Chapter 525: "Getting Married"?
Chapter 525: Chapter 525: "Getting Married"?
On the covered walkway of the Qi Family’s estate, two figures walked one after the other.
They maintained a very polite distance.
Neither Pei Yin nor Qi Xiuwei spoke first.
The chilly wind carried the fragrance of Hongmei, which wafted between them.
The scent was fresh and faint.
Pei Yin hesitated for a moment, looking at Qi Xiuwei’s figure ahead of him.
He couldn’t help but explain, "The Crown Prince was only pretending to have a headache. He was trying to help me smooth things over. I don’t want to lie to you."
Qi Xiuwei didn’t turn around, nor did she speak right away.
After a moment, her calm and gentle voice drifted back from ahead, carrying the plum fragrance with it.
"I know. It was obvious."
’If the Crown Prince really had a headache, why would his eyes be glued to Ningning?’
’He kept checking her expression, as if he was afraid she’d see through it and get angry.’
Pei Yin was taken aback. "I’m sorry... what happened before was my fault. I’m not necessarily asking for your forgiveness, but I wanted to apologize to you in person."
Qi Xiuwei finally stopped walking.
Her features were delicate and dignified. Her demeanor was naturally easygoing, yet it held a sense of distance.
"Lord Pei, do you know why I used to like you?"
Pei Yin shook his head.
Qi Xiuwei smiled faintly, her gaze drifting toward the distant sky.
"There’s no harm in telling you. When I was young, my grandmother forced me to go to the palace for Consort Li’s birthday banquet. Consort Li was a difficult person—arrogant and domineering."
"But she enjoyed watching people play the zither. At the time, my aunt, Princess Consort Qi, was not in the Emperor’s favor. To ensure the Qi Family remained in a secure position, my grandmother made me offer to perform a piece at Consort Li’s banquet."
"I refused, no matter what. For that, I was beaten and scolded by my grandmother at home. She slapped me, but she did it cleverly—right at the spot between my earlobe and neck. Even my mother didn’t notice."
"In the end, I was brought to the palace in tears. I ran into many people I knew, but only you... only you asked if I was hurt and gave me a nearly-empty jar of ointment."
Pei Yin was silent.
He didn’t know about any of this that Qi Xiuwei was talking about.
As a member of the imperial guard, patrolling the palace was his duty.
Perhaps Qi Xiuwei had been acting unusually, which was why she had caught his attention.
But whatever the reason was back then, he couldn’t remember it clearly.
Over the years, he had helped many people with such small gestures.
Qi Xiuwei could naturally guess as much, so she smiled, pressing her lips together.
"At that time, my father was busy with court affairs and was often away from home. My mother has a gentle and weak personality and couldn’t protect me, and my grandmother was forceful and demanding."
"I often felt my days were bleak and joyless. I had never received kindness from others. You were the first stranger to make me feel warm."
At this, she lowered her head. "So, can you imagine how I felt when you misunderstood and distrusted me, again and again?"
"I know this: the first time you discovered that the person you were corresponding with wasn’t Ningning, but me... wasn’t there a flash of disappointment?"
This time, Pei Yin answered swiftly, "No."
Qi Xiuwei smiled, as if she no longer cared what the answer was.
She had already cultivated a strong heart to protect herself.
"You wanting to explain things to me, wanting to apologize in person—that’s not what you truly want. You just feel guilty toward me, right?"
Pei Yin didn’t deny it, his gaze complex.
"I did something wrong. It’s only right that I atone for it."
"But you’re doing this to make yourself feel better. If I don’t accept your apology, you’ll just keep thinking about it. Isn’t this, in the end, for your own sake?"
Pei Yin flinched.
Qi Xiuwei looked to the horizon again, her tone as light as the wispy clouds.
"I’m not forgiving you. I’m forgiving the past version of myself who was hurt by you."
"Lord Pei, rest assured, I don’t blame you anymore."
"I know that the fate between people is predetermined. We are not fated to be together, but I still thank you for that time, when I needed care the most, you offered me a comforting question."
After speaking, she gave a curtsy and turned to leave.
Pei Yin stood frozen in place, staring at her retreating back, unable to come to his senses for a long time.
Mo Lingwei was about done with his "rest," so Shen Ningning prepared to leave with him.
When the two of them reached the entrance, they didn’t see Pei Yin.
A member of the Crown Prince’s personal guard told Mo Lingwei, "Lord Pei left half an incense stick’s time ago. He asked this subordinate to relay a message to Your Highness: thank you, Your Highness and the Princess, for your help. He said he has figured things out."
Shen Ningning blinked her round eyes and looked back.
She saw Qi Xiuwei supporting Mrs. Qi, standing at the entrance with a smile and a wave.
’Did they sort it out that quickly?’
’Or did Xiao Wei say something that allowed them both to let go?’
Shen Ningning had no way of knowing, and she didn’t ask about it later.
In the carriage on the way back, the young girl rested her chin on her hand, sighing repeatedly.
Mo Lingwei scoffed. "Didn’t you say you wanted to respect Qi Xiuwei’s decision? Why do you still find it a pity?"
"I just feel sorry for her. No wonder the storybooks all say men are often heartless. Pei Yin corresponded with her for so many years, they should have been close friends who could talk about anything. But when something happened, he still didn’t believe Xiao Wei. She must have been so heartbroken."
"You can’t entirely blame Pei Yin for that. If you hadn’t told me your plan in advance, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have seen that Qi Xiuwei’s betrayal was fake either."
Shen Ningning suddenly sat up straight, glaring at him angrily with her beautiful, bright black eyes.
"What if one day, I’m like Xiao Wei and it looks like I don’t want you anymore, brother? What would you do?"
"I wouldn’t allow it," Mo Lingwei replied without a second thought, his sharp brows furrowing.
"It’s not up to you. What if I had a secret I couldn’t tell, and it wasn’t convenient to explain at the time, so I had to leave?"
Mo Lingwei actually considered this seriously.
After a good while, he said, "I wouldn’t be like Pei Yin. If you did something wrong, I would follow you down the wrong path to the very end."
Shen Ningning froze, then burst out laughing with a PUFF. "That’s so absurd!"
"There’s nothing absurd about it. Life is full of disappointments. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters. I’ll be with you." Mo Lingwei was completely serious when he said this, with no hint of joking.
His words, instead, made Shen Ningning freeze.
She didn’t know why, but every time she saw Mo Lingwei’s sharp eyes focused intently on her, she would blush.
The young girl shyly averted her gaze and coughed lightly twice.
"I was just joking, brother. Don’t take it to heart."
Mo Lingwei then smiled, his eyes filled with a faint, doting affection.
"No matter what happens, you have to tell me. No hiding things."
"You too!"
"Alright, I promise you." After speaking, Mo Lingwei lifted the curtain and saw they had arrived at a jewelry shop.
He called for the carriage to stop and pulled Shen Ningning out.
"Why are you buying me things again?" the girl asked, exasperated.
Mo Lingwei narrowed his eyes. "Didn’t Chancellor Xie say the Phoenix Perching on the Willow earrings were unsuitable? I’ll buy you a pair that is."
’Let’s see what reason he has now to refuse to let Shen Ningning wear something I gave her.’
They entered the shop.
Mo Lingwei went straight to the most expensive display rack.
The earrings and jewelry on it were dazzlingly pearlescent, splendid and elegant.
The Crown Prince waved his hand. "I’ll take them all."
Shen Ningning’s eyes went wide. "No! That’s way too many. I wouldn’t be able to wear them all even if I wore a different pair every day for a month."
"Besides, how much would this cost? Didn’t Uncle Emperor say your Eastern Palace was too extravagant and cut your expenses in half, brother? Have you forgotten?"
Mo Lingwei was touched.
’Is she trying to save money for me?’
And so, his tone softened a little.
"I have plenty of money that he doesn’t know about. Don’t worry, just buy them. I want to give them to you."
As the two of them were playfully pushing and pulling near the entrance, a shop assistant hurried over.
"Oh, my! Esteemed guests, I can see at a glance that you are deeply in love. Are you looking for jewelry for your wedding, or a birthday gift for someone?"
Shen Ningning’s face instantly turned as red as a ripe cherry.
Her eyes widened even more.
’Most of the commoners in the Capital City have seen me. Is this assistant new?’
But Mo Lingwei just smiled, and the words that came out of his mouth were shocking.
"For our wedding."
Just as he said this, Xu Jingxi happened to walk in and overheard him.