Chapter 45 Strolling in the Garden [VIP]
Chapter Summary: Liu Qinglan, who is delusional about her feelings.
Liu Shuangshuang followed Liu Shiyu's gaze and looked ahead, only to see Liu Qinglan exchanging pleasantries with the crowd.
“Her,” Liu Shuangshuang said, resting her palm on her chin with a look of disdain, “is the third daughter of Master Liu’s family, Liu Qinglan. She’s a self-important person, and I don’t like her. But they seem to call her something like, ‘The Noble Lady of Jinling’? In my opinion, she’s not even three points as good as my cousin.”
Liu Qinglan?
That day at Qingyun Temple, Liu Shiyu was too far away to see her face clearly. But today, upon seeing her, Liu Shiyu felt that she truly possessed the appearance of an immortal.
Liu Shuangshuang looked at Liu Shiyu curiously and asked, "Cousin, why are you asking about her? Are you interested in her?"
"It's nothing, just asking casually." Liu Shiyu gazed at Liu Qinglan's graceful figure and shook her head.
Someone invited Liu Shuangshuang to stroll in the garden, but hesitated upon seeing her. Seeing this, Liu Shiyu patted Liu Shuangshuang's hand and said softly, "Look, you can't hold back anymore. Go and play with them, don't worry about me."
As soon as Liu Shiyu spoke, Liu Shuangshuang immediately stood up and bowed slightly to her.
"Thank you, cousin. Shuangshuang will go with them then. Please do as you please. Just tell them if you need anything."
Liu Shiyu didn't speak, only nodded in response. Liu Shuangshuang then left her seat.
After everyone left, only Liu Shiyu and a group of maids remained under the Frost Pavilion.
Looking around, the hustle and bustle of the banquet seemed irrelevant to her. While everyone else was making friends, Liu Shiyu's seat remained deserted. Yet, she relaxed, resting her elbow on the table and propping up her left cheek, sitting listlessly in the pavilion.
Outside the Frost Pavilion, Xu Luchuan was talking to a friend, but his mind was elsewhere.
He kept a close eye on the person beneath the Frost Pavilion. Looking at Liu Shiyu's forlorn face, Xu Luchuan longed to be by her side. But the time wasn't right, so he had to endure it.
Suddenly, my friends started to leave.
Xu Luchuan quickly seized the opportunity, his eyes full of love, and picked up the tea from the table to represent wine, raising it towards the direction of Rushuang Pavilion.
Liu Shiyu's gaze had never left Xu Luchuan, so she quickly realized what was happening. She hurriedly picked up the winter wine beside her and cautiously offered it to Xu Luchuan, who was in the distance.
Their tender affection dispelled the chill of the winter solstice.
Just as they were still reminiscing about each other, Liu Qinglan suddenly bid farewell to everyone and walked towards Xu Luchuan, who was temporarily alone. This attracted countless envious and reproachful glances, including Liu Shiyu's murderous eyes.
She watched as Liu Qinglan approached Xu Luchuan step by step. Sensing something was wrong, Xu Luchuan was about to get up and leave when Liu Qinglan called out, "Second Master."
Xu Luchuan turned his back and frowned, thinking of Liu Qinglan.
Now that he has already borne the full consequences of refusing the marriage, why won't she let him go? This woman is truly a persistent ghost.
Unexpectedly, Liu Qinglan, seeing Xu Luchuan about to escape, called out again, "Second Young Master?"
"What a coincidence, we meet again."
To outsiders, Liu Qinglan's relentless pursuit seemed like a favor, a show of leniency after rejecting their marriage proposal. But to Xu Luchuan, it was nothing but trouble. He wished Liu Qinglan would treat him like a stranger, never to meet again.
But she had already said so much, and Xu Luchuan could not leave resolutely any longer.
He could only turn around with a stiff upper lip and reply indifferently from a distance, "Miss Liu, what are you saying? We're all attending the Cold Mountain Banquet, so it's normal to run into each other."
Looking down at the Frost Pavilion, Liu Shiyu was so anxious she wanted to stick her ears right in front of them, desperately wanting to hear what they were saying. But she was too far away to hear a single word.
Liu Shiyu could only watch anxiously.
Upon hearing this, Liu Qinglan smiled slightly and quietly approached Xu Luchuan. She stopped three or four steps away from him and said, "Could it be that Second Master's repeated encounters with Qinglan at this banquet are truly normal? Or are they coincidences? Or is Second Master deeply regretting his refusal of the marriage proposal?"
Liu Qinglan is good in every way, except that she is too confident. Perhaps years of being the center of attention have made her lose herself. Or perhaps this is just her nature.
In short, her words really took Xu Luchuan by surprise.
Could it be that she misunderstood why he had served tea in her direction? Or had she already started overthinking things when they were outside the door? Xu Luchuan racked his brains but still couldn't figure out what he had done to cause Liu Qinglan to have such a misunderstanding about him.
He must explain things clearly.
Xu Luchuan replied coldly, "Miss Liu, have you misunderstood? I did not attend the banquet for any particular person. Moreover, attending the banquet is my own business and has nothing to do with Miss Liu. I think Miss Liu is overthinking it."
Upon hearing this, Liu Qinglan seemed to have lost all face.
Such a proud woman, who wouldn't be subservient to her in Jinling? How could she possibly tolerate such treatment? But she misjudged Xu Luchuan; he never coveted her beauty. He was completely oblivious to it.
Fortunately, their conversation was only within their audible range.
Although Liu Qinglan was furious, she managed to suppress her anger. She wouldn't lose her composure, much less allow unrelated people to laugh at her.
Xu Luchuan refused to back down, and the two remained deadlocked.
This made Liu Shiyu, who was seated, extremely anxious. She was about to impulsively get up when Lian Yue, who was standing behind her with his sword, pressed her down. Liu Shiyu turned around and saw Lian Yue shaking his head as he stared intently into her eyes, saying softly, "No."
Upon hearing this, Liu Shiyu instantly calmed down and knelt steadily on the cushion again.
Looking back, Xu Luchuan and Liu Qinglan are still at odds.
At this moment, Liu Shuangshuang stepped onto the high platform and loudly proclaimed to the crowd: "I'm sure you've all had your fill of wine, but I feel it's not enough. So today, I've prepared a garden tour and a treasure hunt for you all."
As soon as Liu Shuangshuang finished speaking, people below the platform couldn't wait any longer and began to discuss it.
"A search for an item in the park? What item? How do you find it?"
...
"Yes, Princess, are you here searching for something in the garden? What is it you're looking for?"
...
"Yes, Princess. Please tell us quickly."
"Please be patient, everyone. Let me explain slowly." Liu Shuangshuang gestured for silence from the audience. "This garden search, as the name suggests, is about finding something. As for what to look for? I can't tell you now, but I can guarantee that it's definitely a top-tier treasure. Whoever finds it will own it."
"However, this treasure of mine comes in pairs."
"Therefore, it is necessary for two people to go together to search, and they cannot be of the same sex. Only in this way can the treasure be divided equally. In a little while, the maids will distribute the Yangfei Tea behind me to each of you gentlemen. Then, please invite the lady you wish to accompany you and give her the Yangfei Tea. Then you can participate in the garden tour and treasure hunt."
"Throughout the entire Prince's mansion, apart from the east and west gardens which are closed off, there are clues to hidden treasures in every other place, waiting for you to find them."
"In that case, I, the princess, wish you all the best in finding your treasures."
As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd cheered.
With a glance from Liu Shuangshuang, the maids picked up trays of Yangfei tea and began distributing them to the young men in the audience.
When the assignment was given to Xu Luchuan, he hesitated.
Looking up at Liu Shiyu again, Xu Luchuan accepted the Yangfei tea offered by the maid.
Liu Qinglan did not leave; she remained standing beside Xu Luchuan. She seemed somewhat unwilling to accept this, refusing to believe that anyone could remain unmoved by her.
So Liu Qinglan spoke up again: "I was a bit presumptuous just now. I wonder which lady you intend to go with to the garden to search for the object after accepting this Yangfei tea? If you don't have a suitable person, why not come with me? That way, I can apologize to you."
An apology? What kind of apology is this?
Xu Luchuan looked helpless. He truly had no idea what Liu Qinglan was thinking. Why was she so determined to hound him? Could it be that she held a grudge because he had refused the marriage proposal? Was she trying to embarrass him?
Xu Luchuan was wary, but his expression remained indifferent as he replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Miss Liu, but I truly have no lady of my liking to accompany me. However, the incident between Miss Liu and me has just passed, and it would surely cause controversy if we were to stroll in the garden together again at this time. I am not concerned about it, but for the sake of Miss Liu's reputation, I would like to ask that you accompany someone else. I regret that I cannot accept your request and will have to excuse myself."
Xu Luchuan spoke in a grand and righteous tone, but Liu Qinglan gripped her sleeves tightly and coldly watched the person turn and leave.
For some reason, she suppressed her anger and dissatisfaction. Perhaps it was because this was the first time in Liu Qinglan's life that she had experienced such treatment, and she found Xu Luchuan increasingly interesting.
Look, she still exudes that pride. She gently raises her head, and instantly a crowd swarms around her.
The contrast between the Frost Pavilion and this side is striking.
Liu Shiyu remained bored, sitting unnoticed under the pavilion. No one dared to approach her. No one wanted to accompany this female demon; their misunderstandings and prejudices against her were deeply ingrained.
Upon seeing this, Liu Shuangshuang cheerfully stepped forward, took Liu Shiyu's hand, and said, "Cousin, come with me to the garden and see which gentleman's Yang Guifei tea party has been handed to you!"
"Shuangshuang, I'll excuse myself from this stroll in the garden..."
Before Liu Shiyu could refuse, she was pulled into the garden by the enthusiastic Liu Shuangshuang.
Standing in the garden, Liu Shiyu felt uneasy. He was never as nervous as he was today when facing those stubborn old ministers in the imperial court.
Liu Shiyu was about to turn back when Xu Luchuan, who was approaching gracefully, stopped her in her tracks. Xu Luchuan pretended not to know her and solemnly raised his hand in a salute, saying, "Your Highness, this humble subject greets you."
Liu Shiyu was startled and turned her gaze back, suppressing her racing heart.
Seeing this, Xu Luchuan then spoke up, "I wonder if Your Highness has anyone traveling with you? I have only recently returned to Jinling and have hardly anyone I know. Looking around, the only person I can speak with is Your Highness. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of asking if Your Highness would be willing to search for the item with me?"
Liu Shiyu turned around and looked at the Yangfei tea that Xu Luchuan handed her, frowning and pretending to be speechless with difficulty. In fact, she was overjoyed inside.
After hesitating for a moment, Liu Shiyu was about to take the Yangfei tea from Xu Luchuan's hand when suddenly another flower appeared before her, catching her eye. Then, a deep, resonant voice said to her in a sinister tone, "Your Highness, why not join me?"
Liu Shiyu looked up at the sound, but when she saw the face in front of her, she was filled with astonishment.
[Author's Note]
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 20:07:59 on December 23, 2022 and 20:19:11 on December 25, 2022!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: ZY 2 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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