Chapter 115

Wen Qingheng carried a carriage full of lavish gifts as he headed to Pei Jian’s residence. His mother was indeed swift and decisive. Just last night during dinner, she mentioned offering her gratitude, and by today, she had already prepared an entire cart of gifts, urging him to deliver them early.

The thought of Pei Jian benefiting while pretending to be humble left Wen Qingheng unsettled. He originally intended to expose that scoundrel’s ambitious schemes, but from his parents’ comments, they seemed to hold Pei Jian in high regard. His father even stated outright that anyone marrying Pei Jian would be fortunate.

If they were to find out that Pei Jian was coveting Nian’er…

Wouldn’t that simply be letting that scoundrel off too easily?

And so, Wen Qingheng chose to keep silent. The following day, he invited Qin Lang to accompany him, and the two met at the Pei residence.

After hearing the details of the situation, Qin Lang openly praised Pei Jian in Wen Qingheng’s presence, calling him selfless, noble, and a true gentleman.

However, when Wen Qingheng wasn’t around, Qin Lang quietly asked Pei Jian, “Was that scoundrel you hired?”

In Qin Lang’s mind, Pei Jian was someone who had never set any boundaries, especially when it came to matters involving his sister. For him, not only minor injuries but even a broken arm or leg could be part of a self-directed and meticulously staged act.

“Rescuing the damsel in distress? Your thinking is truly unconventional, and your methods are top-notch!”

Pei Jian, watering flowers in the corridor, had a faint, ambiguous smile at the corners of his mouth, clearly in a good mood. Upon hearing this, he lifted one eyelid slightly, glancing through the sliver of light with a look akin to watching a fool. He didn’t even bother to waste a single word in reply.

Qin Lang flushed with indignation yet dared not provoke him. So, raising his voice, he asked, “Jinghe, what did you say your sister was up to today?”

Wen Qingheng had been waiting for this moment; he couldn’t let Pei Jian feel too pleased with himself. “She went to Panlou. Yanli’s been in the capital for a while now, and Nianxi took him out to enjoy some gourmet food~”

Qin Lang kept glancing from the corner of his eye, and as soon as Wen Qingheng finished speaking, Pei Jian finally put down the watering can in his hand.

At last, he had set it down.

Heaven knows how unsettling and out-of-place Pei Shizhang looked while watering flowers with a smile. There wasn’t a shred of affection in the gesture; instead, it gave the impression that his next move might be uprooting the flowers entirely and uncovering some earth-shattering secret from the soil.

“Shizhang, why aren’t you smiling anymore?” Wen Qingheng strolled over, gazing at the flowers in the corridor with mock seriousness. “Were you just born with a dislike for smiling?”

Qin Lang felt a quiet sense of excitement rising. He had witnessed Pei Jian and Gu Ci fighting before—the scene was so intense that there wasn’t a single intact table, chair, or plate in the entire room. The younger brother who accompanied Wen Qingheng’s sister might have some stature, but he was far too slender—clearly no match for Shizhang.

If Pei Jian were to lose control again, Qin Lang was determined not to intervene this time.

After all, Qin Lang’s loyalty leaned toward Pei Jian and Gu Ci. Now that Gu Ci was gone, while Qin Lang wasn’t entirely supportive of his sister and Pei Jian, it was still preferable to some outsider younger brother!

Unexpectedly, Pei Jian took a deep breath, his expression restrained. Though his complexion was poor and the veins on the back of his hands bulged, he ultimately refrained from taking any further action.

Pei Jian had already made a mistake once with Gu Ci. Rushing impulsively to confront Nianxi about her relationship with Zhou Yanli was an act of folly he could not afford to repeat. He would not allow himself to make the same error again. Moreover, he had no right to question or even limit her freedom.

What he needed to do was win her heart.

“Nianxi and Zhou Yanli, were they ever very close?”

Wen Qingheng, at this point, didn’t bother to mind how casually Pei Jian referred to his sister. He simply nodded and clarified, “Nianxi and Yanli grew up together. They have always been very close.”

He emphasized the words “always.”

Pei Jian’s expression grew heavy. He picked up the watering can again but stood motionless for a long time; his silhouette tinged with desolation.

Wen Qingheng and Qin Lang exchanged glances: Did they possibly push him too far?

Qin Lang cleared his throat and commented, “It’s actually quite normal. With your sister’s beauty and grace, there are few in the capital who could compare. That elegant young lady, admired by noble gentlemen, well…”

“If someone waits silently for another person for over a decade,” Pei Jian suddenly spoke, cutting off Qin Lang’s words, “do you think she would be moved?”

Pei Jian wasn’t sure if Nianxi knew about someone harboring a love so deeply buried in their heart, a love that couldn’t see the light of day. But with her intelligence, she must have seen how much young Zhou Yanli liked her.

Qin Lang’s words of comfort were abruptly interrupted, leaving him completely out of sync with Pei Jian’s train of thought. All he could do was stare in dumbfounded confusion: “Huh?”

A decade? How old is his sister even supposed to be? And how old is the little brother by her side? Where did over a decade come from? What kind of unsettling middle-aged love story is this?

Pei Jian ignored the two bewildered faces beside him and continued to speak to himself, “She may have a soft heart, but she has a firm will. If she wasn’t moved before, I doubt she would be now.”

At this point in his previous life, he and Nianxi had not yet married. If Zhou Yanli truly had the ability to lean on the bond of their childhood friendship, it wouldn’t have taken ten years of marriage to bypass him.

Nianxi doesn’t love him now, but she has never liked Zhou Yanli either. Why should he go out of his way to invite annoyance?

Would Zhou Yanli truly be content with just being a younger brother cared for by her? Of course not—he was only enduring patiently, behaving in a way Nianxi preferred.

In the past, Nianxi placed him first, loving and looking only at him. Because of this, he could squander her enthusiasm and patience at will. Now that he’s no longer significant, he finally understands the value of that privilege.

Neither he nor Zhou Yanli holds an advantage over the other.

Those who cannot stay composed will be the first to lose.

Thinking this, Pei Jian picked up the watering can again and resumed watering the flowers. Nianxi loved tending to flowers and plants; she believed that all living things, whether plants or people, should thrive and flourish.

Perhaps one day, if she were willing to step into the little home they once shared, seeing the lush vitality might bring a smile to her face.

Qin Lang watched as Pei Jian shifted from happily watering flowers to watering them with a heavy heart. Stepping forward, he patted Pei Jian on the shoulder.

Meeting Pei Jian’s cold gaze, Qin Lang said earnestly, “Shizhang, you’ve grown up.”

From boldly stealing love to adopting a path of patience and restraint—love truly teaches maturity!

He felt quite gratified.

Pei Jian’s gaze turned from cold to emotionless, his voice sharp like jade striking crystal, “I’m in a bad mood right now.”

Qin Lang quietly withdrew his hand. “…Understood. I’ll take my leave.”

…

After leaving Panlou, Nianxi did not return home but instead went to Fusheng Banzhan.

There, Lu Huai sat with a gloomy expression.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Lu Huai cast a glance at Nianxi, then kept his head down, speaking in a muffled tone, “Father is ill. I’m in a bad mood.”

Nianxi recalled seeing the Duke earlier, adorned with a golden coronet and dressed in refined attire, his demeanor gentle and elegant. There hadn’t been any indication of illness. “So, what are you doing here?”

“He wants to learn to make a medicinal drink to show filial piety,” Wang Muyi explained. “I recommended a few recipes, but he dismissed the complicated ones. He’s just been waiting for you.”

Nianxi, with her knowledge of medicinal drinks and fermentation recipes and having studied numerous ancient texts, understood that certain ingredients were unsuitable for the sick. She asked, “What illness does the Duke have?”

“Typhoid and a persistent cough.”

Nianxi considered for a moment. Lu Huai was far too young; no matter how intelligent a five-year-old might be, a remedy for cough relief was beyond his abilities. She kindly suggested, “Why not prepare it at the shop and take it home? It would still count as your filial effort.”

At her words, Lu Huai’s little face crumpled. Without meeting Nianxi’s gaze, he looked down and said, “Father is ill. Who knows how many people outside are trying to show care, express their concerns, and offer their affection? If I don’t work harder, I might end up with a stepmother.”

Nianxi exchanged a glance with Wang Muyi, about to speak, when a maid entered: “That gentleman… he’s here again.”

Wang Muyi glanced out the window, and sure enough, across the street in the alley stood a solitary figure, dignified and upright. She shot Nianxi a sly look. “Here for you.”

Yesterday, Pei Jian had injured himself while saving his father. After some thought, Nianxi decided to head outside.

Lu Huai had never met Pei Jian before. When he saw the man, with his handsome features and remarkable demeanor, merely standing there exuded a noble and dignified presence. Compared to the previous “Uncle Gu,” he was not inferior and instead carried an air of composure and steadiness.

Curious, Lu Huai joined Wang Muyi, the two—one older, one younger—peeking out the window to observe.

“Feeling reassured now?”

Lu Huai didn’t understand and turned his head. “What do you mean?”

Wang Muyi didn’t even glance at him, her eyes still fixed ahead. “That man is a top scholar, having just come of age this year. He now holds the official rank of Censorate of the Third Grade, and even His Majesty has praised him multiple times.”

Lu Huai’s expression stiffened slightly, though he stubbornly retorted, “So what?”

“Young, talented, with a promising future—and also quite handsome.” Wang Muyi wasn’t one to go easy on him. She flashed Lu Xiaoqi a dazzling smile and said, “Now, aren’t you less worried about Nianxi setting her sights on your father?”