Caiyu's mood was in a complete jumble because of Sheng Jiangli at this moment.
She should have been happy that he was safe and sound, but his nonsense had made her forget to cry for joy.
She should have been sad about her own situation, but his nonsense had also made her unable to cry. Instead, she couldn't help but want to laugh.
Sheng Jiangli saw that she had both hands overlapping and placed in front of her forehead, laughing uncontrollably and even forgetting to eat. So he frowned and leaned across the table.
He gently pushed aside her palm with his fingertips and tapped on the center of her brow.
Caiyu stopped laughing and stared at him in surprise.
The man's fingertip caressed gently on her brow, and his voice was as gentle as a spring breeze. "You should smile more. That gloomy girl you were just now doesn't suit you. Why does my Miss Lan San have so many worries?"
"Brother A Li." Caiyu stared back at him blankly, and the bitterness in her heart welled up wave after wave.
"You're only eighteen. You're in the prime of your youth. Do whatever you like. You don't need to hide your feelings or think too much." Sheng Jiangli looked at her seriously. "If you encounter troubles or things you can't figure out, don't keep them to yourself. Tell me, and I'll solve them."
"You're still young. You may not think things through thoroughly. If you just do things on your own, you might end up doing the opposite of what you intended and make mistakes easily."
"That bastard Song Yinghuai is domineering and autocratic. If you just act according to your own will without saying what you're thinking, he will surely make things difficult for you."
Sheng Jiangli smiled bitterly to himself. What on earth was he doing?
When Caiyu and Song Yinghuai quarreled, he should have been the happiest one.
But when he saw her gaunt cheeks and listless expression today, he just couldn't bear it.
He would rather they got along more amicably than watch Caiyu like this and torture his heart.
Don't keep things to yourself...
Sheng Jiangli gently withdrew his fingertip. His gaze was focused, and the tenderness in his eyes was almost like water about to flow out.
It made Caiyu's vision blur.
She also wanted to tell all her thoughts.
But she had told him!
She had said that she believed Brother A Li wouldn't betray her and Song Yinghuai.
She had said that she regarded Brother A Li as an elder brother.
She had also said that besides love, she also wanted family affection, freedom, and respect.
But he didn't understand!
"Plop."
A teardrop fell straight into the wonton bowl, and the soup splashed up in ripples.
"I've told him..." Caiyu lowered her head and sniffed. "But he didn't listen, and he wouldn't tell me what he had done."
Just like these days, he had been busy and mysterious, getting along well with Lü Baiwei.
She didn't know if it was because they had something to discuss or because he was disappointed in her and had turned to another woman's arms.
She couldn't just ask about this, could she?
Moreover, she didn't even have the chance to ask now.
Song Yinghuai rarely returned to the mansion these days. Even when he did, he would go to the study to discuss matters.
Sheng Jiangli clenched his fists, and his face gradually darkened.
It seemed that the conflict between these two was quite serious this time.
Shuer had always been an outspoken girl. When she was a child, she didn't like to cry even when she got hurt from falling or was laughed at. She would just stubbornly argue with others.
But in just this short hour, she had cried twice!
Sheng Jiangli felt that his cheeks were sore from clenching his teeth. Just as he was about to speak and invite Caiyu to Luoyanju again—
"Sir, would you like to buy a bouquet of flowers for your lady?"
A young woman with a basket full of fresh flowers on her arm was standing beside their table with a sweet smile.
Sheng Jiangli was taken aback. The anger from before hadn't subsided yet, so he subconsciously said, "No, thanks."
But the flower - selling woman smiled sweetly and said, "These flowers will only stay fresh for a few days after being cut. Your lady is so beautiful. If these flowers could be lucky enough to be worn in your lady's hair, it would be worth their blooming in this life."
In just a few words, Sheng Jiangli had already calmed down. He was amused by the flower woman's words and his eyes curved into a smile. "Of course. My lady is more beautiful than the flowers... I'll buy them."
Sheng Jiangli took out a piece of broken silver and bought a few peony flowers.
Caiyu dodged left and right and said in disgust, "I don't want to wear flowers!"
The woman just now had misunderstood and thought she was Brother A Li's wife. If she wore the flower, wouldn't it cause more misunderstandings?
Sheng Jiangli was quick - witted. He inserted a peony flower on one side of her hair bun and said with a smile, "Wearing a flower in this life will make you as beautiful in the next life. May my Miss Lan San be beautiful and happy in this life, the next life, and all the lifetimes to come."
Caiyu stopped trying to pull out the flower on her head.
Well, being beautiful and happy in all lifetimes. She was quite tempted.
Sheng Jiangli's bright smile was quite an eyesore. Caiyu casually picked up a peony flower on the table and wanted to insert it. "Since that's the case, you should wear one too!"
"I wish you to have a beautiful lady like a flower in this life and the next!"
Sheng Jiangli was extremely disgusted. He stood up and ran away at once. "What would a man look like wearing a flower! Spare me!"
Caiyu chased after him. "What's wrong with it? With that flower on your head, you, the sand wolf from the frontier, will be like a god of war with the fragrance of flowers in your hands... How fitting!"
The capital was prosperous. The night view was magnificent, with the lights twinkling all night long.
On the canal bridge, there stood a tall figure. His eyes were fixed intently on the two people frolicking on the shore.
His expression was cold, his thin lips were pursed into a straight line, and a dangerous storm was brewing in his inky black eyes.
Han Fen, standing beside him, heard the sound of the man's knuckles cracking and said nervously:
"My lord... Miss Caiyu is probably just very happy to see that Sheng Jiangli is safe, so she..."
"Hey, look. Miss Caiyu has lost a lot of weight these days. It's not easy for her to be happy for a while. Uh."
Song Yinghuai had the urge to go up and pull the two laughing people apart, but Caiyu had said word by word with tears in her eyes that day, "A heart is not wood or stone. How can it be without feelings? But I hold back my sobs and hesitate, not daring to speak."
She had said that her relationship with Sheng Jiangli was family affection, like brother - sister affection...
He shouldn't think too much. He shouldn't think too much...
Sheng Jiangli had just been released. If he went up to cause trouble again, the relationship between him and Caiyu that had just been repaired would fall apart.
He was about to go to Qixia Mountain to fight the epidemic. If there was a conflict with Caiyu, he wouldn't have time to console her.
The veins on Song Yinghuai's forehead were throbbing. He stared at the people on the shore for a long time before suddenly turning around and saying, "Back to the mansion!"
Han Fen glanced at the carefree Caiyu on the shore and sighed.
The burden on the lord's shoulders was just too heavy. He was always used to bearing everything on his own.
He was just afraid that this scene today would take root in the lord's heart and become a thorn.
In the end, Sheng Jiangli couldn't escape Caiyu's clutches and was forced to wear a peony flower.
He said with a bitter face, "I'm leading the army to Qixia Mountain to fight the epidemic tomorrow. If I wear this flower, the soldiers will probably laugh at me to death."
Caiyu said, "You can wear it to sleep tonight and take it off when you wake up tomorrow... By the way, so it's you who is going to Qixia Mountain to fight the epidemic!"
"Otherwise?" Sheng Jiangli said with a half - smile. "The crown prince needs me to make contributions and regain power for him. Otherwise, I'd have to stay in jail for a few more days!"
"It's my fault that I got you into trouble." When it came to this matter, Caiyu became depressed again.
"It has nothing to do with you. It's that villain Wen Zilong's fault." Sheng Jiangli casually ruffled her hair bun to comfort her. "If Qin'er can understand, there's no reason you can't."
Speaking of her elder sister, Caiyu became worried. "I heard that elder sister got divorced from that scoundrel. This should be a good thing, but I can't recognize her. I don't even know where she is hiding now or if she's doing well."
Sheng Jiangli remembered the few days he had spent with Xiao Rencheng in prison and smiled. "Don't worry about this. Xiao Rencheng will take good care of it."
"Ah..." Caiyu looked a bit confused.
Why was everyone hiding so many things from her?
What was the deal with Xiao Rencheng?
Was he going to be her next brother - in - law?
...
Not far from the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Aunt Mei and Qingqing ran into each other.
Aunt Mei said, "The lady said that this plague was man - made. She wants to find a way to make Caiyu and the Prince of Yan fall out. She hopes you can persuade Caiyu to go up the mountain. It all depends on you."