Xu Yunci glanced at his younger brothers, not intending to show off in front of Old Madam Xu, but looked deeply at Xu Yunyang: "You have always been more mature than Silang and the others, and you are not much younger than me. I don't want to be dragging you around every day. You should know how to do some things."

Having said that, seeing that Xu Yunyang remained the same, he didn't say anything more. After all, he had been like this since childhood, and he figured that no matter what he said, the other person wouldn't listen attentively.

The smile on Madam Xu's face had also faded considerably. Perhaps she had been talking for too long, and her energy was noticeably less than before.

Li Shiyue hadn't taken off her armbands yet, and with her hands in front of her, a section of her fair forearm was exposed.

He walked out and faced Xu Yunci's back. He stood alone under the green cypress in the courtyard.

Perhaps sensing Li Shiyue's gaze, he looked at her and then turned around to face her.

The evening breeze was cool, and a dark cloud overhead obscured half of the bright moon's face.

Li Shiyue had already taken off her armbands, and her forearms, which were still a little cool through the fabric, gradually warmed up.

This was the first time the two of them were alone together after Xu Yunci confessed his feelings. The surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional chirping of cicadas in the bushes adding a touch of mystery to the tranquil night.

"Cousin, is something on your mind?"

Li Shiyue's voice was very soft, as soft as a feather, gently brushing against Xu Yunci's heart. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she took in Xu Yunci's expression, wondering if he was thinking the same thing as her.

Xu Yunci turned to look at her and sighed softly, "There is something, though it's not exactly a worry."

Before Li Shiyue could speak, Xu Yunci had already stopped and was looking down at the stone path leading to Chengyu Pavilion.

"I tasted the flower cake and it was not bad, but the one from earlier was even more flavorful. Chang Shun also told me, what are your thoughts?"

Contrary to expectations, Li Shiyue lowered her eyes and gave a bitter smile: "To be honest, I don't know what to think."

"I don't know?" Xu Yunci's voice rose at the end, as if he didn't quite accept her statement.

“Back in the old days at the Earl’s Mansion, Meng Zhuo and Meng Shi focused their attention on me, while my father ignored me. I could only seek my grandmother’s protection. But as time went on, there were some things that my grandmother couldn’t protect me from.”

"On the day I went to Shangjing County, it was my cousin who stepped in. His official position and status as the heir of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion were enough to suppress the Meng aunt and niece. When I first arrived at the mansion, it was also my cousin who stepped in to resolve the situation caused by my fourth cousin."

"But now that my grandmother has put my marriage in the open, even if someone is interested, what can I do? Am I supposed to trouble my cousin and turn against my own brothers?"

"I can't do it, and I can't bring myself to say it. If my cousins ​​are at odds because of me, it will hurt more than just my grandmother's heart." Li Shiyue raised her eyes, her calmness a stark contrast to the tearful young girl she once was.

After all, some things can't be solved by crying.

Li Shiyue took a step forward and walked to Xu Yunci's side. She looked up at his face, her eyes gradually welling up with tears. Her almond-shaped eyes stared at him with a watery gaze that no one could resist.

"Besides, what Chunling is saying now is just baseless speculation. I just need to be careful every day. Now that I'm in the Duke's mansion, I have my maternal grandmother's favoritism, and my third cousin isn't that reckless Meng Zhuo. He wouldn't do anything to me in the Duke's mansion, would he?"

Xu Yunci breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, his little cousin hadn't fallen for Xu Yunyang. Given how Liu Shi and Xu Lingwan had previously targeted Li Shiyue, this marriage was clearly not a good match.

On the other hand, it was also his selfishness; he didn't want to watch his beloved marry someone else.

As for Xu Yunyang, he had other plans. There were some things he wanted to say to his little cousin, but he was afraid she wouldn't understand. He stopped there, refusing to go any further: "Let's go back. It's getting late, so I won't go any further."

Li Shiyue knelt down and led Chunling into Chengyu Pavilion. Only after watching her figure gradually disappear did Xu Yunci turn around and walk towards the front courtyard.

Upon returning to Chengyu Pavilion, Li Shiyue collapsed onto the wide couch, exhausted from a busy day.

Chunling stepped forward and took off her shoes, then brought her a soft cushion so she could lean on it more comfortably.

"Miss, will the young master really help?"

It wasn't a direct way of putting it; it was more of an indirect reminder. I don't know if Xu Yunci could understand what they meant by asking for help.

Chunling is simple-minded, especially in front of Li Shiyue, her worries are written all over her face.

"To be honest, I'm not sure either."

Li Shiyue sat up straight, her eyes lighting up: "Go and get the hairpin I brought from the Earl's mansion."

Chunling came out carrying a wooden box and placed it on the wide couch. When she opened it, the jewelry inside was not as valuable as what we have now.

One of the gold hairpins had a very sharp tip, which Li Shiyue had specially sharpened before.

Gold hairpins are usually more valuable, but the one in Li Shiyue's hand has an elegant pattern and the hairpin head is carved with openwork floral and tree shapes.

She had never worn this gold hairpin since entering the mansion. She played with it in her palm: "From tomorrow on, I will wear this gold hairpin."

Chunling had been by her side the longest, and this gold hairpin was sharpened with her help. Naturally, she understood that the purpose of this gold hairpin was different from other jewelry.

The first rays of sunlight that greeted my eyes in the early morning were replaced by the pattering of rain. The rain wasn't heavy; it was the first autumn rain.

She had worn a cloak before leaving the house, but still felt a chill. Li Shiyue raised her hand to stroke the gold hairpin in her hair, the familiar touch gradually calming her heart.

Chunling carried an umbrella; each autumn rain brought a chill, but luckily she had brought a cloak with her when she went out.

Several days passed, and Xu Yunyang made no move. Li Shiyue's heart was restless, and she felt uneasy, as if a great storm was about to break and could crush her at any moment.

This feeling was not good. For several days in a row, Li Shiyue did not sleep well, and the dark circles under her eyes could not be covered up by makeup.

When I came out of Xu Lingzi's courtyard, the clouds in the sky had not yet dispersed, and the heavy rain that had not yet fallen made the air feel stuffy.

"Let's go back early, it looks like it's going to rain heavily."

As Li Shiyue finished speaking, she turned a corner around a rockery, where Xu Yunyang, who had been waiting for a long time, had already come out.

Chunling almost instinctively stepped forward and shielded Li Shiyue behind her, ignoring the displeasure in Xu Yunyang's eyes and unable to hide the wariness on her face.

"Cousin Yan Yan, where are you going?" Xu Yunyang's face was usually gentle and smiling, but something seemed off. The burning greed in his eyes seemed impossible to hide.

Li Shiyue became alert and, taking advantage of Xu Yunyang's unseen perspective, quickly removed the gold hairpin from her hair bun.