Chapter 42

Soft footsteps approached slowly, and Yan Yuanhua couldn’t help but look.

The hem of a pale yellow skirt fluttered as the person entered from the doorway with a smile on her face and eyes filled with starlight.

Their eyes met, and Yan Yuanhua smiled, not hiding the heat in his gaze.

Lu Minghua glanced at him but couldn’t help but look away, feeling her heart race again.

“Minghua,” Yan Yuanhua couldn’t help but call out.

“Ji’an,” Lu Minghua continued walking and sat down opposite him. Her hand, clutching a handkerchief in her sleeve, tightened, suppressing her anxiety, and she looked at him again.

“Long time no see.” She tried to say it casually, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt it was inappropriate and immediately regretted it, but the words couldn’t be taken back.

“Yes, it’s been a long time.” Seeing her rare loss of composure, Yan Yuanhua’s eyes filled with amusement.

“We haven’t seen each other for thirteen days,” he accurately reported the time.

“…” Lu Minghua couldn’t speak; she also felt it had been a long time.

“And thirteen days ago, we only met for a short tea time.”

“…”

“Minghua, I’m very happy that you agreed to see me today,” Yan Yuanhua said again, his gaze on Lu Minghua’s face unwavering.

“What’s there to be happy about?” Lu Minghua, affected by his somewhat low tone, felt a bit sour in her heart and replied softly.

“Seeing you is something worth being happy about.”

“You’re talking nonsense again.”

“When it comes to matters related to you, I never talk nonsense.”

“…” Lu Minghua blushed and couldn’t speak.

“You weren’t like this before.”

Back then, Yan Yuanhua’s every move was calm and natural, and no one could see that he had feelings for her. But now, since returning from the capital, he had become like this.

“What was I like before?” Yan Yuanhua asked in return.

“Not like this,” Lu Minghua said, fiddling with the handkerchief. Back then, he never mentioned things that made her uncomfortable, always acting with propriety, unlike now, pressing her.

“If I were still like before, now, I’m afraid we wouldn’t even be able to sit together and talk.”

“…” Lu Minghua bit her lip; she indeed thought so.

“Minghua, you have a tough heart,” Yan Yuanhua sighed softly.

“It’s you who has the wolfish ambition.” Feeling cornered, Lu Minghua’s eyelashes trembled, and she finally looked up at him, only to quickly look away as if burned. This person, why is he looking at her like he wants to devour her?

“It’s my wolfish ambition,” Yan Yuanhua admitted straightforwardly. Once Lu Minghua discovered his ulterior motives, he no longer intended to hide them.

“My heart is set on Minghua, and what about Minghua?”

His words were direct and unembellished, causing Lu Minghua’s heart to surge with emotions. The hesitation in her heart was finally suppressed, and she looked up at him—

“Don’t look at me like that,” she managed to say.

“How am I looking at you?” Yan Yuanhua tried to play innocent.

Lu Minghua’s expression softened.

“Alright, alright, as you wish,” Yan Yuanhua quickly said, retracting his gaze and handing her the tea he had prepared.

Amused by his actions, Lu Minghua couldn’t help but smile.

Previously, his actions only made her think he was considerate and natural, embodying the demeanor of a gentleman. But now, with a change in his gaze and smile, he seemed attentive and obedient.

“I am a divorced woman. Doesn’t that bother you?” Lu Minghua asked directly without thinking further.

“I only mind not having met you sooner,” Yan Yuanhua replied.

Lu Minghua was stunned and instinctively looked up at him.

“It’s my fault for being late, don’t blame me,” Yan Yuanhua said seriously.

For some reason, Lu Minghua suddenly started to cry.

“Minghua—” Yan Yuanhua was stunned, looking at the tears on her face, feeling helpless.

This was the second time he had seen her cry in person; the last time was during the Lantern Festival.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry,” Yan Yuanhua stood up and walked over, kneeling down and carefully handing her a handkerchief.

Lu Minghua held the handkerchief, but seeing his anxious and helpless expression, she still took it and dabbed at her eyes.

“What nonsense. How can this be your fault?” she said, her voice choked, trying not to let her sobs show.

“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you. Whatever you say,” Yan Yuanhua said, completely at a loss, having never comforted anyone before and not knowing what to do.

But this was indeed his thought. Facing Lu Minghua, he had thought countless times that if he had met her earlier and not missed her, he would have married her and cherished her, never letting her suffer so much.

Yet he met her only after she was covered in scars.

However, it didn’t matter; there was still time.

“If I tell you to go back and never appear in front of me again, will you listen?” Lu Minghua, feeling unsettled, couldn’t help but retort.

“That won’t do. Anything but that,” Yan Yuanhua said earnestly.

“Then why do you keep talking?” Lu Minghua grumbled.

Yan Yuanhua listened obediently, not arguing.

“It’s all your fault, you’re so annoying,” Lu Minghua said involuntarily, thinking of the troubles he had caused her recently.

“It’s my fault.”

“We agreed to be friends, and suddenly you pull this.”

“It’s my mistake.”

“Can’t we just pretend nothing happened? Why do you have to be so persistent?”

“…” Yan Yuanhua remained silent. Even if given another chance, he would still do the same.

“You’re making things difficult for me.”

“It’s my fault.”

“I haven’t been sleeping well these days.”

“It’s my fault.”

No matter what Lu Minghua said, Yan Yuanhua admitted it honestly.

After a while, Lu Minghua finally vented enough and stopped talking.

Seeing her emotions stabilize, Yan Yuanhua secretly breathed a sigh of relief but still observed her.

After a moment, Lu Minghua finally calmed down. When she recalled what she had just done, her cheeks burned. Was that person who was complaining and throwing a tantrum really her? How could she have done that?!

Looking up, she saw Yan Yuanhua still eagerly looking at her. Unable to bear his gaze, Lu Minghua turned away, feeling embarrassed and anxious.

She actually lost her composure like this! And in front of Yuan Ji’an!

She turned to the side, her half-exposed face flushed, even her earlobes and slender neck were tinged with red, and Yan Yuanhua couldn’t help but stare.

“Minghua, you’re not angry anymore, right?” Knowing she was embarrassed, Yan Yuanhua pretended not to know and asked.

“I’m not angry,” Lu Minghua said, clutching the handkerchief in her hand. She added, “It was my fault just now. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you.”

“I like it when you lose your temper with me,” Yan Yuanhua said with a clear, loud voice, smiling as he spoke.

Hearing this, Lu Minghua couldn’t help but glance at him.

“You can scold me or hit me. Just don’t ignore me.” And don’t keep it to yourself, making things difficult for yourself.

Yan Yuanhua didn’t say it directly, knowing that such things couldn’t be resolved in a day, and saying it would only cause sadness.

“Who would hit you?” Lu Minghua muttered and fell silent again.

Yan Yuanhua didn’t get up. He squatted in front of her and smiled.

“Go sit down first,” Lu Minghua said softly, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

“Alright,” Yan Yuanhua obediently stood up.

“You can marry a better woman, listen to me,” seeing Yan Yuanhua about to speak, Lu Minghua gestured.

“The one I like is the best,” Yan Yuanhua didn’t listen to her this time. He couldn’t stand Lu Minghua belittling herself and added firmly, “In this world, there is no woman better than Minghua.”

“…” His feelings were expressed so directly and passionately that Lu Minghua couldn’t help but be moved. However, she didn’t respond and continued, “You think this way because you’ve only been with me recently.”

“Maybe you’re mistaken.” This was Lu Minghua’s first explanation after discovering Yan Yuanhua’s feelings.

“Minghua!” This time, Yan Yuanhua was truly angry. Her words not only belittled him but also herself.

“I won’t allow you to say that. I’ve met many women, but none of them compare to you. I only want to marry you. In my twenty-one years of life, figuring out how to marry you is the second thing that has consumed my thoughts and efforts.”

Yan Yuanhua couldn’t sit still. He moved forward, squatting in front of Lu Minghua again. He looked up at her, not wanting to miss any of her expressions.

Lu Minghua’s heartstrings trembled, almost burned by Yan Yuanhua’s unhidden gaze and passionate words. She wanted to look away but met his eyes again.

“And what about after?” Lu Minghua asked.

Yan Yuanhua was momentarily confused, not following her train of thought.

“You like me, but what about after? Your family won’t be happy that you want to marry a divorced woman. They will obstruct you, be angry, and try to make things difficult for me. What will you do then?”

Lu Minghua spoke seriously, this time staring at Yan Yuanhua.

“I will handle it.”

“And if you can’t?” Words can be powerless, and Lu Minghua found it hard to believe.

“Then I’ll take you to Jingzhou, alright? The scenery there is beautiful, with countless picturesque views. We can go wherever we want together,” Yan Yuanhua said, not arguing but seriously considering it, then asked Lu Minghua.

Jingzhou was the fief granted to him by his elder brother when he was enfeoffed as a prince. Over the years, he had never had the chance to visit. If he could take Minghua with him, it seemed like a good idea.

He was thinking seriously about the future, and Lu Minghua could see it. She couldn’t help but be stunned, her heart filled with an unknown emotion. When she came back to her senses, she realized she was already smiling.

“Can you really bear to?” she asked, looking down at Yan Yuanhua.

Those were his family; this was the capital, the most prosperous and wealthy place in the world. Could he really give up all of this for her?

“My father passed away early, and my mother is taken care of by my elder brother, surrounded by his wives and concubines, living a happy life,” Yan Yuanhua said, smiling at Lu Minghua. “All these years, besides the capital and the border, I haven’t been anywhere else.”

“Minghua, let’s go together, alright?” he asked, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Lu Minghua looked at him, lost in thought, and after a while, smiled and said softly, “Alright.”

The teacher was right: cherish the present no matter what the future holds. At least at this moment, what Yuan Ji’an said was true, and she was genuinely moved by his words about the future.