Chapter 73 gives me the feeling that Lu Qingjia is a total green tea b*tch~

In early spring, the weather gradually warms up, and the warm sunshine generously shines down on every inch of the land. The grand mansion is resplendent in gold, and the gilded plaque, under the sunlight, makes the four characters "Regent's Palace" even more dazzling.

Sigh—

The carriage stopped in front of the grand mansion. As soon as Shen Pingjin lifted the curtain, Nian An and Nian Ning were about to help her out of the carriage when a small but familiar figure appeared in front of the carriage.

The boy had exquisite features, clear eyes, porcelain-white skin, and jet-black hair tied up high with a hair ornament. His light blue brocade robe fluttered in the wind. The boy's face was somewhat pale, showing signs of illness, as if he had just recovered from a serious illness.

When he saw Chen Pingjin alighting from the carriage, a hint of surprise visibly appeared in his round eyes. The mutton-fat jade pendant at his waist swayed from side to side as he moved.

Lu Qingjia was overjoyed as he watched Shen Pingjin alight from the carriage. He felt a surge of emotion within him, as if something was taking root and about to sprout.

The bells on the carriage jingled in the wind, producing a pleasant, clear sound. The girl who once stood under the peach tree was now dressed in a light pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), the hem of which swayed in the wind. As she turned her head, Lu Qingjia felt her mind go blank.

He rushed over eagerly, his voice clear and childlike, evoking a feeling of tenderness in those who heard it, "Sister, you've finally come!"

When Shen Pingjin saw Lu Qingjia running towards her, tears welled up in her eyes. She affectionately patted Lu Qingjia's head and said, "Jiajia, it's been a long time."

Sister Pingjin is still so beautiful and so gentle...

Lu Qingjia blushed and tugged at Shen Pingjin's sleeve. "Sister, that day, my brother brought me back to the manor, and I was supposed to come to see you that afternoon. But Father was punished by Grandfather, and he seemed to be holding a grudge, so he wouldn't let me leave the manor. Today, I finally managed to find a chance to explain the whole story to Father, and he finally agreed to let me come and thank you."

Shen Pingjin was stunned, her heart churning. Lu Qingjia was just a child, perhaps not yet mature enough, which she could understand. But she... thought the same as General Lu: it was better for Lu Qingjia to be kept in the Zhenguo General's Mansion than to be kidnapped if she went out.

Shen Pingjin comforted her, "Jiajia, don't blame your father. Perhaps he was thinking of your safety."

"The Regent's wife is right. Jiajia is very talented and highly valued by my father and grandfather. If anything were to happen to him, it would be a great loss to our Zhenguo General's Mansion."

A somewhat unfamiliar voice suddenly reached her ears, startling Chen Pingjin. She looked up and saw a man dressed in blue brocade standing right next to Lu Qingjia.

His face seemed strangely familiar; through the hazy, indistinct screen, a sudden thought struck me.

This is... Lu Wuji, the eldest son of General Lu of the Zhenguo General's Mansion?

The man had a handsome face, and his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes were full of cunning. In his hand, he held a small jade peacock fan, which covered his thin, high-bridged lips and nose, revealing only the arrogance between his brows.

He seemed to see the doubt in Shen Pingjin's eyes, and took another step forward. When he saw Shen Pingjin's appearance clearly, he clicked his tongue slightly. The woman in front of him had delicate eyebrows and a face like a peach blossom. Her watery eyes seemed to contain magic. With just one glance, Lu Wuji was somewhat lost in thought.

He raised his hand and bowed slightly to Chen Pingjin, "I am Lu Wuji, the eldest son of General Lu of the Zhenguo General's Mansion, paying my respects to the Regent's Consort."

Shen Pingjin was taken aback, and immediately realized that the person in front of her knew her identity. She said in a deep voice, "It's nothing, you can get up."

Lu Wuji nodded, then frowned and glanced at Lu Qingjia standing in front of Shen Pingjin. His tone was somewhat serious, "Younger brother, you must pay your respects to the Regent's Consort. You must not be rude."

"But... but... I want to get closer to the pretty lady. In my eyes, the pretty lady is just a pretty lady, never some regent's wife."

Lu Wuji glanced at the silent Shen Pingjin, then frowned. "Lu Qingjia!"

"Big brother, you can't do this to me, I... Waaaaaah..." Lu Qingjia cried loudly.

Lu Wuji sighed in exasperation. He was about to pull Lu Qingjia behind him when a pair of soft pink hands grabbed his light blue sleeve.

Lu Wuji looked up and met Shen Pingjin's bright, watery eyes.

"Young Master Lu, do you know what Jiajia went through these past few days?" Chen Pingjin asked.

Her voice seemed to have a magical power, making people speak involuntarily, "...All I know is that my younger brother was taken to the mansion by my second brother some time ago, but I didn't expect that he would be kidnapped by human traffickers and was almost abducted."

Shen Pingjin nodded: "That's right. Do you know why he wasn't kidnapped later?"

Lu Wuji lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought: "My younger brother told me about this. He said that you, Princess, met him by chance and protected him. Later, my second brother arrived, and the kidnapper failed."

Shen Pingjin nodded and said, "That's right. I saved Jiajia without ever expecting him to repay me. I've only met him a few times, but I feel a special connection with him. It's a good thing that Jiajia is safe and sound. I hope Young Master Lu won't make things too difficult for Jiajia."

"As for the titles 'Princess' and 'Sister,'" Shen Pingjin suddenly looked at Lu Qingjia, "I naturally don't care. On the contrary, calling me 'Sister' makes me seem younger."

Lu Qingjia blinked her big, watery eyes, looking completely innocent, but Lu Wuji, standing in front of her, clearly saw a sly glint in her eyes.

It's as if to say: See? Pretty ladies don't care about any of this!

Lu Wuji sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. His younger brother was exceptionally talented in martial arts, and the whole family wanted to nurture him. However, the boy had always been playful and not a reliable or easy-going person.

Since it was Shen Pingjin who spoke personally, Lu Wuji had no choice but to lower his head and look behind the curtain. He said in a deep voice, "Recently, there have been many rumors about the Princess Consort, but now it seems to be quite different from the truth. The Princess Consort is very magnanimous, and I thank her for her tolerance of my younger brother."

Shen Pingjin waved her hand and replied, "It's not that I'm magnanimous, it's just that Jiajia is just too adorable."

Shen Pingjin looked at the tiny Lu Qingjia in front of her. His features were exquisite, his cheeks slightly puffed out, and his large eyes shone with intelligence. Especially striking was that this little boy called her "pretty sister." Tell me, what woman wouldn't like to be called "pretty sister"?

Seeing herself being praised, Lu Qingjia proudly patted her chest and looked at Lu Wuji with a showy expression.

Hmph, see? The pretty lady praised me, but she didn't praise you!

Lu Wuji: "..."

Did he think he was competing with him for favor?