Chapter 78

Chapter 78

It wasn’t until after dinner, while Rong Tang was warming himself by the fire on the beauty couch in the study, that Shuangfu came to report someone was knocking at the door.

He looked out the window and saw Qian Shi, holding her waist, accompanied by two maids, walking slowly towards them. Following them was the gray-clothed servant who had confronted Rong Tang in the garden earlier in the day, no longer displaying his previous arrogance, but rather bowing and nodding excessively, appearing very subservient.

Su Huaijing instructed Shuangfu to bring them into the main hall, while Rong Tang sipped some hot tea, showing no intention to move, feeling somewhat expected yet also disappointed.

Su Huaijing asked him, “Aren’t you going over?”

Rong Tang frowned, speaking softly, “I’m afraid she’s up to something.”

Su Huaijing’s brows furrowed slightly, his expression turning grave in an instant.

Rong Tang said, “She is a concubine, essentially a servant in the household. She should pay respects when she sees me. But now she’s pregnant and has come here personally. I don’t know if she’s here to apologize or not. If she accidentally gets hurt, my father will blame me.”

Ning Xuan Wang didn’t pay much attention to his wives and concubines. Wang Xiuyu alone was enough to manage all the household affairs in Ning Xuan Wang’s residence, so he didn’t have to worry.

As the heir, Rong Tang wouldn’t really be in trouble for making things difficult for a concubine of Ning Xuan Wang. Rong Mingyu wouldn’t bother his legitimate son over such a trivial matter. But now that Qian Shi was pregnant, things were different, and Rong Tang couldn’t help but worry.

After all, most of Rong Yuan's underhanded tactics were learned from his mother.

Seeing this, Su Huaijing said, “Then I’ll go. Tang Tang, wait here for me to come back.”

The beauty couch was covered with a soft and comfortable cashmere blanket. In mid to late October in Yu Jing, the air was dry and cold. Wrapped in the blanket, Rong Tang’s clear and handsome face emerged. His lips, warmed by the hot tea he had just drunk, were a light shade of pink, with a delicate sheen of moisture.

As his lips moved, the soft and tender tip of his tongue occasionally peeked out. Rong Tang, with bright eyes, asked expectantly, “Really?”

The nights in Yu Jing darken slower than in Jiangnan, but with winter setting in, the outside was dim, and the room was warmed by the charcoal fire. Su Huaijing, looking at Tang Tang’s innocent and unaware expression, felt a stir in his heart. He bent down, about to kiss his lips.

Rong Tang, however, quickly reacted, his eyes widening as he covered his mouth and dodged to the side, warily watching the main antagonist.

Su Huaijing missed the kiss and paused, then chuckled, asking, “What is Tang Tang dodging?”

Rong Tang was incredulous, utterly unable to understand how this person could be so shameless!

Not only did he shamelessly flirt, but he even had the nerve to ask what he was dodging!

The young lord was indignant, his eyes wide open, glaring fiercely at Su Huaijing. His voice came muffled from behind his hands, slightly distorted by the barrier: “You’re asking what I’m dodging!”

The little cat is angry, meowing fiercely!

Su Huaijing was nearly charmed to death by his cuteness. Instead of backing away, he advanced, picked up an open book from behind Rong Tang on the beauty couch, gently closed it, and placed it on the low table in front, smiling, “I just wanted to pick up Tang Tang’s book. What did you think I was going to do?”

Rong Tang was momentarily stunned, his brows lightly furrowed, beginning to doubt the truth in his words.

Su Huaijing sighed, pouring him another cup of tea, feigning a pitiful tone, “Tang Tang, you have such a cold heart. Making me sleep alone every day is one thing, but now you even think I have ill intentions when I come close. What kind of husband in the world would be treated this way?”

Rong Tang: “…”

System: “[…]”

[He's acting for you.] The system said coldly.

“I can tell,” Rong Tang replied.

He's become so smart now! He could at least see through half of Su Huaijing's acting!

System: [Fifty-fifty, just guessing, right?]

“…” Rong Tang: “You’re more annoying than the main antagonist.”

The system ‘hmpf’ed coldly, not exposing him, thinking to itself, do you really find your spouse annoying?

Su Huaijing waited a long time for Rong Tang’s response and sighed again, about to speak, when Rong Tang couldn’t hold back anymore, dropping his hand and opening his mouth to say: “Fake husb—”

Suddenly, his voice was muffled by another hand, and Su Huaijing looked downcast, his voice filled with frustration, “Okay, don’t say it.”

Rong Tang blinked in confusion: “?”

The cool, intelligent, and beautiful main antagonist, feeling terribly aggrieved and not very happy, glanced at Rong Tang with his eyes narrowed and muttered softly, “Not a single word to my liking.”

He bent down to pick up two oranges and placed them on the charcoal fire, instructing, “Don’t worry about it, I’ll be back soon.”

The warm touch on his cheeks still lingered; the room was cozily heated by the charcoal stove. Before leaving, Su Huaijing gave Rong Tang another resentful look, and it took a while for the latter to come back to his senses. He touched his cheeks with the cool back of his hand to feel the warmth but encountered a burning heat instead.

Rong Tang panicked and immediately drew back his hand, resting for a while, then silently covered his face, as the sweet aroma of the roasted oranges spread through the study, blending with the scent of ink.

He really couldn’t outplay him...

Rong Tang thought, feeling still unsettled.

After all, who can really outplay the main antagonist?

-

When Su Huaijing entered the main hall, he felt the temperature drop significantly.

Red charcoal, a luxury, was only used in places where Rong Tang often stayed. The main hall was not heated with charcoal. Qian Shi sat on a lower seat, holding a hand stove and wearing a luxurious and warm coat. Judging by the newness of the fabric, most of her clothes seemed to have been made just this winter.

Su Huaijing felt a chill in his heart, thinking to himself how much Rong Mingyu valued this concubine, yet maintaining a warm and amiable smile on his face, as if basking in the spring sun in winter.

After exchanging formalities with Qian Shi, Su Huaijing sat down and was about to speak when Shuangshou, carrying a charcoal basin, hurried in and placed it at Su Huaijing’s feet.

Su Huaijing paused, questioning Shuangshou with his eyes.

Shuangshou softly replied, “The young master was worried you might catch a cold, so he specifically asked me to bring another basin for you.”

Su Huaijing was momentarily speechless, then let out a soft laugh, his gentle smile suddenly becoming more genuine and touching.

Qian Shi was startled, and upon their eyes meeting, she quickly stood up, commanding someone to push forward the grey-clothed servant from earlier that day, who stumbled and knelt directly in front of Su Huaijing.

Su Huaijing’s smile faded a bit, and he asked Qian Shi, “What is the meaning of this, Auntie?”

Qian Shi, three months pregnant with an unstable fetal condition, had exhausted herself walking all the way to Tang Hua Court. Her face was somewhat pale, but she still forced a smile, trying to ingratiate herself, “Huaijing, this servant spoke rudely to the Young Master earlier today. I’ve brought him here to apologize to Tang, but I don’t know where Tang is right now?”

Su Huaijing found her intimate tone grating, feeling unexpectedly irritated. He lazily warmed his hands over the charcoal fire, his pale hands turning rosy against the warm glow.

He casually fabricated, “Tang Tang, tired from the long journey, hadn’t rested well. Today, hearing this servant from your courtyard speak recklessly, wishing him an early demise, he became anxious and fainted. He’s still lying unconscious on the couch.”

Qian Shi’s face turned even paler, while the kneeling servant began to tremble uncontrollably.

Su Huaijing curled his lips, asking nonchalantly, “Why so fearful now? Since you brought Auntie Qian here, I suppose those words earlier today were said by you, Auntie?”

The servant immediately shook his head, “No, no!”

Qian Shi also appeared flustered, lightly biting her lip, weakly protesting, “Huaijing, you’re wronging me. How dare I utter such unfilial words? Tang is the heir of the Wang Manor. With him here, the manor will thrive. Everyone is hoping for his speedy recovery.”

“Is that so?” Su Huaijing glanced at her dismissively.

Mrs. Qian nodded vigorously, "Certainly!" She then kicked the kneeling servant lightly. Despite the minimal force, the servant, already unsteady, shifted his weight and toppled to one side.

He looked up in shock, meeting Su Huaijing's cold, indifferent gaze, and shuddered as if enveloped by death.

Mrs. Qian said, "This servant has been with my family since birth, always by my side, devotedly protective and wishing for my well-being. That's why he overstepped boundaries and spoke out of turn, speaking nonsense. Huaijing, please don't take it to heart."

"Speaking out of turn and talking nonsense?" Su Huaijing repeated softly, his tone emotionless and faintly amused. He glanced sideways at Mrs. Qian, "I won't argue whether it's mere slip of the tongue or deep-seated thoughts. But I wonder, Aunt, since you said he's been with your family for so long, presumably being in the prince's mansion for quite some time, how could he fail to recognize Ningxuan Prince's heir, mistaking us for outsiders? Even if we were outsiders, should such curses against the master be spoken by a servant and freely told to others?"

"If word got out, what would others think of my Ningxuan Prince's mansion? Are there no family rules here?"

As the twilight deepened and the north wind howled in the courtyard, Su Huaijing spoke in an unhurried tone, finishing his question with a faint smile towards Mrs. Qian, his eyes bearing a bone-chilling coldness.

Mrs. Qian felt a tightness in her heart, finally realizing this consort was not to be trifled with.

She paused, then said, "He is indeed a servant born into my family. Initially, he was always at my parental home serving my parents and hadn't entered the mansion. It was only after I became pregnant that my mother, worried the servants from her home weren't enough, sent him over. Coincidentally, you, my lord, were not in the mansion these past months, so he didn't recognize his master."

Su Huaijing and she locked eyes, his gaze silent yet piercing, as if scrutinizing, almost like passing judgment.

"I see," he responded softly, nodding as if accepting her explanation.

Lady Qián had just relaxed when she heard Sù Huáijǐng casually ask another question: "Then from whom did he hear those words?"

Sù Huáijǐng spoke slowly and clearly: "Not recognizing the Crown Prince and having no daily interaction, how could he harbor such deep malice and boldness to curse the master so recklessly? It must be that someone has been whispering these things in his ear day after day, and over time, he took them as truth."

He paused, then looked at Lady Qián with a smile, but his eyes were cold: "What do you think, Aunt?"

Lady Qián, unnerved by his gaze, swallowed nervously and said, "I don't know where he heard it."

"Is that so?" Sù Huáijǐng asked softly, his eyes casually drifting downward.

The servant was instantly frightened, scrambling to Sù Huáijǐng's feet, crying, "It's really not our mistress's doing. It was all my idle talk. I heard the Crown Prince's health was poor and wouldn't live long, which led me to have such wicked thoughts. It’s my fault! It has nothing to do with my mistress!"

At this moment, he didn’t refer to her as “our lady,” which Sù Huáijǐng found uninteresting.

His expression grew colder with each word spoken by the other party. As he slowly rubbed the armrest of his chair, the servant kept kowtowing and begging for mercy, blood staining the ground, before Sù Huáijǐng finally looked up at Lady Qián, softly asking, "Aunt, how do you think this person should be dealt with?"

Qian Shi was momentarily stunned, unsure how to respond to his question, and tentatively threw the question back, "What do you think?"

Su Huaijing casually replied, "This is Auntie's servant, how could I dare to make a decision? But with such reckless speech, there’s no guarantee he won’t harm the master one day. Tang Tang is kind-hearted and doesn’t hold it against him, but what if it were someone else? Does Auntie intend to keep apologizing with her servants day after day?"

He spoke the truth, leaving Qian Shi stunned, deep in thought, with a hint of malice in her eyes.

Su Huaijing, noticing her reaction, slightly lifted his lips and stood up to take his leave, "I should check if Tang Tang has woken up. It’s getting late, Auntie must be tired from the trip, especially since you’re pregnant. You should head back early."

He glanced at Qian Shi's belly, his laughter carrying an ambiguous tone.

Carrying a dead fetus that would miscarry in less than three months, it's surprising how much Rong Mingyu cares.

But...

What does it have to do with him? Su Huaijing thought to himself.

Better to go back and help Tang Tang roast oranges.