After speaking, the young girl glanced around and indeed only Lu Shixiu was present.
Leng Yaoda relaxed both physically and mentally. The young man standing outside the mansion suddenly flushed slightly, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the girl, nodding with a smile.
The two people on horseback dismounted and engaged in casual conversation with Lu Shixiu.
Because she was here, Lu Shixiu couldn’t even hear clearly what Leng Lin was saying to him, his mind filled entirely with the image of Leng Yaoda declaring in the palace that he liked her.
“Daji has actually always admired someone else—it’s Shixiu-gege!”
Recalling this scene, the young man’s face reddened at an almost visible speed, his usually clear and gentle eyes now carrying a hint of spring breeze.
Leng Qi noticed and asked him, “Shixiu, what’s wrong with your face…?”
Lu Shixiu, his thoughts exposed, nearly jumped in surprise but managed to suppress the reaction in time.
“I’m fine, thank you for your concern, Qi-xiong,” the young man replied.
Leng Yaoda noticed his gaze constantly following her, and the smile at the corner of her lips slightly faded.
It seemed she had truly made a mistake…
Then, before the young man could say anything, Leng Yaoda had already turned and reentered the carriage, as if her appearance had merely been to greet them briefly.
Lu Shixiu’s gaze sharpened. Remembering that the girl was still his elder brother’s future wife, the faint flush of excitement on his face gradually faded.
Leng Lin noticed him staring at the carriage and thought Lu Shixiu felt his younger sister was somewhat aloof, not as lively and adorable as before. He stepped forward to explain on her behalf.
“Shixiu, don’t mind it. Little sister didn’t take a nap at noon today and has been feeling drowsy. She even fell asleep in the carriage earlier.”
Hearing this, Lu Shixiu’s eyes brightened again as he looked toward the carriage. “So that’s how it is. Then, both elder brothers should take Daji-meimei back first. Ensuring she rests well is what matters most.”
Leng Yaoda never emerged from the carriage again. After a while, the conversation among the three outside ceased, and the carriage continued moving through the lane.
Lu Shixiu stood at the entrance of the lane, watching the carriage depart, his eyes even carrying a trace of infatuation.
He then turned to leave but saw Lu Zhiyou standing behind him at some unknown time.
He had been so focused earlier that he hadn’t noticed when his elder brother had come out.
Perhaps having heard the commotion, Lu Zhiyou approached.
He glanced in the direction where the carriage had disappeared, then looked at Lu Shixiu. “A-Xiu, why haven’t you left yet?”
Lu Shixiu paused at the question. Could it be that his elder brother hadn’t heard their earlier conversation?
So he replied, “I happened to run into the three Leng siblings just now and chatted with them for a bit, which delayed me for a while.”
Lu Zhiyou seemed surprised. “Oh? What a coincidence. But why is Yaoyao only returning from the palace at this hour?”
Hearing him bring up the palace matter, Lu Shixiu wasn’t sure what to say, as it was somewhat awkward for both of them.
But Lu Zhiyou appeared unperturbed, even though the person his soon-to-be-wed fiancée “admired” was someone else.
“Then you should hurry back. Dinner in the mansion is in about an hour.”
The young man’s gentle voice sounded softly. After speaking, Lu Zhiyou walked into the mansion.
Left outside, Lu Shixiu nodded and headed out of Huarong Lane.The young man who entered Jing Garden sat at the table. Just as he picked up his brush to continue practicing calligraphy, he realized his mind was far from calm—even his hand trembled slightly.
Glancing again at the characters he had just written, each stroke carried traces of emotion.
Lu Zhiyou, who had also noticed this, sneered and tossed the sandalwood wolf-hair brush aside, indifferent to the fact that it was a precious item worth thousands of taels.
He despised his own emotional exposure and even more so those who revealed their emotions.
“Only today did I discover she’s quite the actress, with some skill to boot.”
It was clear whom he was referring to. After calming himself for a moment, Lu Zhiyou leaned forward, picked up the brush, wiped it clean, and snapped it in two with his bare hands.
Tossing the valuable brush into the wastebasket, the young man finally felt a measure of peace. He picked up another red sandalwood brush and resumed his calligraphy practice.
Finally back at the estate, Leng Yaoda stepped out of the carriage and headed straight for Pear Water Residence, too exhausted to even speak.
Yingzhu, hearing the news, hurried from the side room to support the seemingly utterly fatigued young lady into the house, personally helping Leng Yaoda remove her outer robe.
“How did you become so tired after just one outing, Miss? You were perfectly fine this morning.”
Leng Yaoda had not mentioned her visit to the palace to anyone, so naturally, no one knew what she had experienced.
The young lady shook her head wearily, saying only, “It’s nothing.”
Yingzhu sensed that Leng Yaoda did not wish to speak further, so she massaged her calves and ankles before quietly withdrawing.
Just outside the door, Baoyu approached, about to ask something, but Yingzhu hushed her: “Shh, Miss is tired. We’ll go in when she calls for us.”
Baoyu nodded to show she understood, and the two quietly left the room where Leng Yaoda was resting.
Inside, the young lady raised her right hand to lightly press against her forehead, her brows furrowed, with faint shadows of exhaustion even under her eyes.
This body was far too delicate, though fortunately not weak. Leng Yaoda simply felt mentally drained, and the weariness showed plainly on her face.
It seemed Zhao Yujin and Leng Yu had not yet returned to the estate. After a moment’s thought, the young lady called toward the door, “Yingzhu, Baoyu.”
The two maids were not far away. Yingzhu had just brought a bowl of silver ear and lotus seed soup from the small kitchen for the young lady. Hearing her call, they replied in unison, “Yes, Miss.”
Baoyu quickly stepped forward to push the door open, while Yingzhu presented the fragrant soup to Leng Yaoda. The young lady took a spoonful, drank a few sips, and then set it aside.
“Leave it for now. I ate outside earlier and am not hungry.”
Baoyu asked, “Miss, did you call us here to give us some instructions?”
Leng Yaoda replied, “I’m too tired today. When Father or Mother returns, please inform them on my behalf that I won’t be joining them for dinner tonight. I wish to retire early.”
Yingzhu and Baoyu exchanged a glance. In recent days, the young lady had mostly taken her meals separately. But since their mistress had given the order, they would simply carry it out.
“Yes, Miss. Rest assured.”
Leng Yaoda waved her hand lightly again, and the two withdrew once more. At that moment, clarity returned to the young lady’s eyes, with no trace of exhaustion to be seen.
She rose, took out a paperweight and the four treasures of the study, arranged them on the table, and, guided by muscle memory, picked up a brush to write a few characters:
—Memory Review
The young lady intended to write down all the important plot points she remembered over the next few days. Even if she were to forget them in the future, she could refer to these notes to recall them.
Leng Yaoda pursed her lips, her initial feelings of tension and apprehension gradually settling into calm.Though I fear that one day I might completely forget everything, even forgetting that I am not from this world, perhaps even unknowingly falling in love with Lu Zhiyou due to the original body’s circumstances…
Still, one must have a general idea of how to proceed on certain paths. Life does not offer so many choices to linger over. To think of solutions only when treading on thin ice with no road ahead is the act of a fool.