Chapter 147 Nianxi Already Knows My Feelings

The Wen family spent a simple and warm New Year.

"One night connects two years, and the fifth watch divides two days."

Staying up all night is also called "staying up all night", which means praying for longevity and prosperity for the family in the coming year, and it symbolizes driving away all disasters.

Sitting around the fire, it was almost midnight. Nianxi felt a little sleepy. She leaned on Li and listened to her mother nagging at her brother:

"You are already an adult, how can you waste your time like this? Your aunt has just mentioned two more families, both of whom have daughters from the Shili family. While the imperial court is sealing the deal, you can go visit them while you are at home on your day off."

"Although you are not as talented or good-looking as your father, you are not that far behind. If you dress yourself up, you can be considered decent."

Nian Xi was delighted to hear this.

Wen Qingheng said helplessly, "Mom, I'm not as bad as you say."

Li rolled her eyes and said bluntly, "Why don't you get married and have children? When your father was your age, he was already married!"

Wen Yuanqiao stood by, smiling and stroking his beard, saying nothing.

Wen Qingheng responded sullenly with an "OK".

Generally at this time, the difference in family status can be seen.

For example, when everyone is sleepy, the mother will choose to take him out to relieve boredom. In the past, it was for studying, and now it is for marriage. The younger sister will just smile and pass by.

Wen Qingheng glanced at Nian Xi with resentment.

Li felt that Wen Qingheng deserved to be perfunctory, and was about to say a few more words, but Nianxi received her brother's gaze and changed the subject, "Mother, I want to visit Madam Chengjing and Madam Xu after the New Year. What kind of New Year gift do you think I should give them?"

Li was distracted. "They both have done you a favor. You can't be careless about this New Year gift. I'll choose with you when we open the storehouse tomorrow."

"Thank you, mother."

Li held her daughter in her arms, feeling extremely sorry for her. Nian'er was now sixteen, and it was time for her to get married. When she was Nian'er's age, she was already married.

The reason why I scolded Heng'er just now was also for telling Nian'er.

A daughter’s best years are just one or two years, so we must not waste them.

Although Nianxi didn't say it, Li knew that she still couldn't let go of the boy from the Gu family. Otherwise, Zhou Yanli was at home all day, and Nianxi not only didn't get close to him, but even their past friendship had faded.

She wasn't the kind of mother who couldn't wait and insisted on going against her daughter's wishes, but some things couldn't wait.

Putting aside other things, if she had to go through what happened to Prince Jing again, Li was afraid that she would not be able to bear it.

People always have to look forward.

So he said, "Yan Li is spending the New Year in Beijing this year. He must be lonely all alone. Invite him to our home some other day."

Coincidentally, Wen Yuanqiao also had his own plans. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "Shi Zhang is the same. He is always busy before the New Year, so it's a good opportunity to invite him to our home to have some fun."

When Wen Qingheng heard Pei Yan's name, he couldn't help but look at Nianxi.

But my sister looked normal, without any emotion at all.

That day at the gate of the mansion, he didn't know what Nian'er said, but he saw with his own eyes Pei Jian's pitiful and distraught appearance.

It's really pitiful.

It was as if his whole body was covered with a layer of haze, he was trapped in the situation of being unable to obtain what he wanted. Before this, it was difficult for him to associate Pei Jian with the word "pitiable".

He would have been depressed for a while, but Pei Jian looked like nothing had happened.

Before the imperial seal was issued at the end of the year, he was busy every day. He impeached and investigated many officials in one breath. Prince Jing and his party had a hard time because of him.

As for Pei Jian, except that he is quieter than before, he is still the invincible, calm and reserved Pei Shizhang.

Wen Qingheng privately told Qin Lang, "I was prepared to comfort him, but there was no need. I saw that he was full of energy every day, and he didn't look like someone who was frustrated in love at all."

Qin Lang sighed, "I think he is scary like this."

If it was like when Gu Ci was there, with a fight and a madness, it wouldn't seem so dangerous. But if it's kept in my heart like now, who knows what will happen.

"I'm not afraid of him going crazy, I'm just afraid of him keeping silent." Wen Qingheng concluded.

Qin Lang agreed, "That's exactly what I meant."

Thinking of this, Wen Qingheng followed up and said, "When will we host a banquet for them? I will also invite another classmate Qin Lang."

Cherish life and beware of Pei Jian.

…

Banquets and visits to relatives are always necessary during festivals, but Nianxi had just gone through the matter of Prince Jing, so apart from making friends and relatives, she was free most of the time.

Unlike his elder brother, he was under strict surveillance by his mother all day long and was forced to go to the front line to see her.

In fact, her brother's fate had not yet arrived, and her future sister-in-law would have to wait another year for her to appear. However, she could not say these words. She could only watch her brother leave with sympathy, and then took a bus to Rokujikan.

Because it was the end of the year, there were not many people in the Six Diseases Hall. No matter how poor a family was, they would gather together and stay together during the New Year.

Nian Xi looked around and helped Manager Zhang sort out the money and grain donated by various mansions this year. After working for a while and finishing all the tasks, she prepared to go home.

Manager Zhang called her over and turned around to get a bundle containing handkerchiefs, purses, cotton socks and the like.

"They are not valuable things, but they are their thoughts. You didn't come before the New Year, so I have kept them here."

The Liuji Hall specializes in treating poor people who have no money for medical treatment, providing them with relief and adoption. Nianxi has been helping here all winter, and these are their gifts of thanks.

In fact, Nianxi had received so many precious things that these were not noticeable, but this bundle of simple gifts touched her deeply.

A seemingly simple handkerchief or a purse was actually made from cloth that they saved from their food rations. They were busy working during the day and only had time to light a lamp and make these things at night.

"I like it very much."

She rewrapped the bag and said, "Thank them for me."

When they walked out of the Liuji Pavilion, they saw another more spacious and luxurious carriage parked next to their own carriage. The curtains were opened, revealing Lu Huai's pleasing face:

"Nian Xi!"

"I knew you were here!"

As he spoke, Lu Huai jumped off the carriage, walked over very naturally and familiarly, and held Nian Xi's hand. "My father and I went to your house to look for you. The servant said you were out, and I guessed you were here!"

Nian Xi was stunned, and then she saw a person slowly getting off the carriage.

He was wearing a pale blue round-necked, wide-sleeved robe, and a jade-ringed, golden crown with cloud patterns. He was probably younger than him. He looked relaxed, with the casual demeanor of a scholar, but the elegance in his bones could not be concealed.

He called her, his eyes clear:

"Nian Xi."

The two words rolled on the tip of his tongue. It was a name he was used to hearing, but when he said it aloud, it always had a different taste.

Nian Xi followed Fu Li closely, "Assist the Duke."

Lu Wensheng's eyebrows were as dark as ink, and he stood aside with a smile.

Lu Huai naturally answered, "Nianxi, my father wants to take me to Fenglelou to eat Longyuan tea fruit and crystal sashimi. I heard that Fenglelou also has a variety show. Have you been there? Let's go together, okay?"

Nian Xi refused, "I've been sitting in the Six Diseases Hall for most of the day, and I'm tired now, so I won't go with you."

Lu Huai's eyes were suddenly filled with disappointment. "But I went all the way from the south to the east of the city to look for you. I was so hungry while waiting for you just now. My father didn't allow me to go in and disturb you. I waited for so long, but who knew that you would refuse to go..."

Nian Xi didn't know the twists and turns here and felt a little at a loss for a moment.

I couldn't help but raise my eyes and glance towards Lu Wensheng.

Lu Wensheng smiled slightly and said to Lu Huai, "Who ate a whole box of Cui's snacks in the car? How could you be hungry?"

He was very considerate and rescued Nianxi from her embarrassment without leaving a trace. "If you don't go now, you won't be able to catch up with the variety show troupe at Fengle Building."

Lu Huai was a child after all, so he really hesitated.

He looked up at Nianxi, his eyes full of expectation, and asked in a low voice, "Nianxi, are you really not going?"

Nian Xi shook her head and said gently, "Let's do it another day."

Lu Huai clapped his hands immediately, "Which day is that? Tomorrow?"

Nian Xi knew that she had fallen into the kid's trap again.

In fact, if it were just her and Lu Huai, they could go anywhere, but with the Duke of Fuguo around, it would be wrong wherever they went.

"Xiao Qi."

After being scolded by his father, Lu Huai had no choice but to look at Nian Xi resentfully, then got on the carriage with his head lowered.

Lu Wensheng fell behind, as if he knew that Nian Xi had something to say. He looked at her calmly, revealing a deep and calm character.

Nianxi wanted to refuse.

However, he did not show any affectionate behavior, and every word and action he took was polite and courteous, and he just helped her out.

As a girl, if she spoke casually, it would be embarrassing and presumptuous.

This is the brilliance of Lu Wensheng.

With the patience of water dripping through stone, some intriguing meanings gradually emerge.

But Nianxi doesn't like such unclearness, which leads to misunderstanding.

So she made up her mind, bowed slightly, and said to the man who was waiting beside her, "Duke Fu, I am a person of limited knowledge. If I said something wrong, please forgive me."

He hummed slightly, and there seemed to be a smile in his voice. After a slight pause, he said, "Please speak."

"Thank you for helping me out with Prince Jing's matter. At that time, in front of the Empress, I said that I would never marry. It was indeed a desperate move, but it was not what I wanted. In fact, I didn't want to get married, and I couldn't do my duty as a wife..."

Her voice got lower and lower as she spoke.

It was because it sounded like a self-confession, and a lady from a noble family shouldn't talk about these things with a man outside her family. So she gritted her teeth, endured the embarrassment, and expressed her feelings:

"You are a humble gentleman, and you should marry a lady. I am not suitable for you, and I don't like you."

After Nian Xi finished speaking, she was so embarrassed that she didn't dare to raise her head. Her skirt fell down and even her toes were curled up.

However, her response was not to get angry or walk away.

She heard a soft laugh from above. It was pleasant and not annoying. She just said softly, "I know."

Nian Xi didn't realize that her face had turned red.

I just felt that in this freezing cold season, my forehead was so hot that it was almost smoking.

This answer was beyond her expectations.

She thought she had misunderstood and was being overly sentimental.

Perhaps it was really Lu Huai who pestered Duke Fuguo to find her, or perhaps Duke Fuguo was a kind and noble man and had no thoughts about her at all.

But she mistakenly thought that the Duke liked her.

She also rejected him.

Thinking of this, Nian Xi felt that all the embarrassment of her two lifetimes had been used up today, and she wished she could escape as soon as possible.

In the end, he still had a bit of self-respect and raised his head to say something to defuse the situation, but he was suddenly met with a pair of solemn and tender eyes.

There was a hint of smile in his eyes, and his voice was not loud, but gentle and soothing. He said:

"It turns out that Nianxi already knows my feelings."

Nian Xi was stunned by this sudden turn of events and for a moment she even forgot her shyness and anger.

Having just been humiliated, she couldn't even understand the meaning of these words.

Lu Wensheng lowered his head and looked at the girl's slightly widened almond eyes. Although she was uneasy, her eyes were still moist and bright, like a helpless little beast, full of pity.

So he laughed softly.

I asked a question I had wanted to ask a long time ago, "Do I look older?"

Nian Xi didn't know how to react. Almost every step was beyond her expectations. She couldn't react any other way at the moment, so she just followed his words and shook her head stiffly, "No."

He nodded and said in a gentle voice: "My name is Lu Wensheng, nicknamed Songqing, and I am the third child in my family."

Nian Xi finally came to her senses, "Duke Fuguo, I..."

"Your feelings—"

This was the first time Lu Wensheng interrupted her, but it didn't seem abrupt. He said with a bit of familiarity and tolerance, "I already know that too."

The sun sank behind a corner of the Liuji Pavilion, and a continuous red glow rose from the sky, enveloping the entire area in a brilliant red halo.

It's a rare good weather.

His voice also brought out a hint of unspeakable sadness in the red clouds in the sky.

Lu Wensheng turned around, smiled and said "sorry".

A transparent and open-minded person is always difficult to hide. She already knows everything before she even has time to weave a web.

Nian Xi is such a person.

She has the innocence of a girl and the frankness of a mature person.

She had clearly rejected him, but he was not angry or annoyed at all. It was as if she was born to be like this, to be loved by everyone in the world.

From a distance, Pei Jian looked at Nian Xi and Lu Wensheng.

He seemed to be under a spell, standing there motionless, staring at her in a daze.

That day, Nianxi told him that she thought Lu Huai was very cute, and she said she didn't want to have any more children...

She was standing next to Lu Wensheng. They had been talking for a long time. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could feel that Nian Xi was not annoyed with the man in front of her.

When he was just reborn, he imagined his life without her.

He even thought about being like a brother, watching her get married, secretly taking care of her life, and giving her a worry-free life.

But he overestimated his own determination and underestimated her influence.

He was afraid that she would love a stranger as much as she loved him.

Not to mention watching her get married, even if she just stood next to another man and smiled gently, it was enough to drive him crazy.

It took all his strength to control himself and not punch the despicable man in the face who used the child to gain favor.

Lu Wensheng noticed the young man not far away earlier than Nianxi.

He was wearing a round-necked robe, had a tall and slender figure, and had a cold and sharp temperament. Just standing there, he had an aura that was hard to ignore.

Pei Jian.

Lord Pei, who caused Prince Jing to make a series of stupid moves, resulting in continuous losses of his own troops.

Lu Wensheng frowned subconsciously.

He remembered that Xiao Xun had said at that time that he wanted to marry Pei Jian's sweetheart to humiliate him, which was why the scene at the Qianqiu Banquet happened.

Pei Jian's sweetheart is Nian Xi.

The two men, separated by a distance, looked at each other silently.