The Rich Boy's Heart

11: Mud

'What's got you so quiet these days?' Asks Changying, looking quizzically at Liqin.

'Nothing.' She shrugs. 'Maybe there's nothing interesting to say.'

'Or maybe the absence of a certain Shen Yue has got you worked up?' smirks Cuifen ' You miss her?...Its weird how she has just disappeared, isn't it?'

Liqin flinches at the mention of Shen Yue, but continues to eat her breakfast, saying nothing.

'She didn't disappear.' Says Meixiang mysteriously.

Everyone looks at her curiously, except for Liqin and Hualing, who have an inkling of what's going on.

'Come on spit it out Meixiang! What's happened to Shen Yue?' Asks Changying.

'Well I was taking my morning jog around the estate, when I overheard the guards at the gate, talking about how Master He Di left the mansion with Shen Yue, late at night a few days ago, and how they still haven't returned.'

'WHAT??!!' Exclaim Cuifen, Daiyu, and Biyu in total shock.

Changying is absolutely quiet as she digests this information.

'But isn't he engaged to that rich woman, he was driving that day?' Asks Liling, desperate for what she is hearing not to be true.

'You mean to tell me that Master He Di left with Shen Yue?' Whispers Jinjing in disbelief.

'Yup!  Apparently Master He Di fell in love with Shen Yue, quit the family and left with her. They are off to start their new life somewhere.' Meixiang nods, all knowing.

The concubines are silent as they confront this new reality. It has always been an urban legend, the idea of a master falling in love with a concubine, and running away with her, but none of them have never known anyone that's happened to... until now. The envy envelops them, as they contemplate how lucky Shen Yue is.

Master He Di has always been kind to all of them, if they ever bumped into him. For the longest time, he refused to have a concubine, and all were a little surprised when Shen Yue joined the stable. However, they began to realize that she was being treated differently. They would see Master He Di come to their side of house, picking up Shen Yue every night and dropping her off each morning, after eating breakfast with her. None of them ever eat breakfast with their masters. In fact they rarely spend the night in their master's bedroom.

Most of them were secretly pleased, when they saw Hualing joining Master He Di's Harem, however the very next day, Shen Yue had disappeared, and for the past few days the only girls still doing duty, have been Master Zhiqiang's concubines.

'So why are you still here?' Says Cuifen looking suspiciously at Hualing.

'I...I haven't been ttt...told anything different.' Stutters Hauling.