You Stole My Husband, So I Seduced Your Son - Chapter 52

Of course she wasn’t enjoying it. She only wanted to return to the Annex and engineer a chance encounter with Min Rongxue. She had no interest in stars or the moon.

“I’m feeling a bit sleepy. Let’s head back.”

After repeated attempts, Ji Moyang finally abandoned his romantic musings and slowly rode back, though the closer they got, the less he wanted to return.

Under such a captivating moon, with a beautiful woman in his arms, his mind had long been wandering.

Suddenly, he reined in his horse. Song Xuwan turned to ask, “What’s wrong?”

“I saw a little squirrel in that tree. I’ll catch it for you.”

Helping Song Xuwan dismount, they approached a thick tree. In the moonlight, Ji Moyang’s smile turned suggestive.

“Where’s the squirrel?” Song Xuwan asked curiously.

Ji Moyang pointed upward, gesturing for her to turn around. “It’s up there.”

With her back pressed against Ji Moyang, Song Xuwan strained to peer into the dense foliage. The leaves were thick and dark under the moonlight, obscuring everything.

“I don’t see it.”

“Look closer.”

As Ji Moyang spoke, he lifted Song Xuwan’s hands, pinning them above her head against the tree trunk. With his other hand, he continued his suggestive movements, teasing, “See? To the left.”

Song Xuwan finally realized she had been tricked by this lecherous man. Trapped and utterly immobile, she could only stomp her foot in fury.

Her mortified and enraged expression drew muffled laughter from Ji Moyang.

Suddenly, the branches shook violently, startling the sleeping birds into flight. Song Xuwan couldn’t help but gasp.

“Don’t shout,” Ji Moyang teased. “You’ll scare the birds away.”

“It was you who shook them away!” Song Xuwan retorted, her voice trembling.

“Oh, was it me? Am I that strong?”

Hearing the shameless and vulgar words behind her, Song Xuwan seethed with murderous intent. She desperately wished Min Rongxue would hurry and catch them in the act.

Meanwhile, in the annex, Madam Ma suddenly awoke in a daze. How did I fall asleep?

She hurried to push Feng Shi, who had collapsed beside her, but he remained stubbornly asleep, snoring like thunder. Even a brave kick couldn’t rouse him.

Realizing he was simply too exhausted from the day’s work, she gave up trying to wake him and rushed to Min Rongxue’s room.

“Madam, Madam, wake up! Are we still going to look for the Young Master tonight?”

After persistent shaking, Min Rongxue finally stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She stared blankly at Madam Ma. “What are you doing here?”

“Madam, didn’t you say we were going to Fuyun Temple tonight?”

That’s right… How did I fall asleep? And why does my head feel so heavy?

Min Rongxue struggled to sit up, but her body felt utterly drained, and she collapsed weakly back onto the couch.

“What’s happening to me?”

Her body had never felt so weak, her mind so foggy. Am I being haunted?

The thought made her look up at Madam Ma. “What time is it? Has the Young Master left yet? Why didn’t you wake me sooner?”

Madam Ma said, ashamed, “This servant doesn’t know what happened. I fell asleep as soon as I returned, and Feng Shi was in such a deep slumber that I couldn’t wake him no matter how hard I tried. I don’t even know what time it is now, or where the Young Master is.”

“Should we still go? What if we run into the Young Master on his way back?”

Min Rongxue fell into deep thought. Before sleeping, she had been determined to uncover the truth, but now she hesitated.

“I dreamed of my father,” she murmured, “of when he taught me to read as a child. He said it was a pity I wasn’t a boy. Now, thank heavens, we have Moyang…”

As Min Rongxue rambled on, Madam Ma suddenly realized something. She grabbed the hem of Min Rongxue’s robe and said, “Madam, could it be that the Old Master’s spirit is warning us not to go? That’s why we slept so soundly.”

“Is… is that possible?” Min Rongxue was visibly shaken by the suggestion.

“Of course it is! How else would we have slept so deeply? I usually wake at the slightest sound, but look at today!”

Madam Ma continued, “Madam, there are priorities. Perhaps the Old Master is telling us that compared to the Young Master’s career prospects, this matter is insignificant. Let’s pretend nothing happened.”

“When I served in the manor before, I heard that many noble families strictly disciplined their young masters, refusing to provide them with concubine maids. Instead, they used young male servants to relieve their urges, which is why so many families kept male courtesans.”

“The young master’s affairs can be either trivial or serious. Madam, if you fixate on this, you risk creating a rift between you and your son. Why not take a broader view and simply regard Young Master Xia as the young master’s male courtesan?”

“Once the young master passes the imperial examinations with honors, we can arrange a proper marriage for him. What problem can’t be resolved then?”

Min Rongxue gazed into Madam Ma’s bright eyes, reflecting, “Am I being too narrow-minded?”

She didn’t know how long she had slept. By the time she reached Fuyun Temple, everything might already be over, leaving her with no evidence and only alerting Ji Moyang, potentially provoking his rebellious nature.

Sigh. The opportunity had passed. Min Rongxue sighed inwardly, wondering if her father had deliberately intervened in her dream to stop her.

“Exactly, Madam. Even the Old Master has personally warned you. You should rest now and pretend nothing happened today.”

Madam Ma helped the dizzy Min Rongxue lie down and thoughtfully lit calming incense before preparing to leave.

As she reached the door, a sudden unease struck her. What if Min Rongxue tried to find Ji Moyang again? She decided to stay and keep watch, ready to dissuade her at a critical moment.

In the forest, the bright moonlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting overlapping shadows on the ground. Sudden gusts of wind sent fallen leaves swirling down.

Song Xuwan felt like a floating boat on a stormy river, tossed about until she finally settled, too exhausted to even roll her eyes.

She had waited all night in the woods near the Annex gate, a full night of waiting.

Not a trace of Min Rongxue, not even a ghostly shadow. Despite her meticulous planning, she had failed.

Gazing up at the moonlight filtering through the leaves, her heart felt like cold ashes.

Seeing Song Xuwan so utterly drained, Ji Moyang felt a surge of tenderness. He had been reckless tonight.

He brushed the leaves from her clothes, gently helped her dress, and said affectionately, “Go back to sleep. The forest is damp.”

In the depths of her despair, Song Xuwan drifted into a heavy sleep.

The next morning, she woke up and stared blankly at Baizhi, who felt a chill run down her spine under the intense gaze.

“Madam,” Baizhi began, “everything was going smoothly at first. Madam Ma relayed our message to Madam Min, who was also intrigued. But then, somehow, both of them fell asleep. I had to wake Madam Ma in the middle of the night.”

“When Madam Ma woke up, she rushed to Madam Min’s room and, to my shock, began urging her to abandon the plan. Madam Min, as if possessed, was easily swayed by Madam Ma’s words. I was frantic outside, but before long, both of them had fallen asleep again.”

Falling asleep was understandable—Ji Moyang must have drugged them. But Min Rongxue’s sudden withdrawal was a serious setback.

Song Xuwan had been so focused on provoking Min Rongxue that she’d forgotten what mattered most to a mother: her son’s reputation, especially with the Autumn Provincial Exam just days away.