Chapter 44 She's back. She brought back something...
When Li Huai'an pushed open the door again, his eyes were red and filled with tears, looking completely lost. When he saw Yan Yize, it was as if he had seen his pillar of support. Tears streamed down his face as he looked at her pleadingly, "Grandpa...Grandpa is gone."
Yan Yize was taken aback by his words. Although she had already guessed, it was still far beyond her expectations. She lowered her eyes and pondered. Taking care of Li Huai'an was also part of the deal. After thinking for a moment, she looked at him and asked, "Are you willing to come with me?"
Li Huai'an's tearful eyes lit up. She appeared before him like a fairy, and now she seemed like a savior, asking him if he wanted to go with her. An overwhelming feeling of love welled up within him. He raised his hand to his chest, his heart pounding fiercely beneath it. He secretly gazed at her, wondering if she was married.
Li Huai'an lowered his eyes, his heart pounding. He remembered that his grandfather had told him that a member of the Li family could only be a legal husband, not a concubine. But she was so beautiful that he would be willing to follow her even without a title or status.
"Is it...is it okay?" he asked timidly.
Yan Yize glanced at him lightly, and for no reason missed Shang Xu. Recalling how Shang Xu blushed in front of her, she couldn't help but smile and nod absentmindedly, "I promised you that Grandfather would take care of you."
Little did she know, her laughter, triggered by Shang Xu, led Li Huai'an to misunderstand. Li Huai'an lowered his head shyly. She smiled; she smiled at him. Did she also have feelings for him?
Li Huai'an blushed; he was willing to do anything if she asked.
——
In order to handle the old man's funeral arrangements, Yan Yize had no choice but to stay in Xuanzhou for two more days. After those two days, she couldn't wait to set off back to Fengcheng.
This wasn't the first time Yan Yize had left the manor. The biggest difference this time was that her desire to return home was much stronger than before, when she had always been indifferent.
But now, she wanted to see Shang Xu. This intense and unusual longing finally made the belatedly aware Yan Yize realize something. She didn't know when, but his image had already appeared in her heart.
Upon hearing this thought, Yan Yize's heart skipped a beat, then began to race uncontrollably. A shiver ran through her body, her fingers twitched, and the moment Shang Xu's face appeared in her mind, the peculiar sensation intensified.
Li Huai'an sat quietly in the corner of the carriage, stealing glances at her every now and then, then lowering his head shyly, praying incessantly that she would notice him, but his prayers were destined to go unanswered.
From the moment he boarded the carriage, Yan Yize barely interacted with him except for necessary communication, let alone looked at him. Li Huai'an felt empty inside and couldn't help but feel a sense of loss.
He couldn't understand why, before getting into the carriage, she had helped him with his grandfather's funeral arrangements and even smiled at him. How could things change once he got into the carriage? He thought of many reasons, but he was unwilling to admit that he had been deluding himself.
After traveling day and night, the carriage finally entered Fengcheng again. Thinking that he would soon see Shang Xu, Yan Yize couldn't help but smile, and his eyes and brows were filled with a joyful smile.
Li Huai'an had been secretly observing her. When he saw her smile, he smiled back. He put aside his troubles of the past few days and completely forgot her previous indifference.
All I can think of is her smile.
The carriage traveled for a while longer, passing through streets and alleys, and through bustling crowds, before finally coming to a steady stop in front of the Prince's Palace. The stone lions remained majestic and awe-inspiring.
As Shang Xu finished stitching the sachet, he admired it with satisfaction, his fingertips tracing the pair of wild geese on it, a hint of anticipation rising in his eyes. He wondered if she would like it.
After looking at it for a while, he put the sachet away and looked at the clay doll that resembled her. As he looked at it, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's been half a month. When are you coming back?"
Just as he was feeling melancholy, a servant from the manor rushed towards him in a daze. The servant, dressed in black, was holding his waist with one hand and panting heavily.
Shang Xu looked at him with a puzzled expression, not understanding what had made him so agitated. He didn't urge him, but poured him a glass of water and handed it to him, saying gently, "Don't rush, tell me slowly."
The servant gratefully accepted the drink, took a sip, and his unsteady breathing finally calmed down. He immediately shouted excitedly, "Your Highness, Your Highness has returned!"
Upon hearing his words, Shang Xu abruptly stood up, his eyes filled with a mixture of joy and shock. He immediately took a step forward, then, fearing he had misheard, nervously asked again, "Is what you said true?"
The servant nodded repeatedly, "Absolutely true."
Shang Xu couldn't hold back any longer and immediately ran towards the gate of the mansion. He didn't know if His Highness had arrived yet. If he had known His Highness was coming back today, he should have gone to the gate earlier to wait, so that he could have seen her as soon as possible.
A smile crept across Shang Xu's lips as he jogged along, his hand unconsciously reaching for his chest, where the sachet he had embroidered lay. He wondered if His Highness would like it.
He was panting heavily when he quickly arrived at the gate. When he was almost at the gate, he stopped and took a few deep breaths to calm his unsteady breathing. He didn't want to lose face in front of His Highness. Once his breathing was almost steady, he took a step forward.
As Shang Xu emerged from around the corner, he immediately spotted the princess he had been longing for. Before he could even suppress his smile, his face turned pale. She had returned, bringing with her a man.
His worst fears came true.
His desire to see her suddenly wasn't as strong anymore. Shang Xu stood there, his heart, which had been filled with joy just moments before, now filled with bitterness. He swallowed hard, the bitterness spreading through him.
Shang Xumu looked at her. After not seeing her for many days, she was still so spirited and energetic, as if nothing had changed. But the person standing next to her was no longer him.
A tear rolled down his cheek without him noticing, and he quickly wiped it away. His heart felt empty. He touched the sachet in his pocket. Now it seemed that whether she liked it or not was no longer important, because there was no need to give it to her anymore.
Shang Xu concealed his low spirits and stood hesitantly in place. Would his sudden appearance disturb them? Should he leave?
Just as he was hesitating and struggling, Yan Yize saw him. The moment her calm and unwavering eyes saw him, they blossomed into a bright smile that was captivating. Li Huai'an, who was standing next to her, was stunned.
It took Li Huai'an a long time to recover. He followed her gaze and saw a handsome man in white with black hair standing quietly by the vermilion wooden door. In an instant, his pupils shrank and countless panics arose in his heart. What was the relationship between the man and her?
Seeing that she had seen him, Shang Xu had no choice but to step forward. His heart ached in waves, as if it were being torn in two, but he still smiled impeccably. "Your Highness, you're back."
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