Chapter 463 - 177: Going Home (2)
Chapter 463: Chapter 177: Going Home (2)
Just as they’d suspected, Yin Xichen had been bluffing. A carriage? Yeah, right. There was a carriage outside the academy, but it bore the crest of the Magistrate’s household—it was clearly there for Sheng Saya and had nothing to do with Yin Xichen.
De’an scoffed. "I ought to have a plaque made, one inscribed with ’A Model for All Teachers.’ I’ll give it to Mr. Yin and see if he even has the decency to blush."
"He probably won’t blush. The man has no shame."
"Hey, Sheng Saya, are you heading home? How about giving Zhao Jing a ride? He’s heading back to the city too, but unfortunately, Mr. Yin played him, so he doesn’t have a carriage."
Sheng Saya emerged from behind them, holding two books.
She had gone to the Book Collection Pavilion after class to return the books she’d borrowed and check out two new ones, which was why she was late.
From a distance, she had seen three familiar figures standing by the academy gate and assumed they were waiting for a servant from Wang Jun’s household to bring them a snack. She had no idea Zhao Jing was trying to get back to the city.
Sheng Saya readily agreed. "Of course. It’s on my way. As long as Mr. Zhao doesn’t mind that my carriage is a bit small, he’s welcome to ride back with me."
"Ooh, listen to that. ’Mr. Zhao’ already?" De’an teased.
Sheng Saya shot him a sidelong glance. "Speaking of which, what did you just call me? Did you just use my personal name? Who gave you the right to be so familiar? Mind your tongue. Do you have any manners?"
De’an was left speechless.
Watching the carriage pull away, De’an muttered to Wang Jun, "It’s true what they say: ’Women and petty men are the most difficult to handle.’"
"Sheng Saya is no ordinary woman. She has a wickedly sharp tongue. Even Mr. Sun can’t win an argument with her sometimes. You were just asking for trouble teasing her. Come on, let’s head back. It’s still early, so we can seize the time to do some reading. Zhao Jing has already become ’Mr. Zhao,’ and we’re just treading water. We can’t fall behind."
The carriage stopped at the mouth of an alley across from the Prefectural Magistrate’s Office. Zhao Jing hopped down from the driver’s bench and bid Sheng Saya farewell.
Sheng Saya lifted the carriage curtain and gave Zhao Jing a slight nod. "Please give my regards to your wife, Mr. Zhao. When we have some free time, Wang Zhen and I will come and visit her."
"Of course."
They parted ways, and Zhao Jing turned to walk into the alley.
He had only taken a couple of steps when a hesitant voice called out from behind him, "Jing?"
Zhao Jing spun around. Sure enough, the very person he longed for day and night was standing there amidst the waning lamplight.
Joy instantly flooded his eyes. The genuine delight that shone from their dark depths, combined with a face as stunning as a newly bloomed snow lotus, would be seared into Chen Wanqing’s memory for years to come.
And for Zhao Jing, the sight of Chen Wanqing at that moment was no different.
She stood beneath a brilliant lantern, a gentle, dazzling smile gracing her lovely face. She must have been exhausted, but the moment she recognized him, it was as if a parched land had been blessed with sweet rain. Her entire being was revitalized, suddenly vibrant and animated.
Zhao Jing strode forward and gripped her hand tightly.
They had only been apart for four or five days, yet it felt like years. As he looked at her, the longing he had suppressed for days suddenly erupted, overwhelming him in an instant.
It made his throat go dry, and when he spoke, his voice was laced with a raw hoarseness.
"It’s so late. Wanqing, why are you still out?"
"I should be asking you that. Aren’t you supposed to be at the academy at this hour? What are you doing back here? And another thing—from a distance, I saw you get out of a carriage just now. It looked like there was a young lady on it. Why was a young lady dropping you off? You’d better explain everything, right now."
Chen Wanqing shot him a few playfully scolding looks. Her expression was nonchalant, but her body told a different story.
Her body was tense and her palms were slightly sweaty—it was obvious she was nervous.
The thought, ’Wanqing is worried I’ve been charmed by some vixen,’ brought a wave of pleasure to Zhao Jing. But as pleased as he was, he also found it utterly absurd.
For him, there was only one vixen in the entire world, and she was standing right in front of him.
She had stolen his heart and bewitched his soul, leaving him unable to forget her, to the point that she even filled his dreams.
"That’s the Lord Prefect’s daughter, Sheng Saya. She’s good friends with Wang Zhen and mentioned wanting to visit you when she has time... While I rode with her, I didn’t get inside the carriage. I sat on the driver’s bench with the coachman. Here, feel my cheek. The wind was so cold, it’s still frozen."
Hearing this, Chen Wanqing quickly pressed her hand to his cheek. It was just as he’d said—so cold to the touch that it made her fingertips tingle.