Chapter 123 Inviting Her to See the Lanterns
Stepping out of the Fu residence, one sees Fu Langxing arguing fiercely with Bai Mei and Qingzhu, the atmosphere tense and on the verge of conflict.
Bai Mei put her hands on her hips, pointed at Fu Langxing's nose, and started cursing:
"Young Master Fu, my young lady has been inside for a long time and hasn't come out yet. What could be the reason? If she doesn't appear soon, don't blame us for barging in to look for her!"
Uncharacteristically, Qingzhu didn't stop her, but instead coldly echoed her sentiments:
"Indeed! Is this how the Fu family treats its guests? What if anything were to happen to my young lady..."
Fu Langxing was cornered by the two maids, his face flushed red with anger and frustration.
“You…you are being incredibly rude. My grandfather is admiring a painting with Miss Song; how can you make such a racket here?”
Just as the situation was at a stalemate, Song Yiqiu walked out calmly.
"White plums, green bamboos."
Seeing that she was unharmed, the two men immediately went to her and eagerly looked her up and down:
"Miss! Are you alright?"
Song Yiqiu smiled gently and comforted her:
"It's nothing. I was just accompanying Mr. Fu to appreciate a few ancient paintings. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Following closely behind, Prosecutor Fu Yun looked apologetic.
"It is my fault for not being hospitable. I was having a very pleasant conversation with Miss Song and forgot the time. Langxing, you must not be rude to Miss Song's maid."
Bai Mei, however, persisted, muttering under her breath:
"How can a grandfather be so reasonable, yet his grandson is like this..."
Fu Langxing's face turned pale and then flushed.
Song Yiqiu interrupted at the right moment, looking up at the completely dark sky, where the faint sounds of lively vendors calling out could be heard from the end of the street.
"Weren't you going to see the lanterns? Now is the perfect time to go."
Upon hearing that Song Yiqiu was willing to go with him, Fu Langxing's displeasure was immediately replaced by excitement, and he hurriedly urged her to go outside.
Bai Mei frowned and said in a low voice:
“Miss, why not come with us to see the lanterns? Why go with… with this Young Master Fu?”
Song Yiqiu smiled:
"If I don't lure you into the trap, how can I get my dear sister to make a move?"
The long street was brightly lit, and throngs of tourists thronged the area.
Everywhere you look, young men and women can be seen carrying various lanterns and wearing exquisite masks, their laughter and chatter filling the air.
Fu Langxing enthusiastically introduced the lantern festival to Song Yiqiu, leading her to an arched bridge.
“Yiqiu, this is the famous Wishing Bridge in the capital.”
Fu Langxing pointed to the reflection under the bridge.
"Look, the bridge and its reflection are connected, resembling a crescent moon, hence its other name, Crescent Moon Bridge."
Boats bobbed on the lake, lotus lanterns floated on the water, and the flowing water was accompanied by the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments, creating a scene of a prosperous and glorious era.
On the bridge, there were also many couples, leaning on the railing and whispering to each other.
Fu Langxing's ears turned slightly red as he mustered his courage and reached out his hand to Song Yiqiu:
"Yiqiu, the view from the bridge is excellent. Would you like to come up to the bridge and enjoy the scenery together?"
Before Song Yiqiu could respond, he tried to pull her onto the bridge on his own.
When my fingers touched her wrist, I felt something was off. Looking down, I saw that her wrist and forearm were covered with scars of varying sizes, which looked like old scars.
His face showed astonishment, and he blurted out:
"this……"
Song Yiqiu, however, didn't seem to care and casually withdrew her arm.
"The frontier is bitterly cold, and swords have no eyes; a few minor injuries are nothing to worry about."
Fu Langxing frowned, disagreeing with speaking up:
"For a young woman like you to have so many scars on your body is truly... indecent. I've heard that the Medical Sage of the South City is most skilled at scar removal, so perhaps..."
Song Yiqiu's eyes turned cold:
"Young Master Fu, please be careful with your words. These are not stains that need to be covered up, but medals I earned fighting on the battlefield to protect my country. Are they disgusting things in your eyes?"
That's not what I meant!
Fu Langxing hurriedly tried to explain.
"I'm only thinking of you! A woman should always consider her appearance..."
Upon hearing this, Bai Mei immediately retorted with a cold laugh:
"I never imagined that Young Master Fu would care more about physical appearance than a young lady from a noble family."
Qingzhu also sneered:
"Indeed, while you were shedding blood on the frontier, you were unaware that the young men in the capital were already judging the beauty or ugliness of scars."
Fu Langxing was speechless for a moment, his face full of embarrassment, and he could only awkwardly change the subject:
"By the way, Yiqiu, what did you talk about with my grandfather? Speaking of which, our two families have a deep connection. I heard that the Marquis of Yongjia once tried to arrange a marriage between your mother and my father, but for some reason it didn't work out. Now that I think about it, I'm glad, otherwise we would have become siblings!"
A marriage alliance?
Song Yiqiu was slightly surprised.
She had naturally heard of the illustrious reputation of Fu Langxing's father, Fu Xuelin, a scholarly family that produced a renowned general with distinguished military achievements.
And her own father... was just a poor scholar back then. Why would her mother abandon Fu Xuelin and choose her father instead?
Just as I was pondering this, a soft voice came from behind me:
"Sister, you've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for so long."
The newcomer was Song Sangyu, accompanied by He Jianren and Ruan Jiawen. The three of them were chatting and joking around, but when they saw Song Yiqiu, they surrounded her.
Song Sangyu affectionately tugged at Fu Langxing's sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears:
"Brother Langxing, in previous years you would accompany me across the Wishing Bridge and buy me candied hawthorns... Will it be the same this year?"
Fu Langxing looked hesitant, wanting to refuse, but seeing her tearful eyes, he swallowed his words and turned to Song Yiqiu instead:
"Yiqiu, wait for me a moment."
After saying that, Song Sangyu half-dragged and half-brooked him away.
Before leaving, Song Sangyu subtly gave He and Ruan a wink.
Once they were out of sight, He Jianren and Ruan Jiawen immediately approached Song Yiqiu.
Bai Mei and Qing Zhu darted forward, shielding the young lady behind them.
He Jianren said with a smile:
"What, the eldest daughter of the Song family, the soon-to-be-inherited Marquis of Yongjia, are you afraid we'll eat you up?"
Song Yiqiu raised her hand, signaling the maid to leave.
Ruan Jiawen immediately spoke fiercely:
"I know everything. You're the one helping that bitch Ruan Tianxin ruin my engagement. Are you even a member of the Song family? Why don't you think about the family's interests? If I marry into the Ruan family, I'll have a generous dowry to supplement the family income. What's wrong with that for you?"
He Jianren also chimed in:
"That's right! Your second brother and I will be getting married soon. By all accounts, we will both be your sisters-in-law. Is this how you treat your future sisters-in-law?"
"Sister-in-law?"
Song Yiqiu seemed to have heard something extremely interesting. She sneered, carefully scrutinized He Jianren, and raised an eyebrow thoughtfully.
It seems my second brother dislikes women's wedding attire and has a penchant for male companions, a fact that has been kept very secret within the household. Miss He is still unaware of this and dreaming of being a bride?
She wasn't in a hurry to expose him:
"Yeah?"
He Jianren assumed she didn't believe him and hurriedly tried to prove it:
"Of course it's true. Your second brother invited me out today, and he's already gone to rent a pleasure boat. Do you think I'm lying to you?"
Before the words were finished, a beautifully decorated flower boat slowly docked at the shore.
A robust young man in brocade robes stood at the bow of the boat, waving in this direction. He was Song Wenbin, Song Yiqiu's second brother.
Bai Mei, with her sharp eyes, seemed to have discovered something extraordinary:
"Miss, look! Isn't that the male entertainer Yu Yi standing next to the second young master? He spent a lot of money to buy her. She looks even better than before. It seems she has been well taken care of by the second young master."
Qingzhu also covered her mouth and said:
"Good heavens... Second Young Master made an appointment with Miss He, yet he dared to bring Yu Yi with him. Isn't he afraid that Miss He will find out?"
A glint flashed in Song Yiqiu's eyes. Thinking of her third sister Song Ruoling's marriage, and then looking at Fu Langxing who was hurrying back, a bold plan instantly took shape.
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