The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 477 - 444: Whoever Touches the Family Heirloom Becomes the Granddaughter-in-law (Part 2)
However, Ye Ling did not select all the skilled players for her team; she picked two who were good and two who were not very skilled, leaving the rest for Zhao Xi.
After observing the three games, Zhao Xi quickly noticed that Ye Ling’s selections were a mix of good and mediocre players.
With four players per team, including the captain, Ye Ling asked Zhao Xi, "Does Your Highness want to add anyone else?"
Zhao Xi’s gaze immediately swept through the crowd and landed on the resting area where Song Yuanbao was.
From a distance, Song Yuanbao couldn’t hear what the two were discussing, but he felt that Zhao Xi’s glance was somewhat "ill-intentioned," sending a shiver down his spine.
Before long, Zhao Xi sent a eunuch over with a message, "Young Master Song, His Highness says if you want to learn, then prepare to join the match."
Wasn’t he promised that the young lady would teach him one-on-one after the match?
Song Yuanbao was deeply dissatisfied with Zhao Xi’s second "intentional separation" and silently held a grudge against him.
"Sister Huanhuan!"
Over there, Ye Ling waved Xue Yinhuan over, indicating she could enter the field.
Xue Yinhuan glanced at Song Yuanbao, "Young Master Song, let’s go."
Song Yuanbao looked at her and asked, "Are you on the same team as Miss Ye?"
Xue Yinhuan nodded, "What’s the matter?"
Originally wanting to trade places with her, Song Yuanbao noticed that Xue Yinhuan seemed adept at polo. If he moved her to Zhao Xi’s team, wouldn’t his beloved young lady lose?
After some thought, Song Yuanbao decided to stay on Zhao Xi’s team and hold them back so that the young lady could win the match and take his "family heirloom."
Xue Yinhuan had no idea what Song Yuanbao was thinking; she just observed his alternating expressions of frowning and smiling and found him inexplicably amusing.
Without minding Song Yuanbao further, she entered the polo field, and someone soon brought her a horse.
After rolling up his sleeves, Song Yuanbao reluctantly walked over to Zhao Xi. Zhao Xi asked him, "Weren’t you all enthusiastic before? Why the sudden dampening in spirit?"
Song Yuanbao drooped his eyelids and said nothing.
At that moment, a call came from across the field, "Young Master Yuanbao, quickly mount your horse; we’re starting."
Song Yuanbao suddenly perked up, took the mallet Zhao Xi handed him, and agilely mounted the horse.
After Zhao Xi mounted his horse, he explained the rules to Song Yuanbao, particularly pointing at both goals, telling him to keep his eyes wide open and not to make any mistakes.
Zhao Xi’s reminder, instead of calming him, only fixed the thought in Song Yuanbao’s mind. Once the game started, he soon understood the basics of the sport and deliberately scored two goals for the opponent.
Zhao Xi: "..."
Zhao Xi’s team members: "..."
Without a doubt, because of a teammate handing over points, even Zhao Xi’s excellent polo skills weren’t enough to avoid a resounding defeat.
Knowing Song Yuanbao did it on purpose, Zhao Xi trotted his horse beside him, waving his mallet as if wanting to send him flying with a swing.
Song Yuanbao looked at Zhao Xi with a grin, "It’s just a game, right? Winning or losing doesn’t really matter. Besides, we’re all gentlemen on this side; what’s wrong with letting young ladies win? Over there is also your betrothed concubine-to-be; wouldn’t you want to show her your gentlemanly grace? Letting them win would be perfect, and you can rightfully give away that Jade Pendant of yours."
Zhao Xi, hearing this, put down his mallet and glanced over at the other side.
The victorious Ye Ling team got all the spoils. The young men in her team were too eager to curry favor with Ye Ling to want any of the prizes themselves.
Apart from Prince Ding’s gilded incense bag, the rest of the tray full of prizes went to Ye Ling.
The young lady couldn’t keep it all for herself, so she let Xue Yinhuan pick a few items she liked.
Although these were winnings, items like men’s Jade Pendants weren’t something a young lady could wear openly. Xue Yinhuan’s eyes landed on a set of gemstone earrings, and just as she was about to reach for them, a young prince’s voice came from slightly behind, "Take the Jade Pendant. Of everyone present, you’re the only one suited to wear it."
After all, being engaged, it wasn’t unusual to give a token. Moreover, these were winnings, so no need for secrecy.
Xue Yinhuan grabbed the Jade Pendant, turned her head, raised her hand and asked, "Really give it to me?"
Zhao Xi retorted, "Don’t like it?"
It’s not that she didn’t like it; she just thought that as just a concubine, being treated this way was unusual. What if, in the future, the main wife took issue over such minor matters?
Men think differently from women.
Zhao Xi treated Xue Yinhuan well out of guilt for Chief Xue’s death and translated that guilt into a sense of responsibility, feeling that since she was now parentless, if her fiancé didn’t support her, it would be truly pitiable; it would indicate his failure as her fiancé.
The mind of a young woman is more complex. When Xue Yinhuan first agreed to marry him, it was with an eye on the Eldest Prince as a patron. She thought he would treat her slightly better for her father’s sake, and even if there was no affection, there would be no maltreatment. But once he truly treated her well, she started to worry whether his future main wife would tolerate her because of His Highness’s favor.
"What’s wrong?" Seeing her spacing out, Zhao Xi asked.
"Nothing, nothing." Xue Yinhuan withdrew the hand holding the Jade Pendant, then lowered her head and softly said, "I really like the Jade Pendant."
Zhao Xi advised, "If you like it, keep it safe and don’t lose it."
"Mm."
...
Zhao Xi’s Jade Pendant was given away, but Song Yuanbao’s so-called "family heirloom" was still on the tray.
Ye Ling knew it was a man’s Jade Pendant and couldn’t just take it lightly. Having already taken the incense bag, she did not fixate on the "family heirloom" but instead looked at other jewelry, planning to pick a couple of items she liked and leave the rest for Prince Ding to handle.
Song Yuanbao came over and stood before her.
Sitting on a round stool, picking through the jewelry, Ye Ling looked up at the youth and greeted him, "Young Master Yuanbao."
Song Yuanbao asked her, "Do you really like playing polo?"
Ye Ling was focused on the jewelry and absentmindedly replied with a murmur.
"You play very well," Song Yuanbao sincerely complimented.
Both Zhao Xi and Ye Ling played polo exceptionally well. Watching them on the field earlier, they looked like a perfect match, which made him inexplicably envious. Feeling sour, he ended up scoring for the opposing goal.
Ye Ling’s attention was still on the tray, letting out a soft hum.
Song Yuanbao saw she was distracted and, rolling his eyes, added, "You should keep the Jade Pendant."
"Mm..."
"Huh? It can’t be." She nodded like a pecking chick, but after a moment’s realization, the young lady shook her head as if it were a rattle drum, pointing at the Jade Pendant, "I can’t take this."
Song Yuanbao chuckled, "You just agreed to take it."
"I... I didn’t hear clearly," she said, her head lowering, and her voice softening, "My granny said a man’s Jade Pendant shouldn’t be taken lightly."
"Is that so?" Song Yuanbao said: "My granny also said our family heirloom only goes to the future granddaughter-in-law. Whoever takes it will be the one."
"Ah?" The young lady who had just picked up the Jade Pendant to return it to him dropped it like a hot potato onto the silk tray, her cheeks flushed. "I didn’t know."
Seeing her reaction, Song Yuanbao couldn’t help but smile, picking up the Jade Pendant, "I was just teasing you."
The young lady looked up at him, puffing her cheeks, "Young Master Yuanbao, you’re really bad."
Afraid of being overheard, she deliberately lowered her voice. The softer it got, the more it sounded like a kitten’s meow.
