Over the next few days, Xu Rong deliberately instructed Hong Liu to stroll around the vicinity of Li Yuan whenever she had free time. Upon learning that Lord Xiao and Aunt Ruan had not gone looking for her again, and that things were quiet and peaceful at Madam Wei's place, he felt relieved.
She casually told Xiao Xin, who nodded but didn't say anything—he seemed to have no time to talk to her at all. Xu Rong noticed that he wasn't just reading; he also seemed to have started writing an essay, hunched over his desk, pen in hand, looking like he was racking his brains.
Studying hard is truly hard.
Xu Rong quietly left, no longer disturbing him.
As for Aunt Ruan, there was no movement for the time being. Xu Rong didn't know what she had come up with after returning home, or whether she intended to take the bait. She wasn't in a hurry, nor did she send anyone to inquire.
Aunt Ruan is not like Madam Wei; her courtyard is certainly heavily guarded, and asking about her would only attract attention.
In this rare period of peace, time has unknowingly reached mid-February.
The weather is finally starting to warm up, the harsh winter is fading away, and spring is arriving. The forsythia growing along the roadside is bursting with clusters of flower buds, which makes people feel cheerful.
The women no longer needed to wear heavy fur coats when visiting the mansion. Xu Rong changed into a new light yellow cross-collar jacket, paired with a white silk embroidered skirt. Her hair was styled in a spiral bun, with a beaded hairpin hanging down the side. After finishing her makeup, she looked in the mirror and felt that she was very much in tune with spring.
"Second Grandma is so beautiful." Bai Fu was also very satisfied with her cooking skills.
Xu Rong snapped out of her reverie about her own beauty and froze, "...What did you call me?"
“Second Madam,” Bai Fu said matter-of-factly, with a hint of reproach, “the young lady never reminded us to change our address. It was only after Cui Ting whispered about it in private that Hong Liu overheard it and came to tell me that I realized it.”
Xu Rong said "Oh". Cui Ting was a maid sent here by the Xiao family. Xu Rong had enough people of her own and didn't need to use her much. According to her observation, Xiao Xin didn't use her either. He hardly ever spoke to the maid and did all the work himself.
It was probably a habit that Wei had instilled in him, since Wei himself was a self-reliant person.
"What else did she say?" Xu Rong asked.
Bai Fu shook her head: "No, she told Cai Die, but Cai Die didn't really pay attention to her." She then said mysteriously, "I heard that Cai Die seems to have a lover, someone from the manor, but the young man's family doesn't really approve, and they're afraid that if they report it to the madam, she won't agree, so they can only put it off for now."
Living in the same courtyard for a long time, everyone's thoughts can't be kept secret; they'll inevitably reveal some of their true feelings.
Xu Rong nodded: "No wonder she always seems a bit dazed."
He was even slacking off at work, apparently because he was suffering from heartbreak.
Xu Rong didn't mind this and didn't intend to interfere. She was going to leave sooner or later, and what the servants of the Xiao family did was none of her business as long as they didn't get in her way.
Let's go.
Upon leaving the room, I met Xiao Xin. A new day begins with a greeting.
It was quite a coincidence today; I ran into both Madam Wei and Aunt Ruan on the way.
The way the concubines greeted the younger generation was different; they only needed to do it twice a month, on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month.
It is said that for many years in the past, the concubines would visit every day. Later, perhaps Madam Xiao could no longer bear to see these two faces full of Lord Xiao's true love every day, or perhaps as she grew older, Madam Xiao finally became more open-minded and shifted the focus of her life to the younger generation. Of course, her resentment also shifted to them at the same time, so it is not entirely her fault that Xiao Shan often asked for leave.
Without saying much, Madam Wei smiled and walked beside them. When they reached the main courtyard gate and met Aunt Ruan, she quickened her pace and came over to greet them, accompanied by Xiao Shan and Xiao Yi.
Xu Rong smiled and replied, "Good morning, Auntie."
"Second Madam has arrived early too." Aunt Ruan's smile was even more cordial than hers, and she lowered her voice a little. "I haven't had a chance to thank Second Madam for her good idea yet."
Xu Rong became interested: "Did Auntie manage to do it?"
Aunt Ruan did not give a clear answer, but glanced at Xiao Shan with her beautiful eyes and sighed softly: "I've really worried myself sick over this girl."
That's it.
The power of true love's pillow talk is truly remarkable.
Xu Rong said, "Congratulations to Aunt and Eldest Miss."
Aunt Ruan became reserved again: "It's still early. The Marquis just called the young master back a couple of days ago and gave him some instructions. I heard that the eldest mistress was happy to see the young master, and her illness was cured all at once. But this matter is a bit troublesome. I don't know if she will agree."
It's been almost a month since Xu Rong married into the family, and Xiao Lun hasn't stayed home for more than a few days. It's said that he's busy with official duties, but everyone in the manor knows the truth: he's just trying to avoid the awkward initial period.
But he can't stay away for long; he'll eventually have to come back, and now is the perfect time.
Xu Rong smiled and said, "Don't worry, Aunt. It's just asking the eldest mistress to take the eldest daughter out for a walk to relax. It's not like she's pressuring her to find a suitable husband for the eldest daughter. What's so difficult about that? If she refuses, it shows that she doesn't respect the Marquis."
Xiao Shan was caught off guard by her directness and stamped her foot in embarrassment: "Second sister-in-law, what are you saying!"
Aunt Ruan liked to hear this: "Second Madam, you are indeed insightful and right."
With their greetings imminent, the group couldn't linger chatting in front of the door, so they dispersed slightly and were about to go inside when another group of people hurriedly walked over from the other side.
The couple walking at the front looked like a perfect match.
Xu Rong narrowed his eyes.
They are a good match, but when she thought about the price they paid for this good match, she just chuckled.
Xiao Xin turned to look at her. She rarely showed such obvious likes or dislikes, and even when facing Madam Xiao, she spoke and smiled as usual.
So, it really is different.
Xiao Shan and Xiao Yi bowed, but Xu Rong remained still.
She had a thought she had never spoken of, and even deliberately avoided thinking about deeply—if the original girl Xu Rong hadn't fallen down the hillside, she might not have entered her body; she might have ended up in the hospital and been saved; even if she suffered some aftereffects, she could have continued to live in that time and space.
That was her home.
Even though her small house hasn't been delivered yet, even though she has no relatives when she goes back, even though she still works herself to the point of exhaustion, it is a grand sense of belonging that is built from social structures, data information, and technological development.
They are different.
Her sleeve was suddenly tugged, and Xiao Xin said to her with a cold face, "Let's go."
"……oh."
Xu Rong snapped out of her daze and tried to follow him, but Xiao Lun hesitated for a moment before stopping her, saying, "You—"
He paused, seemingly unsure how to address Xu Rong, then simply gave up on the form of address and said, "Wait a moment, I have two questions for you."
Xiao Xin, Aunt Ruan, Madam Wei, Chang Shuyin, Xiao Shan, Xiao Yi, and all their servants turned their gazes toward them, like searchlights.
Xu Rong had recovered and said, "What is it? Go ahead and say it."
Surprisingly, Xiao Lun managed to hold his tongue and didn't order the area to be cleared—probably because he was afraid that clearing it would only fuel further speculation. He asked, "Was it you who encouraged Aunt Ruan to seek out Father and me?"
Aunt Ruan: "..."
She coughed lightly and said, "Let's go inside first, so as not to disturb Second Madam and the Young Master's conversation."
They pulled Xiao Shan and Xiao Yi towards the courtyard gate, while the two children, unable to contain their curiosity, secretly looked back.
Xu Rong remained calm. She hadn't expected someone like Aunt Ruan to keep a secret for her; it was only natural that she would shift the blame to her.
She said, "What encouragement? I have no relationship with Aunt Ruan. She asked me for advice, so I just pointed her in a direction."
Chang Shuyin was getting impatient, because she would ultimately have to take the blame for this, so she stepped forward and said, "What's the difference? Wasn't it still your idea?"
Before Xu Rong could reply, Xiao Xin suddenly stepped forward and said coldly, "She's the one who made it, so what? If you don't want to, you don't have to do it."
Chang Shuyin: "..."
Xu Rong couldn't help but laugh and chimed in, "Second Young Master is right. If you don't want to, you don't have to do it. If you do, that's your business. Why are you questioning me?"
"You're just arguing unreasonably!"
Xiao Lun needed to remain calm, so he remained silent for a moment before saying, "There's really no benefit to you doing this."
Xu Rong smiled: "The Crown Prince found out again?"
Her question sounded like a question but not quite, and Xiao Lun didn't answer immediately. Xu Rong continued, "Your Highness knows that there's no benefit for me in doing such a thing, so why would I do it? You only think I'm deliberately looking for trouble, but you don't realize that I had no choice but to do it?"
Xiao Lun's gaze became complicated as he looked at her, wanting to say something but unable to.
The initial decision to annul the engagement was a joint one between his family and him, but he never expected the unexpected changes that followed… The die was cast, and he was already mentally prepared, but seeing her dressed as a married woman, her beauty undiminished, now married to his half-brother, he couldn't help but feel…
Chang Shuyin suddenly whispered, "Young Master, let's go inside. Madam should be waiting."
Xiao Lun snapped out of his daze, nodded, looked away, and followed her into the courtyard.
Xu Rong watched their figures disappear, then turned to Xiao Xin and asked, "Second Young Master, do you think he believed it?"
Xiao Xin glared at her.
Xu Rong: "...?"
What's going on now? We were fighting side by side just now, and he was even supporting me quite well.
Xiao Xin asked her curtly, "Believe what?"
"Believe me, I'm not trying to cause trouble," Xu Rong quickly said. "But I'm not familiar with him, so I can't tell. You guys are brothers, after all. What did you mean by that look in his eyes?"
Xiao Xin replied to her, "I believe you."
"Second Young Master, are you in a better mood again?" Xu Rong was very good at judging his mood and immediately sensed the difference.
Xiao Xin remained silent.
Xu Rong didn't pursue the matter further. They should go inside now. As they walked, she hurriedly asked, "What did he mean by looking at me like that? Does he want to take revenge on me?"
Xiao Xin froze for a moment, then nodded.
He wasn't actually that close to Xiao Lun. Apart from the few years they spent in the family school when they were young, after they grew up a bit, Xiao Lun followed the path to success planned by Madam Xiao. The only interaction between the brothers was a greeting when they bumped into each other in the mansion.
He couldn't decipher the look in Xiao Lun's eyes that belonged to him.
However, he knew all too well what kind of look a man gave a woman—though he didn't know how he knew it so quickly.
"I knew it," Xu Rong snorted. "A person with a conscience wouldn't do those things back then. Those who did will only get worse."
Xiao Xin looked ahead and said, "You know he's a bad person, so don't meet with him alone in the future."
Xu Rong replied cautiously, "I know."
She trusted Xiao Xin's judgment. Although she didn't particularly like this time and space, she still valued her life.
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