Chapter 26

Xie Qingya hurriedly made his way to the small house in the flower garden. Throughout the journey, his mind was blank, as if his brain had ceased to function. His only focus was on reaching this place.

One thought consumed his mind.

He just wanted to hurry, to make sure she wasn’t being bullied by Ping’an.

As he neared the small house in the flower garden, he suddenly came to his senses. The steps that had been fast and determined now slowed down.

He frowned at himself for his actions.

He had promised not to meddle in her affairs, but now here he was rushing over. Was he planning to speak up for her?

What was his position to speak?

Her husband?

But what kind of marriage did they even have?

His feet hesitated to move.

Given Ping’an’s current temperament…

Xie Qingya truly feared that Xu Duanyi was being bullied.

Torn in his thoughts, Xie Qingya gritted his teeth and walked towards the small house in the flower garden.

He would just act like he was passing by.

After all, with Changning there, Ping’an would have to give her some face. As for Xu Duanyi…

He would pretend not to know anything.

The most important thing was to make sure she wasn’t being bullied—once that was achieved, it would be enough.

With his mind made up, Xie Qingya didn’t hesitate any further and continued walking quickly towards the small house.

As he neared, he deliberately slowed his pace to avoid revealing the urgency in his heart, appearing as if he was just casually passing by.

Fuqu was in the yard.

By now, the sky had completely darkened.

Lanterns had been hung up in the yard for lighting.

The soft light cast slanting shadows.

Fuqu saw a tall figure approaching from outside the yard. At first, the figure was hidden in the shadows, and she couldn’t quite make it out, but she had a hunch.

When the figure finally emerged from the shadows, Fuqu was both surprised and delighted.

“Your Highness!” she called out joyfully to Xie Qingya.

As she spoke, she hurried inside to pass the message. “Miss, the Prince is here!” She quickly stepped forward to greet Xie Qingya, saying, “I ask how Your Highness fares.”

At the same time, there was a stir inside.

Xie Changning heard Fuqu’s words and excitedly ran out.

At first, she thought she had misheard.

But seeing her second brother truly standing in the yard, Xie Changning’s joy was overwhelming.

“Second, second brother, what, what are you doing here?” she said, her face bright with happiness, as she jogged over to him.

Behind her, the impatient and concerned voice of Xie Ping’an rang out.

“Xie Changning, slow down.”

Xie Changning responded but didn’t slow down. She continued happily running toward Xie Qingya.

“Slow down.”

Xie Qingya reached out to steady her.

But his eyes subtly glanced ahead.

Standing by the door with his arms crossed and a face full of impatience, Xie Ping’an was glaring at him. But there was no sign of someone else. Xie Qingya realized she had already left.

He felt a bit of relief.

However, he didn’t know what she had gone through, which caused him to furrow his brow again.

“Second brother, are, are you alright?”

Xie Changning, noticing his furrowed brow, slowly replaced her joyful expression with one of concern.

She thought her second brother didn’t like her acting this way.

Over the years, this pampered daughter of the Xie family had learned to read the room.

Her temperament had become more sensitive than others.

If it had been anyone else, she would have immediately stood properly and let go of his arm.

But in her heart, she still held some affection for her second brother. Though nervous, she was reluctant to release his arm.

Her second brother had gone through so much trouble to visit her, and she was so happy.

Xie Qingya noticed her change in demeanor.

Seeing her bright eyes, which had once been filled with joy, now filled with unease, her little face tense, Xie Qingya reined in his thoughts.

“It’s nothing.”

He raised his hand as if to lightly pat her head like before, but his fingers paused midair and he lowered them.

In the end, he just looked at Xie Changning and asked gently, “Have you eaten?”

“I, I was just about to eat!” Xie Changning didn’t notice his motion and still looked very happy.

She was easy to please.

Just one sentence, and her earlier discomfort disappeared, replaced by happiness.

The arm still hooked around Xie Qingya’s, unwilling to let go.

“Second, second brother, have, have you eaten?” Before Xie Qingya could speak, she looked up at him expectantly and said, “Won’t you eat with us?”

Xie Qingya was about to refuse, but then heard the girl’s voice again: “You, you haven’t eaten with us in a long time.”

Suddenly, the words he was about to say seemed difficult to utter.

Xie Qingya was silent for a moment, but in the end, he didn’t refuse.

“Let’s go in.”

He said to Xie Changning.

Xie Changning was thrilled that he agreed.

If it weren’t for the rules and decorum of a young lady, she would have cheered outright.

Her second brother actually agreed!

She excitedly pulled Xie Qingya inside, but when she saw her third brother standing at the door looking unhappy, Xie Changning feared they might quarrel again, so she quickly called out to him with a pleading tone.

“Third, third brother…”

Xie Ping’an, of course, understood her intentions.

He clicked his tongue.

Although he didn’t like it and didn’t want to see Xie Qingya, he had already made Xie Changning unhappy earlier. He had just been scolded by her, and if another quarrel started now, the one who would be most upset would be Changning.

Although unhappy,

Xie Ping’an eventually said nothing, just wore a solemn expression, and did not greet Xie Qingya. He turned and went inside.

Xie Changning knew that this meant he had agreed, and she became even more delighted.

“Second brother, shall we go inside?” She smiled and turned to Xie Qingya.

“Mm.”

Xie Qingya looked at Xie Ping’an’s retreating figure without saying anything extra.

Fuqiu was also happy.

She hurriedly arranged for someone to get the bowls and chopsticks.

After Xie Qingya entered, he glanced around the room. He did not see Xu Duanyi’s figure but noticed two gift boxes placed on a long table.

Next to the opened gift box were two books.

Xie Qingya couldn’t help but take a closer look.

One was a musical score, and the other was a chess manual… He thought to himself that Changning liked music, and Ping’an was good at chess. He hadn’t expected that she still remembered.

Xie Changning saw her second brother stop and was about to ask him what was wrong. But when she looked up, she saw him staring at a particular spot.

Following his gaze, Xie Changning felt a little sad and guilty.

She softly said to Xie Qingya, “That… that was a gift from sister-in-law to me and third brother.”

Sister-in-law had left some time ago.

After she left, Xie Changning couldn’t help but cry, feeling that she had wronged her sister-in-law.

Sister-in-law had always been so kind to them.

After all these years, she still remembered their preferences.

Yet, she had let her sister-in-law suffer such injustice for no reason…

Not wanting to blame third brother, Xie Changning took all the blame upon herself.

If it weren’t for her, third brother wouldn’t have treated sister-in-law that way.

She had already decided that she must find a time to apologize to sister-in-law properly.

She couldn’t let sister-in-law suffer unjustly.

However, she didn’t want to tell third brother these things. If he knew, he would surely frown and stop her from doing it.

Actually, third brother had already realized he had misunderstood sister-in-law.

But with the changes in the family over the years, third brother had gotten into the habit of judging others with the utmost suspicion to avoid disappointment.

“Second brother, shall we eat?” Xie Changning said to Xie Qingya.

Xie Qingya gave a slight hum and withdrew his gaze.

There weren’t many people eating, so the three siblings sat around a round table.

As usual, Xie Changning sat in the middle, with Xie Qingya and Xie Ping’an sitting on either side of her.

The one most pleased with this dinner was Xie Changning.

Normally, it was just her and third brother eating together.

Even during festivals, it had been like this.

She hadn’t sat down and talked with second brother like this in a long time.

It was also a bit of a struggle for her since she had a stutter.

Afraid that third brother and second brother would not get along, and to avoid awkward silence, she took it upon herself to keep the conversation going.

As they spoke, they inevitably talked about Xu Duanyi.

Although young, Xie Changning was not naive.

She knew that second brother had been very drunk last night, and she also knew that he had left early this morning… Like Aunt Deng, she hoped that second brother and sister-in-law would be alright.

So, she started to speak well of Xu Duanyi: “Second brother, sister-in-law is really good… I… I like sister-in-law.”

Xie Qingya was eating.

Upon hearing this, he paused for a moment but simply responded with an “Mm” and didn’t say anything more.

At this moment, Xie Ping’an did not interrupt, nor did he make sarcastic remarks.

Clearly, he was also surprised that Xu Duanyi still remembered he liked chess.

When he had seen that lone chess manual earlier, he had been stunned.

But he was used to being tough on the outside.

Especially after seeing the fickleness of human nature over the years, he had grown accustomed to not expecting too much to avoid further disappointment.

Thus, even though he felt Xu Duanyi’s kindness and goodwill, Xie Ping’an didn’t want to comment on it.

The atmosphere in the room remained cold and stiff.

Xie Changning, however, was undeterred. She continued to speak well of Xu Duanyi, regardless of whether her two brothers responded. She spoke on her own.

After finishing, she looked at the table full of delicious dishes.

Xie Changning suddenly sighed. “I… I wonder if sister-in-law has eaten yet. I should have asked her to stay and eat with us just now.”

But with the situation earlier, how could she have dared to say that?

And she had completely forgotten about it.

“Alright, eat your food,” Xie Ping’an said, not wanting to see her feel guilty. He frowned and placed a helping of stir-fried vegetables on her plate. After a while, he pursed his lips and said, “I was wrong today. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions without investigating the situation.”

“Next time I see her…”

Xie Ping’an pursed his lips. “I will apologize.”

Xie Changning was surprised that third brother was willing to apologize. She immediately brightened up. “Really?”

Xie Ping’an glanced at Xie Qingya and sneered. “A man should take responsibility for his actions!”

Afterward, seeing that Xie Qingya remained silent, his anger flared up again like a towering wave, but he held back because Xie Changning was watching them. He kept his face serious and silent.

Finally, he looked away, adopting a “out of sight, out of mind” attitude.

When he saw his little sister’s crescent-shaped eyes full of happiness, he glared and said, “Eat your food!”

“I… I will,” Xie Changning smiled brightly, truly happy now.

As the siblings continued their conversation, Xie Qingya didn’t participate. He was thinking about what Changning had just said.

Was she eating alone now?

—-

Xu Duanyi was also about to eat.

After returning from Xie Changning’s courtyard, Xu Duanyi thought that she probably wouldn’t go out tonight, so she went to the bathhouse first.

She changed into a more comfortable and casual outfit.

Just as the servants from the manor came to deliver food, Xu Duanyi, while waiting for Bixi and the others to set the dishes, asked the servant who brought the food: “Has the meal been delivered to Changning’s place?”

The servant, not daring to hide anything, quickly replied, “It was delivered a quarter of an hour ago.”

Xu Duanyi nodded, then, as if thinking of something, asked again: “Does the prince usually eat with Changning and the others?”

The servant had been briefed by Aunt Deng beforehand.

She was instructed to treat the princess with the same respect as the prince.

Therefore, the servant didn’t dare conceal anything and answered truthfully: “The prince usually eats alone.” She lowered her head, unaware of the frown Xu Duanyi had formed, and continued, “Usually, it’s just the lady and the third young master eating together. Even during the holidays, they eat separately.”

However, there was something the servant didn’t dare to mention.

—-

In the past, the prince seldom stayed home for meals, especially during family-oriented holidays like Mid-Autumn Festival and New Year’s Eve. He was usually out and came back very late.

After all, the prince’s reputation had not been good in the past.

She was afraid the princess might inquire further and, feeling nervous, lowered her head even more.

Fortunately, Xu Duanyi did not ask any more questions. Once Bixi and the others had finished setting the table, Xu Duanyi dismissed the servant, saying, “I understand. You may leave now.”

The servant sighed with relief, quickly bowed to Xu Duanyi, and left, keeping her head down.

Bixi and Shiyu waited on the side as Xu Duanyi collected her thoughts and began to eat.

The dishes were good.

However, Xu Duanyi ate with a distracted mind.

Her thoughts kept drifting back to what the servant had just said.

She didn’t care about Ping’an’s attitude toward her.

She also understood that with the passage of time, many things and people would change.

Just like her relationship with the Ping’an siblings, just like her relationship with… Xie Qingya.

But hearing about the current situation of the three siblings, Xu Duanyi, while knowing that some things were beyond her control, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.

Once upon a time, their sibling bond had been so strong.

Xu Duanyi always remembered how Changning and Ping’an used to follow her and Xie Qingya around, and she recalled how proud and pleased Xie Qingya was when they were born.

This made Xu Duanyi very sad.

It was more painful than the growing distance between her and Xie Qingya now.