Chapter 21 021 Scratching Painfully
The noise of people and the flickering light and shadows created a lively atmosphere.
Xie Huaiyuan's face was half-hidden in the shadows, a slight smile playing on his lips, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He was silently scrutinizing her: "So, Miss Lin's affections can be so easily expressed?"
Why do I say that?
Lin Wan's joy seemed to be extinguished by this cold gaze, just like when she was about to express her feelings last year, her eyes suddenly filled with a wet mist.
Almost instantly, Lin Wan vaguely recalled the question he had just asked her: whether she was familiar with Vice Minister Li. Could it be because of this?
Lin Wan took a step back, released her hand from his, and whispered, "Your Highness, everything I said is true."
Her eyes were fixed on him, the flames of her wandering spirit dancing in them, making them even more alluring and bewitching, like the seductive monsters in folk tales: "From last year until now, the person I have loved has always been you."
As expected, Xie Huaiyuan's expression didn't change much after hearing her words. He pursed his thin lips and didn't respond further.
The crowd returning from the procession cheered, and some of those at the back pushed forward. As a result, Lin Wan got closer and closer to him. Even without holding hands, she could touch him with just a slight movement of her hand. However, he was particularly perceptive and would immediately pull away as soon as she touched him, displaying the most gentlemanly manners.
Lin Wan was anxious. How could she miss such a rare opportunity to spend time together? She finally understood that if she didn't take the initiative, how could she win the heart of a man as beloved as Xie Huaiyuan among the many noble ladies in the capital?
She met Xie Huaiyuan's dark gaze and explained, "The temple fair is crowded, and I was afraid of getting separated from you, so I took the liberty of holding your hand just now. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
Xie Huaiyuan raised an eyebrow and looked at her ambiguously, making it seem as if the allure she was trying to conceal was now completely exposed.
Suddenly, firecrackers exploded in the procession, startling the crowd watching in front, who scattered as if fleeing for their lives. Lin Wan was caught off guard, stumbled, and was about to fall backward.
At the critical moment, Xie Huaiyuan stopped in his tracks, immediately grabbed her arm, and said in a deep voice, "Watch your step."
It was too late. There were too many people. The screams of those injured by the blast came from ahead. In just a moment, the crowd erupted like a pot boiling over, with people pushing and shoving each other desperately.
Fortunately, Lin Wan was already at the street corner, and many people squeezed out and ran towards the street corner. Soon after, the guards in charge of the temple fair arrived. After some commotion, the brief firecracker farce finally stopped. Fortunately, no one was injured or killed as a result.
Xie Huaiyuan held her hand too tightly, keeping an eye on her while pushing through the crowd, dodging the fleeing people, until they reached the riverbank, under the ancient trees adorned with colorful lights.
Ignoring the pain from being gripped so tightly, she looked down at the hands she was holding amidst the shifting light and shadow.
Regardless of the reason, at least now Xie Huaiyuan has taken the initiative to hold her hand. The slightly cool touch spreads up her arm, but her heart is burning with excitement. She is filled with joy and can't help but look up at him.
Xie Huaiyuan finally realized what was happening, a crack appearing on his calm face. He immediately released her hand and said indifferently, "I'm sorry."
The two were so close that he could smell the faint, sweet fragrance emanating from Lin Wan. He subtly moved back a little.
"Does the young master dislike me?"
Lin Wan could clearly see that he had distanced himself from her, which was obviously a sign that he didn't like being close to her. She bit her lip in grievance and looked up at him.
Xie Huaiyuan turned around and saw Lin Wan's reddened eyes filled with tears, her lips, which were rouged with lipstick, biting down in distress and grievance.
Her lips were bitten until they were a delicate red, soft and alluring. He only glanced at them once, but the shattered images of that absurd dream from that night flashed before his eyes, as did the softness of her lips against his neck. It was like a dream, yet it felt incredibly real.
Xie Huaiyuan sighed softly, his gaze sweeping over those alluring lips, and said helplessly, "I don't dislike them."
-
The next day.
After Hua Yisheng changed the dressing on her shoulder for the last time, he instructed that from now on, the dressing only needed to be changed every other day, and Lin Wan was finally able to go down the mountain.
Since it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and there was no time to inform the Su family, Xie Huaiyuan happened to be returning to the capital, so he shamelessly asked Xie Huaiyuan to take him back to the Su residence.
Thinking about returning to the capital and not knowing when she would see him again, Lin Wan felt a pang of sadness, and her eyes welled up with tears.
He was the heir of the prestigious Xiangyang Prince's Mansion and an important official in the court. Moreover, his aunt and uncle from the Su family did not like her getting too close to him. If she did not take the initiative, it would be difficult for them to meet again.
The carriage was very spacious, and even with her there, it didn't feel crowded.
Xie Huaiyuan seemed very busy. From the moment he got into the carriage, he had been looking at his official documents, and the carriage was quiet.
Lin Wan sat opposite him as before. Seeing the teapot and teacups on the low table, she poured him tea and gently placed it in front of him, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Xie Huaiyuan's expression shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said calmly, "It was nothing, no need for thanks."
The tea was slightly hot, and the lingering steam rose as the carriage moved.
With nothing to do, Lin Wan quietly waited for the tea to cool down, her eyes fixed on Xie Huaiyuan in front of her. His appearance was indeed extremely handsome, making one's heart flutter.
She held the teacup, took a small sip, and smiled faintly. Her smile was like a burst of fireworks, bright and dazzling, impossible to ignore.
However, Xie Huaiyuan ignored her presence from the moment he got into the carriage, keeping his head down and reading official documents. Even though there was a beautiful woman in the carriage, he was still only focused on reading the documents.
Lin Wan wanted to say something, but she was worried that she would disturb him. After thinking it over, she just looked at him and her gaze became more and more intense.
This forced Xie Huaiyuan to stop, look up, and meet her gaze: "Are you bored?"
Lin Wan stared at him brazenly, only because he was engrossed in reading official documents. She didn't expect him to suddenly look up. The moment their eyes met, Lin Wan blushed instantly, as if she had been caught red-handed. She was so captivated by his good looks that she didn't hear what he had just said.
Xie Huaiyuan said unhurriedly, "If you find it boring, there are some books here that you can read."
"Hmm..." She didn't want to read. Books couldn't compare to a handsome young man. She glanced at the few books piled up in the corner of the carriage, but Lin Wan wasn't very interested. However, behind the books was a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument). Her eyes suddenly lit up. "Young Master, is that the Luoxia guqin we saw last time?"
"Yes."
Lin Wan smiled and looked at the guqin, asking, "Does the young master still teach the guqin?"
He had heard her ask this question before, but at that time he suggested that she find a famous qin player in the capital to learn the qin. Xie Huaiyuan raised an eyebrow, finding it strange. Instead of answering directly, he asked in return, "You want to learn to play the qin?"
Lin Wan: "Yes, I want to learn. My grandmother said that my mother was very good at playing the zither when she was young, but I have never heard of it. If I learn it, I might have one more thing to remember my mother by."
After she finished speaking, she didn't hear his reply for a long time. Just when Lin Wan felt hopeless and was about to think of another way, she suddenly heard him.
You want me to teach you?
"If the young master could teach me... that would be even better. Compared to others, I prefer you to teach me." Lin Wan's long eyelashes trembled slightly. Thinking of him holding her hands and teaching her, a blush rose on her fair face, and she revealed a shy smile.
Xie Huaiyuan was speechless for a moment. When they first met, she was still reserved, but now she was becoming more and more presumptuous, showing no manners of a noblewoman and revealing her feelings so bluntly.
Lin Wan suddenly lowered her voice and said, "But my shoulder still hurts. Even if I want to learn, I might not be able to learn it well. I'd better not trouble the young master."
"good."
"Huh, what?"
Xie Huaiyuan put down the official document in his hand and said calmly, "Since the arrow wound has not healed, let's wait until it is healed before bringing it up again."
Was she rejected again? Lin Wan wasn't surprised at all. It was indeed the kind of response he would give. How could he, so busy with his affairs, have time to think about something as trivial as her learning the piano? She paused, then pretended to be downcast and replied with an "oh".
The carriage was quiet again, but the sounds of the street noise could be heard clearly, indicating that they were about to return.
Lin Wan sipped her tea slowly, glancing quietly at Xie Huaiyuan who was so close to her. Suddenly, she remembered that his outer robe was still with her, and the small package she had packed was right next to her, so she looked down and rummaged through it.
She had originally intended to keep his outer garment, but when she thought about how she would be scolded or even sent back to Jiangnan if she were found to be hiding men's clothes at her aunt's house, she decided to return the outer garment to Xie Huaiyuan after much deliberation.
After a rustling sound, Xie Huaiyuan's gaze fell on the clothes handed over by the slender, white hands. They were neatly folded and seemed to have a very faint, sweet fragrance. He frowned slightly.
Seeing that he didn't take it, Lin Wan assumed he was disgusted by the dirt it had gotten on. She knelt down and carefully offered him a little more, saying softly, "It got stained with blood from my wound that day, but it's been washed clean now."
Xie Huaiyuan glanced at her indifferently. He had gotten too close, almost seeing his reflection in her bright eyes, so he moved back a little and said, "Just put it down."
As soon as she finished speaking, the carriage suddenly stopped. Before Lin Wan could react and steady herself, she fell onto the low table, her face brushing against Xie Huaiyuan's cheek.
"oops."
A voice came from outside the carriage: "Your Highness, we have arrived at the Su residence."
Lin Wan never imagined that she would be so disheveled before getting out of the car, having fallen so badly in front of Xie Huaiyuan. How embarrassing! Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she hurriedly got up in a panic, too ashamed to look up at him again.
He got up, thanked her, and got out of the car in one smooth motion.
Before Shiliu could even come to help her, she jumped off the carriage and hurriedly left.
The carriage fell silent again. Xie Huaiyuan narrowed his phoenix eyes and glanced at the overturned teacup on the low table. The spilled tea had wet a corner of the cup, and the faint red lipstick on the rim of the cup was particularly noticeable with the tea stain.
After a while, he slowly raised his hand and wiped his cheek, which was sticky and wet.
After a long while, he let out a long sigh, staring helplessly at the lip rouge that had gotten on his cheeks when he wiped them between his fingers.
A note from the author:
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