Zhou Yan had never been so glib in his life. After a brief moment of pride, he looked at Nan Zhi with utmost sincerity.
"Lady Nan Zhi, I know you care most about the mistress. You wouldn't bear to see her keep being sad, would you? If you convey my words to the mistress, she'll feel better."
After a pause, he added considerately, "If the mistress has anything to say to the Second Master, you can tell me too."
Even someone as dull as he could tell that when the Second Master and the mistress faced each other and opened their mouths, they wouldn't only fail to clear up the misunderstandings but also create more.
It was necessary to pass messages.
Nan Zhi had been with Song Wanchu in the Duke's Mansion for three years and knew something about this guard beside Liang Yuzhou.
He was an honest - tempered man with a clumsy mouth and a slow mind.
It was a waste of his handsome face.
With his limited ability and eloquence, there was no way he could fabricate so many lies in one go.
But where was there any sign that Liang Yuzhou loved the lady?
Just because Zhou Yan wouldn't lie didn't mean he could correctly understand Liang Yuzhou's actions.
A one - track - minded person understood things in a simple, straightforward way.
"Even if what you said is true, it's just the Second Master's half - hearted compensation," Nan Zhi saw things clearly. "You said the red agate bracelet was a gift from the Second Master to the lady, but in the end, it ended up on Miss Yu's wrist. She even showed it off in front of the lady. Did the Second Master offer any explanation?"
"Don't you know the Second Master's personality? He's been a man of few words since childhood..."
"Is it really that hard for a man to explain himself to the woman he loves? He's just not talkative, not mute!"
One heart - breaking memory after another unfolded like a scroll in front of Nan Zhi, and the resentment she had harbored for years burst out like a geyser.
It was disrespectful for a maid to talk about her master.
But Nan Zhi didn't care. Even if it meant going against all odds, she had to voice out all the lady's grievances!
"The welcome banquet for Miss Yu happened to fall on the same day as the lady's birthday. Do you really believe it was a coincidence? The lady pleaded so humbly for the Second Master to visit her room. What did the Second Master say? He said, 'Your birthday is not as important as the welcome banquet for Huiyan'!"
Zhou Yan wanted to defend Liang Yuzhou, but Nan Zhi's words were so sharp that he was at a loss for words.
"When that out - of - control carriage charged towards them, the Second Master only saved Miss Yu and left the lady behind. He watched helplessly as the lady was knocked unconscious by the heavy carriage board while he protected Miss Yu, who didn't even have a scratch! Is this the love you're talking about?"
Zhou Yan scratched his head anxiously. "Before she passed away, Princess Jialing entrusted Miss Yu to the Second Master. In that situation, it was really hard for the Second Master to save both of them..."
"If he couldn't protect our lady in the first place, then he shouldn't claim to love her. You know how badly the lady was injured, and the Second Master knows it even better! Do you think the lady's pain would go away just because he beat up Yu Rongbai?"
Zhou Yan fell silent.
"At the Princess Mansion, anyone with eyes could tell that Miss Yu framed our lady, but the Second Master just wouldn't believe it. He forced our lady to jump into the lake to prove her innocence. Is this his so - called love?"
"The Second Master investigated the matter later. He even punished Caidie by making her slap herself, which was also a warning to Miss Yu."
Cold sweat dripped down Zhou Yan's back. He didn't dare to defend Liang Yuzhou loudly anymore.
In fact, he kind of regretted speaking up just now.
"Hehe, Miss Yu was only warned, but our lady caught a cold, had a heart attack, and almost died!"
"The Second Master had no choice. He had to consider Miss Yu's feelings..."
From explaining confidently at first, now Zhou Yan could only mutter under his breath.
"Did he ever consider our lady's feelings? He always put Miss Yu first. Did he ever think about our lady's grievances? Just because our lady is kind - hearted and understanding, does she deserve to be bullied, misunderstood, and gossiped about? If the Second Master's so - called love means hurting first and then compensating, then our lady isn't interested!"
Zhou Yan wanted to run away.
Although he wasn't the one who had done something wrong, he felt extremely guilty. He even wished he could kneel down and apologize to Song Wanchu.
After venting her anger at Zhou Yan, Nan Zhi didn't feel relieved at all. Instead, she felt even sadder.
Hot liquid ran down her face. She thought it was sweat, but when she touched it, she realized it was tears.
She couldn't help crying out loud.
"Lady Nan Zhi, don't..."
Zhou Yan was so flustered that he didn't know what to do. He had wanted to explain things on behalf of the Second Master and ease the tension between the couple, but instead, he had made the mistress's maid cry.
This was God's punishment for him, telling him the price of being talkative.
He wanted to slap himself.
Nan Zhi was heart - broken. Unable to find a handkerchief, she wiped her tears with her sleeve.
A fair, delicate hand reached out and gently wiped away her tears with a silk handkerchief.
Nan Zhi was stunned. "Lady?"
Song Wanchu didn't know when she had appeared at the door of Xunxiang Ji. Her own eyes were still red, but she was only concerned about wiping Nan Zhi's tears.
"Silly girl, stop crying."
When Zhou Yan saw Song Wanchu, he felt even more guilty. "Mistress..."
He didn't know how much of their conversation the mistress had heard.
Song Wanchu looked at him, smiling gently. She was calm and gentle.
The waiter from Xunxiang Ji had delivered the date - paste cloud cakes to the Qi Mansion, but Song Wanchu had refused them.
However, if she just let the waiter take them back directly, he wouldn't be able to explain himself.
Liang Yuzhou was not an easy - going person.
So Song Wanchu came here in person, not to make things difficult for the waiter or the shopkeeper of Xunxiang Ji.
"Return these to your Second Master. The things in the Duke's Mansion are precious. Save them for the future mistress of the mansion!"
Suyue, with her fiery temper, stuffed the bag of cakes into Zhou Yan's arms.
After hurting the lady so badly, did he think he could just buy some cheap cakes to make up for it?
Was their lady so easy to coax?
Zhou Yan was glared at by Suyue several times and felt extremely wronged.
Why were they all taking their anger out on him?
"Mistress, you're angry with the Second Master, but don't take it out on these date - paste cloud cakes. This is also the Second Master's token of affection."
"Are a few cakes a token of affection?"
Suyue sneered. "Let me tell you what a token of affection is. The lady likes the pipa, and Young Master Shi traveled all over the south of the Yangtze River just to find a good piece of wood for the pipa body. If your Second Master really has feelings, he should find a golden - silk date tree so that our lady can have fresh date - paste cakes every day!"
"The golden - silk date tree in Xunxiang Ji—"
Zhou Yan still wanted to prove that the Second Master really cared about the mistress.
"Zhou Yan!"
Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted.
The night was falling, and the lanterns were just lit. Liang Yuzhou walked out of the shadows.
The light of the lanterns flowed over his face, illuminating his well - defined handsome features, but it couldn't reach the bottom of his pitch - black eyes.
When she saw him again, Song Wanchu was much calmer. Although her heart still ached faintly, she could hide her emotions well.
"Nan Zhi, Suyue, let's go."
Her voice was soft. Although she should have been the one to be comforted, now she was comforting the two indignant maids.
The moment she turned around, Liang Yuzhou's voice came to her ears with a gentle breeze.
"Song Wanchu."
It was the name he had called countless times, but the emotion behind it was different from any other time.
There was no more sharpness, no more anger. It seemed that he was trying his best to hide something.
Song Wanchu turned back and responded with a smile.
The two had once embraced each other intimately in countless nights. Now, although they were only a few steps apart, it felt like they were separated by mountains and rivers.
"Liang Yuzhou, Nan Zhi has already said everything on my behalf. There's nothing more to say between us."