Chapter Eighteen: The Wronged Liu Sheng

The narrow courtyard gate, just over half a meter wide, was locked tightly from the inside. The sky had begun to lighten with the faint glow of dawn. Although it would still be some time before sunrise, Ding Li didn’t want to knock and disturb anyone. After glancing left and right, he chose to climb over the wall instead. With a strange sensation rising within him, Ding Li leapt effortlessly into his own yard.

Though summer in Guangzhou is anything but cool, Ding Li shivered slightly when he saw Liu Sheng, alone, curled up on the doorstep, asleep with her knees drawn to her chest. After all, body temperature drops during sleep, and Ding Li could almost feel the chill Liu Sheng must have endured through the night.

For the first time in his life, Ding Li used his gentlest touch to gather Liu Sheng into his arms. Yet even then, his strong, sinewy frame startled her—she jerked awake, her sleepy eyes flickering with panic before it vanished, replaced almost instantly with a sweet smile at the corners of her mouth. In a voice soft with laughter, she said, "You’re home, Li. I’ll go heat up some food!"

She tried to wriggle out of his embrace, but Ding Li only tightened his arms, holding her fast. He lowered his head with a gentle smile, his eyes full of happiness as he carried the softness in his arms swiftly to the only crude wooden bed in the room.

After settling Liu Sheng on the bed and pulling the thin quilt over her, Ding Li had just straightened up when she suddenly grabbed him by the waist. In an instant, he felt the front of his shirt dampen as Liu Sheng, clad in only a thin garment, began to sob quietly. "Ziyi! Do you know? I was so scared and worried when you didn’t come home all night! I didn’t know where you’d gone, what you were doing, or when you’d return! I even wondered if you’d ever come back at all, if you’d just leave me behind... H-h-how could you..." Her words dissolved into sobs.

Ding Li was at a loss. How could he explain? He certainly couldn’t recount the night’s events—just one night away had left Liu Sheng so distraught. If she were to learn the truth, he feared the woman clinging to him might faint outright.

"Sheng, my dear Sheng, look, I’m back now, aren’t I? Please, don’t cry. I promise, this won’t ever happen again, never. I’ll work hard and earn money, we’ll buy a house, our own home, so you can live in peace, and I’ll be with you every day..." He comforted her in a low, breathless voice, awkwardly maintaining a bent posture so he could free his hands to hold her, murmuring reassurances as he gently laid her back on the bed.

Yielding to the moment, Ding Li allowed himself to be pulled down beside her. To his surprise, the usually reserved Liu Sheng suddenly rolled over and pressed him beneath her. With tears still shimmering in her eyes, she brought her lips to his without hesitation.

As their lips met, tears slipped from Liu Sheng’s tightly closed eyes, falling onto Ding Li’s face. In that moment, beyond the heat of her kiss, Ding Li tasted the bitterness and hardship in her heart. Only then did he realize how the recent days’ turmoil had shaken this delicate woman to her core, while he, her only support in this world, had spent so little time by her side.

A pang of guilt rose in Ding Li’s chest, and he vowed never to let Liu Sheng be hurt like this again. He would give her a home, however humble, where she could be safe, sheltered, and secure.

Perhaps it was the pressure she’d bottled up that needed release, but Liu Sheng was different that day. Even as Ding Li remained stunned, her tearful eyes wide open, he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his lips, then something soft and slippery slid into his mouth—familiar and warm, but tinged with a taste of unfamiliar bitterness.

Immediately after, slender hands slipped under his shirt; even through thin cloth, Ding Li could feel her need. Looking at her familiar yet weary face, he finally let go of all restraint. He rolled her beneath him, casting aside every worry, surrendering completely to the beauty of the moment.

A night of passion worth a thousand gold coins—even though dawn had come, luck was on their side. Before the sun could break through, a sea breeze swept over Guangzhou and brought a gentle rain. The overcast sky remained dim, as if heaven itself conspired to grant them these rare, precious hours.

No one knew how much time passed. In the gloomy little room, Ding Li, for the first time in his life, snored resoundingly. Liu Sheng, nestled on his chest, wore a smile of deep contentment. Even the tear stains on her cheeks seemed only to highlight her beauty, not mar it.

For the past couple of days, Ding Li’s nerves had been wound unbearably tight. Now that the matter with Lai Wu was resolved, he could finally relax. Sometime later, the aroma of rich, savory meat wafted into his nose, stirring him awake. Sounds of quiet movement reached his ears, and he forced heavy eyelids open.

He saw Liu Sheng busily setting the table. Three steaming dishes had been laid out, including a braised fish Ding Li had requested before leaving the day before. Watching her deftly scoop two bowls of hot rice, Ding Li’s hunger overwhelmed him.

By then, the rain had stopped, leaving no trace. The evening sun shone golden and bright, its slanting rays spilling through the doorway and casting a romantic glow in the dim room.

"You’re awake? Your clothes are by the bed—get dressed, I’ll go serve the soup!" Hearing him stir, Liu Sheng turned with a radiant smile, her face full of life once more. She left him with a gentle reminder, and as Ding Li reached for his clothes, she suddenly flushed, quickly turning and nearly fleeing the room.

"What are you running for? It’s not as though we haven’t seen everything," Ding Li called with a grin, just loud enough for her to hear in the yard. He caught the faint sound of her laughter from outside, and, smiling to himself, dressed and went to the table.

"Li, while you were still asleep, Aunt Liu’s relative from our landlord’s family came by," Liu Sheng said as she ladled milky fish soup into Ding Li’s bowl. "She was very kind. She said it’s too hard for you to earn money alone, and that their group is looking for someone to help with odd jobs—mostly laundry, their own clothes. Five garments for a copper coin. I don’t have much to do anyway, so she offered to introduce me. It would help with our household expenses..."

As she finished, she set the bowl before Ding Li, then fell silent. His face had darkened as the sky had that morning, and Liu Sheng quickly asked, "What’s wrong, Li?"

"You don’t need to worry about making money. I can handle it myself." Hearing her words, Ding Li’s heart twisted. Even the fish soup tasted bitter in his mouth, without a trace of flavor. He set the bowl down, took a deep breath, and, seeing Liu Sheng’s stunned expression, forced a smile and softened his tone. "Sheng, I just mean those jobs aren’t for you. Just stay home and cook, wait for me. When I’ve earned enough, you won’t even have to cook—you’ll live like the wealthy ladies in the city, with maids to serve you."

"Come, my lady! No, my dear Madam Ding!" With that, Ding Li rose, took a bowl of rice, and, bowing, presented it to her. He picked up some braised fish and placed it on top, imitating the formal tone of a servant, "This dish is prepared specially for Madam. Please, have a taste! If there’s anything lacking, we will continue to improve!"

Liu Sheng burst into laughter, snatching the chopsticks from his hand and passing the large piece of fish to his mouth, her brows arched as she shot him a playful glare. Still, she smiled and agreed, "Alright, I’ll listen to you. I’ll tell Aunt Liu’s relative it’s not convenient. Honestly!"

"Exactly! Tell her we’re not short of money," Ding Li replied, utterly relieved. He didn’t care about Liu Sheng’s rolling eyes. He dug into his food, but still found time to gently remind her, "Sheng, I heard yesterday that the Tang court is at war—the rebels have already crossed into the south. Things aren’t peaceful here. You’d better stay home; the world is too chaotic, and I’d worry for you."

"Alright, I’ll do as you say! I just don’t want you to overwork yourself," Liu Sheng replied sweetly, hardly touching her food as she kept passing dishes to Ding Li. After a moment’s thought, her brows furrowed and she added, "But now that you mention it, Li, Aunt Liu’s relative did seem odd today—she kept asking about you."

"Asking about me? Why? I have no money, no power, only this life..." Ding Li mumbled between mouthfuls, then suddenly froze, staring at Liu Sheng. Swallowing hastily, he grabbed his soup and asked anxiously, "Tell me, what exactly did she ask?"

"Actually, nothing much—your name, age, looks, that sort of thing. Oh, and about the war you mentioned. She said the court might conscript soldiers soon, and she wanted to help you find out more..." Seeing Ding Li’s reaction, Liu Sheng, always sensitive, realized something was wrong. Her voice grew softer, and her eyes filled with worry, afraid she’d said something amiss.

"No, that can’t be Aunt Liu’s relative! I rent this house, and Aunt Liu has seen me. If she wanted to ask those things, she wouldn’t need to meet you face-to-face," Ding Li said, his brow furrowed. He cursed himself inwardly for his carelessness—he’d slept away the entire day after last night’s tumult, leaving himself cut off from any news about what was happening outside. He knew nothing of how the authorities were dealing with what had happened at the docks.

"Then—that woman wasn’t Aunt Liu’s relative?" Liu Sheng, terrified by Ding Li’s grim expression, went pale with fright. She hadn’t asked about what Ding Li had done, but her intuition told her something serious was afoot—especially given his reaction, which only confirmed her fears.