Cui Lingyao felt a headache coming on.
But she had no intention of explaining anything.
After all, the original owner's infatuation with Shen Tingyu was too deeply ingrained in everyone's minds. It would be perfectly normal for others not to believe her after just a few words.
From now on, she would just have to avoid Shen Tingyu whenever she saw him and use her actions to prove her words were true.
This time in Great Yue, Cui Lingyao had no plans to marry, no plans to get involved with anyone romantically, and certainly no intention of becoming someone's concubine.
Just as she was lost in thought, she felt a tug on her sleeve.
"Miss, look quickly!" Behind her, Zhiqiu's voice was low and brimming with suppressed excitement as she subtly pointed off to the side.
Cui Lingyao turned her head and looked in the direction she was pointing.
A path paved with bluestone slabs was flanked by a dense grove of purple bamboo, looking exceptionally tranquil under the summer night sky.
The scenery was unique, but it wasn't enough to make Zhiqiu alert her with such excitement.
The real reason was the tall, slender figure standing beside the purple bamboo grove.
Shen Tingyu.
Cui Lingyao suddenly realized that the young master's courtyard must be nearby.
In the entire, sprawling Duke Shen Mansion, only Shen Tingyu's courtyard had purple bamboo planted in it.
The slight noise the two of them made still managed to startle the person standing silently by the bamboo.
Shen Tingyu slowly lifted his gaze and looked over in their direction.
His gentle eyes seemed exceptionally bright in the late summer evening.
Even from a great distance, Cui Lingyao could still see his gaze pause for a moment.
Her heart lurched.
Fearing she would once again be misunderstood as pestering him relentlessly, she quickly curtsied, not daring to say a single extra word before leading Zhiqiu away.
Her steps were hurried, as if a ghost were chasing her from behind.
Her entire being screamed 'Stay away.'
When had Shen Tingyu ever seen her like this? He froze for a second, his eyes fixed on her slender retreating back as his lips gradually tightened into a thin line.
Behind him, Shen Er was just as dumbfounded. "...Was that the young miss?"
'Has she really had a complete change of personality?'
Shen Tingyu retracted his gaze, looking down at the bamboo leaves before him for a long time. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you think a person can change so drastically in an instant?"
'It's not just her personality.'
'It's her words, actions, and her entire demeanor.'
'The speed at which she talks.'
'The way she walks.'
'And even... that bone-deep, obsessive infatuation.'
'Everything changed in an instant.'
Shen Er didn't grasp the deeper meaning behind his words, but he knew he was talking about Cui Lingyao. He thought for a moment and said, "This time was different from before. The young miss has probably learned her lesson for real this time."
Several men outside the family saw her clearly when she was under the effects of that aphrodisiac.
For a young lady, that's already a world-shattering disaster.
It would make sense if she learned her lesson from that and no longer dared to pursue the young master.
Shen Tingyu remained noncommittal, his eyes lowered in silence.
His mind replayed the image of that girl clinging to Cui Mingrui's arm, her charming appearance as she called him "Brother" over and over.
At the time, he had just assumed she was dazed from the aphrodisiac and had mistaken Cui Mingrui for someone else.
But now, Shen Tingyu had his doubts.
After all, this cousin of his was his aunt's only daughter. She didn't have a full-blooded brother whom she could trust so completely.
And as for her cousins in the Duke Mansion, every single one of them avoided her like the plague.
She had never experienced the affection of an older brother.
Even if she was truly confused and acting on instinct, mistaking Cui Mingrui for him, her behavior shouldn't have been like that.
Back then, while she was dependent on Cui Mingrui, there was none of the suggestive ambiguity of someone eager to offer herself to him.
It was as if she truly saw him as her own brother.
The trust was real, and so was the complete lack of carnal desire.
—'So, did she really mistake him for someone else?'
...
Cui Lingyao had no idea that despite having been reborn for only half a day, and despite thinking she had been cautious in her speech and actions, two people had already noticed something was amiss.
She focused single-mindedly on walking ahead, finally putting a good distance between herself and Shen Tingyu's courtyard before slowing her pace.
Behind her, a bewildered Zhiqiu said, "That was the Young Master just now. He saw us."
In the past, the Young Master would avoid them like the plague, but her lady would still create opportunities for a "chance" encounter.
Why is it that now that they've truly run into him, she turned and left without a word?
Cui Lingyao said nothing.
Zhiqiu was one of the few servants the original owner and her mother had brought from Pingzhou, so her loyalty was unquestionable.
But her understanding of the original owner's temperament, hobbies, and even daily habits was probably deeper than that of her own bedridden mother.
'I've been replaced by a new soul. As my personal maid, it's only a matter of time before she notices something's wrong.'
'Right now, my top priority is to prevent that from happening.'
'Zhiqiu can't continue to serve as my personal attendant.'
'I need to find a legitimate reason to transfer her away from my side.'
But given their childhood bond and the fact that Zhiqiu was her long-time attendant, she couldn't be replaced so easily unless she made a major mistake.
Lost in these thoughts, Cui Lingyao soon arrived at the small courtyard where she and her mother lived.
From a distance, she could see a slender figure standing under the eaves.
It was the original owner's mother, Mrs. Shen.
She had probably come out to wait because it was getting late and her daughter hadn't returned yet.
'A pity...'
'Her daughter is already gone.'
Perhaps it was the lingering emotions of the original owner, but Cui Lingyao felt a tightness in her chest.
She quickened her pace to meet her, mimicking the original owner's memory as she called out, "Mother."
Mrs. Shen's eyes were full of gentle affection. She took her daughter's hand and said, "Why are you back so late today? Was the flower-viewing banquet fun?"
"It was fun! There were so many people, and it was very lively."
After three years of living there, the once secluded courtyard had been made to feel very warm and cozy.
While helping her mother inside, Cui Lingyao selectively recounted a few amusing anecdotes from the banquet. Mrs. Shen listened with a smile and gently asked her daughter, "Did you see any young masters who caught your eye?"
"Mother!" Cui Lingyao feigned a shy expression.
"There's nothing you can't tell your mother."
Once inside, Mrs. Shen had her daughter sit down and said earnestly, "Yao'er, I know you have high standards, but with our status, it's difficult to be a good match for the legitimate sons of those great houses in the Capital City."
Their family standings are too high for an orphan girl with no father or brothers to climb. A concubine's son might be a possibility, but you'd have to live under the thumb of the primary wife. If you really married into such a situation, a life of grievances would be waiting for you.
After her husband's death, Mrs. Shen had fallen gravely ill and her body was left with many chronic ailments. Her vitality slowly drained away. Widowed for many years, she had held on and returned to the Capital City all for the sake of her daughter's future.
But her health was poor. She coughed with every few steps, couldn't live without her medicine, and rarely ever left the courtyard.
Therefore, she had no idea that her daughter was desperately trying to become her cousin's concubine.
Even though countless people in the Duke Mansion, big and small, knew about it, no one would dare cause a scene in front of her, out of concern for her fragile health.
Mrs. Shen was completely in the dark, single-mindedly focused on finding a husband for her daughter.
She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed softly a few times. "Those young men from humbler families, if they have good upbringing and talent, their futures won't necessarily be worse than those of the nobles. As long as you find one you like, I will go and ask your aunt to act as a matchmaker."