Chapter 96: C96. Is This Your Determination?

Chapter 96

Come early April, the peonies at Dingguo Palace burst into bloom once more, unapologetically flaunting their brilliance.

After a languorous afternoon nap, Yunzhu took her time attending to the dull but necessary tasks of the day before sauntering into the garden, accompanied by her ever-loyal attendants, Lian Qiao and Shiliu.

Pregnancy may have slowed her, but she wouldn’t let it still her completely. The doctor’s orders were clear—rest, yes, but indulge in gentle activities. A bit of movement, a touch of life’s pleasures, was good for both her and the child growing inside her.

She glided through the garden, unhurried, her every step deliberate and thoughtful. Eventually, she found her way to a pavilion nestled amidst the peonies. The blooms were a riot of color—luminous whites, sultry reds, and sunlit yellows—flirting shamelessly with the surrounding greenery.

Lately, Yunzhu had found herself bewitched by the art of painting. She waved a young maid over with the flick of a wrist, her tone firm yet honeyed, commanding an easel and paper to be brought at once.

Art had become her refuge, a realm where time blurred and her thoughts could wander freely. Each brushstroke was a form of self-possession, a declaration of her enduring grace and poise.

Lian Qiao, ever the watchful guardian, cast a wary glance skyward. "Madam," she murmured, her voice tight with unease, "the clouds threaten rain. Perhaps we should retreat indoors?"

Yunzhu barely looked up from her work, her focus sharp and unwavering. “Let it rain,” she replied, a hint of defiance threading her tone. “The scene will be all the more poetic.”

The maids, resigned to her resolve, perched themselves on low stools nearby, dutifully mixing colors and awaiting her every whim. The air grew heavier, the sky darker, and soon the first droplets began to fall, soft at first, then in an insistent rhythm that kissed the earth and the blooms alike.

As twilight descended, Cao Shao returned from the Hanlin Academy. Damp from the rain, he changed into fresh clothes before finding himself drawn, inexplicably, to the garden. He knew Yunzhu favored it and had kept his distance for that very reason. Her presence was both a comfort and a torment.

He hesitated. The maids knew too much of the past, and he feared their whispers might reach his brother, stirring unwanted tensions. Yet the rain offered a cloak of solitude, and surely Yunzhu, mindful of her condition, wouldn’t be out in this weather.

Gripping a blue paper umbrella, Cao Shao ventured into the rain-soaked haven. The drops drummed against the lush leaves, the bluestone paths slick beneath his feet. The tranquil pool mirrored the stormy sky, and the garden, veiled in rain, felt like another world—hushed, intimate, and intoxicating.

He wandered aimlessly, his thoughts tangling like the vines around him. Yunzhu’s impending motherhood should have put an end to his restless mind, but desire and regret gnawed at him. He wanted to offer her his care, his congratulations, but the unspoken weighed heavier than ever.

Some emotions, he realized, only deepened in silence. And with every unspoken word, every hesitant step, his memories of her grew sharper, cutting deeper into his soul.

As Cao Shao rounded a thick grove of bamboo, his sharp eyes caught sight of something unexpected: three figures lounging in a pavilion near the peony garden. Two maids dressed in green tops and flowing white skirts flanked a woman in the center, her slender fingers gripping a brush as she painted. Her gown, a soft peony pink, clung to her, revealing her fair skin and an exquisitely delicate profile that was nothing short of mesmerizing.

For a moment, Cao Shao froze.

The rain fell in fine, silken threads, casting her features in a tantalizing haze, making her beauty seem almost otherworldly.

He knew he should leave. He had no business lingering here, but something about the scene held him in place.

Then she looked up.

Her name was Lian Qiao, and her gaze, sharp as a blade, cut through the rain and landed squarely in his direction.

Reflex took over. Cao Shao snapped his umbrella downward in one smooth motion, hiding his face from view. It was so quick, so practiced, that Lian Qiao didn’t even catch a glimpse of him. In this fleeting game of evasion, his height was his only betrayal. From afar, it was hard to tell him apart from his cousin, Cao Xun.

Just as he prepared to retreat, to vanish like a shadow in the mist, a voice called out.

“Madam, Master Duke is here to fetch you!” Forsythia’s voice rang out, cheerful and unmistakable.

Cao Shao froze again, his mind a whirl of curses and disbelief.

His fingers tightened around the umbrella handle as realization struck: they thought he was Cao Xun.

Damn it. He couldn’t leave now. The charade was broken. With a reluctant breath, he lifted his umbrella, revealing his face.

Yunzhu, the woman in pink, glanced up from her painting. Recognition flickered in her eyes, and a hint of surprise softened her otherwise composed expression. A faint, serene smile played on her lips before she returned her focus to the paper in front of her, as if nothing had happened.

But that smile...

It wasn’t like the others she used to give him. In the past, her smiles had been vibrant, mischievous, taunting, even bitter. Each one had stirred something fierce in him, a longing, a hunger, a yearning he could never quite tame.

This one was different. This one was calm, distant, and far too gentle—as if she’d packed away every hurt and grudge she ever held against him and decided he was nothing more than a familiar face from her past.

It gutted him.

Before he knew it, his legs were carrying him forward, step by step, toward the pavilion.

As he approached, the two maids, Lian Qiao and Shiliu, rose to their feet. They didn’t glare at him, but their lukewarm reception spoke volumes. It had been over three years since he had called off the engagement, and clearly, time hadn’t softened their opinions of him.

Cao Shao stopped just shy of the pavilion’s threshold. His voice was calm but low, almost too soft for the rain to drown out. “It’s raining. Why are you still here?”

Yunzhu didn’t even glance his way. Her tone was casual, dismissive. “I’m not finished with my painting. If I go back now, I’ll just be stuck in my room. I’d rather be here.”

Cao Shao nodded stiffly, his gaze dropping as he tried again. “I thought you might not have brought an umbrella.”

Lian Qiao scoffed, rolling her eyes as she motioned to the neatly stacked umbrellas beside her. “We’re not fools, Master Cao. We saw the clouds hours ago. You think we’d let Madam get caught in the rain?”

Her words hit like a slap. Cao Shao’s face warmed, the crimson creeping up his neck in humiliation. His excuse, his pathetic attempt to start a conversation, had been seen through instantly.

And Yunzhu? She didn’t even bother to look at him again.

Lian Qiao and Shiliu exchanged knowing glances, their sighs barely restrained. They had long noticed Cao Shao's hopeless blushes around Yunzhu. His attempts to mask his boyish, bashful affection were utterly transparent. Unlike his elder brother, Cao Xun, who was openly good to his wife but never flustered, Cao Shao’s demeanor screamed infatuation.

It wasn’t exactly a virtue, but it had a knack for tugging at a woman’s softer emotions.

The two maids wisely held their tongues, leaving Yunzhu to handle Cao Shao’s awkward earnestness.

Yunzhu, poised and absorbed in her painting, cast a casual glance his way.

Cao Shao seized the moment, sliding the umbrella’s cover to block the maids’ view, his gaze fixed on Yunzhu. His voice, though steady, betrayed his nervous edge:

“My brother told me about the baby. Congratulations.”

Yunzhu’s lips curled into a faint smile. “And you’re about to be an uncle. That’s something to celebrate.”

His eyes softened. “I heard pregnancy can be uncomfortable. Are you feeling alright?”

Yunzhu, ever composed, nodded slightly, her brush never pausing. Her indifference was unmistakable.

Cao Shao caught on. Awkward but respectful, he excused himself. “Take care, Sister-in-law. I’ll leave you to your work.”

She gave a brief nod as he walked away, his retreat quick but not ungraceful.

Lian Qiao watched him disappear down the path and was about to comment when Shiliu’s sharp glance drew her attention. Following her gaze, Lian Qiao froze. Her eyes widened, concern etched across her face. “Madam…”

Yunzhu looked up, unperturbed, and saw the tall, unmistakable figure approaching along the bluestone road.

Cao Xun.

But Yunzhu’s calm remained unshaken. She had nothing to hide. Her brush glided across the canvas without pause as the man strode purposefully toward her.

Cao Xun wasted no time. Reaching the pavilion, he climbed the steps, shook off the rain from his umbrella, and leaned it neatly to the side.

The maids bowed in deference as he approached.

He smiled softly, his tone warm but commanding. “I’ll keep my wife company. You’re dismissed.”

“Yes, my lord.” The two maids exchanged uneasy glances before retreating, leaving the couple alone.

Cao Xun settled himself beside Yunzhu, close enough to help with her paints. His presence was steady, his gaze lingering on her.

Without looking up, Yunzhu broke the silence. “Cao Shao was here. Did you see him?”

His smile was faint but telling. “I did.”

Her eyes narrowed, a trace of mischief in her tone. “If you’ve got questions, ask them now. Don’t wait to sulk and lash out later.”

Cao Xun chuckled, feigning hurt. “I haven’t done that in ages, have I?”

“Only because you haven’t had the chance,” she shot back, her voice laced with teasing accusation.

His response was swift and possessive. Taking her painting hand, he pulled her into his lap, ignoring her indignant glare. Yunzhu’s protest was wordless, her sharp eyes locking with his, but her defiance only fueled his smirk.

Cao Xun set her paintbrush down deliberately, locking eyes with Yunzhu, his voice dripping with a sharp, unwavering intensity. “If I still cared about petty things like that, I wouldn’t have let Xie Lang and Cen Hao tag along with you to Jiayuguan in Suzhou last year.”

Yunzhu tilted her head, letting the weight of his words sink in before throwing her question like a dart. “So, even if I chat up some young, good-looking man, it doesn’t bother you anymore?”

Cao Xun’s lips curved into a smirk, his tone laced with hidden meaning. “That depends. Did they make the first move, or did you?”

Her eyebrow arched, a challenge gleaming in her eyes.

He didn’t flinch, leaning in slightly. “If they came to you first, it means they think I’m not a threat. That’s something I’ll have to handle personally.”

Yunzhu’s lips curled into a sly smile. “And if I made the first move, then what?”

Cao Xun’s grip on her hand tightened slightly, his voice low but firm. “I wouldn’t confront you. What’s the point? You’d smooth-talk your way out of it. At best, I’d sulk a little. Then, I’d deal with those fools who thought they could take you from me.”

Her gaze softened, but her words came sharp and teasing. “…You’re really that tolerant?”

He gave a bitter laugh, his words cutting yet intimate. “I’ll endure until you push me to the brink. When you do, you’ll bury me with your indifference.”

Silence stretched between them, tense and electric, until he leaned down, his breath hot against her ear, his tone dark and intimate. “It eats at me. It means I’ve failed to anchor your heart to mine.”

The heat of his words brushed her skin, making her shove his face away with a scoff. “Stop ruining the mood with your dramatics. I’m yours, always. Do you think I’d waste my time tempting someone else?”

Cao Xun’s grin turned wicked. “At most, you’d admire someone from a distance. Quietly. In your heart.”

Her response was swift—a playful slap to his shoulder. “You’re such a roundabout talker. Are you still sulking over what just happened? Relax. That man was practically trembling in your presence. He had no clue I was just passing by, and when he came to congratulate me, I couldn’t exactly bolt right then, could I?”

Cao Xun clasped her hand tightly, his grin cocky and sure. “Don’t underestimate me. Even at my most confident, I’d never see him as a rival.”

Yunzhu’s tone turned sharp. “Spare me the act. If he didn’t bother you, why invite him to Nanyuan for dinner? Why suggest I take another look at him?”

Cao Xun chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound. “Your memory for grudges is impeccable.”

Her eyes narrowed, her retort quick. “Duke Ningguo’s tricks are as sly as ever.”

Cao Xun shook his head slowly, his gaze piercing as he fixed it on her. “He disappointed you first. Don’t waste your emotions on him. My only concern is whether his empty flattery still makes your heart waver. Listen, I don’t care if a hundred gorgeous men line up to try their luck—if you stay indifferent, none of it will bother me.”

Yunzhu’s teasing smile faltered, replaced by silence. After a beat, she let out a breath and rested a hand on his chest, her voice softer now. “Fine. Enough of this. I’ve got flowers to finish painting.”

Cao Xun’s gaze flicked to the unfinished sketch. “Want me to help?”

She smiled faintly, her tone light and teasing again. “Alright, if you think you can keep up.”

Cao Xun held his lady firmly against him with one arm, the other wielding a paintbrush with precise, almost sensual expertise. His strokes brought the rain-drenched peonies to life with a mastery that commanded attention.

Yunzhu watched, captivated by his skill. The moment he set the brush aside, she leaned in, her lips grazing his neck with deliberate intimacy.

Her kiss ignited something in him, and she felt the shift immediately. Laughing softly, a playful mix of teasing and desire in her tone, she murmured, "So much for that laser focus of yours, Cao Xun. Can't handle a little distraction?"

Cao Xun met her gaze with calm intensity, his voice steady yet laced with unspoken heat. "Every bit of it is for you."

Arching a brow, she teased further. "Oh? And have you been this focused on others before me?"

A slow, knowing smile curved his lips. "Plenty tried," he admitted, his eyes locked on hers, "but none succeeded. No one else even got close."

Her lips quirked as she recalled their first meeting, her voice lilting with mock skepticism. "Doesn’t sound like the man I first met."

Cao Xun didn’t miss a beat. "Some women fall with just a glance from me. But you…" He let his words linger, his gaze as sharp as his tone.

Setting her down with deliberate care, he moved to tidy up the easel, cradling the peony painting in his arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Standing at the edge of the pavilion, umbrella in hand, he exuded calm control. Yunzhu drifted closer, pressing her body against his back, the rain hammering on the umbrella above them.

Uncle Guo walked ahead, leaving them in their little bubble. Yunzhu, ever curious and bold, reached up to pinch his ear, her voice sultry with challenge. "And what if I hadn’t won you over first, Cao Xun? What then?"

Without missing a beat, his reply was blunt, his confidence undeniable. "Then I’d have won you."

Her laughter was low and rich, but she wasn’t about to let him off easy. "You make it sound so simple. Maybe I underestimated you."

He turned slightly, his smile daring, his words a quiet promise. "You’ll enjoy it."

Yunzhu opened her mouth to argue, but the truth settled in her chest. Cao Xun was unlike anyone else she’d ever known—steady, intense, and utterly unshakable. Then and now, no one else compared.