Gao Chang, with a face full of smiles, said to Chen Xuan Qing, “…There’s a lake this way. You can go there to get some fresh air and sober up!” He led him along the stone path.

The Ji family was among the wealthiest in Tongzhou, and the west wing courtyard was particularly exquisite. A crescent-shaped lake with weeping willows touching the water and winding pavilions flanked by many lotus flowers. Although the weather was gradually growing colder, there were still a few gaunt lotus pods standing alone in the lake, possessing their unique charm.

Chen Xuan Qing stood on the pavilion, gazing at a locust tree in the distance. It seemed to be extending from the east wing courtyard. The End of Heat had already passed, and most of the locust leaves had fallen, revealing the dark branches. His father often told him that scholarship wasn’t particularly difficult; what was difficult was experiencing the ways of the world. He advised him not to be proud of his learning, but to know how to be modest.

He hadn’t understood before—these things came easily to him, and there was nothing worth being arrogant about. But now, he was gradually beginning to understand his father’s meaning.

Just like these withered lotus pods, they possessed a profound artistic conception that couldn’t be compared to when the lake was full of blooming lotuses.

Jin Chao and Qing Pu were also walking along the lakeside pavilion toward the east wing courtyard. Jin Chao was telling Qing Pu how to make osmanthus cakes, “…Heat and mix fish glue powder with powdered sugar, add osmanthus flowers and wolfberries. If you like, you can also add hawthorn…” She was halfway through her explanation, and Qing Pu was listening with great interest when Jin Chao noticed someone standing on the lakeside pavilion. The lake’s surface was vast and misty, and the person was wearing a blue fine cotton straight robe. His silhouette was slender and tall, his black hair tied with a sandalwood hairpin, giving him an otherworldly appearance, as if he might drift away with the wind.

Jin Chao immediately recognized him as Chen Xuan Qing. When she had liked him before, she thought he was too thin and fragile as a young man, looking pitiable, and had even sent him a large box of tonics—another foolish act. But for a woman immersed in love, how could she know what was foolish and what wasn’t?

There was only one path along the lakeside pavilion. If she continued forward, she would inevitably encounter Chen Xuan Qing. If she turned back, it would be even more obvious. With her open-minded attitude, why should she care about such things? Having made up her mind, Jin Chao walked straight ahead.

Qing Pu looked at Chen Xuan Qing with some nervousness in her heart. The young miss had previously been so fond of Chen Xuan Qing, which she found quite inappropriate. She wondered if the young miss still harbored such feelings… Seeing the young miss walking forward without hesitation, Qing Pu became somewhat anxious and whispered, “Miss… let’s go back. It wouldn’t be proper to encounter Young Master Chen like this…”

Looking at Qing Pu, Jin Chao knew what she was thinking. She smiled, pressing her lips together, “It’s just passing through, nothing more.”

Standing beside Chen Xuan Qing, the sharp-eyed Gao Chang immediately spotted Gu Jin Chao walking toward them and quickly bowed, “Cousin Miss is here too!”

Chen Xuan Qing had already turned around at the sound of footsteps, but when he saw it was Gu Jin Chao, his brow furrowed again.

It was no wonder he was suspicious. When Gu Jin Chao had liked him before, what hadn’t she done? She had even followed him from a flower gathering to the Imperial Academy. Fortunately, no one else had seen, otherwise, had he ruined Gu Jin Chao’s reputation, wouldn’t he have to marry her… Could it be that she had followed him out here too? Otherwise, she should have been eating in the east side room—how could she have randomly come here…

Thinking of this, Chen Xuan Qing felt a chill in his heart. To have him marry Gu Jin Chao… he would rather be cut down by a sword!

He said softly, “Step back a bit. I need to say a few words to Cousin Miss.” He was speaking to Gao Chang.

He needed to clarify things and end Gu Jin Chao’s feelings. Her liking him in this way… he absolutely could not bear it!

Gao Chang was bewildered, wondering what Chen Xuan Qing meant. But since Qing Pu was also present, the two wouldn’t be considered alone. So he followed Chen Xuan Qing’s instructions and retreated to a distance to watch.

Jin Chao looked up at him, “What does Young Master Chen wish to say?”

Chen Xuan Qing sighed and said coolly, “Miss Gu, the boundary between men and women is as weighty as a mountain. Please don’t do this in the future. Also, don’t write to me or send me things. I’ve been engaged since childhood and cannot possibly like you.” He spoke very tactfully, considering Jin Chao’s face.

Raised with proper education, he understood that a gentleman should be humble. But Gu Jin Chao had truly driven him to his wits’ end, otherwise he wouldn’t have been so discourteous to a woman.

Recalling how Gu Jin Chao had last sent someone to deliver a letter to him, even asking if he had read “Tales of the Lamplight,” Chen Xuan Qing felt even more vexed. Though his scholarly essays might not be the best, he was still the top scholar in the Northern Metropolitan area, from a proper literary family. How could she sully him with vulgar market novels like “Tales of the Lamplight”!

Writing letters? Gu Jin Chao didn’t even remember this. Only after Chen Xuan Qing mentioned it did she have some recollection. Thinking carefully, she couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

In the past, she would secretly have someone deliver letters to Chen Xuan Qing each month, mostly about trivial matters from her maiden chambers. Even then, she felt embarrassed, and her expressions of admiration were very subtle.

Jin Chao also smiled, “What does Young Master Chen mean? What should I not do in the future?” As for writing letters or sending gifts, she certainly hadn’t done that for a long time. She didn’t know what Chen Xuan Qing was imagining to speak to her this way.

Chen Xuan Qing’s expression stiffened. How could she be so oblivious?

His voice grew colder, “Could it be that you followed me out here… otherwise, you should be inside. I’m willing to overlook what you’ve done before, but Miss Gu should maintain her dignity. If a young lady isn’t reserved, no one will like her…”

So he misunderstood that she had followed him out!

Hearing this, Jin Chao felt both angry and amused. She was thinking about how to tactfully express that she no longer had those feelings when she heard Gao Chang call out from a distance, “Third Young Master, Young Master An, greetings!” His voice was particularly loud, clearly meant as a warning.

Jin Chao turned to look and saw Ji Yun and An Song Huai walking toward them, chatting and laughing.

An Song Huai saw Gu Jin Chao turn to look, and his heart beat faster. He coughed once, trying to stand as straight as possible, and made an effort to adopt his most gentle and courteous manner when speaking with Ji Yun. Earlier, when he had urged Ji Yun to come out, they had passed by the east side room, and he had peeked through the latticed window but didn’t see Gu Jin Chao. Feeling dejected and disappointed, he had even lost interest in taking a walk with Ji Yun.

…Unexpectedly, Miss Gu was here!

Ji Yun, seeing Gu Jin Chao, smiled and asked her, “Cousin, didn’t you return to Qi Dong Pan? How are you still here and even meeting with Young Master Chen…”

Jin Chao smiled and said, “I’m in mourning and couldn’t join the banquet, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to pick some osmanthus flowers to make osmanthus honey.” She opened the handkerchief in her hand, revealing a cluster of pale yellow osmanthus flowers.

Chen Xuan Qing’s heart skipped a beat. She said she was in mourning.

She couldn’t attend the banquet because she was in mourning?

Chen Xuan Qing had just noticed a small piece of hemp cloth on her chest. Gu Jin Chao dressed so plainly that this hemp cloth wasn’t obvious. He hadn’t noticed it at all. This meant that Gu Jin Chao hadn’t attended the banquet because she was in mourning, and after coming out, she had been picking osmanthus flowers. She hadn’t been following him at all, yet he had been so conceited, telling her not to follow him anymore…

Chen Xuan Qing pressed his lips together, feeling the effects of the alcohol returning, his face growing warm.

An Song Huai smiled and said, “I never expected Miss Gu to know how to make osmanthus honey. May I have the fortune to taste it?”

Hearing An Song Huai’s words, Ji Yun jabbed him sharply in the side. What kind of talk was that? Though usually casual, he had never been so discourteous—truly bewitched by beauty.

Jin Chao was slightly startled, wondering what An Song Huai meant… She looked up and saw An Song Huai with a face full of smiles, and she calmly replied, “…Of course.”

An Song Huai was very pleased, “Then… I’ll trouble Miss Gu. Perhaps I could come to the Ji residence again when you’ve made it…”

He looked at Gu Jin Chao but found her smiling silently. An Song Huai hesitated, his mind thundering. He was truly light-headed—what was he saying? He was already engaged; how could he risk damaging a young lady’s reputation…

“I was only joking. Please don’t take it to heart, Miss,” An Song Huai stammered.

Gu Jin Chao smiled, “Of course not. I have matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.” She curtseyed before departing. She didn’t wish to see more of Chen Xuan Qing, and An Song Huai’s excessive enthusiasm made her quite uncomfortable—she had no desire to stay.

An Song Huai watched Gu Jin Chao’s departing figure with a sense of loss. Ji Yun coldly said, “Let me tell you! My cousin is cherished by my grandmother. Don’t continue like this! Otherwise, my grandmother won’t let you off.” Moreover, he felt that his grandmother seemed to intend for his cousin to marry his second brother, so he needed to look after his future sister-in-law, lest someone else set their sights on her!

An Song Huai knew he was in the wrong and said nothing.

Chen Xuan Qing looked at An Song Huai, unsure of what he was feeling. Should he say that Gu Jin Chao wasn’t worth liking, or should he say that Gu Jin Chao liked him? But what had just happened was indeed his fault, going too far…

When Gu Jin Chao left just now, she hadn’t even glanced at him. When she saw him this time, she didn’t show any unusual behavior… to the extent that he now wondered if she no longer liked him.

Chen Xuan Qing thought for a moment and quietly asked Ji Yun, “…May I ask what Miss Gu is in mourning for?”

It was rare for him to inquire about anything, so Ji Yun didn’t conceal it and said, “My cousin’s mother passed away just two months ago. Since her father is still alive, she observes full mourning… I see that my cousin has it hard. She’s lost a lot of weight and doesn’t smile as much as before.”

Her mother had just died, which was why she needed to avoid the banquet. Yet he had thought she was stalking him and had even humiliated her…

Chen Xuan Qing’s birth mother, Madam Jiang, had also passed away the year before last, so he could fully empathize with the pain of losing a mother.

Thinking of this, Chen Xuan Qing felt some remorse. No matter how discourteous Gu Jin Chao had been in the past, he shouldn’t have spoken to her like that at this time—she was, after all, in mourning. Moreover, she hadn’t been trying to follow him; she was merely picking osmanthus flowers.