Although Lady Bai couldn't be said to like this illegitimate daughter, due to her hard - won and worry - free upbringing since childhood, after so many years of getting along, she inevitably developed a bit of affection for her.
Knowing that she was cold - natured and not fond of talking, Lady Bai simply showed her the usual concern for a while, had someone give her the things they brought, and then left, making way for Concubine Su.
Chen Luobing's eyes swept over this group of people and finally settled on Fu Zhen.
Fu Zhen had been living a comfortable life these days, and her complexion had become fair and rosy, which was quite pleasing to the eye.
Fu Zhen met her gaze, a bit surprised, but still smiled and nodded at her.
Chen Luobing withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Concubine Su. "Auntie."
Concubine Su's eyes welled up with tears immediately. "Bing'er..."
Seeing this, the others tactfully walked out, leaving the place for the mother - daughter pair to catch up.
Lady Bai was going to the side room to rest for a while, so Chen Tingfeng accompanied Fu Zhen for a stroll.
Suddenly, he asked, "Do you have any connection with her?"
Fu Zhen was stunned for a moment before realizing that he was talking about Chen Luobing. "I only met her once when I first came here and had a chat with her. Why do you ask?"
Chen Tingfeng recalled the look in Chen Luobing's eyes when she looked at Fu Zhen just now. It seemed to be a look of nostalgia and relief. Although it was faint, he still noticed it keenly.
Fu Zhen was extremely important to him, and he always cared about everything related to her.
Since there was no prior connection, why did Chen Luobing look at Fu Zhen like that?
Chen Tingfeng frowned slowly. Although there was no ill - will, he still found this matter a bit strange and couldn't help but remind her, "If you want to come and see her in the future, remember to call me."
But he didn't mention not letting her come.
Fu Zhen suddenly understood. "You're afraid that she might..."
Chen Tingfeng shook his head. "She should have no ill - intentions. It's just that her expression was a bit strange just now... Just consider it my over - concern."
Fu Zhen nodded. Although she also didn't sense any ill - will from Chen Luobing, she naturally trusted Chen Tingfeng more than others. "I understand."
As they walked, they arrived at their lodging.
Fu Zhen suddenly recalled the disheveled woman she saw when she first came here. She couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy. That woman obviously escaped from somewhere. She wondered where she was now and how she was doing.
She opened her mouth, wanting to tell Chen Tingfeng about this, but suddenly a voice came from behind.
"Greetings to the heir and the second young lady," Qin'er said as she bowed. She had a completely different personality from Concubine Su and always had a smile on her face. "After the third young lady finished catching up with the concubine, she would like to invite the second young lady to see her."
Fu Zhen was stunned. She turned her head and exchanged a look with Chen Tingfeng. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Can the heir come with me?"
Qin'er hesitated a bit, but when she met Chen Tingfeng's cold eyes, she didn't dare to refuse. She had to reply, "The third young lady only mentioned the second young lady... However, the third young lady only said that she had some trivial matters to talk to the second young lady about. It should be okay for the heir to come along."
Chen Tingfeng nodded slightly. "Then let's go."
Fu Zhen frowned secretly in her heart. She didn't know why Chen Luobing suddenly wanted to see her. Remembering the look in her eyes that seemed to see through everything the last time she came, she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
She hadn't decided whether to tell Chen Tingfeng about her past life. If Chen Luobing suddenly exposed it now... It shouldn't be possible. Chen Luobing didn't seem like the kind of person who would do such a reckless thing.
Fu Zhen was胡思亂想着 in her mind. In a short while, they arrived in front of the hall.
Concubine Su came out with red eyes. She glanced at the two of them but lowered her head and said nothing. She just stepped aside.
After the two of them went in, she couldn't help but turn back and look at the closed door. Gradually, a bit of unwillingness and resentment emerged in her red eyes.
Chen Luobing seemed to have expected that Chen Tingfeng would come with them. She didn't show any surprise when she saw him. She just poured them a cup of green tea. The steam from the tea blurred her face, just like the first time they met.
Chen Tingfeng didn't say a word. He came just because he was worried about Fu Zhen.
"Fu Zhen," Chen Luobing suddenly called out.
Fu Zhen was stunned. "Sister Luobing, what's wrong?"
But Chen Luobing didn't say anything else. She just stared straight at her, as if trying to look into her heart.
After a long time, she slowly hooked the corner of her lips and rarely softened her expression. "It's nothing."
Since she was living a good life, there was no need to say some things.
She shifted her gaze and slowly landed on Chen Tingfeng.
Perhaps because he was worried, Chen Tingfeng had been staring at her intently all the time. Seeing her looking over now, he raised his eyebrows slightly. "Sister."
Chen Luobing pinched her fingertips. In just a few seconds, she did a divination. Her eyebrows moved slightly, and she said meaningfully, "Brother, it's best to stay away from other women."
After saying that, as if watching a joke or giving a reminder, she added, "The farther the better."
Even Chen Tingfeng, who was full of scheming, was stunned for a moment.
Fu Zhen slightly widened her eyes and looked back and forth between the two of them.
What did that mean?
Chen Tingfeng frowned and was about to ask when he heard Chen Luobing say, "My days are numbered."
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Fu Zhen on the head. She couldn't come back to her senses for a long time, and her face changed slightly. "What do you mean, sister?"
"Literally," Chen Luobing said lightly. "I should have died a long time ago. It's just because of... that I've lived until now. You don't need to be panicked or feel reluctant. Just think of me as ascending to immortality."
"Have you told Father and Mother this?" Chen Tingfeng asked in a deep voice.
Chen Luobing just smiled. "Telling you is the same as telling them. The result will be the same."
"However... Auntie won't be able to accept it for a while. You should be careful," she said, lowering her head.
In winter, the tea always cools down quickly. In just a few words, the steam on the tea in front of them had decreased a lot.
Facing life and death so calmly, Fu Zhen was speechless. She didn't know what to say for a moment.
"How much longer?" Chen Tingfeng asked.
"I don't know," Chen Luobing said. "Maybe one or two days, or maybe one or two months."
"Don't think about these things," she still looked as calm as to be cold. "Life and death are just like sand and mustard to me. There are so many worries in life. Maybe death is the best destination for me."
Her calm and somewhat mysterious appearance left the two people in front of her speechless.
Even Fu Zhen, who was good at eloquence, could only turn all her words into one sentence when they reached her lips. "Take care."
Chen Luobing gave her a faint smile. "Okay."
She was always a bit different towards Fu Zhen.
Chen Tingfeng keenly noticed that when she faced Fu Zhen, the ice in her eyes seemed to melt a bit, revealing a bit of cold tenderness.
The few of them were silent. It was Chen Luobing who got up first and saw them out.
Looking at the backs of the two as they left, Chen Luobing suddenly called out to Fu Zhen for some reason.
Fu Zhen looked back and saw that Chen Luobing's face was glowing with a white light in the sunlight, making her look so illusory that she didn't seem like a normal person.
She seemed to want to say something, but the words on her lips only turned into a short sentence.
She said, "Take care."