REM • CH012

# Chapter 12

Shen Xinyan had actually been waiting for Wei Junhang’s reaction. The sudden replacement of those who attended him with unfamiliar faces could not possibly escape his notice, yet he had said nothing, leaving her unable to read his mind.

Until the following day, when Wei Junhang presented her with an exquisite embroidered box, his eyes shining brightly, full of anticipation.

Shen Xinyan felt her heart flutter under his intense gaze: “What, what is this?”

Wei Junhang did not answer directly but asked instead: “Open it quickly and see if you like it?”

Unable to refuse, Shen Xinyan obediently opened the box. When the point-cut emerald phoenix hairpin set with pearls came into view, she found herself momentarily frozen.

“Is, is this for me?”

“Yes, yes it is! Do you like it? If, if you do not like it, it does not matter. I can take it back and exchange it,” Wei Junhang stammered, growing uncomfortable under her gaze.

Shen Xinyan gazed at him for a long while, so long that the usually carefree, thoughtless Young Master felt his heart begin to race. Finally, just as he was about to look away, she suddenly broke into an exceptionally radiant smile.

“I love it. I love it very much. Thank you, my lord!”

“Th, th, then that’s g, good.” The stammering Young Master wanted to look away, not wishing to see that face that made his heart race like a callow youth, yet he could not bear to.

After all, since that day in the garden of a hundred flowers when he first saw her, this was the first time she had shown him that heart-stopping smile again.

“Would you help me put it on?” Shen Xinyan held the hairpin up to the bronze mirror, comparing it, then turned to ask him softly.

“Oh, yes, yes yes!” Wei Junhang finally came to his senses and hurried forward, taking the phoenix hairpin from her. He found an appropriate spot in her high-piled hair and carefully inserted it.

“There, it’s done.”

Shen Xinyan gazed at his reflection in the mirror with a smile: “Thank you, my lord!”

“Madam need not be polite,” Wei Junhang said, smiling somewhat foolishly.

Shen Xinyan gazed at that still handsome face in the mirror, and suddenly an impulse seized her. She spoke without thinking: “I have recently dismissed quite a few people who attended to you. Do you have nothing to say about this?”

She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth and was about to say something to remedy it, when Wei Junhang replied without concern: “If Madam has done so, then surely Madam has her reasons. If those people were dismissed, then they must have committed errors that could not be overlooked.”

Shen Xinyan froze. After a moment, she could not help but laugh softly.

She had been overthinking it. This man had never abandoned her no matter the circumstances in the previous life. How could he possibly create friction between them in this life over mere servants? She had judged him by lesser standards indeed.

“As for Lianxiang, Madam need not concern herself with her. I kept her because I had no choice, but also because I did not wish to see her be mistreated by her own family,” Wei Junhang suddenly added.

Shen Xinyan was startled. She had not expected him to explain about Lianxiang.

“As for the reason why…”

“I understand. It does not matter. She was after all given to you by Mother, and these years she has served faithfully and kept herself well-behaved. Having her attend you puts my mind at ease.”

Wei Junhang’s mouth opened and closed, and finally he could not help but mutter: “But, but I, I and her have always been completely innocent of anything improper!”

What?!

Shen Xinyan could scarcely believe her ears.

Yet, though shocked, she did not doubt his words, for he simply had no reason to lie.

“She, she is not your, your bedchamber attendant?”

“Not by my choosing…” Wei Junhang muttered.

He was hardly the sort to accept anything that came his way. When Mother arranged for someone to come to him, of course he could not refuse her, but what he did with such arrangements afterward was his own business, not something even Mother should inquire about.

Shen Xinyan truly was completely dumbfounded, taking a long while to gather her wits.

Wei Junhang scratched his ear, unsure what her reaction meant.

After some time had passed, she finally let out a long breath. When she looked up, she met his somewhat cautious eyes, and for some reason her chest tightened. She could not help but reach out and gently caress his cheek, murmuring: “Back then, how is it you insisted on marrying me?”

“I, I did not really think about it! Just, just thought you looked beautiful when you smiled, and it would be nice to look at that smile for a lifetime,” Wei Junhang’s heart trembled from her touch, so delighted he nearly jumped up laughing, yet he dared not startle her and could only struggle to contain himself.

[ TL: Sorry for the interruption!!! The scene is just toooooo cuteeee!! (⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦⁠) ]

Shen Xinyan could not recall ever smiling at him before their marriage, and at this moment she had no heart to investigate the matter. She let out a faint sigh, only feeling that perhaps in her previous life, she had missed the most important thing.

Fortunately, in this life she had awakened in time.

“Madam, Third Madam has sent someone to invite you to the flower hall. The proprietors of both Linglongge and Nichang Pavilion have arrived,” Xiahe said, entering with a report that interrupted Shen Xinyan’s thoughts.

“Good, I shall go at once!”

“If you have business to attend to, go ahead. I shall go check on Chenglin,” Wei Junhang said, disappointed as the soft warmth of her touch vanished from his cheek.

***

“…Jade is aging, and at your young age, it does not suit you well. Let me have this instead! This one, this one is perfect. This gold-set East Pearl pendant is especially flattering on you. Sister looks like a celestial immortal wearing it!”

“But I think…”

“This one, this is the one. Trust me!”

As Shen Xinyan approached the flower hall, she heard voices from within. Listening closely, she recognized them as Yang Shi’s and Fang Bibi’s.

She had to suppress an inappropriate laugh.

One could easily imagine that Yang Shi would be carefully selecting the most expensive pieces for herself, and given her nature, Fang Shi would be seething.

“Ah, Second Sister-in-law, you have finally arrived! Come, come, look at these emerald and pearl earrings I am trying. Do they look good on me?” Yang Shi discovered her arrival first and approached enthusiastically, using both hands to show off an exquisite pair of earrings on either side of her ears.

“Very beautiful indeed. They make Third Sister-in-law look absolutely radiant and noble!” Shen Xinyan cast a glance at the somewhat put-out Fang Bibi, then surveyed the barely concealed irritation on Fang Shi’s face, and could barely suppress an outright laugh.

“I thought so too!” Yang Shi was exceedingly pleased and proceeded to try on several more pieces of jewelry she had selected, frequently turning back to ask Shen Xinyan’s opinion.

Shen Xinyan was a most accommodating audience, offering praise without restraint, sending Yang Shi into nearly endless laughter.

Fang Shi seethed with accumulated frustration. Whenever she selected a piece of jewelry for her sister, Yang Shi would somehow find some reason to claim it instead, all the while wearing an expression of concern for Fang Bibi. She could not even bring herself to object.

What shameless audacity some people possessed!