This inexplicable atmosphere was strange, so strange that everyone understood it, yet no one could bring themselves to say it.

Li Shiyue closed her eyes. She understood Xu Yunci's thoughts, but she didn't understand Xie Yizhi. Ever since her birthday banquet, perhaps it was her intuition, but she vaguely sensed that Xie Yizhi wasn't as innocent and naive as he appeared.

Opening her eyes to see the group fighting fiercely in the snow, Li Shiyue had no desire to watch: "Cousin, I'm not feeling well and want to go back to rest."

Xu Lingzi glanced in the direction of the snow: "Okay, I'll talk to Grandmother. Remember to have Chunling call you when it's time for dinner. You should get some rest."

But just as she stood up, Xu Yunci saw her from the other end of the corridor. Lost in thought for a moment, Xie Yizhi paused in mid-air, watching with interest as Xu Yunci's gaze followed Li Shiyue past.

As Chunling walked around the corridor, she hesitated, but then her hand, which was supporting Li Shiyue's forearm, was grasped, and she met her gaze. Chunling glanced back discreetly before looking away.

Stepping out of Shousong Hall, Li Shiyue looked visibly relaxed, as if she had seen the sunlight again.

"Miss, the young master has been watching..."

Chunling's voice was not loud, probably because she was worried that this was not Chengyu Pavilion, but outside, so only Li Shiyue heard what she said.

She knew it because the feeling was familiar.

Li Shiyue's pupils dilated for a moment. She seemed to know Xu Yunci a little too well, and a sense of unease gradually crept into her heart. She didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but at least she didn't feel any disgust.

"Young lady, are you really no longer considering the marriage that the old lady mentioned?"

Chunling took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind: "The two old ladies arranged this marriage not only so that you could leave the Yunyang Marquis's Mansion like you are now, but also so that the Rongguo Duke's Mansion could protect you."

Both the Duke of Rongguo and the old lady were family members with direct blood ties to the young lady. The Duchess was such a kind-hearted person, and the old lady was so eager to facilitate this marriage because she wanted to find another family to protect the young lady.

"The young master is of noble status; even I can see that he treats you differently, young lady. Are you running away?"

Li Shiyue remained silent. Chunling had served her since childhood, and Li Shiyue understood that Chunling's words were not an interrogation. She simply let Chunling finish speaking.

There are also some things that Chunling didn't mention, such as that the young men are human beings and the young women are also human beings, but that doesn't mean that the young women are just appendages of the young men.

Marriage is a good bond that unites two families. However, despite this, the young master's influence outside the home is limited. For example, when the Earl of Yunyang was tricked by the Prince of Yan, she knew that if Xu Yunci hadn't intervened, the Earl of Yunyang wouldn't have boarded the ship back to Yunzhong County with the Prince of Yan's methods.

Xu Yunci was born into a noble family and was the future head of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion. With his elder sister, the Crown Princess, above him, his status was comparable to that of only a few princes in the capital.

If one were to seek protection in this world, Xu Yunci would undoubtedly be the best choice. If Xu Yunci had no intention of seeking protection, she could use him with a clear conscience, but Xu Yunci just happened to say those things that made her feel happy.

Whenever she recalls the tenderness in Xu Yunci's eyes that day, so different from his usual cold demeanor, she suddenly feels ashamed, because she cannot give him the same affection.

"But, Miss doesn't dislike the young master either. The young master of the Meng family is dissolute and disrespectful to the young lady. Anyone would find him annoying, but the young master is different."

Why doesn't the young lady try to accept the young master's kindness and try to get along with him? Chunling's round face now had the earnest expression of a aunt, which didn't quite match her youthful appearance.

"You're speaking up for your cousin like this, did Chang Shun bribe you? It seems you've figured out yourself before I could figure it out."

Li Shiyue glanced at Chunling out of the corner of her eye, wondering whether she should try to match them up. If Chunling could find her own marriage in this life, that would be good, so why should she stop her?

Chunling quickly retorted, "Why are you teasing me, Miss? Chang Shun is not as reliable as Chang An. He's always joking around."

"Really? I thought you didn't like him much." Li Shiyue didn't seem to intend to dwell on this for long and didn't look at Chunling's expression again.

Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, a day for family reunion, but the main event is in the evening. As the azure sky is gradually replaced by night, some impatient families have already set off fireworks before night has fully fallen.

Li Shiyue wore an extra cloak today. Although it was thicker, it was at least warm, especially since snowflakes began to fall as night fell.

Though small, they fell silently from the sky into the night. The snowflakes drifted gently, especially the moment they landed in my palm, as the surroundings were illuminated by the burst of fireworks, and I watched the snowflakes melt in my hand.

Li Shiyue stood under the corridor. The place where she had been making a ruckus during the day had been cleaned up so thoroughly that there was no trace of her earlier antics.

As her palms gradually became enveloped in coolness, Li Shiyue came to her senses and withdrew her hand. However, before she could take a step, she saw the person who had entered Shousong Hall stop in front of her.

"Why aren't you going inside? It's cold outside, and your hand warmer will get cold too."

Xu Yunci's voice was gentle, and the tenderness in his eyes was especially soothing in the cold night. Although his voice was deep, it was exceptionally pleasant to listen to.

Perhaps recalling Chunling's words during the day, she couldn't help but think of Xu Yunci's expression that day. She subconsciously reached out to touch her earlobe, but then remembered that the cloak she was wearing covered her ears completely.

I just felt a burning sensation in my ears, as if it always happened with Xu Yunci.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"I just caught a chill, I'm fine now. It started snowing, so I stayed a little longer. Cousin, would you like to come in with me?" Li Shiyue looked up, not looking away, and stared straight at Xu Yunci's face.

"good."

Xu Yunci's lips curved slightly, but he still didn't get very close. There was a person's distance between them. Even when they went in, Old Madam Xu's gaze was noticeably more teasing, moving between the two of them.

Soon, the people gradually gathered. The dinner was even more lavish than the daytime meal. After they finished eating, they did not leave, as was customary, to keep watch at night.

However, Madam Xu's health was unlikely to hold up, but by the time she had rested, it was almost midnight.

Li Shiyue came out of the inner room, deliberately walking lightly, but unexpectedly, her memories slowly overlapped. It seemed that during the early days when she first arrived in the capital, there was also a night when she came out of Shousong Hall and saw Xu Yunci standing with his back to her.

He stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a long silver-red robe, and turned around without any surprise to see her: "I'll take you back."