Matthew nodded, his expression unusually resolute.
He Youyou lowered her head.
Matthew Yuan understood: Hehe, even a woman like He Youyou can be shy.
Unexpectedly, she suddenly raised her head and said, "It's not surprising that you like me. Who wouldn't like such an outstanding woman like me? I admire myself very much."
Matthew Yuan: ...I admire your confidence.
He Youyou took him around for half a day, and the things they bought filled a horse-drawn cart.
The results of this half-day shopping trip were remarkable.
Since He Youyou herself wasn't very knowledgeable about such things, she specifically found a young woman on the street who looked like she came from a well-off family, gave her a silver ingot as payment, and asked her to help her buy all the items.
Why bother with things that can be solved with money?
The two returned home with a full load.
He Youyou invited Ma Xiuyuan to stay in her courtyard.
Although the courtyard is not big, there are two empty rooms, enough for one or two guests.
Moreover, this place is surrounded by the residences of royalty and nobility, so security is very guaranteed.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Changqing came again in the evening.
They said that the Prince's mansion had already prepared a banquet and invited Brother Zicheng to come over for drinks and to reminisce.
After a few rounds of drinks, Zhao Changqing brought up Ma Xiuyuan's accommodation issue again.
"Youyou's place doesn't usually have many guests, and the rooms are very simply furnished. Perhaps it's not very convenient for Brother Zicheng to stay there?"
Matthew nodded repeatedly: "It's inconvenient, it's inconvenient. Since His Highness has said so, I definitely can't stay here."
Zhao Changqing's smile deepened: "I've already had a quiet room prepared in the manor, furnished with the finest bedding and all the necessities. If Brother Zicheng doesn't mind..."
"No problem, no problem at all. Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I'll humbly stay here tonight."
"That's excellent."
Thus, that night, Ma Xiuyuan was granted the honor of staying overnight at the Prince's Palace.
Night fell, and the Prince's mansion was closed for the night.
He Youyou also rested in her courtyard.
He Youyou was about to go back to her space to sleep when she suddenly heard a "tap, tap, tap" sound on her door.
She went out and opened the door, but there was no one there.
He leaned out and looked around; the courtyard was quiet and deserted.
Just as I was wondering, I suddenly heard a voice coming from above.
"Hey, what are you looking at?"
He Youyou looked up and saw a dark figure squatting on the wall.
The shadowy figure moved, and a small pebble landed on her doorframe with a "tap".
"It's me."
He Youyou looked up at him: "Hanzhang? What are you doing standing on the wall?"
"I suddenly want to talk to you, but I can't just climb over the wall without the owner's permission, or I'd become a thief."
He Youyou smiled and said, "Come down, the host has given permission."
She leaned against the door, arms crossed, waiting for him.
Zhao Changqing jumped down from the wall and landed in front of her.
The moonlight was not very bright, but there were a few stars in the sky.
The air was filled with the chirping of crickets and the chirping of cicadas.
The Book of Songs says, "In the fifth month, the cicadas sing," and the cicadas are the same creatures that sing in the Book of Songs.
The sound of cicadas is incessant, signaling the beginning of summer.
"You're calling me in the middle of the night? Something's up?"
Zhao Changqing appeared to have just taken a bath; his hair was loose and tied loosely behind his back.
The clothes she was wearing were freshly changed into; they were comfortable casual clothes, without a belt, and slightly loose.
The night breeze blew, and her clothes fluttered.
His gaze fell on her hair, and he smiled: "Let me see if you're wearing the jewelry I gave you... Hmm, it looks especially good on you."
He Youyou took a step forward, shortening the distance between them to a finger's width.
She reached out and placed her palm over his heart, staring intently into his eyes.
The clothes for early summer are very thin.
You can feel the temperature of my skin even through my clothes.
He Youyou's hands were very hot, and they burned Zhao Changqing's face.
The heart beneath his hand was pounding wildly out of control.
He Youyou stared at him for a long time before saying, "Hanzhang, so you really like me."
For a moment, Zhao Changqing's heart seemed to stop beating.
He opened his mouth: "I..."
Like a child whose secret has been exposed, he looked slightly embarrassed.
"There's nothing to be ashamed of. Liking someone isn't a shameful thing," He Youyou said calmly.
Zhao Changqing was taken aback: "Then you..."
“I’m used to it,” she said. “Isn’t it normal for a woman as outstanding, beautiful, and wealthy as me to be liked?”
"Many people like you?"
He Youyou nodded: "There are many. Ever since I was in school, I've had a constant stream of suitors. There were those who wrote love letters to confess their feelings, those who stopped me on the street pretending to bump into me, and later, when I had my own career, there were even more. There were even equally matched business partners, and countless young men who had just entered the workforce and said they liked me."
"So, do you have any dealings with them...?"
He Youyou knew what he wanted to ask.
"My time is limited, so I only do what I want to do. It's a matter of which attracts me more: men or career. So far, men have never won over careers."
Zhao Changqing clenched his fist: "Then what do you think of me?"
"Hanzhang, the fact that you like me shows you have good taste. The fact that you like me means I'm good enough, and it's what I deserve."
Zhao Changqing took a deep breath and suddenly grabbed her hand.
"He Youyou, don't you think you should do something about what I like?"
He Youyou tilted her head back and said, "Liking someone is your private matter. I don't need to be responsible for you, and I have no obligation to respond to you. Only when I also like you will my response be meaningful."
He gripped her hand, instinctively tightening his grip.
He Youyou looked down at her hand with white knuckles.
"Oh, by the way, in my world, it's not a big deal for men and women to shake hands, and it's normal to hug too. Don't think that just because you've grabbed my hand, I have to take responsibility for you."
"Is that so?" Zhao Changqing said in a very soft voice, "Then how about this?"
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