The Substitute Bride and the Cripple

They arranged to have dinner with the artist in a mansion so luxurious it could have passed for a palace.

Tang Qiu walked in and heard lively music. She saw many people wearing masks and looked at He Lei in confusion.

He Lei was also confused. Yin Shulai didn’t say that they were here for a masquerade party–only a meal. It was obvious that they had been tricked by him. He went to find three masks for them.

“Hey, hey… you guys are here!” A man approached them, wearing a vampire mask and a smile. “I didn’t believe it when I heard that you were married.”

He placed his hands on Jiang Shaocheng’s wheelchair and looked at Tang Qiu, who was wearing a cat mask. With a faint smirk, he whispered, “Your little kitten has a good figure. Why are you hiding her even after the wedding? Afraid someone will snatch her away?”

“Me? Afraid?” Jiang Shaocheng replied calmly. “You couldn’t snatch her away even if you tried.”

Yin Shulai raised his eyebrows at the other man’s assured tone, lending a devilish slant to his upturned, narrow eyes. “Tsk. You make me curious as to just how cute your kitten is.”

He turned around and greeted Tang Qiu. “Nice to meet you. I’m Yin Shulai. I heard that you like my work. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance.”

Tang Qiu met his gaze and smiled. “Nice to meet you too, Mr Yin!”

“He Lei, Shaocheng, and I are all friends. You don’t have to be so polite. This way, please.” Yin Shulai’s grin turned casual.

Tang Qiu nodded with a smile and followed him into the main hall. There were five or six people sitting there, men and women alike, all wearing masks. She wasn’t used to such crowded gatherings, so she sat down beside Jiang Shaocheng.

Yin Shilai smiled and asked, “Shaocheng, I heard that you stand to recover from your illness. Do we have your wife to thank?”

The others chuckled at the underlying meaning to Yin Shulai’s question. Many of them knew about Jiang Shaocheng’s disguise. Yin Shulai was hinting at how he had to put his bedroom activities on hold, since he was pretending to be crippled.

Tang Qiu didn’t understand why they were laughing and looked at her husband in confusion. The teasing wasn’t lost on Jiang Shaocheng. “You’re just jealous because I’m married. I’ll be magnanimous and refrain from arguing with you.”

Yin Shulai sneered and chided Jiang Shaocheng for being a hypocrite, before standing to call for some refreshments. Tang Qiu listened to the diverse exchange of languages around them and said to Jiang Shaocheng curiously, “Mr Yin is quite popular, to have friends from all over the world.”

Jiang Shaocheng glanced around indifferently. The noise was making him frustrated. “He met them all at the exhibition, so I don’t think this counts as being popular.” If he had known that Yin Shulai would be hosting such a tedious gathering, he wouldn’t have brought Tang Qiu here at all.

Hearing his unfriendly tone, Tang Qiu was puzzled. “Do you know Yin Shulai well?”

“No.”

“Oh.” Her husband was probably uncomfortable in this lively atmosphere, but it would be rude of them to leave after being extended a courteous invitation by Yin Shulai. “Why don’t we go out for a walk and admire the flowers?”

“Okay.” Jiang Shaocheng nodded.

Tang Qiu got up and pushed him to the garden. He Lei, who was standing at the back, saw them leaving and was about to follow when he was stopped by Yin Shu.

“Your young master still hasn’t abandoned his charade after getting a wife? Does he still know how to fight after not being in battle for decades?”

His insinuation was hardly subtle. He Lei wanted to retort, but an idea struck him. He plastered a look of doubt on his face. “It’s hard to say. I intend to get some props and films for my young master to watch and learn.”

Yin Shulai was amused. “Your young master is given to cold abstinence, and not much else. I’ve always wondered if ice runs in his veins in place of blood. He wants to live a married life after the wedding, so he’s sharpening his spear at the last minute. It’ll only hurt his pride if his skills aren’t up to standard, so you need to pay extra attention to this matter. If all else fails, I can give him a lesson.”

The sheer audacity made He Lei facepalm.

Yin Shulai placed his arm on his shoulder and asked curiously, “What does your young mistress look like, to be able to tempt Jiang Shaocheng?”

“My young mistress is indeed attractive, but I think what makes her so special is that her mind just operates differently from everyone else’s. She’s even willing to kiss my young master when he has his human skin mask on. I admire her mental fortitude,” He Lei said with admiration.

Yin Shulai clicked his tongue, his curiosity heightened. “Why don’t I do him a favor tonight… for his pleasure?”

“I doubt that’s a good idea,” He Lei replied skeptically.

“It won’t be anything that hurts your young master. I have a few things lying around here that can let him remember what it was like to be a groom again.” 𝑓𝘳ℯ𝒆w𝘦𝘣𝙣𝘰ѵ𝘦𝚕.c𝗼𝓶

“Mr Yin, if you have any ill intentions, I advise you to stop now. You know how terrifying my young master is when he’s angry.” The thought alone made He Lei shudder.

Yin Shulai pursed his lips. “I’m helping him. Why should he be angry?”