At noon on this day, ten tables were held in the Lu Mansion. The female relatives who came to add their makeup were sitting together talking and laughing, which was quite lively.

Meng Yunluo made a fool of herself today and was not in the mood to talk. She only moved her chopsticks twice at the table.

Jin Caner and Meng Yunluo were close friends. However, after each got engaged, it was inevitable that there would be some estrangement.

Others may not know that Jin Can’er secretly loved the Third Prince Li Hao, but Meng Yunluo knew it all. For Jin Can’er, whether Meng Yunluo did it intentionally or unintentionally, she took away her sweetheart.

For Meng Yunluo, it was not a pleasant thing to have her fiancé admired by another girl.

The two former friends were sitting at the same table, looked at each other, and looked away.

From beginning to end, they didn’t even say a word.

Someone laughed and joked about Jin Can’er: “I never thought that Sister Jin and Fourth Master Zhao would have such a fate.”

Zhao Rui was a well-known playboy, with mediocre literary and military skills, but also good at eating, drinking, and playing. Puyang Hou shamelessly asked for the job of the imperial guard for him.

When ladies in the capital gather together, they must privately “comment” on young men of the same age. Zhao Rui was often teased and joked by ladies. Jin Can’er once even said: “Whoever marries Zhao Rui will be unlucky for eight lifetimes.”

Who would have thought that after so many twists and turns, Jin Can’er would become Zhao Rui’s fiancée?

Because of this marriage, Jin Can’er made a lot of noise at home. However, Jin Shangshu, who loved the young girl the most, fell in love with the family of Puyang Houfu and decided on this marriage.

Jin Can’er cried secretly countless times. She loved to be in the limelight most of the time, but during this period she had not shown her face at all in front of others.

At this time, Jin Can’er’s pretty face froze when someone poked her in the painful spot.

Zhao Yu was unhappy at first sight.

What’s wrong with her fourth brother? Jin Can’er was still picky and reluctant, and the fourth brother didn’t want to marry yet!

It was the Puyang Houfu who chose this marriage…….or it was better to say that the Marquis of Puyang set his sights on the prestigious Jin family. Without even asking his son if he was willing, he arranged a marriage through a matchmaker. By the time Zhao Rui found out, the Jin family had already agreed to the proposal.

“Yeah, I didn’t expect that Sister Jin would be my future fourth sister-in-law.” Zhao Yu smiled delicately: “It can be seen that this is fate.”

Among the noble ladies of the capital, both Zhao Yu and Jin Can’er were known for their stubborn and difficult personalities. Now, they were going to become gūsǎo^[1]a woman and her brother’s wife. In the future, it was sure to be quite a spectacle to witness.

Everyone’s eyes flickered back and forth on the faces of Zhao Yu and Jin Can’er.

No matter how stupid Jin Can’er was, she would never quarrel with her future xiǎo gū nào^[2]younger sister of her husband in public, and she would pretend to be shy and lower her head. The ladies who were waiting to see the fun were disappointed.

…

After the luncheon, everyone dispersed one by one.

Liu Mingfang, Liu Minghua, and Shen Lan, the three gūsǎos, were busy seeing off the guests and exchanging pleasantries. Today, Liu Mingyu didn’t need to show her face, making her the most leisurely among them.

Qiyun came over quietly and reported softly: “Miss, Miss Qiao came here specifically to say goodbye.”

Saying goodbye was fake, but she indeed wanted to say something in private!

Lu Mingyu’s eyes flashed and she nodded: “Invite her in.”

After a moment, Qiao Wan stepped into the room.

Qiyun wisely withdrew and closed the door.

Lu Mingyu stood up to greet her: “Sister Qiao came here especially. What do you want to say to me?” She asked straightforwardly without making any circles.

Qiao Wan was elegant and reserved, clearly not accustomed to such straightforward conversation. She hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, “Fourth Sister Lu, I’ve been wanting to have a private conversation with you. But now that the moment has arrived, I’m not quite sure where to begin.”

Lu Mingyu said softly: “There are only two of us here, Sister Qiao. If you have anything to say, it’s okay to say it.”

Under Lu Mingyu’s bright eyes, Qiao Wan sighed softly, with a bit of bitterness in her smile: “There are some things that I can’t hide from you. Over the years, I…I have indeed had some thoughts that I shouldn’t have.”

“My gūmǔ^[3]paternal aunt, i.e. father’s sister is the Empress. I often go to the palace to greet my gūmǔ, and I often meet with His Highness the Second Prince. My gūmǔ has always been very fond of me, and His Highness the Second Prince is also kind and easy-going to his biǎomèi^[4]sister of mother’s brother/sister who is younger to you.”

“I then had extravagant hopes, thinking that I would marry His Highness the Second Prince.”

Qiao Wan clenched the handkerchief in her right hand, and her voice was slightly choked: “The day you had your hairpin ceremony, the Emperor’s imperial edict granting marriage arrived at the Lu Mansion. That day For me was like a bolt from the blue.”

“I was ill, and I don’t know how many people watched my jokes behind my back.”

“Later, the Fang family came to propose marriage, and my grandparents accepted the marriage. The wedding date was set for April. Yue. I can’t keep hiding from people, so I mustered up the courage to come to the Lu Mansion today.”

“Fourth Sister Lu, I am not that kind of shameless woman. I came to see you now to tell you that the Second Prince has always treated me like his own sister. We have never crossed the relationship between brother and sister. Don’t worry about it in your heart. I…I won’t think about him anymore in the future…”

Lu Mingyu sighed softly, took out the handkerchief, and wiped the corners of Qiao Wan’s tears: “Sister Qiao, you don’t need to say anything. I understand your intentions.”

“You are driven by your feelings, it’s not something you can control. You didn’t intend to compete with me for anything. With your personality, you wouldn’t make any improper or rude gestures.”

“You came here today to express your feelings, to prevent me from misunderstanding.”

“I have never blamed you from the beginning to the end.”

Qiao Wan’s body trembled slightly, and her eyes quickly turned red and tears welled up in her eyes.

Lu Mingyu reached out and took Qiao Wan into her arms. Qiao Wan’s body trembled again, her head resting on Lu Mingyu’s shoulder, tears falling slowly.

It seemed that all the emotions and sadness in her heart were going to drain away.

The most painful thing in this world was not getting what you want.

She really didn’t know how she survived the past half year or so. Can’t eat, can’t sleep well. When she thought of the Second Prince, her heart felt like someone was pricking it with a needle, and she cried quietly.

She never thought that her “love rival” would be the person who understood her thoughts best in the world. Every word spoke into her heart.

…

Qiao Wan cried hard.

Since Lu Mingyu and Li Jing got engaged, she had been silently crying in private. This was the first time she cried freely and heartily.

Strangely enough, after crying for so long, the pain that weighed heavily in her heart quietly dissipated a bit.

“I’m sorry.” After Qiao Wan calmed down, she came back to her senses and took a few steps back, with guilt and shame flashing across her face: “I lost my composure today and made Fourth Sister Lu laugh.”

Lu Mingyu said, “There are some things you should say aloud. It is much better than holding it in your heart. If you hold it in all day long, you will get sick even if you are not sick.”

“In ten days, I will marry Li Jing. You are his biǎomèi, call me biǎosǎo from now on, we must have time to meet and get along.”

“Let’s just talk about it today. I’m not a chicken-hearted person, and I won’t mention this in the future. You don’t have to worry too much.”

(End of Chapter)