Chapter 45: Compassion

Chapter 45: Compassion

The inner chamber was silent, except for A Yuan's soft sobbing.

Chun Tao realized her mistress had mistaken the person and wanted to wake her up, but Wei Xun gestured for her to leave.

A Yuan's sobs grew louder, and Chun Tao, with a furrowed brow, left reluctantly, glancing back every few steps.

Once the door closed, Wei Xun gathered his little concubine into his arms.

He wiped her tears with his thumb, a rare flicker of compassion in his usually cold eyes.

"Where does it hurt?"

A Yuan, feverish and delirious, couldn’t recognize the man before her. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her forehead, "It hurts here. I want Mommy to kiss it."

As a child, A Yuan had been spoiled and coddled, often throwing tantrums when sick, demanding the whole family to comfort her.

Her mother adored her, feeding her medicine herself and tenderly kissing her forehead, as if that could chase away her daughter’s illness.

Perhaps because of her birthday, today A Yuan was more fragile than usual. She clung to 'Mommy’s' hand, insisting on a kiss.

Wei Xun, seeing this spoiled side of his little concubine for the first time, felt his heart melt. He lowered his head, his cold lips touching her feverish forehead, then slowly moved down, kissing away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

After a long moment, he raised his head.

"What’s hurting you?"

A Yuan opened her eyes, her teary almond-shaped eyes filled with grievance, "It hurts..."

She pulled his hand to her chest, "It hurts here too."

Wei Xun, feeling the soft trembling beneath his palm, unconsciously held his breath.

"What’s hurting you?"

A Yuan, lips pressed together, only cried, unable to speak.

Wei Xun supported her back, making her look at him, his deep voice coaxing, "Was someone mean to you?"

A Yuan shook her head, her sobs choking her words, "No one was mean to me. A Yuan just misses Mommy. Mommy, take A Yuan away, please..."

Her body couldn’t handle her crying, and her small hands clutched Wei Xun's robe, soaking his chest with tears.

Wei Xun patted her back, continuously comforting her, "Don’t cry, I’ll take you to Mommy."

Most of the young girls in Chunyan Tower were sold by their families. The lives of poor girls were cheap, and it was better to sell them to those brothels for some silver than to waste food raising them.

Wei Xun didn’t know A Yuan's background and hadn’t thought to investigate.

Her deed was in his hands; from now on, she was his, and her past didn't matter.

But seeing her cry so pitifully now, Wei Xun regretted not having looked into her history, not knowing how to comfort her.

"There’s no one, no Mommy anymore..." A Yuan, her eyes red, vented her grievances, "Father and Mother didn’t want A Yuan, no one loves A Yuan anymore."

"I want A Yuan, I love A Yuan!"

The man tightened his arms around her waist, holding her close, his voice urgent with reassurance.

A Yuan propped herself up on his chest and slowly lifted her head, her swollen eyes struggling to make out the person in front of her. She asked, "Who are you?"

"...Wei Xun."

The man cupped her small face in his hands, his cool gaze fixed on hers. "Wei Xun cares for A Yuan. A Yuan isn’t a girl who’s unloved."

"Wei Xun?" A Yuan's muddled mind cleared slightly, and her hands unconsciously pushed against the man. "But the young master is about to marry. He doesn’t belong to A Yuan alone... The young master dotes on A Yuan, and the mistress will be unhappy..."

She couldn’t abuse his favor and break the rules.

Even with a high fever, she still knew her place.

Wei Xun felt a mix of pain and pity, lowering his head to place a kiss on her forehead.

"Silly girl, you’re the only one I care for."

He couldn’t give A Yuan a proper title, but he could give her his sole affection.

Once Shen Qiuyu joins the household, he would give A Yuan a child. With a child, she’d have a foothold in the household.

A Yuan seemed to calm down at his words, stopping her crying and burying her face in the man's chest, falling asleep obediently.

But where Wei Xun couldn’t see, her hands clenched tightly into fists.

......

A Yuan was bedridden for three days. As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, Jingzhao Prefecture was swamped, but Wei Xun still returned every day to have meals with her.

A Yuan had little appetite, so Wei Xun instructed the small kitchen to prepare various dishes for her.

Those in the Marquis’s household who’d once scorned A Yuan now kept their distance.

Even with the young master’s engagement, Lady Xie was still the favorite.

After two more days of rest, A Yuan fully recovered. She had fallen ill and lost weight, with a hint of sadness lingering between her brows. Even Chun Tao, who was usually carefree, noticed the change in her.

"Master, how about visiting the Su Embroidery Workshop? My mother said business has been very good recently. Everyone’s waiting for you to get better and start making dresses."

Thanks to Lin Qingshuang’s endorsement, A Yuan had gained fame among the noble ladies.

However, the Su Embroidery Workshop had only one embroiderer, and each time she could only take one order. The waiting list now stretches into next year.

"I won't go..."

Just as A Yuan was about to refuse, Wei Xun lifted the door curtain and entered. "Go, it's good to go out and relax."

She’d been stuck inside all day, and the illness lingered. It would be better to go out for a walk.

With Wei Xun’s decision, A Yuan did not refuse again.

She changed into outdoor clothes, and the loose dress made her look even more frail.

Chun Tao put a veil on her and draped a gray squirrel fur cloak over her.

"Master, you're not fully recovered yet. Be careful not to get cold."

A Yuan's small face was buried in the fur collar, the veil hiding her expression, leaving only her soft and clear almond eyes visible.

"Mm."

Wei Xun helped her into the carriage, his hand grazing her slender waist, and his brow furrowed.

"How could you have lost so much weight? Are the kitchen staff not doing their job?"

His expression turned icy with anger, but A Yuan held his palm and shook her head gently.

"It's not the cook's fault. I've been sick for a long time and had no appetite. I’ll recover with some more rest."

She spoke softly and gently, and Wei Xun couldn't bring himself to be angry with her.

"Tell the servants what you want to eat. You’re the lady of the house; it’s their job to take care of you."

He knew that A Yuan was always considerate and didn't want to trouble the servants, but she shouldn’t shortchange herself either.

A Yuan gave a soft, obedient smile. "You don’t need to worry, Master."

She’d eat properly and take care of herself.

He treated her kindly, and she accepted it.

But deep inside, A Yuan constantly reminded herself that this was a honey-coated trap, and she must not fall for it.

Though she was called the mistress, her life was in Wei Xun’s hands, bound by the deed of sale. She was just like the maids and servants—none were really any better than the other.

The ride was quiet, and when they arrived at Su Embroidery Workshop, A Yuan was helped down by Chun Tao.

Wei Xun’s position meant he couldn’t be seen here.

"If the Young Master is busy, please go ahead and attend to your duties. Don’t let me hold you up."

Many customers were waiting at Su Embroidery Workshop, and A Yan was afraid of delaying his official business.

The man squeezed her palm, his calm voice laced with affection. "It's fine, I'll wait for you."

The carriage curtain was lifted and then dropped. Not far away, a maid from the Shen family exclaimed, "Miss, was that the Young Master we just saw?"