Chapter 43 Your goal is to marry my older brother?
Xiao Lingxi slightly lifted the carriage curtain and saw Lin Wan'er standing in front of the exquisite carriage, smiling at her.
They had obviously been waiting here for a long time.
Xiao Lingxi was somewhat displeased, but still nodded to her, "Miss Lin, is there something you need?"
Lin Wan'er smiled gently, but her words made Xiao Lingxi freeze instantly:
“Sister Lingxi, I’ve been waiting for you here.”
...
Fifteen minutes later, in the teahouse, Lin Wan'er and Xiao Lingxi sat facing each other.
One of them maintained a constant smile, as if he were strategizing and had everything under control.
One of them stared intently at the other with eyes that seemed to spit fire.
"Miss Lin, you've been following me!?"
Xiao Lingxi looked at Lin Wan'er with hostility and defensiveness, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"My sister has misunderstood."
Lin Wan'er, unhurried and graceful, picked up the teapot and poured Xiao Lingxi a full cup of tea, saying:
"I happened to run into my sister outside Tingzhu Pavilion that day, and then I met Young Master Shen... It was just a coincidence, but I guessed a thing or two."
Then, she looked at Xiao Lingxi with a sincere expression, "But don't worry, sister, I have no other intentions, and I have no intention of telling anyone else about this or breaking you and Young Master Shen up."
Xiao Lingxi's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but the wariness in her eyes did not lessen.
"Tell me, what do you want?"
Lin Wan'er sighed softly, her tone full of understanding and empathy:
“Lingxi, I understand you very well. It’s perfectly normal for us girls to have worries that we don’t want to tell our parents and to seek out a confidant to confide in.”
"Most of the scions of noble families in the capital are arrogant and don't understand the feelings of us young ladies at all. Young Master Shen is gentle and refined, and he understands and cares for you. It's not easy to meet someone like him."
These words struck a chord with Xiao Lingxi.
She truly felt misunderstood, and Shen Moyan was her only confidant.
At this moment, being 'understood' and 'approved' by Lin Wan'er, Xiao Lingxi's hostility dissipated somewhat, and she even felt as if she had 'found a kindred spirit'.
"You really think so?"
"Have you also found someone you like?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Wan'er's face showed just the right amount of melancholy and regret:
"My sister is joking. I don't have your kind of good fortune."
She sighed softly, her eyes filled with a hint of envy: "My sister is loved by the Marquis's wife and protected by her two brothers. Even if she acts impulsively, it is just the nature of a young girl and is harmless."
"You must know a little about the Lin family's situation, sister. I was strictly taught by my grandfather and father from a young age. I was proficient in reading, writing, playing the zither, playing chess, calligraphy, and painting. There was no room for the slightest bias or mistake. Marriage is the same. How can I let my own temper dictate my decision? In the end... I just need to find a marriage that can stabilize the family and is of equal social standing."
Her words were sincere and heartfelt, vividly portraying the image of a pitiful woman burdened with family responsibilities and forced to suppress her own emotions.
Looking at the slight sorrow in Lin Wan'er's eyes, and recalling the Princess's flower-viewing banquet, Xiao Lingxi realized that although Lin Wan'er's talent surpassed that of all the noble ladies present, her elder brother had ultimately rejected her without hesitation.
This turned her from the most talented and beautiful woman in the capital into the laughingstock of the entire city.
Xiao Lingxi suddenly felt that Lin Wan'er was quite pitiful.
So, the last bit of wariness in my heart disappeared. A touch of sympathy also lingered.
"So... your goal is for me to marry my older brother and become his sister-in-law, is that right?"
Lin Wan'er did not deny it, but turned her face slightly to the side, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks at the right time.
This scene completely confirmed Xiao Lingxi's guess.
She instantly felt that Lin Wan'er was no longer a potential threat, but someone who was also bound by family and rules, and even more 'pitiful' than her.
Just thinking about her icy older brother made Xiao Lingxi feel suffocated.
Someone whose mind is filled with nothing but official duties, cases, and rules all day long, with a perpetually stern face and eyes that could freeze someone to death—how could they possibly know how to care for others?
That's why she wanted to find someone who was different from her older brother in every way—someone gentle, considerate, emotionally stable, and understanding.
Most importantly, we can't let her get away with it!
She felt that Shen Moyan was quite suitable in all aspects, except that his family background was a bit poor.
But it doesn't matter. She is the legitimate daughter of a marquis's family and will have a generous dowry in the future. Even if she marries into the Shen family, her life shouldn't be too bad.
Seeing Xiao Lingxi's expression change and her eyes filled with sympathy as she looked at her, Lin Wan'er knew that the time was right.
She sighed softly, her gaze passing over the windowpane to the distant mountains. The afternoon light shone on her face, giving her a fragile yet aloof beauty.
"Since you've figured it out, I won't hide it from you anymore."
"Lingxi, you can understand me, right?"
“Look at everyone in the capital, who isn’t living in shackles?”
"The Yongning Marquis's family is known for its upright character, and its heir is an exceptional individual, a man of outstanding virtue and integrity..."
When Xiao Jingheng was mentioned, there was little admiration in her eyes, but rather a sense of appreciation, which was tinged with calmness.
"The marriage between the Marquis's Mansion and the Lin family is a powerful alliance. The heir needs the support of the upright and prestigious family, while the Lin family... also needs the Marquis's Mansion's real power as a support."
She frankly pointed out the pros and cons, displaying an upright and forthright attitude.
On the contrary, it doesn't make people feel disgusted.
Then, she changed the subject: "As for you, my sister..."
“If I truly become your sister-in-law in the future, we will be a real family. I understand my sister’s feelings. It is normal for a young man to be attracted to someone. Although Young Master Shen is talented, his family background is weak and his future is difficult.”
"With the support of the Lin family and the Marquis's mansion, wouldn't his future career in the imperial examinations and your future lives be much better than if you, my sister, had to struggle on your own?"
These words successfully stirred up ripples in Xiao Lingxi's heart.
She admired Lin Wan'er's straightforward and honest personality.
So, she couldn't help but blurt out:
"Sister Lin, I'm not trying to discourage you, but my older brother... are you really sure about this? He's stern, always has a stern face, and is incredibly boring. He only cares about official duties and rules; he doesn't care about anyone at all! I'm even afraid of him!"
"You went to great lengths to marry into this family, but maybe... maybe you'll never be able to warm his heart of stone."
Xiao Lingxi was speaking from the heart.
She genuinely believed that her older brother was like an ice cube, a machine. She was sure he would feel the same way about his future wife.
Lin Wan'er was not deterred by these words and smiled faintly.
“Sister, there are different ways for couples to get along in this world. Some couples live in perfect harmony, while others treat each other with the utmost respect.”
"For me, a promise and respect from the Crown Prince is enough!"
Xiao Jingheng is a person who is truly rigorous and self-disciplined, values rules, and keeps promises.
But once he commits to a relationship, such as with his wife, he will treat her family well, regard his wife as part of his responsibility, and give her the respect and status she deserves.
As long as she doesn't make any mistakes, her position as the Crown Princess will be as secure as a rock.
But she didn't intend to explain these things to Xiao Lingxi.
Because everyone's thoughts are different, she didn't expect Xiao Lingxi to truly care about her.
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