Chapter 664: The Most Beautiful Girl He Has Ever Seen

The weather is getting colder. Because Xingxing donated money to the charity last year and was named a lady of the countryside, the capital is exceptionally lively this year. People are giving out porridge and donating winter clothes. It can be said that charity is thriving and everyone is a good person.

Lou Ruhui and her friends in the Mingguang Marquis Mansion also set up a porridge stall in the south of the city, and Lou Ruhui actually went to the porridge stall to help out for three days.

Later, Xingxing and Lou Ruhui made an appointment to go shopping. When asked if she was tired during those days, she just smiled and blushed.

Xingxing let out a sound.

Lou Ruhui, however, was a person who could not keep secrets. She blushed and said to Xing Xing: "...When I was distributing porridge, I met a man who helped an old man with a broken leg to queue up for porridge. He was a very nice man and handsome..."

Even though Lou Ruhui was so cheerful, she couldn't continue talking and her ears turned red.

Looking at Lou Ruhui's little girl-like demeanor, Xing Xing felt that she understood instantly.

She dragged out the sound: "Sister Lou~"

Xing Xing clearly didn't say anything, but Lou Ruhui was so embarrassed that she stamped her feet: "Oh, do you want to make fun of me too?"

Lou Ruhui pretended to be angry, "I wanted to take you to see him secretly, but if you continue like this, I won't take you."

Xingxing hurriedly shook Lou Ruhui's arm to beg for mercy.

Lou Ruhui pretended to hum, then, as if remembering something, she also started laughing secretly.

Her eyes and brows are full of the demeanor of a little girl.

In the carriage, Lou Ruhui told her more, and Xingxing then realized that the young man had gone to Beijing to take the imperial examination last year.

He also won the first place in the imperial examination and was very talented in literature. However, the young man was somewhat unlucky. He suddenly developed a high fever the night before the imperial examination and missed the examination. He had to wait another three years.

The young man simply stayed in Beijing, studying and preparing for the exam. In his spare time, he also helped some poor elderly people who lived near the courtyard where he rented some farm work.

"He's a very nice guy." Lou Ruhui whispered, "Xingxing, you will definitely think he's very kind when you meet him."

When Xingxing saw Lou Ruhui's expression, she knew that Lou Ruhui and the young man must have had interactions more than just the three days of giving out porridge, and there must have been other contacts.

Lou Ruhui brought Xingxing to the door of a bookstore. When the carriage stopped, the two of them helped each other get out of the carriage.

Ruohui and Xingxing looked very well dressed, and the bookstore clerk was very enthusiastic: "Ladies, do you want to buy books or some study supplies?"

Lou Ruhui coughed and said, "Let's just take a look."

The waiter was still enthusiastic: "Okay, you two just watch first. If you need any help, just call me."

After dealing with the waiter in a serious manner, Lou Ruhui took Xingxing to a secluded corner of the bookstore. From this corner, one could just see a corner behind the screen of the bookstore.

There were several long desks there, and a few young scholars were sitting behind the desks, copying books with great enthusiasm.

Xing Xing blinked and looked at Lou Ruhui.

Lou Ruhui pursed her lips and whispered to Xing Xing: "Look at that one, the one with the blue headband..."

Xingxing looked over as she was told, and saw that there really was a handsome scholar with a green headband copying a book at his desk.

Xing Xing turned around and mouthed silently: "Is it him?"

Lou Ruhui blushed and nodded.

Xingxing tried hard to pry open the bookshelf and leaned forward, wanting to take a few more looks.

Lou Ruhui couldn't help but crane her neck to look over there.

The two were watching with great interest when they heard a voice saying, "Xingxing, what are you looking at?"

Xing Xing and Lou Ruhui were startled. After all, they were doing something "bad" and felt guilty. When they heard the voice of others, they almost jumped up on the spot.

Xing Xing covered her chest. When she saw that it was Song Shouqing, she was both angry and amused: "Brother Song, you almost scared me to death."

Song Shouqing looked apologetic and said, "I am sorry for being so abrupt."

He bowed and apologized as he spoke.

Lou Ruhui didn't know Song Shouqing, and she was still a little frightened as she mingled with Xingxing and looked at Song Shouqing.

Xing Xing introduced him to Lou Ruhui: "Sister Lou, this is my eldest sister-in-law's cousin, his surname is Song, his name is Shouqing. He is currently studying with Ju Ge'er."

She introduced him to Song Shouqing, "Brother Song, this is my sister Lou, the daughter of the Marquis of Mingguang Mansion."

Song Shouqing hurriedly bowed and said, "Please forgive me, Miss Lou, for being rude just now."

Seeing that Song Shouqing had been relatively polite despite his initial jumpiness and had been apologizing sincerely, Lou Ruhui's anger almost disappeared.

After thinking about it again, she realized that he was from the uncle's family of the Yu family's great grandmother, and his surname was Song. Lou Ruhui exclaimed, "Ah!" and responded, "Is it the Song family of Su Yang?"

Song Shou said humbly, "That's right."

Now, Lou Ruhui looked at Song Shouqing with some admiration: "So he is the son of the Suyang Song family."

Xingxing and the others had just made quite a noise, so the people behind the screen naturally heard it as well.

The young man who was copying the book put down his pen, walked around the screen, and greeted Ruo Ruhui with some surprise: "Miss Ruo? ... Hey, Brother Song, you are here too?"

Song Shou raised his fist and greeted the young man who was copying the book: "Brother Dou, what a coincidence."

The young man smiled frankly: "It's no coincidence. I'm copying books in this bookstore to make some money."

Song Shou paused for a moment before he realized that Xingxing and this Miss Lou were hiding behind the bookshelf to watch Dou Chengsong?

Now, it suddenly became a meeting between acquaintances.

Dou Chengsong smiled and said, "Meeting is fate. I'd like to invite you all to have some tea in the teahouse next door."

Lou Ruhui opened her mouth.

She knew that Dou Chengsong was very frugal in order to stay in the capital, so she would never be willing to let him treat her. However, she was still a young girl after all, and it seemed a little inappropriate to suddenly ask for a treat.

At this moment, Song Shouqing spoke graciously: "Brother Dou, you are too polite. This time it is my turn to pay, and it is also my way of apologizing to Xingxing and Miss Lou. I just spoke rashly and startled them. I am very uneasy. If Brother Dou snatches away my chance to pay the price and apologize, I will be very uncomfortable."

Dou Chengsong thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, then I won't compete with Brother Song for it."

Now that things have been said, Xing Xing and Lou Ruhui naturally would not refuse.

Anyway, we all know each other on some level, so we are not strangers.

Dou Chengsong first had a brief conversation with the owner of the bookstore and settled the money, then he went to the teahouse next door with Xingxing and the others.

Lou Ruhui, who was usually lively and energetic, was now shy and timid, like a little girl who had never seen a stranger before, and she even spoke in a soft voice.

When going upstairs, Xingxing and Lou Ruhui were walking in front. Xingxing suddenly stopped and looked down.

Lou Ruhui asked in a soft voice, "What's the matter?"

Xing Xing was still not used to her sister Lou's way of speaking. She shuddered and then replied, "...Just now I felt like someone was watching us."

Luo Ruhui followed his instructions and looked back, but saw nothing. There were a few tables of customers drinking tea in the lobby of the teahouse, nothing unusual.

Xing Xing also hesitated: "Could it be that I am wrong? ... Forget it, let's go upstairs first."

Lou Ruhui blushed and nodded.

…

A maidservant sneaked out of the teahouse door, patting her chest, and was almost discovered by Princess Fusui!

The maid turned and went to a rouge shop opposite.

Yu Mingzhu was looking at jewelry with her little sisters. When she saw the maid coming back, she found a free moment and walked aside, whispering to the maid, "Did you see clearly? Was Yu Xingxing really shopping with two men?"

The maid whispered, "...I saw it clearly, it's absolutely true. But, in addition to the two men, Miss Ru Hui was also there."

Yu Mingzhu didn't take Lou Ruhui seriously at all. She curled her lips without making a sound and whispered to the maid, "You did a good job. Go over there and keep an eye on her for me next time. Don't let anyone find you."

As she spoke, Yu Mingzhu slipped a gold leaf to the maid.

The maid smiled happily and said quickly, "Don't worry, Miss, I will keep a close eye on you."

Yu Mingzhu chuckled, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

…

Inside the teahouse, Lou Ruhui introduced Xing Xing to the young man named Dou Chengsong in a soft voice.

When he learned that Xing Xing was Princess Fusui, Dou Chengsong stood up and bowed to her: "It turned out to be Princess Fusui. I often heard people at the charity hall mention that, thanks to Princess Fusui's donations, the lives of the young and old at the charity hall are getting better and better...Please accept my greeting, Princess."

Xing Xing also stood up and turned aside: "Master Dou, there is no need to perform such a grand ceremony. I am only doing my best to help others. I have not done anything earth-shattering. Master, you do not need to bow to me."

Dou Chengsong looked at Xingxing with great admiration: "My princess is of high character and integrity. I really admire her."

Xingxing felt her scalp tingling from Dou Chengsong's compliments. She refused for a while before finally sitting down somewhat embarrassedly.

Lou Ruhui felt more and more that Dou Chengsong was a really nice person.

She secretly glanced at Dou Chengsong from the side, her eyes sparkling as if filled with stars.

Although they were going to drink tea, there was actually nothing much for the four of them to talk about. After drinking a pot of tea, they sat for a while and soon left.

Song Shouqing said that he wanted to ask Dou Chengsong some questions about his studies, and took Dou Chengsong back to the courtyard where he rented.

Xingxing and Lou Ruhui got on the carriage again and prepared to return home.

Lou Ruhui's face turned red.

She got on the carriage and sat for a long time before she regained her composure. She covered her red face and looked at Xing Xing eagerly: "How is he? He is a nice guy, right?"

Xing Xing nodded: "He does look like a very kind person. But..."

Xing Xing was a little hesitant again. She looked at Lou Ruhui carefully and whispered, "Sister Lou, do you like him?"

Lou Ruhui's face suddenly turned red all the way to her crown. Xing Xing felt like she could see white smoke coming out of Lou Ruhui's crown.

Lou Ruhui responded as softly as a mosquito: "Yeah."

Xing Xing couldn't help but worry about Lou Ruhui. She hesitated but still asked in a low voice: "Sister Lou, is your love... just admiration, or do you want to marry him? If you really want to marry him, will your family agree?"

Lou Ruhui is the legitimate daughter of the marquis's family. The difference in status between her and Dou Chengsong is not a world of difference, but generally speaking, it is still quite big.

How could the Mingguang Marquis and his wife be willing to marry their beloved daughter to a family of unequal status?

Lou Ruhui's face first turned red, then pale. She lowered her head, and after a long while, she shook her head and sighed, "Of course, my family will definitely not agree to it."

"That……"

Lou Ruhui was very optimistic. She covered her face and said, "...It's hard to say. Anyway, I'm still young and my parents love me. If Dou Chengsong is willing to marry me, then I can wait for him. When he passes the next imperial examination and is appointed an official, my parents should be able to make some concessions..."

Xingxing wanted to say something else, but Lou Ruhui was so embarrassed that she threw herself on Xingxing and put her fingers on her lips: "Okay Xingxing, don't ask me anymore. I don't necessarily have to marry him... I just feel happy when I see him. If I can't see him, I will miss him all the time... Anyway, it's hard to say anything right now!"

Since Lou Ruhui said so, Xing Xing naturally wouldn't say anything more.

She nodded slightly: "Well, I believe Sister Lou knows her limits."

Lou Ruhui smiled sweetly.

However, a few days later, Lou Ruhui came to Xingxing crying.

As soon as she saw Xingxing, Lou Ruhui threw herself into her arms and cried heartily.

Xing Xing was confused: "Sister Lou, what happened?"

Lou Ruhui just kept crying and didn't bother to answer.

Xing Xing was extremely anxious. After waiting for Lou Ruhui to calm down, Xing Xing wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. "Sister, please stop crying. I am almost broken by your crying. What happened?"

Xingxing's words made Lou Ruhui burst into tears again.

But this time, Lou Ruhui spoke out the truth while crying and choking: "...Mr. Dou, he, he fell in love with Yu Mingzhu!"

"ah?"

Xingxing and the others were stunned.

To be honest, she didn't quite understand how these two names could appear in the same sentence.

"What on earth happened?" Xing Xing found it hard to imagine. "Dou Chengsong, Yu Mingzhu?"

Lou Ruhui wiped her tears and said, "…This time when I went to see Dou Chengsong, I saw a painting on his desk. It was a small portrait. I recognized it right away. It was clearly my cousin Mingzhu!"

"Mr. Dou has always been good-tempered, but when he saw me looking at the little portrait, he became angry as if he were facing a powerful enemy. He told me in a stern voice not to tell anyone about it, so as not to damage the reputation of the girl in the painting..."

"He was so gentle even to the puppy that was about to freeze to death on the roadside. It was the first time, the first time I saw him speak so harshly... all for the sake of protecting my cousin Mingzhu!"

"He defended Cousin Mingzhu so much! I'm not stupid, I can tell at a glance that he is attracted to Cousin Mingzhu!"

Lou Ruhui cried until she was a little overwhelmed, and she was a little confused, "Xingxing, no, when did the two of them get together?"

Even the parties involved don’t know about this issue, let alone Xingxing.

Xingxing was also very confused.

"Did you ask him?" Xingxing asked in a low voice.

Lou Ruhui cried so hard that her tears and snot were all mixed together. "I asked him how he knew Cousin Mingzhu. But he refused to say anything. He only said that Cousin Mingzhu was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen."