Leng Yaoda stopped in her tracks and, drawing from her memories, said to the two men, “Brother Zhiyou is the one who seems different from before. Today, you keep saying things that Daji can’t understand.”
As she spoke, the young girl deliberately adopted a delicate, girlish posture, as if she had been wronged.
Heaven knew how terrifying it was for her to hear Lu Zhiyou doubt her twice—cold sweat had already broken out on Leng Yaoda’s forehead!
This man was too cunning and clever. He had never liked Leng Yaoda to begin with, and if she were to reveal any flaws now, she might not even live to see their wedding day.
Lu Shixiu, seeing the girl’s aggrieved expression, wanted to speak up for her, but then he remembered their current relationship and stood aside in a daze.
In contrast, Lu Zhiyou stood close to the girl and said with a smile, “It seems I was mistaken. Yaoyao, don’t be angry with me.”
His tone was filled with affection and gentleness, and he even began calling her Yaoyao, but it only made Leng Yaoda’s heart race with fear.
Of course she was scared—the murderer was right in front of her, and the victim was herself. Who wouldn’t be afraid?
But at least the atmosphere wasn’t as awkward anymore. Lu Zhiyou’s voice was warm and gentle, and he said all the things a young girl loved to hear. Even Lu Shixiu chimed in occasionally, making the three of them appear quite harmonious.
Leng Yaoda was somewhat surprised by Lu Zhiyou’s acting skills. If she hadn’t read the original story, she might have been as captivated by his tenderness as the original owner had been.
After walking and stopping intermittently, they finally arrived at the lotus pond. The twin lotus flowers had not yet bloomed; two small buds nestled closely together, creating a uniquely adorable charm.
Lu Zhiyou leaned close to Leng Yaoda, their robes overlapping, making them appear intimate. What they truly thought in their hearts, however, remained unknown.
“The lotus pond in the Guardian Marshal Manor may not be as large as the one in the palace, but it is the best cultivated. I remember the three of us often came here to play when we were young,” the young man suddenly spoke, casually mentioning this as if in a pleasant mood.
Leng Yaoda’s first reaction was that he was testing her. Fortunately, the girl possessed all the memories of the original body and could handle their interactions with ease.
The girl responded, “That’s right. I remember when I was seven, I was so playful that I insisted on going into the water to tease the fish. I slipped and fell in, and it was you two brothers who rescued Daji!”
At this point, Leng Yaoda covered her mouth with a light laugh. “After that, Father and Mother forbade me from coming here again until after my coming-of-age ceremony.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Shixiu couldn’t help but reveal a gentle smile, his lips curving in a handsome manner, quite different from Lu Zhiyou’s refined and gentle smile.
However, Lu Zhiyou’s smile faded slightly after hearing this, and he suddenly turned to look at Leng Yaoda.
The girl felt his direct gaze and looked back at him, her eyes clear and delicate.
Childhood friends, playmates since youth, innocent and carefree.
It sounded like a beautiful story, but the reality was that the childhood friend met a tragic death, and the “bamboo horse” turned out to be black-hearted.
Looking at the “bamboo horse” who had always been incredibly gentle to her since childhood, Leng Yaoda suddenly smiled. Lu Zhiyou’s gaze sharpened, and for some reason, he turned his head away.
Lu Shixiu noticed the subtle tension between the two. The young man watched them silently for a moment before suddenly saying, “Shall we continue?”
Lu Shixiu’s voice was cooler, carrying a faint sense of melancholy, and it was slightly crisper than his brother’s.Lu Zhiyou glanced at Leng Yaoda once more. The young girl tilted her head slightly toward the lotus pond. After a moment of thought, the young man replied, “If Yaoyao wishes to continue hiding away here for some peace, we can stay with her like we did when we were young.”
Hearing this, Leng Yaoda looked at the two of them, a hint of mischief flashing in her smile. “Since both elder brothers are willing, Daji will take advantage of you to stay a little longer.”
With that, the young girl set aside the poised demeanor of a refined lady she had been maintaining and, mimicking her former lively and charming self, sat directly on the red sandalwood stool in the small pavilion, causing the other two to nearly lose their composure.
Lu Zhiyou was the first to react. The young man let out a melodious laugh, failing to notice the restrained expression on Lu Shixiu’s face.
After hiding there for another quarter of an hour, the three finally turned and made their way back to the main hall. At that moment, as natural as Leng Yaoda appeared on the surface, her heart was filled with anxiety.
Lu Zhiyou was almost unnervingly clever. Performing in front of him was both tense and thrilling, especially since he himself was exceptionally skilled at deceiving others.
After chatting and laughing in the hall for a while, the sun finally began to set, and dusk approached.
The Prime Minister’s Wife rose to take her leave, and Lu Zhiyou and Lu Shixiu also bid a brief farewell to Leng Yaoda.
Lu Zhiyou lowered his gaze to the young girl, who only reached his chest, and said gently, “If Yaoyao ever feels restless, come to the Chancellor’s Mansion to find us. Zhiyou returns from court every day at noon.”
In the Ling Dynasty, social customs were open, somewhat similar to those of the prosperous Tang and Northern Song dynasties. Before marriage, women were not overly bound by strict rules and could freely meet and spend time with their future husbands.
Leng Yaoda looked at him and then at Lu Shixiu, lowering her head as she replied, “Rest assured, elder brothers, Daji understands. When I visit, I’ll bring gifts you both like, and I hope you’ll let me enjoy a few extra cups of fragrant tea then.”
Lu Zhiyou’s expression remained unchanged. He chuckled lightly before following his mother out of the room.
Leng Yaoda only returned after seeing them off outside the mansion. On her way back, the young girl couldn’t help but ponder once again.
She and Lu Zhiyou were set to marry in a month and a half. What could she do during this time to reverse the situation and avoid meeting the same fate as the original character?
Leng Yaoda hadn’t just finished reading this book before transmigrating; she had read it even before falling seriously ill. It was only because the writing was excellent and the plot utterly absurd that she remembered it so clearly.
However, the details had mostly faded from her memory, leaving only the major plot points intact.
Lu Zhiyou and Lu Shixiu were two years apart, and there were no other siblings in the mansion. Moreover, Lu Shixiu had harbored a secret crush on the original character for years.
At this thought, Leng Yaoda’s eyes flickered with contemplation, as if weighing the feasibility of an idea.
Lu Zhiyou could kill her to protect a secret, but Lu Shixiu would never harbor any intention of harming her, no matter what.
If she could switch to marrying him instead, actively distancing herself from the twisted and black-hearted Lu Zhiyou, wouldn’t that count as altering the original ending?
The marriage arrangement had only been decreed two days ago, and it merely stated “the son of the Chancellor” and “the only daughter of the Grand Marshal of the Nation’s Military.” Neither her name nor Lu Zhiyou’s appeared in the decree.
There were two childhood friends, and the Chancellor had two sons. Since Lu Zhiyou was unlikely to have any affection for her, switching to marrying the other brother seemed like a solution that would please everyone.
The young girl felt a glimmer of hope, and her mood lifted slightly. Just as she was about to return to her room to further consider how to switch the groom, she passed by the front hall and was suddenly called in by her mother.
“Has Yaoyao finished seeing them off? Come in quickly—Mother has something to say to you.”A gentle and elegant woman stood at the door, waving to her. Leng Yaoda responded with a clear “Mm,” and walked in to sit beside her mother.
Zhao Yujin looked at her exceptionally beautiful daughter and asked with a smile, “Yaoyao, it seems you really like Zhiyou, don’t you? If so, your mother can rest assured.”
Leng Yaoda was taken aback and blurted out instinctively, “Mother, I don’t like him.”