Translator – Xiao He Lian
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Chapter 149: Third Life Extra 3
Shen Yao leaned close to her sister’s ear, giggling mischievously, “Sister, don’t you want to see what he looks like?”
Shen Shu glared at her again.
Mouthing silently: He’s the one who saved me, how could I not know what he looks like? Clearly, you’re the one who wants to look.
Shen Yao pretended not to understand and squeezed her head forward, staring intently at Zhou Shu’an.
Tsk.
Absolutely stunning.
That poise—how could he possibly be from a humble background?
No wonder, as soon as he mentioned marriage, Sister’s face turned red. Shen Yao looked up at Shen Shu with a sly expression.
The two girls exchanged glances silently.
Shen Yao blinked: Not bad, Sister. All your earlier worries were clearly unnecessary.
Shen Shu widened her almond-shaped eyes: Say one more word, I dare you!
Just then, Zhou Shu’an spoke again. “There is one more matter I would like to bring up.”
Shen Wenqi’s expression softened. “What is it?”
Zhou Shu’an replied, “It seemed your daughter misunderstood me deeply that day. I’ve come today to explain in person. May I have your permission, My Lord?”
At these words, Shen Yao was so startled she accidentally bumped the screen, causing it to sway slightly. Shen Shu immediately pressed it steady.
The air froze.
No one was blind. A screen that large shifting—hard to pretend not to notice.
Zhou Shu’an, however, was very considerate and didn’t turn around.
Though a hint of awkwardness flashed through Shen Wenqi’s eyes, he kept his face steady and said, “She caught a chill. I’ll send someone to ask if she’s feeling better. Wait a moment.”
Zhou Shu’an bowed. “Thank you, My Lord.”
——
A while later, Shen Shu arrived at the waterside pavilion behind the corridor, accompanied by two maids.
Zhou Shu’an turned to look—
He saw her draw her cloak tighter as she slowly approached him. Satin robes with flowing sashes, graceful steps like a lotus in motion, bright eyes glancing around—she was a vision of autumn charm.
When their eyes met, Zhou Shu’an spoke first, “I heard you caught a chill—are you feeling better now?”
Shen Shu gave a soft cough. “Much better now.”
Zhou Shu’an looked at her and added, “About what happened that day…”
Shen Shu cut in, “My father has explained. It was my misunderstanding.”
Zhou Shu’an continued, “And the rumors in the capital—they weren’t started by me.”
At the mention of those rumors, a flicker of unease passed through Shen Shu’s eyes, but she only nodded.
The autumn wind howled; her sleeves trembled, and loose strands of hair flew. Zhou Shu’an stepped forward, using his tall frame to shield her from the wind.
Suddenly, the distance between them shrank.
If you’re wondering whether this ambiguous gesture was intentional—of course it was.
A man who’s lived another life and wants to pursue a sixteen-year-old girl—how could he not have a few tricks?
Shen Shu looked up at him, her expression a mix of panic and pride—thirty percent flustered, seventy percent aloof.
The autumn wind blew strong, the sunlight was intense.
And for a fleeting moment, Zhou Shu’an seemed to see a shadow from memory—of a past political struggle.
No one would guess, in such a prosperous and peaceful Chang’an, that an undercurrent of political power struggles would one day shatter all the fleeting joy of the mortal world.
And at the end of that fleeting joy were her eyes—desperate, empty, clear, resilient, and sorrowful.
In the late autumn of the fifteenth year of Yuanqing, she had said, “Lord Zhou, could you let me see my father one last time?”
He had cruelly refused.
But soon after, Li Di took countless wives and concubines and rose steadily in rank. Later, when Zhou Shu’an saw the bruises on her wrist, he finally broke his own rule.
He had thought a proper official should uphold law and morality, and be strict with himself. But in life, some things were beyond control—such as a woman he cherished and couldn’t forget, or a greed that haunted him endlessly.
He allowed her to visit her imprisoned father once a month.
They both knew clearly—after the Crown Prince’s death, the Sixth Prince entered the Eastern Palace, and Empress Xu took over the court. At such a critical moment, not to mention overturning a case—even taking Shen Wenqi’s life would have been easy.
One evening, he held her in his arms, her scent and warmth enveloping him. He leaned down and, unable to resist, kissed her. “I’ll help you get a divorce,” he whispered.
She didn’t reject him and leaned into his arms like a fish swimming into his embrace.
But amid passion, when he looked up, he saw her eyes red, tears welling but never falling.
Hoarsely, she said, “What Lord Zhou wants, I can give. As for the rest, you need not trouble yourself. I never wanted a divorce.”
Cold water poured over him—he realized then that the passion was one-sided.
He let her go.
As for what happened later…
He was imprisoned. She came to find him. In the dark halls of the Ministry of Justice’s prison, he only heard her cry out, heartbreaking and loud: “Why did you do it?!”
He didn’t want her burdened by guilt, so he had Lu Yan escort her out of Chang’an.
After he was released, he heard she was living well—peacefully—but never saw her again.
Returning from the memories, Zhou Shu’an looked down and softly said, “After the spring exams, I will formally propose marriage to your family.”
Shen Shu blinked, stunned, taking half a step back, momentarily speechless.
The man, with composed and elegant features, continued, “The autumn wind is chilly. Please return and rest. I shall take my leave.”
This year, you are still in the bloom of youth.
Everything has yet to change.
——
When Shen Shu returned to her courtyard, Shen Yao immediately pulled her down onto the couch, “Sister, what did he say to you?!”
Shen Zhen sat nearby on a round stool, popping candied hawthorn balls into her mouth one after another.
The three sisters rarely kept secrets. Shen Shu told them everything truthfully.
When she mentioned the words “marriage proposal,” Shen Zhen’s small hand froze, and the hawthorn ball between her fingers dropped and rolled far away.
“Sister agreed to marry?!”
Shen Shu laughed at her reaction. “Did I agree? Just because he wants to propose, I have to marry?”
Shen Wenqi’s direct copycat, Shen Zhen, said bluntly, “If you don’t want to marry, why not just refuse him outright?”
Shen Yao tried not to laugh.
Shen Shu sighed, “I’ve only met him twice. For him to say such things today is already inappropriate. How could I continue entangling the matter? When the time comes, Mother will simply turn away the matchmaker.”
“Besides,” she added, “what he said to Father today was only his side of the story. Whether this ‘Li Di’ exists or not is still uncertain.”
Shen Yao nodded. “That’s true.”
But this question was soon answered.
Though Shen Wenqi hadn’t yet suspected Empress Xu, Li Di’s identity was indeed suspicious.
As Shen Wenqi ordered an investigation, Zhou Shu’an subtly manipulated it, leading the trail all the way to Jingzhou.
Shen Wenqi told his hidden agent, “You’re saying Li Di has a wife?”
“Yes. A woman from the He family in Jingzhou, named He Wanru. They’re cousins by blood. But suspiciously, not only do Li Di’s acquaintances know nothing of her—there’s no household record either. Even the Jingzhou officials are tight-lipped. If someone hadn’t leaked a message, I’d never have found this.”
Shen Wenqi’s gaze turned grim.
He tapped his desk with his index finger.
“Shall I expel him from the capital?” asked the agent.
“No,” Shen Wenqi said firmly. “Chang’an has many nobles, but only a few can silence both local officials and the Ministry of Revenue. Send someone to shadow Li Di in secret. I want to see who dares target my daughter.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
——
Time flies, and the falling leaves are covered by white snow.
The twelfth Year of Yuanqing.
Lantern Festival.
Madam Hou had recently given birth to Shen Hong and was too weak to go out. Shen Wenqi stayed at home to keep her company, telling his daughters, “There will be many people outside. Take more maids with you to avoid getting separated.”
The three girls answered in unison.
The carriage wheels rumbled. Shen Zhen lifted the curtain to glance outside. After a while, Shen Shu said, “Yao-yao, why are you so distracted today?”
