You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 4

Gazing at the terrifyingly calm Madam, Nanny Yun felt a sharp pang of heartache. Her mistress had been pampered since childhood, and even after years of marriage, she had never experienced any truly distressing events. How could she possibly endure such humiliation?

Yet, after a moment’s reflection, Nanny Yun couldn’t help but say, “Madam, you yourself said it was all Master’s one-sided infatuation. If you simply pretend not to know, how would it affect us? Let him write as much as he wants—she clearly has no interest in him. As long as she doesn’t reciprocate, what does it matter if he writes for ten, twenty years, until his hair turns white? He’ll still have to live peacefully and harmoniously with you, Madam.”

How can she possibly maintain a loving relationship with Zhou Minghai, knowing he harbors feelings for another woman? How can this possibly not matter?!

“She’s come to the Capital,” Song Xuwan said coldly.

This was an unexpected development for Nanny Yun. If their relationship had remained confined to letters, it wouldn’t have been a serious concern—letters can’t produce a child.

But if they were meeting in person, even the most virtuous woman might succumb to persistent advances. A refusal today might not prevent them from ending up in bed together someday.

As these thoughts raced through her mind, Nanny Yun nearly crumpled her handkerchief.

“We need to consider this carefully,” Song Xuwan said softly, glancing at the drunken Zhou Minghai. “He’s already drunk tonight. How far is it from there to drunken indiscretion?”

Nanny Yun broke into a cold sweat, sensing the urgency of the situation.

“Even if Master returned drunk tonight, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s related to these letters. Perhaps this woman is one thing, and his drunkenness tonight is another. It’s likely he was just drinking with an old friend.”

Who could say for sure? Song Xuwan selected a few of the most intimate letters, placed the rest back in the box, and hid it behind the plaque.

Now that Min Rongxue had come to the Capital, the two would likely meet in person and communicate less through letters. Zhou Minghai’s carelessness meant he probably wouldn’t notice a few letters were missing.

By the time Song Xuwan left the study, the moon hung high in the sky.

The silvery moonlight bathed the earth, stretching shadows long and thin. As she walked back to the rear courtyard, her steps felt unsteady, as if she were sleepwalking.

She glanced around, the familiar daytime scenery now seemed hazy and dreamlike.

Before she knew it, eleven years had passed in this mansion.

Eleven years… a fleeting dream!

“Oh, right! Zhou Minghai once had people plant a lot of jasmine in Ningning’s courtyard.”

“Ah? Yes, that’s right!” Nanny Yun quickly agreed.

“Have them uprooted tonight.”

These were Song Xuwan’s final words before entering her room.

With the jasmine gone, tomorrow would be a new day.

The next morning, Zhou Minghai woke up in unfamiliar bedding. Recalling his drinking session with Min Rongxue the previous night, he instantly sobered up and furtively glanced around.

Thank goodness, he was alone.

As he got out of bed, Zhou Minghai realized this wasn’t the bed in the side courtyard, but the one in his study, which he hadn’t used in over a decade.

After a quick wash, he reluctantly headed toward the rear courtyard. After a night of heavy drinking, no one had bothered to watch over him. Did the people in this mansion still consider him the Master of the house?

Midway through his walk, he spotted servants carrying muddy jasmine plants out of the courtyard. His brow furrowed even deeper.

“Stop! What’s going on here?”

“Master, Madam ordered the jasmine bushes to be uprooted and replaced with roses,” the servant woman replied respectfully.

In the height of summer, when the jasmine was in full bloom, she insisted on having them removed. It wasn’t even the right season for planting roses, yet she demanded they be planted. His wife truly acted on every whim that crossed her mind.

Zhou Minghai felt a fire burning in his chest, rising with the sun and blazing all the way to the main hall.

“Why uproot the perfectly healthy jasmine bushes?”

Inside the main hall, Song Xuwan was drawing her eyebrows. Hearing Zhou Minghai’s first words upon returning last night were not an explanation but an accusation, she didn’t even raise an eyebrow, continuing to perfect her makeup.

Only after finishing both eyebrows did she lazily turn around, smiling. “The scent of jasmine gives me hives.”

“Since when? You’ve been fine with it for years,” Zhou Minghai retorted, convinced she was making excuses.

Song Xuwan cast him a cool glance before taking the rosewater from Baizhi’s hand and gently smoothing it over her wrist.

Just as Zhou Minghai was about to lose his temper, she added with a mocking smile, “Yesterday.”

“During my evening bath, the maid added jasmine-infused water. I quickly broke out in hives. I wanted to wait for you to return so you could call a doctor, but you didn’t come back until late. I suffered through the night and only felt better this morning.”

Mentioning the previous night’s incident, Zhou Minghai visibly felt guilty, but the thought of the uprooted jasmine flowers still pained him deeply.

He pulled up a chair and sat down, muttering, “If they were planted in Ningning’s courtyard, you wouldn’t have to go there so often, and this wouldn’t have happened.”

In the past, Song Xuwan would have immediately darkened her expression, reproaching Zhou Minghai for his lack of consideration and throwing a tantrum until he coaxed her back into good spirits.

But now, with no expectations, there could be no disappointment. She smiled faintly and instructed the maids to serve breakfast, not asking Zhou Minghai if he remembered what day it was yesterday.

After the meal, Zhou Minghai rose to leave without mentioning his destination—an unusual coldness for a couple who had always been so affectionate.

As expected, when a man’s heart wanders, his soul follows.

Song Xuwan exchanged a glance with Nanny Yun, who sighed and withdrew to begin making arrangements.

Teams were dispatched to track Zhou Minghai’s movements, investigate his spending habits, and even inquire about his activities the previous day—where he had gone and who he had been drinking with.

Zhou Minghai remained oblivious to all this. He had taken leave from his official duties for the past two days specifically to help Min Rongxue settle in.

Today, he planned to visit the Flowing Cloud Annex to meet Min Rongxue’s son and check if she needed anything else.

At the Flowing Cloud Annex, Ji Moyang had already moved in from Fuyun Temple.

He felt deeply grateful to his mother’s old friend. “Mother, where does this old friend of yours live? Since he’s been so helpful, I should pay him a visit to express my gratitude.”

Min Rongxue looked at her son with gentle affection. When they last parted, he had been the same height as her, but in just half a month, he seemed to have grown considerably taller. He was now truly a pillar of the family, capable of shouldering its responsibilities.

Over the years, despite the support from her brother Min Qingping and Zhou Minghai, raising two children alone had been a constant struggle.

Fortunately, everything changed after Ji Moyang passed the imperial examinations.

“Focus on your studies for now,” she said. “There’s no need to rush to express your gratitude. You can do so after the examinations.”

Her son had always been renowned for his talent, often hailed as a young prodigy. He was certain to pass the examinations with flying colors. Visiting to express gratitude after that would only enhance their family’s prestige.

Moreover, she preferred to maintain some distance from Zhou Minghai, or rather, she didn’t want her son to know how close they had become.

Ji Moyang never argued with his mother’s wishes. If she felt there was no urgency, he would prioritize the examinations for now.

“Mother, may I stay here tonight? I plan to go to Fuyun Temple during the day to study with my classmates.”