Madam Zhang hesitated for a moment before saying, “Miss Duan is quite the busy person these days. I’ll send an invitation and see if she’s available, but it’s not certain we’ll be able to meet her.”
“Thank you, Auntie,” Fu Jingshu replied with a smile.
Madam Zhang gently pinched her niece’s cheek. Such a well-behaved child—why has her fate been so unkind?
Fu Yan hesitated for a moment. “I’d like to meet her too.”
Madam Zhang: …
“That might not be possible. Miss Duan is already engaged.”
Everyone in the capital knew that Duan Wang, a man famously indifferent to women, had personally sought to marry Miss Duan.
Fu Yan turned to his younger sister. “Then could you deliver a letter for me?”
Fu Jingshu obediently nodded. “Alright.”
This time, Madam Zhang didn’t stop them. She turned to Fu Yan and said, “It’s time to start considering your marriage prospects. Counting on your parents… well, I’m afraid they might not get around to it. If you trust your aunt, I can help you make arrangements.”
Fu Yan, rarely feeling a bit awkward, replied, “Of course, I trust Aunt.”
Madam Zhang laughed heartily. “Good! Come on then, I’ll take you both for some good food. I had the kitchen prepare some pastries—your favorites.”
Fu Yan and Fu Jingshu followed alongside their aunt, their expressions noticeably more relaxed compared to how they appeared at the Marquis’ residence.
The next day, Mingxi received an invitation from Madam Zhang. However, it clashed with the appointment she had with Xiao Muchen.
Duan Wang, who had been absent for a few days, finally sent word after finishing his business, asking to meet her.
He had likely guessed that the recent turmoil at the Deqing Marquis’ residence was stirred up by her.
Mingxi hesitated, unsure if she should go.
But with the Zhang family’s invitation arriving, she immediately had an excuse and instructed Li Quan to decline Xiao Muchen’s invitation.
The following day, she arranged to meet at Yuxian Tower and left early, only to unexpectedly see Xiao Muchen waiting outside the Marquis Manor gates.
The curtain of his carriage was lifted, and a pair of pitch-black eyes looked straight at her.
Mingxi paused mid-step before changing direction to approach his carriage. “So early, Wangye. What brings you here?”
He had really gone to great lengths to block her.
“It’s so difficult for this prince to meet his fiancée that I had to come personally.”
Duan Mingxi feigned ignorance of his sarcasm but compliantly boarded his carriage.
After all, the Marquis Manor’s carriage wouldn’t dare contest Duan Wang over a passenger at this moment.
As the carriage began to roll, Duan Mingxi casually instructed the driver, “To Yuxian Tower.”
Xiao Muchen: …
Alright, very well.
She had stood him up and didn’t even feel guilty about it.
“The Crown Prince intends to interfere in the Deqing Marquis’ affairs,” Xiao Muchen remarked, looking at Duan Mingxi.
Duan Mingxi nodded. “Not surprising. The Crown Prince wants to protect Fu Hongxiao as his weapon, so he’ll definitely take action.”
“And you still want to get involved?”
Not afraid of capsizing the boat?
Duan Mingxi turned to Xiao Muchen. “Wangye, in this world, there are things you can do, things you can’t do, and things you must do, even if it costs your life. The matter of the Deqing Marquis’ residence is something that must be done.”
Xiao Muchen sighed lightly. “Just because Fu Hongxiao falsely accused me?”
Duan Mingxi: ?
Well, not exactly.
But since Xiao Muchen had misunderstood, Duan Mingxi didn’t bother to correct him. After all, there was some truth to it. Fu Hongxiao wasn’t only targeting Xiao Muchen—she was targeting Mingxi as well.
That, however, wasn’t the most important thing.
How Duan Wang thinks is what truly matters.
“Why is your temper so intense?”
You refuse to suffer even the slightest loss, and if you do, you have to turn the tables. If you can’t, you’ll flip the whole chessboard instead.
Duan Mingxi thought to herself that this was just her nature. In her previous life, she had endured silently for ten years, only to end up killing Gao Zhan with her own hands and setting the Gao family estate ablaze as her final act.
Why should honest people have to suffer?
She wasn’t an honest person and wouldn’t suffer losses anymore.
“Old habits die hard. This is just how I am. Wangye should be careful,” Duan Mingxi said with a smile.
Xiao Muchen, however, couldn’t bring himself to smile. The Duan Pingchang couple had treated her even better than their own child. By all accounts, she shouldn’t have this kind of personality.
Her whole being exuded a contradictory aura.
Only someone who had endured great hardships would be so exacting and vengeful.
Yet her life didn’t seem to have been marked by much suffering.
But since she wouldn’t say, Xiao Muchen didn’t press her. There was no rush—they had a lifetime together.
He could take his time uncovering her secrets.
The carriage soon stopped in front of Yuxian Tower. Mingxi got out, but Xiao Muchen didn’t.
Mingxi glanced at him suspiciously, as if asking, Aren’t you coming down?
Xiao Muchen smiled at her. “I only came to see you. I won’t intrude on your business. Go on inside.”
Duan Mingxi stared at the smile on his lips. How could someone like this exist?
He had waited outside all morning just to remind her about the Crown Prince’s interference—and to see her?
Truly, he had too much free time.
Yet, her heart was beating faster than usual.
That wasn’t normal.
Duan Mingxi furrowed her brows, turned, and walked inside. After a few steps, she stopped and looked back.
Xiao Muchen’s carriage hadn’t left. He was still leaning against the window, gazing in her direction. When she suddenly turned back, he looked a little surprised.
Mingxi’s eyes curved slightly in amusement before she turned back and strode into Yuxian Tower.
Xiao Muchen lowered his gaze, a faint smile playing on his lips, as the carriage slowly departed.
Inside Yuxian Tower, Fu Jingshu straightened up immediately at the sound of the door opening. She watched as a woman wearing a golden floral-patterned gown stepped in.
As she walked, the hem of her dress swayed lightly, creating ripples, with a faint silvery shimmer. Her tall, slender figure stood straight, her black hair adorned with only a simple jade hairpin, enhancing her unparalleled elegance.
Fu Jingshu smiled gently. “Are you Miss Duan?”
Duan Mingxi gave a slight nod. Her memory of Fu Jingshu was already vague. In her previous life, they had only met briefly once or twice and had no real interaction. Even her face wasn’t very clear in her mind.
Standing before her now was a gentle and graceful young woman, her features as serene as still water, with eyes that were utterly pure.
No wonder the Xu mother and daughter bullied her. Who wouldn’t feel tempted to take advantage of someone like this?
“Yes, that’s me. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting, Miss Fu.”
Fu Jingshu quickly replied, “I just arrived myself.”
Duan Mingxi took a seat. Looking at someone like Fu Jingshu, even her tone softened. “You wanted to see me—does this concern your father?”
Surprised by Mingxi’s straightforwardness, Fu Jingshu hesitated but then shook her head. “No, it doesn’t.”
Hearing this, Mingxi’s interest was piqued. If she had come to persuade her to back off, the conversation would have ended unpleasantly.
She clapped her hands, and someone quickly brought tea and pastries. Fu Jingshu seemed a little taken aback.
Mingxi smiled. “This teahouse is mine, so you don’t have to worry about anyone overhearing us, Miss Fu.”
Fu Jingshu was surprised. Yuxian Tower was a well-known establishment in the capital, and its reputation had surged in recent months. She hadn’t realized it belonged to Miss Duan.
Remembering that Miss Duan’s adoptive father was the wealthiest man in Jiangcheng, it made sense. She nodded lightly and said in a gentle voice, “If that’s the case, then I can speak freely. I came today to discuss matters regarding Fu Hongxiao.”
“Fu Hongxiao?” Mingxi extended her long, fair hand to pour tea for Fu Jingshu. The more she looked at Fu Jingshu’s serene and graceful demeanor, the more she liked her.
Once, Mingxi had aspired to be someone like her. Unfortunately, she lacked the innate qualities for it.
She could put on the guise of a sheep, but at her core, she was still a wolf.
