At that moment, a maidservant served the tea. Sang Wan personally took the cup and served it to Shi Fengju, “Lord, this is your favorite Longjing tea picked before Grain Rain. Please have it!”
“Enough!” All the anger in Shi Fengju came up at once and he waved his hand furiously, unintentionally toppling the cup. Sang Wan did not let go of the cup in time and the boiling hot tea scalded her hand. She cried out in pain as the back of her left hand, as well as her delicate fingers, turned red in that moment.
“Young Mistress!” All the maidservants exclaimed and hurried forward to hold her.
Shi Fengju was also taken aback. Looking at the scald on Sang Wan’s hand and her trembling figure, his heart ached. He hurriedly went over to her and held her hand, “Is it painful! Hurry up and bring the ointment, what are you still standing there for!”
Zhide was quick to react and she went into the chamber to bring the ointment. Nanny Li ordered the servants to fetch cold water and a towel while Liu Ya held onto Sang Wan in distress. She could not help but give Shi Fengju a silent glare.
“Sang Wan, I——” Shi Fengju wanted to apologize, the words would not leave his mouth. He gently held her hand, “Is it very painful? This is all my fault!”
“I’m fine! Just applying some ointment on it will do,” Sang Wan gently pulled her hand away and forced a smile, “Sang Wan wasn’t careful, it isn’t your fault! Hong Ye, pour another cup of tea for Lord. Lord, please have a seat first, I’ll go and apply the ointment.” After she finished, she went into another room with Liu Ya. Zhide took the ointment and followed a few of the maidservants as they went into the room with Sang Wan.
Shi Fengju closed his eyes; his face was stiff and he was feeling both apologetic and furious at the same time! It must have been so painful that her eyes became red and her face turned pale, but she still remained lukewarm! Just what is she trying to accomplish!
“Master, please have some tea…” Sensing danger, Hong Ye held the tray and served the tea timidly.
Shi Fenju stood up abruptly and coldly ordered, “Get out!”
Hong Ye received a shock and stepped aside frantically. She did not dare to let out a sound, same for the rest of the servants.
Shi Fengju pulled away the curtains forcefully and went into the room. Nanny Li was instructing Liu Ya to use a wet towel to wipe Sang Wan’s hand. The ointment had yet to be applied and was placed on a table.
“All of you, get out now!” Shi Fengju said coldly.
Everyone was momentarily stunned as they looked between Shi Fengju and Sang Wan, not knowing what to do.
“Young Master——”
“Nanny,” Nanny Li was cut off by Shi Fengju just when she was about to speak, “All of you, leave now!”
“But the ointment has not been applied to Young Mistress’ hand yet! The servants will leave once this old servant has applied the ointment,” Nanny Li smiled and said.
“I said, leave!” Shi Fengju showed no signs of giving in.
“All of you, please go out first! It isn’t painful anymore, please leave now!” Sang Wan smiled and said.
The crowd did not have a choice but to leave all at once.
What is this couple quarrelling about again! Nanny Li could not hold herself back from glancing at Sang Wan worriedly. Once she had left the chamber, she chased all the younger maid servants away from the chamber. Only Liu Ya, Zhide, and herself stood outside the chamber. If something were to happen inside, they could rush in in time to intervene.
Shi Fengju sat down in front of Sang Wan with a cold expression on his face as he pulled her injured hand towards him. There were blisters on her thin fingers and some of her skin at the back of her hand had peeled off. Her hands were delicate, and the pink skin of her injured hand made her look even more pitiful.
Sang Wan struggled to no avail and she lowered her head as he held onto her hand.
“Is it painful?” Shi Fengju asked gently.
How can it not be? If it isn’t, why don’t you try it yourself! She could still feel the prickling pain that came and went, how could it not be painful?
From the way he treated her in front of Ning Garden1Ning GardenSang Wan & Shi Fengju's place of residence’s servants, it wasn’t just her hand that was hurt! The Mistress had become a joke this time!
All the indignance in her heart suddenly gushed up. Instantly, her eyes were covered with tears but she kept her head down without speaking.
Shi Fengju sighed softly, “I really didn’t mean it. You too, why weren’t you quick to dodge?” Shi Fengju scooped a small amount of smooth white ointment with his fingers and gently applied it at the back of her hand. Using his finger, he caressed it, “I will do it carefully. Tell me if it is too painful.”
Sang Wan still remained silent as she let him apply the ointment. The cooling sensation spread across the back of her hand and took away the scorching pain. Sang Wan could not help but to feel more relaxed.
Shi Fengju sensed that and smiled, “This burn isn’t too serious. Apply it another night and it should be healed after two days.”
“Sang Wan, can’t you speak to me?” Shi Fengju smiled bitterly, not knowing what to do.
“Thank you, Lord!” Sang Wan retracted her hand and said, “This is only a small accident. I don’t blame you, so you don’t have to feel bad or even blame yourself for this.”
Shi Fengju’s expression darkened again and he grabbed her wrist as he spoke, “Sang Wan, how long are you going to continue sulking? What can I do to make you less angry?”
Sang Wan raised her head, looked at Shi Fengju calmly and smiled, “Lord, you’re thinking too much. Why would Sang Wan be angry with Lord!”
When met with an indifferent answer again, he stared at her, exasperated to the point of silence. His breathing became harder and he spoke after a moment, “You are still angry with me, aren’t you? You want my big sister to apologize to you and only then you would be satisfied, am I right? I told you before, you are Shi family’s Mistress. You will have to face this occasionally and sometimes misunderstandings cannot be avoided. Why do you have to harp on this? My older sister isn’t someone with an evil heart. She is quite pitiful too. Why can’t you let it go this time? Besides, my mother has taught her a lesson; she hasn’t been finding trouble for you these days, has she? How long more do you want to remain angry!”
That’s easy for you to say! Have I not give in enough? What happened in the end? Her slap almost landed on my face! I would have borne with it if it was only about me, but why did she have to talk about my second brother too? Your mother taught her a lesson? Don’t joke with me! Will your mother have the heart to do that? Will she even listen! It is more convincing to say that it was my rudeness towards her that made her more restrained!
“I am not angry with Lord, or angry with anyone,” Sang Wan said lightly. “Because there will be no use even if I blame anyone. Doing that will only mean finding trouble for myself! After all, why would I? Besides, there is also no point in that! I’m sure Lord still remembers our promise, right? It won’t be long before I will have to leave the Shi household, why should we bicker over something this small?”
“What did you say!” Shi Fengju’s heart throbbed as if he was dealt with a sudden blow and the pain was excruciating! She said that it would not be long before she leaves!
“You always remembered it? And because of that, you,” Shi Fengju’s face turned as cold as steel and uttered each word slowly, “That’s why you have been lukewarm towards me?”
“Don’t tell me Lord has already forgotten about it?” Sang Wan looked straight at him, “If I leave, everyone will be happy. All the problems will disappear. Isn’t this the outcome Lord has always wished for? I think that I’ve fulfilled my duty as a wife, and have taken care of Lord to the best of my ability. Lord’s judgement is not very fair for me!”
“Sang Wan, you are good! You are good! You are very good at stabbing people’s hearts with a knife! Never had I thought!” Shi Fengju was so angry that he was out of words. He glared at her squarely and said, “Sang Wan, let me warn you. Just with that sentence, I will not let you leave this place! I’d like to see what you can do about it!”
Sang Wan’s expression sank immediately and she shook her head, “No! You have always fulfilled your promises and meant every word you say, you won’t go back on your words!”
Shi Fengju saw how her expression changed immediately after hearing that she couldn’t leave anymore and felt even more infuriated. He laughed coldly and said, “Then I’m going to go back on my words, what can you do? If I don’t admit this, then it never happened! Sang Wan, don’t you say?”
“You!” Sang Wan was feeling both angry and anxious, but there was nothing she could do. He was right, their promise was only between them. If he did not want to acknowledge their promise, then it meant that their promise was for naught! There was nothing she could do about it!
“I? What?” Shi Fengju looked at her cruelly and said with deep animosity, “Didn’t you want to fulfill a wife’s duty? Then, I think you have not fulfilled a wife’s biggest responsibility! You think you can leave so easily after entering my family’s doorstep? Sang Wan, you are looking down on me, Shi Fengju!”
Shi Fengju abruptly pushed her on the bed and leaned towards her. Looking straight at her, he said coldly, “Give birth to my son; after you do, I won’t stop you from leaving! But right now, don’t even think about it!”
“You’ve gone mad! Let go of me!” Sang Wan had never seen this side of Shi Fengju and her face turned pale white, her eyes were full of fear.
Shi Fengju laughed coldly and lowered his head to force a kiss.
“No!” Sang Wan was so shocked that she started struggling. She avoided his kiss, pushing and punching frantically with both her hands to get him off her.
Shi Fengju had already lost all his senses to his anger. The more she avoided, the angrier he got. The hand that was blocking him, he grabbed it forcefully and pressed it down on his body. Never did he expect that the hand he had grabbed was her injured hand and the blisters on her fingers immediately burst open. Feeling as her peeled skin at the back of her hand was tearing away, together with the unbearable shame and humiliation, her tears flowed from her eyes and she started sobbing uncontrollably.
“Hand, my hand!” Sang Wan was feeling humiliated, angry, and in pain. She wished she could find a hole to hide into.
Shi Fengju came to his senses all of a sudden and he frantically let go of her.
“Sang Wan! I——”
Sang Wan rolled to the side and used the back of her other hand to give Shi Fengju’s face a slap full of resentment, “Leave, leave now! I don’t want to see you again!”
Shi Fengju was stunned. Seeing how Sang Wan’s hair was in a mess, her face flushed with anger, shame, and wet with tears, her hand in an even more terrible state, Shi Fengju felt extremely regretful and he stomped his foot. He turned away and barged out of the chamber.
How could Nanny Li and the maidservants not hear the commotion inside the chamber? Hearing how Sang Wan was crying and shouting, Liu Ya’s heart wrenched and she almost barged into chamber. However, she was stopped by Nanny Li’s glare. At that moment, they saw Shi Family’s Eldest Young Master leave Ning Garden hastily without a word. Everyone was stunned but did not have the time to care about him as they rushed into the chamber.
“Young Mistress! Are you alright!” Seeing Sang Wan’s dishevelled self, everyone was in a huge state of shock. Nanny Li was the first to hurry forward and cry out loud first, “What exactly happened here!”
“Nanny!” Sang Wan cried in Nanny Li’s embrace, her tears could not stop flowing from her eyes.
