The Courtesan's Crown - Chapter 5
I followed Shen Huinian, but he ignored me, barely sparing a glance.
Unaffected, I attended to him tirelessly. His cangue was heavy, so I supported it from behind. Other prisoners wore thin autumn clothes; I bribed guards to give him warm ones. Occasionally, I could make him nutritious food.
Despite this, he grew terribly thin.
I also lost weight.
Seeing his indifference, guards muttered about his ingratitude. His hands clenched tightly, suppressing something.
One day, heavy rain caught us unprepared. Soaked through.
Wet clothes clung to me, outlining my curves. The prisoners’ lecherous stares felt tangible, like they wanted to devour me.
This wasn’t the first time I faced such looks; even the guards had hinted advances, though the head guard stopped them.
But I didn’t expect Shen Huinian to snap. He cornered me, harshly saying: “Jiangwan, what are you after? I’m not the Third Young Master anymore! I’m a prisoner! I can give you nothing! Weren’t you greedy for money? Why suffer this now?”
“Remember? I ended things to marry, drove you from the capital! I even insulted you cruelly! Don’t you resent it? Shouldn’t you be glad I fell from grace?”
“Jiangwan, I beg you, get lost! Don’t appear before me again! Your presence constantly reminds me how pitiful I am!”
In the pouring rain, Shen Huinian’s words were anguished, his face streaked with unknown whether tears or rain.
His words made me want to cry. These past months, I’d pondered: Why did the talented Shen Huinian play the rake in the capital? Why did the upright Shen family allow his closeness to a courtesan? Why did he drive me away then?
Because he knew the family would fall. He arranged my safety, awaiting his fate alone in the capital.
Even a dog raised for six years develops affection, let alone people?
My porcelain-white face was blue from cold. I opened my mouth to speak but noticed his wrists-swollen and bloody from the cangue. I grabbed his hand: “How did this happen? Does it hurt? Why didn’t you say anything?”
If his hands were like this, his feet must be shredded too.
“Jiangwan, didn’t you hear me? I said get lost!” He pulled his hand back, roaring at me, forcefully avoiding me.
Seeing this, I slapped him without thinking: “Shen Huinian, try sending me away again!”
His head turned from the blow, but his eyes stubbornly held mine.
“We knew each other six years. Maybe for you, it was just keeping an agreeable mistress. But for me, you helped me. Without you, my fate would be far worse!”
“I’m not a saint, but I understand repaying kindness! Rest assured, once you reach the north, I’ll leave immediately, severing our last ties!”
Suddenly, only the rain and our heavy breathing remained. We stared fixedly at each other, waiting for the other to yield.
“Jiangwan…”
“Shen Huinian, let me stay with you!” I grabbed his hand, stating firmly.
“You’ll regret it, you’ll regret it…” He leaned on me, crying suppressedly.
