Chapter 530: Affection Must Be Mutual
Chapter 530: Chapter 530: Affection Must Be Mutual
Just as he reached the garden gate, he heard Shen Ningning’s crisp laughter from within.
"Lu Shaoyuan, are you sure you can handle that? If not, just let the servants help. Hurry and come down!"
"I’m fine, I can do it."
When Mo Lingwei entered, his expression dark, this was the scene that greeted him.
Shen Ningning and a few servants stood beneath a massive red plum tree, their heads tilted back to look up at Lu Shaoyuan.
Lu Shaoyuan had actually climbed the tree. Clad in purple robes, he had a flower basket slung at his waist, already filled with snow-dusted red plums.
Apparently, Lu Shaoyuan had seen Shen Ningning struggling on her tiptoes to pick the plum blossoms and had decided to help her.
Before long, the basket at his side was nearly full.
But the lower-hanging red plums had mostly been picked, so he had to climb even higher.
Shen Ningning watched him slip twice and knitted her delicate brows.
"Forget it! I don’t need any more. Please come down, I think what’s in your basket is enough!"
But Lu Shaoyuan was determined to impress her. "This is nothing! Just you wait, I’ll come down once I’ve filled the basket."
Mo Lingwei strode over, his dark, sharp brows furrowed.
He glanced at Lu Shaoyuan and scoffed, "Just showing off."
Hearing his voice, Shen Ningning turned. "Oh, Brother, are you done reading?"
Mo Lingwei gave her a silent look.
’If I hadn’t finished, she’d have run off to make red plum cakes with Lu Shaoyuan.’
Up in the tree, Lu Shaoyuan saw the Crown Prince, and a flicker of contempt crossed his eyes.
He deliberately raised his voice. "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, how could you invite Shen Ningning into the Imperial Palace only to leave her here picking flowers all by herself?"
"The snow is so cold. It’s a good thing I arrived. Just wait, I’ll be down once I’m done picking."
Mo Lingwei’s expression tightened, his tone just as icy.
"There’s no need to trouble you. Now that I am here, I can pick the red plums myself. Come down."
But Lu Shaoyuan was hardly one to give up halfway.
Normally, he could do anything the Crown Prince could. The problem was, the Crown Prince could do things that he couldn’t.
’Now that I finally have this chance, I have to put on a good show for Shen Ningning.’
So, not only did Lu Shaoyuan ignore him, he even stepped onto a higher branch.
He was nearly at the treetop.
Shen Ningning covered her mouth. "That’s too high! It’s dangerous, get down from there!"
"Don’t worry about me. Just wait for me to bring you the flowers," Lu Shaoyuan said, giving her a proud, smiling glance.
Mo Lingwei’s gaze turned even more frigid.
’Ningning is worried about him? He’s really full of himself!’
"Shen Ningning, come with me. It’s too cold out here. I’ll take you to the Warm Pavilion to rest. Once he’s finished picking flowers, he can come find us himself."
The moment Mo Lingwei finished speaking, he saw Shen Ningning’s head snap up to look past him at Lu Shaoyuan, her eyes suddenly wide with terror.
"AHH—! Lu Shaoyuan is falling!" Shen Ningning cried out, her face draining of color.
She rushed forward, wanting to help.
Mo Lingwei whirled around to see Lu Shaoyuan plummeting down with a sharp CRACK as the branch he was on snapped.
Just as Lu Shaoyuan was about to crash into Shen Ningning, Mo Lingwei shoved her aside and used his Qinggong to leap into the air.
The red plums flew from the basket, and in an instant, a rain of crimson blossoms drifted down from the sky.
Shen Ningning’s lovely eyes widened in amazement, while the other servants stared, dumbfounded.
They watched, wide-eyed, as the Crown Prince wrapped his arms around Young Master Lu’s waist. The two of them spun once amidst the shower of blossoms before landing gracefully on the ground.
Lu Shaoyuan was completely stupefied.
Mo Lingwei let go of him, only to find him still clinging tightly to his robes.
He snapped coldly, "How long are you going to keep holding on?"
Lu Shaoyuan finally snapped out of it and hastily retracted his hands, his handsome face a mask of awkward embarrassment.
Shen Ningning ran over. "That was so dangerous! I told you not to climb so high. It’s a good thing Brother was here to catch you..."
The word "catch" made Lu Shaoyuan’s face go pale, while Mo Lingwei’s sharp brows furrowed in irritation.
’If I wasn’t afraid he’d crush Ningning, I never would have bothered with him.’
’It would have been better if he’d just hit the ground and shattered into a dozen pieces.’
Lu Shaoyuan came to his senses and quickly cupped his hands. "My thanks, Your Highness."
Mo Lingwei immediately took Shen Ningning’s hand, leaving Lu Shaoyuan with a single, icy remark.
"Staying out of my sight will be thanks enough."
Shen Ningning blinked her big eyes and smiled. "That won’t do. Lu Shaoyuan did put in the effort, after all. Luckily, the servants have a basket of red plums that I picked earlier. Let’s take them to the Imperial Chef to be made into cakes, and we can all eat them together."
Hearing this, Lu Shaoyuan immediately picked up his now-empty basket and strode after them.
"Great idea."
Hearing his decisive agreement, the chill between Mo Lingwei’s brows deepened.
He wanted to refuse, but a sideways glance at Shen Ningning showed her beaming with joy, her eyes curved into happy crescents.
In that instant, his heart softened.
’Fine. I’ll tolerate Lu Shaoyuan a little longer. Ningning’s happiness is more important than anything.’
「Half an hour later.」
The three of them sat in a viewing pavilion within Yimei Garden.
Beside them was a pond with a flowing rockery, and in the distance, the entire garden was a scene of white snow and red plum blossoms.
Looking even further, one could see the golden-tiled roofs of the Imperial Palace, all blanketed in pristine white snow.
The tea stove in front of Shen Ningning simmered, bubbling softly.
A dish of exquisite red plum cakes was placed before each of them.
A small bite revealed a delightful sweetness.
Shen Ningning’s eyes crinkled with pleasure. "Why aren’t you two eating?"
Lu Shaoyuan shifted awkwardly, glancing at Mo Lingwei, who sat opposite him. The aloof Crown Prince merely sipped his tea, his face might as well have had the words "cold and distant" written on it.
"Too sweet," Mo Lingwei said succinctly.
Lu Shaoyuan, however, picked up a cake and took a bite, nodding afterward. "This tastes different from the ones I’ve had outside the palace."
Shen Ningning’s face lit up as she explained, "That’s because we picked the blossoms ourselves, and the tea was brewed with melted snow from the garden. Of course it tastes better!"
Watching their cheerful interaction, Mo Lingwei’s sharp brows twitched.
He finally picked up the red plum cake before him, took a bite, and gave a nod of what could be considered satisfaction.
"It’s good."
Shen Ningning’s laughter rang out. "These red plums are special in another way, too. Brother saved Lu Shaoyuan, so you two should be the ones to really enjoy them."
At the mention of that blunder, Mo Lingwei and Lu Shaoyuan’s expressions both soured for different reasons.
It was humiliating just to think about it.
Both of them usually vied for a chance to be with Shen Ningning.
But after an accident, they had ended up in each other’s arms, spinning in a shower of blossoms.
Lu Shaoyuan was filled with regret. He had completely lost face in front of Shen Ningning this time.
And yet, looking at Shen Ningning, she seemed quite delighted by the whole affair.
As it was time for her to leave the Imperial Palace, the girl was still chattering. "Next time, the three of us should find another place to hang out. How about we go to Taihu Mountain to watch the snowy clouds and go fishing!"
’The three of us?!’
Mo Lingwei pressed his lips into a thin line. Lu Shaoyuan hesitated for only a second before quickly agreeing.
"Deal! Just let me know, and I’ll come if I’m free."
Mo Lingwei shot him a sideways glare.
’Give him an inch and he takes a mile. I should have just let him fall.’
After finally getting rid of Lu Shaoyuan, the sky had grown dark. It was time for Mo Lingwei to escort Shen Ningning from the Imperial Palace.
They walked hand in hand along the palace path.
Shen Ningning was in a cheerful mood, humming a pleasant little tune.
Mo Lingwei glanced at her. "Shen Ningning, there’s something I want to tell you."
"Hmm?" Shen Ningning stopped in her tracks, waiting quietly. "What is it?"
"I..." ’I like you,’ he wanted to say.
But as he looked at her fair, delicate face and her bright, dark eyes that shimmered with a clear light...
...at the way she was looking at him with such focused attention...
...Mo Lingwei found the words of love catching in his throat. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.
"I... I didn’t mean to be angry with you today," he said instead.
Shen Ningning blinked, then realized what he meant. "Is Brother talking about when I was urging you to get married? It’s okay. You were right, matters between two people should be completely voluntary."
"I just hope that whatever you choose, it’s a decision you make from the heart."
Mo Lingwei froze, gazing into her beautiful, smiling eyes, which were so dark they seemed to hold a scattering of fine, glittering stars.
Her words were a sudden revelation for Mo Lingwei.
’Matters between two people really should be completely voluntary.’
’He liked Shen Ningning, but what if she didn’t feel the same way about him?’
’If he confessed, would they still be able to interact like this?’