Chapter 95
**Chapter 95: The Missed Appointment**
Shangguan Qian jumped into the carriage, shouting that she wanted to go home and complain to the old lady.
Sun Qingmei sighed in resignation and turned to Shen Wei, saying, “Madam Shen, I’ll head back to the marquis’s residence now. The weather is stifling today, and it might rain tonight. Please don’t go out after dark.”
Shen Wei noticed that Sun Qingmei was drenched and gently reminded her, “Madam Sun, don’t forget to drink a bowl of ginger soup to warm yourself after you return to the marquis’s residence.”
The carriage from the marquis’s residence sped away.
Shen Wei returned to the lakeside villa. Zhao Yang had been thorough in her arrangements, ensuring that the maid had cleaned the guest room meticulously for Shen Wei’s short stay.
As for Doctor Mo, Zhao Yang had warmly invited him to stay in the outer courtyard to treat the Crown Prince. Initially reluctant, Doctor Mo quickly agreed when Zhao Yang brought out a jar of aged wine, and he happily settled into the outer courtyard.
...
Before long, night had fallen.
Since becoming pregnant, Shen Wei often felt sleepy and returned to her room early to rest. The villa by the Falling Moon Lake was quiet, with only the gentle sound of the wind and the guards patrolling at the entrance.
Zhao Yang, feigning fatigue, sent the serving maids away early.
Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Yang quietly slipped out. She placed great importance on her first meeting with Yan Yunting. Dressed in her finest attire, she wore her favorite golden gown, adorned with the white jade plum blossom hairpin that Yan Yunting had gifted her, and draped a black cloak over her shoulders.
Shrouded in the night, Zhao Yang stealthily slipped out through the back door. The meeting place she had agreed upon with Yan Yunting was the eastern pavilion by Falling Moon Lake. Lantern in hand, she made her way toward the pavilion.
The lake was deserted at night, cloaked in darkness. Zhao Yang sat in the pavilion, setting the lantern aside. The moon hung hazily in the sky, and the wind by the lakeshore howled, sending a chill through her.
Yet she felt no fear, eagerly anticipating Yan Yunting’s arrival.
Perhaps tonight, he would pour out his heart to her; perhaps he would even propose.
Lost in her daydreams, Zhao Yang envisioned a future where Yan Yunting became her husband, and they had two children, living in harmony...
Time slipped by quietly, and the wind by the lake grew stronger. The moon was obscured, and the world around her turned pitch black, with only the faint glow of the lantern in the pavilion.
“Why hasn’t he come yet?” Zhao Yang waited for what felt like an eternity, but still no sign of Yan Yunting. The deep darkness of the lake at night felt like an abyss.
Zhao Yang remained in the pavilion.
She heard the faint sound of raindrops, which soon intensified, and before long, a torrential downpour enveloped the world. Thunder rumbled, and a gust of wind swept through, snatching away Zhao Yang’s lantern.
The candle inside extinguished in an instant.
Zhao Yang was plunged into terrifying darkness.
For the first time, the pampered princess faced a storm alone. Her heart raced, and the howling wind and thunder filled her ears, causing her to tremble in fear.
“Where is Yan Yunting?” Zhao Yang felt a pang of grievance. He had promised not to break their appointment, yet here she was, waiting alone in the storm for what felt like ages.
Summer storms come swiftly and leave just as quickly.
The torrential rain gradually turned into a light drizzle, but Zhao Yang was soaked to the bone, shivering from the cold. A flicker of hope remained in her heart; perhaps Yan Yunting had been delayed by something...
She was reluctant to leave the pavilion, as if sulking with herself, hugging her knees and stubbornly waiting.
Time passed, and in a half-dream, Zhao Yang suddenly heard the sound of footsteps. Her face lit up with surprise as she looked up, “Yan Yunting, you finally made it!”
The rain had yet to cease.
A tall, thin figure slipped into the pavilion, and a rough, irritated voice came through, “Damn this weather! I’m soaked to the skin! This is ruining my night!”
Zhao Yang froze; the newcomer was not Yan Yunting.
A flash of lightning illuminated the pavilion for a brief moment. In that weak light, Zhao Yang saw a gaunt, unfamiliar face—this man was thin as a rail, with shifty eyes.
The man, seeking refuge from the rain, quickly noticed Zhao Yang curled up in the corner of the pavilion.
With the lightning’s glow, he caught sight of Zhao Yang’s pale face.
In the dead of night, a beautiful woman, drenched and with her wet clothes clinging to her form, was undeniably alluring.
The man’s lips curled into a grin. He was a petty thief, originally planning to steal tonight, but the sudden downpour had forced him to seek shelter.
Who would have thought he’d stumble upon a beauty by the lake? The thief revealed a crooked smile, “Well, luck’s on my side tonight, running into a lake fairy!”
...
Thunder rumbled—
Lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a deafening roar. Rain pounded against the eaves, and in a room nearby, the pale-faced Dan Tai Rou leaned weakly against her pillow.
The scent of medicine filled the air.
Dan Tai Rou said weakly, “Brother Yunting, you don’t have to keep taking care of me. I just coughed up a bit of blood; I just need to sleep it off.”
Yan Yunting placed the medicine bowl on the table and replied gently, “You rest first. I’ll stay by your side. Once you’re asleep, I’ll leave.”
Dan Tai Rou’s eyes glimmered with gratitude and attachment.
She drank the medicine, her eyelids growing heavy, and soon she fell into a deep slumber. Yan Yunting lowered the bed curtains and quietly left the small courtyard.
Dan Tai Rou came from a modest background; her father had been sent away on official business and wouldn’t return for several days. In the small courtyard, only an elderly servant was there to attend to her. With her illness, she couldn’t afford a doctor, and had to endure her suffering, leading to her current condition.
Yan Yunting held an umbrella, rain pouring down on it, and he frowned as he gazed into the distance.
He had already missed his appointment with Zhao Yang.
In such heavy rain, cold and wet, the sheltered Zhao Yang wouldn’t stay in the pavilion for long; she would surely grow impatient and leave early.
Yan Yunting sighed silently. He hadn’t been able to keep his appointment today, but once the rain cleared tomorrow, he would go to the princess to apologize. As long as he was willing to humble himself and make amends, Zhao Yang would surely forgive him.
It had always been this way; no matter how much he had wronged her, as long as he lowered his head, Zhao Yang would always forgive him.
She would always wait for him.
“I’ll bring a box of lip balm as a token of apology tomorrow,” Yan Yunting muttered to himself, holding the umbrella as he trudged back to the Yan residence through the downpour.
...
At the Falling Moon Lake villa.
Shen Wei had just fallen asleep when she was suddenly awakened by a commotion outside. In the courtyard, a maid named Yun’er was shouting, “Come quickly! The princess is missing! Someone, hurry!”
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