to her by association.
Without the Su family, Su Xiaoqi would never have married into his family, and all subsequent events would not have transpired.
He was a man who believed that hatred should not be harbored overnight.
Therefore, before he passed the imperial examinations and headed to the capital for the final exam, he had already taught the Su family a lesson.
The Su family suffered a great blow, nearly collapsing, but Su Xiaoqi could no longer recall how the Su family had managed to salvage the situation.
Perhaps by sending their own daughter to Shen Yun’s side to become his concubine, or how…
Su Xiaoqi shook her head, a sudden sense of fear towards Shen Yun arising in her heart.
She didn’t believe Xiao Jia had found out about this purely by coincidence.
From her understanding of Shen Yun, she suspected this was a result of his meticulous planning and foresight.
A year ago was precisely the time when Shen Yun and the Su family had revisited the marriage proposal and were in the process of discussing it.
It seemed Shen Yun had never trusted the Su family.
He probably knew about her true identity long before she confessed it.
Otherwise, when she revealed her identity on the mule cart earlier, he couldn’t have been so calm, not even raising an eyebrow, nor showing the slightest surprised glance.
“You knew all along?” Su Xiaoqi asked, unable to hold back.
“What?” Shen Yun looked down at her.
“You knew I was impersonating the Su family’s young lady long ago.” Su Xiaoqi raised her voice, her tone carrying an anger she herself hadn't realized.
If Shen Yun had known from the beginning, then all the acts she put on to conceal her identity would have been a joke in front of him.
And Shen Yun was the sole audience.
Thinking about it, Su Xiaoqi became enraged.
Shen Yun neither admitted nor denied it, merely raising his hand to cup her chin and say seriously,
“What happened before is in the past. Let’s not mention it again, alright?”
He not only knew she wasn't the Su family’s young lady, but he also knew she wasn't the real Su Xiaoqi at all.
But how could he dare to say this?
He could accept her as anyone, as long as she was her.
However, Xiaoqi’s inner thoughts told him that she didn’t want him to know so many of her secrets.
He didn’t want to scare her away; that was all, nothing to do with schemes.
“You were the one watching the play, and I was like a fool. Of course, you can choose not to mention it.” Su Xiaoqi was very angry.
She felt all her self-respect had vanished in front of him.
She was like a laughingstock. Wasn’t it true that every time she lied to cover up her identity, the way he looked at her always felt strange?
Just like now.
A storm lantern was lit by the side of the mule cart, and in its dim light, she could clearly see Shen Yun’s expression at this moment.
It was as usual.
Su Xiaoqi’s heart stirred, and she mumbled, “What else… do you know?”
She had a feeling that Shen Yun knew far more than this.
But his lips were tighter than anything; if he didn't want to say something, no one could pry it out of him.
“I know what I need to know, but I just don’t know if you’re willing to spend your life with me?” Shen Yun’s voice suddenly turned gentle, his gaze fixed on her with deep affection.
Su Xiaoqi was stunned.
Outside, it was pitch black. The early autumn night had lost the lingering heat of summer, carrying a slight chill that made one instinctively shiver.
Shen Yun, seizing the moment, drew her into his arms, resting her on his right arm. He lowered his head, gazing at her, quiet and earnest.
Su Xiaoqi was left speechless by his smooth maneuver, momentarily bewildered.
Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?
She couldn’t help but ask herself in surprise.
“Silly Xiaoqi, you are my wife. Have you forgotten? Together, today is your birthday. I made a vow of eternal love with you.”
As Shen Yun spoke, he raised his left hand, took a hairpin from his embrace, and tucked it into her hair.
This was not the first gift Su Xiaoqi had received from him, but never before had the atmosphere been so intimate.
Shen Yun rested one hand on his thigh, stroking her neck and supporting her head.
With his other hand, he placed the hairpin in her hair, his fingers naturally stopping on her cheek, the thin calluses on his fingertips gently caressing her skin.
It sent a tingling sensation through her, both itchy and pleasant.
His gaze was dark and profound, locked onto her eyes, gazing into them deeply.
He leaned down, coming from against the light, and Su Xiaoqi’s breath hitched for a moment.
She pursed her lips tightly, instinctively holding her breath until her heart ached and her breathing quickened, only then did she react.
Her beauty had taken its toll, leaving her so flustered.
She opened her mouth to breathe, but Shen Yun, like a leopard patiently waiting for its prey, suddenly pounced, accurately capturing her lips.
His teeth moved gently, unhesitatingly prying open her rosy lips.
Su Xiaoqi was about to struggle when she saw him merely transferring a breath to her.
Su Xiaoqi was now completely trapped by Shen Yun. She murmured, “I knew it would be like this…”