"Your Excellency, are you still busy?"
"Yeah, Lao Liu, business is good today, isn't it?" Xu Hui greeted the other party warmly.
"Since the trade area has expanded, my business is doing quite well, quite well indeed," Old Liu replied with a fawning smile.
Zhao Zhi never expected to run into Li Huai'an in this place.
Since learning of his exile to Chaoyang County, she hadn't kept track of his whereabouts. She never imagined he was now working under Xu Hui.
She reached up and touched her face, about to turn and leave, when she heard a "thud" as the notebook in Li Huai'an's hand fell to the ground.
Li Huai'an saw her.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still. His gaze pierced through the noise and unexpectedly met Zhao Zhi's eyes.
The initial joy was like a flower blooming in spring, instantly blossoming on his face. The corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up, and his eyes sparkled with an indescribable light.
However, this joy was fleeting. When he noticed the slightly protruding outline of Zhao Zhi's abdomen, the smile on his face gradually froze, replaced by an indescribable complex emotion—surprise, disappointment, and deep helplessness.
He slowly lowered his eyes to conceal the emotional turmoil within them, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, yet he felt no pain whatsoever.
He knew that he and Zhao Zhi were now separated by vast distances and could never go back to the way things were.
He had originally thought that although he was exiled, he no longer had any wives or concubines by his side. Zhao Zhi was also getting old, and he didn't mind that she was always out in public and traveling all over the country. He thought they could be a loving couple.
But now, she is obviously married and pregnant with that man's child.
"Long time no see, Brother Huai'an." Zhao Zhi smiled and walked towards him.
"Your friend?" Xu Hui asked Li Huai'an with a smile.
Li Huai'an nodded, bent down to pick up the notebook from the ground, and said to Xu Hui, "Sir, please allow me to say a few words to an old friend."
“Go ahead!” Xu Hui patted his shoulder. “My stomach is growling, sir. I’ll go get some wontons first and wait for you over there.” He pointed to the wonton shop next door. Li Huai’an nodded gratefully.
Li Huai'an led Zhao Zhi to Chunzhao River. It was still early, and there weren't many people around, so it was a quiet place and a good place to talk.
He gazed at her protruding belly and spoke with difficulty, "When...when did you get married?" Before Zhao Zhi could answer, he continued, "After Prince Rui married the Princess, I inquired everywhere about you. Later, when I learned that my uncle and aunt had been kidnapped on their way back to Chaoyang County, I...I was even more anxious. Have...did you go back to Liujiang Street? My uncle and aunt moved not long after you left..."
Zhao Zhi silently watched Li Huai'an, who was rambling incoherently. The carefree and unrestrained look in his eyes was gone.
As he spoke to her, his hand remained tightly gripping the ink cup hanging at his waist. In his youth, whenever he was nervous, he would clutch something he carried. It used to be the jade pendant hanging from his waist, but now, the jade pendant that symbolized his noble status as a prince was nowhere to be found.
Time has passed, and things have changed.
She looked at Li Huai'an, who seemed to have been transformed by the sudden hardships, and couldn't help but sigh.
"I heard that your older sister gave birth to a daughter for you." Zhao Zhi changed the subject, trying to say something to make Li Huai'an happy.
Unexpectedly, when Zhao Yun was mentioned, Li Huai'an's brows, which had only furrowed slightly, furrowed even more deeply.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com