Wei Yuan took a seat in front of her as the words fell, but his expression was grim. A sense of unease welled up in his heart.
Chen Tingfeng glanced at him and then his eyes flitted over Wei Wanling beside him. His face remained calm, but his eyes turned cold imperceptibly.
It was only natural that he had pestered Fu Zhen to go out with him. But Wei Yuan knew he was here to meet his sweetheart, so why did he bring his cousin along?
Couldn't he see Wei Wanling's hidden motives?
Fu Zhen smiled gently. "Thank you for coming, Lord Wei. But there are some things I'd like to make clear."
Wei Yuan was taken aback and forced a smile. "Miss Fu, you're joking. It's no trouble at all to come out."
But he didn't ask what she wanted to clarify. Deep down, he had a feeling that it wasn't something he wanted to hear.
Wei Wanling's expression changed. She seemed to have guessed something and looked at Fu Zhen with surprise.
If she guessed correctly, her cousin's expectations today were likely to be dashed...
Sure enough, the next moment, Fu Zhen took a box from her maid. She didn't open it but placed it on the table and pushed it straight towards Wei Yuan.
She smiled faintly. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Wei. But I can't accept this. You'd better take it back and give it to someone who's fated for it."
Wei Yuan's face paled suddenly. He sat there stunned, as if struck by a great blow. His eyes were like a lake hit by a stone, rippling with shattered waves.
Fu Zhen bit her lip. Although she felt a twinge of guilt at his state, when she caught a glimpse of Wei Wanling looking at him worriedly from the corner of her eye, that guilt turned into determination.
The words she said in the ancestral hall for the Duke's Mansion that day were sincere. But she had left out the most important point - if she were to marry into the mansion, Wei Wanling must go.
After just a few encounters, she knew that Wei Wanling was ten times more difficult to deal with than Chen Huanyun. It wasn't that she thought Wei Wanling was particularly smart, but that she was extremely good at sizing people up and seizing opportunities.
Since Wei Yuan was soft - hearted, she always appeared weak and tearful in front of him, as if she knew exactly what would appeal to Wei Yuan. Then she would subtly put forward more requests, forcing Wei Yuan to agree step by step while making him feel pity for her.
Fu Zhen withdrew her gaze from Wei Yuan, whose face was stiff, and lowered her head to take a sip of tea.
Just look at today. Wei Yuan knew he was coming to see her but still brought Wei Wanling. If she hadn't been on guard and had taken out the love knot directly, wouldn't it be like telling everyone that she and Wei Yuan had a secret relationship?
The reputation of a private exchange was not good. It was like handing the handle to others!
Not to mention that this person was Wei Wanling, who seemed to have hostility towards her.
Such a muddled - headed nature made Fu Zhen look down on him a little.
A husband could be kind - hearted but not weak. He must be able to tell right from wrong.
In this regard, Chen Tingfeng was far superior to him.
Thinking of this, Fu Zhen didn't want to entangle with them any longer. She stood up. "Since things are clear, please excuse me. I'll take my leave."
With that, she turned to leave. But Wei Yuan seemed to suddenly wake up. He anxiously reached out his hand to grab her. "Wait!"
In a split - second, Chen Tingfeng suddenly raised his hand to block him. As a martial artist, even though his injury hadn't fully healed, his strength was far beyond what Wei Yuan could withstand.
In just this short action, Wei Yuan had reached out in a hurry and was already unsteady on his feet. Now blocked by Chen Tingfeng, he staggered and was about to fall to one side.
"Cousin!" Wei Wanling exclaimed and was about to step forward to support him.
Chen Tingfeng was quick - eyed and reached out to grab Wei Yuan's collar. He grinned. "Lord Wei, be careful. Don't fall."
But he never mentioned who had made the other person almost fall.
This thief - crying - "stop - thief" remark left Wei Yuan blushing with anger. He stared at Chen Tingfeng for a long time but couldn't say a word.
Fu Zhen glanced at him indifferently. Chen Tingfeng raised his eyebrows and withdrew his hand tactfully. He even kindly patted Wei Yuan on the shoulder. "Lord Wei is undoubtedly talented, but among the six arts of a gentleman, you should work harder on martial arts."
With that, ignoring Wei Yuan's even more unsightly face, he smiled faintly and led Fu Zhen away.
Wei Wanling was left there, both shocked and hesitant. "Cousin..."
Wei Yuan closed his eyes and suppressed the embarrassed look on his face. "I'm fine."
By this point, he knew that he had offended Chen Tingfeng today.
He looked at Wei Wanling beside him, who was looking worried. He felt both stuffy and uncomfortable, but he didn't say any words of blame in the end.
He had lusted after Chen Tingfeng's sister, so he was already in the wrong. Moreover, it was extremely improper for him to bring someone else along today. And now, in a moment of desperation, he had even tried to get too close to Chen Tingfeng's sister. That was an even greater sin!
Chen Tingfeng didn't lose his temper on the spot and had even given him some face by not laying it all out on the table. Even if he was angry, what could he do?
Moreover... it was he who had promised to take his cousin out. He couldn't blame anyone else.
All the mistakes were his momentary impulse.
He lowered his head dejectedly and looked at the well - preserved box on the table. He knew that Fu Zhen didn't want others to know about the love knot.
Wei Yuan sighed softly. Forget it, forget it.
The king has affection, but the goddess has none.
It was his own wishful thinking.
In the carriage, Fu Zhen was silent all the way.
The cries of street vendors were endless. In winter, the most common things on the street were hot snacks. You just boiled something in boiling water, scooped it out piping hot, and pedestrians could sit down and take a bite. It could warm them from head to toe.
Chen Tingfeng beckoned to Yuanbao and whispered a few words. In a short while, Yuanbao brought a bowl of glutinous rice balls.
Chen Tingfeng tapped on the carriage twice. The coachman tightened the reins, and the carriage stopped by the road.
Fu Zhen was a bit puzzled. She lifted the curtain and looked at him. But she was suddenly blinded by the steam. When she focused again, she saw the plump glutinous rice balls floating in the bowl. Inside, she could vaguely see the black sesame filling that seemed about to burst out of the skin. It made her mouth water.
Seeing her stunned, Chen Tingfeng couldn't help but smile softly. He handed the bowl in through the window. "Try some?"
Fu Zhen rarely ate street snacks. Before, it was because she was too poor to afford them. Now, it was because she was in a wealthy family and often forgot about these street treats.
Fu Zhen looked at the glutinous rice balls for a while, then reached out to take the bowl. She raised her eyebrows at Chen Tingfeng in surprise. "Even the noble young master eats street food?"
Chen Tingfeng had gone from being helpless about her teasing at first to accepting it well now. He snorted. "No matter how noble we are, we're still human. If the common people can eat it, why can't we?"
"However, street food is not as clean as the food at home. You have a weak stomach, so you can eat it once in a while, but don't overdo it."