She felt that being willing to agree to the meeting had already given the Lai family and Lai Chenglong enough face, yet in the end Lai Chenglong only told her one sentence, that he already had someone he liked.
This was no different from slapping her across the face.
She directed all her anger at the Zhou Wangfei.
The Zhou Wangfei stood there with an ugly expression, and for a moment anger also surged within her.
When Madam Lai and the Eldest Princess arrived, she looked at them with a livid face.
The Eldest Princess first looked at Zeng Wenxiu. Seeing that Zeng Wenxiu’s face was still somewhat pale, she said, “If there’s anything to discuss, let’s go outside.”
Zhou Wangfei snorted coldly and, suppressing her anger, pulled Commandery Princess Luochuan.
But Commandery Princess Luochuan shook off her hand, closed her eyes, and said, “I’m going to find Xianing.”
Commandery Princess Xianning had always had an excellent relationship with Commandery Princess Luochuan. The two had played together since childhood and talked about everything.
Hearing that she was going to find Commandery Princess Xianning, Zhou Wangfei also breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly agreed, “Mother will come find you shortly.”
There was no need to stay at this plum appreciation banquet anyway.
She knew her daughter’s temper.
Commandery Princess Luochuan lifted her skirt and ran off, completely ignoring Zhou Wangfei’s words.
The anger in Zhou Wangfei grew even stronger. With a stern face, she looked at Madam Lai. “What exactly do you mean by this?”
Madam Lai lowered her posture very much and apologetically explained, “Please forgive me, Wangfei. I truly did not know beforehand that that brat already had someone he liked…”
She herself had not expected that when she mentioned it to Lai Chenglong, he would resist so strongly.
That boy happened to be capable himself and also had the confidence to make his own decisions.
Other families’ marriages might all be arranged by parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words, but if that approach were used on Lai Chenglong, it would simply be wishful thinking.
Madam Lai had no other choice.
But for Zhou Wangfei, this matter could not be brushed aside with a single explanation that he already had someone he liked.
She sneered angrily. “Parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words! I’ve never heard that when parents make the decision, the child can still defy them!”
In the end, wasn’t it just that the Lai family lacked sincerity?
The Eldest Princess took a sip of tea and coughed lightly. “Actually, it’s also a misunderstanding. Perhaps…”
She wanted to say that there were still many noble sons in the capital.
And as for those better than Tian Baoci, one could easily find them.
If Lai Chenglong wouldn’t do, then find someone else. There was no need to make things so unpleasant.
Besides, Lai Chenglong had already refused. Yet from Zhou Wangfei’s tone, she seemed not to care about his refusal.
Although marriage was an alliance between two families, both sides still needed to find each other acceptable.
If things were already like this from the beginning, it would not be a good marriage.
She did not understand why Zhou Wangfei was so persistent.
Madam Lai remained emotionally steady. “It is indeed a misunderstanding. It is our family’s fault, and also my fault. I apologize to the Wangfei.”
Zhou Wangfei frowned, her right eyelid twitching heavily. “Madam Lai is far too indulgent toward her child!”
On the other side, Commandery Princess Luochuan went angrily to find Commandery Princess Xianning.
Commandery Princess Xianning had originally been watching the girls paint plum blossom paintings.
At such a plum appreciation banquet, everyone gathered together mainly to play with poetry or painting.
They had to find something to pass the time.
Those who were not particularly skilled or interested naturally went to play in the garden. Commandery Princess Xianning was good at painting, so she had stayed in the awning hall.
Seeing Commandery Princess Luochuan’s appearance at this moment, she was immediately surprised and hurriedly pulled her into the awning hall. “What happened to you?”
Weren’t you going to meet him?
She also saw Lai Chenglong often, handsome and elegant, with strong martial skills. Even if all the capital’s group of playboy youths were tied together, they wouldn’t match a single finger of his.
So why had Commandery Princess Luochuan come back like this?
Commandery Princess Luochuan was so angry her teeth were almost grinding. “He’s simply going too far!”
Cheers came from inside the awning hall, likely the winner had just been judged. Commandery Princess Xianning frowned at Commandery Princess Luochuan’s expression and quickly pulled her along the corridor at the side, walking all the way to beneath a banyan tree before hurriedly asking, “Slow down and tell me, what exactly happened?”
Commandery Princess Luochuan did not speak.
Her gaze stared straight ahead, her expression gradually filling with gloom.
Commandery Princess Xianning felt something was wrong. Following her line of sight, she saw that beneath the swing frame ahead, several people were talking.
One of them wore a black outer robe embroidered fully with peonies, standing with her back to them.
But Commandery Princess Xianning recognized the person at a glance.
Qi Yuan.
And facing Qi Yuan, smiling gently with his head lowered, wasn’t it Lai Chenglong?
She turned back in surprise to look at Commandery Princess Luochuan.
Then she heard Commandery Princess Luochuan grind her teeth and sneer, “Adulterer and adulteress! Shameless woman!”
So that was it.
What “already having someone he liked”, so that person was Qi Yuan!
Lai Chenglong must be blind to take a fancy to someone like Qi Yuan!
She was furious to the extreme, staring darkly at the people ahead, wishing she could swallow them alive.
Commandery Princess Xianning tugged at her and asked in a low voice, “What exactly is going on?”
Commandery Princess Luochuan’s anger twisted even her expression. “What’s going on? That adulterous pair played me for a fool! Lai Chenglong just told me that he already has someone he likes!”
Now it was obvious who that person was.
It could have been anyone.
But it just had to be Qi Yuan!
This was simply slapping her once and then slapping her again!
Her former fiancé had died because of Qi Yuan.
And now the man chosen for this meeting also liked Qi Yuan!
Why?!
What right did this woman have?!
Was heaven blind?!
At this moment, Qi Yuan still didn’t know she had already become a thorn in someone else’s eyes. She looked at Lai Chenglong somewhat surprised. After helping Wang Chan down from the swing, she asked, “Lord Lai, how did you find this place?”
Lai Chenglong pressed his lips together. In truth, he had many things he wanted to say and many things he wanted to ask.
From the first day Qi Yuan returned, he had wanted to find her.
But the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been extremely busy recently, so it had been delayed.
If one wants to meet someone, there is always opportunity and time.
He remained silent for a moment, ultimately swallowing all those words, only smiling at Qi Yuan. “I heard you also came, so I came to the garden to try my luck.”
Wang Chan looked curiously at Lai Chenglong, then at Qi Yuan, and couldn’t help widening her eyes.
Qi Yuan nodded. “I didn’t expect Lord Lai would also attend this kind of banquet.”
Lai Chenglong immediately coughed.
Commandery Princess Luochuan clenched her fists tightly, almost wanting to rush forward and slap Qi Yuan hard across the face.
Acting different all day long, yet in truth just a fickle shameless woman!
Commandery Princess Xianning hurriedly pulled her. “Don’t act recklessly. If it turns into a scene, you’ll lose face too.”
As she spoke, she dragged Commandery Princess Luochuan away and couldn’t help letting out a deep sigh.
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