You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 39

Song Xuwan’s lips twitched. She poured out some rose petal juice, instantly filling the room with fragrance. Zhou Minghai sneezed violently, said, “Get some rest,” and turned to leave.

The next morning, Song Xuwan had already arranged everything. She confirmed with Baizhi again, “Is the house rented?”

Baizhi replied respectfully, “Yes, Madam. As you instructed, it’s two small courtyards away from the Exquisite Pavilion, the one with the large bundle of mugwort hanging by the door. The interior is simply furnished.”

“Hmm.”

Song Xuwan had instructed Baizhi to rent a small courtyard for her secret rendezvous with Ji Moyang. Her plan was to lure Zhou Minghai there to catch them in the act. By then, Ji Moyang would likely have no choice but to jump into the river.

As for why she couldn’t use their own home, it was because too many people lived there, and gossip spread easily. If anyone caught a glimpse of her affair, her reputation would be ruined, and her children would be shamed for life.

But if it happened elsewhere, Zhou Minghai would never speak of it, adhering to the principle that family scandals should remain private. This way, he could maintain a semblance of dignity.

As for her marriage, she had long ceased to care. As long as Zhou Minghai and Min Rongxue suffered for the rest of their lives, she would find a thousandfold greater joy.

After preparing herself, she boarded her carriage and headed straight for the Exquisite Pavilion.

As soon as she stepped down from the carriage, she spotted Ji Moyang drinking tea in the teahouse across the street. Seeing her disembark, he immediately paid his bill and hurried toward the Exquisite Pavilion.

Song Xuwan cast him only a fleeting glance before striding into the pavilion with Baizhi. The shopkeeper, assuming the owner had come to retrieve something, rushed forward with a respectful bow.

“Madam, why have you come in person? Just give the order, and I’ll have it delivered to your residence right away.”

Before the shopkeeper could approach Song Xuwan, Baizhi glared him back with a sharp look. “Attend to your business and mind your own affairs.”

Song Xuwan continued walking without a pause, moving from the front hall to the rear courtyard, Ji Moyang hot on her heels.

“Young Master, this is the rear courtyard. If you need anything, please browse the counter at the front.”

The shopkeeper straightened his posture and extended his arm to block Ji Moyang from following Song Xuwan into the courtyard.

Ji Moyang hesitated, unsure whether to call out to Song Xuwan and risk exposing their relationship. Just then, Baizhi’s cold voice cut through the air: “Shopkeeper, attend to your duties and stop meddling in others’ affairs.”

Attend to his duties? Was stopping Ji Moyang considered meddling?

The shopkeeper was momentarily stunned, and in that brief hesitation, Ji Moyang strode past him and followed Song Xuwan into the courtyard. Baizhi made no move to stop him. The shopkeeper raised his hand and slapped himself across the face.

“So early in the morning, and you still lack the sense to read the room.”

After crossing the rear courtyard and exiting through the corner gate, it was only a few dozen steps to the small courtyard entrance adorned with mugwort leaves. Baizhi quickly unlocked the gate, whispering, “No one’s inside, Madam. Please rest assured. The furnishings are a bit sparse, but I’ll arrange for more later.”

Baizhi opened the gate and stepped aside to let Song Xuwan enter first. As Song Xuwan crossed the threshold and Baizhi was about to follow, Ji Moyang abruptly blocked her path. Baizhi looked up to see a dark shadow looming over her as the gate slammed shut with a thud.

Standing outside, she heard the bolt sliding into place from within. Had she been locked out?

The small courtyard led to the main room in just a few steps. Song Xuwan had barely settled when she pointed to the soft couch in the main hall and called out, “Baizhi…”

“She’s not here.”

Warm breath brushed against her neck as Ji Moyang wrapped his arms around her from behind. Before she could react, he had turned her around and pushed her onto the soft couch.

“What are you doing?” Song Xuwan demanded, her voice a mix of shock and anger.

Ji Moyang lowered his head, silent, his dark eyes churning. His hands moved ceaselessly, unbuttoning Song Xuwan’s clothes, completely ignoring her attempts to push him away. Only when a large expanse of her snow-white skin was revealed did his eyes regain their clarity.

Gradually, his demeanor softened. He asked in a husky voice, “He hasn’t been mistreating you these past few days, has he?”

“Of course he has!” Song Xuwan retorted irritably. “Didn’t he throw that drunken tantrum the other day?”

Ji Moyang chuckled softly, leaning closer to her in a suggestive manner. “You know what kind of mistreatment I mean. If you won’t tell me, I’ll have to inspect you myself.”

Hadn’t he already undressed her earlier? What further inspection could there be? Song Xuwan frantically tried to shove him away.

But Ji Moyang, despite his lean appearance, possessed the taut muscles and formidable strength of someone who had trained in martial arts for years. Song Xuwan, with her delicate frame and lack of physical strength, stood no chance against him.

Her anger flared. “What do you think you’re doing, you lecherous scoundrel!”

“Just showing you some affection,” he replied. “What’s there to be afraid of?”

Ji Moyang pinned Song Xuwan down with one leg, rendering her struggles futile. He quickly stripped off his thin summer robes and pressed himself against her.

The plan was progressing too quickly. The person she had sent to inform Zhou Minghai had likely only just begun searching for him. Given Ji Moyang’s urgency, she feared he would leave before Zhou Minghai could arrive.

Unable to break free from Ji Moyang’s grasp, Song Xuwan’s voice grew frantic. “Are you deliberately trying to humiliate me?”

Ji Moyang finally paused, his expression puzzled. “You don’t want this? You promised me at the Annex. Why have you changed your mind after just a few days back home? Is it because of Zhou Minghai?”

Song Xuwan turned her head away, her voice barely audible. “I told you, Zhou Minghai is observing mourning for your grandfather. We’re sleeping in separate quarters. Yet you deliberately insisted on checking… You’re just…”

Before she could finish, Ji Moyang silenced her again, his words muffled. “No, I just missed you. Let me cherish you.”

After that, Ji Moyang gave Song Xuwan no further chance to resist. By the time Baizhi, standing at the courtyard gate, heard the commotion and hesitated whether to intervene and rescue her mistress, it was too late.

Ever since Fuyun Temple, Madam and Young Master Ji had seemed to share some secret. Madam hadn’t spoken of it, and Baizhi dared not pry.

At the Annex, Baizhi grew certain that something was happening between them, but Madam still refused to speak of it, forbidding her from speculating.

Now, Baizhi couldn’t tell if Madam was being forced, seduced, or perhaps even seducing Young Master Ji herself.

Daring not to speculate, Baizhi quickly sat down near the courtyard gate, following Song Xuwan’s instructions: if Master approached, she was to act flustered and rush to open the gate.

So, we must keep this from Master? Of course. Which Madam would want her affair discovered by her husband?

Baizhi sat at the gate, eyes downcast, trying to ignore the sounds drifting from the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Zhou Minghai, about to have lunch with his colleagues, noticed a waiter approaching. The waiter bowed respectfully before whispering, “Master, I’m a waiter from the Exquisite Pavilion. This morning…”

Zhou Minghai glanced at his colleagues, clasped his hands in a polite gesture, and said, “Please go ahead, everyone. I’ll join you shortly.”

With that, he pulled the waiter aside to a secluded spot and asked, “What is it?”

He remembered Song Xuwan was supposed to buy a hair ornament for Ningning today. Could something have gone wrong?

The waiter glanced quickly at Zhou Minghai before cautiously saying, “Around mid-morning, Madam came to the pavilion. Without asking for anything specific, she went straight to the rear courtyard, followed by a man. We didn’t dare inquire further. What do you think we should do, Master?”