The maid led the two of them to the back garden and then took her leave.
Only then did Cui Yunfeng speak, "Eldest Sister, what do you think of the Chen family?"
"We haven't interacted much, how can I make a judgment?"
As they spoke, the two walked up to a pavilion. Beside the pavilion was a small lake. Sunlight spilled over the water, shimmering and sparkling, as colorful koi fish swam back and forth, swishing their tails.
"That's true." Cui Yunfeng picked up a pastry from the table, broke off a small piece, and tossed it into the lake, immediately attracting quite a few fish to fight over it. "But judging by the Chen family's attitude today, they must be very satisfied with the marriage. They are wary of the Cui family, so they won't dare to make things difficult for you with strict rules in the future."
Cui Yunchu smiled and gave a faint response, her gaze falling on a few young ladies not far away who were catching butterflies with round fans.
They laughed openly and freely.
A little maid walked over lightly, curtsied, and said, "Second Miss Cui, my young lady invites you over to play cards together."
Cui Yunfeng recognized the maid.
Cui Yunchu followed the direction of the maid's finger and looked at the young lady she mentioned. It was the very same girl from the banquet at the Eldest Princess's estate, the one in the pale yellow dress who had avoided her like the plague.
Meeting Cui Yunchu's gaze, the girl immediately lowered her head.
"Go ahead. I'm a bit tired and just happen to want to sit alone for a while."
Cui Yunfeng was indeed bored, so she went along with the girl.
Cui Yunchu leaned against the bench, turning her head to watch the koi swimming back and forth in the lake.
The sound of laughter and chatter filled her ears, but not a single young lady came over to where she was sitting.
After sitting for quite a while, Cui Yunchu stood up, feeling a bit restless, and called for Xing'er, planning to take a stroll.
The Chen family's garden wasn't large. Cui Yunchu walked along a secluded path and soon left the back garden.
Heading west, she came upon a quiet artificial rockery with flowing water.
Cui Yunchu originally wanted to sit by the rockery, but as she stepped onto the bluestone path, she suddenly stopped in her tracks, caught in a dilemma of whether to advance or retreat.
Beside the rockery, a girl in a pale pink dress was tugging at a man in a raven-blue brocade robe, crying with tear-blurred eyes.
"Brother Zilan, do you really not want Tian'er anymore? We grew up together, and you clearly promised to marry me when we grew up."
The man seemed very helpless. "How can you take childhood words so seriously? Miss Jiang, my family is already arranging a marriage for me. Please stop pestering me."
The man forcefully shook off the girl's hand and turned around, only to freeze as if he had been cast with an immobilizing spell.
Cui Yunchu paused mid-step as she was backing away: Oh no, I've been spotted.
She felt a bit awkward.
Seeing her, the girl quickly looked up at her dazed and distracted sweetheart, acting as if the sky had fallen.
How unlucky to run into Cui Yunchu.
"Brother Zilan, wake up! Don't be bewitched by her, she is not a good person."
"..." There was really no need to say that right to her face. "Miss, your brother isn't asleep."
Being spoken of like that, Cui Yunchu naturally wasn't going to just take it.
The girl's face paled, and she glared fiercely at Cui Yunchu.
"..." It was like putting a deity's statue in a mouse hole—utterly baffling.
The man called Brother Zilan finally snapped back to reality, though the unconcealed astonishment and admiration remained in his eyes. He bowed to Cui Yunchu, "Miss, please forgive my lack of manners."
You certainly were lacking in manners.
But that girl Tian'er was still glaring at her. Displeased, Cui Yunchu, who had planned to leave, decided to stay put and just stood there watching.
No matter how thick-skinned she was, the girl couldn't continue pestering him in front of Cui Yunchu. With a flick of her sleeves, she left indignantly.
The man called Zilan glanced at Cui Yunchu, immediately lowered his head, and hurried away with a blushing face. His steps were so hasty that he almost tripped.
Cui Yunchu calmly withdrew her gaze, not taking this little interlude to heart.
However, she never expected that she wasn't the only one watching the show. A man in a brocade robe strolled leisurely out from the rockery and passed by her, as if he hadn't seen her, or perhaps as if he didn't even consider her a person.
The man had a tall and straight posture, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. A translucent white jade pendant at his waist swayed gently with his movements, exuding an outstanding temperament.
Cui Yunchu's gaze locked onto the white jade at his waist. It was like a bolt from the blue; her head spun, and her vision went dark.
That heart-wrenching agony suddenly swept through her entire body, and the icy gleam of a blade seemed to close in on her once again.
Thud. Her legs gave out, and she uncontrollably collapsed to the ground, her brain briefly short-circuiting.
Shen Xiabai, why was he here?
The man finally stopped and seemed to turn back to look at her.
Cui Yunchu immediately lowered her head, her heart pounding like thunder.
However, the man's gaze was too sharp and intimidating, making it impossible to hide from or ignore.
After a long moment, slow and deliberate footsteps actually headed toward her.
A pair of short boots embroidered with magnolia flowers in gold thread stopped in front of her.
He was going to draw his sword. He was going to run her through.
"Miss~"
Finding strength from nowhere, Cui Yunchu suddenly sprang up, shoved Shen Xiabai aside, turned around, and sprinted away wildly.
Shen Xiabai remained in a half-bent posture. A trace of bafflement colored his aloof and indifferent features, though it didn't diminish his handsome elegance in the slightest.
Xing'er, "..."
She glanced at Shen Xiabai, then turned to look at the spot where her young lady had vanished without a trace, feeling utterly bewildered.
"Tell your young lady that what happened today concerns the reputation of two families. I hope she will keep quiet about it."
Shen Xiabai's voice was like a pool of spring water, clean and clear, yet carrying an icy crispness.
"Yes," Xing'er curtsied and went off to chase after Cui Yunchu.
Shen Xiabai stood in place for a moment before heading in the same direction that the man named Zilan had just left.
