Chapter 229: Chapter 229: I! Naturally Cannot Embarrass My Cousin!
The night was bleak.
Yingwu finally managed to clean herself up, applied medicine, and changed out of her blood-stained clothes. She lay on the couch, holding a still-warm roast chicken.
Just then, a rustling sound came from the window. She looked over vigilantly and saw someone struggling to climb in through the window.
Yingwu wiped her eyes.
"Why has Miss Shen come?"
Shen Hua walked over, reassuringly patted Yingwu’s shoulder, her breath smelling of alcohol, "I came to visit you."
Yingwu was moved! Even in such a condition, she came to visit her!
The next instant, Shen Hua declared righteously, "That roast chicken."
Yingwu: !!!
"Miss, you can just order whatever you want to eat, the kitchen will prepare it for you. Why are you fighting over food with me?"
Yingwu was usually generous, but when it came to food, she could completely turn hostile.
Shen Hua, with her arms crossed, chin lifted, displayed her wickedness perfectly: "Obviously, the stolen ones taste the best."
Yingwu: ...
The roast chicken was golden and fragrant, irresistibly mouthwatering. Shen Hua swallowed her saliva; her hand loosened, and the cat lantern fell to the ground, but she did not bother picking it up.
Yingwu could only painfully concede, "I’ll give you a chicken leg. No more than that."
"No."
Shen Hua like a robber: "It’s all mine."
At that moment, Yingwu’s buttock was in severe pain. If she let Shen Hua drink again next time, she would rather die!
The commotion inside the room was clearly heard by people outside.
Yingwu was indeed a Shadow Guard, but after all, she was a girl, so Cui Yun did not enter.
Seeing the stalemate inside the room, Cui Yun spoke mildly: "Give it to her."
Yingwu’s heart shivered, and she instinctively responded, "This subordinate obeys the command."
As soon as the words were out, she couldn’t help but slap herself hard. Yet, out of fear for Cui Yun, she tearfully offered it, making sure to wrap it tightly with lotus leaves.
In the meantime, the girl stretched her devilish claws, lifted the soft pillow, and quickly grabbed the peeled walnuts inside.
"Miss! I peeled those all night!"
Shen Hua coyly nodded at Yingwu, her eyes curving into crescents.
"I know, you mentioned before that you like to hide food under the pillow."
Yingwu, in agony, gave herself another hard slap.
Shen Hua: "Now they’re mine."
Holding the roast chicken in one hand and a box of hickory nuts in the other, Shen Hua staggered towards the window.
"Yingwu."
Yingwu lay there, feeling utterly deflated.
"I’ll come visit you again next time."
Please don’t!!!
Shen Hua’s voice crisp, "Next time, remember to put red dates under the pillow, I love those."
Yingwu expressionless.
Just leave now!
Shen Hua pushed the window open to its fullest, her eyes meeting Cui Yun’s.
Cui Yun in a tone that betrayed no emotion: "Use the front door."
The wind was strong, turning the girl’s nose red: "Every time I climb over the wall, brother always accompanies me, he can do it, why can’t cousin do it?"
Cui Yun laughed in amusement, "Tell me, what else has your brother done for you?"
"He would place my favorite dishes right in front of me. Allowing me to have them all to myself."
Cui Yun ’Hmm’ed.
"He would take me out for fun, spending eighty percent of his monthly salary on me."
"What else?"
"When I was punished to copy books, it was always brother who imitated the handwriting at night and wrote them for me to mix real with fake."
Cui Yun raised an eyebrow, then leisurely pursued further, "And what about you?"
"I naturally cheered him on from the side."
Speaking of Shen Zhi, Shen Hua seemed to have endless praises.
She chattered on and on, praising him inside and out and then from outside in. It’s just that Shen Zhi was perfect in every aspect, the only flaw being the same as hers, a rather short-lived nature.
When Shen Hua’s throat was dry: "Move aside, I’m climbing out."
"It’s the teacher who said, to be someone, you must find an alternative path, not to follow the common route."
Cui Yun laughed, "You’ve learned well."
"Naturally."
"I! Naturally cannot let cousin lose face!"
She really is something, speaking as if quoting Doctor Ni and the teacher.
Listening might be one thing, but comprehending is in a weird and mysterious realm.
Shen Hua had just stuck out half her body when the man picked her up around her waist and carried her out.
Barely touching the floor.
"I want to go see Auntie."
Shen Hua pats her chest: "I’ll invite her to eat roast chicken."
"Mama must be resting right now."
Shen Hua’s eyes droop in disappointment.
Shen Hua blinks. She purses her lips and reluctantly steps back.
"Then I’m going to Sui Courtyard."
She strained her memory: "I’ve left something in your study."
Nonsense.
Since Shen Hua moved into Marquis Yangling Mansion, she had never entered Cui Yun’s study.
Cui Yun twitched the corners of his lips.
"The study is for official purposes."
"My brother always supports me!"
Shen Hua’s round eyes just looked at him like that.
"You said it yourself, he is your brother."
The hand Cui Yun had around her waist did not retreat; he tightened his grip and then lowered his voice: "I am different from him. Understand?"
Shen Hua understood.
There was an extra ’cousin’.
She brushed off Cui Yun’s hand: "Then I need to take it back even more."
She tried hard to stand on tiptoes. Trying to be level with Cui Yun.
"You have to return my belongings."
Cui Yun calculated the time, then watched her intently.
The sky had darkened, and the girl, having drank alcohol, still didn’t forget to approach him and even intended to head to his study.
If it wasn’t for ulterior motives, who would believe it?
Shen Hua urged: "Can we make it quick? Decide now."
"Of course, why not."
Cui Yun flicked his robe: "Last time it was the bracelets, this time I also want to see what else Miss Shen wants to take from here."
Fortunately, Sui Courtyard isn’t far from here.
Aside from Cui Yun and a few close servants, hardly anyone else can enter the study.
Even a few cousin sisters from the West Garden had tried their best to come here, but would usually be sent out by Ji Xin just as they entered the yard.
At the moment of three quarters past the hour of Hai, moonlight filtered through the layers of branches, casting distorted and sparse shadows on the ground.
Shen Hua strides confidently inside. Rubbing her eyes tiredly after the exertion.
Rather, Cui Yun was a step behind.
He sat down on a nanmu chair, took a teacup from the table, and took a sip.
It was cold.
Even though the tea was of high quality, the flavor was lacking.
The man didn’t put it down; instead, he intermittently traced the texture on the teacup with his fingers and leaned back in his chair.
The girl walked unsteadily. Though she was slow and cautious as if afraid of falling, her goal was clear, as if she had been to this study hundreds of times before.
Finally, she stopped by the bookcase.
Cui Yun’s eyes dangerously narrowed.
He saw Shen Hua, without hesitation, embrace the red glazed porcelain willow leaf vase that had been in the study for five years and which even Ji Xin dared not touch.
It belonged to—Xue Tuan’s vase.
The whole vase’s contours were slender, and she didn’t seem to struggle holding it.
Shen Hua leaned close to the vase’s mouth, her tender face nearing that spot.
Cui Yun frowned: "Don’t touch."
"But I need to get inside."
Shen Hua tilted her head, her eyes clear and crisp. She placed her hand on her lips, her voice soft and gentle.
"Meow."
With a ’clang’, the teacup in Cui Yun’s hand fell to the ground as he stood up, tea splashing everywhere, wetting the hem of his robe.