Qin Ruhai bid farewell to the Su household and stepped out through the vermilion gate. The gentle, refined look on his face faded completely. The respect he had shown Master Su and the restraint he had maintained in front of Su Liwan vanished entirely, leaving only a pair of eyes as cold and deep as a frozen pond, and an aloof, gloomy aura surrounding him.
He walked in silence toward the small courtyard behind the Shen family's cloth shop.
Several loafers and women by the street immediately gathered, pointing and murmuring among themselves.
"Look, that's him. He runs to the Su residence every day."
"A poor scholar with nowhere to live, yet he dares to fancy Miss Su. He really knows no bounds."
"I hear the Su family is one of the most prominent in Qingxi County, with a very high social standing."
"A heavenly beauty like Miss Su—how could someone like him ever touch her? He's just daydreaming."
"He looks fair and clean, but his heart is wicked. He only wants to climb the social ladder."
Qin Ruhai acted as if he heard nothing and kept walking.
As soon as he reached the door, Shen Wanshan stepped forward with a dark expression. For years, he and his wife had been married but had never conceived a son. Their home was filled with endless quarrels, and life felt suffocating and humiliating. He had long been holding back an unvented rage.
Recently, rumors had spread that this poor scholar, who could not even pay his rent, had been frequenting the Su residence and growing close to Su Liwan, the most beautiful woman in Qingxi. At the mere thought of Su Liwan, Shen Wanshan could not help picturing her figure—slim and graceful, with bright, pure eyes. So innocent and elegant, she was the unattainable white moonlight in the hearts of countless men across Qingxi. As an ordinary townsman, he only dared to hide his admiration and unspoken longing deep in his chest, not daring to voice a single word of it.
Yet the more he thought this way, the more twisted and resentful he became. They were all stuck at the bottom, trapped in the mire. So why should Qin Ruhai be able to carry himself with such refinement and stand close to such a stunning beauty? Why had his own life been so unlucky, while this man seemed ready to climb his way out?
Jealousy raged wildly in his heart, yet he still spoke in a fierce, cold tone, using harshness to cover his own inadequacy and envy.
"Qin Ruhai, you're finally back." Shen Wanshan's voice was cold and openly sarcastic. "You haven't mentioned your overdue rent for days, yet you have time to visit wealthy families like the Sus. Do you really think you're worthy of climbing the social ladder?"
A bystander immediately chimed in:
"Boss Shen is right. People like him shouldn't be tolerated."
"Can't even pay rent, yet dreams of marrying a noble lady—what a joke!"
Qin Ruhai spoke calmly: "You joke too lightly, Uncle Shen."
"Joke?" Shen Wanshan sneered, raising his voice deliberately for the onlookers and his daughter inside the shop. "I say your ambition is higher than the sky, but your fate is thinner than paper! Dressed in rags, pretending to be gentle all day. You're nothing but a worthless bum who can't pay rent. How dare you set your mind on the Su family?"
More people gathered to watch. Someone chuckled quietly:
"Look at him—he really thinks he's some young master."
"If the Su family truly gets angry, he'll suffer the consequences."
He grew angrier, his words laced with jealousy and bitterness. Finally, he glanced toward the shop and scolded indirectly: "Shen Ruowei, open your eyes wide! Don't be fooled by a pretty face! When you choose a husband in the future, pick someone steady and reliable. A good-for-nothing like him, who only chases wealth and power, will only bring you a lifetime of trouble. Stay far away from him!"
Behind the counter, Shen Ruowei quickly echoed him, her cheeks slightly flushed. She nodded obediently to her father, speaking harshly, yet her eyes could not help glancing at Qin Ruhai every now and then.
"Yes, Father! You're right. With his status, he is not worthy of Miss Su. He should stop daydreaming!"
A nearby woman commented:
"Miss Shen is sensible."
"Someone so poor and lowly really isn't worth associating with."
Qin Ruhai's expression remained unchanged, as if he had long grown accustomed to such insults. He bowed slightly, said no more, and turned to walk toward the small, shabby room in the backyard.
Behind him, Shen Wanshan continued shouting insults. Seeing Qin Ruhai leave so calmly, he had nowhere to vent his anger and suddenly roared toward the house:
"All you do is sit around all day! Can't even bear me a son—am I going to be the end of the Shen bloodline?!"
A sharp woman's voice immediately shot back from inside: "You blame me? Don't you know your own condition? You get dead drunk outside every day, yet you dare to lecture me?"
"If you had given me a son, would I have to put up with this? Let some poor scholar walk all over me?!"
"Why don't you act tough out there instead of yelling at me? If you're so brave, go kick him out yourself!"
Their quarrel grew more and more vicious. Vulgar words, complaints, and insults flew back and forth, all centered on the pain of having no son. The clatter of pots and bowls and the scraping of tables and chairs erupted, filling the courtyard with oppressive, harsh hostility. Even the onlookers could not bear to listen, shaking their heads and slowly dispersing.
The worn wooden door creaked shut, sealing off all the noise outside. Qin Ruhai leaned against the door and slowly closed his eyes. The gentle, refined mask he wore in public fell away completely at this moment.
He had never known his origins, nor who his parents were. He was nothing but a stray child who had wandered from place to place in his early years, finally arriving in Qingxi County after a long journey. Later, he met an elderly scholar who took him in out of kindness, giving him a place to live. The scholar taught him to read and write, and also instilled in him excellent calligraphy. But after just a few years, the scholar passed away from illness.
He possessed a handsome face and elegant features. After the scholar's death, women often secretly helped him, coming and going frequently. He gladly accepted their assistance to survive.
While the scholar was alive, he had rented a room from the Shen family. He had stayed here ever since, and could be said to have grown up alongside Shen Ruowei.
As he thought this, there were two soft knocks on the door, so faint they were barely audible.
Qin Ruhai's eyes flickered slightly, then he returned to his gentle demeanor: "Come in."
The door was carefully pushed open a crack. Shen Ruowei poked half her body in. She was petite and well-proportioned, with fair, delicate skin, and eyes that held the sweet, delicate charm of a girl next door. Though she could not compare to Su Liwan's breathtaking beauty, she was fresh, soft, and tender like a juicy green apricot—unremarkable at first glance, but sweet and addictive once tasted.
She had slipped over secretly while her parents were arguing fiercely, still breathing a little hastily from the rush.
"Young Master Qin…" Her voice was soft as a mosquito's hum, all the harshness from earlier gone, leaving only guilt and softness. "Please don't take it to heart."
She glanced up at him quickly, her cheeks flushing pink, her eyes darting away. Yet she bit her lip and spoke bravely:
"I… Can I come see you again tonight?"