Chapter 38: Chapter 37: Guilty Conscience_1
The weather had become increasingly hot, and the days had stretched longer.
As summer neared, the peonies in the courtyard, long exposed to the sun, wilted somewhat, their faded reds concealed among the lush leaves, lacking their usual charming appearance.
Early in the morning at the Ke Mansion, Lady Qin was reprimanding the servants.
"What’s with the servants in this house, failing to notice such a large puddle of water? The new velvet blanket I had replaced just yesterday is already stained with watermarks. It’s all because you’re spoiled, all of you growing lazy!"
Ke Chengxing had just changed his clothes and came out to hear Lady Qin chastising someone, causing him to frown.
He walked outside, clearing his throat softly and said in a softer tone, "What’s there to be angry about? It’s just a dirty blanket. Maybe last night’s rain brought it in, perhaps some girl brought it in carelessly."
"Carelessly? How could someone be so careless to spill such a big puddle?" Lady Qin’s eyebrows were fiercely knitted together, "You come and look clearly, these footprints are so distinct, it’s as if someone deliberately stepped in it. No, I won’t stand for it. Ping’er, go call all the girls in the courtyard to come here. We’re going to match their shoes one by one. I must find this wretched creature today!"
Ke Chengxing got a headache just listening, and quickly found an excuse to slip away.
Once he was out of the house, Wan Fu brought him a cup of tea to rinse his mouth. After using it, he asked offhandedly, "Why haven’t I seen Wan Quan around these past few days?"
Wan Fu’s gaze flickered, and he said with a smile, "Lord, you’re kind to remember. A few days ago, his cousin from the farm came by, and the two brothers went off to play in the mountains. I didn’t think to restrain him, so I let him go. It’ll be a few days before he returns."
Ke Chengxing nodded, "He’s young, it’s good for him to get out and about."
Wan Fu quickly agreed with a smile and took a few steps before Ke Chengxing sighed, "I don’t know what it is, but I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days. I wake up four or five times a night. Sometimes I do manage to fall asleep, but then I wake up with a start, and when I check the time, it’s only the Fourth Watch."
Wan Fu suggested, "Perhaps it would be good to have a doctor take a look?"
Ke Chengxing thought for a moment and agreed. So he sent for a familiar doctor, and after checking his pulse and examining him, the doctor didn’t find anything wrong and prescribed some tranquilizing remedies before leaving.
After the doctor left, Wan Fu saw that Ke Chengxing was still rather morose and reassured him, "My Lord, take comfort. Perhaps it’s the hot weather making you uncomfortable. Let’s see how you feel after taking the medicine."
Ke Chengxing nodded, then went outside for a walk. When he returned to his room, he found that Lady Qin was sitting inside, in a sullen mood.
Ke Chengxing approached with a smile, squeezing her shoulder, "Did you find out whose muddy footprints those were?"
"No!" Lady Qin brushed off his hand irritably, "Isn’t it strange? I’ve checked with every maid in the courtyard, but haven’t found anyone whose shoes match the footprints. It’s truly baffling!"
Ke Chengxing just laughed, "If they can’t be found, let it be. It’s just a blanket. We can buy another one tomorrow."
Lady Qin scoffed coldly, "It’s easy for you to say, but you have no understanding of household expenses, which is why you can speak so arrogantly..." She went on and on, talking nonstop and rapidly, with maids and old women serving all around, until Ke Chengxing turned red in the face. After enduring it for a long time, he finally escaped into his study.
It was only upon entering the study that Ke Chengxing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He was actually quite afraid of this wife.
In truth, Lady Qin was quite beautiful and the daughter of a minor official; by all accounts, she was marrying above her station by joining the Ke Family. Perhaps it was because she was spoiled at home that her nature was so domineering. Once she arrived at the Ke Family, she had taken control of the household affairs, and her temperament was fiery. Ke Chengxing didn’t even dare to use the profits from the family business without caution.
Madam Ke always advised him to be patient for the time being, suggesting that once they had a direct heir, Lady Qin’s temperament would naturally soften. But whenever Ke Chengxing faced his newlywed wife, he felt a stifling sensation, as if he couldn’t catch his breath.
At times like these, Ke Chengxing’s thoughts would drift to Miss Lu.
The disposition of Miss Lu was the polar opposite of Lady Qin’s. She was always tender and graceful, putting him first in everything and being considerate in every way. And she was also born with beautiful looks, bright eyes and a kind expression, with the heart of an orchid and the character of jasmine. When she moved or turned her head, it was like a gentle dance of willows or the smiling freshness of blooming flowers.
Such a Miss Lu would attract any man, which is why in the Fengle Building, she used to...
Ke Chengxing suddenly shivered violently and stopped his thoughts from wandering any further.
Wan Fu came in from outside, bringing him some fresh fruits and brewed a pot of strong tea. Lady Qin was not only aggressive but also kept him on a tight leash. Upon entering, she would first hit any maidservants in the courtyard, so even those who had the intention to get close to him didn’t dare make a move in front of Lady Qin.
As time went by, Ke Chengxing inevitably felt an itch in his heart.
He asked Wan Fu, "The rent I had you collect for me is all there now, isn’t it?
Wan Fu’s heart skipped a beat, but he smiled without showing any sign of it, "Almost, just a little bit more."
Ke Chengxing grunted and whispered, "In a few days, when she’s lazing around after her birthday, take that rent and accompany me to Fengle Building to relax."
Wan Fu smiled and agreed, then answered a few more of Ke Chengxing’s questions before he left.
When it was almost noon, the sun grew fiercer, and the light pouring into the room from the window made one drowsy with its warmth.
Ke Chengxing had intended to escape Lady Qin’s nagging for a while by hiding in the study, so he picked up a book to read, but before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.
He had not slept well for several days, but this sleep was unexpectedly deep, and he even had a dream.
In the dream, he was sleeping on the couch, and at the side of his bed there was a young woman with a Dao-Madao hairstyle tending to his covers, bowing her head. She wore a pale blue, gold-embroidered dress and her figure was graceful and exquisite. With her head bowed, her face wasn’t clear, but there was a bright red mole on the back of her neck visible.
With such a beauty in his arms, Ke Chengxing’s heart and mind inevitably raced. He wanted to get closer, so he tried to sit up and embrace her, but no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t move. He could only hear the woman’s voice calling him from afar, getting closer, "Master."
He vaguely felt that the voice sounded familiar but couldn’t recall where he had heard it before. As he was pondering this, he suddenly felt a chill over his body and instinctively looked up, only to see droplets of cold water dripping down from the woman’s black hair onto his bed, soaking the bedding with an icy dampness.
"You..."
The woman lifted her head, revealing a face pale and delicate, "Master..."
Ke Chengxing screamed in horror.
He suddenly opened his eyes, the sunlight outside was warm, and the fragrance of the peonies in the courtyard was refreshing. Ke Chengxing wiped his face and realized that his forehead was covered in cold sweat.
He breathed a sigh of relief, then cursed softly, "Damn it!"
On such a good day, he had dreamed of Mrs. Lu for no reason. The bright red mole on the back of his deceased wife’s neck, which once seemed charming and lovely, now struck fear into him and reminded him of the day she died when her retrieved corpse under the sunlight made the red mole appear as a glaring drop of blood.
Ke Chengxing rubbed his temples, then suddenly felt a heat on his body. Looking down, he saw a thin blanket draped over him by someone unknown.
With such hot weather and still covering with a blanket, no wonder he had sweated so much. Ke Chengxing said displeasedly, "Wan Fu, Wan Fu—"
He called out twice, but Wan Fu didn’t respond, so he stood up to call someone from outside the door. Just after taking a couple of steps, Ke Chengxing suddenly stopped.
The study door was tightly shut, and from his desk by the window to the door of the study, a trail of wet footprints had appeared at some unknown time.
These footprints were full of water marks, as if the person had just climbed out of the water and walked here, leaving behind a trail of dark water stains.
They were small and delicate, about the length of a palm.
Those were a woman’s footprints.