It was still early, and there were few pedestrians on the street. The carriage had an unassuming exterior but a spacious and bright interior, so it did not attract much attention.
Chen Xiao and Yin Yuyao sat in the center, while Zheng Pianran and Zhao Cheyu sat on either side.
A gentle breeze stirred, causing the curtains to flutter in the wind. Zheng Pianran gazed at the somewhat unfamiliar street scene outside the palace, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.
Zhao Cheyu, meanwhile, was talking quietly with Chen Xiao from time to time, his eyes filled with tender affection.
Yin Yuyao sat on the side closest to Zheng Pianran, observing the atmosphere between the three of them without making a sound. She quickly noticed that there was no interaction between Zheng Pianran and Chen Xiao, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes that the two of them did not have any special feelings for each other.
Zhao Cheyu's thoughts were like a scroll unfolded in the sunlight, clearly discernible.
His gaze always followed Chen Xiao, his expression full of longing. Every word and action of his showed his love for Chen Xiao to the fullest.
However, Yin Yuyao noticed that although Chen Xiao was slowly responding to the topics raised by Zhao Cheyu, he never took the initiative to start a new topic.
Moreover, there was no trace of romantic love in Chen Xiao's eyes, only a sense of tolerance.
If Yin Yuyao, as an observer, could see through all of this, how could Zhao Cheyu, as the person involved, not know?
He deliberately brought up these topics, talking about his past interactions with Chen Xiao, hoping to evoke Chen Xiao's memories and catch a glimpse of familiarity in her expression.
Throughout this process, he kept his eyes fixed on Chen Xiao's face. However, he did not see the familiarity he expected, but only the tolerance that Chen Xiao showed towards him because of what happened last night.
This left him feeling lost and frustrated, and he also internally berated himself.
He knew perfectly well that lost memories could not be recovered overnight, and he was also clear that Chen Xiao had no feelings for him other than friendship, let alone romantic feelings between them that they had never had.
He gradually fell silent and stopped speaking.
The atmosphere inside the carriage became somewhat awkward.
Zheng Pianran also noticed this. Considering that Zhao Cheyu was his 'benefactor,' he coughed lightly to break the silence and looked at Yin Yuyao, saying, "Miss Yin, your old friend in Xunyang must be someone with whom you have a deep friendship. May I ask who it is?"
Yin Yuyao cooperated perfectly, looking at Zheng Pianran's eyes which showed no curiosity, and said with a smile, "She is an older sister who helped me when I was down on my luck many years ago. I haven't seen her for many years and I miss her very much."
Chen Xiao fell into deep thought after hearing her fabricated words.
Zheng Pianran's eyes flickered, and then she asked 'curiously', "Then Miss Yin must have prepared quite a few gifts for this trip, right?"
Yin Yuyao nodded calmly upon hearing this, "I have prepared some, though they are not rare treasures, they are all carefully selected by me as a token of my appreciation."
That's true. Yin Yuyao and Chen Xiao had both prepared gifts, so they didn't need to bother them this time.
“Miss Yin’s old friends will be very happy,” Zheng Pianran said casually. “I’ve heard that Xunyang has beautiful scenery. Could you tell us which places are worth visiting?”
Chen Xiao: ...Big brother, are you serious? Isn't Xunyang your hometown? ???
Yin Yuyao became excited: "There is a lake called Cuiliu Lake in Xunyang. The lakeside is lined with weeping willows, and the lake water is as clear as a mirror. When the breeze blows, the water ripples and sparkles, like a fairyland."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Pianran finally took it to heart, for this Emerald Willow Lake was the place where he and his beloved pledged their love.
Some emotion finally appeared in his eyes. As if noticing Chen Xiao's speechless expression, he explained, "I've been away from home for too long and forgot for a moment."
Then he started chatting with Yin Yuyao, "And what about the Star Gazing Cliff? I wonder if Miss Yin knows about it? Standing on that cliff at night, the sky is full of stars that seem within reach, it's incredibly magnificent."
Yin Yuyao has lived for over a hundred years and has been to countless places. Xunyang is the place she visits most often, so how could she not know it?
So she and Zheng Pianran quickly started chatting about the scenery and food of Xunyang.
Chen Xiao listened with a smile, occasionally interjecting with his own observations about food.
Seeing Chen Xiao's great interest in Xunyang's cuisine, Zhao Cheyu's eyes revealed his longing for Xunyang, "I really hope to arrive in Xunyang soon, taste all the delicacies, and enjoy such beautiful scenery with Your Majesty."
Seeing that Zhao Cheyu was no longer silent, Zheng Pianran nodded slightly, her eyes filled with anticipation, and the atmosphere inside the car gradually became relaxed and pleasant.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted, and Yin Yuyao swayed. Chen Xiao quickly reached out to support her.
Yin Yuyao smiled naturally, "Thank you, Xiao Xiao."
This scene evoked different thoughts in Zheng Pianran and Zhao Cheyu.
It turns out that this Miss Yin is very familiar with His Majesty.
Zheng Pianran's expression remained unchanged, but Zhao Cheyu's heart was filled with more inquiry. However, he quickly returned to normal and said with a smile, "Judging from the time, we should be almost at the city gate by now. The road will be a bit bumpy, so Miss Yin should be careful."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Yu's voice came from outside the carriage: "Master, Young Master Yu has arrived."
Young Master Yu? Isn't that Xu Ruyu? Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze instantly turned to Chen Xiao.
Chen Xiao was taken aback at first, then a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
Her movements were slightly hurried as she reached out and lifted the carriage curtain. The carriage was parked outside the city gate, a sparsely populated area with only Xu Ruyu standing there quietly.
It was that light yellow robe from the talent show; in Chen Xiao's memory, which had lost some of his memories, it was what he wore when they first met.
At this moment, Xu Ruyu was wearing a thick cloak and holding a light blue cloak in her hand.
Seeing that Chen Xiao was about to jump down after lifting the carriage curtain, he calmly reached out, wrapped his arms around her waist, and steadily lifted her down from the carriage.
The three people inside the carriage also witnessed this scene, and a hint of surprise flashed across the expressions of Zheng Pianran and Yin Yuyao.
Zheng Pianran sighed inwardly. The intimacy between Chen Xiao and Xu Ruyu was so obvious. It seemed that Zhao Cheyu's path to winning her heart would be long and difficult!
Yin Yuyao was surprised that Chen Xiao and Xu Ruyu had become so close. Compared to a few days ago, their relationship had clearly changed.
Zhao Cheyu also noticed this. He appeared calm on the surface, but his hands under his sleeves were clenched tightly.
He knew in his heart that Chen Xiao had lost his memory and shouldn't remember Xu Ruyu, so why was there such a big change between the two of them compared to before? They were even as close as before?
He began to ponder the reason why Xu Ruyu was here. Now that Xu Ruyu was the Minister of Personnel and Vice Minister, he was busy with official duties and should not have had time to travel with them.
His presence here has only one possible reason: to 'show off'.
Thinking of this, Zhao Cheyu's expression became even more indifferent.
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