Lu Shixiu felt somewhat guilty meeting his elder brother’s gaze, but he tried his best to conceal it, maintaining an air of calm composure.
“…Alright.”
Seeing his agreement, Lu Zhiyou lowered his eyes and entered the room first, pouring a cup of tea for his younger brother.
Sitting across from Lu Zhiyou, Lu Shixiu picked up the white porcelain blue-patterned teacup, took a small sip, set it down, and asked, “Does elder brother have something to discuss with me?”
Lu Zhiyou picked up a book and placed it on the table—the very one Lu Shixiu had returned earlier.
Looking at the familiar cover, the young man pointed at it and asked, “Elder brother, what… does this mean?”
Lu Zhiyou said calmly, “I noticed you liked this book before, and after some thought, I felt it would be better to give it to you. That way, you won’t need to borrow it again in the future.”
But Lu Shixiu immediately shook his head in refusal. “No, since this book was collected by elder brother, no matter how much I like it, I shouldn’t take it casually.”
After saying this, the young man seemed to realize something, his face paling slightly as he fell silent.
If he wasn’t mistaken, Lu Zhiyou was likely giving him a subtle warning.
Lu Zhiyou remained composed, his eyes gentle and warm. It seemed as if everything was merely Lu Shixiu’s imagination. In the end, the elder brother still pushed the book toward his younger brother’s side.
He said gently, “Although books are precious, they can still be given to someone even more precious. But if it’s something else, it shouldn’t be let go of so easily.”
After speaking, Lu Zhiyou himself paused, shaking his head helplessly in his heart, not looking at his younger brother’s increasingly pale face.
His eyes were sharp and piercing like an eagle’s. He had noticed Lu Shixiu’s lingering affection for Leng Yaoda as early as last year, but in his view, they were not well-suited. Thus, he remained an outsider, saying and doing nothing.
A few days ago, when the Imperial Edict was issued, even he was stunned for a moment before regaining his composure. Though his expression remained calm, his heart was undeniably complex.
The emperor was a rising star, ascending to the throne at a young age and turning the tide, revitalizing the Ling Dynasty, which had been somewhat unstable in recent years. Even someone as critical as him could find no fault with Shen Jinxiao.
Now, to balance the civil and military officials, Shen Jinxiao must have deliberated carefully before issuing this edict.
Leng Yaoda had grown up almost under his watch. Her temperament lacked firmness and decisiveness; she possessed more beauty than wisdom, no different from the many delicate Noble Ladies in the capital.
At most, he felt a slight pity for her, but there was no trace of affection. He even found it somewhat puzzling why Axiu would be infatuated with her.
Yet, the subtle changes in the young lady over the past few days, along with her frail appearance tonight, had captivated his attention, her beauty so striking that he couldn’t look away.
Leng Yaoda had changed a great deal. Even if no one else noticed, not even her own family could detect any clues, he could sense it.
This didn’t matter, because he quite liked the current Leng Yaoda. Unfortunately, this fondness still had nothing to do with romantic love, yet it stirred a strange sense of possessiveness within him, making him reluctant to let go.
Moreover, compared to the young lady, his younger brother, who had accompanied him since childhood, was naturally more important. This subtle warning was also to prevent any rift between brothers.
Though Lu Shixiu felt stifled and resentful, he understood that his elder brother was considering the bigger picture and thinking about the future of all three of them.
After a moment of silence, it was ultimately Lu Shixiu who stood up and said in a muffled voice, “I will remember elder brother’s words.”
With stiff fingers, he finally picked up the book and left Jing Garden.
Looking at the wide-open door, the moonlight poured in from outside, casting a silvery glow across the floor.Lu Shixiu was even more strict about propriety than him, yet earlier he had been so flustered that he forgot to close the door when he left.
Lu Zhiyou sighed softly, stepped forward, and gently closed the door himself, shutting out the beautiful, gentle night outside.
“Leng Yaoda… what exactly is your charm?” the young man murmured to himself, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.
Perhaps feeling he couldn’t figure it out, a faint, mocking smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of his mouth. In a daze, he recalled the image of the young girl in thin white clothes, leaning weakly against the bed, breathing laboriously due to illness.
The young man’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and then he leisurely curled his lips.
Forget it, she’s still interesting.
Afterward, Lu Zhiyou changed out of his jade-colored outer robe, sat at the table, picked up a brush to practice calligraphy, his mind now completely free of distractions.
Lu Shixiu returned to Shuo Garden, almost fleeing in disarray.
The young man tossed the book onto the table and picked up a high-quality inkstone, wanting to smash it fiercely to the ground.
In an instant, he remembered something and forced himself to put it back, a look of sorrow appearing on his handsome face.
There was a bronze mirror in the room, polished smooth and reflective. The young man walked over step by step, looking at his reflection, his lips moving as he whispered something.
Listening carefully, he was saying, “We look about sixty percent alike, and we’re both members of the Lu family. Why… why couldn’t it be me?”
Then, Lu Shixiu reached up somewhat confusedly to touch his own eyebrows and eyes, speaking again, “But is it because I’m not good-looking enough? Is that why I can only watch my elder brother marry Yaoyao?”
Soon, he snapped out of it, furrowing his brows sharply and stepping away from the mirror. Passing by the table, he paused, resignedly and patiently tidied up the book.
From now on, this would serve as a warning and a bottom line.
In Pear Water Residence at the Guardian Marshal Manor, Leng Yaoda had already taken the medicinal soup. Soon, most of the pain subsided, and her complexion gradually regained a rosy hue.
Zhao Yujin, who had been staying by her side all along, finally felt relieved at the sight, her eyes red as she gazed at the young girl.
Leng Yaoda felt uneasy seeing her like this, especially when she thought about how Zhao Yujin’s beloved daughter had vanished and that she herself was now occupying her place. She pitied her even more.
The young girl forced a smile to comfort her, saying, “Mother, don’t worry. Your daughter is already better! Next time, I won’t be so greedy with food. It’s late now, so please go back and rest early.”
Since it was improper for men to linger in a young lady’s chambers, Leng Yu, Leng Qi, and Leng Lin had already left, leaving only Zhao Yujin to attend to her personally without leaving her side.
Seeing that Leng Yaoda indeed seemed better now, Zhao Yujin finally relaxed, wiping the sweat from her forehead and looking at her with tender affection.
“Mother isn’t blaming you. I’m blaming myself for not taking better care of you, letting you suffer this ordeal for no reason.”
Hearing this, Leng Yaoda was taken aback for a moment, then her lips quivered, and she nearly burst into tears.
The young girl buried herself in the woman’s embrace, just as she had in the memories of her original self from childhood. Her usually clear and delicate voice was slightly hoarse as she said, “Mother, don’t say that. It was Yaoyao’s own fault. I’ll never do this again.”
Once, she had also experienced maternal love, but not from her biological mother. It was shared among the hundreds, even thousands, of companions in the orphanage.
“Mom” had given her a name, Leng Yaoda, and she loved it dearly.
Later, she finally managed to save up bit by bit, growing into adulthood, able to attend university and work on her own, hoping to repay her “Mom” properly in the future.
But not long after, she discovered that her time was running out…Thinking of this, Leng Yaoda forcibly suppressed her bitterness and sorrow, then she looked up at Zhao Yujin. Having suddenly transmigrated into the body of the deceased Leng Yaoda—wasn’t this utterly unfair to her?
The young girl slowly spoke: “Mother, I am actually not…”