Chapter 36 Chapter 36 "Sister-in-law."

There is no snow today and the sun is still shining.

There are patches of black orchids planted under the corridors of the mansion. The warm light falls on the orchid branches. The bushes are piled with white snow, and the shadows of the swaying branches are reflected on the snow.

Sheng Puzhu took Madam Du along the winding corridor and walked to the hanging flower gate leading to Yunyu Hall. The air was filled with the unique fresh scent of grass and trees after the snow, and the breeze from the corridor caressed their faces, bringing a hint of coolness.

When we reached the Chuihua Gate, we heard the rustling of branches and leaves, mixed with the subtle and very regular sound of wheels.

"Sister-in-law."

Xie Jiyan's wheelchair was parked five steps away. He was wearing a silver-white fox fur coat, with a velvet blanket covering his knees, and a bamboo food box placed on top of it.

He saluted her, respectfully and subduedly.

Sheng Puzhu paused, nodded slightly, and knelt down to greet him: "Third Uncle."

Xie Jiyan's thin fingertips curled up imperceptibly, then loosened. A calm and proper smile appeared on his face. "Sister-in-law, are you here to visit mother?"

"Um."

"My aunt is sick, and as a junior, I should visit her." Sheng Puzhu nodded, his eyes politely falling on the food box on Xie Jiyan's lap, not looking directly at his face.

"Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law." Xie Jiyan's gaze finally became uncontrollable, as if being pulled by an invisible force. He raised his eyes cautiously, and then quickly fell back to the embroidered shoes that were exposed under her skirt, and the pearls hanging on the shoe surface.

"The roads are slippery in the snow, be careful, Uncle San." Sheng Puzhu kindly reminded him when he saw that he was alone.

Upon hearing this, Xie Jiyan pressed his palms that were resting on the blanket heavily on his knees. His chest felt like it was blocked and his throat was filled with bitterness.

If he had not insisted on going to Yumen Pass, if he had not been seriously injured and on the verge of death two years ago, would he have been able to ask for his grandmother's consent before his brother got engaged?

Once this thought arose from the bottom of his heart, it was like a needle, piercing him unexpectedly and making him feel regretful and unwilling.

But there is no if in everything. These unattainable thoughts are nothing but his foolish fantasies.

"A few days ago, my mother did something foolish and absurd. I hope my sister-in-law won't take it to heart."

Xie Jiyan tried hard to make his voice sound just ordinary concern.

Five steps away was the closest he could get to her.

What imprisoned him was not only his broken body and the wheelchair beneath him, but also the centuries-old clan etiquette of the Xie family that made it difficult for him to breathe.

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle San. I don't take it to heart." Sheng Puzhu turned his body slightly to make way behind him and made a gesture of invitation to the back.

Xie Jiyan's Adam's apple rolled and he swallowed the words that were about to come out of his mouth: "Why doesn't my sister-in-law take it to heart?"

His fingertips tightly grasped the velvet blanket on his knees. His face was three-quarters similar to Xie Zhiyan's, and he still looked gentle and gentlemanly.

He gripped the sides of the wheelchair tightly with his palms, exerted force with his shoulders and arms, and the wheelchair moved backwards, then turned sideways to the side of the road. "Thank you for your concern, sister-in-law. Please go first."

"Thank you." Sheng Puzhu responded and said no more.

She walked past him with Madam Du, her skirt brushing against the bluestone slabs, and the pearl pendants on her shoes swayed like butterfly wings with her steps, making her look particularly graceful.

Xie Jiyan didn't look back, bitterness was like ripples, almost drowning him.

It was not until Sheng Puju's figure was about to disappear in the corridor at the end of the hanging flower gate that Xie Jiyan turned his head slightly, his eyes greedily and silently following the graceful figure that was getting farther and farther away.

The bright sunlight at noon outlines her slender waist and apricot-colored skirt. She is beautiful and graceful. Even the hairpin in her bun seems to have been carefully selected. She is dignified and beautiful, a girl that even God favors.

"Cough cough cough." Xie Jiyan covered his chest and suppressed all his emotions. However, the deeper he suppressed them, the more extreme admiration and desire he nurtured, followed by great pain and despair.

The pale hand on the armrest of his wheelchair had veins bulging from the knuckles due to the force, and it was trembling slightly.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply.

Just this alone had exhausted all his strength. He was shrouded in the winter chill and merged with the cold wheelchair beneath him, like a lifeless dead object.

"God."

"My dear, why are you here alone? Where is the servant serving you?" Nanny Wang came out of Qin's courtyard and turned around the corridor to see Xie Jiyan with pale lips and closed eyes, as if he had been frozen by the wind and snow.

"Mammy."

"Don't panic, I'm a little tired. I'm just resting here. I won't die." Xie Jiyan opened his eyes and curled his pale lips.

"You frightened me."

"Since my dear husband is here, would you like to go and see the lady?" Nanny Wang asked bravely.

Xie Jiyan's face was calm: "Has mother eaten yet?"

Nanny Wang immediately smiled and said, "I just took the medicine and am resting in the warm room. I'm just about to have lunch."

"Why don't you come with me, my dear? My lady will be happy."

"No."

"I'll talk to my mother for a while and then leave." Xie Jiyan pointed behind him, "Please push me over there, Madam."

His hands, hidden in his sleeves, were shaking so violently that it took all his willpower to keep himself steady and sit upright without appearing too embarrassed.

Nanny Wang didn't notice anything and just smiled and agreed.

It has been almost half a year since Xie Jiyan and Qin last saw each other. Ever since Xie Jiyan was seriously injured, he has been like a transparent person in the mansion, often using the excuse of recuperation to refuse visits from anyone.

"Well." Qin's eyes instantly turned red as she looked at her second son whom she hadn't seen for half a year.

"It's cold, and why aren't you with anyone? What if you fall and get hurt?"

There were no windows in the room, so there was no air circulation and the air was filled with a strong and bitter smell of medicine.

Xie Jiyan bowed to Qin and frowned: "Son, I understand. I will pay more attention next time."

Qin sighed, then felt that this was not a good idea, and quickly forced a smile: "Are you feeling better?"

"I asked Mammy to give you the roster a few days ago. Are there any girls you like in it?"

"If there's anyone you like, I'll arrange a marriage for you soon, so I don't have to worry about your marriage every day."

Xie Jiyan's expression was indifferent, and his tone was even colder: "Mother, don't worry. My son is already a useless man. If he gets married, it will only bring trouble to others."

"How can this be called a burden?" Qin was emotional, sobbing, and tightly grasped Xie Jiyan's cold palm. "My son, if you hadn't followed Zhiyan and your grandfather to learn martial arts, if you had listened to your father and brother and studied hard, you wouldn't have ended up like this!"

Xie Jiyan seemed to be smiling when he heard this, but there was no smile in his eyes: "Mother is blaming grandfather?"

"Are you still blaming Zhiyan?"

"Why does mother feel that her son's current situation is someone else's fault? If Zhiyan hadn't dug me out of the yellow sands of Yumen Pass, would mother still be able to see her son alive today?"

All of Qin's dissatisfaction was stuck in her throat. She gritted her teeth and said, "I know you can't blame anyone for your injury. I... I just feel bad inside."

"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore."

"I know you respect Zhiyan. Compared to Mingzong, Zhiyan is like your real brother since childhood. You won't tolerate me complaining about him."

Qin wiped her eyes and forced herself to speak softly: "Since you don't like any of the girls in the book, I'll find a way to ask them for you."

"It just so happens that the winter solstice is coming up in a few days. The second lady of the Marquis of Mingde's mansion also happens to have her birthday on the winter solstice. Your sister-in-law just gave me an invitation. I'll ask for your information then."

"Good boy, tell me what kind of girl you like when the time comes."

Xie Jiyan paused for a moment, then leaned forward calmly, "Marquis Mingde's Mansion?"

"Um."

"Because of your sister-in-law, our Jingguo Mansion is related to them by marriage, so we will all go when the time comes." Qin was worrying about what kind of gift to prepare so that she would not appear too flattering but also not lose face.

"Mother, I feel bored staying in the house and want to go out for a walk." Xie Jiyan leaned back in the wheelchair, his dark eyes filled with a hint of gentleness as he looked at Qin.

Qin was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. Without giving it any thought, she quickly said, "Mingzong is ill, so why don't you come with me on behalf of your brother?"

Xie Jiyan nodded: "Son, I will follow your mother's instructions."

"good."

"You should get out more often. If there's a girl you like, just tell me and I'll hire a matchmaker to arrange a marriage for you."

After Xie Jiyan left, Qin Shi didn't even bother to eat lunch, and wandered around the room: "Mammy, what kind of gift should I prepare for the second lady of the Mingde Marquis's mansion's birthday?

Compared to Qin's anxiety, Nanny Wang seemed calmer.

She thought for a moment and asked cautiously, "Madam."

"Do you think that my husband seems to have some interest in the Second Lady of the Marquis of Mingde Mansion?"

"What?" Qin was surprised.

Nanny Wang lowered her voice and said, "Every time Madam wanted to arrange a marriage for you, you always resisted."

"But just now, when Madam mentioned the birthday of the Second Lady of the Marquis of Mingde's Mansion, my husband was obviously stunned for a few breaths, and then changed his mind."

"But, the second lady of the Marquis of Mingde is Puzhu's cousin. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for a girl from the same family to marry a cousin?" Qin thought a lot at once.

Nanny Wang smiled and said, "There's no such thing as appropriate or inappropriate. If Madam thinks it's a good idea, at most you can give her a larger betrothal gift."

"Besides, the girls raised by the Sheng family are definitely the best."

"In my humble opinion, the Second Lady of the Marquis of Mingde's mansion has just broken off her engagement with the Marquis of Changxing's eldest son. If you are truly interested in her, it would be difficult for you to express it out loud according to the rules."

"Now that the Second Lady has called off the engagement, the Young Master has suddenly changed his attitude. Isn't this a match?"

After listening to this, Qin nodded and said, "You have a point."

"But Second Madam's past affairs have spread throughout Chang'an. Although it was intentionally framed by the Changxing Marquisate, but..."

Nanny Wang smiled and said, "Madam, you know all about the Second Lady's affairs. They are just rumors. Besides, people say that the Second Lady only likes poetry and songs. She is the most gentle girl in the mansion."

"Isn't it just right, a perfect match?"

Qin was persuaded and felt that Nanny Wang's words made perfect sense. She immediately ordered, "Then prepare the best birthday ceremony on the winter solstice."