Chapter 51 Tortoise and Soft-shelled Turtle

The bodyguard had followed him for many years, so he was naturally able to sense his irritability. However, the bodyguard was really puzzled and didn't know why Xiao Xingyuan was so irritable.

Meng Yanzhi and Zhao Bailu are now good friends, but like Meng Yanzhi, Zhao Bailu is not well-liked by the noble ladies in the capital.

As they were talking, a girl in a bright yellow dress walked over. She crossed her arms and looked the two of them up and down before bursting out laughing.

"It's true what they say, fish find fish, shrimp find shrimp. The two of you together are like a turtle and a tortoise!"

The moment the woman opened her mouth, it was with disdain and sarcasm.

The crowd's expressions changed, and Zhao Bailu rolled up her sleeves and gritted her teeth: "Anle, stop talking nonsense! We didn't do anything to you, are you crazy?!"

"Zhao Bailu, don't you know you should bow to me when you see me, the county princess?" Princess Anle looked at Zhao Bailu coldly, with a hint of disdain.

Even at their first meeting, Meng Yanzhi could clearly sense that Zhao Bailu and An Le didn't get along.

She tugged at Zhao Bailu's sleeve, then bowed respectfully to Princess Anle: "Greetings, Princess Anle."

Zhao Bailu looked disgusted, but still reluctantly bowed and said, "Greetings, Princess Anle!"

Princess Anle nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Meng Yanzhi: "You're that wild girl from the countryside? You are indeed quite pretty, but let me tell you, the capital is not an ordinary place, and not just any wild monkey can run wild here!"

"Anle, that's enough for you!"

Didn't you brush your teeth this morning before leaving home?

Zhao Bailu looked disgusted for a moment, then pulled Meng Yanzhi and turned to go to the other side of the deck.

"Pah! Pah! Pah!"

Zhao Bailu angrily swung her fist at the air several times.

Seeing Zhao Bailu's angry expression, Meng Yanzhi burst out laughing. She then picked up some pastries from the side and handed them to Zhao Bailu, saying, "Don't be angry, these hibiscus cakes are delicious!"

"Rouge, aren't you angry? She's clearly humiliating us!" Zhao Bailu glared at Meng Rouge with hatred, but still took a piece of hibiscus cake and stuffed it into her mouth, feeling extremely frustrated: "She's always showing off because of her grandfather's military achievements. Every time I see her, I get so angry. Just now, I almost wanted to kick her off the deck!"

Meng Yanzhi casually found a place to sit down, took a bite of the hibiscus cake, and said indifferently, "Since I entered the capital, I have heard so many nasty things that several cartloads of them could not be filled, so I don't take them to heart at all. Just treat them as barking dogs."

"Rouge, you can't be so good-tempered!"

"If you're so easy to bully, then everyone will bully you!"

Zhao Bailu sat beside Meng Yanzhi, heartbroken.

"She speaks so rudely and acts so arrogantly, do you even know what she cares about?" Meng Yanzhi looked at Zhao Bailu with some curiosity.

Zhao Bailu pouted: "What could she possibly care about? The only person she cares about is your older brother, Meng Anfeng!"

What?

Meng Yanzhi was stunned upon hearing this, staring at Zhao Bailu in disbelief: "Are you sure you're not mistaken? Princess Anle likes my elder brother? Really?"

“Really.” Zhao Bailu curled her lip in disdain: “Your older brother is a refined and elegant man, a true celestial being. He would naturally prefer a gentle and graceful lady from a respectable family. How could he possibly like such a cunning and difficult woman like Anle?”

"She likes your older brother, but he ignores her, so she always makes things difficult for others to vent her frustrations." Zhao Bailu snorted and looked at Meng Yanzhi: "By the way, I heard your older brother is coming back. You'd better be careful, Anle might start to entangle your Meng family in the future."

Meng Yanzhi recalled carefully, then smiled. In her previous life, Meng Anfeng did not end up with Anle, but instead married Lin Huaiyuan, the daughter of the Minister of Rites.

These two are supposedly true love. Lin Huaiyuan is a true lady from a prominent family, noble and elegant, exuding grace and gentleness in every way.

Meng Yanzhi waved her hand dismissively and said calmly, "She can't be my sister-in-law. My older brother won't like her!"

"The whole capital knows about this, but she herself is unwilling to accept it."

"Let me tell you, she's a mean-spirited and malicious person. You have to be careful, understand?"

Zhao Bailu looked at Meng Yanzhi with some concern.

She sighed, then took Meng Yanzhi's arm: "You have no idea that in my eyes you are a fairy. Fairies shouldn't suffer, do you know that?"

"Bai Lu, thank you." Meng Yanzhi couldn't help but smile, then looked up at the sky and said in a low voice, "In heaven and on earth, you are probably the only one who would treat me like a fairy."

"Before returning to the capital, I was a wildflower who grew up in the countryside. Although life was hard back then, I was very happy. I could walk barefoot on the grass without any worries. I could go up the mountain and down to the river. You know what? I was the best hunter and fisherman in our village. Unfortunately, after arriving in the capital, I became a wild girl who couldn't be presented in public. I was completely separated from my familiar environment and locked in a gilded cage."

In both her past and present lives, Meng Yanzhi never spoke these words to outsiders, because she knew that if she did, she would be looked down upon and ridiculed. No one would understand her helplessness and confusion; they would only laugh at her for being naive and unsophisticated.

Seeing Meng Yanzhi like this, Zhao Bailu sighed helplessly and said in a muffled voice, "I'm the same way. I didn't grow up in the capital either. I grew up on the frontier. There, the world is vast and I can ride my horse freely. But after returning to the capital, even if I speak loudly, people will laugh at me for not knowing the rules. You have no idea how stifling this place is for me!"

As she spoke, Zhao Bailu casually picked up the wine glass next to her and drank it all in one gulp.

Meng Yanzhi didn't like drinking alcohol, but she picked up her teacup, took a sip, and felt a pang of nostalgia for the old days.

“In the countryside, when the autumn air is crisp and clear, locust flowers are everywhere. I love autumn the most because I can sit on the locust tree and eat my fill.” Meng Yanzhi’s eyes reddened slightly as she spoke.

She lay down on the deck, her eyes red and tears streaming down her face, and choked out, "If you're going to let me start over, why not let me go back to that time?"

"What did you say?" Zhao Bailu turned around and saw Meng Yanzhi's tears. She was startled and frowned. "Why are you crying?"