Li Shiyan’s frankness actually made Zhu Yao feel less heartbroken. Although everything was as she had expected, she wasn’t surprised by this answer. It was just that the instant she heard it personally from Li Shiyan’s mouth, her heart felt several more thorns pierce it. She didn’t dare move carelessly or breathe heavily, as if the moment she moved or breathed, those thorns would firmly embed themselves in the depths of her heart.

She knew that would definitely hurt!

It would hurt so much she’d wish she were dead.

Li Shiyan didn’t want to deceive her, so he told her everything in his heart, hoping she could understand, and even comprehend.

“Miss Zhu, I cannot deceive you. I said that as long as you ask, I will definitely tell you everything I know. I know that Miss Ji doesn’t have feelings for me in her heart, but I also don’t know what’s wrong with me—I just can’t let her go. Perhaps this feeling is the same as yours, but I won’t disturb her, nor will I force her. Right now I only want to see her once—just seeing her once would be enough. As for the rest, I don’t care about anything anymore. And as long as she’s happy, I’ll silently bless her. So… I hope you can do the same.”

He was finding different ways to tell Zhu Yao that liking someone isn’t about forcing them, but about silently blessing them.

This point, Zhu Yao naturally understood.

She said, “Yes, you’re right. What good can come from things obtained by force? When both parties are unwilling, two people suffer.”

“It’s best that you understand.”

“Then let me ask you a second question.” Zhu Yao looked at him, took a deep breath, and said, “Can we still be friends?”

Hm?

Li Shiyan seemed stunned for a moment. He hadn’t expected Zhu Yao to ask such a question. For a long while he couldn’t recover, just staring blankly at Zhu Yao’s sincere eyes.

Zhu Yao smiled gently and said, “Actually, before coming I had already thought it through. It’s just that my heart still had some unwillingness—I had to hear you tell me personally before I could give up. Now I know, and I can understand. I promise I won’t pester you anymore. When I return, I’ll tell my father to dissolve the engagement between you and me. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”

When she said these four words “we owe each other nothing,” there was no trace of resentment in them. She had truly let go, and the smile on her face was no longer so sorrowful.

Li Shiyan felt that the young lady before him had truly grown up!

“Miss Zhu, I really thank you.”

“Then can we be friends?” Zhu Yao asked again.

The knot in Li Shiyan’s heart instantly untangled. He said, “Of course we can. As long as you’re willing, I, Li Shiyan, will treat you as a sister for life. If anyone dares bully you, I’ll help you take revenge.”

He patted his chest.

Zhu Yao smiled with pursed lips, looking very lovely. The pallor on her face seemed to gradually fade, and her complexion improved considerably. She said, “Good, then it’s settled.”

“Naturally!”

This time, Zhu Yao had truly let go. She couldn’t demand that Li Shiyan also become a caged bird just because she was one herself—that would make her too selfish. This kind of love and marriage was not what she wanted to possess. Perhaps Li Shiyan was right—she deserved someone who loved her more, rather than clinging to a love that didn’t belong to her, suffering to the point of wanting to die. That kind of life wasn’t what she wanted. So now, she would make her own choice for once and fly out of the cage.

Let everything take its natural course.

The knot between the two of them was untangled at this moment. Regardless of their futures, at least in this moment, they were honest with each other.

Outside, Cai’er kept looking inside from time to time. She worried that when her young miss faced the heir, she would become sad and distressed again. If the heir said something harsh, her miss probably couldn’t bear it. If something really happened, what would they do? At that time, she’d have no way to answer to the master and mistress. Even if she had dozens of lives, it wouldn’t be enough to be punished. Thinking of this, she became even more nervous and couldn’t help but look into the hall a few more times. However, she saw her young miss’s lips curved upward in a smile, and the pallor on her face had diminished considerably—completely different from when she had entered.

Therefore, Cai’er felt relieved.

Although she didn’t know what her young miss had actually said to the heir, as long as the miss was safe and sound, her anxious heart could continue to rest in her belly.

When she withdrew her gaze from inside, she saw a group of people heading toward the back courtyard from the entrance hall. Several young masters appeared to be from wealthy households, and each exuded a scholarly and refined air. Presumably, they should be guests invited by the estate.

Those guests followed the estate’s servant to the back courtyard and met Su Ziluo.

“Mister Su.” The several young masters cupped their hands in greeting.

Su Ziluo sat in the pavilion in the courtyard and invited them to sit down, asking, “Why have you come?”

These young masters were poets and literati with some renown in the city. Su Ziluo had always valued such scholars, so he frequently associated with them. Over time, these people no longer needed to announce themselves when coming to the Su estate.

One of the men in blue robes brought out a scroll of paintings he had brought this time, presented it before Su Ziluo, and said, “Mister Su, I obtained a fine painting these past few days. I found it very pleasing, so I thought to bring it to you for your expert appraisal. If you like it, this painting is yours.”

Su Ziluo looked at the painting scroll presented before him. He hesitated for a long time without accepting it, saying, “How could I take what you treasure?”

“Mister Su, you’re being too polite. A fine painting should naturally match someone who appreciates paintings. Among us all, only you, Mister Su, understand paintings best. If you think this painting is good, I’ll present it to you. Moreover, you’ve usually been generous in sharing fine writing implements with us. Now it’s just one painting—I hope you won’t be so courteous, otherwise in the future, I won’t feel comfortable accepting your things anymore.” The man in blue robes spoke quite reasonably.

It was truly difficult for Su Ziluo to refuse, so he could only take the painting scroll and open it to look. This was a landscape painting with exquisite craftsmanship and deep, rich colors. Every stroke was perfectly executed, bringing out the spiritual essence of the mountains and waters so vividly that when one looked at it, it was as if one was truly present amid those cloud-wrapped mountains and waters…

“It truly is a fine painting. I wonder whose hand created it!” Su Ziluo asked.

The man in blue robes said, “A person called Wang Wei. He painted several more, but I only obtained this one. Since even Mister Su says this painting is good, then it must truly be good. When I return, I’ll have someone search for the remaining paintings and send them all to your estate together. Mister Su, you absolutely must not refuse.”

Su Ziluo knew that if he didn’t accept, they definitely wouldn’t give up. Thinking this, he nodded, slowly rolled up the painting, and said, “Alright, I’ll accept it then.”

A man in blue robes sitting nearby suddenly said, “Aiya, I ate too much this morning and feel a bit uncomfortable. I’ll step away for a moment and be right back.”

This person stood up, cupped his hands, and went to relieve himself.

Su Ziluo’s eyes dimmed imperceptibly. He acted as if he knew nothing and continued discussing poetry and literature with the other people.

After the man in blue robes left, he didn’t go to the latrine to relieve himself. Instead, taking advantage of when no one was paying attention, he slipped into the side rooms in the back courtyard. After searching around inside, it seemed the estate had no extra people. After coming out, he grabbed a young maid and asked, “By the way, has the estate had any distinguished guests recently?”

The young maid shook her head. “No!”

“Truly none? Think carefully.”

The young maid still shook her head. “Master Liu, the estate truly has no guests. If we’re talking about guests, the heir came today, and Miss Zhu from the Zhu estate also came. They’re in the hall right now. Other than that, it’s just you, Master Liu, and the other young masters.”

Her expression was sincere, not like she was lying.

The man in blue robes stopped inquiring further to avoid arousing suspicion. He smiled and said, “Thank you.”

The maid bobbed in a curtsy and left.

The man in blue robes, seeing that the estate probably truly had no other guests, returned to the pavilion from before. Su Ziluo and the other people were still discussing the paintings by that Wang Wei person, talking quite enthusiastically, so no one paid attention to the man in blue robes.

They continued chatting and drank several more cups of tea before ending. Su Ziluo accepted the painting and had someone see them off. After a while, a servant from the estate returned and whispered something in Su Ziluo’s ear.

Su Ziluo made an acknowledging sound, his eyes suddenly tightening, and instructed, “From now on, if they come to the estate again, turn them away directly. Don’t let them enter anymore.”

“Yes!”

Immediately after, Su Ziluo picked up that painting and handed it to the servant. “Return this painting, and select several other calligraphy pieces and paintings to send along with it.”

“This subordinate understands.” The servant held the painting and hurried off to handle the matter.