CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 360: AS LONG AS YOU’RE FINE, THAT’S GOOD

No matter why he’s angry, Shang Ruyi doesn’t want to play ’attack and defend’ with him. She’s not so foolish as to have saved someone’s life and then grovel in front of them. She may not be aggressive and tough, but fairness has always been her principle; she can’t just be easily bullied.

It’s just—

This time, she felt a bit guilty in front of Yu Wenye.

"Sigh..."

Shang Ruyi sighed inwardly, glanced once more at Yu Wenye’s back, and decided to go out for a walk. After such a hectic day, although she was a bit tired, her mind was still clear. She needed to sort out her somewhat chaotic thoughts.

So, she threw on a cloak and pushed the door open to go out.

But at the moment she closed the door, the person on the bed seemed to move slightly.

As soon as she stepped out of the room, it was pitch black outside.

This temple wasn’t wealthy, so there weren’t many places with lights at night. Only the main hall used for evening classes and the side halls where the Bodhisattva was enshrined had lit candles. Luckily, the place wasn’t large, so Shang Ruyi managed to walk along the corridor with the faint candlelight from the front.

Just as she reached the entrance of the side hall, she saw a silhouette inside.

Could it be Shantong’er?

Shang Ruyi instinctively stopped, but upon closer inspection, the person kneeling before the Bodhisattva was not Shantong’er, but Mu Xian. He was muttering something for a while, then respectfully bowed three times to the Bodhisattva.

Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but chuckle, "So devout, what are you praying for?"

Mu Xian looked back and, seeing it was her, smiled and quickly stood up, "Young Madam, why aren’t you resting yet?"

Shang Ruyi shook her head, "I can’t sleep."

As she spoke, she glanced up at the gentle-faced Guanyin Bodhisattva, then looked at Mu Xian, "I didn’t know you believed in Buddhism. Coming to pray so late, what do you wish from the Bodhisattva?"

Mu Xian blushed with embarrassment, "Just a last-minute attempt to seek help from the Bodhisattva. Don’t dare to ask for much, just some wealth."

"...Ah."

Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s expression suddenly darkened.

Because of her, Mu Xian and his men were punished by Yu Wenye with one year of salary deduction. Although they couldn’t take action in the temple, once they return, they still face eighty military sticks.

She immediately said apologetically, "Sorry, it’s all because of me—"

Mu Xian quickly responded, "Young Madam, how can I bear such words from you? Besides, this matter was due to my mishandling."

Shang Ruyi gave a bitter smile, "Saying that only makes me feel even more ashamed. Clearly, I acted on my own, and you were coerced by me, yet in the end, you were the ones punished."

"..."

Mu Xian didn’t reply immediately. He just glanced at her and, after a while, smiled, "Actually, Young Madam doesn’t need to worry too much about us. The Second Young Master is fair in rewarding and punishing. Following him, we’re not afraid of penalties or lack of rewards. Everyone who followed him to Jiangdu will naturally be rewarded when we return."

"Oh, really."

Shang Ruyi nodded but wasn’t comforted.

After all, this incident was ultimately her burden to them, which couldn’t simply be canceled out by merits offsetting faults.

Seeing Shang Ruyi still looking gloomy, Mu Xian was silent for a moment before smiling softly, "Actually, what the Second Young Master wants is just that."

"Hmm?"

Shang Ruyi was taken aback and looked up at him—what did he mean?

Mu Xian looked at her with a half-smile, "The Second Young Master never intended to punish us."

"..."

This time, Shang Ruyi quickly caught on and looked at Mu Xian’s smiling eyes. "You mean, he’s punishing you to make me feel bad."

Mu Xian said, "Isn’t Young Madam feeling bad now?"

Shang Ruyi let out a heavy breath, then said, "But I did the right thing. If we hadn’t burned Wanggang Village’s granary today, they might not have been able to leave the mountain safely, right?"

"Yes."

"Then—"

This time, before Shang Ruyi could continue, Mu Xian interrupted her, "The Second Young Master isn’t punishing someone for doing this, but because it was you, Young Madam, who did it."

"...?"

Shang Ruyi frowned once again.

Yu Wenye isn’t upset that the task was done but because she was the one who did it?

This ultimately—

Her mind was a jumble, sensing something she couldn’t quite untangle. While she was feeling overwhelmed, Mu Xian also smiled wryly and muttered, "Forget it. Since I’ve meddled already, might as well go all the way. At worst, add a few more military sticks when we get back."

Shang Ruyi looked at him, "Hmm?"

Mu Xian took a deep breath as if making a decision, looked up, and said, "Young Madam, with your good memory, you remember staying at Ban Yan Temple the first time. Why then don’t you remember the events at Xingluo Granary afterward?"

"..."

"At that time, you were with the Second Young Master—"

"...!"

A flash of insight crossed Shang Ruyi’s mind.

Right, she suddenly remembered that the situation between her and Yu Wenye, especially when he was angry with her, had occurred before—specifically after they conquered Xingluo Granary. At that time, because she ventured alone to Luokou Ferry, she was captured by Xiao Yuansui and the others and taken to Xingluo Warehouse City. Yu Wenye was furious, not only leaving her hanging without meeting her after sneaking into the city, making her worry inside, but he also coldly threw a sentence at her.

Saying she needed to be taught a lesson.

At this realization, Shang Ruyi suddenly became sober, and she looked at Mu Xian again: "You’re saying, he’s angry because I—"

"I can’t say anything more than that."

"..."

"Young Madam,"

Mu Xian looked at her again and said with a bitter smile, "I can see clearly how the Second Young Master feels about you; I also understand how you feel about the Second Young Master. But why do you both always seem so awkward? That, I don’t understand."

"..."

"I hope you both can clarify your relationship sooner rather than later."

"..."

"After all—"

Saying this, the smile faded from his face, revealing a hint of seriousness, and he continued, "The road ahead will be harder. If you can’t work together, I’m afraid it will be even more difficult to proceed."

"...!"

Shang Ruyi’s heart sank slightly.

Mu Xian had already bowed to her and turned to leave this side hall.

Shang Ruyi remained silent, not even turning to look at his departing figure, standing quietly in the center of the hall. The faint scent of sandalwood in the cool air seemed to soothe her weary body from the day’s toil, yet her heart surged with an inexplicable emotion that even God Buddha couldn’t soothe.

She didn’t know how long she stood there before slowly stepping out of the hall.

Outside, it was still pitch black and silent.

Only a gust of night wind, carrying a gentle chill, blew across her cheek, causing her temple hair to flutter disarrayed in front her, as though shadows were dancing.

Shang Ruyi reached out to smooth her hair before she slowly walked back along the path she came.

By the time she returned to her quarters, the room’s only candle had nearly burned out, with just a flicker of the wick remaining. The faint light briefly illuminated the silhouette on the bed before it went out with a puff as Shang Ruyi’s hand closed the door, ushered in by a soft breeze.

The room was plunged into darkness.

Shang Ruyi stood at the door for a moment, her breathing and heartbeat starkly conspicuous in the silence, forcing herself to calm down before groping forward in the dark.

She hadn’t taken a few steps when her knee bumped against the edge of the bed.

She bent down and reached out, feeling the bed. Though Yu Wenye had lain down first, he left plenty of space for her. Shang Ruyi fumbled to remove her outer robe, then slowly sat down, then lay down.

As soon as she lay down, she felt a cool sensation beside her.

As if it came from Yu Wenye.

Strange that, even though he had been in the room for so long, why there was still such a chill on him, as if—he had just been outside exposed to the night wind.

Shang Ruyi didn’t quite understand, yet somehow she did. She turned her head to look at the silhouette next to her in the night’s embrace, listening to the soft rustling of fabric.

Yu Wenye had turned to face her.

Was he still awake?

By rights, she should have been surprised, and indeed Shang Ruyi was somewhat surprised because she clearly felt her breath catch and her heart pound like a drum.

Yet, she remained quietly lying there, quietly turning her face to look at him.

Even though the room was void of light, even though it was truly as dark as could be, at such close proximity, with breathing and heartbeat so clear, Shang Ruyi saw those bright eyes gazing at her in the night, even seeing a hint of her reflection within them.

The two of them, just quietly looking at each other.

Who knows how long passed before a warm hand reached over, wrapping around her waist.

Shang Ruyi remained unmoving, but when he touched her, her entire skin seemed to erupt in goosebumps, her breath quickening.

Then that hand slowly pulled her close, enclosing her in an embrace.

The familiar scent, the warmth of his chest—all of it felt like a beautiful dream she once had, enveloping her again.

Shang Ruyi couldn’t tell whether she wanted to resist in silence or silently succumb to it; she simply remained motionless, gazing into those eyes that, at this moment, softened with tenderness, shedding their usual harshness and sharpness.

Then he slowly lowered his head, his lips gently brushing against her cheek before finally approaching her ear.

The warm breath, too, sweeping past her ear.

At this intimate distance where they were nearly as one, Yu Wenye’s deep voice murmured softly in her ear, "As long as you’re alright, that’s enough."