Xu Changqing wanted to stretch before she even opened her eyes, but something felt off. She slowly opened her eyes and scrambled to sit up.
She drew in a sharp breath.
'It's so dark.'
'The curtains are still drawn.'
'What time is it?'
She got out of bed, shuffled into her shoes, and went to pull open the curtains. Xu Changqing then returned to her vanity and saw that the alarm clock read six in the afternoon. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
'Drinking really leads to trouble. I can't be so impulsive next time.' Rubbing her temples, Xu Changqing closed her eyes and "peered" into Changqing Garden.
Just as she thought, Brother Shen was not in the study, the kitchen, or the front yard. Otherwise, he would have noticed she was awake the moment she got up or pulled open the curtains and come in immediately.
She "saw" Shen Weimin outside by the chicken and duck coops near the river, gathering eggs. It looked like he had already fed them and would be back soon.
