Chapter 44:
She refused straightforwardly, but Pei Yuqing didn’t say anything more. Instead, he instructed a servant to bring over a chair and said, “Don’t squat for too long; be careful not to let your legs go numb.”
Xie Wanning sat down obediently, tilted her head to look at him, and asked curiously, “Where did you come from?”
“I’ve been here all along,” he pointed to the depths of the flower room. “You just didn’t notice me.”
Xie Wanning: “…”
Although she had suspected on the way here that Pei Yuxuan pointing her in this direction for no reason might be problematic, she hadn’t expected there really to be a problem.
She smiled inwardly and said amusedly, “Did you ask Xuan Jie Jie to lead me here on purpose?”
Nearby, the peony flower branches were blooming vibrantly, gorgeous and delicate, with graceful beauty. But such a beautiful scene paled in comparison to her tilting her head and giving him a slight smile in Pei Yuqing’s eyes.
The gaze falling on her face rippled faintly. Xie Wanning sensed something off and paused slightly. Just as she was about to speak, she heard the man in front of her say, “No.”
He lowered his eyes, avoiding her gaze, and said softly, “I’ve just been coming here more frequently these past few days.”
Xie Wanning understood.
She had thought that since he had clearly rejected her marriage proposal last time, showing no intention of marrying her, why would he have his younger sister lead her here to meet.
Thinking this way, Xie Wanning said again, “For today’s flower appreciation banquet, are you really not going out to show your face?”
They both knew exactly what “showing face” meant.
Even the servants waiting nearby knew.
Pei Yuqing paused upon hearing this and looked at her sideways without speaking.
After a long silence, he said, “I heard you like Western roses. There are some here; would you like to see them?”
Xie Wanning’s eyebrows twitched slightly. She thought for a moment and stood up. “Then let’s take a look.”
This flower field was vast. The Western roses were planted a bit further inside. Pei Yuqing led the way, and Xie Wanning followed behind. The path was narrow, so the servants didn’t follow.
They soon reached a cluster of flowers.
Deep blue thorny flowers bloomed gorgeously, dreamlike and illusory, stretching endlessly, breathtakingly beautiful.
Xie Wanning’s eyes filled with amazement. “So beautiful.”
“I’ll give you one.” Pei Yuqing reached out to pick it, but Xie Wanning quickly stopped him.
“It’s blooming so nicely; why pick it?” She glared at him. “I didn’t realize you were the type to ruthlessly pluck flowers.”
“…” Pei Yuqing looked at her speechlessly, withdrew his hand after a moment, and said, “In that case, let’s transplant a few to your courtyard to grow.”
This man was always thinking of giving her things. Xie Wanning found it amusing but still refused. “Never mind.”
Pei Yuqing lowered his gaze. “You don’t like them?”
“Of course I like them,” Xie Wanning shook her head. “But these flowers look so delicate; it’d be a pity if I let them die.”
“They won’t die that easily. We can build a flower room in your courtyard to grow them,” Pei Yuqing said. “No need to worry about the trouble; I’ll arrange everything for you. You just wait to enjoy the flowers.”
Xie Wanning fell silent again.
Being this enthusiastic—was he afraid others wouldn’t know his feelings?
Or after she saw through his intentions, he no longer planned to hide them.
But…
She thought for a moment and said softly, “I have a question for you.”
At this moment, no servants were attending them, but Xie Wanning still kept her voice very low.
“That day at the Qu Cheng Marquis’s Estate, Young Lord, you rejected me. But these recent meetings, you’ve been increasingly kind to me… Have you regretted it?”
…Have you regretted it?
Pei Yuqing’s expression froze, and he didn’t speak for a long time.
Xie Wanning looked up at him. “Or do you have some unspeakable difficulty?”
Pei Yuqing pursed his lips, met her gaze, and said calmly, “What do you mean by that?”
“…” Xie Wanning grew annoyed at the question and said bluntly, “What I mean is, you have no intention of taking a wife, yet you’re so good to a young lady. Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a bit regretful.
It sounded like she was pressuring him into marriage.
She had finally called off the engagement; she had no intention of marrying again.
It was all because this man was so awkward. Xie Wanning wanted to glare at him angrily, but as she raised her eyes, she met his clear, deep gaze.
“Wanwan…” He moved his lips, about to say something, when suddenly a noisy sound of voices faintly came from beyond the glazed tile window at his ear.
—Probably more guests arriving.
“I’ve seen the flowers; I’ll take my leave first.” Xie Wanning didn’t want to be seen alone with him, so she turned to go find Er Qing.
But unexpectedly, this group moved quickly. She had just rounded the flower cluster when she ran right into them.
She immediately spotted a familiar face—it was Cao Ying’er, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel, whom she had just met. There were several others with her, men and women, all guests here for the banquet today.
Before Xie Wanning could look closely, she heard her voice.
Seeing her emerge, Cao Ying’er’s eyes lit up, and she said delicately, “I said I saw Younger Sister Wanwan heading this way earlier. See, she’s indeed here, right?”
Xie Wanning: “…”
She walked over a few steps and asked, “Did you come specifically to find me?”
“Not really,” Cao Ying’er shook her head. “We heard the glazed tile flower field at Duke Pei’s Mansion is very beautiful, so we came together to see it.”
Xie Wanning murmured in acknowledgment, had no intention of saying more, and was about to take Er Qing and leave when she heard a man holding a folding fan from the side laugh and ask, “What is Miss Xie looking at alone in there?”
Perhaps worried about causing gossip, Pei Yuqing hadn’t come out.
Xie Wanning recognized the man asking—it was First Madam Lu’s nephew from her maternal home, Lu Ziyan’s cousin Chen Ran.
Seeing it was him, Xie Wanning instinctively looked around.
As she raised her eyes, she saw Lu Ziyan standing in the crowd, gazing at her intently.
Her lips, which still held a smile, instantly tightened. She said calmly, “What else is there to see in the flower room besides flowers?”
“I’m rather curious what flower is worth Miss Xie coming to appreciate alone, without even bringing her maidservant.” Chen Ran lightly shook his folding fan, chuckled, and walked toward the direction she had come from on his own.
He looked just like he was trying to catch someone in the act. Xie Wanning, who had been nervously clenching her palms, suddenly smiled.
“Who said I’m alone?” she laughed. “For flower appreciation, of course you need someone to accompany you to fully enjoy it.”
As soon as she spoke, a tall, jade-like man emerged from inside, with an appearance like orchids, elegant and upright.
The previously noisy conversation came to a complete halt, and silence fell around them.
Cao Ying’er was the first to react. She curtsied and said, “Greetings, Young Lord Pei.”
Once she pointed out Pei Yuqing’s identity, everyone suddenly understood and followed by paying their respects.
Xie Wanning’s eyebrows rose slightly in surprise.
Pei Yuqing rarely attended banquets outside. Even she, who had grown up in the capital and had many friends, had only met him once not long ago.
She hadn’t expected Cao Ying’er, who had been transferred with her father to Liuzhou and returned to the capital less than a year ago, to know him.
On second thought, since Cao Ying’er was close with Pei Yuxuan and often visited Duke Pei’s Mansion to play, it was normal for her to have met him.
Thinking this, she shifted her gaze away.
