Chapter 46

His large hand spread and placed there; his gaze seemed calm but subtly cautious—

Lu Minghua initially intended to refuse, but seeing this, she paused.

“Okay.” Her voice trembled slightly, and she looked away, not daring to look too much, extending her hand.

With her pale pink fingertips gently reaching out, Yan Yuanhua lifted his hand and grasped hers. The touch was warm and soft. Her slender fingers rested in his palm, slowing his breath.

“Come, I’ll support you, don’t be afraid.” Looking at the thin blush on her ears, his eyes filled with a smile. His voice was initially low, but by the time he said “don’t be afraid,” it had regained its clarity.

The hand holding hers was long and rough, like the scars on the back of his hand that marred his smooth skin. His palm also had calluses.

His voice made Lu Minghua’s fingertips tremble, her heartbeat quickened, and half of her body went soft, unable to muster any strength.

“Minghua,” the blush spread across her cheeks, and Yan Yuanhua felt his breath become difficult. Suppressing his restless thoughts, he called her again softly.

Lu Minghua didn’t dare to look at him, lightly responding with a hum, trying to exert strength in her hand.

Yan Yuanhua tightened his grip, lifted her arm, and effortlessly helped her onto the horse with both hands.

Lu Minghua felt her body lighten, and she was already seated on the horse, her eyes widening in surprise, instinctively gripping tightly.

Suddenly, his palm was grasped, and Yan Yuanhua’s eyes flickered with a smile. He didn’t struggle and gently reassured her, “Don’t be afraid. It’s okay. I’m here, and nothing will happen.”

Feeling the sudden height, Lu Minghua’s initial panic turned into amazement.

“What should I do next? Should I hold the reins?” Her heartbeat quickened with inexplicable excitement as she looked at Yan Yuanhua and asked.

Seeing her bright eyes, Yan Yuanhua couldn’t help but laugh. He had forgotten that Minghua was not an ordinary woman.

“Yes,” he said with a smile, handing her the reins while still holding her hand, unwilling to let go.

However—

As the reins were handed over, Lu Minghua immediately withdrew her hand and grasped the reins with both hands.

“What should I do?” Lu Minghua asked eagerly.

Feeling the sudden emptiness in his palm, the warm touch still lingering, Yan Yuanhua felt a slight disappointment and gently rubbed his fingertips.

“I’ll lead it slowly. You just try to sit steadily,” he said, suppressing his feelings of inadequacy, and carefully instructed Lu Minghua.

Lu Minghua looked down at him and smiled, saying okay.

“Remember to be careful,” Yan Yuanhua reminded her again, still worried, before leading the horse forward slowly.

Amidst the falling yellow leaves and the desolate ground, the man in his blue-green attire walked ahead, leading the horse slowly, occasionally looking back with concern. For some reason, Lu Minghua’s heartbeat suddenly became incredibly clear.

“Ji’an,” she called out instinctively.

“Hmm?” Thinking she needed something, Yan Yuanhua quickly turned to look, “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”

Lu Minghua shook her head, the words she intended to swallow back. But seeing Yan Yuanhua’s burning eyes, she couldn’t help but speak.

“I just suddenly wanted to call you.” There was no particular reason.

Yan Yuanhua was stunned.

Slowly, his smile grew wider, his eyes brightening almost more than the sunlight.

Lu Minghua’s face burned—

Realizing the subtlety of her words, she felt both embarrassed and regretful, wondering why she had been so impulsive. Seeing Yan Yuanhua’s full smile, she couldn’t help but scold, “Stop smiling.”

“Why shouldn’t I smile, Minghua?” Yan Yuanhua asked, not restraining himself but rather confidently.

“You,” Lu Minghua was at a loss for words. His excited and joyful smile was too obvious, making her feel shy. But how could she say that?

Yan Yuanhua stopped walking, waiting leisurely for her answer.

“I don’t care, just don’t smile,” Lu Minghua said, unable to find a reason, feeling both shy and annoyed, deciding not to be reasonable.

Yan Yuanhua had never seen her so coquettish before, and he was momentarily stunned, his smile growing even wider. At that moment, his heart seemed to swell, filled with joy.

“Yuan Ji’an!” Lu Minghua said angrily.

“Alright, alright, I won’t smile,” Yan Yuanhua finally restrained his overly bright smile, but the amusement in his eyes couldn’t be hidden, speaking gently. He liked Lu Minghua’s lively and charming demeanor. This was how she was meant to be.

He stopped smiling, and Lu Minghua’s embarrassment finally eased a bit.

“I’ll do whatever Minghua says,” Yan Yuanhua said softly.

Looking up, Lu Minghua saw his gentle smile, and her heartbeat echoed in her ears.

They unconsciously stared at each other for a long time.

After a while, Lu Minghua awkwardly looked away.

“Let’s continue practicing, Minghua. Sit tight,” Yan Yuanhua reminded her, turning the horse around, his smile spreading across his face.

For a long time after, he maintained this good mood.

*

“Yuntai, you mean Cui Zhi? She went home a long time ago. I don’t know where she is now,” Lu Mingxi said, finally coming to her senses.

“Your nanny has already confessed. The pearl was stolen from Shuiyao on your orders. This was all orchestrated by you.”

However, Wei Yuntai had already gotten the answer he wanted. He stood up, expressionless, and left without waiting for Lu Mingxi’s response.

“Yuntai…” Lu Mingxi wanted to call him back, but she didn’t have the strength to speak loudly; she could only watch him leave.

Lying in bed, she recalled Wei Yuntai’s words. After a while, she closed her eyes, hiding her regret.

She had been wrong; the Marquis of Ningguo’s residence was not the Earl of Wen’an’s.

But now that she understood this, it was too late.

However—

Lu Chengsong’s people had already taken away Cui Zhi. Even if Wei Yuntai found traces from her maids, he wouldn’t be able to find her. Previously, Lu Mingxi resented Lu Chengsong for taking advantage of her, but now she couldn’t help but feel grateful.

Phew, thank goodness.

Now, she could only hope that Lu Chengsong’s arrangements were thorough enough to avoid detection.

The autumn wind was bleak as Wei Yuntai left Chunshan Courtyard behind and headed toward his study.

Dry leaves fell from the branches, leaving only bare twigs in sight.

“Have you found anything?” Wei Yuntai asked directly upon reaching the study, addressing the man standing respectfully at the door.

“Heir, I followed the clues and found the place, but I learned that the woman was taken away six months ago and is now missing.”

“Missing?” Wei Yuntai sneered, looking at the man.

The man’s heart tightened. Through his efforts, the previous consort’s identity swap was uncovered. All evidence pointed to Lu Minghua bribing her younger sister’s maid, Cui Zhi, who then bribed a young monk at the temple. Finally, she seemingly unintentionally revealed her identity, leading Wei Yuntai to propose marriage, and mistakenly identified Lu Mingxi.

Who knew that as time passed, over the years, they would uncover different clues from the maid?

Cui Zhi, whom Lu Mingxi had driven out and lost track of, had been secretly in contact with Lu Mingxi all these years, and Lu Mingxi had repeatedly sent her money. This completely contradicted the information they had previously found.

“The time is too short. Please give me more time, Heir. I will find the clues,” the man requested respectfully.

“Quickly,” Wei Yuntai said coldly.

The man withdrew, leaving Wei Yuntai alone in the study.

On the desk was a small booklet containing the information he had previously found. The Lu sisters had a poor relationship, their mother favored the younger sister, and the elder sister was not loved. Coupled with the evidence found, he naturally believed that Lu Minghua must have been resentful and unwilling, so she meticulously plotted.

But what if it wasn’t? His heart sank, and he almost didn’t dare to think further.

If Lu Mingxi wasn’t as he saw her, then what about Lu Minghua?

The booklet described a gentle and quiet woman who, even when ignored, was still attentive and caring towards her mother and sister. How much of that was true?

Scenes of Lu Minghua’s words and actions over the past three years flashed through his mind—smiling, calm, mocking, disgusted. The gentle smile in his memory, in the end, only left disgust.

Wei Yuntai clutched his chest, feeling suffocated.

This time, the subordinate’s information came quickly. After some investigation, he finally discovered that Lu Chengsong had driven out the person.

Wei Yuntai ordered him to continue investigating.

In the marquis’s residence, the servants around Lu Mingxi were interrogated one by one, almost turning everything upside down. They even discovered that Lu Mingxi had secretly taken medicine last year, which led to a serious illness.

The timing coincided with Wei Yuntai’s separation from Lu Minghua.

After reading this information, Wei Yuntai closed his eyes slightly and sat silently in his study, unable to say anything. It wasn’t until nightfall, with the candlelight flickering, that he called for the doctor who had diagnosed Lu Mingxi last year. He wanted to see if the diagnosis of “illness due to accumulated stress” was real or fake.

The doctor cooperated and said straightforwardly, “I dare not hide anything from the Heir. At that time, Miss Lu’s pulse was weak, her will was depressed, and her spirit was scattered. Such symptoms would lead anyone to diagnose illness due to accumulated stress. It wasn’t my fabrication.”

Wei Yuntai’s expression remained calm. After hearing this, he understood that Lu Mingxi hadn’t colluded with the doctor. He was about to order the doctor to leave when he noticed a slight hesitation in the doctor’s face. His heart tightened, and he immediately asked, “Is there anything else? Please speak frankly, and I will reward you generously.”

“The pulse, although seemingly fine, felt somewhat superficial,” the doctor hesitated before saying, “It seemed to be caused by medication.”

“But my skills are not refined, and I have only heard of such secret medicines. I cannot be certain. Heir may need to consult an expert,” the doctor added before leaving.

After leaving the marquis’s residence, the doctor looked back, shook his head, and sighed softly.

The doctor was familiar with the Earl’s residence and often treated their ailments, so he knew the situation of the two sisters.

The sickly younger sister and the neglected elder sister. The second madam’s constant sorrow, and the third young lady, who went from eagerly looking at her mother to gradually becoming calm and silent.

Such circumstances made even an outsider feel heartache. Unexpectedly, in the end, he had also pushed that unfortunate woman further into her misery.

For the past year, the doctor had felt guilty, often thinking that if he had spoken up, Wei Yuntai might not have separated from the third young lady. But no matter how much he thought, it was too late. He could only hope that saying it now might still be useful.

Taking medicine, drinking medicine, pretending to be sick.

Wei Yuntai sat in his study, feeling like a complete fool – even his heartfelt pity had been calculated by others.