Your Highness, your wife has had her virginity mark applied and married someone else.

"Oh, so Miss Lu is quite clingy?"

"That has to do with Brother Yuan's charm. I guess we're worried that Brother Yuan will get drunk and we'll feel sorry for him."

"Hahaha--"

Faced with the teasing, Wei Yuan simply put down his wine glass naturally, smiled and gestured to everyone, without even glancing at Shen Mingshu, before turning and leaving.

Shen Mingshu was left behind, watching him leave without looking back.

But she didn't have the courage to go, nor the motivation to go.

Now that things have come to this, the Lu family has become Wei Yuan's patron, so it's only right that they are more eager to help him.

Shen Mingshu suddenly remembered that night when Lu Yanzhi rejected her.

"Ah Shu, Wei Yuan has his own ambitions. Even if he doesn't marry into the family, he won't be content to return to a small town and become a low-ranking official."

"Everything was a choice made by his own heart."

No one forced him.

At the time, Shen Mingshu didn't understand the meaning of the situation, but now, after witnessing firsthand how the Lu family used their absolute power to pave the way for Wei Yuan, she understands that Lu Yanzhi was right.

It's easy to go from simplicity to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to simplicity.

How could she possibly be more important than her future?

However, Shen Mingshu couldn't help but think of Wei Ziye's situation again—he had probably gotten used to the shift from extravagance to simplicity over the past three years.

"Mingzhu." Lu Yanzhi appeared beside her at some point and asked in a low voice, "Could you go help in the backyard?"

The backyard was full of delicacies, and Shen Mingshu was touched by Lu Yanzhi's timely kindness.

Before he could even express his gratitude, Lu Yanzhi was instantly surrounded by a crowd of enthusiastic people.

Shen Mingshu felt embarrassed. If she hadn't been reminded to eat, Lu Yanzhi wouldn't have been forced to eat.

Lu Yanzhi showed no dissatisfaction whatsoever, accepting all offers and downing each drink in one gulp, without a trace of alcohol on his face.

Shen Mingshu was surprised for a moment. How come she remembered that Lu Yanzhi used to be a teetotaler?

"Coo coo—"

Her stomach protested, but Shen Mingshu ignored everything else, lowered her head, and left the lobby.

……

As Shen Mingshu passed by several rooms, she was suddenly bumped into by a maid carrying dishes.

Vegetables were scattered all over the floor, and Shen Mingshu's clothes were covered in oil stains.

Before she could deal with it, she heard a familiar voice coming from the room next door.

"Um... I'm here to apologize. I stole your carriage that night. I'm sorry."

Lu Youyou's voice was awkward.

Seeing her like this, Wei Yuan sighed softly, his voice softening: "I didn't handle things well that night and took my anger out on you. I'm sorry."

Lu Youyou's eyes reddened instantly. She took a few steps forward and threw herself into his arms, her voice choked with sobs and hoarse.

"Waaaaah, I was just angry that you care more about other people than about me. I'm sorry for saying those hurtful things; I really regretted it when I got home."

"I like you, I like you so much! I've missed you so much these past few days. Before I came, I was so afraid you wouldn't forgive me, sob sob sob—I promise I'll never be childish again."

The surrounding noise buzzed in Shen Mingshu's ears. She clenched her fists and listened intently to Wei Yuan's reply from inside the room.

Reason told her to leave immediately; there was no need to listen to such a meaningless and predictable answer.

But her legs seemed to be nailed to the spot, and no matter how much she resisted, she couldn't move.

Until Wei Yuan hugged her back and said, "I missed you too."

In an instant! Shen Mingshu seemed to be finally freed. She pushed aside the maid who was still cursing and ran outside in a panic!

"Hey! Are you even being reasonable?!"

A maid's grumbling came from outside the door. Wei Yuan turned around, wanting to go and see, but Lu Youyou clung to him tightly and wouldn't let go.

"Don't worry about them." Lu Youyou nestled in Wei Yuan's arms, regaining her sense of security, and looked up at him, her voice filled with longing: "Just stay here with me, okay?"

Wei Yuan looked at the doorway, seemingly sensing something, but when he lowered his eyes and met the pure love in Lu Youyou's eyes, he nodded.

"it is good."

……

the other side.

After running out, Shen Mingshu suddenly stopped.

She suddenly realized that if she were a concubine, she would not have the right to be jealous or sad.

If the two of them are only like this, and she can't control her emotions, then in the end, she will only be devoured by her own emotions and repeat the tragedy of three years ago.

"No, no—!"

The thought of her out-of-control self three years ago sent a chill down Shen Mingshu's spine.

She doesn't want to make the same mistake twice...

Shen Mingshu closed her eyes sadly, pressed her lips tightly together, and suppressed the surging emotions in her heart. She took several deep breaths before turning around again.

Unexpectedly, when he looked up, he came face to face with Wei Ziye, who was sitting on the same level.

He stared at her for an unknown amount of time. Shen Mingshu could feel his burning gaze on the redness at the corner of her eyes. She lowered her head and quickened her pace to enter the room.

……

In the backyard kitchen.

Many of the shrewd pageboys had already started eating, and when they saw Shen Mingshu arrive, they even served her a portion.

Shen Mingshu knew that she was also benefiting from Wei Yuan's influence, so she did not refuse and took the bowl to the woodshed in the corner by herself.

Just as he was enjoying the delicious food, he suddenly heard a familiar voice again.

"Hey, this is a hangover tea I brewed especially for you."

Shen Mingshu was startled—Shen, Yang, Jue!

Thinking of the maid who bumped into her, she finally realized that something was wrong.

Isn't all of this too much of a coincidence?

Shen Mingshu put down her bowl, leaned against the wall quietly, and listened intently.

Shen Yangjue handed over the hangover soup with her strangely pale, cold hands.

Wei Ziye frowned in disapproval and did not answer.

Shen Yangjue didn't seem to mind, and added with a slight smile, "I've already sent the information about your illness to my master, and we should receive a reply soon."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mingshu's eyes narrowed slightly.

No wonder Wei Ziye didn't mention having her apologize to Shen Yangjue; it turns out Shen Yangjue had already agreed to help? But...

Shen Mingshu was also somewhat surprised and uncertain—could the divine doctor really know her condition?

In the outer courtyard, Wei Ziye remained silent for a moment, then accepted the hangover tea and placed it on the table. "Thank you."

This aloof, old-fashioned demeanor shows absolutely no sign of him being begging for help.

Shen Yangjue looked somewhat helpless: "After all these years, is Ah Ye still angry with me?"

Shen Yangjue never believed that it was wrong to use living people as test subjects.

She would only think that it was a blessing for these people to use the lives of these lowly people to develop a world-renowned miracle drug.

She herself was simply misunderstood for no reason. Once she developed a medicine to save all living beings, everyone would realize that they had wronged her.

"Miss Shen." Wei Ziye looked up at her directly, his dark eyes revealing no emotion. "Between you and me, we haven't reached that point yet. Please have some self-respect."

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Shen Yangjue reserved all her good temper for Wei Ziye.

An ordinary woman, when reminded to have some self-respect, would be embarrassed, angry, and leave. But Shen Yangjue seemed not to hear it and directly changed the subject.

"My grandmother's birthday is in half a month."

Shen Yangjue took out an invitation, which Wei Ziye only glanced at indifferently until she added, "The Shen family will all be there."

Wei Ziye hesitated for a moment before having a servant take it.

Shen Yangjue smiled bitterly, "You still care about her."

A single, seemingly casual remark sent a jolt through Shen Mingshu's very soul.

She frowned, clutching her chest tightly in pain.

Then Shen Yangjue instructed his servants to deliver invitations to several noble young men.

"Several fellow practitioners will also be coming that day to offer free medical consultations and pray for the well-being of my grandmother. Don't miss it."

The legendary healer lived in seclusion for many years, and gradually, his apprentices took on the mantle of his name, making it extremely difficult to obtain even a single needle from him.

Since Wei Ziye also accepted the invitation, the others did not refuse either.

Shen Mingshu listened and gave a sneer.

No one gets up early without a reason. The Shen family can only protect their precarious position in the capital by engaging in repeated transactions of mutual benefit.

That's why if they catch her, they'll definitely settle all the old and new scores on her.

At that time, should she admit it, or should she admit it?

"If you had any conscience at all, you shouldn't be laughing so gleefully."

"..."