Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 138 Zhou Shuan x Shen Shu
“What if I say I’m worried?”
“From the eighteenth of the tenth month last year to today, it’s been 310 days. Shen Shu, with you, I can no longer be a gentleman.”
“I’ll ask once more—will you marry me?”
“Then wait and see, Miss Shen.”
Since that day, Shen Shu had felt constantly uneasy. The man’s low, raspy voice echoed in her ears for three whole days. But after three days, there was nothing. No movement, no word.
The summer heat had faded, and the autumn breeze turned cool. Shen Shu knocked on the study door and spoke softly: “Father.”
Shen Wenqi said, “Come in.”
“I asked Fang momo to make this lamb soup,” Shen Shu said as she placed the bowl on the desk. She looked at his arm and asked, “Now that it’s autumn, is your arm starting to ache again?”
Shen Wenqi replied gently, “Doctor Bai gave me medicine. I’ve been using it daily. It’s fine now.”
“That’s good.” Shen Shu glanced at the wolf-hair brush in his hand and asked casually, “How are things at the Ministry of Works lately?”
He put down his brush. “It’s already autumn—the ministry isn’t as busy anymore. Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
She gave a small cough and smiled. “Just showing some concern for Lord Shen.”
Shen Wenqi chuckled, a warmth blooming in his heart. He silently thought: Daughters truly are more thoughtful.
After returning to her room and washing up, Shen Shu sighed deeply.
Qingli asked her, “Miss, have you had something on your mind lately? You’ve been sighing a lot these days.”
“Have I?”
“I’ve heard it many times,” Qingli replied, mimicking her sigh.
Shen Shu laughed softly. “It’s nothing. I was just overthinking things before.”
But within three days, she had convinced herself that what that man said to her had just been a moment’s impulse—or maybe just some lingering reluctance.
Since Shen Zhen became pregnant, she had stopped managing the family’s affairs. All the shops, land deeds, and properties of the Shen family had been handed over to Shen Shu to oversee. But Shen Shu wasn’t good with accounting or management, so she had to hire a few more helpers.
The next day, the sun was high, and the light filtered through the emerald leaves onto the pond, scattering golden sparkles like someone had thrown a handful of gold dust over it.
Adjusting the hairpin on her head, Shen Shu turned back and asked Qingxi, “Is the carriage ready?”
Qingli nodded. “It’s already waiting outside.”
“Let’s go.”
Qingli helped her into the carriage, which then headed toward the West Market. Half an hour later, they stopped in front of Baixiang Pavilion.
The two older women Shen Shu had arranged to meet were already waiting.
The plumper one was Madam Zhang, a native of Shu, warm and fluent in Mandarin.
The taller one was Madam Wang. She spoke little, but her skin was exceptionally well-kept—which made sense, since Baixiang Pavilion was a cosmetics shop. The manager’s appearance was half the storefront, after all. Shen Shu couldn’t help but give her another look.
After a moment, Shen Shu opened a handkerchief and pointed to the ingredients inside. She asked Madam Zhang, “Do you recognize what these are?”
Madam Zhang’s face turned red. She braced herself and said, “These… they’re surely ingredients for cosmetics. I may not know exactly what they are, but I can tell from the scent they’re valuable.”
Then Shen Shu asked Madam Wang, “And you?”
After a pause, Madam Wang answered, “That’s Qi Xiang.”
“And these two?”
“Deer Musk and cinnamon bark.”
Well—there was no question who to choose. Madam Zhang blushed and quietly stepped aside.
Shen Shu asked Madam Wang, “Do you know how to keep accounts?”
“Yes,” Madam Wang replied, pulling out an old ledger. “This is my previous account book from home.”
Shen Shu reviewed it and nodded. “Very good. From today on, I’ll leave this shop in your care. I’ll inspect the books at the end of every month—prepare them in advance for me.”
Madam Wang bowed. “Understood, Miss.”
Just as Shen Shu got up to head toward the East Market, Qingli rushed in. “Miss! Something’s happened!”
“What is it?”
“Some foreign merchants and a few local thugs got into a fight right outside. Our carriage was parked next to them—it got smashed by mistake.”
“How badly?”
“It’s unusable. One of the wheels is broken clean through.”
Shen Shu hurried to the entrance. “And the people?”
“They all scattered—ran off,” Qingli said.
The West Market was a chaotic mix of people—brawls and looting were common. The Jingzhao Prefecture guards were always running between East and West Markets because of this.
Shen Shu walked over to see the sorry state of her carriage. Her brows furrowed.
The thirty spokes that connected the rim and hub were scattered. The beams on either side were cracked.
“Miss, wait here. I’ll go find another carriage.”
“At this hour? Where can you find one?”
Watching the wreckage, Shen Shu thought: Maybe I should ask my brother-in-law for help. After all, the Jingzhao Prefecture was located in Guangde lane, which was right near the West Market.
Just then, someone hurried over and bowed. “Miss Shen.”
Shen Shu turned—stunned.
It was Chu Yi, Zhou Shuan’s personal guard. She had seen him many times at the Dali Temple prison. You could say they were… somewhat acquainted.
She gave him a puzzled look. “What can I do for you, Guard Chu?”
Chu Yi smiled. “Lord Zhou just visited Jingzhao Prefecture and happened to pass by West Market. When he learned you had suffered a mishap, he specially arranged a carriage for you.”
Following the direction he pointed—sure enough, a carriage was parked nearby. Under the ornate canopy hung a wood plaque carved with a single bold character: Zhou.
Shen Shu rubbed her fingertips and said, “Thank your lord for me, but the carriage won’t be necessary. I was planning to go to the Prefecture Office.”
Chu Yi froze, stunned.
It took him a long moment to recover. Internally, he was overwhelmed. My lord truly is a genius—he even predicted that exact line.
He quickly said, “My lord also asked me to relay a message.”
“What is it?” she asked softly.
He recited it word for word:
“I once promised to take care of you—and that promise still holds. You don’t have to be polite. Politeness creates distance.”
Shen Shu smiled with her eyes.
But inside—her heart was churning like a stormy sea.
She recalled the events of last year, on the eighteenth of the tenth month.
Outside the bookstore, rain poured down. Cold autumn wind rushed through the window cracks. He had fixed her hair, draped a cloak over her shoulders, and said:
“Shen Shu, come to me. From now on, I’ll take care of you.”
Thinking of that day, her heart faltered.
She turned to Qingli, then said to Chu Yi, “Then please thank Lord Zhou for his kindness.”
Shen Shu walked toward the carriage, lifted her foot, bent down, and stepped inside.
Since the Shen family had moved from Baoning lane to Chongyi lane, Qingli told the driver, “We’re going to Chongyi lane—the Shen residence.”
The driver nodded.
The wheels rolled over the cobblestone, and the carriage left West Market.
At first, Shen Shu felt nothing amiss. But she had a sharp sense of direction—after three streets, something felt off.
This… wasn’t the direction to her home.
She lifted the curtain—sure enough, this wasn’t Chongyi lane.
She smacked her forehead with her palm.
Qingli asked, “Miss, what’s wrong?”
“Stop! Pull over!” Shen Shu said to the driver.
But the moment she said it—the carriage sped up.
Because she had seen Chu Yi earlier, Shen Shu hadn’t thought much of it.
Only now, with the scenery rapidly retreating on both sides, did she realize—
Everything that happened today had been orchestrated.
After all, what were the odds?
In her first trip out in ages—she ran into bandits. Her carriage just so happens to get smashed. And Zhou Shu’an just so happens to pass by at that very moment, already prepared with a carriage?
Even those carefully phrased words from Chu Yi—likely scripted.
The carriage showed no signs of stopping. Shen Shu forced herself to stay calm and asked, “Where are you taking us? Out of the city?”
The driver said nothing.
And Shen Shu could only watch as she was taken farther and farther away from home…
Hurray!! We get to hear what happens to Shen Shu Zhou Shu an!