Favoring a Hidden Mistress? Engagement Broken-Chapter 162 - 125_2
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In the carriage, the already quiet atmosphere grew even more silent upon hearing the name Lu Ziyuan.
Pei Yuqing instructed the driver to make way, allowing Lu Ziyuan and his entourage to pass first.
Only when the orderly sound of hooves faded into the distance did the carriage wheels start turning again.
Neither of them spoke until they returned to the mansion.
Xie Wanqing went back to Xuanhua Courtyard, while Pei Yuqing headed to the outer courtyard study.
That evening, a servant from the outer courtyard came with a message, saying that the Princely Heir was busy with official duties and would be staying in the study that night.
Such situations had happened before, but today, after a slight disagreement, he was staying in the study, which made Xie Wanqing feel a bit stifled.
Besides, with the year-end approaching, soon even Your Majesty would seal the pens and brushes; what official duties could possibly keep him busy?
It was nothing more than lingering over the events of that morning.
Perhaps it also involved Lu Ziyuan’s return to the Capital City.
Seemingly gentle and easygoing, yet who knew how petty he could be.
Xie Wanqing was upset the entire night. The next morning, when the culprit came to wake her, she turned over, facing inward, ignoring him altogether.
Such a sulky demeanor left Pei Yuqing’s outstretched hand awkwardly hanging mid-air before he awkwardly retracted it, touching his nose.
"It’s time to get up and have breakfast," he said, sitting at the edge of the bed, trying to tug the girl’s quilt, "after eating, let’s go accompany Mother and play some leaf cards."
Recently, Princess Duan Yang had become quite obsessed with the leaf cards, always looking for people to join her games. This morning, Nanny Zhou came to call for someone.
One could have a spat with her husband, but Xie Wanqing couldn’t ignore an invitation from her mother-in-law, the Princess.
She tugged her quilt back and said without turning her head, "You go out first."
"...Alright." Pei Yuqing sighed and turned to leave the room.
Only then did Xie Wanqing rise from the bed, and with Erqing’s assistance, she dressed neatly.
While having breakfast in the side hall, the sulking girl ate with her head down, occasionally pushing aside dishes that were offered to her, not taking a single bite.
After such a scene, Pei Yuqing was left entirely at a loss.
When she stood up to leave, not able to hold back any longer, he grabbed her wrist.
"My dear, can we stop being mad at each other?"
The servants and maids in the side hall quickly bowed their heads and left at a brisk pace upon seeing this. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
As the door closed, Pei Yuqing pulled her into his arms.
The delicate and soft girl, he feared hurting her even with a little force, yet she had a temper bigger than anyone’s, driving him mad without uttering a word.
"I’m not an old-fashioned person," he thought for a moment and explained to himself, "nor do I mind you talking a bit more with other men, I just..."
Xie Wanqing: "Just what?"
"...I," Pei Yuqing hesitated for a while, then spoke with difficulty, "Wanwan, ...I’m just so fond of you."
Ji Chengfeng was handsome, talented, young, and promising, making him worry if she might find him new and exciting, regarding him differently.
Such unspeakable thoughts, revealing even a little, would invite ridicule.
How could he say it aloud?
If Xie Wanqing knew his true thoughts, she might tell him to go look in a mirror.
But she didn’t know, so she furrowed her brows even more, "After all, you’re still old-fashioned, using your affection for me as an excuse, forbidding me this and that."
She married him, becoming his wife, not sold to him as a servant; how could there be such rules?
"Ji Chengfeng is my aunt’s son, we just happened to meet on the road, so I chatted with him for a while, didn’t even touch a corner of his robe; it’s the most normal social interaction. How could you..."
Xie Wanqing could not continue; she pulled away his hand from her waist and said in a low voice, "You should think about it yourself."
With that, she quickly walked away.
Pei Yuqing pursed his lips, quietly watching her leave.
He knew that she was right.
He also believed that she had no ulterior motives towards Ji Chengfeng, whom she had only met twice.
And Ji Chengfeng was a true gentleman, who would never covet another man’s wife.
This matter was purely his overthinking.
But such overthinking, he couldn’t control it.
Having painstakingly won over someone, even when he could hold her in his arms at any time, he couldn’t feel at ease.
On the contrary, as time went by, his fear of losing only grew worse.
If he could seek for other people’s affections, then others could seek for his.
After standing for a long while, Pei Yuqing exhaled slowly and walked out of the side hall.
Outside, Pei Er, who had been waiting for a while, quickly stepped forward, taking a gilded invitation out of his sleeve and quietly said, "Ming Feng from Wuyuan Marquis Mansion personally delivered this."
Ming Feng was a family servant of Wuyuan Marquis Mansion, Lu Ziyuan’s right-hand man, well-known in the Capital City; such a task as delivering a letter wouldn’t normally fall to him.
