Chapter 559: He Renegged
Chapter 559: Chapter 559: He Renegged
Pei Yin recalled the Emperor’s earlier words.
He couldn’t help but ask probingly, "Princess, did the Emperor perhaps say something to you?"
"No," Shen Ningning denied swiftly.
Pei Yin tried to find a crack in her composure, but the young woman’s eyes were dark and bright.
She was looking into the distance at Lu Shaoyuan, who was running toward her.
Shen Ningning’s voice was placid. "Perhaps because my brother and I had many opportunities to be together since we were young, everyone assumed we should end up together."
"But regardless of what you all think, the person I like is Lu Shaoyuan. Marrying him is my own choice, and no one is forcing me."
"Lord Pei, you’ll have to excuse me."
After speaking, Shen Ningning went to meet Lu Shaoyuan. The two of them, talking and laughing under the sunlight, truly looked like a perfect couple.
After that conversation with Pei Yin, Shen Ningning decided to buy the house.
She took out the silver notes she had prepared, intending to pay the deposit, but Lu Shaoyuan pushed them back.
"With me here, how could I let you pay? Wouldn’t that be a huge loss of face for me?" Lu Shaoyuan said, then with a SWISH, he pulled a thick stack of silver notes from his sleeve.
The broker’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Lu Shaoyuan declared magnanimously, "Here’s a gold ingot as well, a little something for your trouble today. You’re in luck. Our Princess likes this estate; otherwise, I wouldn’t have paid so readily."
The broker smiled so widely his eyes nearly disappeared. He cupped his hands in thanks, took the silver notes, and began counting them on the spot.
Shen Ningning secretly tugged on Lu Shaoyuan’s sleeve. "Why did you give him so much all at once?"
With his dashing brows and bright eyes, Lu Shaoyuan grinned handsomely. "This is nothing. I was worried you wouldn’t like the estate, but you loved it at first sight. Nothing is more important than that."
Shen Ningning pursed her lips. "In that case, at the end of the year, I’ll give you an extra twenty percent of the shop’s profits. Consider it my contribution to the estate."
’In three years, when we separate,’ she thought, ’I can still have Lu Shaoyuan sell the estate. The location is excellent, so he won’t lose money selling it after three years.’
Lu Shaoyuan’s smile faltered for a moment. Of course, he didn’t want Shen Ningning to draw such a clear line between them.
But he decided to go along with her wishes, as long as it didn’t put her in a difficult position.
"Whatever you say. I’ll listen to you."
Lu Shaoyuan even whispered, "Actually, you were right to lecture me just now. I won’t be so extravagant with money next time. I’ve only just taken over half of the family’s business, so I can’t be too wasteful."
"Since we’ll be building a life together, I need to act more responsibly. But this time, please allow me to make one more exception."
As he spoke, he took another gold ingot from his sleeve and gave it to the broker.
Lu Shaoyuan was heard saying, "You’re a fast runner. Go to a teahouse in the city and book the private room with the best view. I, the Second Young Master, wish to treat the Princess, Miss Qi, and Lord Pei to tea."
Then he added, "Remember to order the Osmanthus Milk Cake in advance. The Princess loves it."
The broker hurried off without delay.
Only then did Lu Shaoyuan turn his head, lean down, and whisper to Shen Ningning, "This is the last time I’ll be wasteful. I just figured, after making you all walk for so long, you must be thirsty, right?"
"I was thinking of you—oh, and that Miss Qi and Lord Pei must be tired too—so I’m treating you all to some refreshing tea."
Shen Ningning let out a helpless little laugh. "Alright, but this is the last time."
Lu Shaoyuan nodded at once. "You have my word!"
Qi Xiuwei watched their interaction from the side, a gentle smile on her face.
Pei Yin watched silently for a moment before stepping forward and clasping his hands. "I have matters to attend to at the palace, so I must take my leave. Thank you for your kind offer, Second Young Master Lu. I will be sure to treat everyone to a meal another day."
With that, he departed.
The moment Pei Yin left, Lu Shaoyuan tsked. "Qi Xiuwei, have you still not forgiven him?"
Shen Ningning gently nudged him in the stomach with her elbow, telling him not to speak so carelessly.
But Qi Xiuwei just gave a relieved little laugh. "What’s there to forgive or not forgive? It’s all in the past."
Lu Shaoyuan clutched his stomach, feigning pain, but the corners of his mouth were turned up in a happy smile.
’Shen Ningning is getting closer to me! She’s even willing to hit me with her own hands!’
In his good mood, Lu Shaoyuan said directly, "Actually, I think Pei Yin wants to make up with you. He didn’t need to come in person today—he could have just given instructions to the broker—but he came anyway."
Shen Ningning shot him a look. "And what does that prove?"
"It proves he wants to find opportunities to get close to her!" Lu Shaoyuan crossed his arms, his expression certain. "A man knows a man’s heart best. When you like someone, you create countless opportunities to be near them."
Qi Xiuwei simply smiled without a word, and Shen Ningning linked her arm through hers.
"Xiao Wei, let’s go to the teahouse. Don’t listen to his nonsense."
Lu Shaoyuan hurried after them. "I’m not talking nonsense, really! In the past, I used to..."
Shen Ningning looked at him, and Lu Shaoyuan, suddenly bashful, didn’t dare to finish his sentence.
He cleared his throat. "What else do you two want to eat later? I’ll go buy it."
Qi Xiuwei started laughing. "You two are really starting to act like a couple."
Shen Ningning stomped her foot. "Xiao Wei, don’t you start teasing me along with him!"
"Oh, I would never," Qi Xiuwei said with a gentle smile.
Shen Ningning was her best friend. At first, when she heard that Ningning was going to marry Lu Shaoyuan, Qi Xiuwei’s thoughts were the same as everyone else’s: she must have had some hidden reason she couldn’t speak of.
However, seeing Lu Shaoyuan’s meticulous attentiveness toward her these past few days, and how earnest he was, was beginning to make Qi Xiuwei believe.
Shen Ningning had chosen someone who loved her, not someone she loved. Perhaps that was the key to a lifetime of happiness.
Meanwhile, Pei Yin returned to the palace and went directly to the study in Zichen Palace to report what had just happened to Mo Lingwei.
"Crown Prince, you predicted incorrectly. The Princess did not reject the estate; on the contrary, she expressed her fondness for it. So Second Young Master Lu didn’t say another word and paid the deposit directly. I expect they will begin renovations soon to prepare their marital home."
Mo Lingwei was reviewing memorials to the throne. Upon hearing this, the Taihu Brush in his hand snapped in two.
He looked up, his narrow eyes sharp and cold. "She really didn’t refuse?"
Pei Yin nodded.
Mo Lingwei threw down the broken brush and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking a deep breath.
’Shen Ningning... how dare she. She’s actually going to build a new home with someone else.’
’She’s buying Pei Yin’s estate. Isn’t she worried about my reaction when I find out?’
’Or does she simply not care what I think? Is she so consumed by the joy of her impending engagement that she has no time to think about what will become of me?’
Mo Lingwei stood up and walked to the window with his hands behind his back, trying to calm himself.
"She is truly heartless," he muttered, the words sounding as if they were ground out between his teeth.
Pei Yin felt it wasn’t his place to comment, so he said nothing.
Technically, he was not one of Mo Lingwei’s confidants. His superior was Lu Fu; if anything, he should be siding with Lu Shaoyuan.
However, Mo Lingwei was the Monarch he would serve in the future, so when Mo Lingwei gave him an order, he followed it.
As for anything else, it was outside the scope of his duty to obey, so naturally, he offered no further comment.
Suddenly, Mo Lingwei turned around. "Go and tell them you’re not selling the house anymore."
Pei Yin was taken aback. "But they’ve already signed the contract with the broker."
"I will give you whatever silver you need to pay in compensation. The house cannot be sold to them."
He couldn’t accept the idea of Shen Ningning planning how to decorate her marital home with someone else.
Just the thought of it was enough to make Mo Lingwei feel like he was going mad.