Chapter 5

Chapter 5

In a few days, it would be the Shangsi Festival.

Rong Zhen came early in the morning to take me out of the manor.

He stood quietly in the courtyard in a moon-white brocade robe, his hair bound with a jade hairpin.

His features were gentle and refined, without the slightest hint of impatience.

When he saw me lift the curtain and step out, a smile rippled through his eyes.

But when his gaze settled on me, his brows drew together slightly.

“Qingkui, go prepare a beizi jacket for your young lady. The one with the green sparrow embroidered on the cuffs.”

Qingkui looked at me. I was just about to say I didn’t want it.

“Be good, Yao’er.”

Rong Zhen patted my head.

His voice was soft and gentle.

“Who was it that cried a few days ago, saying cold medicine was so bitter she never wanted to drink it again? Hm?”

“The wind by the lake is strong. I can’t bear to see you catch a chill and take medicine, and I can’t bear to see you cry even more. Just do it for me, Yao’er, all right?”

Seeing that I was wavering, he continued coaxing me.

“I specially chose the bamboo-green beizi. It goes perfectly with what you’re wearing today, doesn’t it? I didn’t choose wrong, did I?”

I lowered my head and looked at myself.

A tender bud-green cross-collar short ru jacket and a pine-green gauze skirt.

Fine. It really did match.

He had decent taste, I supposed.

By Yanqi Lake, young masters and young ladies from various families were laughing and chatting. It was wonderfully lively.

Rong Zhen produced a kite as if by magic.

It was not the usual swallow kite.

Instead, it depicted a pair of blue and red lovebirds, their beaks lightly touching as they spread their wings side by side.

Twining branches curled around them, intimate and tender.

My eyes lit up at once, and my cheeks grew faintly warm.

“Did Brother Rong Zhen paint this?”

“It’s so… so beautiful!”

He nodded with a smile.

“Take it. Go play.”

I held the kite in both hands and ran off, my sleeves fluttering lightly.

The instant the wind came, I gently let go.

Rong Zhen released the long string at just the right moment.

With one push and one pull, the kite soared upward.

I was just about to run back when a voice drifted lazily from behind me.

“Miss, you dropped your purse.”

I turned around.

What the hell? Yan Zhao again.

He really was impossible to shake off.

I immediately looked down at my waist. My purse was still there.

Then what was that identical one in Yan Zhao’s hand?

When I saw the three droplets embroidered in the corner, my pupils shrank.

I disliked embroidery, so I usually bought purses that were fashionable and pretty.

Then I would embroider three drops of water on them, a token nod to the meaning of “Shen Yao.”

Only people close to me knew this lazy little trick of mine.

“What’s wrong, Yao’er?”

In the brief moment I was dazed, Rong Zhen had already walked over to my side, still holding the kite string.

My heart leapt into my throat.

That bastard Yan Zhao. Buying the same purse was bad enough.

He had even forged my mark.

And the stitches were crooked and uneven, making it look all the more like mine.

If I said the purse wasn’t mine, how would I explain those three drops of water?

Would Rong Zhen suspect I was having a secret affair with him?

How could I possibly explain that clearly?

I was out of options.

I hurriedly used my sleeve to cover my waist and hid my own purse inside it.

Then I took the purse from Yan Zhao’s hand.

Through gritted teeth, I thanked him.

“Thank you for your kindness, young master.”

But Yan Zhao did not stop there.

“I opened the purse just now and found a piece of fine warm jade inside.”

“For returning such a valuable item, is one word of thanks all I get from you, miss?”

I opened the purse and looked. There really was a piece of jade inside.

Very well. A trap within a trap.

I shot Yan Zhao a fierce glare.

Scheming dog.

Going to all this trouble!

What exactly was he trying to do?

He smiled slyly and looked toward Zuixiang Tower by the lake.

“It is nearly noon. Why not treat me to a good meal, miss?”

Before I could respond, Rong Zhen parted his thin lips, his tone cool and distant.

“Judging from your attire, young master, you are clearly no ordinary man. How could a rustic little establishment and coarse food be worthy of you?”

“As it happens, Yao’er and I are to be married soon. Why not wait until the auspicious day and come celebrate with us at the banquet? You can share in the joy while you’re there.”

Yan Zhao was struck speechless for a moment.

All trace of his smile vanished, and he left with a taut expression.

Only after he was gone did I belatedly realize something.

Wait!

Rong Zhen didn’t even know about my entanglement with Yan Zhao.

In this life, Yan Zhao was neither my official husband nor my kept man.

I, Shen Yao, had nothing to hide.

What was I panicking for?

It was all the lake wind’s fault, stirring up my thoughts.

And messing up my hair.

Rong Zhen suddenly reached out and tucked the stray strands behind my ear.

“Yao’er, stop paying attention to unimportant people, all right?”

“All right.”

“Come out with me again in a few days, all right?”

“All right.”

I answered without hesitation.

“Marry me next month, all right?”

“All right.”

Only after the word left my mouth did I realize what I had agreed to.

I startled.

“That… that soon?”

Rong Zhen’s gaze stayed fixed on me, not shifting an inch.

“Yes.”

“There are always thieves coveting precious treasure.”

“I’m afraid someone else will steal you away again.”

Those two sentences made my cheeks burn.

How could that happen?

It wasn’t as if I were made of gold.

But when I saw that his usually composed eyes were actually brimming with traces of panic, even the corners of his eyes faintly reddened, my heart softened.

I threw my arms around Rong Zhen’s waist.

“All right. Mother has been preparing for nearly three years anyway.”