Chapter 262: Chapter 246: A few days left until the one-month period
After returning home, the entire Yuwen Mansion was enveloped in an atmosphere of relief and joy. Even Jinyun, who was usually steady and reserved, couldn’t help but smile happily, her steps light and swift like a nimble swallow as she busied herself.
As for the younger servants, there was no need to say more.
While serving Shang Ruyi with a hot bath and starting to comb her hair, Tushere couldn’t control her strength several times, causing Shang Ruyi to frown. Finally, she couldn’t help but say, "Lightly, please, you’re going to make me bald."
Tushere quickly loosened her grip but couldn’t resist smiling at Shang Ruyi in the copper mirror, "Please forgive me, Miss, I’m just too happy."
"..."
"I haven’t been this happy for days."
Wo Xue, who was making the bed beside them, also turned and smiled, "Yes, who would have thought that not only was the Duke unharmed upon his return, but he also rescued the second young master. It’s simply an unimaginable good fortune."
Tushere turned to her and said, "It seems our bad fortune has turned around."
Seeing their joy and excitement, Shang Ruyi, though smiling, wasn’t as engulfed in the jubilation. Instead, there was always a hint of calm reflection in her eyes.
At that moment, the door creaked open.
The three people in the room turned their heads simultaneously, only to see Yu Wenye, dressed in white robes, walk in from outside.
Though he hadn’t been tortured during his more than half-month detention and interrogations, he suffered greatly. After returning, he first took a hot bath to clean off the grime, appearing somewhat refreshed, albeit noticeably thinner. This leanness stripped away some of the intense, fearsome air he usually carried. His expression, softened by weariness, exuded a gentle warmth. The slightly moist long hair draped over his back, and as he walked in, there was a faint fragrance from the bath, giving him a slightly ethereal presence.
Shang Ruyi glanced at him, and suddenly her face heated up.
As Yu Wenye saw her sitting at the dressing table and quickly turning her face away, a faint smile curved his lips.
He walked in and said, "You two can leave now."
Tushere and Wo Xue exchanged a glance, secretly smiled, quickly bowed to him, and slipped out.
They also closed the door behind them.
The room was left with just the two of them.
Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but feel nervous, but she thought she shouldn’t be nervous at this moment. After all, when facing him alone before, she dared to say even more embarrassing things. So, what’s there to fear now?
But she was still nervous.
To avoid showing her nervousness too much, she decided to find something to do. She happened to see the comb that Tushere had left on the table, and she reached out to grab it.
But just as she touched the comb, a hand suddenly reached over from behind and rested on the back of her hand.
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s heart jumped as if pricked, and she quickly withdrew her hand.
But that hand picked up the comb and began to gently comb her long hair.
Shang Ruyi’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest. Yet she sat stiff and motionless, not daring to move, for a long moment before she cautiously looked up at her reflection in the copper mirror.
And at Yu Wenye behind her.
But before she could clearly see his expression, a gentle, low voice came from above, "Why aren’t you talking?"
Shang Ruyi hesitated for a moment, "What should I say?"
Yu Wenye seemed to chuckle lightly and said, "You sent things to me twice without leaving a single word. I thought you’d keep all the words to say when we met. Yet, who knew, nothing was kept."
"...!"
Shang Ruyi’s heart was slightly moved.
She indeed didn’t ask Chang Wan to convey any messages, but what surprised her was that Yu Wenye knew it wasn’t she who sent the items either time.
It seemed he had specifically inquired about it with the person who brought them.
Imagining him confined within the Ministry of Justice, enduring the difficulties posed by Wang Shaoji and the interrogations by the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Justice, the days must have felt like years. Yet, he still noticed this small detail. For some reason, her face flushed again.
Her heart as well.
She remained silent for a long moment, then softly said, "But I don’t know what to say."
Yu Wenye seemed to chuckle lightly again.
He said, "Then I’ll ask, and you answer."
Shang Ruyi was stunned for a moment, thinking how he had picked up a bad habit from his time at the Ministry of Justice, coming home and starting to interrogate her. Yet at that moment, she obediently nodded—As soon as she nodded, her hair tugged a bit, but she felt Yu Wenye’s hand was gentle and didn’t hurt her at all.