His solemn tone startled Meng Jinyue.
She bit her lip tightly, unconsciously taking a step back like a fragile, pitiful rabbit, unsure of what to do.
“Brother, why are you apologizing? Shouldn’t you be thanking her instead?” Xie Qingzhi asked curiously, holding Meng Jinyue’s hand.
Xie Yunye felt somewhat embarrassed for once. He coughed into his fist and said, “I misunderstood her. I thought she deliberately got lost in the mansion to get close to me.”
Xie Qingzhi burst into laughter. Though timid in front of strangers, she was not like that with her own brother.
She mercilessly teased Xie Yunye, “Brother, you’re not some prized treasure. Not every woman likes you.”
“Although many women have tried to get close to you in the past, Sister Meng would never do such a thing. Sister Meng is the best woman in the world.”
“You should continue apologizing and make it up to Sister Meng.”
Xie Yunye nodded. Just as he was about to speak, Meng Jinyue hurriedly shook her head, “No… there’s no need to apologize. I’m not angry anymore.”
Her voice, much like her demeanor, carried a soft, easily bullied quality.
Xie Yunye sighed inwardly. Her temperament was even more delicate than Xie Qingzhi’s, and she was naive and innocent, yet she possessed such a beautiful, vulnerable appearance.
If she didn’t marry a kind and tolerant husband in the future, she would likely suffer greatly.
Xie Yunye insisted, “If I made a mistake, I must apologize.”
Meng Jinyue lowered her head and murmured, “It was just a misunderstanding… it’s nothing.”
Xie Yunye could tell she meant every word. He couldn’t help but look at her.
Her eyes were still slightly red, but a smile had already appeared on her face, as if his apology had already satisfied her greatly.
How foolish.
“If Third Miss can forgive me, that would be enough.”
“Today’s kindness, my sister and I will remember it. In the future, if Third Miss needs anything, you can come to me.”
Given her temperament, Xie Yunye had already decided to look out for her more in the future, at least to ensure she lived a better life.
“No, it’s not necessary. It was just a small favor.”
Xie Yunye’s solemnity seemed to leave Meng Jinyue at a loss. Her face flushed as she bit her lip tightly.
Her cherry lips were full and rosy, captivating enough to make it hard to look away.
Xie Yunye’s gaze deepened. She always bit her lip when she spoke—wouldn’t it hurt?
Meng Jinyue said, “I didn’t do much. You… you really don’t need to take it to heart.”
She seemed easily nervous and just as easily swayed by softness.
With just one apology from him, she no longer blamed him at all.
Now, even accepting their verbal thanks made her blush.
“Can I call you sister?”
Xie Qingzhi walked up to Meng Jinyue, looking at her with hopeful eyes.
Meng Jinyue blushed and nodded, “It’s… it’s fine. You can also call me Yao Yao, like the ‘Yao Yao’ from ‘the distant evening bell chimes.'”
“It’s the nickname my mother gave me. I’m sixteen.”
“I’m fourteen. We’re not far apart in age, so I’ll call you Yao Yao.” Xie Qingzhi held Meng Jinyue’s hand tightly.
“Yao Yao, Yao Yao!”
“Yes.”
Xie Qingzhi was overjoyed. “Yao Yao, just like my brother, you can call me A Zhi.”
“Yao Yao, I really like you. Thank you for saving me. From now on, you’re like my own sister.”
Meng Jinyue’s ears turned red. “I like you too.”
Meng Jinyue genuinely liked Xie Qingzhi.
In truth, she had many ways to get close to Xie Yunye without having to save Xie Qingzhi.
But in the end, she couldn’t bear to ignore her.
In her past life, she had only met Xie Qingzhi twice, but their similar personalities led Xie Qingzhi to open up to her.
Through this, she learned about Xie Qingzhi’s struggles—how she was tormented by her husband’s family to the point of despair and how she wished to end her life.
Even though she had resolved to abandon her former foolish kindness after being reborn, the memory of that lifeless woman from her past life lingered.
Though their bond was not deep, Meng Jinyue still wanted to help her.
After all, Xie Qingzhi was not her enemy.
Xie Qingzhi: “Yao Yao, can I stay with you later? I don’t like talking to other women.”
Meng Jinyue: “Of course.”
The two women walked hand in hand, tilting their heads as they whispered incessantly.
Xie Yunye slowed his pace, following behind them.
He silently watched the two intimately close women, listening to their conversation, his expression momentarily complex.
Due to the abuse she suffered as a child, Xie Qingzhi had grown timid and withdrawn, rarely leaving home and having few friends.
Meng Jinyue was the first woman Xie Qingzhi was willing to befriend.
Their instant connection, aside from Meng Jinyue saving Xie Qingzhi, perhaps also stemmed from their shared innocence and lack of aggression.
“My brother is quite intimidating, isn’t he? He’s always like that. Sometimes, I’m a little afraid of him.”
Meng Jinyue: “Mm-hmm, he looks too fierce.”
Xie Qingzhi: “He speaks harshly and always has a sour expression.”
Meng Jinyue nodded in agreement, her voice barely audible: “True.”
Xie Qingzhi: “And he’s so tall, like a wall. It’s really scary.”
Meng Jinyue: “Exactly.”
The two chattered softly, like a pair of little sparrows.
Xie Yunye silently listened as his sister whispered complaints about him, criticizing him in hushed tones.
He also watched the petite woman beside Xie Qingzhi nodding incessantly.
Strangely, as the subject of their complaints, he felt no anger. Instead, the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily, finding them rather endearing.
“Brother Xie, why are you all here? I couldn’t see you up ahead and was just about to look for you.”
When Meng Jinrong arrived, she happened to catch the gentle smile on Xie Yunye’s face—a tenderness she had never seen him direct toward her.
Meng Jinrong suppressed the anger rising in her heart.
For a moment, she couldn’t be sure whether Xie Yunye was smiling at Xie Qingzhi or if his attention had been stolen by Meng Jinyue.
“Third Sister, when did you become so close with A Zhi? I had no idea.”
Meng Jinrong was the second eldest in the Meng family. Today, the Mengs had come to the Xie residence to discuss the engagement between Meng Jinrong and Xie Yunye.
Meng Jinyue: “Second Sister, we just met.”
Meng Jinyue lowered her head. Perhaps sensing her nervousness, Xie Qingzhi gently squeezed her hand.
“Is that so?”
Meng Jinrong smiled: “I thought you had known each other for a long time. Sister A Zhi rarely speaks, and I’ve never seen her so affectionate with anyone before. I was just curious.”
Xie Qingzhi: “I like Yao Yao. As soon as I saw her today, I wanted to be friends with her. Sister Meng, we’ll take our leave now. You can talk with my second brother.”
Seeing Meng Jinyue and Xie Qingzhi eager to leave, Meng Jinrong felt slightly relieved. Perhaps she had been overthinking things.
“Brother Xie, did my sister offend you when you met her today?”
Xie Yunye was tall, and Meng Jinrong had to tilt her head to look up at him. As she gazed, her ears couldn’t help but flush red.
She had once liked Su Lie, but he did not like her back. Instead, he fell in love at first sight with that wretched woman, Meng Jinyue.
At that time, she was in a daze all day, consumed by hatred.
By chance, she was rescued by Xie Yunye, who had just returned to the capital.
She still remembered the day they first met. He sat tall on his horse, a long sword at his waist, looking majestic and imposing.
He must have just returned from the battlefield then. His eyes were cold, and his handsome face showed no expression, yet he carried an indescribable aura that overshadowed all the other men in the capital.
Apart from the Crown Prince, Meng Jinrong had never seen a man more handsome and imposing than Xie Yunye.
And so, she fell in love with Xie Yunye at first sight.
Their families were well-matched in status. With her urging her mother and grandfather to negotiate, the marriage was finally about to be settled.
“Not yet.”
Meng Jinrong nodded: “That’s good. My younger sister is deep-minded, always dreaming of marrying into a good family. Before my elder sister and I were even betrothed, she begged our grandmother to arrange a match for her.”
“Brother Xie, it’s best to let Sister A Zhi have less contact with my third sister. Sister A Zhi is pure-hearted, and I’m afraid she might be influenced by my third sister.”
Xie Yunye had heard similar slanderous remarks many times before.
Meng Jinrong was not clear-headed and liked to gossip about the Meng family affairs. He would listen quietly, as he didn’t know her half-sister anyway.
But today, Meng Jinyue had done a favor for Xie Qingzhi, and he found it hard to listen any longer.
“Your sister is not that kind of person. Don’t say such things again.”
Meng Jinrong was taken aback, her hands clenched tightly under her sleeves:
“Brother Xie, you weren’t like this before?”
She knew it—Meng Jinyue was a born fox spirit, a lowly creature, destined to seduce men.
“Brother Xie, have you fallen for her?”
“Have you, like Su Lie, fallen for that seductress at first sight?”
Meng Jinrong’s face darkened. She had liked Xie Yunye for years and had regarded him as her future husband for just as long.
The thought of Xie Yunye being seduced by Meng Jinyue made her lose her composure and speak recklessly.
“What nonsense are you talking?”
It was the first time Xie Yunye had seen Meng Jinrong’s face twisted so viciously.
He knew she had a bad temper, but he had no woman he liked, so marrying anyone was the same to him.
But now, he was beginning to waver slightly.
Xie Yunye said coldly: “I don’t like her, and your sister has never tried to seduce me.”
“Then why won’t you let me speak, Brother Xie? I’ve said many bad things about her to you before. Why are you stopping me today?”
Xie Yunye looked at her expressionlessly: “She saved A Zhi today.”
“A Zhi fell into the lake. If she and her maid hadn’t seen it, A Zhi would have been in grave danger. She is A Zhi’s savior. Our Xie family has always been clear about gratitude and grudges.”
Hearing this explanation, Meng Jinrong’s expression softened slightly.
She clenched her fists, forcing herself to calm down.
Xie Yunye was not like Su Lie. He shouldn’t be that kind of shallow, despicable man who would be seduced just because Meng Jinyue had a bewitching face.
She had to restrain herself and not lose her composure in front of Brother Xie again.
Meng Jinrong took a deep breath: “No wonder Sister A Zhi likes her so much. So that’s why.”
“Brother Xie, do you really not like my third sister? She is so beautiful?” Meng Jinrong probed again.
Xie Yunye replied coldly and impatiently: “I don’t.”
Xie Yunye had never lied before. Being so upright, if he said he didn’t like someone, he truly meant it.
After receiving this confirmation, Meng Jinrong finally regained a smile on his face.
“That’s good then. Never mind, A Zhi will soon be my sister too. Since she saved A Zhi, I won’t speak ill of her anymore.”
“Why have you come today?”
The Crown Prince set down his brush. “If I recall correctly, today should be the day the Xie and Meng families are discussing the betrothal arrangements.”
Xie Yunye remained silent for a moment before speaking. “Meng Jinrong’s temperament is extreme and willful. I do not favor her.”
“You don’t wish to proceed with the betrothal?” The Crown Prince went straight to the point.
Xie Yunye said nothing.
The Crown Prince’s lips twitched slightly. “Is this the first day you’ve known her temperament? You never cared before—why can’t you bear it today?”
“What is the real reason?”