Chapter 23 Ripples (Part 1) He pressed her fair wrist firmly to the ground...
Half an hour ago.
The servants of the Marquis of Yining opened the gates of the mansion to welcome Xu Yueyuan and her party inside. After being informed of their arrival at each level, they were finally led to the Marquis's wife's courtyard.
This was Zhi Rou's first time visiting the Yining Marquis's residence, and it was quite different from what she had expected.
The Marquis's mansion was spacious and well-lit, with the spring sun casting dappled shadows on the blue brick path, creating a hazy, ethereal atmosphere. It was very tranquil and dreamlike, less imposing than the Song Mansion.
Song Hanjin walked alongside her, glancing at her out of the corner of her eye for a moment before quickly looking away.
Pulled by her force, Zhi Rou's right shoulder immediately slumped, and then a voice rang in her ears: "Mother, I twisted my ankle..."
Xu Yueyuan turned around and saw two girls supporting each other. Song Hanjin's brows were furrowed, and she looked like she was in unbearable pain.
Xu Yueyuan walked up to them and looked down at them for a few moments, then lowered her voice slightly: "You sprain your ankle every time you enter the Marquis's residence. How many times has it been? Are you incompatible with the Marquis's family? Get up."
He didn't give her a chance to speak; as soon as he finished speaking, he turned and walked away.
Song Hanjin bit her lip, and with Zhi Rou's help, slowly stood up. As she walked, she stomped her feet twice, and she actually looked quite convincing.
After passing through the side gate, a different nanny led them to Liankong Courtyard.
Lady Hou was still ill, and the courtyard was filled with a bitter medicinal smell. Xu Yueyuan frowned slightly and unconsciously quickened her pace. When she entered the main room, she saw a beautiful figure sitting half-sitting on the edge of the bed, not showing much signs of illness. Only then did she slow down her pace again.
The children went to inquire about etiquette first, said a few words of concern, and then stood aside, clearly not very pleased.
Seeing this, Lady Hou instructed her nanny to lead them around the mansion, hoping they might run into Mingying.
Upon hearing this, Song Hanjin quickly declined, saying that she knew the way well and didn't need anyone to guide her. Song Qiyu had already made an appointment to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football), and having fulfilled her courtesy, she took her leave first, leaving only Xu Yueyuan in the room to talk with Lady Hou.
As Zhi Rou and her companion emerged, they encountered a woman walking under the eaves, bearing an air of kinship reminiscent of Lord Wei. Song Hanjin gave her a slight bow and quickly slipped out of the courtyard.
If it weren't for her mother's urging, Song Hanjin would have been extremely unwilling to go to the Marquis's residence.
Zhi Rou is different from her.
It would be a lie to say that this was her first time here. She hadn't dared to look around while someone was leading her, but now that everyone was gone, she couldn't help but take a closer look at every tile and piece of wood in the mansion.
"What are you looking at?" Song Hanjin suddenly raised her voice.
Zhi Rou turned her face, her eyes like the rising sun in the morning mist: "Third sister, do you think I can become a craftsman in the future? Like Lu Ban."
Upon hearing this, Song Hanjin looked surprised, but soon couldn't help but laugh: "Are you crazy?"
She walked forward and continued, "In our dynasty, no woman has ever worked as a craftswoman, not even in the wildest dreams. You are the first."
"How do you know that my third sister doesn't know? Perhaps they are all young like me and cannot be touched by such things."
His tone was casual and not arrogant, but it still made Song Hanjin feel somewhat uncomfortable.
She stopped and turned around, only to see Song Zhirou also standing still, her eyes fixed on the garden in the distance. Following her gaze, she saw Wei Mingying and the group of Tan family members.
Song Hanjin suddenly became irritated: "Are you very familiar with them?"
The same thing happened last time. She saw Wei Yuanzhan and immediately went over to greet him. Didn't anyone in the manor teach her the proper etiquette, that one shouldn't exchange pleasantries with people from the Marquis's manor in private?
Zhi Rou knew that Song Hanjin wouldn't let her go, so she didn't say anything. However, she was lost in thought for a while when she saw a plum tree in the garden that hadn't withered.
"No," she replied, lifting her boots to catch up with Song Hanjin.
Before she could take two steps, the latter suddenly changed his mind and walked back to meet her under her gaze: "Let's go."
After all, it would be impolite not to approach someone you see in the Marquis's residence.
For Yu Zhirou, this was an unexpected delight. She readily agreed, and a slightly joyful smile even appeared on her lips as she pondered how to ask Wei Yuanzhan to play with slingshots with her when she saw him later.
Unfortunately, reality is often disappointing.
As soon as I stepped down one stone step, I suddenly heard a few whispers: something about "being raised in Jiangnan" and "the Song family," and finally, the word "cousin" was mentioned.
Zhi Rou and Song Hanjin both stopped walking.
The dappled sunlight shone through the flowering trees, obscuring the figure of the person speaking.
Before long, she heard a mocking voice, it was Wei Yuanzhan's voice: "Our Wei family doesn't have this custom, we can't call anyone 'cousin' or 'sister'."
Zhi Rou's brows furrowed slightly, and her long eyelashes drooped down, concealing the expression in her eyes.
But when Wei Yuanzhan appeared in her field of vision without warning, and their eyes met, Song Hanjin's face froze instantly.
As if caught red-handed eavesdropping, she nervously clenched her hands, spun her skirt up the steps, and said in a low voice, "Let's go."
Even as their shadows shifted onto the corridor, Wei Yuanzhan was still unable to shake off his bewilderment.
He was flustered and didn't know what to do.
No one said they would come; no one knows how much they listened to while they were standing there; even if they did hear it... what difference would it make? The way Song Zhirou lowered her eyelashes just now... was she angry?
A while later, Wei Mingying caught up and, seeing that he had not yet left the garden, exclaimed in surprise, "You haven't left?" She then tugged at his sleeve, "Hurry up, I can't stand it anymore."
Meanwhile, in the corridor.
The sunlight chased after their silhouettes, like a dim lamp flickering incessantly in the blizzard-stricken night.
As the wind subsided and her pace slowed, Song Hanjin patted her chest and complained, "I knew I shouldn't have gone up. Now look what happened..." She turned back and took a couple of breaths, "Thank goodness I didn't follow."
Turning around and catching a glimpse of Song Zhirou's expression, he raised an eyebrow slightly: "What's wrong with you?"
So what if they were caught red-handed? Why make such a fuss? They've already run away, and Wei Yuanzhan didn't even chase after them.
Zhi Rou didn't even feel like giving her a perfunctory response; she just felt confused and upset.
Are all people in the capital so hypocritical? What does it matter if we're related by marriage? Who wants to curry favor with someone like that?
Suddenly feeling numbness in her legs, she listlessly sat down on the bench next to the King of Wu and said to Song Hanjin, "Third sister, I'm tired from walking."
As Song Hanjin savored the food, she gradually understood something. Seeing her reaction, she chuckled and said, "What they said is true. What's the big deal?"
Zhi Rou knew this was the truth, but for some reason, hearing it from Wei Yuanzhan made her very unhappy.
She turned her face away, pretending not to care: "I just want to rest for a while, Third Sister, don't worry about me."
Spending time with her, Song Hanjin discovered that she was different from others in one way. Her spoiled and willful nature was hidden beneath her surface, easily revealed, which gave people a refreshing feeling.
Song Hanjin wasn't in a hurry to leave. She brushed off her clothes, sat down, and stayed there without saying a word, feeling utterly bored.
After a long while, footsteps came from not far away. It was someone from the Marquis's residence inviting them over. Presumably, their mother had finished talking and was calling them home, so they quickly stood up.
Xu Yueyuan walked out of Liankong Courtyard and turned to ask Granny Liu, "Have you sent someone to call them?" She was referring to Song Hanjin and the other person.
Granny Liu replied, "The two young ladies are already waiting in the front yard. They haven't caused any trouble, so Madam can rest assured."
After listening, she sighed, "I wonder what kind of trouble Jin'er and Mingying had. These past two years, she's been giving Mingying the cold shoulder every time she comes to the Marquis's residence. Didn't they get along very well before?"
He took a few steps forward and said, "Yu'er is the same... Ever since the old Marquis passed away, I haven't seen him come to the Marquis's mansion to practice spear with Yuanzhan. When the two of them meet at the mansion, they are as polite as strangers, and they even look me up and down so I can't tell."
The thought of these children gave Xu Yueyuan a headache. She raised her hand to pinch her brow, and just as she put it down, the wind swept through the corridor, drawing a tall, jade-like shadow.
As she drew closer, the man's features became clearer. She stopped and bowed slightly, saying, "My lord."
The midday sun shone on the gold embroidery on Wei Jingfan's official robes, making him look different from when he was young, with a kind of majestic and handsome appearance.
"No need for formalities." He smiled, pursing his lips. "Have you come to see Yueqing?"
"Yes, we're leaving now." Xu Yueyuan composed herself. "My sister doesn't look as bad as they said; she should be alright, right?"
Wei Jingfan gave a soft "hmm": "It was a little worse a couple of days ago, but it's almost healed now."
"That's good then. Lord Marquis, please go ahead. I'll take the children back with me."
She said nothing more, nodded, and took her leave.
Back at the Song residence, it was still bright outside. Song Hanjin stepped off the carriage first, waiting for Song Zhirou.
Xu Yueyuan noticed her movements and immediately stopped herself. She waited until she returned to her room before asking Liu Mama about what had happened in the past month.
At that moment, Zhi Rou jumped down, and Song Han Jin continued the conversation that hadn't been finished in the carriage, saying, "Then do you want to get your ears pierced?"
"Yes." Zhi Rou straightened her dress and walked with her. "My mother said that I have never looked like a girl since I was a child, and I am very afraid of pain, so she has always put it off and has never been willing to let me wear it."
Just as Song Hanjin was about to open her mouth, she caught a glimpse of a carriage parked about five zhang away.
It was Song Peiyu's carriage.
She gave a slight snort: "He still dares to come."
Zhi Rou glanced back, paused for a moment, then lifted her skirt and stepped over the threshold.
From that day on, Wei Yuanzhan discovered that Song Zhirou's attitude towards him had changed again.
It's not that they'll never see each other again, but since they studied together, they're bound to run into each other and exchange a few words.
But these two sentences have transformed from a complex conversation into a few simple words:
There are few other possibilities.
Wei Yuanzhan pondered carefully. The incident probably started when his family came to visit him at his residence that day, and Song Zhirou and Song Hanjin overheard his conversation with his sister.
But he didn't say anything wrong.
Why did she do this?
Wei Yuanzhan glanced at Zhi Rou, then heard Lan Ye whisper beside him, "Master, Young Master Sheng has arrived."
"Sheng Xingyun?" He paused, then asked, "Where?"
Back at the wall, Wei Yuanzhan climbed over and saw Sheng Xingyun pacing around outside. He smiled, casually grabbed a hawthorn, and tossed it down.
Something suddenly hit the side of her shoe, startling Sheng Xingyun. She stared up in a daze for a moment, then said gently, "You've come."
"You really enjoy meeting here? I find it rather strange. Quit."
Sheng Xingyun jokingly said to him without a look in his eyes, "I have something urgent to attend to..."
Wei Yuanzhan glanced at him for a moment, then slightly composed himself: "Go on."
Seemingly finding it extremely difficult to speak, he pursed his lips hesitantly: "That old bastard Gong Yan, he... I..."
He hadn't uttered a complete sentence for half a day. Wei Yuanzhan was getting anxious for him, his brow furrowing slightly: "What's wrong?"
He felt ashamed, and so he stammered on, his mouth dry from speaking, before finally managing to utter half a sentence. It could roughly be summarized in one sentence: He had been expelled from Tingsong Academy by Gong Yan.
Sheng Xingyun came from a merchant family. He wanted to change his status and stop being at the mercy of others. He had no other way out but to study. Gong Yan's actions ruined his future.
Although he wasn't entirely enthusiastic about reading before, having it or not is a different matter.
Wei Yuanzhan understood his anxiety and frowned, asking, "Have you sought out Master Li? Could he possibly help you?"
Sheng Xingyun shook his head. "It's no use. My father led people to visit Master Li many times. Although he didn't say it explicitly, he implied the same thing."
Even Master Li was at a loss, so he came to him for help... Could it be...?
"You want to come to the Song residence?" Wei Yuanzhan asked, his tone unchanged, almost certain.
Sheng Xingyun only had one aristocratic friend in the capital, so even though it was difficult, he had no choice but to ask him for help. He was filled with shame: "...Is it alright?"
Wei Yuanzhan did not reply immediately.
Even though the Song and Wei families were old friends, it wouldn't be easy to place a merchant's son into the Song family school. Not to mention the Song family elders, Wei Yuanzhan's mother would be the first to object.
When she sent Wei Yuanzhan to study at the Song family mansion, wasn't it precisely to avoid him?
A golden veil draped over the young man's brows, his eyes slightly lowered: "Let me think about it. It might not work out."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Xingyun smiled and bowed deeply to him at the foot of the courtyard wall: "Whether things succeed or fail, having you as a friend is my greatest fortune!"
"Alright," he said with a smirk. "I'll thank you if you just stop hanging around my master's place so much."
Seeing Mr. Du hurrying towards the family school, Wei Yuanzhan didn't linger. He jumped down, straightened his sleeves, and looked up to meet Song Zhirou's eyes.
She stood on the veranda, with her second brother beside her. They seemed to be exchanging gifts with each other. She bumped into him on the wall and looked in this direction for a while.
Their eyes met, and Song Zhirou nodded in greeting before heading into the family school with Song Qizhang.
"Miss Song has become much more polite these days," Lan Ye remarked thoughtfully.
Wei Yuanzhan glanced at him indifferently and stepped onto the corridor.
The next day after school, Zhi Rou was kept behind by Mr. Du.
Zhi Rou rubbed her head while lying on the desk, looking extremely regretful.
Suddenly, there was a "thump".
A cloth bag appeared on the desk.
She looked up and saw a slender, bamboo-like hand brush past the edge of her desk, quickly concealed by a falling sleeve.
It was Wei Yuanzhan.
As he passed by her, he tossed a bag of fruit onto her desk.
Zhi Rou was somewhat stunned.
This is the third time. It's the third time he's thrown food at her.
She turned to look at his back. He seemed to do it casually, without saying anything or even glancing at her, and strode out the door with his usual haughty demeanor.
As the sun set, light and shadow shifted on the white wall. Xinghui brought over a bowl of soup noodles, set it down, and then squatted down beside Zhirou's desk with her knees drawn up: "Fourth Miss, finish eating before you write. There's braised pork knuckle."
"It's finished." Zhi Rou's gaze remained fixed on the paper. She was so focused that no temptation could sway her.
After finishing the soup dumplings in one go, she picked up a cloth bag and stood up.
Xinghui placed the bowl into the food box and glanced at what she was holding: "What are you holding, young lady?"
“Oh,” Zhi Rou glanced down for a moment, “the fruit. Wei Yuanzhan gave it to me.”
"Young Master?"
Xinghui was surprised, and after a while, she chuckled: "Young Master is so kind. He knows that you were punished and is worried that you will go hungry!"
"Is that so?" Zhi Rou's fingertips curled slightly, and her heart tightened a little as well.
Before long, the two went out, and the moonlight shone on a furtive shadow.
Zhi Rou paused for a moment: "Song Peiyu? What are you doing here?"
Hearing this from behind, Xinghui paused, her hand holding the food box froze, and she suddenly lost her voice.
At this hour, everyone in the courtyards is eating, and given the secluded location of the private school, there aren't many people around. The presence of Song Peiyu, someone who shouldn't be there, is likely up to no good.
He brushed the dust off his robes and sneered, "You really think the Song residence is your own home? You can come in, but I can't?"
Zhi Rou instinctively felt that he was there to provoke her and feared things might not end well, so she turned her head and instructed Xing Hui, "Go find your older brother."
Her voice was very low, and Xinghui vaguely felt that she had misheard.
Just as he was about to speak, the Fourth Sister took two steps forward and asked Song Peiyu, "What do you want to say?"
Xing returned without thinking much, quickly composed herself, dropped the food box, and slipped out through another door.
In the courtyard, the crescent moon shone brightly, and all was silent.
Seeing that Zhi Rou had a clever appearance, Song Peiyu calmed down a bit: "You know what's good for you."
Then he added, "Go tell Song Qiyu that what happened between you and me was just a normal game, nothing more, and ask him to bring me back to the academy."
With just one sentence, the holiday was completely over, and Zhi Rou naturally didn't have a pleasant tone: "Why should I?"
She stood on the steps, a few inches taller than him.
“You only cause me trouble at home. I’ve had a few days of peace while you were gone. I think things are fine as they are now, so why should I let you come back?”
"Do you think that just because I've been expelled from the school, I can't make things difficult for you?" Song Peiyu strode closer.
Zhi Rou looked at him with an expression that wasn't one of fear, but rather one of defiance: "It's actually quite good that I can't see you."
Song Peiyu gritted his teeth, and after a moment, he mocked, "You just won't listen to a soft approach, huh?"
Zhi Rou casually hummed in agreement.
Seeing him roll up his sleeves, she raised an eyebrow: "You want to fight me?"
Such a contemptuous tone made Song Peiyu bite his cheek.
He had initially thought that Song Zhirou was just a bit brave, mostly putting on an act, and wouldn't dare to really fight him one-on-one. Now it seemed that she actually thought she could defeat him?
"You think I wouldn't dare to make a move?"
Song Peiyu strode up the steps, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.
When Xinghui invited the eldest son to the family school, a light rain began to fall, drifting in the air in a fine mist. When the lanterns shone on it, the raindrops took shape, like needles falling.
Song Qiyu walked briskly down the corridor, his robes fluttering in the wind, his boots making a "thump-thump" sound as they stepped on the ground.
When Xing returned to the courtyard to look for him, he was just coming back from Danyu Garden, preparing to practice his spear for a while. A servant outside reported that the Fourth Miss's maid had an urgent matter to ask him to bring someone to the family school.
Upon hearing this, he paused in changing his boots, his brows furrowing slightly.
Based on the words "family school" alone, I already had a guess in my mind.
A few days ago, he visited the clan elders and expelled Song Peiyu from the family school.
Song Peiyu dared not approach him, but she dared to give Song Zhirou a try.
Song Qiyu did not ask about the details of Xinghui's side, but only instructed the servants in the courtyard to keep quiet about what happened tonight and not to disturb her father and grandmother.
He then put on his boots and went out, calling for Changli.
Throughout the journey, Song Qiyu remained silent, his mind already conjuring up many unbearable scenes.
If Song Peiyu were to fight with Song Zhirou and injure her, how would he explain it to his father? Not to mention, what would happen to her reputation if she, a young woman, had a conflict with a man outside the home?
Song Qiyu was deep in thought, and his gait revealed his urgency.
Under the pitch-black sky, a fine drizzle fell.
Song Zhirou sat on the stone steps, wiping the rain from her face, and looked down at Song Peiyu: "Want to come again?"
Her clothes were slightly disheveled, and her hair was damp with rain, reflecting a glossy sheen under the lantern, making her look like a fox spirit, shaped like a reclining rabbit, yet possessing a natural wildness in her bones.
Song Peiyu helped himself up, his breathing rapid, his eyes fixed on her with a mixture of fear and hatred.
"You..." He gritted his teeth, unable to utter a single word for a long time.
He never expected that Song Zhirou, who looked so thin, was so strong, and that her martial arts skills were probably no less than those of his bodyguards.
If he had known it would end like this, he would have called everyone in from outside. Why was he bullied like this by a little girl?
Song Qiyu stood under the cave entrance beside the trees, observing the two people in this scene, and was slightly shocked.
When he came to his senses, he suddenly smiled, a hint of disdain in his expression.
His fourth sister had actually schemed against him as well.
He abruptly lifted his boots and walked into the courtyard.
Upon seeing him, Song Zhirou immediately stood up, lowered her eyes, and called out, "Big brother."
Song Qiyu's voice was cold: "Go back."
He glanced sideways at Chang Li, understood, stepped forward and handed the umbrella to the Fourth Sister, then held up another one to shield Song Qiyu's head.
The raindrops pattered against the silk surface, and the light "rustling" sound gave people an invisible sense of oppression.
Zhi Rou dared not linger and quickly walked down the steps toward the Moon Cave Gate.
Xinghui was waiting there. When she saw her coming, she hurriedly asked, "Is Fourth Miss alright? Are you hurt? That Tenth Young Master... did you hit him?"
He took the umbrella from her hand and held it high for her.
Zhi Rou raised her arm and moved it slightly, letting out a soft hiss and furrowing her brow discreetly. Afraid of worrying her mother, she simply replied casually, "It's alright, you can still move around."
"You're really something, young lady," Xinghui praised sincerely. "I'm sure the Tenth Young Master won't dare to come again... But Fourth Young Lady, why did you send me to find the Eldest Young Master instead of the Master and Madam?"
In Xinghui's eyes, no matter how dignified the eldest young master is, he is still a young man. If it is to make decisions for the fourth young lady, the master and madam still need to step in.
She didn't know that what Zhi Rou wanted wasn't for others to make decisions for her, but for her to vent her anger herself.
Song Peiyu was kicked out of the family school by his older brother. Instead of causing trouble for his older brother, he bullied her.
Because they revered the Song family of the capital, not her.
Zhi Rou had observed that Song Peiyu's hands were very fair and smooth, without calluses; every time he clenched his fist and placed it on her desk to scare her, his fist was clearly weak. In addition, tonight, look at what he was wearing... He didn't even bother to choose comfortable clothes when climbing over the wall.
She can handle an embroidered pillow.
But if Song Peiyu spreads this recklessly after tonight and spreads it around, smearing her reputation, it will damage her name.
She needs someone to witness it.
The older brother is the best choice.
It was originally a feud between him and Song Peiyu; he had expelled Song Peiyu from the family school for the sake of his third sister. He should have cleaned up the mess he hadn't handled properly.
But recalling Song Qiyu's gaze and voice on the eaves just now, it was like a cold wind that froze someone.
Zhi Rou couldn't think too much about it and answered casually, "Oh, I forgot. In my panic, I could only think of my older brother. Sister Xing Hui, do you still have braised pork knuckle? I'm hungry again."
"Yes, is that right? Miss, are you still hungry?" they said as they walked towards Longyue Pavilion.
On the summer solstice of that year, Zhi Rou received news from Wei Yuanzhan that Mr. Xue Nan's old illness had relapsed.
Mr. Seymour had been kind to her, and since she couldn't help him with other matters, she thought of other ways to help him.
After the third lecture ended at noon, Zhi Rou caught up with Wei Yuanzhan: "Wait a minute!"
Since she had eaten his fruit a few times, her manners had become more relaxed: "Young Master Wei, are you going to Qiyun Garden tomorrow? Could you give me a ride?"
Wei Yuanzhan stared at her for a moment, then teased, "Can't your Song family afford a carriage anymore?"
Zhi Rou: "I didn't intend to tell anyone about my trip."
She disliked having to report to superiors and get their approval before acting; it was too restrictive. But sneaking out alone was time-consuming and expensive, as she didn't have a car. One day might be fine, but it couldn't last any longer.
Upon hearing this, Wei Yuanzhan's eyebrows twitched slightly: "How will you come with me?"
Even without disguising herself, she couldn't avoid the servants in the mansion, let alone leave the mansion without permission.
"You agreed?" Zhi Rou smiled. "After school tomorrow, wait for me in Qufei Lane, and I'll climb over the wall."
Qufei Lane is separated from the Song family school by only one wall.
It seems she was prepared all along, confident that he would help her?
Wei Yuanzhan chuckled softly, not pursuing the matter further: "Alright."
Zhi Rou immediately turned her hands back from behind her back and held them in front of him: "A thank you gift!"
After he took it, he disappeared in a flash.
"Fourth Miss, you're going to..."
Xinghui stayed close to Zhirou, but was abruptly interrupted as soon as she spoke: "Sister Xinghui, could you help me this time too? Mr. Xuenan is my benefactor. He is ill, and I want to go see him."
Xinghui frowned and remained silent for a moment, remembering how kind the Fourth Miss had been to her, before finally asking, "How can I help you?"
On this day, Zhi Rou said she was too tired after school and wanted to go back to her room to rest. Xing Hui dismissed the two maids on duty, closed the door, and did not open it again.
Wei Yuanzhan was a man of his word; as soon as he left the Song residence, he instructed Lan Ye to drive the carriage to Qufei Lane.
It was still early, and with the summer sun shining brightly, Lan Ye couldn't help but complain, "Master, are we still going to wait? Is she playing a trick on us?"
Wei Yuanzhan leaned against the carriage wall, pretending to doze off. Upon hearing this, he turned slightly to the side, lifted the curtain to glance at the sky, and said nothing.
Suddenly a whisper came from above: "Big brother, big brother!"
It gave him a jolt.
A moment later, he realized that the person she was calling for was Lan Ye, and he quickly withdrew the hand that had been lifting the curtain, blocking her view.
Zhi Rou felt a little embarrassed and asked the older boy below in a soft voice, "Could you... let me step on you for a moment?"
The walls of the Song residence were high, and several wooden crates had been piled outside the walls, making them easy to reach.
Lan Ye was speechless for a moment, his brows furrowed deeply, and he turned to ask Wei Yuanzhan for instructions. Before he could speak, a voice came from inside the carriage: "Lend her."
He had no choice but to reluctantly return to the wall, his broad shoulders slightly hunched, clearly unwilling to be her ladder.
After a moment's thought, he spread his hands slightly and raised them upwards: "Miss Song, if you trust me, then jump down!"
Zhi Rou wasn't afraid of heights, but she couldn't help thinking: what if he wasn't accurate and dropped her?
She wanted help but was also wary. Zhi Rou was unusually shy and didn't move for half a day.
Although Wei Yuanzhan was sitting in the carriage, he heard everything clearly outside. He frowned slightly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger: "Lan Ye, stop dawdling."
A very low sound.
Upon hearing this, Lan Ye sighed in distress and obediently leaned his shoulder against Zhi Rou.
After Zhi Rou got off, she kept apologizing and thanking him until his complexion improved before getting into the carriage.
Inside the car, Zhi Rou asked Wei Yuanzhan some details about his illness, learning that he still felt a burning sensation at the site of his old injury, limiting his mobility. The doctor said he needed to rest and maintain a cheerful mood. Zhi Rou felt that this might be helpful in this regard.
As they were talking, Wei Yuanzhan moved a plate of pastries to the other side and casually asked her, "How did you and your husband meet?"
She paused, her gaze fixed on the curtain seam, and remained silent.
That was two or three years ago. Young Master Sun from the county took a fancy to Lin He and tried to force her into marriage. After failing several times, he personally barged into the small house to tie her up.
Zhi Rou had just turned seven years old when she returned from the private school and discussed with Xiao E where to go the next day.
Before she even entered the door, she heard a commotion. Zhi Rou suddenly felt uneasy. She told Xiao'e to call for help, and then grabbed a wooden stick and ran towards the door.
After that day, Young Master Sun didn't come again for a long time.
Until autumn.
At the street corner, Young Master Sun led a group of men to stop Zhi Rou. Each of them was burly and imposing, like a wall. Zhi Rou's palms and forehead were sweating, but she still managed to stand firm, looking for an opportunity.
Inside the carriage, Zhi Rou pulled herself out of her memories and pretended to be indifferent: "Back in Luozhou, I got into a fight with someone. They outnumbered me, so I was naturally no match for them. It was then that Mr. Xue Nan 'descended from the sky' and saved me."
"Back then, the gentleman said I was quick-witted, strong, and a martial arts prodigy," she said, picking up a piece of pastry and putting it in her mouth.
Wei Yuanzhan glanced down at her frail body and raised an eyebrow.
"you?"
Zhi Rou glanced back, her face showing an expression that said, "Yes, it's me."
"He's definitely strong." He chuckled, remembering the deadly mud ball.
Zhi Rou's impression of Wei Yuanzhan was like a talisman, constantly changing according to his behavior.
Right now, this talisman looks rather ugly.
The two sat facing each other, unsure where to look.
After a long pause, Zhi Rou changed her mind, looked up at him, and asked with eyes that shone like stars: "How did you take me as your disciple, Master? If I also want to seriously learn martial arts, would you accept me?"
Wei Yuanzhan pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head: "No."
"Why?"
He said casually, "I practiced a set of marksmanship with my master. In exchange, he accepted me as his apprentice." He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, "What else can you do?"
She heard his soft, hoarse voice and knew he hadn't meant to tease her, but she was still upset. She pursed her lips and looked away.
Upon arriving at Qiyun Garden, Zhi Rou didn't wait for Wei Yuanzhan to get off first; she pushed open the door and went out herself, standing to the side with a rather arrogant air.
Wei Yuanzhan clearly sensed the change, but unfortunately didn't understand why. He glanced at her and coughed, "Let's go."
Upon entering the courtyard, Zhi Rou suddenly smiled, radiating a relaxed aura. Xue Nan was initially surprised but then delighted to see her. Hearing her speak, he couldn't help but smile, filling the entire courtyard with cheerful buzzing sounds.
"By the way, did you come with Yuan Zhan?"
Yes. We studied together.
"You're planning to stay in the capital?"
"Hmm...maybe. If you don't mind me bothering you, I can come to see you every day."
"Hahaha, good, good."
Wei Yuanzhan: "..."
Thus, every day after school, Wei Yuanzhan had an extra task on his shoulders: to pick up Song Zhirou.
“Master, don’t you think this Qufei Lane is a bit eerie? Young Master Sheng invited you to meet here before, and now Miss Song is also… too strange.” Lan Ye said one day.
In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed, and Zhi Rou has become a regular at Qi Yun Garden.
At first, Wei Yuanzhan was just regretful; now, he was quite impatient with Song Zhirou.
As dusk approached, Xue Nan, having almost fully recovered, played chess with Zhi Rou on the couch.
Zhi Rou was not good at this. Although she had studied with Lin He for a few days, she was not calm and could not practice.
At this moment, Xue Nan was teaching her step by step. Wei Yuanzhan lifted his robe and sat down beside her, watching the game without saying a word, but occasionally glancing at her with his eyes.
The candlelight in the room was dim, and her profile seemed to be shrouded in a layer of light, revealing a very delicate curve from her brow bone to the tip of her nose.
To be fair, she's quite pretty.
But as soon as she arrived, she took over his master's position, and no matter how beautiful she was, he still couldn't stand her.
The girl, whom everyone disliked, stopped playing chess and straightened her back: "Sir, I would like to learn martial arts from you."
Xue Nan glanced at her several times: "Did someone bully you?"
"No," Zhi Rou said softly. "I was thinking that if I encounter bad people in the future, I can learn martial arts to protect myself."
Her words were like a gentle breeze, carrying with them a desolate memory of Luozhou City.
Xue Nan curled her ten fingers slightly on her knees, her heart moved.
He didn't reply for a long time.
Zhi Rou wasn't in a hurry and sat obediently opposite him. Wei Yuanzhan, on the other hand, seemed restless, his thick eyebrows furrowed, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards the couch, and his fists clenched.
"good."
Xue Nan spoke slowly, and her simple word suddenly pierced Wei Yuanzhan.
He jumped up: "Master!"
Zhi Rou reacted quickly, immediately slipping off her shoes and kneeling on the ground to bow to Xue Nan: "Disciple Zhi Rou greets Master!"
As she straightened up, she caught a glimpse of Wei Yuanzhan's angry retreating figure out of the corner of her eye. Her knees involuntarily turned slightly, and her gaze lingered on the direction he had disappeared in, unable to look away for a long time.
After that day, Wei Yuanzhan never accepted Song Zhirou again.
Perhaps it was because he had begged for months to become Wei Mingying's disciple, which she had easily taken away. It was as if everyone at home catered to Wei Mingying.
He rarely has someone who takes care of him exclusively, so why should Song Zhirou take his place?
Becoming an apprentice was no small matter. Zhi Rou reported this to Song Congzhao, who agreed. Every day before dawn, she would get up and be driven to Qiyun Garden by Brother Pei from the front yard.
Wei Yuanzhan competed with her at every turn.
At first, Zhi Rou didn't realize what was going on, only that his words were teasing and slightly arrogant.
Gradually, she seemed to have suddenly become quite clever, even competing with Wei Yuanzhan to be the first to arrive at Qiyun Garden.
Time passed, and spring arrived in the twenty-second year of Shuo De.
Xue Nan was brewing tea inside as usual. Hearing the noise outside, she glanced at the window and chuckled, "These two... Lan Ye, go check on them. Don't let Yuan Zhan hurt Rou'er."
The man who had been leaning against the door watching the play moved slightly, defending his master: "Don't worry, sir, our young master is very sensible and won't hurt the fourth young lady."
"Then aren't you worried that Rou'er will hurt your young master?" Xue Nan retorted with a sharp look.
Lan Ye frowned immediately, quickly took two steps to observe the situation, and seeing that his young master had the upper hand, he calmed down and said: "Young master is mighty!"
At that moment, Wei Yuanzhan was straddling Zhi Rou, both of them had already dropped their swords, and he pressed her fair wrist tightly to the ground, looking down at her.
Fourteen-year-old Song Zhirou is no different from five years ago, except that she has grown up a bit and has a graceful figure in the spring sunshine of the courtyard.
At this moment, she did not struggle, but simply opened her eyelids to look at him calmly, even with a faint smile on her lips, as if to provoke him.
Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow, somewhat wary, but the jade bone in his hand was real, truly under his control.
She couldn't help but curl her lips into a smug smile: "After all these years, Song Zhirou, you still can't beat me."
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