At this moment, Song Shiyu said with a smile, "Today I am fortunate to have made friends with you all, which is a great joy in my life. Let us put aside all the troubles and just enjoy our conversation. I have heard that Tingyu Tower has recently hired a qin player whose qin skills are exquisite. I will definitely ask him to play a piece for us later to add some charm to our elegant gathering."
Everyone nodded in agreement, praising the suggestion as brilliant.
A moment later, the musician walked in gracefully and sat down comfortably in a corner.
With a light touch of her delicate hand, she plucked the strings, and the melodious and graceful sound of the zither flowed like a clear spring, instantly filling the entire private room.
Some people closed their eyes and listened quietly, immersing themselves in the world of music; others whispered and talked, sharing their innermost feelings, creating a relaxed and leisurely atmosphere.
Song Shiyu couldn't help but sigh softly, "This music is like celestial music, something that should only exist in heavenly palaces. I never thought that I could hear it in the mortal world today. It is truly a blessing from heaven, and it is intoxicating."
Xu Ruyan stood up, and when everyone saw him like this, they knew that he was about to do something again. They all held their breath and waited to see how he would show off his affection.
He took Yuan Yin's hand, winked at her, and said gently, "Let's not stay here any longer. Why don't we move to the window and enjoy the dazzling night view of the capital together? It must be quite a unique experience."
Yuan Yin noticed his wink gesture, which, though seemingly a secretive act, was actually quite obvious and had already been seen by everyone. His intentions were also crystal clear.
This was because he frequently glanced to his right, where Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao were.
The situation between Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao today was quite strange. Although they came together, the atmosphere between them was very cold.
There was no intimate physical contact, no eye contact to express feelings, and they even sat at the furthest distance from each other, as if deliberately keeping their distance.
Yuan Yin knew the two men's temperaments well and was also aware of their past. Therefore, she thought it best to lend them a hand and readily agreed to Xu Ruyan's request. The two walked hand in hand to the window.
Seeing that the relatives of the parties involved had already taken action, the rest of the group thought that they should not stand idly by.
Immediately afterwards, Qi Yanyun leaned slightly closer to Song Shiyu, who was sitting beside him, and asked in a low voice, "Miss Song, do you always enjoy storybooks?"
Song Shiyu looked slightly surprised and replied softly, "How did Young Master Qi know this?"
Qi Yanyun then calmly took out a brand-new storybook from his sleeve, on which were written the three words "Broken Mountain Sword" and handed it to Song Shiyu with both hands.
Upon seeing this, Song Shiyu was even more astonished, her eyes wide open, her words filled with barely concealed joy: "How does Young Master Qi possess such a unique piece? And how is it preserved so perfectly?"
Qi Yanyun smiled slightly, with a hint of doting, and said, "I obtained it by chance. Seeing that it was precious, and thinking that Miss Song might like it, I specially kept it."
Song Shiyu took the storybook, gently stroking the words on the cover, her heart filled with joy.
She looked up at Qi Yanyun, her gaze filled with a different kind of emotion. "Young Master Qi, I am truly grateful for your kindness."
At this moment, Xu Ruyan was speaking softly to Yuan Yin by the window, but her eyes kept glancing at Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao. "What's going on with those two? They weren't like this before."
Yuan Yin shook her head slightly, "I'm not quite sure either, but judging from this situation, there must be some unresolved issues."
Xu Ruyan frowned. "No, I have to think of a way to let them have a proper talk."
On the other side, Chen Xiao sat there seemingly calmly, but his mind was in turmoil.
She stole a glance at Xu Ruyu and saw that he looked indifferent, which made her even more annoyed.
Xu Ruyu was actually trying to remain calm. His hands clenched slightly as he recalled his past with Chen Xiao, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Qi Yanyun and Song Shiyu continued their quiet conversation. "If Miss Song likes it, I have some other rare books that I can send over for you to read another day."
Song Shiyu's cheeks flushed slightly. "Then thank you very much, Young Master Qi. However, this has caused you to spend so much money."
Qi Yanyun quickly waved his hand, "It's no trouble at all to make Miss Song smile."
Inside the private room, the melodious sound of a piano seemed to be telling endless stories of love and longing.
Seeing the subtle atmosphere between Xu Ruyu and Chen Xiao, Xu Ruyan came up with a plan.
He deliberately raised his voice and said, "The night view of the capital is beautiful, but it can't compare to even a fraction of the thoughts in some people's hearts. Some people are so close, yet they seem so far away. It's truly a pity."
After saying that, he gave Chen Xiao and Xu Ruyu a meaningful look.
Chen Xiao was slightly taken aback; how could she not understand the implied meaning in Xu Ruyan's words?
But she's never been one to give up so easily.
She took a deep breath, slowly stood up, and walked towards Xu Ruyu.
When Xu Ruyu saw Chen Xiao walking towards her, her heart started beating faster.
"Let's go for a walk," Chen Xiao said, his voice a little hoarse and his eyes calm.
Xu Ruyu paused for a moment, then finally nodded.
The two walked out of the private room and into the quiet corridor.
The moonlight shone on them, casting long shadows.
Chen Xiao was by no means an indecisive person. She was straightforward and frank, breaking the anxious silence with a direct question: "These past few days, I have been thinking about it repeatedly in my heart. How did things between us come to this? What caused you to change like this? Before I went to Xunyang, we got along well and were very close."
Xu Ruyu tilted her head slightly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes: "You are the monarch, and I am the subject. I am merely trying to be more magnanimous and try my best to conceal my inner feelings. I know that Your Majesty cannot have only one concubine, nor can you remain without an empress. Your Majesty, I hope you can understand my good intentions."
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