“What are you thinking about?” Yu Xinyi leaned forward, bringing her back to the present.
Yu Lingxi regained her senses, placed the precious white jade purple-haired brush on the brush rest, blinked, and smiled: “I’m wondering when Brother Cen will become my brother-in-law.”
“You’re asking for a beating!”
Yu Xinyi pinched her sister’s cheek and snorted coldly, “That bookworm’s heart and eyes are full of you. I don’t want him! Take him, take him!”
…
Beijing was bitterly cold that year, with a heavy snowfall at year’s end.
On New Year’s Eve, the Yu manor was brilliantly lit with lanterns, bright as day. The warm glow of lanterns cast upon the snowy courtyard made everything extraordinarily lively.
New Year’s Eve required ancestral worship, followed by staying up all night and drinking tusu wine.
Yu Huanchen brought a large stack of New Year greeting cards from the steward, smiling: “This year’s cards are twice as many as last year, with quite a few from sons of noble families in the capital, clearly showing intent for marriage proposals. Sui Sui, don’t you want to look through them?”
Yu Lingxi never imagined that by helping the Yu family avoid the Northern Expedition disaster, she wouldn’t escape the wave of marriage proposals for her coming-of-age at fifteen.
She added two spoonfuls of pepper powder to her tusu wine, saying indifferently: “I’m not interested.”
General Yu spoke from the head seat, coaxing: “It’s customary for a young woman to discuss marriage when she comes of age. Be good and take a look.”
Yu Huanchen chimed in teasingly: “Father, perhaps little sister already has someone in mind!”
Yu Lingxi also smiled, her curved eyes sparkling with firelight, “Father, Mother, ‘elder brother not yet married, how can younger sister wed first?’ Better to wait until Brother marries the Su family daughter before discussing my affairs.”
“My daughter speaks wisely.”
General Yu’s attention was successfully diverted, and he immediately darkened his expression, glaring at his son with tiger eyes, “We’ll visit the Su family after the New Year and settle your marriage soon.”
Yu Huanchen instantly looked like a frost-beaten eggplant, casting a resentful glance at his youngest sister as he backed down.
Yu Xinyi gloated, giving her sister a thumbs up.
While everyone was preoccupied with Yu Huanchen’s marriage, Yu Lingxi slipped out to get some fresh air.
Having drunk quite a bit of wine that night, her cheeks were flushed. Seeking coolness, she walked slowly along the covered gallery, letting the cold night wind carrying ice and snow dispel the heat from her body.
Not knowing how far she had walked, the lights grew sparse, and the blue-black snow on the eaves cast arcs of indigo light in the night.
Yu Lingxi heard the hushed sound of snow being swept and stopped to look. In the dim distance ahead, a thin, tall figure wielded a broom, lonely sweeping the accumulated snow in the rear courtyard.
It was New Year’s Eve, and all servants and attendants had changed into new clothes and gathered in the front courtyard, waiting for midnight to receive their New Year’s money, leaving the rear courtyard unattended.
Except for this snow sweeper.
Yu Lingxi felt kindly toward him and touched the small money pouch she carried, saying to Hutao who held the lantern: “Still sweeping snow during the New Year festivities—quite the diligent one. Go invite him to come receive a reward.”
Hutao responded with an “Aye,” raised the lantern, and called out: “You there, sweeping snow! The young miss calls for you!”
The sweeping figure paused and turned around.
Yu Lingxi froze, nearly blurting out “Ning Yin” instinctively.
Realizing that her current self shouldn’t recognize him, she forcibly swallowed the name on the tip of her tongue and asked instead: “Your injury is healed? What are you doing here?”
Then she looked at Hutao: “Is someone bullying him, forcing him to work?”
Hutao shook her head, equally confused.
“I chose to do this myself.”
Ning Yin stood tall in a dark blue martial robe as if what he held was not a broom but a sword that could determine life and death.
He lowered his eyes, yet without any hint of timidity, saying softly: “The snow makes paths slippery. I feared the young miss might fall.”
This path was indeed the one Yu Lingxi must take to return to her quarters.
Paved with bluestone, it became especially slippery when frozen over with snow.
Yu Lingxi stared at the bluestone path covered with a thin layer of ice, speechless for a long while.
Ning Yin misunderstood her meaning, set the broom against the wall, and slowly approached.
The shadows gradually receded from his form, and the warm light from the octagonal gauze lanterns of the corridor illuminated his youthfully handsome face.
Under Yu Lingxi’s puzzled gaze, he took a servant’s posture, lifting his robe to half-kneel, then interlaced his fingers with palms up, placing his hands as a cushion on the frozen bluestone.
“What are you doing?” Yu Lingxi asked.
Ning Yin raised his head, his eyes reflecting her bright crimson dress, and calmly said: “The stone path is slippery. Please walk on my palms, young miss.”
He spoke with such tranquility, his pitch-black eyes showing not a trace of humiliation or shame as if this was his natural duty.
Yu Lingxi felt a surge of indignation from somewhere, frowning: “I believe I’ve told you not to bring the degrading and oppressive ways of the Yujie Xiandu to my household.”
Ning Yin realized she was angry, glanced at her, then quickly lowered his gaze.
His fingers, cushioning the bluestone, gradually curled, the knuckles already red from the cold. With his head bowed and half-kneeling, he looked forlorn and pitiful.
Yu Lingxi sighed resignedly and softened her tone: “Enough, get up. Don’t do this again.”
Ning Yin obeyed and stood to the side.
His eyelashes held fine frost, fragile and beautiful. Who knew how long he had been sweeping in the bitter cold?
He was a “guest” temporarily staying at the manor to recuperate, and naturally, no one would think to include him in the festive New Year’s reward ceremony.