Chapter 89 Like Strong Wine (Part 1) It was just a joke, why are you so nervous? ...

Three days ago.

As the setting sun faded, the lamplight illuminated the clothes moving about in the corridor. Servants, with light steps, carried delicate porcelain bowls and cups as they filed into the flower hall.

This was a family banquet specially arranged by the Second Madam to welcome the young masters back to the capital. A sliver of firelight seeped through the window, and the Fourth Miss's figure was embedded in it, looking like a painting.

Fourth Sister.

Song Hanjin called out softly from a few steps away.

The person admiring the flowers by the window turned around at the sound of her voice. A face similar to hers from three years ago appeared, fresh-faced and without makeup, her eyes sparkling like jade: "Sister."

Zhi Rou moved forward. There were two rows of rose chairs in the hall, and beyond the screen was the banquet area. She stopped and looked at Song Hanjin. Although it was their first meeting since returning, she already felt a little awkward.

Song Hanjin's gaze was gentle, her figure graceful, and her former noble demeanor remained unchanged. Except in front of Song Qiyu, she rarely showed her lively side.

Even back home, she couldn't let her guard down, which shows how much suffering she endured in Beili.

Song Hanjin felt a pang of sadness and couldn't help but ask, "Is Fourth Sister... alright in Beili?"

Zhi Rou didn't like to complain, and upon hearing this, she simply lowered her chin and said, "Okay. Thank you for thinking of me, sister."

The answer was simple and straightforward, which might seem a bit distant, but upon closer examination, it was actually quite correct. After more than three years apart, even the strongest friendship would have faded a bit.

Song Hanjin gestured for Zhirou to sit down, then sat down to her left and changed the subject: "Second brother got married, haven't you met him yet?"

Zhi Rou said she hadn't.

She had just returned, and the number of acquaintances she saw in the entire Song residence could be counted on one hand.

Song Hanjin pretended not to notice and continued to make conversation, saying, "She is Lord Li's daughter. She is intelligent and beautiful. My second brother is so lucky."

After these words, Zhi Rou didn't know how to respond. She had never met her second sister-in-law, and she couldn't keep up with this topic.

Song Hanjin realized her embarrassment after she finished speaking, and opened her mouth again: "You..." Her eyes swept across her face, but she forgot what she was going to say next. She folded her forehead in regret and felt a little embarrassed.

She had thought they would have a lot to talk about, like before, and could lie down and chat freely. After all, there were many things she wanted to share with her over the past three years, and she had even written down all the important things on paper, writing a full six pages each time she wrote to her.

But the atmosphere between the two changed, becoming somewhat stiff, as if wrapped in a thick membrane.

Looking at the fourth sister, her appearance hasn't changed much. She has always looked different from the Song family since she was a child. She has prominent eyebrows and strong features. But in the past, her bright red mouth would talk non-stop, like a little sparrow. Wherever she fluttered, she would make a lot of noise.

Zhi Rou was more perceptive than Song Han Jin; she could sense that their relationship was different from before and could also feel her sister's enthusiasm.

Secretly, she longed to be close to her. Seeing that she had run out of ideas, she glanced at the other side of the screen and asked, "Where is my second brother? Is he coming today?"

"I almost forgot." Song Hanjin said, glancing back at her maid, "Second Brother is at his father-in-law's place; he probably won't be back until tomorrow."

The woman standing behind her stepped forward and handed a wooden box to Song Hanjin.

Upon hearing this, Zhi Rou's eyes dimmed slightly. Seeing this, Song Han Jin smiled and placed the wooden box into her palm: "He hasn't forgotten you."

Zhi Rou was slightly taken aback, then heard her say, "My second brother asked me to pass this on to you, to wish you a safe return home."

The wooden box in her hand was slightly heavy. Zhi Rou opened the lid, revealing a slingshot and a bag of mud pellets inside.

As joyful childhood memories flashed before her eyes, Zhi Rou paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled. Her profile, illuminated by the candlelight in the hall, made her appear even more relaxed, exuding the innocence that comes with her age.

The servants in the hall kept stealing glances at Zhi Rou. To them, the Fourth Miss was a shadow that would never appear in the Song family again. Since ancient times, how many princesses who were sent to marry foreign rulers and their entourages were able to return?

Her reappearance was a novelty to everyone.

Song Hanjin noticed their gazes, raised her eyebrows, and glanced at them casually. The group immediately lowered their heads.

The elders hadn't arrived yet; only Song Hanjin and Zhi Rou were present. She leaned slightly closer to Zhi Rou and asked, "Fourth sister, have you been traveling with your brother since Yu Yang?"

Zhi Rou agreed, and Song Hanjin lowered her voice, "What would brother look like in military uniform?"

Her movements were careful and outwardly there was nothing wrong with them, but to the third young lady of the Song family, such behavior was already considered sneaky.

Song Hanjin's attitude towards Song Qiyu's enlistment in the army remained unchanged from beginning to end. Since she disapproved of military service, she naturally looked down on everything in the military and never showed any interest in it in front of anyone.

But since the fourth sister is a girl, Song Hanjin is relieved.

He gave a very faint smile, pretending to be nonchalant.

Upon arriving, Song Hanjin stood up, and Zhirou followed her, calling out "Brother."

"What are you talking about?" Song Qiyu looked at the two of them.

Song Hanjin said, "I was just talking to my fourth sister about the new chef in the manor. He's from Luozhou and his skills are superb."

Zhi Rou glanced at her in surprise, then quickly looked away and nodded in agreement.

As the Mongol's skills improved, Song Qiyu didn't expose her. Instead, he walked to the other side, lifted his robe, and sat down.

The bright indoor light shone on her face, and Zhi Rou's eyes seemed to drift over unnoticed. Song Qiyu looked back at her, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

Zhi Rou wanted to speak to him alone, but couldn't find the right opportunity. She sat there for a long time before Song Congzhao and Xu Yueyuan stepped into the hall together.

Lin He was a recluse, only sharing meals with her family during holidays. After the last incident, she remained secluded even more. Song Congzhao's attempts to persuade her failed, so he had no choice but to go along with her.

Therefore, looking at his daughter whom he had not seen for many years, he felt even more ashamed. After the banquet, he called Zhi Rou to the garden alone, and while they walked together, he asked her many questions.

There was no authority between the lines, only a sense of indebtedness.

As they walked under the corridor, Song Congzhao prepared to enter the study. The palace lanterns above his head flickered, their light falling on his eyebrows, making his eyes appear even deeper, as if they held many unspeakable secrets.

He sighed, sent a servant to escort the fourth young lady back, and then called her back. His sleeves fluttered slightly in the gentle breeze, and his figure appeared somewhat desolate in the dim light.

"If you have any business to discuss, come find your father."

Zhi Rou's chest tightened, and her nose tingled. Only after he turned and stepped inside did she lower her eyelashes. It was too dark, and the bright tears welling up in the corners of her eyes were hidden and quickly disappeared.

Back at Longyue Pavilion, Pei Cheng had Xinghui bring in a letter—unconventional in style, short and rolled up in a thin tube. It turned out that someone had insisted on giving it to him that afternoon while he was out on business.

Upon seeing this object, Zhi Rou felt a sudden alarm bell ring in her heart.

Suzhou.

On the banks of the Yunliu River, Zhirou was searching for Su Du's figure, while someone was chasing after her.

As the Fourth Sister became increasingly difficult to find, hidden by the crowd, Xu Chengce grew anxious. He was certain that the Fourth Sister had seen him just now, so why was she hiding?

Thinking of how his third cousin's servants treated him, and fearing that the fourth young lady might misunderstand something, he walked quickly, carefully weaving through the elegant ladies and swaying hair. Suddenly, a large hand grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"Where is my cousin going?"

Xu Chengze turned around in surprise. Wei Yuanzhan's gaze was fixed on his face, quite calm, with his long eyebrows slightly raised, containing a hint of scrutiny.

Familiar faces came into view again after many years. Xu Chengce was momentarily stunned and stammered, "Cousin...you've returned to Beijing?"

His gaze followed forward again, but there was no trace of the Fourth Miss. His shoulders slumped slightly, then lifted again as he braced himself to deal with Prince Wei.

He had been somewhat intimidated by Wei Yuanzhan since childhood.

Despite being only half a year apart in age, Wei Yuanzhan gave off the feeling of an elder brother even when they were still young. Perhaps it was his noble birth that imbued him with an awe-inspiring presence.

I remember when I was a child, the Wei family came to the Xu family to offer their congratulations. Wei Yuanzhan was playing with a dagger he had brought back from a foreign land. He found it interesting and asked Wei Yuanzhan for it. When Wei Yuanzhan refused, he openly snatched it from him at the banquet.

That was in front of his grandmother. Wei Yuanzhan didn't say anything, and his eyes were as calm as they were now. Wei Yuanzhan almost thought that his grandmother was being lenient with him. Who would have thought that as soon as dinner was over, he had just stepped out of the small building when a demon-like figure knocked him down.

The dagger in his pocket was taken out. As soon as he opened his eyes, Wei Yuanzhan wiped the dagger on his sleeve, put it in his collar, and said to him, "It's not yours, don't even think about it."

The face from that time slowly overlapped with the one before him. After joining the army, he exuded an even more dashing aura, with a slight upturn at the corner of his mouth. However, Xu Chengce dared not joke around with him.

"Doesn't my cousin want me to return to the capital?" Wei Yuanzhan asked.

Xu Chengce hurriedly tried to deny it: "No, no..."

Wei Yuanzhan felt bored, so he lowered his hand from Wei Yuanzhan's shoulder and raised an eyebrow: "It was just a joke, why are you so nervous?"

The Xu family's good looks were passed down through generations, and by the time of Xu Chengce, they had reached their peak. He was handsome and refined, and when he was a little more composed, he even had a scholarly air about him, with thick eyebrows and bright, flawless eyes.

Just as he was about to respond, Wei Yuanzhan asked, "I just heard you call out 'Fourth Sister,' who were you calling?"

“Oh,” Xu Chengze said without suspicion, “It’s Miss Song the Fourth.”

Before he finished speaking, Wei Yuanzhan glanced at him and then asked, "You two know each other?"

"Cousin, what are you saying? Aren't we all relatives with the Song family?"

Unexpectedly, I heard someone say, "Even relatives can be close or distant."

This was truly strange. In terms of kinship, how were the Xu family and the Yining Marquis's mansion any different? Forced by the tyrannical power of the Crown Prince Wei, Xu Chengce reluctantly agreed: "Yes, cousin is right."

"You still haven't answered me: do you know her?"

"I guess we know each other..." Xu Chengce lowered his eyes, and after a while, thinking about his situation, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, filled with worry.

“Cousin, you don’t know, I’ve been staying at the Song residence lately. My father wants me to spend more time with my third cousin, but I’m not interested.”

He may be unlearned and incompetent, but he doesn't need to rely on women's connections to gain official rank. If one could succeed in officialdom through marriage, what would be the point of having scholars in the world?

He didn't like reading, so he let others take the path to officialdom, which he thought was fair.

Thinking of Song Hanjin, Xu Chengce shook his head helplessly and said as he walked, "My third cousin treats me like I'm a plague god. Several times, I just wanted to return the sachet she left behind to her, and she ran away so fast... This must be one of the benefits of women in our dynasty not binding their feet."

A sachet is a private item, and if it is to be returned, it is not appropriate to entrust it to someone else. If someone uses it to make a fuss, it will be even more difficult to explain.

Although Xu Chengce walked slowly, he never stopped. When he noticed that the people around him were falling behind, Wei Yuanzhan had already caught up with them.

He had no interest in any of that, his gaze probing as he fixed Song Hanjin's eyes on him, cutting to the chase: "You have no interest in Song Hanjin, but could it be that you have feelings for Song Zhirou?"

Xu Chengce's heart skipped a beat, and his ears turned bright red.

He did indeed like Song Zhirou.

Three years ago, on Wei Yuanzhan's birthday, he went to the Marquis's mansion with his family to offer his congratulations. That night at the banquet, he saw Song Zhirou and Song Hanjin using tricks to appease his grandmother. She was so vivid, like a goddess living in the wilderness. Although he had only heard of her in storytellers, he thought that if such a goddess truly existed in the world, she would probably be just like this.

He gazed at her for a long time, so long that she noticed and looked back at him. He heard the sound of his heart fluttering.

This affection was too superficial; he didn't think he would remember it for long. But when he heard that Miss Song was going to marry the princess in Beili, he was extremely sad. Later, when he learned that the princess had returned to the capital, he was overjoyed.

The lingering feelings from three years of estrangement were something he hadn't expected, even if they were faint. Therefore, when his father asked him to stay temporarily at the Song residence, he agreed.

He wanted to see Miss Song again.

As for the pranks he played on her when they were children, he would never have remembered them if his younger brother hadn't mentioned them by chance.

At this moment, Wei Yuanzhan asked him directly if he was in love with Song Zhirou. His eyes were slightly flustered, but he put on a serious expression and said, "Cousin is joking. This concerns the reputation of the Fourth Miss. Please don't tease me about this anymore."

Wei Yuanzhan saw that he dared not look back at him, but his ears were very familiar. How could he not understand? He almost wanted to laugh, not because of joy, but because of a complex emotion, perhaps mixed with a little anger, but he did not show it.

He has now become more composed and refuses to acknowledge this inexplicable and utterly insignificant jealousy.

Wei Yuanzhan patted Xu Chengce on the shoulder, like an older brother, with a smile on his lips, his tone containing both praise and teasing.

"You are very good."