In just a few short days, the words “the young lady from the maternal side” had reached Xie Yunzheng’s ears countless times.
It would have been difficult for him not to remember this person.
His slender fingers tapped lightly on the table as he asked, “What is it?”
“It’s a set of the four treasures of the study.”
Xie Yunzheng’s fingers paused slightly.
The four treasures of the study… undoubtedly the most faultless gift one could give.
Yet it also felt particularly formal.
Most likely, there was no genuine sentiment behind it.
Xie Yunzheng felt a strange sensation in his heart, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what was odd about it.
In any case, it was rather subtle.
Glancing at Tianshui’s troubled expression, he said, “It’s yours now.”
The man who was burning the portraits asked uncertainly, “Shi-zi-ye, this… this isn’t appropriate, is it? After all, it’s a token of the young lady’s goodwill. If she were to find out, she would surely be heartbroken.”
Xie Yunzheng remained silent, his gaze indifferent.
He had never cared about others’ feelings.
Upon further reflection, Tianshui realized that their Shi-zi-ye had never accepted gifts from women and felt relieved.
“Thank you, Shi-zi-ye.”
Before the General’s estate declined, the Ji family had once been illustrious.
Madam Guan had helped Ji Mingzhu preserve most of her family’s assets, so anything that came from her hands could never be considered shabby.
Though Tianshui was a servant of the Guogongfu’s Shizi and of lowly status, his knowledge far surpassed that of young masters from lesser households.
The inkstone was smooth and lustrous, its texture fine and dense—clearly a piece of excellent craftsmanship.
Tianshui felt as though he had struck gold!
Xiaoxiangyuan.
Ji Mingzhu had no idea how Xie Yunzheng would handle the gift she had sent.
Perhaps it would be left to gather dust in the storeroom.
Or perhaps it would be casually bestowed upon a servant.
After all, in her past life, not a single bite of the snacks or soups she had sent to his study had ever been tasted by Xie Yunzheng.
They were either discarded.
Or given away to others.
Leaning against the chaise lounge, she watched as goose-feather snowflakes drifted outside the window, while the heated floor inside kept the room warm and cozy.
Ji Mingzhu lowered her gaze to look at her hands.
Her skin was smooth as jade, fairer than frost and snow, delicate as scallion tips, without a single flaw.
But in her past life, a burn scar had marred the back of her hand.
It was said that to capture a man’s heart, one must first capture his stomach.
In an effort to please Xie Yunzheng, she had begun learning how to cook.
Ji Mingzhu’s thoughts drifted away, recalling a trivial matter that had nonetheless made her cry for a long time.
The first time she entered the kitchen, she had burned her hand with hot oil.
When she went to the study to find Xie Yunzheng, she deliberately exposed the burn to him.
She didn’t ask for much—just a single look of concern.
Xie Yunzheng did indeed notice the injury on her hand.
But the words he spoke only rubbed salt into her wound.
“Ji Mingzhu, you are as scheming as ever.”
“Stop doing such annoying things. I don’t fall for this kind of trick.”
Under his mocking gaze, she felt herself crumbling.
In the end, she fled in defeat.
After that, whether she was injured or ill, she never revealed her vulnerability in front of Xie Yunzheng again.
That was all in her past life, yet thinking of it now, Ji Mingzhu’s heart still ached with bitterness.
She was Xie Yunzheng’s wife. Was it such a heinous crime to want his concern?
In that incident, she had clearly been a victim as well.
Unfortunately, Xie Yunzheng had never believed her.
This man had ice flowing through his veins.
Those who were not in his heart would likely not receive even a shred of his pity, even in death.
Ji Mingzhu pressed a hand to her chest, trying hard to suppress the indescribable pain.
Jinzi, unaware of what was troubling her, thought she was having another episode and quickly set down her needlework.
“Cousin, are you feeling unwell somewhere? This servant will go fetch the physician at once.”
Ji Mingzhu quickly grabbed her wrist, “I’m fine, don’t make a fuss.”
Jinzi was truly frightened.
Their young mistress was no delicate, frail beauty prone to illness, yet these past few days she had inexplicably fainted time and again.
The Second Madam had specifically instructed them to attend to her carefully; if anything went wrong, everyone in Xiaoxiangyuan would be held accountable.
“Young mistress, are you really all right?”
Ji Mingzhu shook her head, “I wouldn’t joke about my own health.”
“But how come this servant thinks your complexion doesn’t look too good?”
Besides her complexion, her entire state seemed off.
At an age that should be vibrant, she suddenly seemed to have withered.
Jinzi couldn’t understand the reason.
She couldn’t help but wonder inwardly: before that day, the young mistress had been perfectly fine.
How could attending one family banquet change her so?
Although Ji Mingzhu had been reborn, she hadn’t lost her memories; the events of her past life still affected her.
Since she had chosen to stay away from Xie Yunzheng, she must completely dig this person out from the depths of her heart.
Even if it meant bleeding profusely, she must not repeat the same mistakes!
“It’s nothing, just that this snow keeps falling without end, I can’t even leave the courtyard, and it’s making me feel stifled.”
Jinzi fell silent.
Even the divine physician had said the young mistress’s ailment was a matter of the heart, that she needed to go out for walks more often. Unfortunately, the weather was too dreadful.
Even going out to admire the snow required worrying about catching a chill.
“With perfectly good hands and feet, how can you not leave the courtyard?” A clear, pleasant male voice came through.
Ji Mingzhu’s eyes brightened, and she abruptly rose, pushed open the wooden window, leaned over the sill, and craned her neck to look outside.
Snowflakes fluttered down; the wintersweet by the moon gate was in full bloom, filling the air with an intoxicating fragrance of plum blossoms.
A tall, slender man approached holding an umbrella.
His features were handsome, his entire bearing noble, and his appearance somewhat resembled Xie Yunzheng’s.
Only, the former gave one the impression of being easy to get along with at first glance.
The latter made people tremble with fear, not daring to approach.
“Second Brother!”
Xie Yunxuan’s sword-like brows furrowed, “Coming out to catch the cold wind without wearing an extra layer of clothing? Do you think you haven’t taken enough medicine?”
Ji Mingzhu wrinkled her nose, “I rarely get to see Second Brother, can’t I just be happy?”
“You can, but you must also take care of your health.”
Xie Yunxuan quickened his pace, reached out, and tapped Ji Mingzhu’s forehead, “Being disobedient again.”
Then, from outside, he closed the window.
The crisp, cold wind was blocked out, and Ji Mingzhu chuckled helplessly.
She stepped down from the daybed and walked to the doorway to greet Xie Yunxuan.
“When did you return to the estate?”
“Just today.”
“The Old Matriarch has been talking about you constantly, and Aunt and Yunling miss you very much too.”
“And you?”
“Hmm?” Ji Mingzhu didn’t react in time.
“You mentioned others, but do you yourself miss me?”
When Ji Mingzhu came to the Xie household, she was already a young maiden in her teens.
Long past the age of understanding nothing.
Although she had a good relationship with Xie Yunxuan, such a question was still rather bold.
Ji Mingzhu blushed with embarrassment.
Her snow-white skin suddenly took on a layer of rouge, white tinged with pink, exceptionally lovely.
Avoiding Xie Yunxuan’s gaze, Ji Mingzhu chided, “You only know how to tease people!”
She turned on her heel and walked back into the room.
Xie Yunxuan curved his lips slightly, took off his cloak, handed it to a servant, and strode after Ji Mingzhu.
Placing a gift box on the table, he said, “Guess what Second Brother brought for you?”
Ji Mingzhu’s eyes curved slightly as she pretended to ponder.
After keeping him waiting for a good while, she finally spoke leisurely, “Hmm… a luminous pearl?”
Xie Yunxuan clicked his tongue, “You guessed too easily, there’s no surprise left.”
Opening the box, inside indeed lay a luminous night pearl that shimmered with flowing light.
“A pearl for Mingzhu—the moment I saw it, I felt it suited you. Both are treasures held in the palm.”
In her past life, he had said the same thing.
Ji Mingzhu’s eyes grew inexplicably moist.
So many people had cherished her like a precious pearl—how could she have been so foolish in her past life, insisting on being with Xie Yunzheng?
That truly was seeking out hardship for herself.