Several days later, in a residence on Azure Parting Street.
Nurse Sun directed two servants to transplant a pomegranate tree from the corner of the east wall to an empty spot in the west flower bed, right next to the gladioluses.
Unfortunately, they accidentally knocked over a nearby large-bellied porcelain vase during the process, and shards of blue-and-white porcelain scattered across the ground.
Nurse Sun sighed heartbrokenly for a long time but could only instruct the servants to buy a replacement at the Capital Suburbs market when they had time.
The sky was clear and bright, without a cloud in sight.
Kites occasionally drifted past outside the courtyard walls, accompanied by the sounds of children chasing and playing.
In the room, a beautiful woman was pinned against the desk, her neck arched back, cheeks flushed red, and her enchanting eyes brimming with starry teardrops.
After enduring the torment for a long while, she seemed to hear light footsteps approaching. She struggled to regain a shred of sanity and hurriedly pushed away the youth buried in her chest, blushing as she adjusted her little jacket.
She had really lost her head.
Perhaps because she had gotten used to him nibbling on her lately, she hadn’t resisted at all and just let him fool around.
Xie Shuo watched her sit on the desk with some annoyance, biting her lip as she lowered her head to straighten her skirt hem. Two strands of black hair had fallen beside her ears.
It only made her little face look even more powdered and glossy, radiantly seductive and soft.
He stepped forward and helped her tie it up.
At the end, however, his slender fingers pressed through the thin silk onto that full snowy mound, hooking the apricot-red jacket. It was unclear whether he wanted to untie it or kindly help her fix it properly.
Xin Yi glanced at the youth’s handsome cheeks and his excessively red thin lips.
A belated surge of shame hit her, but she didn’t show it. Instead, she irritably slapped away his wandering hand. “Aren’t you done yet!”
The youth curved his dark eyes and smiled at her.
Xin Yi was caught off guard and momentarily stunned, her heart pounding wildly from the flirtation. But in the end, she chose to ignore his seduction, propping herself up with her arms to get down from the desk.
The rice paper she had been practicing calligraphy on was all wrinkled now.
She was about to gather them up and throw them away when Xiang Lan knocked and entered. Seeing the rice paper in Xin Yi’s hands, she asked puzzledly, “Miss, is this what you ruined today?”
Miss seemed to have very high standards for her handwriting. Over the past two or three days, she had discarded quite a bit of practice paper.
Originally, Miss had said she wanted to transcribe some auspicious phrases and poems related to housewarming celebrations to post on the door lintels.
But now…
Xiang Lan looked at her, confusion in her eyes: If she kept throwing them away like this, when would she ever finish transcribing them?
Xin Yi’s face was also uncomfortably flushed. She pretended to clear her throat but eventually nodded. “Yes, these can’t be used either. Just throw them all away.”
As she spoke, she secretly swore in her heart that she absolutely wouldn’t let Xie Shuo succeed next time.
Xiang Lan set down the clear tea she had brought and took the stack of wasted thick rice paper from Miss, planning to give it to Nurse Sun later.
Nurse Sun was handy; she had collected all the previously wasted rice paper and woven it into little baskets. They were not only pretty but also useful for holding lightweight odds and ends.
At that thought, more things inevitably came to mind.
For example, this residence on Azure Parting Street.
She knew Miss had saved some silver, but she hadn’t realized Miss was this wealthy.
When they left the general’s manor, she had thought they would end up begging on the streets with Miss. She never expected Miss to have already scouted out a place—and such a bright and grand one at that.
Not to mention anything else, compared to where they used to live, it was like heaven and earth.
She increasingly felt that Miss was right: In this world, women needed money—lots of it—to secure their footing.
Xin Yi noticed the little maid’s suddenly adoring gaze but had no idea what she was thinking.
Fortunately, Xiang Lan didn’t press further about the rice paper, so Xin Yi inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief. She casually assigned her a task and sent her out.
She ignored the youth’s burning gaze behind her and sat down on the chair by the desk by herself, pouring herself a cup of fragrant tea.
Then she asked the system, her tone full of doubt and distrust. “That medicine you mentioned—does it really work? You’re not teaming up with your main system mall to scam me out of points, are you?”
A few days earlier, she had specially invited the most renowned divine physician in Prosperous Capital to diagnose Xie Shuo’s muteness. At the same time, she spent twenty thousand points to exchange with the system for the so-called miracle cure.
She had poured the entire tube of colorless, tasteless potion into the prepared decoction and watched the youth drink it down.
According to the system, it should have taken effect the next day.
But now it was the fourth day, and Xie Shuo still showed no sign of being able to speak. Xin Yi had no choice but to console herself that everyone’s constitution was different and continued watching him drink the medicine every day.
The system, upon hearing this, responded in an aggrieved, hopping-mad tone. “One can be killed but not humiliated! Host, don’t slander me! Besides, the main system lord is always impartial and incorruptible—absolutely not the type to do such a thing!”
Xin Yi felt it wasn’t lying, so she grew even more puzzled. “Could it be that the medicine expired?”
Otherwise, why had there been no effect at all after the youth drank it.
Damn it.
She had been generous for once, and those twenty thousand points were wasted.
The system couldn’t explain it either. It had bound other hosts before and gone through other instance small worlds.
But medicines and golden fingers exchanged from the mall had never failed before—this was its first Waterloo. Could headquarters really have cut costs by stuffing it with expired goods?
After lunch, Xin Yi simply redid her hair and makeup.
It was all Xie Shuo’s fault; if he hadn’t messed up her bun that morning, she wouldn’t have had to fix it again.
Fortunately, Xiang Lan was skilled at this and quickly helped her re-pin her full head of dark hair.
Just as she was about to stand up from the bronze mirror, the youth pressed forward to block her. Amid her especially vigilant enchanting eyes, he untied the two red cords with silver bells from the end of his own hair, reached out, and wrapped them into her dangling locks.
Xin Yi: “…”
She remembered teasing him a long time ago and asking for them once; back then, he had been extremely reluctant. What did this mean now?
But since it wasn’t a big deal, she let him dress her up.
Before heading out, Xin Yi reminded him once more. “Once we’re outside, no touching in front of people. I only just divorced that Xiao fellow—I don’t want our relationship known all over the Capital City.”
Xie Shuo was visibly stunned and downcast but eventually nodded hesitantly and reluctantly.
Only then did Xin Yi relax and step out of the courtyard gate first, with Xiang Lan.
The youth behind her wore smoky purple Miao Frontier attire, his figure tall and straight, skin fair, eyes dark. He familiarly boarded the same carriage as them.
The weather was fine that day, with a cool breeze.
They first went to a street-side tavern to buy osmanthus wine, then to Five Blessings Hall and the Silk Shop. After buying everything they needed, they finally arrived in front of Treasure Pavilion.
The carriage stopped, and Xiang Lan helped Xin Yi down.
After steadying herself and smoothing her skirt, she turned to instruct the youth in the carriage. “Go to the rouge shop and pick up two boxes of rouge for me. The shopkeeper said they’d be ready today—if not, wait a bit longer, then come back to pick me up.”
The carriage curtain fell, and the sound of hooves resumed.
Once the carriage’s shadow faded into the distance, Xin Yi finally breathed a little easier and ascended the bluestone steps with Xiang Lan.
Xiang Lan asked her, “Miss, do you really have to meet that buyer? What if he’s a lecherous old pervert with bad intentions? Maybe… maybe we should just forget it…”
Miss had deliberately sent Xie Shuo away, leaving only her by her side, just to meet the mysterious buyer.
But the other party was clearly extraordinarily wealthy—not an ordinary person. If he really was a lecherous old man who tried to get handsy, wouldn’t they be walking into a trap?
Xin Yi reassured her calmly. “Don’t worry. I have some rapport with Treasure Pavilion’s shopkeeper, and A Shuo left his Bamboo Leaf Green with me before leaving.”
With that, she lifted her wide embroidered sleeve, revealing the little green snake coiled obediently around her wrist. Its color was vibrant, clearly highly venomous.
Previously, when the offer was five hundred taels, Xin Yi could still treat money like dirt and refuse.
But this time, with the price upped to five thousand taels, refusing would be unreasonable—after all, you couldn’t pick a fight with money.
Xiang Lan was slightly startled by Bamboo Leaf Green and couldn’t help retreating two steps. But after the initial fear, she quickly felt reassured.
If it came to a fight, it would be three against one—they weren’t guaranteed to lose.
Inside Treasure Pavilion, a waiter was waiting specifically for them.
Seeing the graceful woman with a curtained hat appear, he hurried forward respectfully and led them to a private room.
At the door, Xin Yi finally removed her curtained hat.
She pushed the door open and first saw two tall, burly guards. Then, rounding the screen, she spotted… a woman? Lazily sitting at the desk, pouring her own wine, propping her cheek with one hand.
A stunning young woman of peerless elegance.
The other woman looked up and saw her, clearly stunned as well.
After scrutinizing her for a long time, she asked uncertainly and surprised, “You’re that ‘Tian Lingling’?”
Tian Lingling.
—The signature Xin Yi used on every one of her paintings.
At this point, Xin Yi finally confirmed that the splendidly robed woman before her was the lavish buyer who had purchased several of her paintings.
So she nodded. “That’s right, I’m Tian Lingling.”
Two quarters of an hour later, the initially awkward silence was swept away by lively chatter.
Xin Yi never imagined she would hit it off so well with this splendidly dressed woman, feeling like old friends at first sight.
Even more unexpectedly, the mysterious buyer who had shelled out a fortune for several of her paintings turned out to be the Eldest Princess Zhaohua, the emperor’s most favored daughter.
The most common rumor about Princess Zhaohua in the Capital City was that she had beaten three prince consorts and kept countless male favorites and pretty faces, living an utterly free and indulgent life.
Xin Yi forcibly suppressed her envious heart.
On the surface, she remained composed, but privately, she quietly questioned the system. “Why didn’t you set me up with a persona like that?”
The system replied coolly with a helpless sigh. “Maybe because there’s a villain around, you’re fated not to enjoy the blessings of a harem.”
“Setting aside everything else, with Xie Shuo’s sinister and obsessive personality, do you think your male favorites would survive if you kept any?”
Xin Yi: “…”
Meanwhile, Zhaohua continued chatting animatedly, her gaze lingering on that clear, gorgeous face. “I never expected the most renowned painter in Prosperous Capital lately to be a woman.”
She added, “To be honest, This Princess originally wanted to meet this ‘Tian Lingling’ just to see what he looked like. If he was handsome, I’d add another new favorite to the estate. Didn’t expect it to be such an interesting beauty instead.”
She burst out laughing.
Xiang Lan was terrified to hear the Eldest Princess say she wanted to keep her Miss as a face.
She thought to herself: Good thing Xie Shuo didn’t hear that, or who knows how jealous he’d get—he even got jealous of a little maid like her.
By the time they finished talking and emerged from Treasure Pavilion, night had already fallen.
The youth stood by the carriage with his arms crossed and eyes downcast. When he looked up and saw Xin Yi, he revealed a gentle, obedient smile.
Xin Yi walked up and secretly hooked his fingers with hers teasingly.
One, two.
Until their ten fingers were intimately intertwined.
They didn’t head straight back but strolled the streets instead.
By coincidence, there was some kind of lantern festival that night—perhaps related to the Moon Worship Festival—with many stalls selling flower lanterns along the way.
Of course, there were also playful children, kindly elders with affectionate smiles, and talented men and beauties meeting to pour out their heartfelt confessions.
Walking the streets, one could smell the fresh aroma of osmanthus cakes and chestnut cakes straight from the oven, stirring the appetite.
Xin Yi walked ahead, with the youth following closely at her side. He had clear brows and bright eyes, a stunning appearance.
The youth wore smoky purple foreign attire.
Not only did his black hair have intricate silver ornaments, but his robes and waist were adorned with many more, jingling as he walked. Yet his expression carried a cold aloofness, making him especially eye-catching. Thus, many passersby glanced at him along the way.
Xin Yi regretted not preparing a curtained hat for him before they left.
But that odd thought only lasted two seconds before vanishing, nearly making her laugh at herself.
The lantern festival that night was very lively, with plenty of strolling pedestrians.
Xin Yi wanted to try many of the snacks she saw, so after some thought, she instructed Xiang Lan and Xie Shuo to split up and buy them. She herself queued up at the sugar painting stall.
She waited a long time before it was her turn and chose a rabbit pattern.
Not far away, the sound of pipa strings drifted from a painted pleasure boat. The tones were seductive and lingering, so enchanting that even the night breeze brushing her hair carried a touch of poetic charm.
She held the sugar painting she had just obtained and couldn’t help lowering her gaze with a smile, savoring it happily for a moment.
Unfortunately, just as she turned around, the boisterous crowd bumped into her. Her body tilted uncontrollably to the side. Fortunately, a pair of strong arms reached out to steady her, preventing her from falling in an undignified heap.
But amid her stumbling retreat, she accidentally knocked the flower lantern from the other’s hand and crushed the fallen rabbit lantern into pulp underfoot.
As the crowd dispersed, she finally steadied herself.
Xin Yi looked up. What met her eyes was the corner of a vermilion robe. Looking higher, she saw the handsome face of a young nobleman.
Lanterns glowed together, illuminating the beauty’s radiant features.
After their gazes collided, he seemed momentarily stunned.
But Xin Yi paid it no mind. After thanking him, she lowered her head to examine the mangled rabbit lantern she had stepped on.
She frowned her delicate brows and said sincerely, “How about I compensate you with some silver so you can buy another one, young master?”
Only then did Xi Lingyi recover his senses. He shook his head with a slight blush, his voice clear and bright. “No need, miss. There’s no harm done.”
But then he heard the woman before him speak in a somewhat vexed tone. “That won’t do. If I don’t compensate you, won’t I owe you a favor? If I can repay it, that’s fine, but if I can’t…”
She wore a dress of watery blue gauze, light as mist, her hair swept into a dark cloud chignon. Her features were beautiful.
The night breeze stirred the hanging tassels on the glazed flower lanterns, accentuating the woman’s slender figure below. Her charming autumnal eyes were as clear as if cut from water, her face flushed pink as peach blossoms.
Xi Lingyi met her eyes and felt a sudden dizziness, as if his heartbeat had quickened sharply.
He had no idea what was wrong with him—his whole body felt strangely off. He could only repeat stiffly, “Really, there’s no need.”
Seeing his insistence, Xin Yi didn’t press the matter.
Instead, she offered him the untouched sugar painting from her hand. Her red lips curved slightly, her smile warm and full. “Since you don’t want silver, young master, this girl will use this rabbit sugar painting to make up for your lantern.”
The night breeze picked up, rustling the willow branches along the lake.
Once the slender, graceful figure of the woman had walked far away, the young servant boy at Xi Lingyi’s side couldn’t help asking in confusion, “Didn’t you dislike sweets, sir? Why did you accept it?”
Xi Lingyi said nothing. He simply stared down at the sugar painting in his hand.
After a long while, he replied off-topic, “Let’s head back. The wind off the lake is strong—it’s making me dizzy.”