Watching Mu Wan walk through the small door at the back of the main building and head upstairs, Mu Rou exhaled deeply and began walking back with Lianqiao. “Let’s go back and deal with this later.”
Following behind, Mu Rou couldn’t help but notice how every passerby seemed to be drawn to Mu Wan. Their eyes filled with amazement, admiration, and appreciation—things every young woman dreamed of…
The murmurs she overheard were invariably full of astonishment.
“Which family’s daughter is she?”
“When did the capital gain such a beauty?”
“Is she engaged yet?”
“A girl like that must have countless suitors.”
After her initial panic subsided, Mu Rou gradually calmed down. At this point, it finally dawned on her why Mu Wan had shown up. “Today’s gathering at Qingfeng Pavilion is filled with noble personage, and almost all the prominent young ladies in the capital are here. She must be eager to make a stunning debut in such a setting to dispel the rumors about her being plain-looking. Even if she doesn’t win the glass cup, she’ll still be the center of attention…”
Lianqiao, realizing this as well, added, “After tonight, everyone will probably be talking about her looks. And with this spectacle, the news will surely reach Marquis Zhenbei. No wonder she came here knowing Third Miss Wu and her group were looking for her! It turns out she wanted to catch the Marquis’s attention.”
Mu Rou sneered. “My dear sister must be overly confident in herself if she thinks Marquis Zhenbei is like ordinary men, easily swayed by beauty.” Not to mention that Miss Xu’s beauty is no less than Mu Wan’s—even in the previous life, when the stunning Princess Loulan offered herself in marriage to Xie Heng, he didn’t even spare her a glance.
“She doesn’t realize that if she has such beauty but still fails to win her husband’s favor, it will only make her humiliation worse.” With this thought, Mu Rou felt much better. Her gaze landed on the private room where Wu Zhixuan and her group were, and a gentle smile spread across her face. Since her elder sister wanted to make a grand debut, she would help her. She wondered how it would feel to be humiliated under everyone’s watchful eyes…
“Eldest Sister, wait for me!” Mu Rou suddenly called out and hurried after Mu Wan.
Mu Wan was already the center of attention, and Mu Rou’s voice immediately gave everyone an excuse to look openly, creating a noticeable commotion. Even those in Wu Zhixuan’s private room peeked out.
Mu Wan sighed as she watched Mu Rou approach. “It seems Second Sister doesn’t want to listen to advice.”
Mu Rou’s lips curled into a smug smile, but her tone was full of concern. “You’re overthinking, Eldest Sister. I just wanted to remind you that Third Miss Wu and her group have been looking for you. You should be careful.” As she said this, a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.
Following Mu Rou’s gaze, Mu Wan turned around to see Wu Zhixuan stepping out of her private room, her eyes already locked onto her.
Mu Wan smiled as well. “Using someone else as a knife… Second Sister, you must think you’re quite clever.”
Mu Rou replied, “Not at all. I’m just worried you’re being too overconfident and courting trouble, Eldest Sister.” Her tone was modest, but her eyes gleamed with schadenfreude.
“Is that so?” Mu Wan smiled faintly and waved toward Wu Zhixuan. “Xuanniang!”
Mu Rou froze, thinking Mu Wan had gone mad. But then she saw Wu Zhixuan respond warmly, “A’Wan, come back quickly. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Mu Wan replied, “Just a moment, I’ll be right there.”
Voices from the private room followed, filled with familiarity. “Is that A’Wan? You’re finally back!”
“What were you doing? Why were you so slow?”
Though the words sounded like complaints, the tone was affectionate. The completely opposite scenario from what Mu Rou had imagined made it hard for her to maintain her composure. “You! What exactly did you do?”
Mu Wan tilted her head with a playful smile. “Take a guess.”
Mu Rou bit her lip hard to keep herself from losing composure. Suddenly, Mu Wan leaned in close to her ear and chuckled softly, “Your expression is too ugly, Second Sister. You should fix it quickly before your dear Liulang sees it. Since you’re not smart, at least stay pretty.”
Startled, Mu Rou turned around and followed Mu Wan’s gaze, only to see Li Yichen standing at the staircase with an ice bowl in his hands. He was staring—not at her, but at Mu Wan!
A wave of panic surged through her. Forgetting about Mu Wan, she hurried toward him. “Liulang.”
Li Yichen, still gazing after Mu Wan’s retreating figure, subconsciously asked, “Who was that?” His tone was dazed.
Mu Rou’s heart tightened, but she forced a smile. “What? Does Liulang also think she’s beautiful?”
Li Yichen came back to his senses, tapping her nose lightly. “How could that be? In my eyes, you’re the most beautiful person in the world.”
He secretly shook his head, scolding himself for the momentary lapse. For a fleeting moment, he’d inexplicably thought that girl resembled the one who had once stolen his heart when he first saw her in Shangliu…
But that was impossible; because he had found the girl.
With that thought, Li Yichen gently took Mu Rou’s hand and led her back to the private room. “Beauty lies in one’s character, not outward appearance. Your kindness, your courage to save the lives of common people, and your talents—those are the most beautiful things in this world.” He looked down at Mu Rou with a tender smile. “I still remember the first time I saw you. It was also on a night like this. I was bringing medicinal herbs to help the epidemic-stricken villagers in Fei Village, and I saw you leaning close to a little girl, whispering something to her. The little girl’s eyes lit up like stars afterward. But at that moment, all I could see was how radiant you were, like the spring blossoms, incomparable.”
“Really?” Mu Rou lowered her eyes with a strained smile. “I’m not as wonderful as you say.”
Lost in his memories, Li Yichen didn’t notice her unease. “Of course you are. To me, you’re the best.”
But Mu Rou didn’t want to listen anymore. Thankfully, they had returned to the private room. “Where’s my ice bowl?” She pouted playfully.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Li Yichen quickly placed the ice bowl in front of her. “This place adds a special fruit syrup. Try it.”
He couldn’t help but ask again, “By the way, who was that girl earlier? What did she say to you?”
Mu Rou subconsciously tightened her grip on the spoon, forcing a playful smile. “I’m not telling you.”
Li Yichen chuckled indulgently. Though curious, he didn’t press further.
Even so, Mu Rou still couldn’t feel at ease. Mu Wan held grudges well and always enjoyed stealing her spotlight. She would undoubtedly target her later. What kind of sorcery did Mu Wan use to win over Wu Zhixuan and her group?!
Even worse, she vividly remembered how Li Yichen looked at Mu Wan just now. With such beauty, had Li Yichen’s respect for Mu Wan in the previous life truly stemmed solely from his duty to his wife?
No, no, no. Mu Rou quickly dismissed the thought. Even in her previous life, though Li Yichen had married Mu Wan, he never ceased longing for her. Even after the emperor’s death and her subsequent exile to the imperial mausoleum, Li Yichen had personally arranged for her to be retrieved and settled in a secluded residence. Though he never visited her due to her status as a former consort of the late emperor, he ensured she lacked nothing in food, clothing, or other necessities. She had lived out her later years in solitude but in comfort, eventually passing away peacefully.
Mu Wan, on the other hand, had long been bedridden with illness. Her mother had mentioned that after Li Yichen became the Senior Grand Secretary, his household was entirely managed by his concubine. It was clear that Mu Wan’s glory was only superficial; she lacked her husband’s affection and ultimately died in desolation.
With this realization, Mu Rou let out a sigh of relief. Right, she should not let Mu Wan’s antics cloud her judgment, let alone cause her to lose focus. What did it matter if Mu Wan was beautiful or if she had befriended Wu Zhixuan? Respect was granted to women cherished by their husbands, not to those admired by their female friends. Even if Mu Wan rallied all the society’s young ladies against her, as long as Li Yichen stood by her side, the one left humiliated would still be Mu Wan.
Mu Wan might believe that her beauty and social charm could draw Marquis Zhenbei’s attention, but on a day like this, unless Xie Heng himself appeared, all her efforts would amount to nothing—the more she acted flamboyantly, the more she would be humiliated.
Li Yichen saw Mu Rou’s narrowed eyes and couldn’t help but smile, “So delicious?”
Mu Rou set down her spoon, nodded, and smiled. “Not just that, it also reminded me of something happy.”
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next >
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.
Thanks for the long awaited update.
I truly wonder where Mu Rou comes up with all her conclusions. Mu Wan never tried to steal the limelight. If anything, she avoids it. And I wonder what really happened in the previous timeline.