When Cui Hualuan set her mind on getting along well with someone, she truly had the ability to make people feel as if bathed in a spring breeze and lower their guard. Song Chuyi had seen her panicked and quite unlike her usual self the night before last, but thinking about it now, it was as if she had dreamed it all herself. Indeed, Cui Hualuan was after all a girl raised by the Cui family—even if she lost composure momentarily, she could conceal it very well afterward. She had clearly come for His Highness the Grand Prince, yet up until now she hadn’t gone to see His Highness the Grand Prince even once.

Song Chuyi naturally wouldn’t keep harping on this embarrassing matter. She nodded accommodatingly. “Grandmother has also sent a letter urging us. A’Yan needs to serve as bridesmaid to send off the bride, so we truly cannot delay. I’ll follow Cousin Sister’s arrangements in everything.”

Cui Hualuan’s face carried a smile as she squeezed Song Chuyi’s hand, taking the initiative to bring up the matter from the night before last. “I was too anxious the night before last and actually did such an absurd thing. Please don’t hold it against me.”

Song Chuyi quickly shook her head. There was nothing to hold against her in these matters. Since Madam Cui and Old Madam Cui had previously mentioned to Cui Hualuan about betrothing her to Zhou Weizhao and wholeheartedly hoped for her to become the Grand Princess Consort, and she herself also had feelings for Zhou Weizhao, it was perfectly reasonable for her to find Song Chuyi’s closeness with Zhou Weizhao objectionable.

Cui Hualuan felt relieved and smiled as she instructed Song Chuyi a few more words about packing and such before going out to find Second Master Cui.

But Cui Hualuan’s front foot had barely left when Qing Luo entered and looked at Song Chuyi, saying softly that Zhou Weizhao’s side was requesting her to come over to talk. Counting the days, from when Zhou Weizhao woke until now, Song Chuyi hadn’t seen him yet. Now, suddenly hearing that Zhou Weizhao wanted her to come talk, and thinking of Cui Hualuan, she felt hesitant for the first time. She could honestly say she had never had any feelings for Zhou Weizhao before, but after Cui Hualuan’s commotion the other day, she suddenly felt that marrying Zhou Weizhao wouldn’t be bad at all. Whether she liked him or not was another matter—at least being by Zhou Weizhao’s side felt secure, and he could always patiently listen to her talk. In the past, she had been curious about everything and felt she had endless things to say to Shen Qingrang, but Shen Qingrang was never patient enough to listen. Later, when she was confined day after day to the courtyard with only Luyi by her side, she was nearly worn down into a mute. Only after that did she realize what a blessing it was to have someone who would listen to you speak.

Her heart was in disarray. Feeling unable to sort out her thoughts about Zhou Weizhao, she had lost that former composure and naturally could no longer be as single-mindedly focused as before. After hesitating for a long while, she said to Qing Luo, “If there’s something, go back and have His Highness write a letter.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt they weren’t right. Once she had developed some feelings, everything she did felt improper—it was all guilty conscience. After hesitating for a moment, she stood up. “Let’s go!”

The rose trellis was covered with large clusters of roses. Just walking underneath, one could almost smell the fragrance. Song Chuyi’s mind wandered for a moment before she turned around the trellis and encountered Lai Chenglong, who had just come out from inside.

Lai Chenglong’s complexion was still somewhat pale, his arm wrapped in thick bandages and suspended from his neck, showing that he had truly been seriously injured this time. Song Chuyi stopped and exchanged a few pleasantries with him before walking inside.

Zhou Weizhao’s complexion was even worse than Lai Chenglong’s. When he saw her enter, he smiled, revealing two dimples, and pointed to a stool for her to sit. Then he asked her, “How could you be so bold as to come straight to Yangquan? Don’t you know this place has just finished fighting and is very chaotic? Although you brought enough people with you, wealth moves people’s hearts. Someone of your status—who knows how much covetousness you might arouse?” As he spoke, his expression suddenly became serious, as if frightened by his own thoughts. In fact, whenever he thought that Song Chuyi might also have been targeted by the mastermind behind everything, he truly felt afraid after the fact. Fortunately, the mastermind had only targeted him this time—otherwise, Song Chuyi’s journey here would have been truly dangerous.

In fact, Song Chuyi really didn’t need to come in person. Sending all her people to help Zhou Weizhao already counted as going above and beyond. After all, they had fought side by side many times before, but they were also male and female—they should understand proper avoidance.

Why had she been so anxious, rushing to Yangquan regardless of consequences? Song Chuyi herself couldn’t figure out her thoughts at the time. Since she couldn’t figure it out, Song Chuyi simply shook her head and stopped thinking about it. “Your Highness has helped me so many times. I have nothing to repay you with, so thinking there might be places where I could be useful, I naturally came running.”

Zhou Weizhao’s brows moved slightly. Detecting something was off with her, he thought for a moment and asked, “Are you troubled about Second Young Master Ye’s matter?”

Zhou Weizhao had long heard that the Ye family was intent on seeking Song Chuyi in marriage and was just waiting for Song Chuyi to return to the capital before the Song family would give an answer. His eyes were bright as freshly drawn spring water in the sunlight. “Actually, you know in your heart that this marriage match is suitable in terms of family status, but Second Young Master Ye’s enthusiasm frightens you, doesn’t it?”

Perhaps it was because his voice was too gentle, but the worries and hesitation Song Chuyi had accumulated in her heart for so long suddenly poured out like a torrent. She hung her head like a lost little lamb, revealing an unprecedented look of bewilderment. “I just feel very tired.”

Although she could hold Ye Jingchuan firmly in her grasp, from then on she would be no different from other inner chamber women. Although Ye Jingchuan liked her, he was definitely not someone who understood what she wanted to do.

“A person’s life in this world is but a few short decades.” Zhou Weizhao watched her hang her head, his voice becoming even gentler and slower. “If something makes you feel tired, then that thing is not what you want to do. The time people have to live is not long to begin with. If it’s all wasted on things you don’t want to do, how regrettable would that be?”

Song Chuyi looked up at him, somewhat bewildered.

Zhou Weizhao sighed and spoke to enlighten her. “You must have already weighed the pros and cons of marrying Second Young Master Ye in your heart, and you’ve even thought that if you comply with your family’s wishes and marry Second Young Master Ye, it wouldn’t be bad—keep your distance, don’t give Second Young Master Ye your true heart, just treat him as a husband. Since he doesn’t know how to get close to you, naturally he cannot hurt you. Isn’t that right?”

Song Chuyi felt as if Zhou Weizhao was a roundworm that had crawled out of her belly—he knew everything.

But Zhou Weizhao smiled, revealing the two dimples by his cheeks. On his pale face, his smile was radiant. “But in that case, how would your life be any different from your dream? The only difference would be that you’ve used your scheming to make your days a bit smoother, that’s all. This way is unfair to both you and Second Young Master Ye. Second Young Master Ye is not Shen Qingrang, and you are not the you from your dream. When everything can still be changed in time, please don’t live your days like in your dream and turn Second Young Master Ye into someone like Shen Qingrang.”