Before Quan Heng was buried, Wen Zheng had dressed her with care—not only in luxurious clothes but also with makeup.
It was as if, by painting her lips, hiding that pale color, he could believe she was still alive.
Now, she laid quietly on the bed. Though she wasn’t breathing, she was still breathtakingly beautiful—like a sleeping doll.
Shen Zhengyu reverently kissed her forehead.
“Years ago, you left me once. Later, you got entangled with Wen Zheng, ignoring my feelings completely—and left me again.”
“This time, I’ve finally brought you back. From now on, we’ll spend the rest of our lives together, never parting again. Okay?”
***
She remained unconscious until noon the next day, when she finally began to stir.
First her fingers twitched, then her breathing gradually returned. When she fully woke, she vomited a mouthful of black blood, and only then felt like she was truly alive again.
Quan Heng slowly opened her eyes and felt as if a lifetime had passed.
The last thing she saw before closing them had been Wen Zheng’s devastated face—those eyes full of pain.
Now, what she saw upon opening them was a finely embroidered bed canopy.
Suddenly, she heard a delighted voice at her bedside. “Heng’er, you’re finally awake!”
She turned her head slowly. Upon seeing Shen Zhengyu’s face, her heart dropped.
She had to admit—they looked too much alike. Even after being around them separately for so long, at a glance, it was still easy to mistake them.
She shifted her gaze to below his eyes. Not seeing that striking red mole, she finally relaxed.
It seemed… she had really escaped this time. She never wanted to go back.
Being imprisoned like a pet, kept like a mistress—stripped of her soul—that was the deepest kind of humiliation.
She would never accept it.
Sighing inwardly, Quan Heng pushed herself up, leaned against the headboard, and said gratefully, “Thank you, Brother Ah Zheng. If not for you, I would have wasted away in that courtyard, never seeing daylight again.”
Shen Zhengyu was elated, though he forced himself to appear calm. He said gently, “Don’t worry. From now on, you and Wen Zheng are finished. He’ll never see you again, never entangle you again.”
Quan Heng nodded, then suddenly remembered her parents. She hadn’t seen them in days and asked, “Ah Zheng, where have you arranged for my parents and siblings? I haven’t seen them—can you take me to visit them?”
Hearing this, Shen Zhengyu’s heart tensed, though his face remained composed.
“Heng’er, you’ve only just woken up. The medicine won’t have lasting effects, but you’ll still feel weak for a while. Why not wait until you’re stronger, then I’ll take you?”
He held her hand and gently consoled her: “If you go now, and Uncle and Aunt see how pale you are, they’ll only worry. Can you bear to let them worry like that?”
Hearing this, Quan Heng gave a bitter smile. “You’re right. I’ve always been such an unfilial daughter, always making them worry. Then… let’s wait a few days until I feel better.”
She looked up at him. “Then we have a deal. When I’m better, you must take me to see them. Alright?”
Shen Zhengyu smiled gently, tucked her in, and said, “Alright. I promise. What you need to do now is focus on getting well, understand?”
“Now, rest for a while. I’ll go to the kitchen and make something tasty for you. You just woke up—you need good nourishment.”
Quan Heng nodded. “Okay.”
Seeing that, Shen Zhengyu turned and left. As he went, he also closed all the windows in her room.
“You mustn’t catch a chill now. Don’t open the windows these days.”
Moments later, he shut the door and headed toward the kitchen.
And just like that, the room was left with only Quan Heng inside.
Somehow, as she lay on the bed, a vague unease crept into her heart once again.
Clearly, she had already escaped that prison-like place—she should be happy.
But aside from a moment of relief at the beginning, she now felt even worse.
A persistent gloom hung over her, no matter what she did, she couldn’t shake it.
***
She ended up resting for seven days.
During that week, aside from taking medicine, Quan Heng spent most of her time dazing out in the courtyard.
Looking at the fruit trees in the yard, she suddenly recalled many things from her childhood. Back then, although she wasn’t favored in the Gu family, she had her Yiniang spoiling her, which allowed her to grow into a fearless, headstrong child.
When she was just a few years old, she often climbed trees on her own to play. A group of servants would watch nervously from below, terrified she might fall, but she found it all incredibly fun.
At this moment, a wave of emotion surged in her. As a child, she’d been full of endless energy, but now that she was grown, she’d been worn down until she no longer even had the heart—or strength—to climb a tree. She let out a bitter laugh.
Just then, Shen Zhengyu returned. As soon as he pushed open the courtyard gate, he saw Quan Heng sitting in a wicker chair. “Heng’er, I’m back.”
Following her gaze, Shen Zhengyu looked toward the peach tree ahead. “What is it? You want to climb the tree? Should I get a ladder and help you up?”
Quan Heng shook her head. “No need. I don’t want to climb it.”
Shen Zhengyu sighed softly and reached out to touch her face. “Then what’s wrong? You look so downcast.”
The moment he touched her, a flash of discomfort rose in Quan Heng’s heart. She instinctively turned her head away.
“It’s nothing. I just miss my father and mother.”
She lowered her head, staring at the tips of her shoes, and muttered, “Ah Zheng, you said that once I was a bit better, you’d take me to see them. It’s been days now, and I’ve stopped coughing up blood. Can’t you take me to see them now?”
Upon hearing this, Shen Zhengyu’s smile stiffened slightly.
Afraid she would notice, he pulled her into his arms and gently patted her back, soothing her: “Heng’er, why the rush? Just look at your complexion—still so pale. You don’t even have the strength to climb a tree. How could they rest easy seeing you like this?”
Quan Heng pressed her lips together. “It’s fine. I’ll put on some lip balm when the time comes. They won’t be able to tell.”
Shen Zhengyu let out a helpless laugh. “Listen to you, trying to deceive your own parents. How about this—you rest for a few more days. When you’re feeling stronger, I promise I’ll take you to see them.”
Just then, a firework suddenly shot into the sky not far away.
It was already evening, and as they spoke, the sky had darkened. The firework appeared all the more dazzling.
In that moment, Shen Zhengyu’s eyes narrowed slightly. That signal—someone under his command was looking for him.
“Heng’er, I still have some matters to attend to. I’ll be going out. If I don’t return tonight, don’t wait for me. Just sleep.”
With that, he turned and left.
Quan Heng stood in the courtyard, staring at the firework not far away, and suddenly thought of Wen Zheng.
That year, when they spent the New Year together at the Gu residence, they had watched fireworks together too—and exchanged gifts.
The wooden carvings and straw weavings Wen Zheng had given her were still at the Yongning Marquis manor. Strangely, she found herself missing those things now.
The firework came unexpectedly and vanished quickly, leaving no trace.
Quan Heng pulled herself back from her thoughts and let out a long sigh.
This was the third time she had asked Shen Zhengyu to take her to see her parents, but even now, he still wouldn’t agree.
The first two times, she might have believed his excuses, but this time, a faint doubt had begun to take root in her heart.
It was just a visit to see her family—why did he keep delaying? She truly couldn’t understand it.
Just then, a maid walked over and said respectfully, “Miss, dinner is ready. Please come to the main hall.”
Quan Heng sighed. “Alright, I’m coming.”
She turned and followed the maid. As they passed by the woodshed, she finally voiced a question that had been buried in her heart for a long time.
“Luyi, do you know who’s being kept in that woodshed?”
To her surprise, the maid’s expression immediately changed. “There’s no one in there. It’s empty—you must be mistaken.”
Quan Heng shook her head and pointed at the woodshed. “I’m not mistaken. I remember someone brings food there every day. How could it be empty?”
As she spoke, she walked toward the shed. When she was just one step away, Luyi rushed forward to stop her. “Please, Miss, don’t be willful. Let’s just go eat.”
Luyi frowned, her voice turning cold. “There is someone in the shed, but it’s just a criminal. You shouldn’t see them—it might bring misfortune.”
Seeing that Quan Heng still seemed intent on going, the other maids in the courtyard quickly chimed in: “If that criminal brings bad luck to you, and the young master finds out, we’ll all be punished!”
Seeing the genuine anxiety on their faces, Quan Heng finally gave up.
“Alright, alright, let’s go eat. I won’t go look—I won’t make things hard for you.”
Hearing this, the maids finally let out a breath of relief. They escorted her back to the main hall. After dinner, they helped her wash up and return to her room to rest.
That night, Quan Heng laid in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. But in her mind, she couldn’t stop thinking about the woodshed.
She had a strong feeling that whoever was locked in there was no ordinary criminal. Otherwise, why would the place be so tightly guarded?
It just so happened that Shen Zhengyu hadn’t come back today. Usually, if he didn’t return by dinnertime, he wouldn’t return at all. It was likely the same tonight.
Outside, the maids and old servants had all wrapped up their duties and returned to their rooms.
Tonight, it was Luyi’s turn to keep watch, but she had already dozed off by the door. A soft snore could be heard.
Quan Heng waited patiently a while longer. Seeing that Shen Zhengyu indeed wasn’t coming back, she finally made up her mind. Quietly, she slipped out the door.
She headed straight for the woodshed.
But the door was locked. Without a key, there was no way to open it.
So she pierced the paper on the window and looked inside through the small hole.
The moment her eyes met the person inside, she was stunned.
“Ziyun? Why are you here?”
Hearing the noise outside, the person inside finally stirred and rushed over. Upon seeing Quan Heng, Ziyun burst into tears.
“Miss, I finally see you again.”
But as she said this, a heavy sense of dread filled her heart. “Why are you here too? That Young Master Shen… he’s gone mad! Don’t tell me he did something to you too?”
At those words, it felt like Quan Heng had fallen into an icy abyss.
