Chapter 54:
Having grown up this much, Xie Wanning had only come here once a few years ago, so how could she know that the neighbor next door was…
She was suddenly startled, something flashed through her mind, but she couldn’t grasp it.
Xie Yanyu had no intention of reminding her.
Xie Ruyu, who got out of the carriage behind, didn’t hear the brother and sister’s conversation. As soon as she got out, she looked around and showed joy on her face: “We’ve finally arrived here.”
She took Xie Wanning’s arm and complained somewhat: “Elder Sister came here to recover from illness a few years ago, and I wanted to come along at that time, but Mother wouldn’t allow it.”
At that time, the sisters’ affection was still quite tense, and they were always at odds whenever they met. Xie Wanning was ill then, and Aunt Liu certainly dared not let her daughter come over to upset her.
The speaker had no particular intention, but the listener took it to heart. Xie Wanning stiffened all over and finally grasped the thought that had flashed by earlier.
She slowly turned her head and looked at her elder brother beside her: “I know now.”
Xie Yanyu glanced at her: “Know what?”
They were all family siblings, so Xie Wanning had nothing to hesitate about and said straightforwardly: “I know when Pei Yuqing met me.”
Why hadn’t she thought of it earlier?
She had never lost her memory, and she was certain that if she had met that person, she wouldn’t have no impression of him.
So the only possibility left was that year when she was fourteen, when the capital encountered a once-in-a-century heavy snow. She suffered from snow blindness, her eyes bandaged and unable to see, and she had specially come to this farmhouse to recover from illness.
As if struck by sudden inspiration, Xie Wanning’s gaze fell on the Hot Spring Villa next door.
That winter when she was fourteen was the only time in Xie Wanning’s smooth and favorable life so far that had some ups and downs.
Suffering from eye illness, she couldn’t see anything. The doctor told her to rest quietly, and the capital’s bustling crowds were not conducive to her recovery, while there happened to be a hot spring nearby at this farmhouse—not exactly spring-like all year round, but much better than the capital covered in thick snow.
…So, the zither music in her memory was played by Pei Yuqing?
That person who had always been gentle and patient in coaxing her was not the son of a tenant farmer at the farmhouse, nor a rural scholar, but him?
Xie Wanning’s heart pounded, and she almost wanted to turn the carriage around and return to the capital right away to find that person and ask.
But her arm was held by Xie Ruyu, and the young lady was eagerly asking: “Pei Yuqing? Is that Young Lord Pei of Duke Pei’s Mansion? So Elder Sister, you actually have such a connection with him.”
The capital was abuzz with the news. As her cousin, she had of course heard about how Lu Ziyan had fought with the young lord’s guard at Duke Pei’s Mansion a few days ago.
Xie Wanning briefly explained a thing or two to her younger sister and added: “Actually, it was just two years ago.”
Two years ago, she was fourteen, and Pei Yuqing was twenty-five…
If that person had liked her two years ago, how could he have held back from revealing his identity?
Clearly, she had asked him many times, his…
Xie Wanning suddenly looked up: “Elder Brother, what is Pei Yuqing’s courtesy name?”
Xie Yanyu gave her a faint glance, showing no intention of paying her any mind, and led his two younger sisters toward the entrance of the manor where the steward was already waiting.
That gaze didn’t look happy at all, so Xie Wanning immediately stopped talking and dared not ask against the wind.
Indeed, her elder brother was rigid and boring. Knowing Pei Yuqing’s intentions, how could he possibly answer such a question of hers?
She would have the opportunity to ask the man himself eventually.
Thinking this way, Xie Wanning couldn’t help but look toward the neighbor again.
What a coincidence, that tightly closed gate slowly opened inward in her line of sight.
All three Xie siblings looked over.
A familiar figure appeared before their eyes.
………..
Apart from the servants carrying trunks, both sides’ people all fell completely still.
Not only were the Xie siblings surprised at such a coincidence, even Pei Yuqing hadn’t expected that the young lady would come to the farmhouse on the outskirts of the capital.
His gaze swept over the several carriages loaded with luggage.
…It looked like they were going to stay here for a while.
Behind him, Pei Er said softly: “Young Lord, are we still returning to the capital?”
“…” Pei Yuqing was silent for a few breaths, then glanced sideways at him without speaking.
Xie Wanning stood dazed in place, watching that person walk over step by step, her heart inexplicably nervous and pounding.
Xie Ruyu beside her saw this formation, tightened her grip on her cousin’s arm, and asked: “Is this Young Lord Pei?”
During the few times Pei Yuqing had come to the Xie Family, she hadn’t seen him, and they hadn’t met at the previous flower appreciation banquet either.
So this was Xie Ruyu’s first time seeing this young lord of the duke’s estate who had quarreled with Lu Ziyan for her cousin.
Xie Wanning nodded haphazardly. While the sisters were talking, Pei Yuqing had already walked up to them.
After a few days without seeing him, he was still the same as when they first met—temperament gentle yet aloof, features handsome and coldly refined, his wide-sleeved long robe moving with the wind, adding a sense of unapproachability.
He first nodded to Xie Yanyu in greeting, and when his gaze fell on Xie Wanning’s face, he smiled slightly and said: “Come to the farmhouse for a short stay?”
“…Yes,” Xie Wanning thought for a moment, then still asked: “Didn’t I tell the person delivering the medicinal cuisine yesterday that I wouldn’t be at the manor for a while and to not send the meals?”
Pei Yuqing lowered his eyelashes and said “I see,” then smiled: “These past few days I’ve been at the separate courtyard of the villa and haven’t received the servants’ report yet.”
Xie Wanning raised her brow and looked toward the manor behind him: “So this is the famous hot spring bath?”
She had long heard that there was a natural hot spring on the outskirts of the capital. It had previously been in the hands of an imperial merchant who, equipped with precious medicinal herbs, opened a hot spring wellness hall specifically to entertain nobles.
Later, the imperial merchant got into trouble and needed funds to fill the gap, so this Hot Spring Villa was sold off. Unexpectedly, it had been acquired by Duke Pei’s Mansion.
“Yes,” Pei Yuqing’s eyes rippled slightly as he said: “I spend most of the year living here.”
…Indeed, the capital gets very cold around year-end, and this Hot Spring Villa is quite suitable for warding off the cold. Pei Yuqing’s congenital weakness had been nurtured to his current healthy state, who knows how much effort Princess Duanyang and Duke Pei had put in.
Thinking this way, Xie Wanning didn’t suspect that he had come specifically for her.
Xie Ruyu, who had been silently sizing up this Young Lord Pei for a long time, suddenly spoke: “I’ve never seen a hot spring before.”
Pei Yuqing was taken aback, looked at Xie Wanning, and said: “I’ll instruct the steward. If you don’t mind, you can come over anytime.”
“And you,” Xie Wanning pointed to the carriage waiting behind him for a long time: “Are you returning to the capital?”
“…No, I plan to go take a look around the nearby orchard.” Pei Yuqing lowered his eyes and said: “I’ll be staying here for the next few days.”
Pei Er behind him had his lip corner twitch slightly, afraid of being seen with his expression, and hurriedly lowered his head even more.
“Orchard?” Xie Wanning’s eyes lit up: “Are there…”
“Enough,” Xie Yanyu, who had been quietly listening to them talk, finally couldn’t hold back and interrupted: “This isn’t a place for conversation. Changqing, if you have matters, go ahead.”
