Zhaixing Lou was enveloped by layers of bustling crowds, the clamor of voices creating a spectacular scene. Some were eagerly rubbing their hands together, waiting to snatch the embroidered ball, while others had simply come to join in the excitement.
Qu Youyu walked ahead, followed closely by Qu Yi. Though she wore a plain white veil hat, a gentle breeze atop the high platform slightly ruffled it, blowing the gauzy veil backward to reveal a delicate and lovely face.
The crowd quieted for a moment before erupting into even livelier discussions about the appearance of the Qu family’s legitimate daughter.
“I thought she’d be ugly, but she’s such a charming girl.”
“Indeed, look at her slender waist too. Do you think there’s some hidden ailment, given that this young lady hasn’t married yet?”
“How would I know? But I’ve heard others say that this Qu family’s daughter lacks both talent and virtue, and her mind might be a bit off.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“They say this Miss Qu never befriends other young ladies and rarely appears in public. She stays at home all day, but unlike other young ladies who practice arts like music or painting, she spends her time tinkering with mysterious and unfathomable things.”
“Yes, yes! My cousin once delivered vegetables to their house and got caught in a ‘ghost wall.’ Once you enter their courtyard, you can’t get out! Later, I found out it was all formations laid by their young lady during her play. What are formations, anyway? Could it be sorcery?”
“Ugh… the more you talk, the creepier it gets. Stop it, stop it!”
Standing not far behind these people, Shang Jingci overheard every word. Gazing into the distance, the young woman in pink atop the high building, though dressed differently, was unmistakably Qu Qing at first glance. Combined with the fragments of conversation from the crowd, it further confirmed that the Qu family’s legitimate daughter was no ordinary young lady confined to the inner chambers. The master of Shumiao Pavilion, Qu Qing, was undoubtedly the Qu family’s legitimate daughter.
Atop Zhaixing Lou, several maids walked ahead, holding bright red silk and the embroidered ball. Qu Youyu wore a forced smile as he strode toward the railing on the top floor, clasping his hands in salute to the crowd below.
Qu Yi followed closely behind Qu Youyu, her face quickly flushing red at the clamor of voices. The breeze lifted the long hem of her pink dress, causing it to ripple in waves. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, were tightly clenched. Though this had been her own idea, she now dared not lift her head to look at the crowd below.
Qu Youyu stood still, scanning the surroundings before raising his hand to signal for silence. Then, he announced loudly, “Neighbors and friends, I am Qu Youyu, and this is my legitimate daughter, Qu Yi. Today, we are holding a bridal ball toss here. My daughter and I do not seek a man of great wealth, only one who will treat her with sincerity, share a harmonious life with her, and never abandon her. Therefore, any unmarried man of reputable background and similar age to my daughter, regardless of status, may catch the ball and secure the marriage, with the wedding to be held on an auspicious day.”
The crowd below roared, “Good! Good!”
But Qu Yi only buried her head deeper, almost pressing it to the ground.
Qu Youyu took the embroidered ball from a maid beside him and handed it to Qu Yi. Only then did he notice her extreme shyness. Leaning close to her ear, he whispered, “Don’t worry. Do you see the man in black standing by the sugar figurine stall to the west? Toss the ball toward him later. I’ve already discussed this with your sister. If you don’t wish to marry, this is merely a show for others, to completely sever the young lord’s inappropriate thoughts. Once it’s done, it’s over.”
Qu Yi, hearing her father speak thus, finally mustered the courage to look up and reached out to take the embroidered ball. Her eyes were faintly reddened, and as she held the soft ball in her hand, she couldn’t help but feel dazed, even beginning to question whether her plan was right or wrong. She stood there motionless for a long time until she could no longer ignore the clamoring crowd. Then, stealing a glance at the man in black, she steeled herself, gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and threw the embroidered ball toward him.
The man in black was a young man of considerable skill, chosen by Qu Youyu. Seeing the embroidered ball thrown, he immediately activated his Qinggong, leaping into the air and darting over the heads of the crowd to snatch it.
However, just as he was only a step away from the ball, the head he intended to step on next swiftly dodged aside. Unprepared, the man in black fell spectacularly, landing face-first in what could only be described as an elegant “dog eats dirt” tumble. Meanwhile, the embroidered ball meant for him ended up in the hands of the very person whose head he had missed.
As the embroidered ball found its new owner, the crowd erupted in cheers, though a few sighs of disappointment were mixed in.
Qu Yi remained frozen in the posture of throwing the ball, her eyes tightly shut. Startled by the sudden uproar from the crowd, her eyes darted nervously beneath her lids, but she dared not open them fully. Instead, she squinted slightly to see. To her shock, the one holding the embroidered ball was not the intended man in black but a handsome man dressed in a light yellow robe. Stunned, her eyes widened, and she stumbled backward several steps, nearly falling to the ground.
Qu Youyu watched helplessly as the embroidered ball changed hands, unable to intervene. He glared resentfully at the man in black, who was still struggling to get up from the ground, before forcing a wide smile and turning his gaze to the ball’s new owner. Though turmoil churned within him, Qu Youyu maintained a calm exterior.
“Congratulations, young master, for catching the embroidered ball,” Qu Youyu said, clenching his teeth inwardly, hoping the man would utter a single word: “yes.”
But the result disappointed Qu Youyu, as the man replied firmly, “I have no wife.”
Qu Youyu struggled to maintain his composure, quickly letting out two hearty laughs before continuing, “Since this young master has caught the embroidered ball, please come inside the building for further discussion. I kindly ask all our fellow townspeople to disperse now. Qu thanks you all for your presence.”
With that, Qu Youyu took the still-dazed Qu Yi by the hand and led her away from the scene.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a maidservant emerged from the building and escorted the young master who had caught the embroidered ball inside. Seeing no further excitement, the onlookers gradually dispersed.
Inside Zhaixing Lou, Qu Qing and Du Youxia sat side by side, chatting idly as they waited. When Qu Youyu returned with Qu Yi in tow, Qu Qing casually asked, “Is the play over?”
Unexpectedly, Qu Yi rushed over in large strides, burying her face in Qu Qing’s lap and sobbing softly, “Sister, Yi’er has caused trouble! Things have gone terribly wrong!”
Qu Qing, confused, patted Qu Yi’s back to comfort her while looking up at Qu Youyu.
“The man we arranged didn’t catch the embroidered ball,” Qu Youyu lamented with regret. “But don’t worry, Yi’er. Your father will surely resolve this matter. Our Qu family may lack many things, but wealth we have in abundance. Even if he cares not for riches, I can help him forge connections at court and secure him a promising future. No one remains unmoved by wealth and glory. I will go speak with him now.”
Qu Youyu emerged from the side room and went to meet the man, but no matter how she inquired about his identity and age, the man refused to answer, repeating only one phrase: “I fell in love with the young lady at first sight and only wish to meet her.”
With such an attitude, Qu Youyu had no opportunity to negotiate any terms. Filled with frustration and nearly tempted to have him thrown out, she had no choice but to send Tian An to summon Qu Yi for a meeting.
Upon hearing this, Qu Yi couldn’t discern the man’s intentions. After pondering for a while, she said, “Uncle Tian, my eyes are a bit swollen from crying. Have someone bring a screen to block the view and ask the gentleman to meet me here.”
Du Youxia had already grown impatient when Qu Yi rushed in earlier, and now her expression darkened like still water, as if she were about to erupt at any moment.
Qu Qing sighed softly, stood up, and wiped the tears from Qu Yi’s face. Considering that marriage was ultimately a matter between two people, she went over to help Du Youxia to her feet. “Mother, let’s wait outside.”
But Qu Yi hurried over, clutching Qu Qing’s sleeve, and said with lowered eyes, “Sister, I’m a bit scared. Please stay and keep me company.”
Qu Qing hesitated for a moment but still nodded, holding her breath as she stood beside Qu Yi.
Once the screen was set up, Qu Yi gently held Qu Qing’s hand, feeling slightly reassured, and called out, “Let him in.”
“It’s quite difficult to get a glimpse of the young lady,” the man said as he strode in.
The moment Qu Qing saw the man, her previously relaxed hand tightened slightly. Qu Yi sensed this small movement and looked at her sister in confusion, but Qu Qing seemed oblivious, her gaze fixed warily on the man before her.
She had definitely seen this man before. Qu Qing racked her brain, trying to recall where she had encountered him. A face she remembered was likely no ordinary person, yet she couldn’t place it at the moment.
To Qu Yi, however, Qu Qing’s expression carried a different meaning. She couldn’t determine the relationship between this man and her sister. Could it be that the embroidered ball had been caught by this man for her sister’s sake? Glancing at the man behind the screen, she noted his bright, star-like eyes and handsome, jade-like face—truly an exceptional young man.
As the two sisters were lost in their own thoughts, the man spoke again. “I noticed the young lady’s voice sounded a bit hoarse earlier. Could it be that my abrupt catching of the embroidered ball has displeased you? However, I believe that man in black’s martial skills are rather unimpressive and hardly worthy of you.”
Without addressing anything else, the man singled out the issue of martial prowess. Qu Yi glanced at her still-distracted sister and grew increasingly convinced that the two must know each other.
After careful consideration, Qu Yi replied, “You misunderstand, sir. I merely caught a chill. May I ask your name and where you reside?”
“My surname is Jing, and I hail from the capital. As I am the third child in my family, people call me Jing San. My family runs a small business. Though we cannot compare to the Qu family’s vast enterprises, we have no trouble providing for ourselves.”
The hastily given name was clearly fake. Qu Yi pursed her lips slightly, thinking to herself that it must be because her sister already knew him, which explained such a perfunctory introduction. As a result, she not only felt less nervous but even grew curious about their relationship.
Qu Yi asked again, “May I ask why you wished to see me, Master Jing?”
“As the saying goes, ‘There is a beauty, unforgettable once seen; unseen, longing drives one mad.’ The torment of longing is truly unbearable. Would the young lady kindly remove this obstructive screen to ease my suffering?” Jing San bowed respectfully with clasped hands.
There was more than just Qu Yi behind the screen—how could he possibly ask for it to be removed?
Qu Yi quickly replied, “This humble girl fears passing on her illness to the young master. Moreover…” She glanced at Qu Qing again, “How could one be so eager to see a lady’s face upon first meeting? Wouldn’t that be the behavior of a libertine?”
“If we had truly never met before, it would indeed be presumptuous. But I have already seen your true appearance, miss—only not clearly enough. Only by seeing it up close once more can I engrave it in my heart.” This Jing San was bold indeed; as he spoke, he moved closer to the screen, determined to get a good look.