Chapter 20 His Throat Tightened

Chapter 20 His Throat Tightened

Madam Wu was equally surprised. She had tried multiple times to see Chen Yanqing about Fifth Young Master’s affairs, but he had refused every time. Yet today, he had come on his own accord.

Madam Wu glanced outside and quickly rose. Before stepping out, she shot Nanny Lu a pointed look.

As soon as Madam Wu exited the room, before she could even speak, she saw Chen Lingxue rushing over from the corridor, her face etched with distress. "Mother!"

Seeing her daughter’s troubled expression, Madam Wu frowned. "What’s wrong?"

Chen Lingxue sniffled and mumbled, "I’ll tell you inside."

Madam Wu glanced back at the tightly closed door, then took her daughter’s arm. "I’m going to the prayer hall. We can talk on the way."

Chen Lingxue, unsuspecting, nodded and followed Madam Wu.

After a few steps, Madam Wu instructed a nearby maid, "Serve tea to Third Young Master first."

"Is Fifth Brother here too?" Chen Lingxue paused, blinking as she looked around.

"Didn’t you have something to say?"

At Madam Wu’s reminder, Chen Lingxue quickly followed her.

A maid brought tea into the western side room. "Madam will be here shortly. Please enjoy your tea, Third Young Master."

The door to the western side room was open, so Chen Yanqing naturally overheard Madam Wu and Chen Lingxue’s conversation. He acknowledged it with a slight, indifferent nod.

The maid set down the teacup and withdrew.

Chen Yanqing lifted the cup, his slender fingers deftly skimming the tea leaves from the surface. A faint, muffled sob reached his ears, and his hand stilled slightly.

His gaze lifted, dark eyes fixed on the blank wall before him. On the other side was Yin Rou’s room—separated by just a wall.

"Stop pretending to be some chaste maiden. It’s not like this is your first inspection."

"Nanny, I really haven’t…"

"Stop stalling. Get on the bed."

There was no response, only increasingly stifled sobs, forced from a small throat, drilling into Chen Yanqing’s ears.

"Spread your legs!"

"Indeed, still untouched. The Master truly has self-control, leaving a delicate virgin like you untouched."

"Unless you deliberately refused him!"

Chen Yanqing’s grip on the teacup remained steady, yet the surface rippled, distorting his reflection.

Only the darkness creeping into his eyes remained starkly, frighteningly clear.

Yin Rou thought she had grown accustomed to Nanny Lu’s humiliating words. And she had. But she couldn’t bear the thought of Third Young Master hearing them. If she could hear sounds through the wall, so could he.

Even with the barrier between them, she felt utterly exposed, a shame like never before crushing her. Her body stiffened as if numbed by a cold wind.

Pale-faced, she curled her legs tightly and robotically smoothed her dress. "If Nanny is done inspecting me, may I leave now?"

Nanny Lu shot her a contemptuous look and snorted mockingly.

Once Yin Rou left, Nanny Lu hurried to the adjacent room to see Chen Yanqing. Finding him already striding out, she instinctively moved to block his path.

Her fingers barely grazed his sleeve before an icy stare made her recoil.

"Who gave you such audacity?"

His voice, devoid of emotion, was chilling enough. When his gaze dropped to her hand, the icy contempt seemed to pierce straight through her flesh to her heart.

Even Nanny Lu couldn’t withstand such a look. She dropped to her knees with a thud, as if a second later, her hand would be forfeit.

"Third Young Master, spare me! This servant didn’t mean to offend!"

She kowtowed, only daring to lift her head after his silk robes swept past.

Madam Wu arrived just then and hurried forward upon seeing Chen Yanqing leaving. Before she could speak, he cut in, "Mother repeatedly summoned me, speaking of urgent matters. It seems there were none."

"There are urgent matters!" Madam Wu insisted.

She wanted to persuade him to let Chen Yanlin stay.

Chen Yanqing didn’t give her the chance. Without sparing her a glance, he strode past.

Madam Wu’s face contorted momentarily with suppressed fury. Whirling around, she snapped at Nanny Lu, "What happened?!"

"This lowly one doesn't know," Nanny Lu scrambled up from the floor, grimacing. "I merely tried to stop him, and Third Young Master suddenly flew into a rage."

Madam Wu seethed. "It seems he never intended to discuss Fifth Young Master’s affairs. He came solely to humiliate me."

…

Shu Yan was pacing outside Ruxin Residence. Spotting Chen Yanqing emerging, he quickly approached. "Young Master."

Chen Yanqing strode forward without a word. Shu Yan kept pace beside him, stealing glances at his impassive face. His gut twisted with unease. Others might not notice, but after years by his side, Shu Yan recognized this as suppressed fury.

Had Madam Wu said something again? Or…

Shu Yan’s eyelid twitched. Earlier, he’d quietly dismissed Yin Rou’s feelings as delusional. But now, he wasn’t so sure.

When maid Yu He came pleading for help, the young master had no real need to come personally—just dispatching someone to handle it would’ve sufficed. And the matter of sending Fifth Young Master to Liangjiang... Could Song Yinrou be involved?

"Shu Yan."

Hearing Chen Yanqing call him, Shu Yan straightened. "What are your orders, Young Master?"

"Madam Wu seems unaware of Father’s condition. Have someone inform her."

Chen Yanqing’s tone was calm, but the words hit Shu Yan like a thunderbolt. Was the young master ordering him to inform Madam Wu that the master could no longer… perform?

He glanced up uncertainly, meeting Chen Yanqing’s pitch-black, impenetrable stare.

…

After observing for several days, Shu Yan noted that apart from that incident, the young master gave Song Yinrou no further notice. Perhaps he’d imagined things.

Leaning against a corridor pillar with crossed arms, he frowned thoughtfully when a hand clapped his shoulder.

Turning, he saw Qing Feng’s expressionless face. "You startled me," Shu Yan grumbled.

"You're the one daydreaming," Qing Feng remarked dryly. "Where is the young master?"

"He's in the study."

Qing Feng gave a nod, rapped on the study door, and let himself in.

Located on the western frontier, Xiyu Pass sweltered particularly in August and September. Even with an ice basin placed in the room, the heat was barely tolerable. Yet Chen Yanqing remained fastidiously dressed, his collar fastened all the way up, his long fingers slowly turning the pages of the book in his hands.

"Young Master."

"Has it been taken care of?" Chen Yanqing set the book aside and looked up at him.

Qing Feng nodded, handing over the registry ledger. "The shipment has been successfully delivered to Ulan. For your review, Young Master."

Chen Yanqing gave a slight nod, signaling for him to leave it.

Shu Yan knocked on the door from outside. "Young Master, Quan Zhong asks to see you."

Quan Zhong entered the study bowing slightly, glancing briefly at Qing Feng before smiling at Chen Yanqing. "The Master is anxious about the guild affairs. He wonders if Third Young Master has any good news to share."

"Ever observant, Steward Quan," Chen Yanqing replied with a faint smile.

"Not at all," Quan Zhong bowed lower. "If it’s at your earliest convenience, Third Young Master, Master Chen requests your presence."

Chen Yanqing lowered his gaze, straightening his cuffs. "Understood."

In Huai'an Hall, Master Chen reclined on the daybed with his eyes closed, while Yin Rou knelt beside him, gently fanning him with a gold-leafed round fan.

"Your arm must be weary. Rest for a while," Master Chen said tenderly, taking her delicate hands and pulling her closer.

"Yin Rou isn’t tired," she murmured, making a slight effort to pull away. When Master Chen showed no intention of letting go, a flash of unease crossed her eyes.

"Master." The timely knock at the door interrupted them.

Seeing Quan Zhong enter, Yin Rou began to relax—until he added, "Third Young Master has arrived."

Her chest constricted further than before, her fingers stiffening around the fan.

Master Chen opened his eyes, releasing Yin Rou’s hand as he sat up. He gave a derisive snort. "So he finally deigns to come."

Quan Zhong looked uneasy. He had gone to summon him in the morning, yet Third Young Master only arrived in the afternoon. Surely Master Chen would be displeased.

"Since you and Third Young Master must have important matters to discuss, Yin Rou will take her leave," she whispered, desperate to withdraw.

"No need," Master Chen asserted, drawing her nearer. His face hardened—since when did a father have to hide from his own son?

Yin Rou stared at the hand encircling her waist, her lashes trembling once, then again, flooded with unspeakable humiliation. Instinctively, she didn’t want Third Young Master to see this.

But Master Chen remained oblivious, tightening his grip.

Chen Yanqing soon appeared in the courtyard, his tall and elegant figure coming into view. Yin Rou immediately lowered her head.

Yet despite this, Chen Yanqing noticed her first. His dark eyes, shadowed by his lashes, narrowed slightly.

His gaze lifted inch by inch, tracing her form—the petite young woman held in the arms of his aged father. The scene was grotesque, to say the least.

Especially that hand resting on her waist. Disgusting.

A wave of nausea, stronger than ever before, rose within him. His hands, clasped behind his back, clenched briefly before relaxing.

"I heard you summoned me, Father."

His voice, cool as jade, cut through the stifling air of the room, piercing Yin Rou’s ears. Mortification crashed over her, along with an inexplicable sense of transgression.

After that day, she had hardly dared to appear before Third Young Master. Never had she imagined their next encounter would be in so compromising a position.

No—wretched only for her.

Just like that time in Ruxin Residence, he must have heard everything. Yin Rou’s legs beneath her skirt seemed to grow cold again. Dazed, she instinctively tucked them further under her skirt, leaving only the faintest glimpse of her white silk socks. Yet even then, Chen Yanqing could discern the tension in her curled toes beneath the fabric.

His throat tightened suddenly.