Meanwhile, Su Ruanruan waited at the city gate after lunch, hoping to catch a glimpse of that familiar figure in the bustling crowd.
Mu Bai said he would definitely come back for her birthday, and today is already the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
But he waited from dawn till dusk, and still did not see him.
Huo Yan was drinking at a table near the city gate, staring at her for a long time.
Jin Yu: "Who is Miss Su waiting for?"
Niu Mang: "How about I go ask?"
As he was about to get up, Jin Yu immediately grabbed him.
"Who cares what other people are waiting for? Go away and cool off somewhere else."
Niu Mang said, "Alright, I'm leaving now. I'm going back to practice martial arts. You and your brother have a good chat."
After he left, Jin Yu looked at Huo Yan and asked knowingly, "Brother, what are you looking at?"
Huo Yan took a swig of wine and said, "Shut up. Don't think I don't know what you're trying to say."
Jin Yu chuckled, "Big brother, I can tell that you treat Miss Su a little differently."
"No!"
"No? I don't believe it. If you had nothing to do with her, why would you have been reluctant to let her spend the night in jail and released her? And why would you have stayed up all night on the roof of Mu Bai's house to prevent anyone from doing anything to them?"
"It's even less likely that he would happen to appear at the town's inn to save Su Ruanruan."
Huo Yan said calmly, "Don't overthink it. I just didn't want Scholar Mu to be implicated by her. I saved her at the inn because I was asked to do so by that scholar Mu Bai."
Jin Yu shook his head and smiled. "Miss Xinrou is already engaged and will marry in a few months. My elder brother isn't young anymore; he can't possibly stay unmarried and without a concubine forever, can he?"
"Even if my elder brother thinks that way, Consort Xian will not agree."
"Brother, don't forget that if you are still single at the beginning of the new year, Consort Xian will have to arrange for you to take a concubine."
Mentioning this made Huo Yan feel annoyed. He took another swig of wine and looked over there, but Su Ruanruan was no longer there.
Su Ruanruan walked back, glancing back every now and then.
But the person I long for never comes.
It turns out that having someone in your heart, yet longing for them so much, is this painful.
Back in the courtyard, after tidying up and washing up, I lay on the bed and held Bai Ruan in my arms.
She opened the note Mu Bai had left and read it for a long time.
Wait for my return.
The candlelight cast a warm yellow glow on the room, but I felt empty inside.
Brother Mu Bai, I miss you so much.
Day 2
Su Ruanruan waited at the city gate early in the morning, waiting for the gate to open.
The moment the city gates opened, those who had been waiting outside rushed in.
Su Ruanruan looked into the crowd, afraid of missing him.
Even as the faint light in my eyes gradually dimmed, I still couldn't see his shadow.
Aside from meals, Su Ruanruan stayed at the city gate like a waiting-for-husband stone.
As dusk fell...
"Don't wait anymore, he won't be coming back."
Beside her, Huo Yan, who had appeared out of nowhere, stood beside Su Ruanruan and spoke leisurely, looking in the direction of the city gate.
Su Ruanruan's brow twitched suddenly. "You... what do you mean?"
"you do not know?"
"What should I know?" A bad feeling welled up in Su Ruanruan's heart. "Tell me quickly, why can't Mu Bai come back? Did something happen to him?"
Su Ruanruan clutched her aching heart and looked at Huo Yan nervously.
"A few days ago, an official document was issued, announcing that this year's autumn examinations have been moved up to July 12th, and that all scholars from the northwestern counties will go to the examination hall in Lingzhou to take the exams."
Su Ruanruan breathed a sigh of relief, and her clenched fist relaxed.
As long as nothing happens to Mu Bai, that's fine.
As for the autumn imperial examination, she really didn't know anything about it. The official document was sent to the academy, but she had been busy with Su He's affairs and hadn't inquired about it.
Presumably, Mu Bai was unaware of this change before he left.
Today is the eighth day of the seventh lunar month, and there are only a few days left until the twelfth of the seventh lunar month. Let Mu Bai stay at the Lingzhou Inn and prepare for the exam in peace.
Three years ago, he missed the autumn imperial examination because he was sick, and he can't afford to make a mistake this time.
She knew how important the autumn examination was to Mu Bai, and she knew how hard he worked. She hoped that Mu Bai could get what he wanted.
Special days are always a time of sadness.
Today is not only the original owner's coming-of-age ceremony, but also her first birthday in another world.
When the original owner was young, her parents would buy her a string of candied hawthorns, a pretty hair tie, or sometimes a bowl of sweet syrup on her birthday.
After that, no one mentioned her birthday anymore.
Unlike the original owner, her parents never celebrated her birthday when she was a child.
Suhe celebrated her first birthday; although there was only a small cake, it warmed her entire childhood.
At that time, she promised to be her friend for life, but she indirectly caused her death.
If they hadn't met, would their lives have been completely different?
Suhe won't be killed by her.
At this moment, the evening breeze carried a sense of desolation, and Su Ruanruan hugged her arms tightly.
"Thank you for informing me, Officer Huo. I'll be going now."
Su Ruanruan walked to the alley entrance, found a stall selling plain noodles, sat down, and asked the owner for a bowl of plain noodles.
Looking at the steaming noodles in the bowl, she whispered, "Happy birthday, Su Ruanruan."
After finishing a bowl of noodles, including the soup, I felt much warmer inside.
She comforted herself, thinking that next time, Mu Bai would definitely not miss her birthday again.
When she came out of the shop, she ran into Huo Yan again.
"for you."
Su Ruanruan stared blankly at the candied hawthorn in his hand.
His tough-guy image is really incompatible with the sweet and sour candied hawthorn in his hand.
Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Huo Yan looked away.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
