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【Yao-meimei is mine, don’t ever think of taking her away…】
At the break of dawn, just as the sky began to lighten, every corridor in the Pear Blossom Courtyard was already lit brightly with candles.
Yan Yue had her hair tied in thick oil-slicked braids, gold and silver bracelets on her wrists, a paired fish pendant at her waist, and was dressed in a brand-new jade green jacket and skirt, making her look exceptionally spirited.
Standing akimbo, a scabbed red mark visible on her face, she showed no attempt to hide it.
“You all better watch yourselves today! Normally you’re careless with your hands, but if you act the same during the young lady’s coming-of-age ceremony, I won’t forgive you afterwards.”
A maid dressed in a slightly worn jacket was sweeping the ground with her back to Yan Yue. Hearing this, she secretly rolled her eyes.
A small maid with beady eyes noticed, exchanged a glance with her, and made a funny face.
Both looked full of disdain.
Catching this from the corner of her eye, Yan Yue’s brow furrowed.
In a few steps, she approached them. “What’s going on with you two? Such a small patch of ground and you’ve been sweeping it for a quarter of an hour and still aren’t done?”
The older maid immediately threw down her broom and put on a look of grievance.
“Our family of four has always worked in this household. Before Miss Yu arrived, I served Miss Lianzhu. Miss Lianzhu is a noble lady, and even she only ever rewarded me, never spoke to me like this.”
“That’s right,” the younger maid chimed in.
Taking advantage of the moment, the two of them began criticizing Yan Yue word by word.
Seeing this, the others in the courtyard also stopped what they were doing.
A young servant boy spoke boldly, “Only your young lady is so particular. Our Pei family never has so many demands.”
“Exactly, even Li Lian, who used to get scolded constantly, got transferred to Ning Shuang Pavilion and was rewarded with a couple taels of silver.”
“And she’s still a legitimate young lady of our house. As for your Miss Yu…”
At this point, the speaker stopped, and those nearby snickered mockingly.
Yan Yue shot them a hateful glare. Seeing she could no longer count on these people, she could only scoop up the magnolias meant for decoration and turn to leave.
“This arrangement is so heavy. Hongxiang, don’t you know better? Go help Yan Yue carry it so she doesn’t tire herself out.”
“What ‘Miss Yan Yue’? Isn’t she the same as us, just a servant?”
Even after walking far away, Yan Yue could still hear their ridicule behind her.
“Pah! Useless trash,” she spat bitterly under her breath.
—
In the west wing, Yu Mingyao was adjusting the pearl hairpins in her hair before the mirror.
The woman reflected in the bronze mirror had brows like distant mountains, almond-shaped eyes brimming with tender light, her whole demeanor both charming and elegant.
She wore only a simple silver hairpin with blue tassels, paired with a green brocade jacket embroidered with hibiscus flowers — understated and refined.
Looking at the beautiful figure in the mirror, Yu Mingyao unconsciously drifted back to her coming-of-age ceremony in her past life.
Back then, she had dressed similarly, carefully avoiding overdone makeup for fear of provoking Pei Lianzhu’s sarcasm.
In both lifetimes, few guests had attended her ceremony.
Just a few of the Pei family’s sisters, the Old Madam Pei, the two mistresses… and Xie Zhuoguang.
It had been a long time since she thought of him.
Ever since Pei Shang’s birthday, she had forced herself not to dwell on fleeting romances.
Even if Xie Zhuoguang had been the one who saved her from drowning that day — so what?
There were countless paths in life; no point walking an old, meaningless one.
Lowering her gaze, she reined in her wandering thoughts, just as Yan Yue entered the room, huffing and hugging a magnolia tree nearly as tall as a person.
“I’m so angry!”
Setting down the arrangement, she turned to pour herself some water at the eastern table.
Seeing her like this, Yu Mingyao needed no explanation to know she had been provoked again by the Pei family’s maids and servants.
Sure enough, before she could ask, Yan Yue turned around and sputtered indignantly.
“Miss, why did you and Old Madam Pei refuse when she suggested holding your ceremony in the main hall? Wouldn’t that have been better? Let those snobs see we’re not just some freeloading poor relatives.”
“Normally, we cover all the Pear Blossom Courtyard’s expenses ourselves. Yet they act like we’re leeching off them, refusing to let up!”
Yan Yue fumed on and on.
Yu Mingyao smiled slightly and recalled yesterday’s visit to Rongjing Hall.
As usual, she had followed her grandmother and, upon entering, saw Bìzhu beckon her over.
A woman in a bright red velvet gown embroidered with butterflies cast a sharp glance her way.
“This is Yao-jie’er,” Old Madam Pei introduced warmly.
Yu Mingyao greeted Pei Shang’s aunt.
Though they had little direct contact before, Yu Mingyao knew from later interactions that this aunt had been a fiery-tempered woman in her youth.
The only daughter of Pei Shang’s father’s generation, she had been doted on since birth.
In her past life, since Yu Mingyao had no romantic ties with Pei Shang, this grandaunt naturally hadn’t paid her much attention.
“So you’re the Yu family girl rumored to be close with that Pei Shang boy?”
Despite Yu Mingyao’s courteous greeting, the grandaunt kept a cold expression, not even bothering to tell her to rise, chin held arrogantly high.
Li-shi, seated beside her, rolled her eyes. “What close? Nonsense! Madam just took a liking to her and gifted her an old jade bracelet she’d kept for years.”
Li-shi smiled and glanced at the grandaunt. “Sister-in-law, you really don’t rest. Ruyu is so sensible and beautiful — surely you’re not worried she won’t find a match?”
Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she pretended to laugh.
Pei Yun shot her a cold glance and did not reply.
Shi Luoshi, seeing the tense atmosphere, quickly shifted the conversation to Liu Ruyu, sitting quietly nearby.
Still shy and demure, Liu Ruyu blushed.
“I’ve been so busy preparing Yao-jie’er’s ceremony these days, I forgot to prepare a gift. Ruyu, if you don’t mind, please take this jade bracelet to play with.”
Shi Luoshi removed an excellent-quality jade bracelet from her wrist.
Seeing this, Pei Yun’s expression finally softened.
Remembering all this, Yu Mingyao suddenly chuckled.
Yan Yue, dry-mouthed from her ranting and sipping tea, saw Yu Mingyao laughing at the vanity and asked curiously.
“It’s nothing,” Yu Mingyao smiled.
Thinking of yesterday afternoon amused her greatly.
Timid Liu Ruyu had plucked up the courage to visit her under the excuse of bringing local specialties, struggling awkwardly to ask about her relationship with Pei Shang.
Pei Shang’s handsome but roguish face floated into her mind.
Why were they all such ladykillers?
Never mind the countless noblewomen in the capital who would later resent her — even within the house, thanks to Xie Zhuoguang, she was already hated by Pei Lianzhu and Pei Yuzhu. Now Pei Shang was going to make gentle Liu Ruyu view her less favorably as well.
Heh. Men.
—
Compared to Pei Lianzhu’s grand coming-of-age ceremony, Yu Mingyao’s was downright humble.
Only two banquet tables — one for Old Madam Pei, Li-shi, Pei Yuzhu and other ladies, the other for young men like Xie Zhuoguang and Pei Shang.
Speaking of which, Pei Shang was already in a foul mood.
Today was Yu Mingyao’s big day, so he’d ordered Li Qing to wake him up early.
Just after dressing, a servant reported: the heir of the Duke Xie household (Xie Zhuoguang) had arrived.
Pei Shang scowled darkly, sitting in his chair in displeasure.
His taciturn but sharp friend, dressed in a teal round-collared robe, entered with a calm expression.
He simply sat there silently, without even asking a basic courtesy like
“Have you had breakfast?”
Had he asked, Pei Shang could’ve responded generously,
“No, I was waiting to eat at Yao-meimei’s. She’s kind and beautiful, and the Shi matriarch treats me like a grandson-in-law — she’d never let me go hungry.”
But the man said nothing.
Pei Shang snorted coldly and noticed that, though Xie Zhuoguang’s attire seemed typical, the embroidered crane on his chest was vivid, and the jade pendant at his waist was both valuable and elegant.
Clearly, he’d dressed deliberately with care.
Pah! Schemer!
Pei Shang sneered, then turned back to his bedside and retrieved a teal sachet from under his red embroidered pillow.
Walking toward Xie Zhuoguang, he feigned distress.
“Aiya, Yao-meimei is too much. I told her not to bother — I didn’t want her pricking her fingers embroidering a sachet. But she insisted, said she liked me and wanted to gift me this.”
“Sigh!”
He let out a dramatic sigh.
“It’s all my fault, making Yao-meimei worry so. But after today, she can finally settle her heart. Once she’s of age, my mother promised we’ll send a formal proposal to the Yu family.”
“Tell me, who should we send to propose?”
He wore a troubled face.
Hearing this, Xie Zhuoguang didn’t even muster a twitch of a smile.
He stared at the sachet on Pei Shang’s waist, and for some reason, it felt like he’d plunged into an ice cellar, cold to his very bones.
It shouldn’t be like this.
He was seeing this sachet for the first time, yet every stitch and the bamboo motif were achingly familiar.
Teal — his favorite color, known by all. Just like he knew Pei Shang preferred crimson.
Realizing this, an odd joy surged in Xie Zhuoguang’s chest. He tried hard to suppress the thought, but the more he stared at the sachet, the more uncontrollable the feeling grew.
This sachet shouldn’t be Pei Shang’s.
It should be… his.
The moment that realization struck, a rare flicker of joy crossed his usually emotionless black eyes — but it vanished quickly when he met Pei Shang’s seemingly casual but actually cold, warning gaze.
If she had given it to Pei Shang, that meant… she had chosen Pei Shang.
No matter what her original intention had been, the result now was clear —
Pei Shang was the victor.
At that thought, Xie Zhuoguang’s always upright posture suddenly sagged a little.
Pei Shang caught his dejection instantly.
And, for the first time since Xie Zhuoguang had entered, a genuine, sincere smile spread across Pei Shang’s face.
【Yao-meimei is mine. You’ll never take her away.】