Chapter 18
The women's soft voices rang out, each sentence carrying an almost imperceptible adoration and tenderness.
"Little Bai said she would come last time!"
"Dear sister, please take a look at my makeup and see if there's anything wrong with it?"
"Hmph! I know exactly what you're thinking, and I won't bother to look! If you want to see, then you should look at mine first!"
"I wonder what color dress Miss Bai is wearing today? Is it possible that I might bump into Miss Bai today?"
In the past, they would have been extremely averse to wearing the same clothes as someone else, but today it was the opposite.
"Hmm, if Sister Bai doesn't come, then I'll have to be on my guard again today."
"Shh—what are you saying!" someone whispered a reminder.
Su Meier didn't understand what it meant, but the group of noble ladies knew exactly what it meant.
Princess Eldest is only in a good mood when Ling Wu is around.
If Lingwu hadn't come today, those words would have been enough to make that noble lady suffer greatly.
"I wonder if Sister Bai likes orchids? I just finished embroidering the orchids yesterday and was waiting to give them to you today. I didn't sleep a wink last night, and I don't look too well now. Hmm, but Sister Bai is always gentle, so she certainly won't dislike them."
"..." In short, every sentence revolved around Ling Wu.
Su Meier listened with a hint of pride, but after lowering her eyes and thinking about it carefully, she didn't know what she was so proud of.
She sought out a noblewoman and humbly inquired, "May I ask when Miss Bai usually comes?"
The noblewoman looked her up and down, but seeing that she was a stranger, she showed no curiosity and said arrogantly, "Sister Bai usually comes with Her Highness the Princess."
Su Meier nodded. "I see."
The noblewoman was somewhat dissatisfied with her indifference towards Lingwu, so she asked, "Which family's young lady are you?"
"I was born into the Su family of Nanzhao, and I belong to the Jiang family of Jiangling..."
The noblewoman didn't wait for her to finish speaking before raising an eyebrow and leaving.
I've never heard of the Su family of Nanzhao, but the Jiang family of Jiangling...
So it was that freeloading cousin from the Jiang family!
Su Meier, left behind, was in an awkward position. She silently swallowed the rest of her sentence, her face turning bright red.
She clutched the expensive Shu brocade dress she was wearing for the first time, her eyes filled with embarrassment.
She thought of the woman who had gently held her hand. If she were here, would things be different?
But if she knew that he was the one who schemed against her, would she still be as gentle to him as before?
Over here, Song Leyuan picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped the pastry off Lingwu's lips.
He then jokingly teased, "How old are you? You still can't resist nibbling on your lips while eating a pastry?"
Ling Wu's cheeks flushed slightly, and upon seeing this, Song Leyuan immediately dropped her teasing expression.
After carefully putting away the handkerchief, she added earnestly, "But Wu'er looks good even like this. My friend would never be ugly!"
Seeing the cautious look in Song Leyuan's eyes, Lingwu raised her gaze and asked, "What if I were of ordinary appearance?"
Before Song Leyuan could finish speaking, she quickly changed the subject, "Of course... you're beautiful no matter what. Even if you're not beautiful, if you're obedient and charming, I should still like you."
Especially those eyes, which made her unable to bear harming them in the slightest.
Ling Wu chuckled softly, and Song Leyuan's heart began to beat faster and faster for some reason. She quickly took a step ahead.
"Hurry up! I've never been late for my flower-viewing banquet. If I break my rule because you're eating snacks here, I'll punish you."
"Then what punishment will Your Highness impose on me?" Ling Wu followed up.
"You are forbidden from eating any of the flower cakes from my palace for three days!"
Ling Wu blinked her watery eyes, then stepped forward and took Song Leyuan's hand. "I love the flower cakes in the princess's residence so much that I can't sleep peacefully if I don't eat them for a day."
Originally intending to make a joke, Song Leyuan was amused by Ling Wu's words. She then grasped the woman's soft hand, her heart once again being consumed by that feeling, making her restless and itchy.
Then, remembering what she was planning to do that day, she couldn't help but worry and tentatively asked, "If someone plotted to harm you, would you forgive her?"
Without thinking, Ling Wu replied directly, "No." After saying that, Ling Wu tilted her head with amusement, as if asking why she was being asked that.
But in Song Leyuan's eyes, Ling Wu tilting her head was a way of being affectionate towards her!
Her adorable and well-behaved appearance made Song Leyuan flee in panic.
Ling Wu, who had fallen behind, watched with a smile, her eyes gentle as water, yet cold and indifferent.
Song Leyuan, who was waiting for Ling Wu along the way, was not late in the end.
While the noble ladies were bowing, Song Leyuan whispered to Ling Wu, "You almost missed out on my flower cakes."
Song Leyuan stared at Ling Wu, her eyes filled with anticipation and smugness.
Stupid, you haven't even realized it yet...
Ling Wu pretended not to see it and bowed along with the noble ladies, but Song Leyuan helped her up first.
Song Leyuan then said in a languid and elegant manner, "Everyone, get up."
The entire back garden of the princess's residence was adorned with a profusion of flowers, with various precious blooms filling the space.
Ling Wu watched with great interest, and the noble ladies around her all wanted to get closer, but because of Song Leyuan, they only dared to lag a few steps behind to catch up.
When people are crowded together, it's inevitable that you'll bump into things.
Hearing the sound, Ling Wu turned around and spotted Su Meier, who was quite inconspicuous among the group of noble ladies. "It's you?"
Song Leyuan paused, her hand about to introduce the pot of extremely beautiful flowers to Ling Wu, a strange sour feeling welling up in her heart.
People's joys and sorrows are not shared, but Su Meier was overjoyed. In addition, being bathed in the gazes of the noble ladies, she was so excited that her face turned red with embarrassment.
"Miss Bai, it's me."
Seeing her shy and timid appearance, Song Leyuan's eyes darkened, and then a mocking smile appeared on her lips.
Just as Ling Wu was about to step forward to speak with Su Meier, her hand was grabbed by another pair of slender, white hands.
Lingwu turned her head, her eyes seemingly holding a thousand frost stars, so beautiful that Song Leyuan's heartstrings trembled.
"I said I had a gift for you, do you remember?" Song Leyuan asked, her eyes filled with seductive charm.
When she saw the purity in Ling Wu's eyes, she felt a little regretful.
But the thought of Ling Wu being schemed against like that without her knowledge made it hard for her to suppress her anger!
Fortunately, it was her that day. If Wu'er had offended someone else, would she still be able to see such beautiful and pure eyes?
Thinking of this, she gripped Lingwu's hand tightly, as if afraid that Lingwu would disappear before her eyes like her mother.
His phoenix eyes were chillingly cold, making the noble ladies around him feel a chill run down their spines.
Ke Lingwu gently grasped Song Leyuan's hand, her voice tender, "This humble woman will not leave. Unless Your Highness dislikes me in the future, this humble woman will be Your Highness's best friend for life."
The beautiful flowers behind her were captivating, but none could compare to the allure of the gentle words in her voice.
As they spoke, several small stools were already set out. These were originally intended for the ladies to rest when they were tired from admiring the flowers, or to have some tea and snacks.
But at this moment, everyone was sitting upright, except for Su Meier, who was standing in the center, looking bewildered and unaware of what was going on.
The surroundings were filled with curiosity, disdain, and even hostility.
Ling Wu sat beside Song Leyuan, who peeled a lychee and offered it to Ling Wu's lips.
Seeing the girl swallow, Song Leyuan's eyes darkened for a moment, then she seemed to realize something, her expression becoming complicated.
He withdrew his hand rather quickly, which made Ling Wu look over curiously.
As a result, Song Leyuan's feelings of complexity deepened, but she quickly transformed them into composure.
She is a princess of a country. Even if she falls in love with a lady who is also a woman, so what?
Pshaw! Anyone who dares to say anything will have their entire family wiped out!
After her thoughts settled, Song Leyuan gently wiped the juice from her hands, her phoenix eyes slightly raised, the corners of her eyes upturned, conveying a sense of mockery and sarcasm.
This made Su Meier's already tense heart even more panicked.
Could it be that the man betrayed her?
She feigned composure, but when she looked at Ling Wu, her pupils were filled with helplessness.
Lingwu asked, puzzled, "Your Highness, she..."
Song Leyuan gently shook her head to interrupt, then clapped her hands lightly.
Then, guards from the Princess's residence dragged a masked man and woman into this beautiful scene.
The two men were covered in blood and reeked of foul odors!
Upon seeing the two people, Su Meier's panicked heart settled down, but she became even more terrified.
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