Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 81
When Song Qing found Shen Yu, he was kneeling on the ground, his clothes rolled into a bundle. He was crouched on the floor, one hand protecting something in his clothes pocket, while the other searched the floor…
“What are you doing?”
Song Qing saw Shen Yu’s fingers covered in congealed blood, a shocking sight…
“Brother Song,” Shen Yu raised one hand in a gesture, “the red bean is missing.”
“What?”
Song Qing understood the gesture of Shen Yu’s hand, but he didn’t understand the meaning of “the red bean is missing”…
“I lost it.”
Shen Yu sat dejectedly with his head bowed, his eyes downcast.
“If it’s lost, then it’s lost. We can buy another one.”
Shen Yu stubbornly shook his head, then leaned closer to the ground, examining every crack where the red bean might have rolled into.
“Then you go back to the courtyard first, I’ll help you find it.”
Shen Yu disagreed, but Song Qing didn’t let him be stubborn. He lifted Shen Yu onto his back and carried him back to the Shao Hua courtyard. Shen Yu didn’t struggle much, but he trembled slightly, and Song Qing thought he might have hurt him…
On the way, they encountered the flamboyant Hong Lian, who grinned and approached…
“Wow, even in broad daylight, you dare to flaunt like this in the palace. Aren’t you afraid the Prince will see?”
Hong Lian held a feather fan, covering his mouth as he chuckled… “Get lost!” Song Qing’s expression turned sour…
Hong Lian was stunned for a moment, but Song Qing had already walked away quickly, not even looking back at him. Hong Lian watched his departing figure, stomping his foot in anger…
Back at the Shao Hua courtyard, Song Qing prepared hot water for Shen Yu to bathe. His white clothes were already beyond salvage…
After bathing, Song Qing brought a copper basin and used a wolf-hair brush to clean the mud and scabs from Shen Yu’s fingernails. Shen Yu’s hands were bruised and swollen from the cold, with many cuts, but he didn’t utter a word, just staring blankly, lost in thought…
After applying medicine and wrapping his fingers in thick gauze, Shen Yu clumsily gestured and asked…
“Where’s my stuff?”
“It’s been put away, wrapped in cloth and placed in the dressing case.”
Song Qing didn’t understand why he kept the Bodhi dice, which was already crushed into powder. Probably something to do with the Prince, but Song Qing wasn’t sure about the events at the Bingxin Pavilion.
Shen Yu opened the cloth bundle and leaned against the soft pillow, lost in thought…
“Red beans grow in the South, with a few branches sprouting in spring. May you pick more of them, as this item represents the most yearning.”
His mother used to sing the Yun Meng folk song beautifully, often lulling Shen Yu to sleep. Shen Yu was familiar with it, but unfortunately, he couldn’t sing, so he just lightly tapped out the rhythm with his hands, pretending to hum along.
His mother said that Yun Meng produced a lot of red beans. Young men and women there, upon meeting their beloved, would make a delicate dice, carving each other’s names on the red beans. This act would make the other person fall in love with them…
Shen Yu not only carved his name on the red beans but also in his heart…
His mother taught him to do this so he could be with his beloved, but she didn’t tell him what to do if the other person didn’t want to. What should he do then?
Shen Yu felt bewildered, as if he had lost something…
As the night grew cool, Shen Yu got up. He wanted to go back to the Bingxing Pavilion to look again, but it was very remote, and Shen Yu had already forgotten the way. His mind restless, he inadvertently stepped into the study of Prince Zhenbei. This was the path Shen Yu was most familiar with. Even if he closed his eyes, he could still find his way here.
The study was still lit, as bright as daylight inside, with two figures reflected on the window. One person was moving vigorously on top, while the other was gasping below.
