Chapter 147

The Wen family celebrated a simple and warm New Year.

The night connects two years, and the fifth watch divides two days.

Staying up all night, also known as “enduring the year,” is a prayer for longevity and a wish for the family’s prosperity in the coming year, symbolizing the expulsion of all misfortunes.

Gathered around the stove to stay up for the New Year, as midnight approached, Nianxi felt sleepy and leaned on Madam Li, listening to her mother’s endless nagging at her brother: “You’re not getting any younger. How can you keep dawdling like this every day? Your aunt has mentioned two more families, both daughters from scholarly families. Take advantage of the court’s seal and your rest at home to go and meet them.”

“Although your talent and looks are not as good as your father’s, it’s not a disastrous gap. If you tidy up properly, you might just be passable.”

Nianxi couldn’t help but laugh at this.

Wen Qingheng responded helplessly, “Mom, I’m not as bad as you say, am I?”

Madam Li rolled her apricot eyes, not holding back, “Then why haven’t you married and had children yet? When your father was your age, he was already married!”

Wen Yuanqiao smiled and stroked his beard, saying nothing.

Wen Qingheng gloomily agreed.

At times like these, the difference in family status becomes apparent. For example, when everyone is sleepy, the mother chooses to entertain herself by picking on him, previously about studies, now about marriage, while the sister laughs it off.

Wen Qingheng gave Nianxi a resentful look.

While dissatisfied with Wen Qingheng’s perfunctory response, Madam Li was about to say more when Nianxi, catching her brother’s look, changed the subject, “Mom, I want to visit Lady Chengjing and Madam Xu after the New Year. What do you think would be good New Year gifts?”

Madam Li was indeed distracted, “They both have been kind to you, so the gifts must not be careless. Tomorrow, when we open the storeroom, I’ll help you choose.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

Madam Li hugged her daughter, feeling immense pity. Nianxi is now sixteen, the right age to be considering marriage. When she was Nianxi’s age, she was already married. Earlier, scolding Qingheng also had the undertone of reminding Nianxi. A girl’s prime years are just these one or two, and they must not be delayed.

Although Nianxi hasn’t said it, Madam Li knows that she still can’t let go of that boy from the Gu family. Otherwise, with Zhou Yanli often at the house, they not only don’t get closer but also grow distant from their past affection. She was not an unreasonable mother who insisted on going against her daughter’s wishes, but some things cannot wait.

Putting aside other considerations, if something like King Jing’s incident were to happen again, Madam Li fears she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

One must always look forward. So she said, “Yanli is spending the New Year alone in the capital, so it must be quite lonely for him. Let’s invite him over.”

Coincidentally, Wen Yuanqiao had his own plans and, hearing this, smiled and said, “Shizhang is the same, always busy before the New Year. It would be nice to invite him over to join the festivities.”

When Wen Qingheng heard Pei Jian’s name, he couldn’t help but glance at Nianxi. But his sister’s expression remained unchanged, showing no sign of disturbance.

That day at the residence gate, whatever Nian’er said, he saw with his own eyes how devastated Pei Jian looked.

Truly pitiful. It was like a shadow had fallen over him, trapped in unrequited longing. Before this, it was hard to associate Pei Jian with the word “pitiful.”

He thought Pei Jian might be down for a while, but Pei Jian seemed as if nothing had happened. Before the court’s seal at the end of the year, he was busy every day, impeaching and investigating many officials at once, making life difficult for King Jing faction.

As for Pei Jian, apart from being more silent than usual, he remained the indestructible, steady, and reserved Pei Shizhang.

Wen Qingheng privately told Qin Lang, “I even prepared myself to comfort him, but it turns out there’s no need. He seems full of energy every day, unlike someone who’s lost in love.”

Qin Lang, however, sighed deeply, “I actually think this is more frightening.”

If he had acted like he did with Gu Ci, fighting and going mad once, it would have seemed less dangerous. But keeping it all bottled up like this, who knows what might come of it.

“Not afraid of him going mad, but afraid of his silence,” Wen Qingheng summarized.

Qin Lang agreed, “Exactly my point.”

Thinking of this, Wen Qingheng also chimed in, “When are we inviting them? I’ll also invite another classmate of mine, Qin Lang.”

Cherish life, and beware of Pei Jian.

……

Festivities always involve hosting banquets and visiting relatives, but since Nianxi had just gone through the incident with King Jing, apart from visiting close friends and relatives, she mostly had free time. Unlike her brother, who was under strict surveillance by their mother and being pushed to the forefront of matchmaking.

Actually, her brother’s destined match hasn’t arrived yet; his future wife won’t appear for another year. However, she couldn’t say these things, so she could only watch her brother leave with sympathy and then take a carriage to Liuji Pavilion herself.

Due to the New Year, there weren’t many people at Liuji Pavilion. Even the poorest families would reunite and stay together during the New Year.

Nianxi looked around and helped Manager Zhang organize money, silk, and grain donations from various residences during the New Year. After working for a while and finishing all the tasks, she prepared to go home.

Manager Zhang stopped her and went to fetch a bundle. Inside the bundle were some handkerchiefs, pouches, and cotton socks.

“These aren’t valuable items, but they are tokens of their gratitude. You didn’t come before the New Year, so they’ve been kept with me.”

Liuji Pavilion specializes in treating poor people who can’t afford medical care and providing relief and shelter. Nianxi had been helping there all winter, and these were their thank-you gifts.

In fact, Nianxi had received too many precious things, and these were really inconspicuous, but this bundle of simple gifts touched her deeply.

A seemingly simple handkerchief or pouch was made from cloth they saved by cutting back on food. Busy with work during the day, they only had time to make these by lamplight at night.

“I really like them.” She repacked the bundle, “Please thank them for me.”

As she walked out of Liuji Pavilion, she saw another more spacious and luxurious carriage parked next to her family’s carriage. The curtain was lifted, revealing Lu Huai’s cheerful face: “Nianxi!”

“I knew you’d be here!”

With that, Lu Huai jumped off the carriage and walked over naturally, taking Nianxi’s hand, “My father and I went to your house looking for you, but the servants said you had gone out. I guessed you’d be here!”

Nianxi was startled, then saw someone slowly getting off the carriage.

Dressed in a dark green round-neck robe with wide sleeves, tied with a jade ring cloud-patterned gold crown, probably because of the New Year, his demeanor was relaxed, somewhat like a leisurely scholar, yet the elegance in his bones couldn’t be hidden. He called her, his gaze clear and moist: “Nianxi.”

Those two words rolled off his tongue, a commonly heard name, but it always carried a unique flavor when he said it.

Nianxi quickly followed with a curtsy, “Duke Fu.”

Lu Wensheng, with his picturesque features, stood smiling beside them.

Lu Huai naturally continued, “Nianxi, Father is taking me to Fengle Tower to eat Longchan tea fruits and crystal jelly. I heard there are also acrobatics at Fengle Tower. Have you been there? Let’s go together, okay?”

Nianxi, of course, declined, “I’ve been sitting at Liuji Pavilion for most of the day, and now I’m quite tired. I won’t be able to join you.”

Lu Huai’s big eyes immediately filled with disappointment, “But I’ve been looking for you from the south of the city to the east, and I got hungry while waiting for you. Father wouldn’t let me go in to disturb you, and after waiting so long, who knew you wouldn’t agree to go…”

Nianxi, unaware of these twists, felt momentarily at a loss. She couldn’t help but glance towards Lu Wensheng.

Lu Wensheng smiled slightly and said to Lu Huai, “Who was it that ate a whole box of Cui’s pastries in the carriage? How could you be hungry?”

He was very considerate, subtly rescuing Nianxi from her awkwardness, “If we don’t go now, we’ll miss the acrobatics at Fengle Tower.”

Lu Huai, after all, was just a child and indeed hesitated. He looked up at Nianxi, his eyes full of obvious expectation, yet he asked softly, “Nianxi, are you really not going?”

Nianxi shook her head, speaking gently, “Another day.”

Lu Huai immediately clapped his hands, “Which day is another day? Tomorrow?”

Nianxi then realized she had fallen into the child’s trap again. Actually, if it were just her and Lu Huai, anywhere would be fine, but with Duke Fu present, anywhere would be inappropriate.

“Xiaoqi.”

Lu Huai, scolded by his father, could only give Nianxi a resentful look and, hanging his head, went to the carriage first.

Lu Wensheng lingered behind as if anticipating that Nianxi had something to say. He looked at her quietly, exuding a deep, understated elegance.

Nianxi intended to refuse. However, the other party had not made any overt gestures of admiration; every action and word was proper and courteous, and he had just helped her out of a predicament. As a young lady, if she were to speak out rashly, it might seem embarrassingly presumptuous.

This was the subtlety of Lu Wensheng. With the patience of water dripping through stone, he gradually revealed a hint of intriguing interest.

But Nianxi disliked such ambiguity, which could lead to misunderstandings. So, steeling her heart, she slightly bowed and said to the man quietly waiting beside her, “Duke Fu, I am of limited insight. If I say anything inappropriate, please forgive me.”

He hummed softly, his voice seemingly laced with a smile, paused for a moment, and then said, “Please, go on.”

“Regarding the matter with King Jing, thank you for helping me out. At that time, in front of the Empress, I said I would never marry, which was indeed a desperate move, but it also reflects my true feelings. Actually, I do not wish to marry, nor am I suited to fulfill the duties of a wife…”

Her voice grew softer as she spoke.

Because these words sounded like a personal confession, something a young lady from a boudoir should not discuss with an unrelated man. So, gritting her teeth, she endured the embarrassment and expressed her feelings: “You are a gentleman of integrity and should be matched with another virtuous lady. I am not suitable, nor do I wish to be.”

After Nianxi finished speaking, she was too embarrassed to look up, her toes curling under her skirt. However, the response was not one of anger or a dismissive departure. She heard a light chuckle from above, a pleasant sound, not at all annoyed, just softly saying, “I understand.”

Nianxi didn’t realize her face was already flushed red. She only felt that in the freezing cold, her forehead was almost steaming with heat.

This response was completely unexpected. She thought she had misread the situation and been presumptuous.

Perhaps it was really Lu Huai who had pestered Duke Fu to find her; perhaps Duke Fu was just a benevolent gentleman with no romantic interest in her. And yet she had mistaken Duke Fu’s intentions. She had even rejected him.

At this thought, Nianxi felt as if all the embarrassment of her two lifetimes had been exhausted today, wishing she could flee immediately.

Still clinging to a shred of dignity, she looked up intending to say something to diffuse the situation, but suddenly met a pair of solemn yet affectionate eyes. Those eyes held a hint of a smile, his voice not loud, gentle and soothing, he said: “So, Nianxi already knew my feelings.”

Nianxi was stunned by this sudden turn of events, momentarily forgetting her shyness and annoyance. Having just lost face, she couldn’t discern his words’ meaning.

Lu Wensheng looked down at the girl’s slightly widened almond eyes. Clearly unsettled, yet still bright and clear, like a bewildered little creature full of pitiful charm.

He chuckled softly.

He asked a question he had wanted to ask for a long time, “Do I seem very old?”

Nianxi didn’t know how to react, almost every step was beyond her expectations, at the moment she could hardly make any other response, so she stiffly shook her head following his words, “No.”

He nodded, speaking gently, “My name is Lu Wensheng, my courtesy name is Songqing, and I am the third in my family.”

Nianxi finally returned to her senses, “Duke Fu, I…”

“Your feelings—” Lu Wensheng interrupted her for the first time, yet it didn’t seem abrupt, carrying a familiarity and indulgence, “I already know.”

The sun sank behind the corner of the Liuji Pavilion, and the sky was filled with continuous red clouds, enveloping the area in a glorious red glow.

A rare good weather. His voice also carried an indescribable melancholy in the vast red clouds.

Lu Wensheng turned back, smiling and saying, “Sorry.”

A transparent and upright person is always hard to conceal; even before weaving a net, she already knew everything.

Nianxi is such a person, with the innocence of a girl and the candor of maturity. She had clearly rejected him, yet he wasn’t the least bit angry or annoyed, as if she was naturally meant to be this way, cherished by the world.

From a distance, Pei Jian watched Nianxi and Lu Wensheng. He seemed to be under a spell, standing motionless, staring blankly at her.

That day, Nianxi told him that she found Lu Huai very cute and that she no longer wanted children. She stood beside Lu Wensheng, they had been talking for a long time, he couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he could sense that Nianxi was not annoyed by the man in front of her.

When he first reincarnated, he had imagined a life without her. He had even thought of watching her get married like an elder brother, secretly taking care of her life, giving her a carefree existence. But he had overestimated his resolve and underestimated her impact.

He feared she would love a stranger as she had once loved him.

Not to mention watching her marry, even if she just stood beside another man, smiling gently, it was enough to drive him mad. Using all his strength, he controlled himself, not using his fist to smash the face of that despicable man who used a child to gain favor.

Lu Wensheng noticed the young man not far away earlier than Nianxi. Dressed in a round-neck robe, tall and straight, with a cold and sharp demeanor, just standing there, he had an aura that was hard to ignore.

Pei Jian.

The man who caused King Jing to make consecutive missteps resulted in continuous losses on their side.

Lu Wensheng instinctively frowned. He remembered Xiao Xun once said he wanted to humiliate Pei Jian by taking his beloved, hence the scene at the banquet.

Pei Jian’s beloved is Nianxi.

The two men, separated by a distance, silently looked at each other.