Chapter 21 A red apricot branch peeks over the wall, yet he approaches step by step, looking down at her with disdain…
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"Knock knock"
Yu Liuzhu could clearly hear the heartbeat, like a thunderclap in spring that urges all things to sprout and grow.
She looked at the tall, handsome man so close to her with reverence and admiration, almost unable to control her emotions.
In her past life, after her miscarriage, she was neglected by Mu Lin, her mother-in-law ignored her, and even her great-grandmother, who had treated her well, didn't offer a word of comfort, only coldly telling her to take care of her health.
The servants flattered her and gossiped about her a lot. Even when she wanted to put two more charcoal braziers in the house on a snowy day, she had to watch the mood of the steward in charge of the storeroom.
The head maid was her mother-in-law's person, and she had nowhere to seek an explanation. Just when she was feeling angry and embarrassed, she heard that the person in front of her was standing up for her. Disregarding her mother-in-law's reputation, she ordered the head maid to be flogged thirty times in public.
From then on, the servants in the mansion dared not gossip about her anymore, let alone kick her when she was down. Even the mother-in-law, who had lost face, didn't say anything.
She gripped the handkerchief tightly in her hand, the smooth silk threads twisted into a crumpled ball, just like her clenched heart.
"This junior has been presumptuous and has disturbed Uncle Mu."
"Do you know me?" Mu Hanshi's voice was light as snow, drifting down like a gust of wind, blowing left and right, up and down, not knowing where it went.
He put one hand behind his back, his hand, with its distinct knuckles like jade bamboo, slowly curled up and finally clenched into a fist.
Shen Qinglu couldn't see his expression, but judging from his slightly tense posture, he must have been somewhat agitated.
Yu Liuzhu, who was standing in front of him, could also sense this emotion.
Yu Liuzhu's clenched heart immediately relaxed.
It turns out that Uncle Nine had feelings for her from the very first time he saw her...
She was excited and grateful. She was excited that even though she had been given a second chance at life, she was still a special person in his eyes. She was grateful that she could start over and would not miss the person who truly cared about her.
"Last Mid-Autumn Festival, I came to the Marquis's residence as a guest with my elders. I saw Uncle Mu Jiu from afar, but he probably didn't see me."
Mu Hanshi took two more steps closer, so close that he was almost touching her.
The place was quiet and deserted. They were like a couple meeting in secret, getting close to each other discreetly, restrained by etiquette and social norms, yet unable to resist their furtiveness.
This is how Shen Qinglu feels about them.
From her perspective, Yu Liuzhu's affection was impossible to hide, and Mu Hanshi was clearly very interested in Yu Liuzhu.
"Who are you?" Mu Hanshi's voice seemed to change, as if the falling snow had turned into a sudden rain, carrying a hint of urgency.
Yu Liuzhu's heart pounded faster as he got closer, and a blush instantly spread across her eyes and brows, her ears becoming bright red.
“I am a girl from the Yu family. My name is Yu Liuzhu. My father is Yu Zhiheng, a compiler at the Jixian Hall.”
"Yu Liuzhu, a girl from the Yu family."
The sudden downpour subsided, leaving only ripples spreading across the water.
His fist slowly opened, and finally he regained his composure.
For some reason, Shen Qinglu seemed to be influenced by him, and when he loosened his grip, the breath she was holding also dissipated.
Yu Liu blushed, trying her best to maintain a dignified appearance. "I did not mean to disturb Uncle Mu. My cousin also came to the Marquis's residence as a guest. The elders were worried that we would feel bored, so they let us come out for some fresh air. My cousin is different from ordinary people. If I don't keep an eye on her, she will run off somewhere. I wandered into this place by mistake while looking for her. Please forgive me, Uncle Mu."
"..."
This Yu Liuzhu actually used her as an excuse!
Shen Qinglu lowered her eyes, looking at her peach-red outfit. No matter how well she hid herself, she could still shine brightly in the sea of green. She would never let herself be lost among the green leaves and be willing to play a supporting role to others.
The chill of spring lingers, and the breeze through the woods carries not only coolness but also the fragrance of bamboo leaves.
She reached out and caught a bamboo leaf that had been blown down by the wind.
Footsteps approached quickly.
Mu Lin walked in a hurry, and after passing through the bamboo forest, he saw Mu Hanshi and Yu Liuzhu standing together. He looked strange and even had an indescribable eeriness about him.
After bowing to Mu Hanshi, he asked Yu Liuzhu, "I heard that Miss Ali was with you, why didn't I see her?"
Yu Liuzhu turned to the side, not raising her eyebrows or eyes, showing proper manners. "I don't know where she ran off to, I'm looking for her."
"She's disappeared?" Upon hearing this, Mu Lin's brows furrowed, making him appear somewhat sharp. "Did you see where she went?"
The concern and anxiety in that tone were obvious to anyone with ears.
In a daze, Shen Qinglu seemed to see another person through him.
His appearance and Yu Liuzhu's appearance were somewhat familiar, a familiarity that made people believe in the cycle of reincarnation and destiny.
However, neither he nor Yu Liuzhu looked at each other with any restraint, as if two completely unrelated equal lines had been forcibly brought together.
“Ninth Uncle, I heard from Jingliang that Miss Ali fell into the water a few days ago, and I’m really worried…”
“She is a guest of the Marquis’s residence, so it’s understandable that something should happen to her here. Your concern is understandable. Send more people to search.” Mu Hanshi said calmly, but Leng Xue’s eyes swept over Shen Qinglu’s hiding place.
The bamboo grove was lush and green, and through the gaps between the leaves, their eyes met for a fleeting moment.
Like lightning, like the collapse of the sky and the cracking of the earth.
Shen Qinglu felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet, and her whole body began to stiffen.
She's been discovered!
On second thought, she realized that some people perceived her as a scheming and calculating person, and prejudice had already formed, so what was there to worry about? She decided to ignore it and proceed with her own plan.
Thinking this, he neither looked away nor avoided the gaze; his dark eyes remained motionless.
"Young Master Mu must be blaming me. I... I didn't expect Sister Ali to run off like that," Yu Liuzhu said after Mu Lin left, her eyes slightly red, not from sadness or grief, but from hatred.
She hates it!
Fearing that Mu Hanshi would notice, she took her leave, saying that she also needed to continue looking for someone.
Mu Saishi's gaze was deep and unfathomable; it was unclear whether he was looking at her or trying to see someone through her. He said, "I am Ah Lin's elder. You and Ah Lin will have a close relationship in the future. If you need anything, feel free to come to me. There's no need to be polite."
She pinched her palm and softly hummed in agreement.
Such shyness, such contentment, like a loving wife responding to her husband; the reluctance to part upon leaving was even more poignant.
Shen Qinglu also wanted to leave, but she couldn't.
Because Mu Hanshi had already walked over and stood outside the bamboo forest, he coldly commanded, "Come out!"
Amidst layers upon layers of cyan, a touch of peach slowly emerges, like a red apricot branch peeking over a wall, gradually revealing its stunning beauty before finally unveiling its full form.
Mu Hanshi's snowy gaze fell on her.
Her radiance, in stark contrast to the simple elegance of Yu Liuzhu just moments before, seemed to overshadow the beauty of the other woman.
Such a lack of distinction between primary and secondary positions is seen by anyone as the person in the secondary position being ignorant, lacking humility, unaware of taboos, and also being tactless and clueless.
If it were merely a matter of vying for attention within the household, that would be one thing. But to try and outdo the host when visiting outside the home is clearly intentional, driven by impure motives and malicious intent.
She knew that the person in front of her probably thought the same thing.
Because Mu Hanshi's eyes were extremely cold, like a frozen lake, calm and still yet boundless with ice.
“I told you this is the end, but it seems you didn’t listen.”
What do you mean, "that's the end"? What did she do?
Why does this Mu Lao Jiu dislike her so much? He's been looking at her with prejudice from the very beginning. I wonder if there's something wrong with his eyes!
"Uncle Mu Jiu..."
"Who gave you permission to call me Uncle Nine?"
If you don't want to call, then don't call.
"Whether you believe it or not, I have no other intentions towards Prince Mu."
She was simply attracted to his face and wanted to look at him a few more times. Is that wrong?
"Do you believe it yourself?" Mu Hanshi asked her in return.
"Of course I believe in myself. Prince Mu is my second brother's friend. In my heart, he is also my brother..." She quickly swallowed the word "brother" back.
Even so, her heart was still tugged, whether from pain or longing, she didn't know.
Suddenly, a chilling aura approached, as if a bright sunny day had been inexplicably covered by dark clouds, pressing down heavily and making it difficult to breathe.
Shen Qinglu was startled by Mu Hanshi's intimidating aura and subconsciously took two steps back.
He approached step by step, looking down at her with disdain, his voice as cold as ice, "He's not your brother!"
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