To Marry the Elder Brother of One's Late Husband - Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Plotting the Night

Outside, the wind and rain raged, but the temperature inside the room continued to climb.

Lu Changji gazed at Jiang Shu, slowly leaning down to press a soft kiss against her cheek.

He had once thought that watching her from a distance would be enough to satisfy him, but he realized now that such an act was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst. He had to draw her to his side. Only by guarding and protecting her every day could he find true peace of mind.

His gaze swept over Jiang Shu’s lower abdomen. Once she gave birth to the child, he would reveal his feelings to her. Whether it was the labels of sister-in-law and brother-in-law or the constraints of social ethics—as long as he, Lu Changji, willed it, all of it was merely passing clouds.

He would marry her openly and let her stand by his side with dignity. He would never let her suffer another grievance.

A knock sounded at the door; Cheng Yong announced that Physician Wen had arrived. Lu Changji finished dressing Jiang Shu and allowed the physician to enter.

…

This was Physician Wen’s second time entering Jianan Courtyard, and he found the scene exceedingly strange.

The Second Young Mistress had a high fever, yet why was she lying on the First Master’s bed? Looking at Lu Changji’s expression, he was clearly fraught with worry. An elder brother-in-law and a younger sister-in-law should avoid even the slightest suspicion—how could they be entangled like this in the middle of the night?

Full of doubt and fearing Lu Changji would notice his agitation, the physician walked to the bedside with his head bowed, not daring to look up as he took Jiang Shu’s pulse. Her pulse was slow, a fever caused by the invasion of cold wind.

“The Second Young Mistress has a strong constitution; it is nothing serious. Two doses of decoction will break the fever,” the physician said while writing the prescription.

“How is the child in her womb?” Lu Changji asked.

Physician Wen didn’t feel nervous lying to Madam Zhao, but before Lu Changji, he could hardly hold his ground. Cold sweat drenched his palms. He wiped them secretly on his sleeves and forced himself to say, “The fetus is also unharmed.”

Lu Changji nodded, and the room fell into a heavy silence. The physician’s heart hammered like a drum, feeling as though he were being roasted over coals. He felt Lu Changji’s silence held a profound, hidden meaning.

Just as the physician felt his soul departing and was on the verge of blabbing the truth, Lu Changji made a gesture of dismissal. “Thank you for your trouble, Physician. Please, take care on your way out.”

The physician relaxed instantly and hurried out of the room.

…

Physician Wen’s skills were superb; a single bowl of medicine broke Jiang Shu’s fever.

When she opened her eyes, she saw dark green bed curtains. Lu Changji stood outside the curtains, looking down at her with a gaze as gentle and peaceful as a clear spring.

His eyes were too tender, plucking at Jiang Shu’s heartstrings. Panicking, she instinctively gripped the brocade quilt and fixed her gaze on the top of the bedframe.

“Do you still feel unwell?” Lu Changji’s voice sounded in her ear, warm and breathy, making her feel a tingle of weakness.

“I’m… alright.” Her voice trembled as if she had been bullied.

Hearing that delicate, soft voice, Lu Changji felt a surge of desire once more. His body felt like red-hot iron, and his breathing grew ragged. He had no resistance against her.

Unsettled by the silence, Jiang Shu gathered her courage to look at him. “Big Brother, why am I here?”

“You fainted from the fever, so I brought you to Jianan Courtyard,” he replied warmly.

His answer seemed straightforward, yet Jiang Shu felt something was off. She didn’t press further. Checking her clothes and finding them tidy, she slowly sat up against the headboard.

“Thank you, Big Brother. It is late; I shouldn’t disturb you further. Please get some rest.”

She was still technically grounded; Madam Zhao would surely have people watching her. She couldn’t stay here long. But as she tried to stand, her body—weak from the fever—gave way. Her vision went black, and she fell back onto the bed.

Lu Changji leaned down, his arm sliding behind her waist to support her firmly. Though he withdrew his hand quickly, Jiang Shu felt as if her waist were burning where he had touched her.

He then knelt before her, his slender fingers grasping her ankle as he carefully slid her embroidered shoes onto her feet. He looked so serious, as if he were performing the most important task in the world.

Lu Changji offered his forearm. “Lean on me. I will see you out.”

…

The rain lasted all night, and so did Jiang Shu’s wakefulness. She felt as if something had changed, yet nothing had.

The next morning, Madam Zhao’s maid arrived to apologize for the jade incident. Jiang Shu realized Lu Changji had secretly helped her, and for a moment, romantic thoughts flickered in her mind before she suppressed them. He was a man of immense power sought after by every noble lady why would he favor her?

Later, Zhao Yingyun visited. Despite the lingering tension over the jade pendant, she brought a bowl of bird’s nest soup as a gesture of “concern.” Jiang Shu remained polite but distant, sensing the other woman’s hidden motives.

Shortly after, Jiang Shu received an invitation from the Jiang family. Her sister, Jiang Rong, was preparing for her wedding to Lin Yunzhi and wanted to see her.

…

While out buying gifts for her brother Jiang Bin, Jiang Shu ran into her former fiancé, Ye Qian. They shared a bittersweet moment. Both had moved on, yet they still cared for each other like family. Ye Qian, now a rising star in the Hanlin Academy, reminded her to take care of her “pregnancy.”

At the Jiang household, Jiang Shu gave Jiang Rong a generous dowry of three thousand taels. As the sisters talked, the air was filled with the joy of Jiang Rong’s upcoming marriage to the elegant Lin Yunzhi.

However, seeing the happiness of others brought a pang of sorrow to Jiang Shu. If she had married Ye Qian, she wouldn’t be living this lie, trapped in the Lu household, facing death if her fake pregnancy was discovered.

She was empty-handed, and once the truth came out, Madam Zhao would have her buried with Lu Changyi. If she had married Ye Qian, she wouldn’t need to spend her days and nights plotting to “borrow a seed” to conceive a child.

“Big Sister,” Jiang Rong’s voice pulled her back to reality. “The wedding is in five days. You must accompany me. The Lin family is a grand household; I’m afraid I won’t be able to manage the guests.”

Five days…

Five days later would be the time Jiang Shu was most likely to conceive. Lin Yunzhi was Lu Changji’s subordinate, so Lu Changji would definitely be there.

With the wedding full of guests and people coming and going, if she planned it carefully, she could certainly find a way to bed Lu Changji once more.