For a man, a gentle and delicate woman is indeed endearing, but being overly gentle might seem weak, and too much of it would be rather dull. What men like is never just one type. A woman with a gentle appearance but a strong - willed soul, and having similar experiences to him, is the one who can truly strike a chord in his heart.
Tears still clung to Fu Zhen's eyelashes, and the area around her eyes was slightly red. It was as if the warmth of his fingers still lingered there.
She lowered her eyes to hide her thoughts and stood up following his lead.
Xie Yan had rushed over in a hurry, leaving Bi Yu and the others far behind.
"Miss!" Bi Yu rushed over anxiously and said, "Miss, are you alright?"
Saying so, she quickly examined Fu Zhen from head to toe, fearing that there would be wounds on her body like those during the birthday banquet.
Fu Zhen withdrew her hand. Her face was pale, but she still managed a reassuring smile at Bi Yu. "I'm fine. Second... Brother Xie came in time. I'm not injured."
Bi Yu had made quite a commotion.
Previously, upon receiving a signal from Fu Zhen, she had quietly run into the temple fair to look for Lady Bai. But there were too many people, and she didn't know where Lady Bai was. In a hurry, she had been wandering around the street.
Just as she was stamping her feet in anxiety, a figure suddenly flashed before her eyes. It was the Second Prince.
He seemed to have just come out of a wine shop nearby, and there was still a hint of alcohol on him. After a moment's hesitation, Bi Yu rushed up to him for help.
At a time like this, who would care about the taboo between men and women?
She briefly explained the situation, and Xie Yan immediately followed her. Halfway there, with his sharp hearing, he seemed to have heard something. His expression turned cold, and he leaped forward.
Bi Yu was about to follow when suddenly someone pressed on her shoulder.
She was startled. Turning around, she saw Yuan Bao's smiling face. He asked, "Why are you here alone? Did you sneak out for fun and get caught by me?"
Bi Yu was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Now that she was suddenly stopped by him and he was still joking around, she became extremely angry and slapped his hand away. "Go catch ghosts! I'm here to find reinforcements!"
Hearing this, Yuan Bao's expression changed immediately. Before he could say much, Chen Tingfeng walked out of the teahouse.
Just like that, a group of people walked into the forest in a grand manner.
The lit torches illuminated the forest as brightly as day.
Fu Zhen turned sideways and half - covered her face with a handkerchief, not wanting others to see her red - rimmed eyes from crying.
Xie Yan looked down at his gradually cooling hand. After a moment, he put it behind his back and resumed his usual somewhat dissolute appearance. "Why are you always a step behind me?"
It was the same in the peach orchard last time.
It seemed that when it came to Fu Zhen, Chen Tingfeng was always one step slower than Xie Yan.
Chen Tingfeng glanced at him but said nothing. Then he looked at Fu Mingde, who was lying on the ground unconscious, and slowly walked up to Fu Zhen. "Are you injured?"
Rarely, this time he didn't sneer or be sarcastic.
Fu Zhen shook her head. Her voice was a bit hoarse. "I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, cousin."
"Okay." Chen Tingfeng nodded slightly, shifted his gaze to Fu Mingde, and his face darkened. He waved his hand, and the servants behind him immediately dragged the man away. "Since you're fine, let's go back to the mansion."
Fu Zhen looked at Fu Mingde's departing figure and bit her lips. "He..."
"If you can't handle it, I'll handle it for you." Chen Tingfeng said calmly.
Xie Yan waved his folding fan beside them but said nothing.
He was still thinking about the way Fu Zhen had quickly withdrawn her hand when they arrived.
It seemed that when he wasn't paying attention, when he had decided to stay away from her as Chen Tingfeng had advised, she had also been gradually distancing herself from him.
When Chen Tingfeng led the people away, he gave Xie Yan a fleeting look.
Xie Yan lowered his eyes and remained silent.
The forest returned to silence. After a while, he suddenly let out a soft laugh.
It seemed like self - mockery, or perhaps... like making a certain determination.
After such a big incident, there was no way they could continue to enjoy the temple fair.
Fu Zhen had only drunk half a cup of tea when she returned to the main courtyard. Suddenly, the courtyard door opened, and Lady Bai rushed in, lifting her skirt. As soon as she saw Fu Zhen, she called out her name and hugged her tightly. She carefully examined her from head to toe, fearing that she was injured anywhere.
Fu Zhen obediently let her look. When Lady Bai's expression improved a bit, she comforted her. "I'm fine, aunt. Cousin came in time."
Lady Bai pulled her to sit on the couch as if in fear. She held her hand tightly and there was a flash of hatred in her eyes. "If I had known he would come after you, I should have dealt with him earlier when I brought you back that day!"
The incident of Chen Peizhu being blinded by love and eloping with Fu Mingde only to die miserably had always been the deepest pain in her heart. Now, after much difficulty, her dear friend's daughter had returned to the Marquis Mansion and to her side, allowing her to raise the girl well. But who would have thought that she had almost fallen victim to that scoundrel Fu Mingde!
Fu Zhen lowered her eyes. "It's not your fault, aunt. I didn't expect him to be so cruel either."
Blood relation is the most sacred and yet the most venomous thing in the world.
From the moment her mother died, she and Fu Mingde were destined to be entangled in a web of love and hatred for a lifetime. It was like a piece of rotten flesh. Touching it would cause heart - wrenching pain, and even if she were to cut it off forcefully, there would still be a scar that could never be erased.
It was good that Fu Mingde had caused such a scene.
At least it finally made her determined to completely remove this old piece of rotten flesh from her bones and blood.
Lady Bai put her arm around her and stroked her hair. There was a momentary fierceness in her eyes. "Zhenzhen, your family is always in the Marquis Mansion."
As for Fu Mingde, he didn't deserve to be the father of the second young lady who had been raised like a precious pearl in the Marquis Mansion.
Fu Zhen's eyelashes trembled. She understood Lady Bai's implication.
She gently rubbed against Lady Bai's warm palm and whispered, "I'll do as you say, aunt."
After Lady Bai watched Fu Zhen fall asleep, as soon as she stepped out of the Zhuqing Courtyard, her face immediately darkened.
"Go to the Baiqu Courtyard."
Chen Tingfeng poured a cup of tea for Lady Bai, who was sitting at the top. He said calmly, "I understand your intention, mother."
Lady Bai glanced at him. Her tone was no longer as gentle as when she had hugged Fu Zhen. It sounded rather business - like. "Understanding is one thing, but doing is another. If you can't bring yourself to do it, then let me handle it."
From this moment, one could faintly catch a glimpse of the way Lady Bai and Chen Tingfeng interacted.
They were not like mother and son but more like a monarch and his subject.
Chen Tingfeng slowly put down the teacup in his hand and carefully wiped his slightly red fingertips with a handkerchief. "Don't worry, mother. I'll handle it to your satisfaction."
"You'd better." She said, then got up. Before leaving, she added, "Shaochuan, you've always lacked a bit of calm when it comes to Fu Zhen."
Chen Tingfeng was left alone in the main hall.
He sat there with his head down, as cold - hearted and motionless as a statue. After a long while, he suddenly closed his eyes.