Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Pei Jing explained to Yu Qizhi that they had several business dealings in Chang'an and needed to stay there for some time. The mansion they were in was rented, and the servants were hired after arriving in Chang'an.

Hearing these words from "Brother Ling," Yu Qizhi naturally believed them.

Pei Jing still had official matters to handle. Before leaving the mansion, he ordered everyone to keep their mouths shut in front of Yu Qizhi.

As soon as Pei Jing left, Fang'er intended to rush into Yu Qizhi's room to tell her the truth.

However, the steward immediately understood Pei Jing's intentions and called Fang'er over to threaten her.

The steward forbade Fang'er from going to Yu Qizhi's room or frequently appearing before her unless Yu Qizhi requested her presence. Fang'er listened with tears streaming down her face but had no choice but to nod and accept it through her tears.

Yu Qizhi knew nothing about these matters.

After Pei Jing left, Yu Qizhi sat alone in front of the dressing mirror.

Not only did Brother Ling seem to have changed, but Yu Qizhi also felt that the person in the mirror looked somewhat unfamiliar.

But clearly, she had only matured slightly in appearance; there were no significant changes otherwise.

However, apart from that, her chest seemed fuller, and she had pierced her ears. The red carnelian earrings swayed slightly with her movements, causing a subtle pain in her earlobes.

Seeing the deep red earrings, Yu Qizhi felt a faint headache, yet her memories remained hazy and unclear.

She only remembered the kindness of Feng Qingling.

Yu Qizhi recalled that Brother Ling said she had been married to him for a year now.

Did that mean she and Brother Ling... had done those things?

Heat rushed to her cheeks, making her feel embarrassed and a bit uneasy.

Her thoughts were jumbled. How did Aunt Han feel about her marriage to Brother Ling?

She could not remember anything, but instinctively wanted to see someone familiar, to see her mother.

Since Brother Ling said Aunt Han had also come to Chang'an with them, meeting her should be convenient, right?

The next day, as soon as Pei Jing had a moment, Yu Qizhi told him her intention.

She wanted to go out and see her mother, but when facing Pei Jing, she still spoke with a cautious tone.

Pei Jing paused, looked at her, and said, "I'll go with you."

"Brother Ling, don't you need to do your work?" Yu Qizhi asked in confusion.

Ever since Yu Qizhi had requested Empress Meng's help, Aunt Han had been placed in a medical clinic within the city for treatment, but her mental state had not improved and was even deteriorating.

Pei Jing worried that Aunt Han might say something inappropriate to Yu Qizhi. He secretly hoped that Yu Qizhi would not regain her memories too soon.

"Ao Ying is more important," Pei Jing smiled at her.

In Yu Qizhi's memory, Aunt Han was a warm-hearted person. However, after her younger brother went missing, Aunt Han had been melancholic, though her affection for Yu Qizhi remained strong.

Long ago, before Aunt Han joined Yu Qizhi's father, her father, who was Yu Qizhi's maternal grandfather, had once helped Yu Qizhi's father.

Knowing his daughter's feelings, Aunt Han's father supported Yu Qizhi's father's education, hoping he would repay their kindness.

Yu Qizhi's father passed the imperial examinations and promised Aunt Han that he would marry her if he became a scholar-official.

Later, Aunt Han's father died, and the family dwindled. Yu Qizhi's father indeed became a scholar-official but failed to enter the Imperial Academy and was assigned to a remote county, where he immediately married the daughter of the local magistrate, Lady Liu.

In front of Aunt Han, he claimed he had been forced to marry her, and Aunt Han believed him, becoming his secret mistress.

"Your mother's mental state hasn't been good lately."

At the entrance of the medical clinic, Pei Jing said this to Yu Qizhi.

Yu Qizhi nodded hesitantly, unsure, as in her memory, Aunt Han had been fine.

Seeing Aunt Han, Yu Qizhi finally understood what Pei Jing meant.

The warm and gentle Aunt Han in her memory bore no resemblance to the gaunt and cold woman before her.

Yu Qizhi approached and called out to Aunt Han, who lay on the sickbed, "Mother."

Pei Jing ordered the maids attending Aunt Han to leave, leaving only the three of them in the room.

Aunt Han lifted her eyelids, glanced at Yu Qizhi with a cold expression, and a hint of wariness.

Yu Qizhi was stunned. Why didn't Aunt Han recognize her?

"Mother, I am your daughter. Don't you recognize me?"

Yu Qizhi held Aunt Han's hand and asked hesitantly.

Aunt Han's hand was ice-cold.

"I don't have a daughter..."

Aunt Han pulled her hand back, shaking her head and murmuring, "I don't have a daughter."

"Mother, what happened? I am your Ao Ying..."

Yu Qizhi sensed something was wrong with Aunt Han. What had happened during the years she could not remember?

Perhaps it was the bond between mother and daughter. Seeing Aunt Han like this, Yu Qizhi felt a sharp pain in her heart.

Mother Han suddenly fixed her gaze on Yu Qizhi for a few moments.

"You should have died in your brother's place."

It was as if she had recognized her and then coldly uttered these words.

Yu Qizhi, thinking of her lost little brother, stood frozen in place.

"You should have died in your brother's place!"

Mother Han repeated this several times before suddenly grabbing the candlestick and throwing it at Yu Qizhi.

Yu Qizhi never expected Mother Han to treat her like this. Her limbs turned cold. Seeing the copper candlestick about to hit her face, there was no time to dodge.

Suddenly, her wrist felt heavy, and she found herself pulled into a strong embrace.

With a dull thud, the candlestick struck Pei Jing's back and then fell to the ground.

The edges of the candlestick were sharp and quite heavy. Pei Jing's clothes were torn slightly; if it had hit Yu Qizhi's face, it would have caused more than just a scratch.

Hearing the commotion inside, the maidservant from the clinic hurried over and restrained Mother Han.

"Let's go." Pei Jing glanced at Yu Qizhi and led her to the carriage.

Even after returning to their suburban residence, Yu Qizhi remained dazed.

How could Mother Han, who had always been gentle and kind to her, become like this?

Moreover, why did Mother Han not recognize her but still agree to come to Chang'an with her and Brother Ling? This clearly didn't make sense.

Pei Jing explained that after being brought into the Yu household by Yu Qizhi's father and suffering neglect and abuse, Mother Han's mental state had deteriorated, which is why they had taken her out of the Yu residence to care for her in Chang'an.

Pei Jing's explanation was partly true, and Yu Qizhi reluctantly believed it.

After her little brother went missing, her father grew increasingly distant from Mother Han, often not visiting her for months.

But Yu Qizhi knew that Mother Han still harbored unrealistic hopes for her father. If Mother Han had willingly moved into the Yu residence, Yu Qizhi, as a daughter, couldn't and shouldn't stop her.

Yu Qizhi bit her lower lip, thinking that perhaps Mother Han was right.

She was the one who had caused her little brother to go missing; she truly deserved to...

Her fingers were suddenly squeezed tightly.

"Your mother is just ill; she's not targeting you. Don't think about it anymore." The man's voice was low but soothing.

Yu Qizhi snapped back to reality and nodded lightly.

Remembering that Pei Jing had taken a blow for her today, Yu Qizhi quickly led him to sit beside her on the couch. She checked his back, relieved to find only a slight tear in his clothing without any injury.

"Brother Ling, I'm sorry you had to witness this..." Yu Qizhi lowered her head, speaking softly.

In Luo County, Yu Qizhi's family background was inferior to Feng Qingling's. Although he claimed he didn't mind, Yu Qizhi always felt inferior, believing she wasn't worthy of the young master of the Feng family.

"Also, I will try to regain my memories soon and won't cause you any more trouble."

Yu Qizhi avoided his gaze, not looking at him.

Pei Jing, however, looked at Yu Qizhi. Under the clear summer sunlight, the person before him had delicate and beautiful features.

His gaze involuntarily drifted to her pale pink, lovely lips and the perfectly shaped cupid's bow above them.

"Actually, you don't need to force yourself. It's okay if you can't remember," Pei Jing said, his throat moving, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"But that wouldn't be fair to you."

Yu Qizhi looked up at him, unexpectedly meeting his intense gaze.

"I have memories you don't, and I don't want you to feel alone." She paused, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she finished her sentence.

The man suddenly held her tightly.

"Ao Ying..."

Yu Qizhi had been sitting facing Pei Jing on the couch but was suddenly pulled into his embrace, both of them falling sideways onto the bed.

She felt a sudden nervousness but instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Mmm, Brother Ling."

"Ao Ying, please don't call me Brother Ling anymore. We're already married," Pei Jing's gaze shifted from her lower lashes to her clear eyes, speaking softly: "Call me husband."

He watched her dark, moist eyes flicker slightly. She hesitated for a moment before obediently calling out softly: "Husband."

"Mm." Pei Jing closed his eyes briefly, responding softly.

He shamelessly used Feng Qingling's identity to hold her in his arms, earning her pure and unreserved trust and affection.

Before marrying Yu Qizhi, Pei Jing had known about the messy affairs in her family.

At the time, he felt nothing, even thinking that Yu Qizhi was somewhat unworthy.

Looking at the person in his arms now, Pei Jing realized that the ache in his heart was called compassion.

Yu Qizhi and Pei Jing lay side by side on the couch, facing each other.

Feeling the man's breath becoming somewhat heated, Yu Qizhi shyly wanted to close her eyes but reassured herself that this was normal between husband and wife.