The noble girl is beautiful.

The night rain was bleak, pattering on the leaves and grass, with the sound seeming to be the only one left in the world, adding to the sense of emptiness and loneliness.
Shen Yourong and her maids entered the Furong Tower and discovered it was brightly lit inside, indicating someone’s presence.
Ji Zhuo, with his back to them, was painting by the window, his elegant figure resembling jade. Bai Yan and Bai Yue approached and said, “His Highness said the rain outside is getting heavier. Miss, please take shelter here for a while.”
Changming moved a purple sandalwood silk screen to separate Ji Zhuo from Shen Yourong. From Shen Yourong’s perspective, Ji Zhuo’s figure gradually blurred behind the screen.
Du Juan brought a stool, helped her remove her cloak, and Bai Yan and Bai Yue, one holding a towel and the other pouring hot tea, helped her tidy her hair and clothes.
She sipped the hot tea in small sips. As the warm liquid went down her throat, she couldn’t help but shiver, feeling warmth spread through her limbs.
Ji Zhuo glanced at the screen. Behind it, Shen Yourong, holding her tea, was curled up in a chair, a small figure gazing at the night rain outside the window.
“Are you unhappy?” He suddenly asked.
Shen Yourong was startled. “No,” she replied.
He continued painting. “Indeed, a lady with such an illustrious fate has no reason to be unhappy.”
Shen Yourong’s eyebrows furrowed deeply but quickly smoothed out.
“These are all vague things. Do you, Master, believe in them? I thought you wouldn’t be a mundane person.”
He smiled slightly, ignoring her sarcasm.
He fell silent again, and she couldn’t help but glance towards the other side of the screen. Emboldened by the layer of silk screen between them, she stared unblinkingly at him.
Dressed in white, every move he made exuded a particular elegance.
His beautiful eyes were lowered, often disguising his indifferent and nonchalant demeanor with a look of compassion, but unfortunately…
She withdrew her gaze. “A Buddha’s face, a scorpion’s heart.”
“Calling me a scorpion’s heart?” He laughed. “I see you’re not a good person either.”
She raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
He dipped his brush in some paint. “You see your third sister getting closer to the fourth prince. Are you reluctant to disturb a pair of lovers, or are you scheming to have your third sister help you marry the fourth prince?”
Shen Yourong paused. “The third sister and the fourth prince are in love. I am fulfilling their wishes.”
He sneered. “How noble of you, eldest lady.”
His words were enough to sound insincere. She thought it unnecessary to hide any longer. She looked at him, her expression very calm. “What does Master think of this plan?”
He pondered for a moment. “Standing by and watching is your usual style.”
She frowned slightly. His words seemed to indicate he knew her very well. She joked, “What kind of person am I?”
“You…” He depicted a woman’s back on his paper. “You are warm on the outside but cold on the inside, selfish and self-serving, clear-sighted but good at playing dumb. Although you don’t usually do anything like adding flowers to a brocade or kicking someone when they’re down, your indifference alone is enough to be hateful.”
He dipped his brush in paint and added, “Come to think of it, someone with your personality might indeed laugh to the end in the treacherous palace.”
She lowered her eyes. “I have better choices. Why would I choose such a difficult path?”
“So, you’re admitting that you are deliberately pushing your third sister into the fire pit?”
She remained silent, only sighing deeply, revealing her pressure.
He didn’t look at her but seemed to guess her thoughts. “Eldest lady, one should still be open and honest in life.”
She, feeling irritable, sarcastically remarked, “Like you, someone who is so inconsistent inside and out, talking about honesty?”
“Bad but honest,” he said calmly. “If you’ve done something bad, don’t feel guilty. If you lack even this bit of resolve, why do bad things?”
She was at a loss for words. He glanced at her and said, “You, you, always pretending to be virtuous. Unable to bear the grievances, you do bad things and end up in a dilemma. If you were really my student, I would be so frustrated.”
She looked at him. “Then, Master, tell me, what should I do?”
He didn’t lift his eyes. “Do what you should. If you don’t look out for yourself, heaven and earth will destroy you.”
She thought, indeed a bad egg, doing bad things so confidently.
For a moment, no one spoke. The sound of the autumn wind carrying rain filled the Furong Tower. Hua Mei returned from outside, carrying a small bundle. She opened it to reveal a pair of silk embroidered flower and butterfly socks and a pair of goose yellow satin embroidered shoes with flower and insect patterns.
Du Juan and Hua Mei helped Shen Yourong change into the dry shoes and socks. A corner of the bright yellow shoes peeked out from under the screen, catching the eye. Once she finished changing, her long skirts fell down, hiding the beautiful shoes.
Ji Zhuo looked away, thinking, what a precious girl, exquisite from head to toe.
The rain grew heavier. Hua Mei worried about how they would get back, but Shen Yourong became unusually calm, feeling at peace.
Her gaze shifted from the night rain outside the window to Ji Zhuo behind the screen. She watched his figure and suddenly asked, “If one doesn’t look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy you.
Since I know so many of your secrets, wouldn’t you eliminate me if necessary?”
He laughed, adding the final stroke to his painting. His clear voice carried through the screen to Shen Yourong’s ears.
“Of course.”
Her heart tightened. She didn’t know why she asked such a question, but she knew she shouldn’t have asked it.
Big trouble, big trouble.
He put down his brush and admired his painting. Although he didn’t witness the night-blooming cereus in full bloom, he did see another scene, making the trip worthwhile.
“Let’s go.” He turned, walked through the screen, and left with his men.
Shen Yourong didn’t look at him. She waited until he left before walking around the screen to the desk.
On the desk, a white jade paperweight held down a painting of a lady watching the night-blooming cereus in the rain. The flower was vividly depicted, even the embroidered shoes under the lady’s skirt were detailed.
She stood by the painting for a long time. Du Juan urged, “Miss, let’s go back. If you like this painting, I will keep it for you.”
“No.” She stopped her. She took the painting and extended it out the window. The rain quickly blurred the ink. She let go, and the paper flew away, soon landing in the mud, soaked by the rain.
Hua Mei regretted, “Miss, if you liked that painting, why not keep it? Besides, no one would know, no need to worry about breaking the rules.”
Shen Yourong shook her head. “It cannot be kept, should not be kept, and will not stay.”