Chapter 19 Oolong Pear...
Pear Garden.
The carriage stopped, and Yan Yize didn't give him a chance to speak. With a long arm, she effortlessly picked him up. The person in her arms was so light that there was no fluctuation on her calm face, and her steps were light, as if she were carrying someone else.
Shang Xu lowered his head awkwardly. It wasn't the first time she had hugged him, and he had gotten quite used to it, but the faint, cool fragrance emanating from her still made his ears turn red.
The pear orchard was very quiet. We didn't encounter anyone along the way. Perhaps it was too cold and people didn't want to come out to watch the play, or perhaps Yan Yize disliked crowds and had given us advance notice.
The lobby was empty and silent. Yan Yize looked around and found a perfect spot. Then she carried him over, bent down, carefully put him down, and sat down next to him.
She looked at him, "Is there anything you'd like to see?"
Hearing the sound, Shang Xu raised his head and looked at her. His gaze swept over her forehead without leaving a trace. She had been carrying him for so long, yet she hadn't even lost her breath. Her full forehead was clean, without a trace of sweat.
Shang Xu was lost in thought for a second, and inevitably wondered if she had hugged many people, which was why she was so skilled. Realizing that she might not be the only exception, a tightness gripped her chest.
He snapped out of his reverie, lowered his eyes to hide his disappointment, and tried to make his voice sound calm. "Your Highness has made the decision."
Although his change was subtle, Yan Yize still noticed it. She stared at him for a second or two but couldn't find the reason, so she could only attribute it to her own overthinking. After a moment of silence, she nodded, "Okay."
She turned her head and whispered a few words to Huixue, who was standing behind her. Huixue replied respectfully, "Yes," and then turned and stepped back.
A few seconds later, a person came up from the empty stands in front of her. She was dressed in bright colors, heavily made up, and her face was covered with thick powder, making it impossible to see her original appearance. With a "clang," the sound of gongs and drums rang out, and the play began.
This was my first time seeing Shang Xu, and I was naturally drawn in. My attention was involuntarily drawn to the figures moving on stage. The play tells the story of a woman and a man who meet by chance, fall in love, but are forced to separate for various reasons. In the end, the woman is pressured by her family to marry someone she does not love, and the man dies of depression after learning about it.
Halfway through the play, Shang Xu's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly, and his fingers unconsciously tightened. The woman in the play was in a situation very similar to Yan Yize. Was it intentional or unintentional that the person in the play was acting as a spectator?
Shang Xu had no interest in the rest of the play. He glanced at Yan Yize, her beautiful profile in his eyes, but his heart was filled with unspeakable bitterness. It was she who suggested watching the play, and she was the one who chose the play and the music. So this was her true intention.
Shang Xu forced a bitter smile, his expression indescribably grim. He almost, almost thought...
Yan Yize noticed his gaze, turned his head to look at him, and a faint concern appeared in his dark and deep eyes. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head, his lips trembling, but he couldn't bring himself to say "it's nothing." He was still bothered by it, and his eyes welled up with tears.
Seeing him like this, Yan Yize's heart tightened, and her brows furrowed unconsciously. Her eyes were fixed on his reddened eyes, and she lowered her voice, "Do you not like this play?"
Shang Xu bit his lip, shook his head, and the red in his eyes grew even more intense. It was a tenderness that didn't belong to him, and he dared not covet it. Perhaps it was his unwillingness to accept it, or perhaps he wanted to seek the truth and cut off any unwarranted desires. He suddenly asked, "Does Your Highness like my brother?"
Shang Jue? Yan Yize's first reaction was to frown. Images of Shang Jue scolding and beating him flashed through her mind, which intensified her dislike. A bright look of disgust flashed in her eyes, and she decisively shook her head, "I don't like him."
Why do you ask that?
His questions were so absurd that she would never like them, and she was trying to avoid them at all costs.
Shang Xu was also taken aback upon hearing this. Wasn't it Shang Jue? Then it must be someone else. Today's performance was just a reminder. It seems she is preparing to welcome the person into the mansion.
Trying to ignore the strange feeling in his heart, he raised his eyes and asked, "May I ask which family's young master you are?"
"When does Your Highness plan to bring the person into the residence? I will make preparations accordingly."
The more Yan Yize listened, the deeper her brows furrowed. What young master? What welcoming him into the manor? She understood every single word he said, but when put together, it was all incomprehensible.
Were they watching a play? Or had she missed something? Yan Yize racked her brains, but still couldn't understand what he meant. She finally asked, "What are you talking about?"
Shang Xu was also annoyed. She was the one who gave him a hard time, and now she was pretending not to understand. If she wanted to do something, she should just say it directly. Why did she have to tease him like this? Even a clay figure has some temper, let alone a living person.
"When does Your Highness plan to bring your beloved to the residence?" Shang Xu turned his head and spoke very quickly, protesting silently in his own unique way.
"I have someone I love, how come I don't know?" Yan Yize's face was open and his eyes were calm, but his voice only showed doubt about what he had said.
Shang Xu froze, finally realizing belatedly that he had overlooked something. What he had just said was merely his speculation; she had never explicitly stated it, nor had he ever sought confirmation from her.
His breathing suddenly quickened, and meeting her candid expression, he guiltily looked away. From beginning to end, it was all his own speculation that led to this misunderstanding, but now that things had come to this, he suddenly really wanted to know the exact answer.
"Does Your Highness have someone you love?"
This time, he asked very cautiously.
After some hesitation, Shang Xu met her eyes and nervously held his breath.
Instead of answering directly, Yan Yize asked in return, "Is it important whether it exists or not?"
"It's important." Shang Xu looked into her eyes, nodded vigorously, and mustered his courage to ask, "So, Your Highness, could you tell me?"
"Why don't you tell me first what you meant by what you said earlier?" Yan Yize looked at him with a smile, clearly interested in the things she hadn't understood before.
Shang Xu remained silent for a moment, then lowered his head awkwardly, his face full of regret. He knew the truth, of course, but he was too ashamed to say it.
In the end, he naturally didn't get the answer he wanted.
A note from the author:
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