Xue Yuxin didn't notice the slight flush in her younger sister's eyes and just went on calculating with her. "After much deliberation, my mother thinks Brother Chen Si is the most suitable match for you. I think so too. Brother Chen Si has been deeply in love with you. Although he's a concubine-born son, he's making progress. And not being the eldest son has its advantages. He'll lead an easy life in the future. Moreover, the Chen family all like you. When you were a child, Lady Chen always carried you around and showed you off, saying you were her daughter."
Shen Yuning was lost in her own thoughts and didn't give these things a thought. She looked far away at the few people practicing ball on the horse field. Among them, the man in a black robe with a silver mask was chatting and laughing merrily with the young master beside him.
That was Xuanzhi. She always believed that was Xuanzhi.
She stood up, told Xue Yuxin she'd be back soon, and then went to the Zhu family's side to look for the attendant of Young Master Zidu.
When Young Master Zidu got off the field, he took a handkerchief and casually wiped the sweat off his face. His look towards Shen Yuning was equally casual.
Even though Shen Yuning had just convinced herself that if she wanted to find out the truth, she had to take the initiative to ask, seeing Xuanzhi being so cold still made her feel disheartened. Her Xuanzhi would never be so cold to her, would he?
Because Shen Yuning had gone to the back of the horse field, Zidu stood under a tree and sighed helplessly. "Lady Shen, I've explained to you many times that I'm not your younger brother. I really hope this will be the last time. Your constant pestering is really giving me a headache."
Shen Yuning looked up at him seriously. "Xuanzhi, I miss you."
Zidu still maintained his nonchalant posture, leaning slightly against the tree. His tall figure seemed to block out most of the sun, casting Shen Yuning entirely in the shadow.
Shen Yuning remembered that in Xitian Town, Shen Fugui was always afraid she'd get sunburnt, so he always told Xuanzhi to bring a veil hat for her and to drive the carriage in the shade. After that, Xuanzhi always remembered these things clearly. When she took a break, he'd shield her from the sun and fan her.
At this moment, Xuanzhi, hidden behind the mask, spoke with aloofness and impatience. "I'll say it one more time. I'm not Xuanzhi."
Shen Yuning reached out to cover her face. Tears streamed out from between her fingers, but she didn't make a sound. She kept crying and feeling sad. It was a long time before she lifted her tear-stained face. "Let me see your face. I'll believe you. Okay?"
Zidu fell silent. It was a long time before he said, "It's not that I'm unwilling. It's just that my face is completely ruined. I'm afraid it will scare you, Lady."
Shen Yuning shook her head desperately. "No, I'm not afraid. When I first saw you, you were a dirty and injured little beggar. I wasn't afraid of you, and I didn't dislike you. Xuanzhi, even if your face is completely ruined, I won't dislike you. Because you're my younger brother."
She reached out to lift Zidu's mask, but Zidu himself had already taken it off. Under the mask were mottled red scars, stretching from his forehead to his cheeks. It was truly terrifying. But this wasn't Xuanzhi's face. It was an ordinary face. Even if it hadn't been disfigured, this person would still be ordinary, not as handsome as Xuanzhi.
Shen Yuning wondered if there was some mistake. How could it be? He was clearly Xuanzhi. But this face clearly wasn't Xuanzhi's.
Zidu quickly put the mask back on and still spoke in a cold voice. "You've seen it. Am I your younger brother?"
Shen Yuning hadn't recovered yet and subconsciously shook her head.
Zidu let out a soft laugh, bowed, and said, "Since you've seen and confirmed, I hope you won't pester me anymore in the future. I really don't want others to see my appearance."
He turned around and left, leaving Shen Yuning standing there blankly under the tree.
The scorching sun shone down, blindingly bright. Yes, if it were Xuanzhi, how could he bear to let her be exposed to the sun like this? Was he really not Xuanzhi?
When Shen Yuning returned, she didn't even notice that a pretty figure flashed past behind a house. The woman's eyes were filled with envy.
The next day, Shen Yuning got up early and went to the shop to check the accounts. There were few people on the street in the early morning, and fewer people paid attention to her, so she could be more at ease. But before noon, when the number of people increased, she had to leave the shop.
However, she left earlier than usual today. Shen Yuning was bored and wondered if at this time, Weirui had sent Huzi to the Chen family or gone to the princess's mansion as a guest.
She told the coachman to turn and planned to detour to the Lady's mansion.
As soon as the carriage turned into the alley, it was blocked by the carriage in front. This alley was short and narrow, only suitable for one carriage to pass through. Shen Yuning's carriage had entered first, and there was a main street behind, where there were too many people to back up.
The coachman got off the carriage and wanted to talk to the coachman who refused to give way. Then he saw a charming young girl getting off that carriage.
The girl's voice was clear and sweet. "Lady Shen."
Over the years, Shen Yuning had gotten used to living alone. She felt restricted when accompanied by a maid, so she didn't bring one with her when she went out today. Now she felt a bit annoyed. Who would have thought she'd meet someone today? Could it be that those noble ladies with prominent family backgrounds deliberately blocked her carriage to teach her a lesson? It was a pity that if she had brought a maid, she could have put on airs.
She lifted the curtain and peeked out. She seemed to have some impression of this girl. That day at the princess's mansion, she had had her wrist grabbed by Zhu Bin, and Zidu had given her a bottle of medicine because of that. Later, she saw this girl standing not far away, glaring at her fiercely.
Zidu giving her medicine? Thinking of this, Shen Yuning's eyes dimmed a bit. If Zidu really wasn't Xuanzhi, why had he always paid attention to her before? Moreover, Zidu hadn't been as cold to her as he was yesterday.
It seemed that yesterday, Zidu had deliberately been cold to her.
Thinking like this, Shen Yuning was even surprised herself. Could it be that Zidu had come prepared yesterday? Did he deliberately act as if he didn't recognize her, which was why his words were so sharp?
But that didn't make sense either. One could fake one's attitude, but not one's face. People said it was hard to recognize a disfigured face, but she and Xuanzhi had been together every day before. Even if Xuanzhi had grown up and changed in appearance, he couldn't have changed that much. That face yesterday definitely wasn't Xuanzhi's.
Perhaps seeing Shen Yuning in a daze, the girl got a bit impatient and raised her voice to call again. "Lady Shen."
Only then did Shen Yuning come back to her senses. She sized up the girl from head to toe and asked, "Who are you? Why are you blocking my carriage?"
The girl clearly didn't expect that Shen Yuning didn't recognize her. For a moment, there was only shock on her face.
It was her maid beside her who was quick-witted. She looked at Shen Yuning indignantly and bowed disrespectfully. "Lady Shen, my young lady is also a Lady of a Township, just like you. She's the Lady Qiao personally enfeoffed by the emperor."
So she was Qiao Peilan from the Qiao family.
Actually, although both of them were Ladies of a Township, their ranks were different. Shen Yuning had been enfeoffed as a Lady of a Township by the emperor and given the title Rongchang, while Lady Qiao had no title. Although the title was just two words, having it or not made a huge difference.
But obviously, this Lady Qiao didn't think her rank was lower than Shen Yuning's. She just casually bowed in a flat salute. A smile appeared on her delicate and charming face. "Lady Shen is truly a noble person, looking down on others. I, such a humble person, can't even catch your eye."
Shen Yuning was impatient to listen to this sarcastic remark and didn't want to pay attention. She simply put down the curtain and said, "Sorry, I have something to do today. I'm afraid I can't chat with Lady Qiao. We'll get together another time when I'm free."
Lady Qiao usually met all kinds of noble ladies. No matter how much they disliked her as a merchant's daughter in their hearts, they would always give her some face because of her aunt who was a side concubine in the prince's mansion. But this Lady Shen today was also a merchant's daughter just like her. Why was she acting so high and mighty? Did she think that just because she had gone to the Xue family, she had completely gotten rid of her merchant background?
Shen Yuning wanted to leave, but Qiao Peilan just wouldn't let her.
Qiao Peilan took a few steps forward and walked to Shen Yuning's carriage. She said coldly, "Lady Shen, are you pursuing Young Master Zidu?"
Shen Yuning was shocked. She remembered Qiao Peilan's glare at the princess's villa last time and also remembered that when she separated from Zidu yesterday, she vaguely seemed to see a pink dress flash by. At that time, she thought she was seeing things. Now she knew it wasn't.
Seeing there was no movement in the carriage, Qiao Peilan continued, "Tsk, I didn't expect Lady Shen, who thinks so highly of herself, would also do such a thing as pestering a young man. No wonder there were rumors recently that Lady Shen used seductive means, causing several families that originally wanted to marry the second Miss Xue to reject the engagement and want to marry you instead."
Shen Yuning lifted the curtain and looked at her coldly. "Did you deliberately block my carriage today just to mock me like this?"
Qiao Peilan got a bit anxious. No matter what she said, this Lady Shen just wouldn't take the bait. She took a deep breath indignantly and glared at Shen Yuning fiercely. "You know you're a merchant's daughter and can't marry into a noble family, so you're trying every means to seduce Young Master Zidu on your own initiative, dreaming that he'll marry you? To be honest, aren't you just after the Zhu family's power? Otherwise, why would you be willing to marry a disfigured man?"
Shen Yuning tilted her head and looked at her. "If that's the case... are you also trying your best to marry Young Master Zidu just for the Zhu family's power?"
When she said this, Shen Yuning's tone was frivolous, especially when she emphasized the word "brother", which made Qiao Peilan even angrier.
Qiao Peilan let out a scolding and roared, "What are you talking nonsense about? Young Master Zidu and I... Young Master Zidu and I are in love. Don't talk nonsense. Do you think you can succeed with your schemes? I saw clearly yesterday that Young Master Zidu took off his mask to scare you just to reject you."
Shen Yuning nodded. "So you were peeping yesterday. So you like Young Master Zidu so much? In love? I heard that your Qiao family intends to form an alliance with the Zhu family, but the Zhu family has been delaying the decision. Why? Could it be that you're interested, but he isn't?"
Qiao Peilan tore at the silk handkerchief in her hand. Shen Yuning was right. She was just afraid that Young Master Zidu didn't like her. She had met Young Master Zidu a few times and found that he was a cold person. He even ignored a gentle and charming lady like her.
She herself didn't know why. At first, she just had to marry that disfigured young man for the sake of her family. But after a few encounters and being cold-shouldered several times, she had developed feelings for him. When she saw him, her heart would pound. Thinking of the folk rumors about his bravery and that he was the descendant of a goddess, she couldn't help but want to get closer to him.
He was hers. This so-called Lady Shen in front of her, who was seducing men everywhere, was simply a vixen. How could she be worthy of competing with her?