Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 159 - 124_2

No longer can I completely cast this person out of my mind as I initially intended.

Calculating the days, it’s less than half a month before the New Year, and he should indeed be coming back.

Seeing her dazed look, Cao Yingying covered her mouth and laughed, "Wanwan, hearing an old acquaintance’s name, are you still lost in thought?"

"...," Xie Wanqing paused, unwilling to discuss such topics with others, casually deflected with a couple of sentences, and then focused on her meal.

In her heart, she thought it wasn’t being lost in thought, she was clearly suffering from aftereffects.

She was utterly afraid of Lu Ziyuan.

......

At the banquet, as the warm atmosphere was hard to resist, Xie Wanqing drank a few cups with her friends. By the time Pei Yuqing came looking for her, she was already slightly tipsy.

This slight tipsiness cleared up instantly when she stepped outside and the cold wind hit her face.

Reaching the main hall, Mrs. Zheng, being a married daughter, was accompanying her brothers and sisters-in-law to entertain guests.

Seeing her daughter come over, she took her daughter’s hand and softly said, "Mother knows you’re busy with end-of-year affairs. Once you’re done with the mansion’s matters, you can often come home to visit. Your cousin has been talking about missing you these past few days."

Xie Wanqing thought about how she hadn’t been home to visit in almost two weeks and felt a bit guilty. She also wanted to inquire about Xie Ruyu and Duan Cheng’s marriage prospects, so she agreed with a smile.

She sat beside her mother for a while and encountered Ji Chengfeng entering from the outer hall.

Still dressed in a light blue cross-collared long robe, the wide sleeves embroidered with layers of cloud patterns in silver thread, the jade belt outlined his slender waist, and his face was as serene as an immortal emerging from the mist.

As soon as he entered, the ladies in the inner hall, who were still chatting leisurely, fell silent. Those who didn’t know his identity whispered inquiries to their friends. Upon learning that he was the legitimate grandson of the Marquis Qu Mansion and a recent top scholar, their eyes gradually lit up.

With exceptional talent, handsome demeanor, and a good background, such a gentleman was definitely the ideal match favored by all the noble families’ madams.

The Old Madam of Marquis Qu was also truly fond of this grandson. Seeing him enter, she smiled and said to Xie Wanqing, "Wanwan, have you met this cousin today?"

Xie Wanqing was just acting playfully towards her mother, and upon hearing this, she turned and looked over, then immediately smiled and said, "I’ve met him. Brother mentioned this is the cousin from Second Aunt’s family."

Ji Chengfeng, after saluting the Old Madam of Marquis Qu, also turned to look in their direction and performed a junior’s bow again, "Cheng Qian greets Aunt and Cousin."

He was already of age, and Cheng Qian was apparently his courtesy name.

Mrs. Zheng, having been very close to her own younger sister during their youth, naturally adored this nephew as well.

In fact, earlier in the year when Ji Chengfeng first arrived in the Capital, he had visited the Marquis Xuanping Mansion several times.

However, at the time, Xie Wanqing was still betrothed to Lu Ziyuan, so Mrs. Zheng didn’t specifically call her daughter, who was engaged, to meet this cousin.

This is why it wasn’t until today that they officially met.

Mrs. Zheng asked her nephew a few concerned questions and invited him to visit their home often when he had free time.

Ji Chengfeng answered patiently, chatted with a few aunts for a while, then got up to take his leave and went to the side hall.

Once he left, Mrs. Zheng pulled her daughter’s hand and whispered, "Wanwan, what do you think of this cousin?"

Xie Wanqing praised, "A gentleman like jade, gentle and refined."

Upon hearing her daughter’s praise, Mrs. Zheng’s expression settled. She whispered, "Your aunt wrote before, saying your cousin isn’t engaged yet and asked me and your grandmother to find a good girl for him in the Capital."

"Not engaged yet?" Xie Wanqing was surprised. How could there be so many gentlemen of marrying age without engagements?

Her brother was, this cousin was, and even the Duan Cheng she heard about today was.

Mrs. Zheng also thought of her eldest son, sighed with a bit of worry, and quickly returned to the main topic.

"Your aunt entrusted such matters to me, so of course, I must keep it in mind," Mrs. Zheng whispered, "Wanwan, are you familiar with the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel’s daughter?"

"!!!" Xie Wanqing’s eyes slowly widened, "Cao Yingying?"

"That’s the name," Mrs. Zheng nodded, "In terms of family background, age, and appearance, the Cao family daughter and Cheng Qian are quite well-matched. Your aunt would surely be pleased, but I don’t know about the girl’s temperament. Have you had any interactions with her? Is her character straightforward?"

"..."

Xie Wanqing furrowed her brows, and under her mother’s eager gaze, she replied with difficulty, "I’ve only met her twice. She seems to have a good disposition, but I don’t know much else."

She said, "Mother, marriage is a significant matter, don’t be hasty in matchmaking, you need to thoroughly understand first."

"Still thoroughly understand, you have no idea how anxious your second aunt is," Mrs. Zheng laughed teasingly, "As long as the families are compatible and the temperament is good, how could a daughter from the Minister’s family not understand the rules."