Chapter 36: Is This… A Nightmare?
The wind outside was a bit strong, howling like ghosts and wolves.
The wooden window frames creaked under the strain, and the willow trees swayed relentlessly. The shadows of the branches were like twisted, crawling female ghosts, pressed against the window and waiting for a chance to enter.
Inside the room, Liang Sheng was even more terrified.
He pulled the blanket tight over his head, not daring to look. His heart was pounding so fast it felt like it would leap out of his chest.
The space under the blanket was small and cramped, making it hard to breathe. He felt so oppressed, so uncomfortable.
“A… A-Yu, are you asleep?”
Liang Sheng asked with a trembling voice. As expected, Shen Xingyu didn’t answer him; he had clearly fallen asleep.
He carefully lifted a corner of the blanket, exposing half of his face, and his breathing finally eased somewhat.
The room was pitch black; nothing could be seen.
At that moment, something outside seemed to have been blown over by the wind, making a loud sound.
“Ah!”
Liang Sheng was startled and instinctively moved toward Shen Xingyu. He buried his face against the man’s back, hugging him tightly. His voice carried a fragmented sob: “A-A-Yu, wake up! I’m afraid… there are sounds outside, it’s so dark, woo~”
Shen Xingyu didn’t like being touched while he was sleeping. He had been truly exhausted these past few days and was too drowsy to open his eyes. In his dazed state, he pushed away his weeping little wife, his voice low and cold:
“Don’t touch me…”
Liang Sheng’s hand, which was still on Shen Xingyu, was heartlessly knocked away. He was momentarily stunned, and his tears flowed even more fiercely. He could only cover his ears tightly, forcing himself not to listen to the sounds outside.
If it were the Shen Xingyu of the past, he would have hugged him tight and said gently, “I’m here, don’t be afraid.”
He wouldn’t be like he was now, heartlessly pushing him away and leaving him to face his fears alone.
“A-Yu… where are you… I’m so afraid… please don’t leave me alone anymore, alright…”
Liang Sheng held his knees, curled up in the corner.
He foolishly longed for the person from back then, missing him to his very marrow—thinking until his heart pained.
The person beside him was no longer like the person in his heart.
He wanted the Shen Xingyu who loved him—the Shen Xingyu who was always thinking of him, who wouldn’t let him suffer even the slightest grievance or harm…
The sound of the wind outside grew even more fierce.
Darkness enveloped the shivering person in the corner.
Amidst despair and fear, Liang Sheng finally endured until the morning sun. When the thin light of dawn slowly shone through the curtains into the room, his eyes—dried from crying—gradually regained their focus.
He felt as if he had come back to life.
A heavy drowsiness hit him. Liang Sheng uncontrollably closed his eyes. He tried hard to stay awake—he should be going downstairs now to prepare breakfast for Shen Xingyu—but his body was simply too exhausted to hold on.
He fell into a deep sleep.
Not long after, Shen Xingyu woke up.
He had slept somewhat restlessly last night; he seemed to have vaguely heard someone crying, but he couldn’t hear it clearly.
He slowly sat up, rubbing his aching temple. He glanced over and saw Liang Sheng.
The other person actually hadn’t woken up yet?
He was used to Liang Sheng waking up before him and going to sleep after him; why was it a bit unusual today?
Shen Xingyu got out of bed, took his clothes and put them on. While buttoning them, he leaned down to approach his little wife.
He narrowed his eyes, indifferently observing Liang Sheng.
The other’s face was covered in tear stains, and he was very pale. He looked like a startled fawn, his body curled up even while sleeping.
Shen Xingyu frowned, feeling a bit blocked in his heart.
Is this… a nightmare?
How could Shen Xingyu know that Liang Sheng had cried all night and called for him all night? But he had slept very soundly and heard nothing. Liang Sheng had suffered alone in the darkness, almost suffocating to death.
He raised his hand, wanting to pat his little wife awake, but his knit brows and the way he looked restless in sleep made him hold back. He stared at Liang Sheng’s features and watched calmly for a few seconds.
Compared to the Liang Sheng of before, the current Liang Sheng looked much gentler. He had forcefully smoothed out all his sharp edges; there was none of the unruliness and dashing air of his youth, only gloom and sorrow.
Shen Xingyu didn’t like him this way.
Like a dead person.
As he watched, he suddenly couldn’t help but reach out a finger and lightly poke his little wife’s cool cheek.
Shen Xingyu didn’t understand why he wanted to do this; he just really wanted to touch this person.
Liang Sheng seemed to feel the itch; his brows knit slightly, he wrinkled his nose, and let out a hum from his mouth.
Thinking he was about to wake up, Shen Xingyu hurriedly withdrew his hand and stood up straight. Foraging for fear that Liang Sheng would discover his little action, he cleared his throat awkwardly.
But the person on the bed did not wake up; he merely turned over and continued sleeping, looking obedient and submissive.
Like a little lamb.
Shen Xingyu felt a place deep in his heart silently collapsing.
What was wrong with him?
Why did he have these nonsensical actions and feelings…
Surely he wasn’t showing weakness to Liang Sheng?
Truly mad.
Shen Xingyu’s mouth twitched. He awkwardly left the room without waking Liang Sheng. He’d consider it a vacation for him, lest he worked himself to death and he had no one to order around.
Liang Sheng slept until noon.
It was the Old Master who personally came to wake him.
Liang Sheng rubbed his hazy eyes and stretched. Upon seeing the smiling Old Master, he was startled and hurriedly got off the bed. His fair little feet stepped onto the floor; the wooden tiles were a bit cold. He curled his toes and asked in a nervous voice:
“Grandpa, w-why are you here?”
“I’ve come to call you to wake up for lunch, silly child.”
Old Master Shen sat in his wheelchair, looking up at him.
“L-lunch?”
Liang Sheng was surprised. He looked out the window at the somewhat piercing sunlight, then at the wall clock.
It was already past twelve noon.
“I’m sorry, Grandpa. I don’t know how I overslept! I forgot to make breakfast for A-Yu…”
He grabbed the hem of his clothes, apologizing in a frantic rush, afraid the Old Master wouldn’t like him because of this.
According to the Shen family rules, one couldn’t sleep until noon.
The Old Master chuckled and didn’t blame him: “It’s fine, it’s fine. He ate this morning. Originally there are servants in the house to cook, but his palate is too picky; he insists on eating the breakfast you make.”
“Grandpa, did I sleep too long…”
Liang Sheng still felt bad.
“It was A-Yu who said not to disturb you and to let you sleep a bit longer.”
The Old Master gently patted his hand. Seeing his poor complexion, he felt very heart-ached: “Why is your face so pale? Did you not sleep well last night?”
Liang Sheng shook his head, more concerned with the Old Master’s previous words. Shen Xingyu had actually instructed not to disturb him?
Did he know that he had suffered all night last night?
If he knew, why had he been unmoved…
“Did he really say that?”
Liang Sheng still found it a bit hard to believe.
Amidst his surprise, he also felt very sad…
Was Shen Xingyu really so heartless?
Why didn’t he hold him when he needed it…
The corners of his eyes suddenly grew moist. He quickly forced the tears back. If Grandpa saw, how embarrassing would it be?
“Yes, otherwise Grandpa wouldn’t have let you sleep this late.”
The Old Master frowned helplessly, yet still smiled kindly as he reached for Liang Sheng’s hand:
“Hurry down and eat. In a bit, I… hss.”
Before he could finish, he covered his forehead, his face full of pain.
“Grandpa, what’s wrong?!”
Liang Sheng was frightened and hurriedly knelt by his side.
“Lately, the Hui Nan weather has returned, and the dampness is heavy. My headache has flared up again. I’ll be fine in a bit; don’t worry.”
The Old Master waved his hand. He said he was fine, but his previously ruddy face had instantly turned pale.
Liang Sheng knew this was an old ailment. Even a dehumidifier was useless. His eyes lit up as an idea occurred to him:
“Grandpa, I’ll mix some aromatherapy for you. My mother used to have frequent headaches as well. As long as she smelled the fragrance I specifically blended, she would get better, and her sleep quality would improve.”
The Old Master was surprised: “Sheng-sheng, you know how to blend fragrances? Grandpa didn’t know!”
Liang Sheng lowered his eyes and replied with a forced smile: “Since my mother got sick, I’ve rarely had time to do what I like. Naturally, Grandpa wouldn’t see it.”
Old Master Shen let out a sigh, then patted his shoulder to encourage him: “In the future, whatever Sheng-sheng wants to do, just do it. Grandpa will support you!”
“Mm!”
Liang Sheng looked very grateful on the surface, but in his heart he couldn’t help but feel sad.
How much time did he have left to do what he liked…
The Shen family had been fragrance-makers for generations, and they had grown wealthy and successful because of fragrance. From Chinese spices, they had grown into Western perfumes; the Shen Group now sold perfumes all over the world.
There were several fragrance rooms in the Old Master’s courtyard house. The precious materials and advanced machinery inside were things Liang Sheng had never seen before—even more abundant than what he had seen at the Shen factory.
His gloomy gaze instantly became lively, and he couldn’t contain his excitement and joy.
He dreamed of having his own fragrance room.
He had mentioned this request to Shen Xingyu before, but it had been refused. The reason was that he should prioritize the family.
Fragrance-making required traveling everywhere to collect materials. Shen Xingyu kept him locked up tight, not letting him have time to contact the outside world.
Nor was he willing to let people from the factory bring materials to him.
Now, could he finally achieve fragrance-making freedom?
Seeing that he had frozen upon entering, the Old Master asked: “What is it, Sheng-sheng? Is there something you don’t like?”
“No, no!”
Liang Sheng hurriedly waved his hands and shook his head, tears glinting in the corners of his eyes as he spoke: “I’ve never seen such a large fragrance room before. I’m too excited!”
He had been married into the Shen family for seven years, yet the times he had come to the Shen residence were few and far between. Each time he came, he could only stay by his husband’s side; he would stay for a short while and then leave in a hurry, not even getting a good look at the Shen residence!
Old Master Shen looked full of doting: “You like it?”
Liang Sheng nodded forcefully: “I love it!”
“If you like it, Sheng-sheng can use all of Grandpa’s fragrance rooms however you like in the future. Just treat them as your own.”
Liang Sheng’s eyes snapped wide, and his lips trembled. His eyes glinted with surprise as he stammered: “R-really? Can I really use these things?”
“Of course. You’re the grandson-in-law of my Shen family. If I had known earlier that you liked making fragrance, I would have had A-Yu take you to the research institute to study perfume together.”
Liang Sheng felt a bit dejected. After all, Shen Xingyu didn’t like him showing his face in public; he likely wouldn’t take him there.
After a moment of dejection, he now felt more joy. Although he couldn’t go to the research institute, being able to make fragrance in the Old Master’s fragrance room was worth it!
“Grandpa, I’ll start now!”
He blinked his sparkling eyes, unable to wait as he went to the materials section and began to take out the items he needed.
Translator’s Note:
- Hui Nan Weather (回南天): A specific weather phenomenon in Southern China (especially Guangdong and Guangxi) during the spring when warm, humid air returns from the south, causing moisture to condense on walls and floors. It’s notorious for causing dampness and joint/head pains.
- Young Mistress (少夫人): Note that while Liang is a man, the household still addresses him with the traditional female title due to his role as the “wife” in the family hierarchy.
- Mysophobia (潔癖): Shen Xingyu’s obsession with cleanliness. It’s ironic since he dove into the “dirty” ocean for Liang!
- Aromatherapy/Fragrance (制香): This is a huge plot point! The Shen family’s wealth is built on this. Liang Sheng finally getting a win is so satisfying.
Hang in there, Liang Sheng! See you in the next chapter!
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