Chapter Twenty-Six: The Young Master's Beloved
The woman looked at Xiao Huaiyi with delight: "Young master, you've come to the lantern festival too."
Xiao Huaiyi smiled and pointed to Shen Qingnian beside him: "Yes, I came with Miss Shen."
Butterfly Dance then raised her eyebrows and carefully examined Shen Qingnian.
With her fresh and clean-cut appearance, bright eyes and white teeth, and gentle features, she is a delight to behold.
The girl was standing upright at the moment, clearly a lady from a well-to-do family. Most importantly, she exuded a rare and remarkable resilience.
No wonder she felt that Xiao Huaiyi was different today.
When Xiao Huaiyi was with them, he always seemed carefree and irreverent, but he was incredibly talented and wrote many poems for the girls.
Many girls secretly admired him, but he never seemed to truly care about any of them.
Today, however, he seemed like a completely different person, dignified and polite, gentle and refined, resembling a young master from a noble family. Gone was his previous unruly and unrestrained nature.
Perhaps, this girl, Chen, is the reason for his change.
Butterfly Dance bowed to Shen Qingnian and said, "Miss Shen, Butterfly Dance greets you."
He then turned his head to look at Xiao Huaiyi, his expression meaningful: "It seems that this Miss Shen is the one that Young Master Xiao is in love with."
Shen Qingnian, standing to the side, lowered her head, touched the tip of her nose with a handkerchief between her fingers, looked away, and her earlobes turned red.
Xiao Huaiyi laughed: "Miss Diewu is indeed intelligent, and Miss Shen is indeed my beloved, but it is a case of the king having feelings but the goddess having no interest."
Butterfly Dance covered her mouth with her handkerchief and smiled, slightly surprised.
It's rare to see Xiao Huaiyi being rejected by a girl.
She then looked at Shen Qingnian and said, "Miss Shen, you are the first person who can make Young Master Xiao like this!" Shen Qingnian secretly glanced at Xiao Huaiyi and found that he was smiling at her.
Diewu looked at the two of them. She had never seen Xiao Huaiyi like that before. He looked exactly like a young man experiencing his first love.
She smiled, covering her face with her handkerchief, and said, "I won't bother you any longer."
Butterfly Dance bowed to everyone again, then swayed her hips and left.
The group continued walking, and Xiao Huaiyi whispered a few words in Shen Qingnian's ear: "Miss Shen, if you are willing to go to Wanbao Temple to admire the peach blossoms tomorrow, I will definitely give you an explanation."
Shen Qingnian looked into Xiao Huaiyi's eyes; his eyes were clear and innocent. Shen Qingnian thought, perhaps, this time she could really give it a try.
As Shen Qingnian was being helped into the carriage by Ling'er, Xiao Huaiyi called out to her, "Miss Shen, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow."
Shen Qingnian turned around and saw Xiao Huaiyi standing by the carriage, his hands clasped in a gesture of respect, looking at her with deep affection in his eyes, as if he wanted to etch her into his very being.
He was afraid she wouldn't go to Wanbao Temple.
Shen Qingnian thought for a moment, smiled slightly, nodded, and got into the carriage.
When Xiao Huai saw that Shen Qingnian was willing to go to Wanbao Temple to admire the flowers, he couldn't hide the excitement in his eyes and strode towards his carriage.
Ping An quickly went up to remind him, "Young master, didn't we agree to write new lyrics for Miss Xizhu of the Red Music Hall today?"
Xiao Huaiyi waved his hand dismissively: "I'm not going anymore, I'm never going again."
Why aren't you going?
"My future wife might be heartbroken."
Miss Shen hasn't said she wants to get married yet.
Ping An looked at Xiao Huaiyi's barely concealed smile, shook his head, and said nothing more.
As soon as Shen Qingnian boarded the carriage, she saw Xie Yanzhi carrying the rabbit lantern she had just seen. The lantern was beautiful, but rather expensive.
Therefore, Shen Qingnian did not show that she liked the lamp very much.
Although she was a little curious about why Xie Yanzhi bought the rabbit lantern, she didn't plan to ask, as long as it wasn't for her.
Xie Yanzhi saw Shen Qingnian glance at the rabbit lantern, then turn her head away and stop looking.
Holding the sandalwood comb given to her by Xiao Huaiyi, she lowered her brows and smiled.
Xie Yanzhi suddenly didn't understand why he had just bought the lamp.
He had just seen Shen Qingnian pick up the lamp with obvious delight, but then put it down with a sense of loss.
He also heard Xiao Huaiyi say he would wait for her tomorrow. Wait for her to do what?
Upon arriving at the Marquis's residence, Xie Yanzhi led the way carrying a lantern, while Shen Qingnian followed behind.
After walking for a short while, they heard Gu Lingyu's voice: "Cousin!"
Then she saw Xie Yanzhi carrying a lantern and said to him, "This rabbit lantern is so pretty."
Xie Yanzhi glanced at Gu Lingyu, then at Shen Qingnian: "You like it?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Lingyu went up and tugged at Xie Yanzhi's sleeve: "Yes, cousin, I really like it, can I have it?"
"Take it." Xie Yanzhi said, glancing at Shen Qingnian. He saw that her expression was indifferent, and her face showed no emotion.
"Thank you, cousin!" Gu Lingyu held the rabbit lantern and deliberately waved it in front of Shen Qingnian, looking very proud.
The cousin gave the beautiful rabbit lantern to her, not to Shen Qingnian. He still preferred her.
Shen Qingnian curtsied to Xie Yanzhi and turned to walk towards Qianyue Residence.
Xie Yanzhi watched Shen Qingnian leave without a trace of jealousy or even unhappiness.
I felt a tightness in my chest, but had nowhere to vent it!
Xie Yanzhi turned and left, leaving Gu Lingyu alone, sulking.
She just felt that her cousin had become increasingly prone to anger lately.
As night deepened, Ling'er saw Shen Qingnian still looking at a comb and went up to her, saying, "Miss, are you still thinking about Young Master Xiao?"
Shen Qingnian recalled the look Xiao Huaiyi gave her when they were playing the arrow-throwing game. That look reassured her.
Unlike the greasy looks I used to see back in my hometown, and unlike Xie Yanzhi who always exuded arrogance and disdain.
Xiao Huaiyi was the first person to treat her so well since she came here.
I can remember what she said.
Being able to openly and honestly admit to liking someone in front of others.
They would perform for themselves just so they could watch the game of pitch-pot.
She just needed to figure out what was going on with all those rumors about him.
Yuan Qing told Ling'er that Xiao Huaiyi was a playboy who indulged in cockfighting and dog racing, spending his days indulging in debauchery and owing a lot of debt to gambling dens.
But the Xiao Huaiyi that Shen Qingnian saw was not like that; he was a refined and gentle gentleman.
She needs to figure out which one is the real Xiao Huaiyi.
Shen Qingnian didn't say anything, and casually put the comb into the dressing case.
Ling'er trimmed the lamp wick and went back to bed to sleep.
A moment later, a dark figure climbed in through the window. Xie Yanzhi walked to Shen Qingnian's bedside and listened to her soft breathing.
He reached out and touched Shen Qingnian's face, pressing his nose against hers.
A sweet fragrance wafted into Xie Yanzhi's nose and mouth. Looking at her small lips, he couldn't help but kiss them.
All the irritation in his heart vanished at this moment.
Seeing how Shen Qingnian and Xiao Huaiyi were so in love, all he wanted to do at that moment was to go up and take Shen Qingnian away, lock her up, and make sure no one else could ever see her again.
He couldn't understand how Xiao Huaiyi, this worthless rock he had found, had transformed into a gem in Shen Qingnian's eyes.
Besides, she had already met his confidante, yet she still didn't reject him? She didn't even show any dislike.
Xie Yanzhi stroked Shen Qingnian's face with his fingers: "Is he really that good?"
Finally, Xie Yanzhi went to the dressing table again, quietly took out the sandalwood comb, and went out through the window.
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