The long street was noisy and chaotic, but Zhou Niannan's voice was unusually loud. The woman in the alley was in a panic, and she and the man retreated into the depths of the shadows.
Xie Miao turned around in time and moved to the side, blocking the view of the alley, "Third Young Master Zhou."
Zhou Niannan is holding a glass bead lamp with a dancing fairy curtain painted on it, in a dancing posture, like a startled dragon. The glass beads reflected the colourful light, which happened to shine on Xie Miao's face.
Xie Miao was dazzled, and when she was about to raise her hand to cover it up, Zhou Niannan had already moved the lamp and lowered it.
"Why are you here alone, where is Cui Er?" he asked.
This person is serious. He will be at a loss if he doesn't ask about Cui Muli.
Xie Miao resisted the urge to roll her eyes and said with a fake smile: "Cousin Cui would be flattered if he knew that Third Young Master Zhou cares about him so much. It's a pity that I'm not Cousin Cui's personal servant, otherwise I would record his food, clothing, housing, and transportation one by one and report them to you in detail."
Zhou Niannan heard the teasing in her words, and was surprisingly not angry, "It's just a question... are you going back?"
Xie Miao nodded.
Seeing that she was accompanied by two maids, Zhou Niannan teased: "You are very brave. You don't even have a guard in such a crowded place."
Xie Miao glanced at him. Zuo Qing and Zuo Lan were following behind him as usual, and there must only be a lot more in the darkness.
"Third Young Master Zhou is joking." She said calmly: "What is my status and how can I compare with you?"
After saying that, without waiting for his reply, she turned around and left.
Zhou Niannan was choked by her. He had said similar words many times before, but having them repeated from her mouth made people feel uncomfortable.
He put aside the inexplicable gloominess, and glanced towards the alley without leaving any trace. He caught up with Xie Miao, "Hey, Xie Miao, since we have met, I will be kind and protect your safety..."
Not long after, they arrived at the entrance of Jing Street. The Cui Mansion's carriages were parked side by side, and a few familiar figures were gathering towards the carriages.
Zhou Niannan didn't see Cui Muli, so he didn't intend to go forward to say hello. Just as he was about to turn back to his carriage, his eyes slipped through the crowds of figures and landed on Xie Miao's empty hands.
He asked rudely: "Why did you do so poorly this year? You didn't even win a lantern?"
The lanterns in previous years were all obtained from Cui Muli, thanks to the help of the ladies of the Cui Mansion. This year...if you don't ask for anything, you will naturally get nothing.
Xie Miao didn't want to elaborate with him and murmured: "Which law in Da Qi stipulates that everyone must have a lantern for the Lantern Festival?"
Zhou Niannan asked: "Everyone else has it, but you don't. Don't you feel embarrassed?"
She said nonchalantly: "A child's face can't be broken with just one poke." How can an adult like her, who has lived two lives, feel embarrassed about such a trivial matter?
The more Zhou Niannan heard, the more curious he became. He saw her little face tilted up, and he extended his hand out of nowhere, "Let me see how thick-skinned you are."
Two fingers gently pinched her left cheek. The fingertips immediately touched gelatin, which was cold and delicate, as smooth as a piece of tofu.
Xie Miao didn't expect him to take such an action. She was stunned for a moment before coming back to her senses, and slapped his palm down without thinking.
Zhou Niannan quickly retracted his hand, and took a few steps back knowingly. He said provocatively without fear of death, "Well... you are indeed much thicker-skinned than others."
The girl's skin was already delicate, but despite his control, a red mark still appeared on her fair cheeks. Xie Miao didn't know it, and wiped it with her sleeve repeatedly, glaring at him with a cold face, "Third Young Master Zhou, have you read the Four Books and Five Classics so much that you fed them into the dog's belly?!"
Do you know that men and women cannot be intimate? Do you know that?!
Zhou Niannan pretended not to see her anger and said slowly: "Our Zhou family is a family of military commanders. We don't study much and don't stick to trivial matters."
Xie Miao was infuriated by his shamelessness and was too lazy to talk to him anymore. She turned around and was about to leave, but her sleeve was pulled by someone, and then a glazed bead lamp was stuffed into her hand.
"Here, the lamp is given to you."
Xie Miao turned back and tried to push it back, but Zhou Niannan jumped several feet away and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The bead lamp fell heavily into the palm of her hand. Xie Miao wanted to throw it away in anger, but hesitated.
Apart from that, this lamp is so beautiful.
Just as she was worrying about whether the lamp would stay or go, Fu Lu and Lan Xia suddenly shouted respectfully, "Second Young Master."
Cui Muli slowly emerged from the darkness, his crescent-white clothes dyed warm by the light. He held the parchment lamp in his right hand and smiled lightly, but the warmth did not reach his eyes. "Did you enjoy your visit, cousin?"
"Well, it's okay." Xie Miao said perfunctorily, "It's late, it's time to go back."
"Indeed." Cui Muli walked towards her, and with every step he took, the concentric tassels of the parchment lamp swayed. When he reached Xie Miao, he held out his hand and said, "Take it."
Xie Miao:? ? ?
Cui Muli said: "Everyone else has it."
Xie Miao quickly refused: "I don't need it."
Cui Muli's gaze stopped at her pinched left cheek, "So, if you accept Niannan's lamp, you won't want mine?"
The tone was so calm, but there are hidden accusations, faintly exuding an aura of danger.
Xie Miao was familiar with his temperament and knew that he must be unhappy at this moment. It stands to reason that she should know this and just follow along, but she was rebellious and wanted to go against him.
So she nodded seriously and said, "Everything comes in a first-come, first-served manner. One lamp is enough."
Right?
He lightly swept his eyes over the gorgeous glazed lamp. After a while, he abandoned his usual observance of etiquette and thrust the parchment lamp into her palm with a gesture that could not be refused.
"If I want to give it away, you must receive it."
*
Xie Miao had a dream.
In the dream, she was sitting at a round table. Zhou Niannan hummed softly and brought a roasted suckling pig, and said proudly: "Xie Miao, your family is so poor, you must never have enough to eat. Come on, come on, I will show you mercy. I'll treat you to a meal of roasted suckling pig, and I'm sure your mouth will be full of oil and your lips and teeth will be fragrant."
Xie Miao didn't want to eat, and twisted her body to run away, but he fiercely pressed her shoulders and sat her down.
"Eat quickly! You can't leave until you finish eating!"
Xie Miao couldn't resist, so she ate two large bowls of pork with tears in her eyes. Just when she was getting tired of it, Cui Muli led someone to bring a whole roasted lamb.
"Cousin Xie, you can't favor one thing over another. If you eat Niannan's roasted suckling pig, you also have to eat my whole roasted lamb."
Xie Miao cried and shook her head. Cui Muli turned a blind eye and tore off a leg of lamb. He brought it to her mouth in person, and said politely and forcefully: "I want you to eat it, so you must eat it."
...
Xie Miao sat up from the bed suddenly, covering her ears with her hands. She was shaking her head, and kept mumbling: "I don't want to eat, I can't eat anymore, I don't want to eat!"
Fu Lu, who was outside, heard the sound and hurriedly came in, "Miss, did you have a nightmare?"
That's exactly right.
Xie Miao touched her sweaty head and said feebly: "I want to take a bath."
When she raised her eyes, she saw the two lamps placed on the cabinet. She immediately became furious. She stretched out her hand and shouted, "Throw those two lamps away! Throw them as far away as possible!"
Fu Lu hesitated, "Miss, do you really want to throw them away?" They were gifts from Third Young Master Zhou and the Second Young Master. They were exquisite and unique, and should cost a lot of money.
"Throw them away!" Xie Miao grounded her molars and said bitterly, "Don't let me see them again."
Fu Lu felt awkward for a moment but did not throw away the lamps. She secretly hid them in a box.
After washing up, Xie Miao went to the study to read sutras. Before she had read half of the book, Fu Lu came to report that it was Cui Xining who came to visit.
When she came back yesterday, Xie Miao had already told Lan Xia and Fu Lu that no one should reveal any rumours about this matter. Although the two maids kept the Young Lady's advice in mind, when they saw Cui Xining coming to the door, their eyes were a little more curious.
Xie Miao withdrew the maid and talked with Cui Xining in the study.
Cui Xining was sitting by the window. She was holding a tea cup in her hand, her eyes twinkling, but she hesitated to speak, "Xie Miao, did you ... have fun yesterday?"
"It's okay." Xie Miao asked, "What about you?"
Cui Xining forced a smile and said, "It's okay."
Normally, the two of them could have some fun chatting. However today, because she was uneasy, the two of them exchanged a few dry words, stiff and polite.
Xie Miao asked out of the blue: "How about I read you a scripture?"
Cui Xining nodded.
Xie Miao read a passage from the Heart Sutra to her, "The same is true for feelings, thoughts, and awareness. Relics are all dharmas that are empty and have no appearance, neither born nor destroyed, neither dirty nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing..." (quoted from the "Heart Sutra")
Xie Miao clasped her hands together, and had a pious face. Her voice was light and soothing, like a gurgling stream in the mountain, making people's minds gradually clear.
After a moment of silence, Xie Miao raised her eyes and looked at Cui Xining, who was no longer impetuous. Now that they have reached this point, if they try to be secretive, they will look coy.
She opened the window and spoke frankly, "What kind of person is he?"
Cui Xining's body suddenly trembled: Xie Miao saw it. Sure enough she did see Cui Xining last night... Her eyes were worried, her lips opened and closed, and she couldn't squeeze out a word.
Xie Miao put down the scripture and was still in the mood to pick up a piece of preserved fruit and put it into her mouth to taste carefully. The taste on the tongue is sour at first and then sweet, which is completely different from the lives of girls like them.
She took a sip of tea and said lightly: "Since you are looking for me, you must tell me something so that you can ask me to hide it for you, right?"
Cui Xining forced herself to look into her eyes, trying to read her emotions. Contempt, ridicule, accusation ...no, not at all. Her bright black eyes were unusually calm, like the surface of a lake that had never encountered the wind. Apart from the dazzling brilliance, there was no trace of ripples.
She didn't look down on herself.
After realizing this unexpected fact, Cui Xining's heart became lighter. After careful consideration, she said slowly: "He is a very, very good person."
Xie Miao said coolly: "What is good? Is it good appearance, good character, good knowledge, or good family background, and good virtue?"
"A beauty is nothing but withered bones, a woman's boudoir will eventually become a wasteland. I like him just because he has an innocent heart." Thinking of the person she likes, Cui Xining's eyes softened and the corners of her lips curled up unconsciously, "He treats me very well, very well."
Two consecutive words of "very well", lips and teeth are intertwined, showing affection.
However, Xie Miao spoke sharply and said unceremoniously: "The most fickle thing is human nature. Just because he is good to you today does not mean that he will be good to you in the future, let alone only you."
She thought she was mean enough, but Cui Xining smiled instead of being angry. She said with a genuine overflowing gaze, "He won't."
So sure...
Xie Miao sighed: It seems that it is impossible to provoke them. Why didn't Buddha send her back earlier? If she were sent to them before they started, she might be able to intervene and destroy their relationship, so that they could avoid each other and live in peace for their entire lives.
The thought flashed past, and she immediately said a few more words: "This child is ignorant. The Buddha is magnanimous and won't argue with me."
She asked seriously: "How did you meet him? What are your plans for the future?"
Before coming, Cui Xining had already thought of a roundabout way to hide it. However now, for some unknown reason, she was pouring out the truth like beans.
"The autumn of last year when I was traveling in the mountains, I was accidentally bitten on my ankle by a poisonous snake. I was about to die from the poison. Thanks to him passing by, he taught the maids how to detoxify me. He collected herbs and applied them on me. I was able to endure until I can see a doctor for treatment and save this small life..."
"Some time later, I went to the ferry to see someone off, and I saw him there carrying goods... You may not know, but he is a scholar, with a pair of straight and slender hands. He was born to write and wield ink. He obviously couldn't move those sacks, and he was sweating profusely but he gritted his teeth and persisted. I asked the maid to secretly give him some silver in order to repay his kindness, but he refused to accept it."
"Later, later... I felt depressed and sneaked out of the house. I just wanted to relax on the river bank, but this fool was there. He thought I was going to throw myself into the lake, and he talked to me earnestly. In the end, I was fine, but he was not careful. He fell into the lake and became seriously ill, which is why he failed the exam last spring."
Recalling the old events, Cui Xining's eyes were full of guilt, but she could not hide the affection and tenderness in it, "Xie Miao, do you think such a person is stupid?"
Silly, not just one, but both of them.
Xie Miao said: "I understand. You and he are in love with each other and have a close heart."
"Yes." Cui Xining sighed quietly, her eyes full of confusion, "It's not that I haven't thought about ending it."
Xie Miao pretended to be curious, "Is he a poor scholar?"
"There is no fertile land at home, and there is no rice or flour in the vat. Although he is full of ambitions, he cannot abandon his family." Cui Xining sighed: "He also has an elderly grandmother and a young sister at home. In order to support his studies, they don't even have enough food to eat."
Hmm, why does it sound familiar?
Before Xie Miao could think about it, Cui Xining continued: "Although my father has no official position, he controls the affairs of Cui Mansion. His expectations for us brothers and sisters are not low."
Cui Xining's eldest sister, Cui Xiyao, was married to the Fanyang Lu family, a well-known local family with a very deep foundation. Cui Xiyao's husband is the next patriarch of the Lu family, and he was the husband carefully selected by Cui Shida for his eldest daughter.
Cui Shida understands the principle of marrying a daughter high and marrying a daughter-in-law low. Although he is not as capable as his second brother, he has two daughters at his knees. Proper arrangements for the marriage will surely revive the family.
"According to my father's habits, he would not tolerate my relationship with Shen Lang. I was determined to break off the friendship with him. He did not hold back me in the slightest. He only wished me the best in everything. He was coughing up blood every day behind my back ... If he had tried to hold me back, maybe I might have been able to harden my heart. He thinks about me so much, and I can't live up to his affection." At this point, Cui Xining had tears on her eyelashes. Holding back her sobs, she asked repeatedly: "Xie Miao, do you understand my feelings? You pity his affection."
If she didn't know what happened, Xie Miao would definitely make up some conspiracies. But she had seen the future and knew that "Shen Lang" had deep feelings for Cui Xining, so she could no longer say sarcastic words.
There is true love in this world. Cui Xining was lucky to get it but regretted losing it.
Xie Miao was touched in her heart, and walked to her. She patted her shoulder comfortingly, but analyzed the facts mercilessly, "It has been two years since you have reached the age of marriage. Uncle will definitely hurry up and choose a son-in-law for you. Perhaps there are already candidates. What are you going to do?"
Cui Xining gritted her teeth and said, "No matter what, I will make it clear to my mother that I will not marry anyone other than Shen Lang. My mother loves me the most and will definitely help me persuade my father."
How fearless it is to put all your efforts into a desperate move. In the next life, Cui Xining will still be Cui Xining.
Xie Miao calculated with her fingers that there was still one year before Cui Xining hanged herself. As for the pile-on incidents, she is afraid that it was foreshadowing when Madam Li learns the truth.
Madam Li may have loved Cui Xining, but facts proved that she will ultimately chose to stand on a united front with Cui Shida.
"Xining." Xie Miao called her name, looking into the depths of her eyes, "Do you believe me?"
"What do you think?" Cui Xining laughed through the tears, "I've only spoken to you about Shen Lang."
Xie Miao nodded and said with great seriousness: "Listen to me, don't tell your mother about this matter. Absolutely don't."