Chapter 23:
The third day.
Pei Yuxuan personally visited the door, originally thinking that the so-called discomfort in the body was just an excuse to refuse herself, until she saw that the young lady on the couch indeed looked somewhat listless, then she knew she had misunderstood.
Thus, there was a good bout of concern.
If Xie Wanning had not stopped her, she would have taken out her own jade token and asked the imperial physician to come take a look.
After this farce, both having straightforward temperaments that said whatever was on their minds, the two became even closer, no longer just superficial pleasantries.
After chatting for just a few sentences, Pei Yuxuan leaned in closer and asked in a low voice: “Are all those rumors in the Capital City these days true?”
Xie Wanning naturally knew what the rumors about herself were, and upon hearing this, she nodded frankly: “Indeed.”
“Wanwan doesn’t know, but two years ago, I once saw you from afar on the hunting grounds, though your gaze was on the Lu Family Young Master from beginning to end. At that time, you two stood together, truly a perfect pair.”
Her tone carried some emotion: “And now, have things really reached the point of complete separation?”
“Yes, at that time I always thought he was the finest young man in the world, but now I think I must have had lard covering my heart.” Suddenly reminded of that foolish period of her own past, Xie Wanning felt no discomfort.
She would not deny her past self who had truly loved Lu Ziyan because of her current clarity, only saying faintly: “No matter how low one lowers their posture, in the eyes of someone who does not like you, it will only make them despise you.”
“Liking someone should be happy.” Pei Yuxuan held her hand and comforted: “If he makes Wanwan so sad, then let’s not like him anymore.”
Xie Wanning’s eyes flickered slightly as she gazed at her new friend, probing: “Does Xuan Jie Jie have someone in her heart?”
Not expecting the topic to suddenly turn to herself, Pei Yuxuan’s gaze dodged somewhat uncomfortably, but she still answered frankly: “Yes.”
“…Can you tell me who it is?”
She asked directly, but Pei Yuxuan refused to answer, rarely bashfully pushing her once in shy anger: “I still don’t know his feelings now, I can’t say.”
“…” Xie Wanning was silent for a moment, then asked softly: “What if he doesn’t like you?”
Pei Yuxuan’s eyes flashed, and she said firmly: “Even if he doesn’t like me, I still want to like him.”
Xie Wanning pressed: “Like I did before?”
With self-righteous affection, foolishly clinging on, thinking it would move the other, make them cherish it, only to end up even less regarded, taken for granted.
Pei Yuxuan’s lips pressed lightly together, and she fell silent.
Xie Wanning also stopped there, not continuing to ask. She knew her elder brother was a wooden blockhead, always sternly lecturing since childhood.
The youthful arrogance and unrestrained flamboyance, the romantic unbound nature—Xie Yanyu had none of it.
She could not imagine what it would be like if he fell for a young lady.
Even as her own elder brother, Xie Wanning had to admit that any young lady who unilaterally loved someone with such a temperament would suffer greatly.
She supported her friend in trying, but she must know when to cut losses, not sink deeper like she had.
In those dreams, Xie Yanyu had not married even after two years, but could Pei Yuxuan, who was a year older than her, wait until then?
A forced melon is not sweet; feelings without mutual affection have no need to persist—this was Xie Wanning’s realization after letting go of her obsession.
The two young ladies thus leaned by the window brewing tea and chatting freely, until the sun set in the west, when Pei Yuxuan finally rose to take her leave.
Under the crimson evening glow, Xie Wanning saw her to the courtyard entrance, and discovered the person beside her suddenly stiffen. Puzzled, she raised her eyes and saw a tall, slender man walking toward them.
It was Xie Yanyu, who had returned home and come to visit his younger sister.
Pei Yuxuan stiffened for only a breath before quickly raising a bright smile, saying to the man who had already approached: “Elder Brother Xie is here.”
Xie Yanyu cupped his hands: “Commandery Princess.”
“What a coincidence. Wanwan is ill, so I didn’t want her to see me off.” Pei Yuxuan’s bright eyes fixed on him, smiling gently: “How about Elder Brother Xie sees me out of the estate instead?”
Xie Wanning, who had planned to see her off this far anyway: “…”
Xie Yanyu glanced at his younger sister and saw that her complexion indeed lacked vitality, so he nodded slightly: “Commandery Princess, please wait a moment.”
He took the cloak from Er Qing’s hands and draped it over his younger sister’s shoulders, instructing: “The evening wind is strong, don’t linger in the cool air. Go back and rest.”
“I know.” Xie Wanning nodded obediently, her gaze turning to Pei Yuxuan who was raising her brows at her.
Seeing this young lady who had just refused to reveal who her beloved was now fully exposing her feelings in no time, she felt somewhat helpless: “Then I’ll trouble Elder Brother to see the Commandery Princess off for me.”
Xie Yanyu agreed, then patted her little head: “Go back.”
Once the two had walked far away, Xie Wanning turned her head to ask Er Qing at her side: “Did you notice? …I mean the Commandery Princess’s feelings.”
Er Qing chose her words carefully: “I can guess a little.”
“Then do you think Elder Brother noticed?”
“The Young Lord’s thoughts, this servant cannot discern.” The master and servant slowly turned to return to the courtyard, Er Qing’s voice fading in the wind.
…………
With matters on her mind, Xie Wanning did not sleep well that night, always hesitating whether she should meddle in the Commandery Princess’s feelings for her elder brother.
The next day, she rose very early, unwilling to stay cooped up in her own courtyard. After dressing and making up, she went to Jinxiu Hall to pay respects to Madam Zheng.
By then, the family of three was having breakfast. Seeing her daughter arrive, Madam Zheng called a maidservant to add an extra set of bowl and chopsticks, then carefully examined her complexion and asked: “Willing to go out today, does that mean your body feels a bit better?”
“There was never any real discomfort.” Xie Wanning sat down and smiled: “I was just lazy for a few days and didn’t want to go out.”
The estate doctor had checked her pulse and confirmed there was no illness.
Today happened to be a court session, so after breakfast, Xie Shu and Xie Yanyu, father and son, went out.
Xie Wanning sat beside her mother, wrapping her arm around hers and acting coquettish: “Mother is truly capable.”
Madam Zheng gently fanned with the round fan, smiling as she tapped her forehead: “What high hat are you putting on me out of the blue?”
“It’s not out of the blue.” Xie Wanning snatched the fan and diligently fanned for her mother: “After you sent away the Lu Family people, they finally quieted down for several days. Isn’t that capable?”
She had neither offended them too harshly nor wavered in expressing the decision to break off the engagement—her methods of hiding needles in the soft cotton had been used well to achieve this effect.
The Lu Family had sent no news for many consecutive days, and the wedding date was less than a month away. Under normal circumstances, both families should have been preparing by now.
Measuring the new room, preparing the dowry, busy without touching the ground.
The two families would also need to discuss and settle the wedding details.
But now, neither the Lu Family nor their Xie Family had even posted a single double happiness character.
Presumably, the Lu Family had also seen clearly that there was indeed no need to continue this marriage between their two families.
