"Sister-in-law!" Su Yuanyuan tightened her grip on Wei Linlang's hand and said seriously, "Don't let your mind wander. Yuanyuan can guarantee that big brother has never had such thoughts. And don't you remember? Big brother personally swore in front of the emperor that you would be his only wife for this lifetime and he would never take a concubine."
Wei Linlang choked back sobs and called out, "Yuanyuan..."
"Moreover, in our family, taking concubines is not in the tradition. Look at father and mother. They've supported each other all the way to this day, and they've been fine, haven't they? Big brother has always taken father as his role model. Since he's promised to have only you as his wife for life, he will surely keep his word." Su Yuanyuan softened her tone.
"In the future, when I choose a husband, I'll also pick a man like father and big brother who won't take concubines. Sister-in-law, don't think too much. Those people just now were actually extremely jealous of you. Since they can't get a husband who only loves and protects them, they're desperately trying to pull you down and make you just like them."
Hearing what her younger sister-in-law said, the uneasiness in Wei Linlang's heart gradually subsided.
So, it was out of jealousy that they had gossiped in front of her?
If that was really the case, these people were truly despicable!
Wei Linlang let out a sigh of relief. She stroked Su Yuanyuan's hair and said, "Alright, sister-in-law is fine now. Yuanyuan, don't worry."
Seeing that her sister-in-law had regained her usual confidence, Su Yuanyuan also secretly let out a sigh of relief. The two of them walked back arm in arm, planning to look for Zhang Yingxue. But just as they were passing through a moon gate, they unexpectedly ran into someone head-on.
It was none other than Su Zeqian, the heir of the Marquis of Pingyang.
At the sight of the person, Su Yuanyuan frowned imperceptibly and couldn't help but mutter "bad luck" in her heart.
She never expected that the Prince of Xuan would even invite him. And it had to be when there was no one around that they bumped into each other. Wasn't this just the case of enemies meeting on a narrow road?
Su Yuanyuan didn't want to have too much contact with Su Zeqian. She pulled Wei Linlang back a step, making way for him, only hoping that Su Zeqian would leave quickly.
When Su Zeqian saw Su Yuanyuan, he was also stunned for a moment. Seeing that Su Yuanyuan had taken the initiative to make way, he thought for a while, then bowed his hands to Su Yuanyuan and Wei Linlang and said:
"Su Zeqian of the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion, greets the two young ladies."
As the heir of the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion, Su Zeqian had naturally received an invitation from the Prince of Xuan's Mansion and came to attend today's piano appreciation banquet.
Actually, he hadn't planned to come at first. The Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion had been going through a difficult time recently. After Su Qingyu's true nature was exposed, she was driven out of the mansion and had since disappeared.
Moreover, Lady Tong's health wasn't very good. She had been listless recently and had locked herself in her room, refusing to show her face. She even skipped the routine greeting every three days, which worried Su Zeqian greatly.
But after much thought, he finally decided to come. He thought it would be good to relax a bit.
He just didn't expect that he would run into Su Yuanyuan and Wei Linlang here.
Speaking of the feud between the two families, it had started since the Queen's birthday banquet and had reached its peak at the Foxing Temple. However, Su Zeqian had now realized that in the final analysis, it was all Su Qingyu who had caused the trouble. Su Yuanyuan and the Duke of Yong's Mansion had been innocent victims in these incidents.
So when he suddenly saw Su Yuanyuan at this moment, after his initial surprise, he took the initiative to greet them, showing a willingness to let bygones be bygones.
But while he was willing to bury the hatchet, Su Yuanyuan wasn't.
She clearly remembered the hatred from her past life. Just a glance at Su Zeqian would make the disgust and hatred in her heart well up uncontrollably.
Without even looking at Su Zeqian, before he had even finished his greeting, Su Yuanyuan pulled Wei Linlang and walked away, only wanting to get as far away as possible from this annoying heir of the marquis's mansion.
"Miss Su Si..." Su Zeqian instinctively wanted to stop her.
But Su Yuanyuan didn't slow down her steps at all.
Just unfortunately, when Su Yuanyuan was passing by Su Zeqian, a gust of wind suddenly blew up in the garden. The wind blew the hair beside Su Yuanyuan's temple, revealing the girl's delicate ears.
Su Zeqian hadn't meant to look around randomly, but with just a casual glance, the sight that met his eyes in that instant made him freeze on the spot, and his blood seemed to freeze in his veins.
Had he... just seen wrongly? There was a red mole on the side of this young girl from the Duke of Yong's Mansion's ear. The position and size of that red mole were exactly the same as his younger sister, Su Yuanyuan's!
Su Zeqian looked up at the figure walking further and further away from him. He suddenly came to his senses and immediately chased after her.
"Miss Su Si! Please stop!"
"Miss Su Si!"
Su Yuanyuan and Wei Linlang naturally heard the footsteps and calls coming from behind. Wei Linlang turned around and saw Su Zeqian running after them in a flurry. She couldn't help but say, "Why is the heir of the Marquis of Pingyang chasing after us so persistently?"
Su Yuanyuan frowned impatiently and said, "Ignore him. He must be trying to make things difficult for us again. Let's leave quickly." After saying that, she quickened her pace.
"Miss Su Si!" Seeing Su Yuanyuan speeding up, the doubts in Su Zeqian's heart deepened.
Gritting his teeth, he blurted out, "Yuan'er, is that you?"
Hearing this address, Su Yuanyuan's expression turned even colder. In order to avoid Su Zeqian, she only focused on pulling Wei Linlang and running forward. By the time Xiaoba gave her a warning, it was already too late:
[Yuanyuan, be careful. There's someone in front!]
Just then, there was a collision sound. At the corner, Su Yuanyuan accidentally bumped into a maid carrying tea. The tea in the maid's hand was spilled, dripping all over the ground, and Su Yuanyuan's front and hem were also soaked by the tea.
Wei Linlang knew martial arts and could have dodged with Su Yuanyuan, but in their rush to avoid Su Zeqian, neither of them noticed the person at the corner.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. This servant didn't watch where she was going. It's all this servant's fault!" The maid who had been carrying the tea realized she had caused trouble and quickly apologized to Su Yuanyuan.
Wei Linlang supported Su Yuanyuan and frowned, asking with concern, "Yuanyuan, are you okay? Did you get scalded by the tea?"
Su Yuanyuan shook her head at Wei Linlang and said, "Sister-in-law, don't worry. Yuanyuan is fine."
Because of this delay, Su Zeqian finally caught up. Seeing that Su Yuanyuan had been splashed with tea all over, he didn't think twice and immediately got angry at the maid: "How did you watch where you were going? You splashed the tea on the guest. If you scalded her, could you bear the responsibility?"
The maid was extremely flustered and was about to kneel down to apologize to Su Yuanyuan: "I'm sorry, guest. It was all this servant's carelessness..."
Su Yuanyuan was secretly annoyed at Su Zeqian for being so overzealous. Without even looking at him, she only said to the maid, "It's not your fault. It was our own carelessness. Could you please find an empty private room for me so that I can change my clothes?"
The maid quickly replied, "Of course. Please follow this servant."
Then she led Su Yuanyuan in the direction she had come from.