CHAPTER 562: CHAPTER 289: A SENSE OF LOSS (PART 2)

"""

"Hehe, that’ll do!" Second Madam Shi didn’t mind and laughed: "Let’s leave it at that for now!" She couldn’t be more aware of her son’s loathing towards Zhou Jingyi. She would never believe that after she left, her son would actually keep her things! Perhaps he feared that she hadn’t cleared them out thoroughly enough? That’s what Second Madam Shi thought.

The more Second Madam Shi didn’t mention it, the better. But ever since she did, Shi Fengming found it hard to stay put in Biluo Pavilion, his heart set on returning to Xiu Garden. That very afternoon, he moved back.

The things remained, yet people were gone; it should be said that things remained, and people too, it was just lacking the three who should have been there. Zhou Jingyi left with Su Qing and Su Bi.

Nevertheless, everything here still retained her breath and traces. The courtyard was planted with magnolias she liked, the round window was adorned with the spider plant she favored, and on the bed of the warm pavilion, there was her halfway done embroidery, an incomplete lotus-colored handkerchief inside. On the couch, her embroidered blanket—used for napping—was folded neatly...

In the bedroom, everything was arranged and decorated to her liking. Inside the white jade box on the dressing table, there was her used rouge and face powder, and even strands of her hair were entangled on the white jade comb with carvings of flowers and birds!

Shi Fengming slowly surveyed everything in the room, imagining her life here, secluded among the silken curtains, she must have felt lonely, right? His heart suddenly churned up a wave of oppressive pain, filled with unspeakable guilt. He suddenly remembered what elder sister-in-law once said: ’How innocent she was, yet she bore all that she should not have!’

He had always sneered at these words, but now that he thought about it, he found some reason in them.

Without realizing it, he reached out and gently picked up the white jade comb. Made of fine white jade, smooth and delicate, unmatched in warmth, casting a soft, shallow light. Holding it in his hand, he felt a slight chill. Her black hair stark against the white jade, the contrast so clear. Shi Fengming, with his other hand, gently brushed the hair – soft and delicate, as if for the first time, he had touched her hair like this, albeit hair that was shed.

Shi Fengming sighed, put down the white jade comb, turned, and stepped out, standing on the corridor lost in thought.

This was his courtyard, and would also belong to any other woman he would marry in the future. What about her? All traces of her would soon be erased completely without a trace, and in a few more years, aside from the servants occasionally mentioning her behind the scenes, no one would probably remember her, remember that this mansion once had her as its mistress!

It was only natural, but as Shi Fengming thought about it, he felt an inexplicable tremble in his heart and unwillingness - he was reluctant for her traces to disappear. Suddenly, he found his thoughts ridiculous and boring, yet he couldn’t help himself!

Shi Fengming’s expression fluctuated unpredictably. With a stomp of his foot, he hurriedly walked towards Ningyuan.

Shi Fengju had not returned, and as Sang Wan heard that the young master was coming, she inadvertently frowned. Although Zhou Jingyi’s matter didn’t concern her much, she still felt somewhat displeased with Shi Fengming.

But what about the dissatisfaction? No matter how dissatisfied, he was still her younger brother-in-law! Sang Wan could only ask him in.

By the time the maid reported his arrival, Shi Fengming already regretted it. Upon being told to enter, he had no choice but to proceed.

"Isn’t elder brother back yet?" Shi Fengming smiled awkwardly, somewhat unnaturally.

Sang Wan returned a laugh: "It’s still a bit early! He should be back in less than half an hour. Did the young master come to see him for something?"

"It’s nothing!" Shi Fengming laughed along: "I just haven’t seen elder brother in a while and wanted to have a chat with him, that’s all!"

Sang Wan nodded, "Oh," and didn’t say much more.

After sitting for a while and finding it dull, Shi Fengming got up to leave. Sang Wan didn’t try to keep him, only smilingly said: "When Fengju returns, I’ll let him know and ask him to find you!"

"Thank you, elder sister-in-law!" Shi Fengming nodded absently with a smile.

When Shi Fengju came back and changed his clothes to visit Xiu Garden, Shi Fengming was stretched out on the bed of the warm pavilion, idly holding a book, his gaze fixed straight at the pages, not really seeing anything. Maids and old women were holding their breath outside, serving silently, the room and yard as quiet as death. As the young master was known for his bad temper, the servants at Xiu Garden were especially careful.

"Moved back? I thought you would soon. It must have been hard for you to endure being alone over there all this time!" Shi Fengju came in with a smile.

"Elder brother!" Shi Fengming threw the book aside, laughing as he sat up, "Please, have a seat!"

"Did you come to find me for something today?" Shi Fengju asked with a smile as he sat down.

Shi Fengming hesitated for a moment, then shook his head with a smile: "Nothing important! Just got bored and wanted to chat with elder brother. I forgot for a moment that elder brother is a busy man!" he said, with a self-deprecating tone.

Shi Fengju laughed: "It seems like you’ve idled away and developed some quirks. When second uncle and second aunt find you another match, you can’t be loafing around anymore; come to the shop with me!"

When Shi Fengming heard him say that as well, his face fell a bit. Turning his head, he said, "Why is everyone so eager for me to marry? I won’t marry! It’s troublesome! I like how I am now—free and easy!"

Shi Fengming thought he sounded carefree, but the tinge of petulance and sourness in his voice was unmistakable to Shi Fengju, who couldn’t help but give him a disdainful look and thought: Keep pretending!

Shi Fengju expressed his surprise: "What kind of talk is that? How old are you to be saying such petulant things? You can grumble to me all you want, but if you dare, go tell that to second uncle and second aunt. Second aunt would surely cause an uproar!"

"Elder brother, you mustn’t let a word slip to mother!" Shi Fengming immediately became anxious. His mother had been happily prattling non-stop about getting him married these days, nagging to the point of annoyance. If she heard this, he might as well be dead!

"""