The blue riding outfit reflected a faint light under the candlelight, and felt soft and smooth to the touch.
"This is riding attire..." Chang Lili almost jumped up after seeing it clearly, grinning and showing her white teeth. "Grandma, look, this is riding attire! Isn't it pretty?"
She held up the lake-blue riding outfit to herself, her face flushed with excitement.
The mother-in-law smiled at her expression. She didn't know if it was good for her to get too close to Meng Yuxiu, but seeing her happy face, she didn't want to think about it anymore.
"This Meng Yuxiu is quite concerned about his image. He's probably afraid that I'll look shabby and embarrass him, so he specially sent me some clothes," Chang Lili said dismissively after a moment of joy.
The mother-in-law was both amused and exasperated.
The next day, Chang Lili woke up very early. A few rays of bright white light shone in through the window, and she quietly turned over and got up.
Her mother-in-law hadn't gotten up yet, but she couldn't sleep, so she got up, put on her riding outfit, and carefully dressed herself up.
"When you get there, you'd better be careful and obedient, and stay close to General Meng." The old woman woke up at some point, sat up, and gave instructions to Chang Lili, who was dressed and made up.
Chang Lili smiled sheepishly: "Don't worry, Mother-in-law, I know what I'm doing."
When it got light, Chang Lili had breakfast with her mother-in-law. A little while later, a maid came to invite Chang Lili, saying it was time to leave, and led her to the gate of the General's Mansion.
A carriage was already waiting in front of the mansion gate. Chang Lili walked briskly to the gate and saw Meng Yuxiu waiting by the carriage.
He was dressed in a crimson robe, with broad shoulders and a slender waist, tall and elegant, looking exceptionally spirited, with a natural air of nobility amidst his heroic spirit.
He usually wears unremarkable clothes, but today he's dressed in luxurious attire, making him look even more outstanding and eye-catching.
Chang Lili glanced at him in surprise, then immediately looked away, feigning composure, and swallowed hard without making a sound.
She now understood why Xiao Shu'er had taken a liking to Meng Yuxiu and was so persistent in pursuing him. She was having trouble resisting such a handsome young man.
Despite being dressed in a lake-blue riding outfit, she was unaware that she was no longer the same as before. She, who always wore shabby clothes and no makeup, was now pretty, lively, and heroic.
Meng Yuxiu hadn't expected that she wasn't some naive young girl, but rather a delicate and beautiful young woman.
His gaze remained fixed on Chang Lili, and he forgot to look away.
It wasn't until Chang Lili walked up to him and waved that he realized his lapse in composure. Without giving Chang Lili a chance to ask any questions, he told her to get in the car quickly.
Throughout the journey, Chang Lili kept peeking out of the car window with great interest. In the past, life was hard, and she was busy making a living every day. She never had the leisure to travel and enjoy the scenery.
About an hour later, they finally arrived at West Mountain.
On the western hill, the hunting grounds had already been set up. Most of the royal relatives, high-ranking officials, and young masters and ladies from various families had already arrived. Meng Yuxiu and his group were considered to have arrived late.
Princess Xiao Shu'er was surrounded by a group of young ladies, but she was distracted.
From the moment she stepped onto West Mountain, she searched everywhere for Meng Yuxiu's figure.
Bai Mei looked around carefully to make sure Meng Yuxiu hadn't arrived before reporting to Xiao Shuer in private.
After that, Xiao Shu'er kept an eye on the entrance to the hunting grounds, but what she cared about most was not whether Meng Yuxiu had arrived, but whether Chang Lili had come with Meng Yuxiu.
She was certain that Meng Yuxiu wouldn't bring her along, after all, Chang Lili was at most a lowly servant.
Upon seeing Meng Yuxiu, dressed in elegant purple robes, alight from the carriage, Xiao Shuer immediately became infatuated. However, the next moment, her face darkened, because a figure in lake blue followed Meng Yuxiu off the carriage.
"Chang Lili! I want you dead!" Xiao Shu'er said through gritted teeth in a low voice, her hands tightly clasped together, her fingers turning white.
Meng Yuxiu was renowned for his beauty, and his arrival naturally attracted a group of girls. They all appeared reserved on the surface, but their eyes kept glancing over there.
When Chang Lili was helped off the carriage by Meng Yuxiu, the entire hunting ground was filled with shattered hearts.
Chang Lili, oblivious to everything, lightly jumped off the carriage, excitedly looking left and right, her clear eyes sparkling.
Meng Yuxiu brought Chang Lili along, and Xiao Shuer had also made arrangements for the Xishan Hunting Grounds. Now that Chang Lili was here, she wasn't going to leave.
But here's the annoying part: Chang Lili followed Meng Yuxiu closely the whole time, and kept casting provocative glances at Xiao Shuer, making Xiao Shuer so angry that she wanted to tear her to pieces, but she was helpless.
This scene was too much for Xiao Shu'er to bear. She mounted her horse, gripped the reins tightly, suppressed the surging anger in her chest, and came to the vicinity of Meng Yuxiu, which was also the vicinity of Chang Lili.
Chang Lili, that fellow, really couldn't resist causing trouble.
"Brother Meng," she called out sweetly before turning to Chang Lili, looking her up and down as if she were seeing her for the first time. "Isn't it inappropriate for this maid to be following you around all the time?"
As Xiao Shu'er spoke, a look of disdain appeared on her face. Chang Lili had a premonition that Xiao Shu'er was about to say something even more blatant to humiliate her.
"It's alright, she's my maid, so naturally she'll serve me." Meng Yuxiu said calmly.
A burst of laughter erupted around him, and someone shouted, "Everyone says that General Meng is unromantic and uninterested in women, but it seems that the rumors are not entirely true."
Xiao Shu'er's cheeks flushed with anger. She gripped the reins tightly, about to say something, but Chang Lili interrupted her: "This servant has met the Princess. The Princess is indeed radiant and full of energy. However, the Princess should still be careful. There are many poisonous creatures in this desolate wilderness. Don't be afraid of getting infected."
Others naturally couldn't understand the deeper meaning behind these words, but Xiao Shu'er's face paled. She glared at Chang Lili for a moment with her eyes full of anger, but in the end, she didn't say anything more hurtful.
She closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and then changed her expression, actually putting on a smile. Under Chang Lili's astonished gaze, she leaned closer.
"Sister Chang is so caring and considerate towards me; I have been negligent," Xiao Shu'er said softly, dismounting and warmly taking Chang Lili's hand.
Chang Lili felt goosebumps rise all over her body. She tried to pull her hand away from her, but failed.
This move immediately attracted the attention of the young ladies, who were all surprised and began to whisper among themselves.
Everyone says that Xiao Shu'er and Chang Lili are sworn enemies, but now they are so close, which is hard to understand.
Although Meng Yuxiu also felt something was amiss with her actions, he didn't feel comfortable intervening or stopping her.
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