Chapter 4 : Over the Wall

As agreed, Huo Zhen showed up at Song Ying’s house two days later with his brothers, carrying two boxes of dowry.

However, after knocking on the door for a long time, only an old lady who looked familiar came to open it.

Huo Zhen remained courteous and respectful. “Madam, I’m here to marry Miss Song. Please—”

Nanny Zhang coughed lightly and said, “I’m sorry. My young lady has gone on a long journey.”

“She left?” Huo Zhen was stunned. “Where did she go?”

Following Song Ying’s instructions, Nanny Zhang replied, “I’m just a servant. How could I dare to ask where my mistress went? If you wish to find her, head south.” With that, she closed the door, not giving Huo Zhen any chance to ask more.

Yang Hu scratched his head awkwardly. “Brother, looks like sister-in-law’s gone.”

Huo Zhen clenched his fists. He didn’t need to say anything, they could all tell.

That woman actually lied to him.

Was it because he wasn’t gentle enough? To impress her, he had shaved his beard, bathed in flower petals, even worried that the smell of sweat might bother her. What on earth did he do to make her unhappy?

When Huo Zhen remained silent, Mo Qi, the fair-skinned one with a sly smile, spoke up, “Why not stop pretending and just carry her back home?”

Huo Zhen turned around and shoved him hard. “Do you want me to be single for the rest of my life?”

Mo Qi covered his face and muttered, “Clearly, Miss Song isn’t into refined gentlemen.”

Yang Hu added, “Exactly. Sometimes, the less you say, the better.”

Huo Zhen scoffed, “That guy is nothing. Their marriage was all about interests. There was no love.”

Mo Qi. “So, what now? Do we go after her?”

Of course I have to go after her!

Huo Zhen had waited so long for her to divorce him. He couldn’t afford to miss his chance now.

—

In reality, Song Ying hadn’t gone far. Her father owned several properties outside the city, and she had simply moved to a larger estate.

“Miss, why don’t we just go back home?” Faer asked as she peeled fruit, split the pit in half, gave one to Song Ying, and popped the other half into her own mouth.

“If we go back, that marriage will be finalized.”

Song Ying knew her father all too well. Even though she was a divorced woman, as long as someone was willing to marry her and there were benefits involved, her father would send her off without a second thought.

As she looked at a pair of birds snuggling in the treetops, Song Ying fell into a daze.

She had been glad to marry Yue Shaozhi because he was handsome and had no meddlesome in-laws. In the palace, aside from him, she had the final say.

What she wanted was a home, a home where her voice mattered.

She knew Yue Shaozhi didn’t love her. Their marriage had always been about political convenience. Still, she had wanted to try not necessarily to win his love, but at least to gain his respect.

Over the past two years, she had grown used to Yue Shaozhi’s coldness and even appreciated how he didn’t meddle in her affairs. That illusion made her mistakenly believe it was a form of respect.

She had been wrong.

Yue Shaozhi and Song Ruoer’s secret affair had been a loud slap in her face.

Song Ying could practically hear their mockery.

So what if she’s the Regent Princess? She’s just an empty title, self-important and pitiful.

The powerful Regent doesn’t need her approval to choose a woman.

The birds on the treetops flew away.

Song Ying snapped out of her thoughts, looked at Faer still munching on melon seeds, and said, “Go to kitchen to roast a large portion of pig’s trotters for lunch.”

“Okay!” As soon as food was mentioned, Faer lit up and vanished in an instant.

After five days of peace in the villa, Song Ying had completely forgotten about Huo Zhen until Faer suddenly pointed at the wall and shouted, “There’s a thief!”

Song Ying looked up and felt the man seemed familiar. “Who are you?”

Before climbing the wall, Huo Zhen had imagined many scenarios, her surprised face, her flustered reaction. But he never imagined she wouldn’t even recognize him.

This shouldn’t be happening. It hadn’t even been that long.

Huo Zhen touched his freshly shaved chin and glanced at his attire, still refined and elegant.

‘Could it be that she really likes wild things?’

Song Ying saw the man sitting on the wall, touching his chin and shaking his head. She picked up a stone from the ground and threw it at him…

Whoosh….click.

The stone veered off and landed at the man’s feet.

Huo Zhen smiled and said, “Hey, you missed.”

Song Ying’s upbringing kept her from cursing. With a cold expression, she turned to call someone over.

Huo Zhen immediately jumped down from the wall. “Don’t shout! It’s me, Huo Zhen.”

Faer recognized him. “Ah, it’s the future son-in-law.”

Huo Zhen liked this little girl. “Hey, let’s take off the word ‘future’, shall we?”

Song Ying looked up at the sky, exasperated. “Why didn’t Mister Huo use the front door?”

Huo Zhen replied, “What if I came through the front and you ran away again? I’ll say it again, please marry me, Miss Song.”

Song Ying took a step back and pointed in a direction. “Go straight from here, turn left. Sorry, I won’t be seeing you off.”

Huo Zhen recalled his brothers’ advice. Song Ying had been hurt deeply by Yue Shaozhi, so naturally she wouldn’t accept a new relationship right away. If he didn’t want her to get angry, he had to be gentle, influence her slowly, warm her up like boiling water.

Whether Song Ying would get flustered, he didn’t know. But he believed that sincerity could move mountains and open hearts.

As long as he followed her pace and respected her wishes, she would surely accept him.

“Alright, I’m leaving now.”

Watching Huo Zhen walk away in the direction she pointed, Song Ying blinked. “That young man… seems seriously ill.”

Faer had a different take. “The future son-in-law is really obedient.”

Song Ying glared at her. “Don’t call him that!”

Knowing her lady was angry, Faer lowered her head and said, “I understand.”

—

That night, just as Song Ying was preparing to sleep…

Huo Zhen climbed over the wall again, this time holding a bouquet of freshly picked flowers.

“These are for you.”

Song Ying looked at the colorful flowers and took a deep breath. “Why did you pick my flowers?”

Huo Zhen froze. “You planted these?”

These flowers had been picked by his brothers, who told him that presenting flowers under moonlight was romantic maybe she’d be moved and say yes.

Damn it. No wonder he thought they looked too perfect to grow by the roadside.

Seeing Song Ying’s angry expression, Huo Zhen quickly apologized and turned to leave.

But he didn’t really leave. He started doing something in the courtyard.

Faer heard a noise and came out. “Miss, Master Huo is digging a hole.”

Song Ying rushed out and saw Huo Zhen crouched in the corner, digging with his bare hands.

“What are you doing?”

“Burying the flowers for you.”

Was this man… stupid?

“You’re going to bury them?”

Only then did Huo Zhen realize: the flowers had no roots. Planting them again wouldn’t make them grow.

“What should I do? I didn’t mean to pick them…” He wanted to explain, but could tell Song Ying was angry, and explaining was useless.

His good brother had said: ‘When a woman is angry, it doesn’t matter if you’re right or wrong. First, apologize. Lower yourself. Coax her.’

Huo Zhen stood up, tall and imposing. In the dim light, Song Ying instinctively stepped back.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I’ll make it up to you, Miss Song.”

Looking at Huo Zhen suddenly bowing to her, Song Ying replied calmly, “This flower is called Ji Yuefang.”

Huo Zhen nodded. “I’ll remember that.”

Song Ying handed the bouquet to Faer. “Go get a vase. Put them in.”

After Faer left, only Song Ying and Huo Zhen remained.

Seeing that he wasn’t leaving, Song Ying said, “I’m going to sleep. Please go now and don’t use the front door.”

“Got it.”

Then, he climbed the wall and left.

Song Ying sighed, shook her head, and went back inside.

Faer had already arranged the flowers and was making the bed. Seeing Song Ying come in, she smiled and said, “Miss, Master Huo is working hard to please you.”

Of course Song Ying knew but after the emotional wreck that was Yue Shaozhi, she currently had no interest in marriage.