Chapter 90

During this meeting, the tense atmosphere from the previous encounter was gone. Although they still harbored animosity towards each other, they no longer felt like fighting nor had the determination to kill one another.

One had already accepted the fact that Nianxi currently favored Gu Ci. The other had grown used to Pei Jian’s shamelessness, so no matter how brazen Pei Jian’s actions were, Gu Ci wouldn’t be surprised anymore.

However, in such a sensitive setting, doing nothing felt awkward.

Gu Ci stiffly asked, “What are you here for?”

“None of your business,” Pei Jian dryly replied.

Then, silence fell once again.

In the past few days, Pei Jian frequently visited the Gu residence. In front of Gu Chengye and Madam Wang, both men pretended nothing had happened, doing their best not to arouse suspicion. With the increased interaction, especially while discussing the Northern Frontier’s war matters, they almost felt as if they had returned to the past.

“Want to drink?”

“Sure.”

Unconsciously, they ended up at the same inn they had visited on the night of Qixi.

The innkeeper at the door had sharp eyes. Pei Jian and Gu Ci were extraordinary figures with commanding presences, and given the shattered furniture from that night, it was hard for anyone to forget them.

The innkeeper respectfully escorted the two to the second floor, served them wine and food, and then promptly closed the door to the private room, refusing to enter again.

Gu Ci poured himself a full glass of wine, drank it in one go, and then spoke, “Thank you for what you did these past few days. And the Crown Prince too—it’s because of you that he advised His Majesty to allow my father to return to the Northern Frontier, isn’t it?”

Without lifting his head, Pei Jian poured himself a glass as well. “Don’t be touched. I didn’t do it for you.”

Hearing this, Gu Ci was momentarily stunned and looked straight at Pei Jian.

Pei Jian’s expression stiffened. He glared back and gritted his teeth. “It wasn’t for her either!”

If it were for Nianxi, Pei Jian wished Gu Ci would hurry up and leave for the North as soon as possible.

Faced with that glare, Gu Ci couldn’t help but find it oddly amusing. Pei Jian was always this awkward. Even if he did ten things, he would only reveal two or three, which was his way of giving himself an excuse.

Gu Ci raised his glass toward Pei Jian and said, “Regardless of who it was for, thank you.”

As the fine wine flowed into their stomachs, the barriers between them seemed to soften significantly. Pei Jian no longer put on airs, raising his glass to drink alongside him.

“I did it for Madam Wang and Duke Zhen, to thank them for taking good care of me,” Pei Jian said, still unwilling to show any friendliness toward the man who had stolen his past.

This was the same familiar Pei Shizhang!

Gu Ci and Pei Jian have been friends for over a decade, and Gu Ci is too familiar with Pei Jian’s sharp tongue. Without thinking, he blurts out his usual teasing remark, “With your temper, who would be willing to marry you in the future?”

As soon as he says it, he realizes it’s inappropriate. Gu Ci, in a particularly good mood and slightly intoxicated, let his guard down and spoke too freely. Because of Nianxi, the two of them could never return to how things were before. What used to be harmless banter now feels unbearably awkward, given the current state of their relationship.

Silence falls again.

Pei Jian continues drinking, one glass after another, quickly yet gracefully, without showing any sign of intoxication.

“When did you develop such a high tolerance for alcohol?” Gu Ci asks.

Pei Jian glances up, his cold and indifferent expression unmoved, “There are far too many things you don’t know about me.”

Of course, some women admire Pei Jian and would marry him. And it’s not just anyone—it’s none other than Gu Ci’s beloved Nianxi.

Gu Ci can’t understand it—Pei Jian had only met Nianxi a few times and barely exchanged a few words with her. Where did this deep obsession come from? Gu Ci sees Pei Jian’s feelings as nothing more than a man’s admiration and longing for a beautiful lady.

This can hardly be called liking, let alone love. So, he grabs Pei Jian’s wrist to stop him from pouring more wine. Under Pei Jian’s cold gaze, Gu Ci earnestly says: “Shizhang, we’ve been brothers for years. You know how I feel about Nianxi—I don’t believe you can’t see that. There are countless women in the world. With your talent and ambition, it’s not hard to find a wife. If you let go of your stubbornness, we can return to how we were before.”

Pei Jian chuckled softly, pulling his wrist back and continuing to pour more wine into his glass. His long eyelashes veiled his eyes, yet they held no hint of amusement—cold and lofty, like snow atop a mountain peak, proud and untouchable.

“I don’t want to grow old alone either.” I want to stay by her side.

“Must you insist on this?”

“I won’t give up.”

Gu Ci sat back in his seat, his face dark with frustration.

Pei Jian finished his last glass of wine at his own pace, and as he stood to leave, he said to Gu Ci, “For now, she loves you, and I have no chance. But she may not always love you, and I may not always be without a chance.”

Call him obsessive or stubborn, if you will—if it’s not Nianxi in this lifetime, what joy could there be with anyone else? He’d rather be alone as if repaying her solitude in her past life.

After Pei Jian left, Gu Ci sat alone for a long time. Under the flickering candlelight, his gaze was dark and uncertain. It wasn’t until the tavern closed and the wine steward reminded him that he finally got up to leave.

Once again, the two good friends parted on bad terms.

…

In the familiar private rooms of Fusheng Banzhan, where Nianxi often sat, a short table held a rough ceramic vase with blossoming crabapple flowers. A gentle breeze made the buds tremble lightly.

Wang Muyi was listening to Nianxi talk about Lu Huai and his son. He sighed and said, “What a clever little rascal, coming up with such an idea. So, was his vomiting and diarrhea all an act?”

Nianxi shook her head and explained, “I specifically asked Lu Xiaoqi about it. Apparently, he cannot tolerate eggs, especially those laid by poultry. If he eats them, he’s bound to experience vomiting and diarrhea, and in severe cases, he even breaks out in rashes and runs a high fever. That day, he secretly went to the kitchen to eat a little egg white, just to make his performance more convincing.”

At this, Cao Xitang chimed in, “Lu Xiaoqi has been a prodigy since childhood. Despite being only five, he has managed to disrupt many of Old Madam’s plans, all to prevent his father from remarrying. But he’s so sweet-tongued and clever that even the Old Madam dotes on him as if he were her own eyes, leaving her helpless against him.”

“My cousin married into their family and would often return to share Lu Xiaoqi’s absurd antics, making for some lively and amusing stories.”

Wang Muyi then asked, “His father, Lord Lu, is a Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and the Empress’s younger brother. Has he remained single for Lu Huai’s sake?”

“Isn’t that so?” Cao Xitang nodded with a smile. “According to my cousin, both the Old Madam in the household and the Empress in the palace are constantly worrying about this. Yet Lord Lu himself is not the least bit anxious. It’s said that he had a deep love for his late wife, which is why he hasn’t remarried all these years.”

Wang Muyi listened, filled with emotion.

In this world, deep feelings are rare, while the light of many lives is extinguished easily. Often, after a first wife passes away, the husband marries someone new within three months. A deeply affectionate person like Lord Lu is truly uncommon.

Nianxi couldn’t help but recall the scene where she previously saw Lu Wensheng teaching Lu Huai. Such a mild and measured man, dealing with a mischievous and lying child with patience and care, even going to the shop to verify things. Now, hearing about his love for his late wife, she found him even more admirable.

“A few days ago, I flipped through some ancient texts and found a recipe for a fragrance. I made it, and it has a clear, serene, and long-lasting elegant aroma,” said Cao Xitang with a smile to Nianxi.

“Next time, I’ll make more. If you place it in your elegant room’s Boshan incense burner, it will truly set the mood.”

Nianxi, though unfamiliar with the art of making fragrances, was very interested. She quickly pushed aside the stories she had heard about Lu Xiaoqi and his father, intending to ask more questions.

Just then, Miss Liu pointed outside and exclaimed, “Oh, she’s actually here!”

This drew the attention of Nianxi and the others, and they all looked outside. They saw Xu Wanxin and Xu Shanfang, two sisters, stepping down from the carriage, one after the other.

The carriage was an ordinary one, and there was no sign of that frivolous man by their side.