The Concubine of the Main Wife - Chapter 9

“Oh no, why is it raining?” A’Lian was frantic with worry.

 

Zhen Yao did her best to soothe the person in her arms while steering the carriage along the mountain path she remembered from her past visits to the temple, eventually arriving at the entrance of a deserted cave.

 

The autumn rain fell incessantly, the biting cold stung their faces, and a thick mist enveloped everything.

 

“This rain isn’t likely to stop anytime soon. Stay close to me, don’t be afraid.”

 

No sooner had she spoken than Zhen Yao swiftly draped her cloak over A’Lian. Then, rummaging through the carriage, she retrieved a bundle and a lantern, struck a flint to light it, and carefully guided A’Lian to the cave entrance for shelter.

 

“Come inside with me. What are you doing?”

 

A’Lian watched in confusion as Zhen Yao plunged headlong into the pouring rain without hesitation.

 

“The horse has been exhausted for a while now; it can’t endure this weather. I’m bringing it inside.”

 

Hearing this, A’Lian’s admiration for her grew even deeper.

 

Though the carriage was luxurious, all living beings had spirits. The mistress truly was an incredibly warm-hearted person!

 

While Zhen Yao busied herself in the rain, A’Lian was no delicate young lady waiting to be tended to. Carrying the bundle and holding the lantern aloft with her long arms, she ventured further inside.

 

It turned out to be a dry cave, with faint traces of past human habitation. Perhaps it had once been used by hunters, but now it became their temporary refuge.

 

The cave led deeper, winding around a large boulder at the entrance until they reached a small stone bed at the innermost part. Beside it stood a makeshift table fashioned from wooden roots, upon which sat an oil lamp and some withered, rotten wild fruit.

 

A’Lian deftly lit the oil lamp and methodically tidied the stone bed. Once everything was nearly in order, she hurried back outside to assist.

 

By then, the horse was neighing restlessly as Zhen Yao led it into the cave and tethered it to the large boulder.

 

“Oh dear, you’re completely drenched!”

 

A’Lian’s concern was palpable as she pinched her sleeve to wipe the rain from Zhen Yao’s delicate face.

 

Zhen Yao took down the saddlebags from the horse, and A’Lian glanced down to see they contained a water flask, a small red clay stove, and a few cups.

 

“You’ve brought everything from the carriage.”

 

“Mhm, I’ll make you some hot tea.”

 

As Zhen Yao bent down to start the fire, A’Lian suddenly grasped her arm firmly and pulled her upright. “You’ve been out in the rain. Don’t catch a chill. Take off your outer robe first. The rest can wait.”

 

She had a point. If Zhen Yao fell ill in this wilderness, A’Lian would be left helpless.

 

With that thought, Zhen Yao quickly shed her soaked garments. But as soon as she removed the outer robe, she froze. The thin undergarment clung transparently to her skin, revealing the delicate curves beneath like swaying lotus leaves.

 

A’Lian was momentarily stunned, but her gaze remained unflinching.

 

“Hand me the bundle!” Zhen Yao’s cheeks flushed crimson.

 

“The clothes inside are all wet. The only spare robe was used to pad the bed.”

 

“Fine, then turn around.”

 

Zhen Yao took a deep breath, forcing composure as she continued her tasks.

 

To her surprise, A’Lian not only didn’t avert her eyes but even stripped down to a single thin layer herself.

 

“My outer robe is soaked too. It doesn’t matter. Why should we fuss over such trivialities between us?

 

A’Lian scanned the cave and soon found several useful items, all while making sure to feed the horse some dry grass near the entrance.

 

“By the way, how did you know about this place?” A’Lian asked idly, resting her chin on her hand as she watched the clay stove come to a boil.

 

Even if Zhen Yao had once been an orphan, it was unlikely she’d ever come to a place like this.

 

“My mother told me about it. She said it once saved her life. Maybe the things we’re using now were left behind by her.”

 

Zhen Yao rarely spoke of her personal affairs, so this rare opportunity was one A’Lian naturally didn’t want to miss.

 

“Was your mother very beautiful?”

 

“My mother was refined and graceful, but not a peerless beauty.”

 

A’Lian clicked her tongue in envy, sighing deeply. “No wonder you’re so well-read and literate. You had a good mother!”

 

“And you?” Zhen Yao looked at her with an aching tenderness.

 

“Me? Pah! I grew up on scraps from strangers, stealing and swindling.”

 

Suddenly, A’Lian fell silent for no reason. She was skilled in every manner of petty thievery and deception. No one had ever taught her how to behave or treat others. She had become who she was entirely on her own.

 

“You’ve suffered all these years. From now on, the road ahead will be smooth, A’Lian!”

 

Their eyes met abruptly. A’Lian had warned herself repeatedly not to cry, but truly, no one had ever comforted her with such gentleness before.

 

“Does Madam not despise me for my lowly character?”

 

“What are you talking about? Why do you mock yourself like this?”

 

“I’m just a rotten person. You’re educated and refined, a lady of noble standing, while I roam the streets.” hunting one fat sheep after another.

 

The Dark Oriole Society made it sound noble. Giving pitiful women a home but in truth, they were just using beauty and flesh as bait to scheme for material gains.

 

“To me, the A’Lian I’ve met is bright and quick-witted, always brimming with a lively spirit, like an untiring blazing sun.”

 

Even the coldest, loneliest snow-capped mountains would eventually thaw under such warmth.

 

A’Lian was momentarily stunned. Choking back tears, she hastily changed the subject. “Ah, the water’s almost boiled dry.”

 

“Let me handle it. Don’t burn yourself.”

 

“Madam, don’t be so good to me!” Otherwise, when the time comes to part, she’d spend the rest of her life trying to break the addiction.

 

Hearing the slight hoarseness in A’Lian’s voice, Zhen Yao suddenly embraced her from behind without warning.

 

“A’Lian, we share the same sorrow. In truth, my mother wasn’t my birth mother either.”

 

Zhen Yao seldom spoke of her origins to anyone. Apart from those who knew back then, A’Lian was the only one she had ever told.

 

“Madam, what a pair of ill-fated souls we are.”

 

Bodies entwined, the sounds of rain, sobs, and swallowed breaths.

 

Each noise seeped into their ears, mingling with the slickness between their lips.

 

A storm of wind and rain swept across the earth, and the melancholy of autumn night seeped into their dreams.

 

Zhen Yao had never known she could be so unrestrained, and A’Lian had never realized the thrill of skin against skin could be so overwhelming.

 

Heaven and earth ceased to exist—gods, demons, all forgotten. There was only pleasure, seized in the fleeting moment.

 

“A’Lian, A’Lian, A’Lian… don’t you regret this?”

 

At the critical moment, Zhen Yao faltered.

 

A’Lian, of course, refused to relent. Hands clasped, gazes locked, their affection poured out like the rain.

 

“Madam is hesitating. What are you afraid of? The old madam, or—”

 

“I’m afraid of you!”

 

Zhen Yao’s eyes were red, as if she wished to merge with A’Lian, sealing them both in this unknown cave forever.

 

“Hmph, am I some kind of wolf or tiger?”

 

Her peach-blossom eyes sparkled with mischief, nearly impossible to resist.

 

But Zhen Yao wasn’t afraid of a fragrant beauty. She feared the inevitable parting, the uncontrollable emotions, and most of all, the inability to repay A’Lian’s devotion.

 

A fleeting romance was easy; a lifetime together was far harder.

 

If Zhen Yao resolved to have someone, it wouldn’t be just a momentary pleasure. She wanted eternity.

 

“A’Lian, answer me loudly. Will you stay with me for the rest of your life?”

 

Her sharp chin was gripped tightly as Zhen Yao loomed over her, knowing exactly what she needed yet choosing this moment to pose the question.

 

A’Lian’s mind was a blank haze, her thoughts drowned out by an unfamiliar craving.

 

“I’ll do whatever you want, Madam. Just don’t leave me hanging like this.”

 

Zhen Yao was far from satisfied with this answer, yet she knew the other was in deep anguish now, needing complete release and solace.

 

The night stretched long, the autumn rain drizzled endlessly, only lamenting how fleeting the spring night’s pleasures were.

 

The wind rustled the grass, extinguishing the lamplight; horses neighed in the dark ravine. All spoke of golden winds and jade dews, of partings and reunions destined to harmonize.

 

By dawn the next day, the rain had turned into a downpour.

 

A’Lian drowsily nestled against Zhen Yao’s shoulder, murmuring half-asleep with heavy eyelids, “Madam appears so refined and proper, but behind the scenes, she’s utterly hypocritical. I can’t take it anymore.”

 

“Are you hungry? There are two pastries left.”

 

Beneath her aloof and calm exterior, a rare tenderness emerged.

 

A’Lian shook her head, saying only, “There are lychee candies in the pocket of my outer robe. Take them out, and we’ll each have one.”

 

“You want some?” Zhen Yao suddenly felt restless.

 

A’Lian replied casually, “Of course!”

 

“Wait for me!”

 

“Hold on, you mean the lychee candies?”

 

A’Lian instantly opened her eyes, then sat up abruptly like a carp leaping, her body exhausted and weary.

 

“Have the candy first.”

 

Without another word, Zhen Yao unwrapped the oiled paper, placing one candy in each of their mouths.

 

A refreshing fragrance filled the air, sending tingles through their very cores.

 

“Stop, let me catch my breath.”

 

A’Lian truly couldn’t bear to see others suffer, so she resigned herself to enduring the discomfort.

 

“How did you know I like lychee candies?”

 

The question Zhen Yao had long suppressed finally surfaced openly.

 

To her surprise, A’Lian seemed slightly embarrassed but couldn’t resist her deep gaze. “To be honest, it was that damned man.”

 

“Oh, so he did one good thing after all.”

 

A’Lian had expected Zhen Yao to feel conflicted, but her expression suggested she was speaking of a stranger.

 

“You seemed a bit awkward earlier. Had you never before ” A’Lian blushed, unable to finish.

 

“I never had contact with him, but you don’t seem as experienced as you look either. You bled, A’Lian.”

 

“Uh, will Madam keep it a secret for me?”

 

Zhen Yao secretly tucked away the little lotus-green garment, her eyes brimming with even more tenderness.

 

“I haven’t forgotten what you said yourself earlier, you’re my concubine.”

 

A’Lian was moved, her slender fingers brushing Zhen Yao’s brow as she whispered, “Madam, I’ve known many people, but none like you.”

 

“Like what?” Zhen Yao pressed, nose to nose.

 

But A’Lian refused to answer, for the person before her had truly entered her heart.

 

She remembered how, when missions failed in the past, Chen Rong would gnash her teeth and hurl all sorts of useless insults at them. Yet one phrase stood out as thought-provoking.

 

She said that once a person has a weakness, even death won’t be their own choice.

 

Zhen Yao cherished and doted on her now, but what about in the future? Would she grow tired?

 

Even if her heart didn’t change, if she vowed to remain chaste, confined to the Fang estate for life. That wasn’t what A’Lian wanted.

 

Old Madam Su would eventually discover her fake pregnancy anyway. For now, her body was hers to take, and they loved each other. Ending everything at its peak would be most beautiful.

 

That way, Zhen Yao would miss her, remember her in her most radiant and bold moments.

 

Besides, Chen Rong had the medicine she needed. She had to find a way to get it, or else beauty would fade, and the venomous bite of desire would corrupt her.

 

“I’ve had many wicked thoughts, but in your presence, I held them all back,” Zhen Yao suddenly bit her lip.

 

A’Lian couldn’t help but laugh. “Shameless!”

 

“…”

 

Zhen Yao didn’t explain, for her thoughts weren’t of that nature. Perhaps a thousand glances back could never compare to their first meeting even then, she had already stepped beyond reason.

 

“When will this rain ever stop?”

 

In this humble shelter, they found warmth in each other.

 

“A’Lian, I wish the autumn rain would never end!”

 

“But it will stop eventually. When it does, you’ll still be the dignified and peerless Madam Su, while I’ll just be a wandering songbird from Jiangnan, lying my way into your Su Manor for food and shelter.”

 

“I’ll punish you for that, A’Lian. Don’t belittle yourself like this.”

 

A’Lian trembled with a bitter smile, her slender shoulders shaking slightly. “Madam, it’s the undeniable truth!”

 

A crow is a crow. How could it ever become a phoenix? Yet even a crow must soar ninety thousand miles through the azure sky.

 

Some things Zhen Yao didn’t need to know, and A’Lian didn’t want to drag her into them. The Dark Songbird Gang wasn’t easy to escape, and Chen Rong was no saint either. Every step forward was like treading on knives and fire. One misstep, and she’d be doomed forever.

 

“A’Lian, look at me seriously. Stop overthinking.”

 

“Madam, hold me.”

 

What could dispel sorrow? Only drowning in the moment. For now, they forgot their worldly identities, lost in the waves of passion.

 

From dawn till dusk, their love burned deep into their bones.

 

On the third day, the rain finally stopped. Under the scorching sun, they helped each other mount their horses and set off.

 

On the way back to the manor, the carriage moved noticeably slower.

 

“Why are you so quiet?”

 

“How dare the culprit even ask?” A’Lian teased, masking a trace of sorrow.

 

Zhen Yao sensed it keenly but chose not to pry. “Don’t worry. You’re still the pregnant concubine. As for the rest, I’ll handle it, you needn’t fear!”

 

“I understand.”

 

After much hesitation, A’Lian still didn’t mention the counterfeit goods in the storeroom. Ignorance was bliss, and that old lady was no kind soul.

 

“Go inside and rest. I’ll keep watch for you.”

 

“Mm, be careful on the road.”

 

When A’Lian woke from her nap, she was shocked to find they had returned to Bamboo Mountain Ridge.

 

“Madam, Concubine, where have you two been?”

 

Everyone looked utterly disheveled.

 

“If I’d known, I would’ve followed you two to seek refuge with some mountain crone,” A’Lian muttered enviously, secretly nudging Zhen Yao.

 

“And if you’d run into those vicious bandits you mentioned, would you still have wanted to go?”

 

Before Zhen Yao could finish, Hong’er chimed in, “Concubine, you have no idea how dangerous it was the past two nights! There was even a fierce fight nearby!”

 

“Heavens, thank goodness we’re all safe.”

 

After half an incense stick’s time of tidying up, they finally managed to dress Zhen Yao and A’Lian anew.

 

Upon returning to Su Manor, the moment they stepped out of the carriage, the old lady glared furiously at Zhen Yao. But this time, before she could raise her dragon-headed cane, A’Lian intercepted with a sharp frown.

 

“Goodness, old lady, what’s wrong with you? Always so quick to strike. You’ve scared me into a stomachache!”

 

“Concubine, don’t be upset. The old lady is just worried about you.”

 

Nanny Liu spoke on her behalf, then turned to scold Zhen Yao. “Madam, really! Knowing the concubine is with a child, why must you drag her along? If anything were to happen to her, who could bear the responsibility?”

 

“I won’t let anything happen to A’Lian—”

 

“Madam means well, but the concubine should go out less from now on.”

 

Before Nanny Liu could finish, A’Lian flared up. “I’m not a bird! Even birds go mad in cages. How much worse for a living person like me?”

 

Scandals flock to a widow’s door, and a noisy scene at the manor’s entrance was unseemly. So Zhen Yao mediated, ushering everyone inside.

 

Though the old lady was unwilling to give up, she still longed to touch A’Lian’s belly up close. Unfortunately, her steps simply couldn’t keep up.

 

“Auntie, the old lady has arranged a fine feast for you. Would you?”

 

“No need. Didn’t we hire a chef from Jiangnan? I’ll dine with my lady in Fangxin Garden.”

 

The old lady’s face turned ashen as she threw down her cane, muttering incomprehensible curses at the retreating graceful figure.

 

“Don’t mind me, she means you no harm!”

 

“So what? I can’t bear to be apart from my lady for even a moment…”