Chapter 78: Not What I Wanted

Since it's a marriage tree, it seems the person is hoping for a marriage.

Princesses from the Western Regions could not marry ordinary men, so this marriage was inextricably linked to royalty and nobility.

The most likely candidate is the crown prince.

The first person that popped into Yuan Siyin's mind was Yu Yuanchao.

The crisp sound of bells in her ears pulled her back to reality. She saw lush locust leaves swaying gently in the misty rain, with water droplets falling softly onto the umbrella.

The locust tree looks to be over a hundred years old. Its trunk is thick and its dense branches are adorned with many red prayer ribbons, and golden bells hang from the ends, jingling in the wind and rain.

Wan Qijiao stopped and looked up at the towering locust tree, speaking with a hint of wistfulness: "Miss Yuan, which do you think is superior, the Central Plains or the desert?"

"Although I have never been to the desert, I know one thing: as long as the people I care about are by my side, even the most monotonous desolate scenery is beautiful."

Yuan Siyin took a deep breath of the cool mist, took a string of copper coins from her purse and handed it to the monk in front of her. She then took two prayer ribbons and handed one of them to Wan Qijiao.

"Since you're asking for a marriage proposal, then write it down."

Wan Qijiao took the hanging red satin, a hint of hesitation appearing on her beautiful face: "Miss Yuan, won't you ask who I'm seeking a marriage with?"

After putting away her oil-paper umbrella and leaning against the wall, Yuan Siyin sat down, slightly lifting her pale yellow dress. She picked up her brush and wrote furiously, her expression indifferent: "What's the point of asking? Haven't you already made up your mind?"

"But……"

"If it's what I want, I'm not afraid even if someone tries to take it from me."

If it's not what I want, I naturally won't take it to heart.

After finishing writing, she let out a long breath, put down the brush, and shook off the still-wet ink.

Wanqi Jiao laughed, the initial sorrow gone from her eyes. "Miss Yuan is a very insightful person. Wanqi Jiao respects you."

The light drizzle in the empty alley suddenly stopped, the dark clouds dispersed, and a few dappled rays of sunlight fell, while the surrounding voices grew louder.

Two figures, one in yellow and one in white, appeared on the high platform. Looking up, they could see two women standing out conspicuously among the crowd under the tree.

"Who is Miss Yuan's sweetheart?" Wan Qijiao finished writing the prayer ribbon and peeked over, eager to see what she had written.

Yuan Siyin quickly folded the ribbon in half, her brows furrowing slightly: "I don't have a sweetheart."

Why ask for a marriage tree if you don't have someone you love?

After their heart-to-heart talk, Wan Qijiao, though she didn't say it aloud, had already decided in her heart that Yuan Siyin was someone worth befriending. In addition, since the two were of similar age, they couldn't help but be a little intimate in their conversation.

"What, are people who don't have a sweetheart not allowed to make a wish?"

Yuan Siyin rolled her eyes.

Indeed, the cultural dregs of discriminating against single people have existed since ancient times.

Wan Qijiao didn't argue with her and reached out to snatch it, but Yuan Siyin didn't even blink and threw it up, which landed right on the treetop.

"Alright, that's enough, stop watching."

Yuan Siyin clapped her hands, very confident in her aim.

As Wan Qiyao watched, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Yu Shiyan withdrew his gaze from Yuan Siyin, glanced at him lazily, and said coolly, "What?"

"Jiao'er seems to like Miss Yuan very much as well."

also?

Who else likes her?

Yu Shiyan pursed his lips, scrutinizing Wan Qiyao's Central Plains attire, finding it inexplicably jarring.

"Your coat looks terrible today, go back and change it."

Wan Qiyao was taken aback.

"Didn't you say this was quite elegant, reminiscent of the Central Plains, when we came?"

"Earthy yellow doesn't suit you at all."

He looked down at his apricot-yellow coat: ?