Chapter 260 - 260 258 Laundry Woman

Words : 1541 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

260: Chapter 258: Laundry Woman 260: Chapter 258: Laundry Woman The mortal world is full of love and hate, and you cannot hide from the romance it brings. Romance in the mortal world, cannot exist without profound affection and deep emotions. Yun Shulang had made He Sha, the laundry woman, sweet promises of everlasting love and eternal beauty. A handsome, young man from a prosperous family, considerate and affectionate—how could a woman not fall into drunken enchantment? In their undisturbed world together, Yun Shulang indeed devoted his life’s tenderness to her, cherishing and adoring her. The two were indeed entwined in love for a very long time, sweet as honey, allowing no one else in. But the laundry woman did not know, how could a shrimp from the shallow banks share a life with the great fish of the sea? One was inexperienced, with love as deep as the ocean. The other had seen the world, having encountered countless beauties. The difference between them was self-evident. The Yun family was distinguished, and he, being the eldest son, was expected to inherit the family business and enjoy all the privileges that came with it. Meanwhile, she was just a laundry woman whose name people dismissed, destitute her entire life, without family to turn to. He could pity her for a moment, even a lifetime. But, he did not wish to. The Tao family had a daughter who had just come of age, quiet and elegant, with a multitude of talents. In terms of appearance, she was no less than the laundry girl. In terms of age, she was even younger and more youthful. Most importantly, she was his equal in social standing. The maids in the house said that on the day the Yun and Tao families had arranged the marriage, both the laundry girl He Sha and Miss Tao Ziyang were unaware. Yun Shulang was naturally flirtatious and loved beauty. Although he knew Tao Ziyang was the best match for him, he could not let go of his affection for the laundry girl of his younger years, despite her not having reached an age of declining beauty. So, he had an idea and built a small courtyard within his mansion to keep the laundry girl hidden, spending his days admiring flowers and reciting poetry with Miss Tao, and his nights with the beautiful girl under moonlit flowers. He managed love affairs and his pending marriage simultaneously. This marriage was set, but the date was delayed by Yun Shulang because of that little private thought in his heart. Tao Ziyang, an unmarried girl with a betrothal, would surely not visit him on her own initiative, despite their intimacy. Instead, it was Tao Ziyang’s mother, who had a personal relationship with Madam Yun, who was often invited to the Yun mansion to have tea and admire the paintings. Yun Shulang figured, with so many servants around in his compound, and the laundry woman being low-key and quiet, not causing trouble, even if she were discovered by his future mother-in-law, she would likely be treated as an ordinary maid. Certainly, there was no need to restrict the laundry woman’s freedom within the mansion. However, fate does not always align with one’s desires, and the Tao’s royal family did actually stumble upon the beautiful woman he secretly kept. What made Yun Shulang’s headache escalate was not only that they stumbled upon her but that they recognized her at a glance. He could hardly imagine why the concubine of the wealthy Tao family would recognize an unnamed laundry woman by the river? Once the secret was exposed, things got out of control. Master Yun usually indulged his son’s reckless behavior—it was common for a man to have multiple wives and concubines. However, having made a marriage arrangement and delaying it due to a woman of humble origins was another matter altogether. It inevitably led to the bad reputation of being lust-driven and foolish. Master Yun would not allow this to happen. In the end, it was spun that everything was a foolish obsession of the laundry woman He Sha, an attempt to climb social ranks, merely exploiting her own tragic life to invoke sympathy and to be taken in by the young master of the Yun family for a while. As for the Tao family, they certainly would not let their arranged marriage be disrupted by a lowly girl from a poor family and used the situation as an excuse to gracefully exit the arrangement. But for the laundry girl, she could no longer remain with the Yun family under any circumstances. By the Hu River, music and beauty intertwine, the face that captivates hearts. With a closed vermilion gate, she left alone, thoughts lingering deep. The world suddenly grows late, and the landscape ages. Laughter from newcomers is heard, the old friends are nowhere to be found. “Where is this girl He Sha now?” Baili An asked like this. The fat aunt picking vegetables heaved a sigh, “That girl He Sha has a tough fate. Ever since the people of the Yun household chased her away, she went back to her original dwelling. He Sha was truly a girl unlike any other. After being betrayed by the young master, she neither cried nor made a fuss. She’s sensible, probably knowing she wasn’t worthy of him, didn’t fight for anything, and didn’t take any of the pearls and Jade Treasures the young master gave her. She came with a cotton dress, and she left with one.” A maid cracking melon seeds sighed, “What a pity. In previous years, I’ve seen He Sha’s beauty. She was a stunningly beautiful woman and could have easily married into a good family based on her looks. But she was deceived in body and soul by the young master, wasting her best years in this deep autumn yard.” As it turns out, women are always more gossipy than men. Another maid chimed in, “The young master was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and he had his share of dalliances with dancing girls on the Painted Boat. To be honest, among them, He Sha might have been the one the young master was fondest of. The young master had his fun outside, but he never brought any girl home. After He Sha was driven out, the young master often secretly had the old women in the house visit and provide her with some silver coins.” The vegetable-picking aunt laughed with a hint of mockery in her tiny mung bean eyes, “Though He Sha lived a life of hardship, she came from a decent family, not comparable to those worldly women. The young master certainly showed her extra affection, but no matter how much he cherished her, his fickle heart changed. It was no match for Miss Tao. He chased her away easily, scolding her with the accusation of overreaching and seducing outsiders. For the young master, a minor matter without serious consequence, at most it is remembered as an episode of passionate romance. He fancies himself as gallant, chasing her away but unable to forget her, eagerly delivering silver, believing it to be generous. But the girl, poor as she may be, didn’t lose her self-respect or beg for pity. The silver that the women of the Yun house delivered was returned intact, deposited in the mouth of the stone lion at the mansion’s gate. The young master’s visits to find her were rebuffed. Over time, he lost interest in the matter, and it was said that He Sha, with no relatives, lived a hard life, later contracting consumption. Penniless and ill, she was not willing to seek his help.” The aunt picking vegetables offered her mocking glance to her own young master while reserving a few strands of pity for the poor and lonely laundry woman. “The winters in Xianling City are especially cold, and the young master thought of her a few times afterward. When he went to her home to find her, it was crumbling, empty, and she was nowhere to be found. According to the people in the alley, last winter, while doing laundry for a rich family by the river, she suddenly fell ill, tumbled into the cold waters of the lake, and died. Her body was never found.” Baili An: “…” The vegetable-picking aunt looked up at him, noticing his unchanged expression, but his eyes seemed to carry a depth of detachment. She sighed again, “The young master is affectionate and comes from wealth; a little flirtation might not be a bad thing. However, after having his fun, he’s unintentionally wasted a girl’s life, leaving nothing to be said. I have seen the young master secretly wipe tears under the peach tree that He Sha planted in the other courtyard a few times. It seems he still has some lingering feelings.” The maid with melon seeds scoffed, “Crying counts for nothing. If he wept his eyes blind, could the girl return? Does Miss Tao, the flower-like girl, need to be pampered and pitied and can’t stand any grievances, while the girl from a poor family isn’t a living being with a life of her own?”

Chapter 260 - 260 258 Laundry Woman

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