Chapter 5

In the exquisitely grand bedroom, the well-trained eunuchs and palace maids all lowered their eyes and voices, not attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation between the mistress and her sister.

A pear-wood stove burned with imperial-granted snow pear and honeyed sandalwood, and the faint blue smoke indicated the favor of the beauty in the palace.

Sang Shu sat beside Sang Yao, her slender and white fingers resting on Sang Yao’s shoulder, her voice gentle and soothing, “This is nothing unusual. You are still young and cannot distinguish between liking and admiration. Xie Yun is indeed handsome, and you’re liking for him is… “

Sang Shu’s words suddenly stopped, and a hint of suspicion appeared on her beautiful face. “Wait, what did you just say?”

Blushing, Sang Yao repeated, “I don’t like him, I mean, I found out that Xie Yun likes me.”

The air was silent for a moment as Sang Shu confirmed that she hadn’t misheard.

But as far as she knew, Xie Yun didn’t even remember what her sister’s name was.

She pursed her lips and then stared at Sang Yao’s bright and lovely face, trying to find a trace of joking in it.

Nothing.

She asked first, “How many times have you talked to Xie Yun?”

Sang Yao tried to remember, then seriously answered, counting on her fingers, “Maybe three or four times.”

If saying “excuse me” to her counted.

Sang Shu nodded and then asked, “Did he say he liked you to your face?”

Sang Yao shook her head.

Afraid that Sang Shu wouldn’t believe her, she hurriedly added, “Sister, he really likes me, he almost likes me to death.”

Sang Shu pursed her lips, didn’t ask any more questions, and sighed with concern, holding the white gauze on her body.

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

The situation was indeed a bit more serious than Sang Shu had imagined.

She knew that Sang Yao was naturally innocent, her thoughts were relatively simple, and she had no experience in love affairs. She usually just read some novels when she had nothing to do. Before, when she read a lot, she felt that she could dominate the love scene, firmly believed that she could easily come up with all kinds of seductive tricks, Sang Shu still felt cute. How did it become like this now?

She composed herself and then spoke as gently as possible to Sang Yao, “Yao Yao, can’t you tell? “

Sang Yao was puzzled, “Tell what?”

Moderate infatuation was still acceptable, but her sister had already gone too far. Sang Shu said, “Do you know what kind of person Xie Yun is? You and I both know.”

“Sister Yao, look, over the years, not only the high-ranking noble ladies who are known as the first beauties, but even princesses, county princesses, and even those daughters who are proficient in martial arts from the families of various factions, have all more or less shown signs of admiring Xie Yun. But have you seen Xie Yun respond, Sister just wants to say that Xie Yun doesn’t like women.”

Sang Yao was stunned. “He… likes men then?”

Sang Shu replied, “He doesn’t have any romantic feelings at all.”

Sang Yao said, “Oh.”

But that’s not true.

There is something, there are many things, and a lot of them.

Sang Yao silently disagreed in her heart.

Sang Shu blinked, tactfully saying, “So no matter when, we must be realistic, okay? Don’t overthink it, my dear. It will only disturb yourself for no reason.”

At this point, Sang Yao fully understood that her sister didn’t believe her. She couldn’t help but grab Sang Shu’s slender wrist and said, “Sister, I’m serious!”

She was eager to prove herself, not caring if others could hear her. She continued, “I… really didn’t think too much. Although Xie Yun doesn’t talk to me much and we rarely meet, the few times we have, he’s been secretly watching me. He just hides it well.”

Sang Shu: “…”

“Although he doesn’t pay much attention to me, he often comes to talk to me.” She paused, then said firmly, “It’s not very often, but it’s definitely at Xie Yun’s behest. He likes me, but he just doesn’t say it.”

Sang Shu: “This…”

She tried to wake up her sister. “You can’t just assume that Xie Yun likes you because he looks at you more and talks to you a few times.”

Sang Yao immediately said, “Of course not! I have evidence!”

Sang Shu followed up, “What evidence?”

Sang Yao: “The evidence is—”

At this point, her voice abruptly stopped, and her restless mind suddenly calmed for a moment.

The evidence was the manual on her body. If she mentioned it, she would have to show it to her sister. But the problem was, how could she bring out such a vulgar thing?

Moreover, from Xie Yun’s perspective, this manual might just be a late-night remedy for loneliness. If she accidentally dropped it and was seen by someone else, would Xie Yun still be able to hold his head up in the future?

Although she trusted her sister very much, if this matter spread, Xie Yun’s reputation would be ruined in this life.

She silently swallowed the second half of her sentence.

Sang Shu was still asking, “Where’s the evidence?”

Top of Form

 She naturally know Sang Yao couldn’t actually produce any evidence, Sang Shu gently prodded, “Yao Yao, if you say he likes you, why doesn’t he make his feelings known to you?”

This Sang Yao knew, as it was mentioned in the manual.

She carefully recalled its contents, striving to answer without missing a word, “He’s also thinking of me. If he were to express his feelings to me, once this matter leaked out, I might become the target of public criticism.”

“Moreover, he has a bad temper. If he were to be straightforward… he’s afraid I would reject him.”

Sang Shu: “…”

Sang Yao herself felt that what she said was strange. She looked at Sang Shu, pouting discontentedly. “Sister, what’s with that expression? Don’t you believe me?”

Sang Shu thought to herself, if she could believe this, Sang Yao might not last three days in this palace.

Sang Yao really couldn’t prove herself. In the end, she clung to her sister’s arm like a spoiled child, trying to act cute, “Sister, believe me, I’m not lying.”

Sang Shu’s expression was complicated. She said, “Yao Yao, whether you lied or not doesn’t matter.”

After all, others wouldn’t believe her anyway.