How could I possibly be confined in a cage?

After staying indoors for so long, Yanru finally decided to go out. She took a couple of bites of the sweet cake with a small spoon, then put it aside.

Winter was fast approaching, and charcoal fires had been lit early in the small building. It wasn't cold yet, and Yan Ru usually didn't feel the biting wind when she occasionally stood in the covered walkway. But just now, a biting wind suddenly froze her body and soul.

Yan Ru changed into a camel-colored wool coat and wore a pair of ankle boots before going downstairs.

It was all so novel; many of the servants, especially the kitchen staff and the rough-looking old women, hadn't seen Yanru much since they came to the small building. Now, as Yanru gracefully descended the stairs, they all stared, wondering what kind of beauty she possessed that could earn the master's such favor.

It's worth noting that Yanru is the only woman who has her own courtyard without ever having children. There are plenty of women who argue with their husbands, but only Yanru can get him to humble himself and beg for reconciliation after an argument.

Some people were initially reluctant to be assigned to this courtyard, wondering when they would ever get ahead as "young ladies in boudoirs" with no future. As a result, they were ridiculed by the servants in the concubines' courtyards. But now, this courtyard has become the most sought-after place in the Song family, and those who had refused the job are now filled with regret.

Yan Ru had no idea what they were thinking; she only felt as if she had been transported to another world. When she first arrived, she was trembling with fear, not daring to listen or look too much when she entered this building. And now, in such a short time, she had become the master of this place.

Perhaps it's because my mindset has changed. I used to think the incongruous mix of Chinese and Western styles was meaningless, but now I see it differently.

It's not at all incongruous; it's downright magnificent. It combines the exquisite and elegant, dignified grandeur of traditional Chinese architecture with Western-style furniture. The dazzling crystal chandelier hanging in the center of the main hall further emphasizes the wealth and status of the homeowner.

The two rows of armchairs in the hall have been removed and replaced with genuine leather sofas draped with delicate and heavy lace. A coffee table has been placed in the center, and the carpet underneath has also been replaced with a magnificent and intricate European court pattern, making the place even more exquisite and more in line with the tastes of young women today.

Yan Ru wore a single-breasted cashmere long coat with a fitted waist, which accentuated her slender waist. The hem flared out in an umbrella shape, and her delicate ankles were faintly visible as she walked, giving her a charming and noble air.

Her long, black, satin-like hair cascaded down her back, and without any makeup, she exuded a natural, graceful charm.

"Xiao Fang, come with me for a stroll in the garden."

The little girl was startled, and almost choked on the cake in her mouth. Fortunately, Du Juan handed her a cup of flower tea in time, which helped her swallow it.

"Ahem, done."

Regardless of whether the little one followed or not, Yan Ru stepped out first. The courtyard was not large, and the nearest garden was only a dozen meters away.

In late autumn, many leaves have turned yellow, some have turned red or gold, and some are half yellow and half green. The flowers have fallen, but the leaves in the garden are still worth admiring.

It was dusk, the sky was heavy, and dark clouds hung low, like an unyielding ink painting. A damp, cool breeze carried on the air. The little creature, oblivious to the impending rain, only sensed that it was about to drizzle.

Yan Ru felt a deep sense of empathy. As autumn deepened and the weather grew colder, yellow leaves were the last of the green leaves and were extremely easy to fall from the trees.

The wind suddenly picked up, swirling up leaves from the ground. A golden ginkgo leaf brushed against Yan Ru's face; she picked it up and examined it closely. The veins were clearly visible, like a small fan.

Without a destination in mind, Yan Ru wandered aimlessly through the courtyard. Within the Song residence, an artificial waterway meandered along the central axis.

The garden here is right next to the lake, covering an area of ​​about one acre, with artificial hills and rocks, arranged very cleverly.

Finding a pavilion by the water, Yanru stopped to rest. The little thing had been impatient for a while, but she was afraid of Yanru and didn't dare to make a scene. As soon as Yanru stopped, she quickly sat down and rubbed her ankle.

Yanru didn't argue with her and stood in the artificial pavilion gazing into the distance.

This isn't the north, so even though winter is approaching, there aren't many trees that have lost their leaves. Therefore, as far as the eye can see, everything is still lush and green. Add to that the colorful leaves that have changed color, which serve as ornamental flowers at this time of year, creating a rather charming scene.

After an unknown amount of time, the sky grew darker, and a muffled rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance.

Upon hearing this, the little creature quickly said, "It's going to rain, let's go back."

Yan Ru came to her senses and looked closely. It was already drizzling in the distance, and the rain was about to fall.

"It's too late. Just stay here. If we don't go back for a long time, someone will definitely come looking for us."

The little thing saw this and pouted, then stopped talking. However, Yan Ru had her back to her and didn't see that she rolled her eyes several more times.

One autumn rain brings a chill; the continuous raindrops fall, leaving craters on the ground with each patter. The air suddenly turns colder, and the wind can no longer penetrate.

The lake surface was dented by raindrops, and each drop created ripples that spread outwards before being hit by new raindrops.

The wind is bleak and the rain is bitter.

Yan Ru reached out to catch the water droplets dripping from the eaves, feeling the force with which they fell into her hand.

It was cold, with a feeling of heaviness. Before long, a pool of clear water had gathered in Yan Ru's hand. She squeezed it, and the water dispersed. When Yan Ru opened her hand again, her palm was already wet, and the pool of clear water was gone.

The little thing didn't know what was so fun about it; it only knew that Yanru had drifted into her own world again, so it leaned against the pillar to catch up on its sleep.

One corner of the umbrella extended in, blocking the falling water droplets.

Yan Ru looked up in surprise, but...

"Song Yuanliang." She called out his name naturally, yet with difficulty, her voice soft yet heavy, as if the wind would carry it away and it would be inaudible.

It had been a long time since I'd seen him. Song Yuanliang seemed to have grown taller, his face was pale, and there was stubble on his chin. It was as if the boy had grown up overnight.

Song Yuanliang stared at Yan Ru with a deep gaze. His dark pupils gleamed with a pearly light, sharper than a galaxy. His eyes held a deep affection that could instantly captivate anyone, making it impossible to look directly at him.

Yan Ru avoided looking at him. Her height was just enough to look him in the eye at shoulder level. Her gaze was unfocused. Suddenly remembering that the little thing had said he was sick a while ago, she asked, "I heard you were sick. Are you better now?"

Song Yuanliang's gaze remained fixed on the woman who haunted his dreams. Compared to her former purity and nobility, she now possessed an added allure, all thanks to his father.

A cold snort escaped his nose, a mocking smile played on his lips, and a surge of emotions welled up within him—a mixture of hatred, jealousy, and anger at her for not clinging to her innocence.

This was the moment Yan Ru feared most. She hadn't appreciated Song Yuanliang's deep affection before, but now she was caught in a dilemma. Her heart pounded like a drum, and she couldn't speak, so she could only remain silent, letting the storm rage outside.

One person was inside the pavilion, and the other was outside the courtyard, separated only by a railing. Song Yuanliang's umbrella was mostly tilted over her head, and she was left alone to endure the swaying rain that soaked her clothes.

Yan Ru noticed that he was dressed very lightly, in a long robe with only a dark gray scarf around his neck. Judging from the cuffs, he was not wearing an undergarment, and the material was ordinary fine cotton, without any extra layer.

The hand gripping the umbrella handle had distinct knuckles, and the thumb was white from the force. Yan Ru couldn't help but reach out to check his temperature; the touch was cold, a chill that pierced her heart.

A dull ache throbbed in her heart. Yan Ru was penniless at the moment, and she couldn't even offer him a coat. So she could only decline, saying, "Go back, it's too cold."

"It's not cold, it's your attitude that's cold." He finally spoke, but his words made her feel so embarrassed.

"I don't understand. Why have you changed so much in just one night? Didn't you promise me? Is being my father's concubine better than being my lawfully wedded wife?"

Yan Ru wanted to explain, but found that it would be superfluous, so she turned her head away and stopped talking.

Song Yuanliang became anxious, "Did I hit the nail on the head? You look down on me because I'm born of a concubine? You think I can't give you a good life?"

Looking at Song Yuanliang like this, Yan Ru thought of something else. "It's a long story, and I have my reasons. You can blame me or hate me, or look down on me however you want, but I just want to say..." Actually, I didn't promise you anything that night; it was all just your wishful thinking.

However, Yan Ru still couldn't say, "I'm sorry." Song Yuanliang's hurt expression really touched her, so she apologized.

Song Yuanliang was panting heavily, his heart pounding. The pent-up anger seemed to vanish instantly, leaving only the painful sight of devastation.

"I don't want to hear you say sorry, Yanru, you know..."

Yan Ru didn't want him to dwell on this, so she said coldly, "I don't know what you mean now, and I don't want to know. I just need your father's help... and I won't have anything to do with you anymore. What's going on here? But all of this is my own doing, and it has nothing to do with anyone else. So don't hold it against me in the future."

"Yanru..." Song Yuanliang was about to say something more when the little thing made a sound.

With a "thud," the little thing fell to the ground, groaning as she clutched her head, interrupting Song Yuanliang's words.

Yan Ru turned around helplessly to help the little one up. Song Yuanliang stood frozen in place for a moment before straightening his umbrella and slowly walking over.

"It really hurts, and the rain just won't stop?"

Seeing that she was alright, Yan Ru nodded, "It's been raining the whole time."

"Then how do we go back...Young Master!" the little thing exclaimed. Yan Ru turned her head and saw Song Yuanliang stepping into the pavilion.

The little girl quickly stood up and bowed to Song Yuanliang, "Greetings, Young Master. I...I am the personal maid of the Sixth Concubine."

The term "sixth concubine" felt awkward to both Yan Ru and Song Yuanliang. Song Yuanliang quickly regained his composure and replied, "Yes, stepmother."

Yan Ru was surprised, and her face turned bright red because of this address.

The little girl thought Yan Rushi was shy, after all, she was younger than the young master, yet she was called "stepmother." She quickly tried to smooth things over, "Oh dear, our lady is shy, I'm sorry, please don't mind."

"Xiao Fang," Yan Ru scolded, unable to bear it any longer, "go find someone and get a few more umbrellas."

"Huh? I'm just going to run there like that?"

Song Yuanliang handed over his umbrella, "Take this, I need to rest for a bit too."

The little one shyly accepted the umbrella, fidgeting, "How could I possibly accept this?"

"You'd better hurry up and go. It's getting late, and there aren't many people in this courtyard lately. I'm afraid you won't be able to see the way when you come back."

Hearing this, the little creature had no choice but to leave.

"Wait," Yanru called out to her, "I don't like crowds. Just bring the umbrella and don't say anything else or call anyone else."

"Okay," the little thing agreed. Just kidding, would she bring an extra maid when she bumped into the young master? Of course, she would do it herself. If Yan Ru hadn't been in a bad mood lately, she would have stayed and refused to leave.

Only the two of them remained in the pavilion. Song Yuanliang wore a playful smile that was neither a smile nor a frown.

"She's gone now."

As dusk fell and rain began to fall, the light became quite dim.

"Hmm," Yan Ru replied casually.

"Did you deliberately send her away so you could spend more time with me?"

Yan Ru looked at Song Yuanliang in surprise. She never expected him to flirt with her like that, and for a moment she was speechless.

Song Yuanliang moved closer to her. "There are fewer people in this courtyard lately, mostly because of you. Father made an exception and gave this courtyard to you, and no one else is allowed to come. Do you understand?"

Yan subconsciously shook her head. "I don't know."

"Your father must love you very much, but do you know? He clearly knows how I feel about you."

Yan Ru's eyes widened; this was something she didn't know.

"How could this be?!" It was unbelievable. How could a father, knowing his son's feelings, still make her a concubine? What kind of logic is that?

Song Yuanliang scoffed, "Why would I lie to you? I said I would marry you, and of course I told my father that I was telling him, and that I also told him which family's daughter you are."

Yan Ru was still in a daze. "I don't know, then why did he..."

Song Yuanliang's expression was ambiguous and full of sarcasm. "Who knows? I just want you to know that although I am just a student, my feelings for you are real. I have never given you a false promise. I always keep my word. It's just that you never gave me the chance."

Yanru's face flushed red and then turned pale, a mixture of grief and indignation, as well as embarrassment and self-reproach.

Caught off guard, Song Yuanliang embraced her with his cold body. "I told you I would protect you, why didn't you believe me?"

Yan Ru finally burst into tears, overwhelmed by the fear and regret she had felt these past few days, and the foolish things she had done in her confusion. She just didn't know how there was any way to turn things around.

Song Yuanliang patted her back gently, "I know you're worried about your father, but my father has the entire Song family and his business behind him. He won't risk everything for you, but I will. I'll be there for you and think what you need."

At the mention of the word "father," Yan Ru regained her composure slightly. "My father? What do you know?"

“I know he’s with the Japanese now.”

"What?" This was something Yan Ru didn't know. "How could this be... why?"

"It seems to be for some jade pendant from your family. What is it?"

Yan Ru wiped away her tears. It was a jade pendant again. Why had it been all jade pendants all this time?

"My family has a family heirloom jade pendant, which is probably priceless. But I've already given it to your father, so why are they looking for it?"