Page 43 of Silk and Sensibility

Meilin shuddered with disgust at the thought of being near Shen Lusi again. “Maybe I am feeling unwell.”

Master Wei wrapped a gentle hand around her arm. “You look pale. Is your stomach bothering you? Or maybe the carriage ride?”

Meilin was touched by his tenderness. “I’m not used to riding in carriages,” she admitted. “I wasn’t well on the boat ride from Nanjing to Suzhou either. But maybe it’s also my feelings. I’m upset.”

Meilin paused. Had she said too much? Though she felt safe around Master Wei, the Ailin-like voice in her head reminded her to watch herself, especially around a man, as if merely communicating her feelings would destroy her reputation forever.

Master Wei’s dark eyes shone with sympathy. “Would you like to go home early? I can take you.”

“Can you really?” Meilin asked tentatively.

“Of course. I can get my horse right now and meet you by the temple gates.”

The voice that whispered in Meilin’s head was definitely Ailin’s. “I don’t know if it would be proper for us to leave alone.”

Master Wei gave her an unfairly handsome half smile. “Since when have you cared about empty rules?”

Meilin inhaled sharply.

Master Wei’s eyes widened at Meilin’s genuine concern. He softened his voice. “This isn’t a romantic getaway, I promise. I don’t think anyone will blame you for going home early when you’re feeling ill.”

“Are you sure?” Though her words carried doubt, it was obvious where her heart truly lay.

Master Wei gave her a full smile, as dazzling as the sun on snow. “I’m right, aren’t I? I’ll meet you at the temple gates.”

When Master Wei helped Meilin onto his horse, she felt a jolt that reminded her of lightning. The horse was so tall and majestic that it must have been imported at great cost from the northern grasslands. She had never ridden anything like it. Her legs dangled so high off the ground that her large feet were visible. Self-conscious, she tried to rearrange her skirt to cover them, but Master Wei did not comment on or even look at her feet.

He swung himself onto the space behind her and took the reins. His arms wrapped around her like a cocoon around a silkworm.

Physical proximity to a man was a foreign experience for Meilin, and she tried to slow the rapid acceleration of her heart. As much as she might wish to indulge in fantasies, Master Wei was only helping her because she was sick, nothing more.

As the horse moved from a trot to a gallop, a new kind of sensation overtook her. The wind brushed her face. Gray canals passed as a blur. She felt as light as air. For the first time in a long time, Meilin felt free. Perhaps riding so fast wasn’t prudent and perhaps the people they passed on the road were judging her, but in this moment of pure exhilaration, Meilin didn’t care.

Once they reached the busier roads closer to the city wall, Master Wei reduced his speed, slowing to a snail’s pace in the crowded lanes of the city itself. The front gate of Batong Mansion came into view much sooner than Meilin wanted.

Master Wei helped Meilin dismount, and she held onto his arms, wishing the moment could last longer. He did not move away either, though they were on the street in front of the house. He gazed intently at her, as if waiting for her to speak.

Meilin knew she needed to express her thanks. He had lifted her spirits so much, like stars on a moonless night. She didn’t know how to begin, so she started with a simple, “Thank you for bringing me home.”

“It was no trouble at all,” he said with grace.

Meilin took a deep breath. “Master Wei, I really, really mean it when I say thanks. I don’t know why, but when I’m with you, my heart feels light. I feel like you understand me better than anyone—even my own family.”

“Please don’t cry, Miss Meilin.” Master Wei hurried to pull out a handkerchief, seeming flustered for the first time since she had known him.

Meilin touched her cheeks, surprised to find them wet. When had her tears started? Had she been so overcome with emotion that she wasn’t even aware of her body? Embarrassed, she wiped her face with the backs of her hands. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Master Wei said. He cupped her face with one hand and gently dabbed her tears away with the other, unashamed of showing affection.

His open kindness made Meilin lose her composure even more. “Why are you so good to me?”

Master Wei’s countenance changed, as if he, too, was surprised. His voice, usually as smooth as fresh honey, sounded husky. “You are unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”

Time seemed to slow. Meilin blinked, her lashes wet and sticky from tears. “You’re flattering me.”

Master Wei didn’t respond with any of his usual witty retorts. Instead, he looked more serious than she had ever seen him. “I speak only the truth to you.”

He reached into his shirt and pulled a jade pendant from around his neck. The stone was an icy-white mottled with a burnt red that almost looked like agate, carved in the shape of a tiger. He pushed the necklace into Meilin’s hand, closing her fingers around it with his own. The jade was about half the size of her palm.