Time flies by, like a fleeting moment.
In the blink of an eye, the New Year is fast approaching.
All the servants in the mansion were new, so Lin Xihe ordered them to decorate the mansion to be lively and festive.
But for some reason, she was always listless and couldn't muster any interest. She thought to herself: Maybe it's because she hasn't had any entertainment for a long time and has been cooped up at home all day. She's almost driven crazy with boredom.
Since the day Gu Qinghuai sent people to escort her back to the manor, there has been no further news from her.
Lin Xihe welcomed her first New Year after her transmigration in this mansion, accompanied only by Ling Shuang, Ling Xue, and a group of servants she was not yet familiar with.
As night fell, fireworks lit up the night sky, creating a vibrant and colorful spectacle. This night was one of the most bustling and lively times in this era.
Lin Xihe, along with Ling Shuang, Ling Xue, and another maid, sat down together and started playing Guandan (a card game).
They spent three or four days meticulously crafting this deck of cards, and Lin Xihe spent most of the day teaching everyone how to play.
The group was in high spirits, and the game continued until midnight. For Lin Xihe, this was the only pastime she had during the New Year.
But once midnight passed, a sense of loss inexplicably welled up in her heart. She had a vague idea of what she was hoping for, but she dared not let this expectation grow unchecked.
The New Year passed by uneventfully.
Unbeknownst to them, a figure stood silently in the shadows for a long time, quietly observing everything inside the room.
Gu Qinghuai suppressed his longing, but on New Year's Day, he finally couldn't hold back and came to visit Lin Xihe.
He had assumed that Lin Xihe would feel the same way he did about her, longing for him and reluctant to part with him. But to his surprise, he found Lin Xihe having a great time playing with several maids.
It seemed that he could only laugh so heartily when Lin Xihe was by his side.
At this moment, Lin Xihe seemed to have never cared about him and had never had any concern for him.
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Xihe got up early.
Thinking that the new year should bring a fresh start, she couldn't stay in bed on the first day, so she got out of bed as soon as it was getting light.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw a small red bundle hanging from a branch of the withered apricot tree in the yard.
The bundle was no bigger than a fist, and looked unremarkable, but it was heavy and had a great weight to it. It was tied to a slightly thick branch.
Lin Xihe became curious and went over to take a look. Seeing that the bundle was not hanging very high, she went back into the house to bring a stool, stood on it, reached out and easily took it down.
She reached out and gently squeezed it. For someone as fond of money as her, the feel was very familiar, and she was certain that it contained silver.
Overwhelmed with eagerness, Lin Xihe quickly untied the bundle, then froze on the spot.
Inside were indeed money, but not silver ingots; they were gleaming gold coins.
She couldn't help but gasp, thinking to herself: This New Year's money is way too much...
This apricot tree was planted when she was seven or eight years old. She and Gu Qinghuai went out together and happened to taste apricots from a family that were extremely delicious. Because she liked them very much, Gu Qinghuai bought the apricot tree without hesitation and transplanted it into her yard.
She stared blankly at the gold ingots in the bag.
It turns out that Gu Qinghuai had come yesterday, but she was completely unaware of it at the time.
However, this brief interlude quickly subsided, like a gentle breeze rippling across a lake before returning to calm.
Spring is quietly spreading, green grass is sprouting from the soil, and willows are gradually shedding their withered yellow and sprouting verdant branches.
Ji Zhuo has been away from home for almost two months. Lin Xihe secretly counts the days and estimates that his return is imminent.
During this period, at first, she was unwilling to think about how to explain her relationship with Gu Qinghuai to Ji Zhuo, but she also knew in her heart that this kind of thing could not be fooled by burying her head in the sand like an ostrich.
After much deliberation, she finally made up her mind that the moment she saw Ji Zhuo, she would tell him frankly that she was prepared to accept whatever the outcome might be.
Strangely enough, after the New Year, the weather was no longer gloomy and oppressive, and the climate became more mild and pleasant. Lin Xihe's mood also changed quietly, no longer as dull and gloomy as before.
However, whenever she thought about facing Ji Zhuo and how to explain herself, she would instantly lose all her energy, like a wilted eggplant.
Lin Xihe always harbored a hope in her heart, thinking that perhaps on some quiet night, Ji Zhuo would return silently as usual.
But who could have predicted that this time, Ji Zhuo would walk in through the main gate on a bright and sunny afternoon?
At that time, Lin Xihe was strolling around with Ling Shuang. She had been craving snacks and fruits lately.
Lin Xihe and Ling Shuang strolled around outside for two hours before returning.
As soon as she stepped into the house, the gatekeeper hurriedly came forward to greet her: "Miss, Lord Ji has arrived."
"How did you know?" Lin Xihe blurted out instinctively.
The gatekeeper was taken aback by the question, scratched his head, and replied with a sheepish smile, "I'm in charge of guarding the gate, so I naturally know that Lord Ji came in from here."
"He came out through the main gate?" Lin Xihe was startled. She hadn't forgotten that His Majesty had explicitly forbidden them from contacting each other in private. Logically speaking, Ji Zhuo should have quietly sneaked into her room. Why would he make such a big show of coming through the main gate?
"Yes, if we don't go through the main gate... then where should we go? The side gate isn't open today." The servant looked bewildered.
"Never mind, you wouldn't understand. Where is he?" Lin Xihe waved her hand helplessly.
"In the main hall."
In an instant, Lin Xihe felt her mind go blank and hurriedly ran towards the main hall.
Upon arriving at the main hall, they found it empty. Immediately, a maidservant stepped forward to report, "Lord Ji went to your bedroom. We told him it was inconvenient, but he said it was fine, and we really couldn't stop him."
"It's alright." Lin Xihe forced herself to remain calm and took a deep breath.
After saying that, she turned and walked towards her own yard, but her originally hurried steps now seemed to be filled with lead, becoming increasingly slow and heavy.
"Miss, should I go and invite Lord Ji out to meet me in the reception room?" Ling Shuang followed closely beside Lin Xihe. Although the two had only known each other for a little over two months, she knew a thing or two about the general background of her young lady and the two men.
"It's alright, we have to face this no matter where we are. Just stay outside the courtyard." Lin Xihe's expression was solemn as she stepped deeper into the courtyard.
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