When Xu Lingzi entered, Li Shiyue was fast asleep on the chaise lounge, her hand supporting her chin trembling slightly.
After all, playing polo during the day is really exhausting, and with dinner and the night breeze being cool, it's no wonder that Li Shiyue was feeling drowsy, propping her chin up with her hand.
Upon seeing her enter, Chunling tried to call for help, but Xu Lingzi gestured for her to remain silent.
Beside Li Shiyue lay a half-finished embroidery frame, on which the delicate orchids were already taking shape. Xu Lingzi sat on the edge of the chaise longue, picking it up to examine it closely.
Li Shiyue's needlework was meticulous and neat, her patterns were clean, and she even had a good grasp of color.
Perhaps sensing someone sitting beside her, and feeling a familiar presence, Li Shiyue opened her eyes and saw that Xu Lingzi was holding her embroidery frame, instantly waking up.
"Cousin? When did you arrive? Why didn't you wake me? I was asleep."
Xu Lingzi put the things back where they were, made room for her, and called her down: "You're sleeping so soundly, you must be tired from the day. I didn't want to wake you, it has nothing to do with Chunling."
"I didn't feel it while I was on horseback, but I had dinner with my grandmother just now, and I feel very tired when I got back. I guess I played too much today."
Li Shiyue raised her hand and rubbed her wrist. Perhaps because she had been in one position for too long, there was a red mark on her wrist.
Xu Lingzi hesitated: "Do you know that my mother is going to arrange a marriage for me?"
Of course she knew, after all, the Guangping Marquis's residence was one of them before, but she never expected such a thing to happen. In fact, before she could even do anything about what they had agreed upon, Fu Chen's actions had already been exposed.
Before Li Shiyue could speak, she suddenly saw a glimmer of hope in Xu Lingzi's eyes. She nodded and hesitated, a behavior quite different from her usual self.
"You don't mean you've found someone you like, do you?"
It's no wonder Li Shiyue overthinks things and goes in this direction, after all, Xu Lingzi's current behavior is exactly the same as Li Shiyue's when she was in love in her previous life.
Seeing that Xu Lingzi remained silent, she lowered her head shyly, and finally nodded in acknowledgment under Li Shiyue's nervous gaze.
What do you think of Guo Shaoqing?
Xu Lingzi raised her eyes, her gaze filled with the longing of a young woman for her feelings, her eyes brimming with a tenderness that could soothe any sorrow.
“He was fair and honest in his official duties. My second brother said he was a good official who cared about the people. I didn’t know any of that, and I never saw it. What I did see was that he was an upright and honest person.”
"Do you still remember that day on the boat? There were so many people watching the play, but only he stepped forward and was willing to speak up for Miss Fan San?"
Li Shiyue tilted her head: "But he's speaking up for others, or for Nüniang. Don't you think he treats everyone the same?"
"no the same."
Xu Lingzi shook her head; the smile in her eyes and the upturned corners of her mouth could not deceive anyone, easily revealing her thoughts.
"This shows that he is an upright person. Everyone present is a commoner, with no power or money. How could they possibly stand up to the son of a noble family? But he is different. He is the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He is right under the emperor's nose in the capital. Whatever happens in the capital, he holds an official position. How could he stand by and do nothing?"
Moreover, Xu Lingzi did not think that it was Fan San's own fault; at most, it was just that she was blinded by vanity and a young man who could not take responsibility.
Li Shiyue remained silent. Seeing the tenderness and affection in Xu Lingzi's eyes, which seemed genuine, she couldn't help but grip the hem of her dress tightly: "What if all of this is an illusion? What if he is not worthy of your trust?"
Xu Lingzi pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment, but quickly shook her head: "I want to believe him this once, to believe him."
Li Shiyue's worry wasn't too obvious, but Xu Lingzi reached out and held her hand: "Jiaojiao, for the past ten years or so, I've had the protection of my elder sister and second brother. Even though Mother is sometimes very strict, I've still lived a carefree and happy life."
“I never thought about what it was like to miss someone, but now I know. I want to see him every day, I want to talk to him every day, and I want to stand by his side.”
“I want to see him and hear his thoughts. If he is willing, I will persuade my mother; if he is not, I will follow my mother’s wishes and choose a husband.”
"How would you like me to help you?" Li Shiyue's gaze was calm, but her heart was pounding.
She never expected Xu Lingzi to fall in love with Guo Xun. She thought there might be some appreciation or affection between them, but she never expected Xu Lingzi to be so straightforward about her feelings.
"Actually, you could go find your cousin..."
Xu Lingzi shook her head, her face showing a conflicted expression: "I don't want my second brother to know. I want him to marry me sincerely, not because of my father and second brother."
She didn't want her future husband to marry her for the sake of the Rongguo Mansion, or for the benefits her father and brother could bring.
After Xu Lingzi left, the room was quiet. Li Shiyue stared blankly at the swaying candle wick.
Night fell in the blink of an eye, and the bright moon was nowhere to be seen. The starry sky was shrouded in mist, and the twinkling stars were gone.
She leaned against the chaise lounge and moved to a spot in the main room facing the door. The door was open, and she looked up at the night sky.
The flickering candle wick burned intensely, swaying haloed in my peripheral vision, more dazzling than the stars in the night sky, making my consciousness even more blurred.
"Miss, why don't you rest early today?"
Chunling was the first to notice that Li Shiyue was not in a good mood, but as soon as she finished speaking, Li Shiyue did not move at all, but instead turned around on the chaise longue.
Like a child, he turned his back to Chunling, as if he couldn't hear Chunling's voice.
"I can't sleep. I want to admire the moon tonight."
Chunling looked up and saw that the night was hazy, enveloping the earth, as well as the moon and stars, making them hang in the night sky but not appear in the slightest.
As the sounds around her gradually subsided, Li Shiyue gazed at the night sky and suddenly thought of a certain day in her past life.
She was locked in a small side room in the west courtyard by Xu Yunyang, and there wasn't a single good spot on her body. She remembered hearing Xu Yunci's voice outside the tightly locked door one day.
What did they say back then? Oh right, it was Xu Yunci who told her it was the anniversary of Madam Xu's death and wanted her to join in the memorial service.
Xu Yunyang, of course, wouldn't let her appear in public looking like that. Using her long-term illness as an excuse, he kept her locked up and wouldn't let her out. Even more afraid that she would sneak out, he put sleeping pills in her food.
At that time, she wondered if the son-in-law she had chosen was ultimately reaping what she sowed.
Thinking of Xu Yunyang, Li Shiyue could not hide the hatred in her heart. When she spoke again, she turned around and asked, "What has Third Cousin been doing lately?"
Mr. Sanlang, Xu Yunyang?
"Why are you asking about Third Master, Miss? Don't you dislike him?" Chunling asked, puzzled, seemingly not understanding Li Shiyue's sudden change of heart.
Li Shiyue smiled: "It's because I don't like it, I just want to give him something to do."
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