Chapter 32: Stars Like Rain Pei Yue was silent for a moment, then nodded: "It's OK...
But soon she had no time to look for her savior. The small open space in front of the grocery store was occupied by a surging crowd in a few moments. Chu Yufu could only turn around and retreat into the store.
Fortunately, after a while, we heard the sound of gongs and the loud shouts of officers and soldiers coming from the front.
"Don't move, don't move, everyone stand still!"
“Ding, ding!”
With the help of soldiers to maintain order and evacuate the crowds, the riots gradually subsided. After an incense stick of time, although there were still many people on the streets, it was no longer congested.
Chu Yufu looked out and saw that the outside was much calmer. She then reached out to tidy up her messy hair and walked towards Yanchun Tower.
Lu Jiaan was lucky, the surging crowd pushed her right next to Sang Lu. Hand in hand, the two of them pushed their way out of the crowd and hid behind the candied haws stall, then went around the alley to Yanchunlou.
After they met up with Prince Zhao, they waited downstairs for a while, and Yunsui and Lanzhu came over, but Chu Yufu was still nowhere to be found.
Lu Jiaan held onto the stone lions at the door, craning his neck to peer out. "Why hasn't my second sister arrived yet? I heard several people were injured in the crush just now. Is she okay?"
Prince Zhao consoled her, "It'll be alright. I've already sent someone to look for the second young lady. The night wind is quite cold, so why not go upstairs and wait?"
Lu Jiaan shook his head and insisted on waiting downstairs before he could feel at ease.
Lan Zhu stood nearby, silently shedding tears: "At that time, I almost, almost grabbed the girl's sleeve."
Yun Sui hugged her and patted her, "How can I blame you for the chaos just now?"
At this moment, Lu Jiaan suddenly shouted, "Second sister!"
Lanzhu looked up suddenly and saw her daughter standing across the street! She burst into tears and ran across. When she got closer, she could see clearly that the second daughter's hair was messy, with a few strands of black hair hanging around her neck. Her skirt was dirty and had a few gray marks from being stepped on, but at least she didn't look injured.
"Girl! You scared me to death!"
Chu Yufu held Lan Zhu's hand, looked around, and then looked at the people who came to greet her one step behind. When she found that they were all fine, she breathed a sigh of relief and saluted Prince Zhao: "Prince."
Lu Jiaan also breathed a sigh of relief, came up to her, took her hand, and walked towards Yanchun Tower, talking as he walked.
"Sang Lu and I held hands and squeezed our way to the candied haws stall, where we finally caught our breath. Lan Zhu and Yun Sui also held hands to avoid falling. Even the medicine we just bought was lost. I was worried that you, such a thin person, would be squeezed into a dried persimmon cake in the crowd all by yourself!"
Chu Yufu thought to herself, I almost became a dried persimmon.
"I was lucky. I was squeezed to the door of the grocery store and hid inside for a while before coming out." She paused and did not mention that she was protected by a man just now.
Yanchun Tower is built along the river, facing the street on one side and the river on the other. Every spring, on the riverside, one can see the spring flowers blooming on both sides of the Imperial River. Guests can open the window and raise their glasses to drink in the fragrance of the wild flowers, hence the name Yanchun.
Every Lantern Festival, the government would set off fireworks over the Imperial River to celebrate. The third floor of Yanchun Tower had a wide view, offering a panoramic view of the river, making it an ideal spot to watch the fireworks. Prince Zhao booked a private room on the third floor.
When I walked into the private room, I saw that the room was divided into two spaces by a screen, one large and one small. On the small side was a dressing table with a brass mirror on it, and a wooden basin filled with water on the side, which was obviously for guests to tidy up their appearance.
Lan Zhu was pleasantly surprised when she saw this and whispered, "Girl, let me comb your hair again."
Chu Yufu looked at Prince Zhao. After all, this was Prince Zhao's place.
Prince Zhao smiled gently, "Please do as you please, Second Miss. It's still a while before midnight."
Chu Yufu thanked him, tugged at Lu Jiaan's hand, glanced into her sleeve, smiled gently, and walked behind the screen. When she left, she did not forget to call the three maids and left this side to her cousin and Prince Zhao.
Lu Jiaan blinked, touched the sachet in his sleeve, and looked at the attendant behind Zhao Chunheng.
Prince Zhao understood and said, "Cheng'an, go downstairs and ask how long it will take for the wine and food to be served."
"Yes." The attendant pushed the door open and left.
When there were only two people left on this side of the screen, he sat down at the table and looked at Lu Jiaan with a smile.
In the private room, the bamboo windows were wide open.
The sounds of people, water, and firecrackers drifted in from the window, but Lu Jiaan felt that none of these sounds were as loud as her heartbeat.
No matter how bright the stars outside the window are, they are not as dazzling as the smiling eyes of Prince Zhao.
"Um, why didn't Fifth Miss come today?" Lu Jiaan leaned against the bamboo window, supporting himself with his hands, his eyes wandering.
Prince Zhao's smile froze. He had specially turned down all the invitations today and booked a table at Yanchunlou, wanting to invite her alone to watch the fireworks. But who knew that this silly girl who didn't understand romance would bring her cousin along, and now she was asking about his fifth sister.
He could only answer, "She's with her mother." Then he asked, "Why don't you see Miss Chu today?"
Lu Jiaan paused, biting her lip and tilting her head to look at him: "You want to... see her?"
Prince Zhao laughed, supporting his head with one hand, and looked back at her: "I'm just surprised that she's not here today. Compared to her, I want to see you more."
Lu Jiaan's earlobes were red, almost bleeding. He fished out a sachet from his sleeve and handed it to him: "Here, this is for you, a Lantern Festival gift."
Prince Zhao took it, the smile in his eyes deepened. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a loud bang, and a flash of light exploded in the night sky outside the window. Lu Jiaan turned his head to look out the window.
"Wow!"
Chu Yufu, who was behind the screen, heard the noise and came out with a few little girls, just in time to see fireworks blooming outside the window.
The gilded light fell and reflected on the Imperial River, filling the whole place with dazzling splendor.
She smiled and said, "It's not a wasted trip. Let's see what it is today. Thousands of flowers bloom in the east at night, and the wind blows down, like rain of stars."
-
In Pei Mansion, a few streets away.
Pei Yue sat quietly by the window, a pot of warm wine on the table before him. He held the wine cup in his hand and looked up at the fireworks in the sky not far away. Suddenly, Miss Chu's face appeared before his eyes.
It was a panicked, pale and extremely beautiful face trapped in the crowd, like a peony made of white jade, so white that it glowed in the dark crowd, so that he could see it at a glance when he stood in the restaurant.
Speaking of which.
The first time I saw her was at the Li family's chrysanthemum viewing banquet. Her hair was covered with pearls and jade, and she was wearing a pink dress. She looked out of place among the elegantly dressed noble ladies around her, and looked stupid and vulgar.
The second time he saw her was in the White Horse Temple. She ignored her new dress and hugged the dying dirty little dog in her arms. He suddenly felt that it was okay to be a little stupid, as long as you had a kind heart.
The third time I saw her was today in the pharmacy. Her fair little face was as white as frost, she was eloquent, and her arguments were well-reasoned. She looked calm and composed, completely different from the one she was at the Li family banquet.
I can see a different side of her every time.
Pei Yue smiled and lowered his head, shook the wine glass, and took a sip.
An incense stick later, the fireworks over the Imperial River died down, and silence returned to the capital. Huang came in with her maid, took the wine from him, and brought him a bowl of steaming sweet dumplings, smiling.
"I heard from Ming that you met the second daughter of the Chu family tonight?"
Huang saw him nod and smiled amiably: "What do you think?"
Pei Yue was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Not bad."
Although it was only rated as "OK", Huang smiled even happier. You know, the signature dishes of Chenglou, the best restaurant in the capital, could only be rated as "OK" in the mouth of her taciturn nephew. This shows how rare his "OK" is. When marrying a wife, you should always marry someone who is pleasing to your eyes and whom you like!
She said, "It's all right, it's all right!" and then she walked out briskly.
After the door was closed, Pei Yue picked up the celadon spoon, stirred the plump white dumplings in the bowl, scooped one into his mouth, and the sweet aroma of sesame reminded him of the Lantern Festival more than ten years ago when his parents were still alive.
In my memory, my father and mother were very loving. Every Lantern Festival, they would work together to make a pot of glutinous rice balls, which symbolize perfection, and cook them to eat.
My mother was the daughter of a merchant. Because of her status, my grandfather refused to agree to the marriage. So my father gave up returning to Beijing and stayed in Wuzhou to get married and have children, just to accompany my mother.
With the example of his parents, he naturally hoped to have a satisfying relationship. He originally wanted to agree to his uncle first and then slowly negotiate, but seeing how "interesting" Miss Chu was today, it seemed that it was not impossible.
He extended his index finger and tapped the porcelain bowl lightly.
-
After the Lantern Festival, most of the excitement of the Spring Festival has dissipated.
A few days after the Lantern Festival, the Chu family received a letter from the Lu family saying that they would arrive in Beijing soon.
When the day finally came when her aunt and uncle came to pick up Lu Jiaan, even though she had been prepared, Chu Yufu was still in a low mood. Although Lu Jiaan's eyes were red, he didn't cry.
At the gate, several adults were chatting together. Lu Jiaan and Chu Yufu held hands and said goodbye reluctantly: "Why are you sad? It's not like we won't see each other anymore. We're all in the capital, so we're close."
Chu Yufu said, "That's true. Will you come to the poetry gathering in a few days? Daddy will definitely invite Prince Zhao."
In a few days, the Chu family will hold a poetry reading with the theme of "Spring" in order to allow her to meet Pei Yue. If nothing unexpected happens, they will exchange invitations after the reading and get along.
Lu Jiaan blushed and whispered, "What are you talking about? Even if he doesn't come, I will come for you. I also want to meet my future brother-in-law."
Chu Yufu blinked and asked curiously, "How are things going between you and the prince?"
Seeing that no one was around, Lu Jiaan leaned over to her ear and whispered, "He said his parents don't object, and he'll come and propose marriage after my father reports on his work."
"So soon." Chu Yufu was shocked. Even if her elder sister hadn't been so mischievous, the Marquis's wife wouldn't have been easy to pass. Prince Zhao himself didn't care about family background, but his mother did. In the book, they had gone through many twists and turns before they were together. What had gone wrong this time that the Marquis' wife didn't object?
But this was a good thing. After the surprise subsided, Chu Yufu held her hand, her eyes curved into crescents, and she sincerely congratulated her: "Then I wish you both a speedy success!"
After talking about farewell for half an hour, the Lu family finally left.
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