The sudden question caught Lu Hong completely off guard — his face flushed red in an instant.
Knowing full well that Ling Xiao could not see him, Lu Hong still guiltily averted his eyes and gave a rather unnatural cough. “Xiao, my cousin — why do you suddenly bring this up?”
Ling Xiao’s hearing was sharp. He turned his face toward Lu Hong, following the sound of his voice. “I ask because I have my reasons. Cousin Hong, you need only answer me. Do you like A’Shu?”
Like her!
Of course he liked her!
He had fallen for her at first sight. She had bewitched him utterly, leaving him tossing and turning without rest. Every day he racked his brain for ways to catch even one more glimpse of her. On the rare occasions they exchanged a word or two, his heart would bloom with joy, and his mood would stay bright for the entire day.
Ling Xiao waited with considerable patience. After a long moment, Lu Hong finally summoned his courage and gave a nod. Then, remembering that Ling Xiao could not see it, he added a soft sound of assent.
Ling Xiao was not surprised in the least.
His eyes could not see, but he still had keen hearing. Every time A’Shu’s name came up, Lu Hong’s voice would carry an excitement that he could not quite conceal. Even when A’Shu remained cold and indifferent during their encounters, Lu Hong would still be quietly elated.
If that was not liking someone, what was?
“Today is Grandmother’s birthday celebration, and the residence is full of guests. A’Shu must attend to them, so if you go to the garden now, even if you see her, there will be no chance for a proper conversation.” Ling Xiao lowered his voice with a smile. “Wait until after the midday banquet, when the opera troupe begins to perform. I will quietly call A’Shu to the Qiushui Pavilion. You come alone too, without alerting anyone else. Whatever you have to say — say it to A’Shu then!”
Lu Hong was both astonished and delighted. “Is that true? Cousin Xiao — you are not tricking me, are you?!” He had long been searching for an opportunity to speak with her privately, but had never found one. He had not expected Ling Xiao to bring this up of his own accord today.
This was nothing short of a gift dropped from the heavens.
Ling Xiao smiled and nodded.
Lu Hong seized Ling Xiao’s hand, so overcome with excitement that his words came out in a rush. “Cousin Xiao, thank you. You really are too good to me.”
Ling Xiao grinned openly, yet inwardly he thought to himself: what I’m doing isn’t entirely for your sake.
A’Shu had been carrying a heavy burden on her mind lately, and he did not know whether it was because of Lu Hong or not. Rather than letting this vague and unresolved tension drag on, it was better to let the two of them face each other and have things out clearly. If A’Shu also harbored feelings for Lu Hong, that would be cause for everyone to rejoice.
And if the flower longed to bloom but the stream flowed on regardless… it would at least let Lu Hong give up sooner.
---
A tall opera stage had been erected in the Ling residence, and the most renowned opera troupe in Dingzhou had been specially invited to perform.
Many tables and chairs were arranged alongside the stage. The male guests and the female relatives sat on separate sides, watching the performance while chatting softly among themselves — it was a lively and cheerful scene.
Ling Jingshu and Ling Jingyan sat together, and the two whispered something to each other before exchanging a smile.
“Cousin Jingshu is really something,” Ling Jingxian said, the sourness in her voice impossible to conceal. “In just a few short days, she has become this close with Cousin Jingyan. Anyone who didn’t know better might think the two of them were blood sisters!”
She and Ling Jingyan had gotten off to an awkward start, and even though she had since wished to grow closer, she could not yet bring herself to take that step. Watching Ling Jingshu and Ling Jingyan grow so warmly familiar with each other, she felt a vague and inexplicable sense of resentment stirring inside her.
Ling Jingwan gave a small smile. “Cousin Jingyan rarely comes back to Dingzhou to stay, and she will likely return to the capital very soon. No matter how close Cousin Jingshu is with her, it’s not as though she can follow her to the capital. What is there for you to be bothered about?”
That was a fair point.
Ling Jingxian’s irritation settled considerably. She picked up a pastry and put it in her mouth, then turned her attention to the performance.
Spending every day confined to the inner quarters of the household, with almost no opportunities to go out and make social calls, and seeing the same few faces day in and day out — the only activities being reading, embroidery, playing the zither, or painting. Today, with an opera troupe performing, everyone was watching with rapt enthusiasm.
On the stage at that moment, a fair-featured and handsome martial arts player stood tall with his head held high, long blade in hand, every inch of him radiating an imposing aura. Alongside him, another player in the role of a comical fool ran about and turned somersaults, drawing wave after wave of cheers and cries of admiration.
Ling Jingshu was by nature fond of quiet and had little interest in watching opera. She chatted idly with Ling Jingyan, contributing to the conversation only half-heartedly.
The maid Jingyu quietly came over and spoke in a low voice. “Ninth Young Miss, the young master finds the opera too loud and noisy and does not wish to stay here. He is asking you to accompany him back to Qiushui Pavilion.”
Ling Jingshu had no reason to doubt this and immediately agreed with a smile.
---
Ling Jingshu stepped cheerfully into Qiushui Pavilion and called out: “A’Xiao.”
But Ling Xiao was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an unexpectedly handsome face came into view — brows and eyes carrying a gentle smile, warm as the spring breeze. “Cousin Jingshu.”
It was Lu Hong!
The warmth in Ling Jingshu’s expression vanished in an instant, and her voice turned cold. “Why are you here? Where is A’Xiao?” Had he perhaps followed Ling Xiao here?
Lu Hong hesitated briefly, then told the truth. “It was Cousin Xiao who specifically asked me to wait for you here.”
Ling Jingshu: “…”
What exactly was Ling Xiao trying to do?!
Ling Jingshu furrowed her brow. A not particularly pleasant suspicion swept through her mind. “Why did A’Xiao ask you to come and see me?”
Her revulsion and cold indifference fell upon Lu Hong like a pail of icy water, extinguishing most of his elation and excitement. The smile on his face stiffened slightly. “Cousin Xiao meant well — he wanted the two of us to have a moment alone together, to have a proper conversation…”
“There is no need for that!”
Ling Jingshu said coldly. “Men and women must observe proper boundaries, and one must always be mindful of appearances. Besides, the two of us are barely acquainted — I don’t feel there is anything we need to say to each other. Please leave.”
Lu Hong could no longer manage a smile. Words that had been buried deep in his heart burst out of him: “Cousin Jingshu, what have I done wrong? Why do you dislike me so much? Why have you never once given me so much as a kind look?”
Why?
Ling Jingshu pulled the corners of her mouth into a thin line, not a trace of warmth in her eyes. Without looking back, she gave an instruction. “Bai Yu, go stand guard at the gate. Do not allow anyone to enter.”
Today the residence had an opera troupe performing, and all the maids and older female servants had gone to watch the excitement. At this moment, Qiushui Pavilion was entirely empty of people. Bai Yu carefully shut the door and took up her post outside the courtyard gate.
Lu Hong stood beneath the covered walkway. Ling Jingshu stood in the courtyard. The two of them faced each other from a distance of roughly three meters.
The private moment he had longed for had suddenly become reality. Yet Lu Hong felt his heart sway and sink.