Chapter 126: Third Lady, You… (1)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
As the name suggested, Literary Virtue Bridge and Heavenly Water Bridge were both by the riverside in the capital. The difference was that one was upstream and the other was downstream. They were not close.
Ye Jingtang led the horse and walked quickly through the bustling streets and quiet side streets. After walking for half an hour, they returned to the alley of the Pei residence from the back streets of Heavenly Water Bridge.
Pei Xiangjun was sitting on the horse. Because there were pedestrians on the roadside and she was a distance away from Ye Jingtang, it wasn’t appropriate for them to chat about family matters. She had been thinking about disorderly things.
When the horse stopped outside the double door with the signboard with the word ‘Pei’ on it, Pei Xiangjun jumped off the horse and straightened her dress. “Jingtang, come in and sit. 1 have something to tell you.”
“Uh…” Ye Jingtang felt that his chest and abdomen were a little hot. For some reason, he kept recalling the impact of Dumdum’s meatbail attack, Heroine Luo’s shyness when she was enduring humiliation, Third Lady’s bare shoulder when she was looking back…
Hearing Third Lady’s voice, Ye Jingtang came back to his senses and turned to look. “What’s the matter? Why don’t we talk here?”
Pei Xiangjun was about to enter the residence when she stopped in her tracks and revealed a jealous gaze. “Eager to go back and accompany Miss Ning’er?”
Yep. Ye Jingtang didn’t know why, but he really wanted to hug Heroine Luo and chat. But when he saw Third Lady’s resentful expression, he immediately suppressed his thoughts and walked up the steps. “It’s already night. If we go in, there might be people listening. Let’s chat here.”
Pei Xiangjun thought about it and didn’t insist. She folded her hands at her waist and looked at the alley in the distance, silently formulating her words.
Standing next to Third Lady, Ye Jingtang couldn’t help glancing at the full curve behind her waist…
He recalled the feeling of holding it inadvertently before…
Under the illumination of dim yellow lanterns, the full moon behind her waist was as round as the moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival…
Ye Jingtang raised his hand…
Smack!
There was a crisp sound.
Pei Xiangjun was deep in thought when she heard the sound of a slap behind her. She looked back blankly. “What’s wrong?”
Ye Jingtang rubbed his face with his hands. His eyes were a little terrified as he pretended to be cold and looked around. “Uhh… It’s summer. There are mosquitoes.”
“Why are you slapping yourself in the face when there are mosquitoes? Seriously…” Pei Xiangjun looked around the door and didn’t notice any buzzing sounds. Suddenly, she noticed Ye Jingtang beside her. He turned around and looked at the couplet beside the door with bright eyes.
??
Pei Xiangjun followed his gaze, slightly confused. “Jingtang, what are you looking at?”
1 don’t know either! Ye Jingtang didn’t dare to look at the beautiful lady beside him, who could draw eyes with every three steps. He stared at the couplet thoughtfully. “This handwriting is really extraordinary. It looks like it was written by a famous calligrapher…”
“I bought it for a few coins on the streets. What famous calligrapher?”
“Is that so… This beam looks a little old…”
Pei Xiangjun looked at Ye Jingtang looking around and was a little puzzled. She shook her head and said, “Let’s get down to business. 1 told your aunt today that you met a heroine from the Pacifying Heaven Cult when you went out this time and that you really like her…”
“What did Aunt say?” Ye Jingtang felt restless and flustered all over, so he sat down on the threshold. As a result, his eyes happened to be right in front of the roundness behind Third Lady’s waist.
?!
Ye Jingtang wanted to stand up, but he discovered that his sword was drawn, so he could no longer stand up…
Pei Xiangjun didn’t notice Ye Jingtang’s abnormality. She gently stroked her skirt and sat down beside him on the threshold. She propped her elbows on her knees and supported her chin. She looked at the swaying yellow lanterns under the eaves with a hint of helplessness between her brows. “Your aunt said that our Pei family has treated you poorly. Since you have someone you love, we can’t force you to stay, but the Pei family can’t do without you. So she asked me to quickly find someone in the pavilion and promise her to you. Sigh… There are only a few girls in the Azure Dragon Hall who are waiting to be married. Tell me, who do you like?”
At this point, Pei Xiangjun stole a glance at Ye Jingtang, wanting to figure out his intentions. But instead, she found him staring at her lips intently…
?!
Pei Xiangjun’s almond-shaped eyes widened a little. She panicked and sat up straight. “I am your… Don’t let your thoughts wander.”
Ye Jingtang wiped his face and fidgeted. “No, no. Third Lady, how could I possibly want to do something with you in order to prove that I won’t abandon the Pei family… This is unfair to you.”
Pei Xiangjun blinked and hesitated for a moment before saying, “But your aunt’s meaning is for me to… let me keep you. What do you think 1 should do?” “Third Lady, you should decide your marriage yourself. I… I can do it…” “You can do it?!” Pei Xiangjun’s eyes widened in shock.
“No, no, 1 mean…” Ye Jingtang felt a little light-headed. He kept saying whatever was on his mind.
He suppressed his distracting thoughts and organized his thoughts. “Yes… Everyone loves beauty. I’ve helped you, and you treat me very meticulously. There must be more than just ‘chivalry’ in my heart… But I still hope that you can consider these things from your own perspective and not only think about external reasons such as the Red Flower Pavilion. Imagine if there was no Red Flower Pavilion, Aunt wasn’t urging you, and you were just an ordinary girl, would you be so anxious and think about wronging yourself to keep me in the Pei family?”
These words finally hit the nail on the head.
Pei Xiangjun hadn’t known Ye Jingtang for long. She had a good impression of him, but because he didn’t live in the Pei residence, she hadn’t had many opportunities to interact with him. They had only stayed together for a period of time when they were on the ship.
Ye Jingtang’s incomparable excellence indeed made her want to keep him by her side all the time, but her original intention was to help the Red Flower Pavilion and the Pei family. She couldn’t tell at all if she really had any romantic feelings for him..