"...you are inferior in every way... even if you were, Young Master would not even look at you, much less sleep with you. How can you..."

Fang Chengyu's ridicule followed.

"You won't sleep with me? You not sleeping with me is not up to you!"

Aren't they talking too much about sleeping? Maidong felt stunned.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp sound, like the sound of clothes being torn open.

"s.h.i.+tty woman, what are you doing. So shameless."

Fang Chengyu's angry voice almost shattered the gla.s.s.

It was then followed by silence.

Maidong bravely peered through the window, only to see that Miss Jun was ripping off Young Master's s.h.i.+rt while pulling at the bed curtains.

Heaven!

Maidong turned red and did not dare to take another look before running off. She stopped only once she was out the gate.

Actually, there was no need to make a fuss about nothing.

Young Master and Miss Jun were husband and wife. Doing things like this was only natural.

Maidong turned red then white as she stood outside. A servant came from somewhere to look at her curiously.

"Big Sister Maidong, what's with you?" she asked, poking her head inside. "Are Young Master and Young Lady fighting?"

It is said that husband and wife make peace on the bed.

Young Lady was angry that Young Master had an affair. If it was with Young Lady… there should be no problem.

Red-faced, Maidong stared at that servant girl.

"Go, go. Don't make me say that you're not allowed here," she answered. She silently remained guard at the courtyard entrance.

The courtyard was silent again, and there was also silence behind the bed curtains.

The sunlight shone through the curtains onto the couple's faces. Their expressions seemed calm, like nothing had transpired.

"Can you take it off yourself?" Miss Jun asked, looking at his s.h.i.+rt that she had half removed.

Fang Chengyu did not answer her. He nimbly untied and shrugged off his s.h.i.+rt.

"Take off everything?" he asked woodenly.

Miss Jun shook her head.

"No need. You only need to expose your feet," she answered while opening the small box.

It was full of the needles she used everyday, densely packed together, all of different lengths.

Fang Chengyu laid back on the bed, watching her as she selected a needle. He did not respond at all, as if he wouldn't move even if she were to p.r.i.c.k his throat.

On the other hand, she paused, looking at him with interest in her eyes.

Previously, during the time she was making a fuss, it was her first time so she was nervous. She was only worried about whether it was realistic or not, and did not care about other people's reactions. So she didn't mind that Fang Chengyu had fought with her.

Fang Chengyu was not outwardly noisy, but his usual, everyday quiet words were very sly. Obviously his inner mettle was not of the refined child he appeared to be on the outside.

But now, after she entered the gates and acted angry, he had also retorted. They were the only two in the room, and this time she wasn’t engaged in a physical altercation, so she could see his expression.

He had spoken angrily, but his expression was as calm as ever. Obviously he was putting on a front, and it was the careless kind.

Perhaps it was because she was wearing the same expression. After all, it was a show for outsiders to listen to, not to watch.

He was cooperating with her.

This child was truly intelligent and clever. He most likely already knew something was up with the current situation, but when had he discovered this?

Could it be her performance was not realistic enough?

"It wasn’t that your performance wasn’t realistic. It’s just that you’re not that kind of person," he answered.

"I’m not that kind of person? Aren't I doing this for money and to control the Fang Family?" she asked.

Fang Chengyu smiled.

"You ask too many questions."

If she really was angry that he slept with a servant girl, what was the use of all this talking. She should have just directly hit her.

Yes, to other people the shock and anger was an appropriate response, but the sensitive Fang Chengyu had sensed something up.

Miss Jun smiled but did not continue her line of questioning.

"Don’t you want to ask any questions?" she asked.

Fang Chengyu look at her.

"Why hide it from me?" he asked after a pause.

He didn’t ask what was being hidden, but why it was.

"Because others do not understand your sadness, and they cannot imagine happiness, so I do not dare confirm whether other people can sense your happiness or not," she answered seriously.

Why he was sad, and why he was happy. Fortunately, this time it was happiness.

Fang Chengyu clenched his fist next to him, and his breath grew quick. So it was like that.

"En," he answered.

She pinched his finger, then paused as she gripped the needle.

"It will hurt a lot," she said. "You must endure it."

He smiled, his black eyes twinkling at her.

"This is what I deserve," he said. "The price people think I must pay for my mistake, no?"

Was this an apology?

The trouble he caused by sleeping with a servant girl?

Indeed, if not for this incident, he would not need to bear such a crime.

Miss Jun smiled but did not answer. She pinched his finger, and slowly pushed the needle in.

He trembled slightly and his whole body went taught. He bit down hard and shut his eyes, not moving.

The room was silent, the only thing moving was Fang Chengyu's trembling hand where it gripped the curtain.

In the drawing room, Old Lady Fang's face was showing her delight as she listened to what Head Shopkeeper Song was saying to the managers.

"This year's business is much better than previous years," said one of the senior managers with a smile.

Old Lady Fang laughed.

The prosperity of their business made her happy, but she was even happier because Head Shopkeeper Song was not like she feared.

Since he had come in, he had not mentioned Fang Chengyu at all; he clearly didn’t know what had transpired here.

Although she had guessed that the enemy was possibly quite close to them, but if it really was someone they knew well, it would be much more painful.

It was much more painful for someone to be stabbed in the back by a loved one.

Finding out the enemy could bring both anger and happiness Old Lady Fang did not want to be hurt.

She had had enough of sad things.

"Good." Head Shopkeeper Song set down his tea and stood up. "Not that we’re done, we’ll be taking our leave."

Old Lady Fang also stood up.

"The hour is late, stay here and eat," she said.

Lady Fang could not stop herself from giving Old Lady Fang a look.

Why was she so happy? Asking people to eat when something had occurred. It would not be convenient for people’s mouths to run.

Thankfully Head Shopkeeper Song tactfully declined.

"They still have to get going. Business never stops," he said, pointing at the managers.

They had come from different exchange firms. When they heard what he said, they smiled politely.

"Old Lady holds a feast every New Year. It’s not too long till then. I’ll stay next time to eat. We can’t eat everything all at once," one of them answered.

Old Lady Fang and Lady Fang smiled in return. Just as they were to send them off, a fl.u.s.tered servant girl ran in.

"Old Lady, Lady, it’s not good. Young Master is in a bad way," she blurted out.

A change overcame Old Lady and Lady Fang’s faces.

"What happened?" they pressed.

But the girl did not say anything. When she saw Head Shopkeeper Song and the other managers, she seemed to be frightened. The words got stuck in her mouth.

"Chengyu’s body is doing poorly?" Head Shopkeeper Song observed the girl’s expression and frowned, then slapped his thigh in realization. "That’s right, Imperial Physician Jiang from the Imperial Hospital has come to visit his relatives. He and I are old acquaintances. I was thinking of a day to arrange for him to see Chengyu. There is no day like the present. I can get him to come and see him now."

The Imperial Hospital’s imperial physician, Jiang Youshu?

Old Lady Fang went blank.

The imperial physician’s skills were preeminent, his fame only second to Divine Doctor Zhang. They had wracked their brains to request him many times, but he always said he had something to do.

Imperial Physician Jiang’s ancestral hometown was indeed Yangcheng, but his family had left several generations ago. And never before had he come to visit his relatives. Why would he suddenly come now?

If this had happened at some other time, Old Lady Fang would not think much of it. She would have been crazy from happiness. But at this time, she could only feel a chill run down her spine..

Miss Jun said that Chengyu’s poison had already been dispelled. How could that escape the discerning eyes of the imperial physician?

Why was his arrival such a coincidence?

Visiting his relatives, this year, at a time that wasn’t New Year’s. What visiting relatives, obviously he was asked to see Fang Chengyu.

So it was him?

Old Lady Fang looked at Head Shopkeeper Song, the sorrow almost making her unsteady.

Why?