Connected to Prince Jing’s manor, yet different from her previous life—Wen Hao couldn’t help but think of one person: Prince Jing’s heir, Qi Shuo.

Prince Jing’s family had moved next door to the General’s Manor eight years ago.

At that time, Wen Hao was eight years old, and Qi Shuo was eleven.

In Wen Hao’s memory, this heir of Prince Jing whom she’d known since childhood was frail and quiet, with little presence among the children in the neighborhood.

Because of this, her impression of him wasn’t deep—she merely knew of him, nothing more.

Now, she had to take him seriously.

Had her ability to speak caused the heir of Prince Jing to change, or did this change originate from within Qi Shuo himself?

After having lunch with the Old Madam at the General’s Manor, Lin Shi didn’t take the Wen sisters home but instead stayed for an afternoon nap.

This was probably the advantage of being an only daughter. From the time Lin Shi married until now, not only had her maiden chamber remained unchanged, but after Wen Chan and Wen Hao were born, they also had their own courtyards in the General’s Manor.

After returning to her room, Wen Hao had no desire to sleep, so she instructed Baozhu: “I’m going to walk in the garden. If anyone comes looking, just say I’ve gone to sleep.”

The General’s Manor’s garden was very large. At this time of year, flowers bloomed throughout the garden and the vegetation was lush and verdant.

Few people visited the garden in the afternoon. Wen Hao walked and stopped along the way, and before she knew it, she had reached the wall separating them from Prince Jing’s manor.

She and the heir of Prince Jing weren’t close. After her mother politely declined Prince Jing’s manor’s marriage proposal, any interaction with him would undoubtedly be somewhat awkward.

Wen Hao tilted her head back and stared at the wall for a while, then leaped up.

Forget it—thinking too much wasn’t as good as doing. She’d observe first before deciding anything.

The young woman was as agile as a startled rabbit. With a light leap, her hands grasped the top of the wall, and then with a release, she dropped back to the ground.

She leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.

What was wrong with the heir of Prince Jing? Why was he on the other side of the wall again!

Because Wen Hao had been unable to speak since childhood, even her impatient nature had been worn smooth. But at this moment, she felt a bit angry.

She even suspected that the heir of Prince Jing had done it on purpose.

But thinking rationally, it wasn’t very likely.

The heir of Prince Jing couldn’t predict the future—how would he know she would climb the wall at this time?

Fortunately, her reaction was quick enough that she hadn’t been spotted.

On the other side of the wall, the young man holding a book scroll raised his eyes and glanced at the empty wall top, the corner of his lips curving slightly upward.

“Heir, the afternoon sun is getting rather harsh. Why not return to your room?” the servant Changshun urged.

“The spring sun feels pleasant when it shines on you, and besides, there’s tree shade here.” The young man didn’t move, continuing to read while leaning against the woven rattan rocking chair.

Changshun truly couldn’t understand the heir’s preferences.

In such a vast manor, with fine places everywhere, why did the heir particularly like reading and resting here?

“Heir, please be careful that Second Miss Wen doesn’t climb the wall again and fall on you.” The servant was clearly still dwelling on the injury the heir had suffered that day, and hadn’t noticed the recent undercurrents.

The young man glanced at him and said lightly: “Don’t gossip. That day was just a coincidence.”

“This servant noticed that Second Miss Wen seemed very practiced at climbing walls…”

With her ear pressed against the wall, Wen Hao felt somewhat embarrassed hearing the master and servant’s conversation.

She hadn’t expected to be looked down upon by the heir of Prince Jing’s servant.

The heir of Prince Jing… was relatively decent about it, at least.

When no more sounds came from beyond the wall, Wen Hao lightened her footsteps and walked to a tree not far away, nimbly climbing up.

With branches and leaves as cover, she could finally observe the situation at ease.

On the other side of the wall stood an osmanthus tree. The heir of Prince Jing sat in a rocking chair beneath it with his eyes closed in rest, an open book lying quietly before him.

The spring breeze stirred the hem of the young man’s robe—peaceful and beautiful.

Wen Hao fell silent.

So the other side of the wall was where the heir of Prince Jing stole moments of leisure.

The heir of Prince Jing’s preferences were quite different from those of the other noble young masters she’d seen.

Thinking of how the heir of Prince Jing had developed heart disease at such a young age, Wen Hao felt several parts sympathy.

She had long experienced how difficult it was not to have a healthy body.

But this couldn’t eliminate her doubts about the heir of Prince Jing.

If the heir of Prince Jing’s condition had reached the point of requesting renowned physicians, why had he been able to travel far from home in her previous life?

She sat on the tree branch, gazing at the distant young man lost in thought, and inadvertently met a pair of dark eyes.

Wen Hao nearly fell from the tree.

She’d been discovered!

She tried to remedy the situation, supporting herself on the branch and shifting her gaze away as if nothing had happened. From the corner of her eye, she sneaked a glance and found the young man still watching her.

Wen Hao sat like a clay sculpture for a while, then steeled her heart and jumped down from the tree.

On the other side of the wall, seeing Wen Hao suddenly jump down from the tree, Qi Shuo couldn’t help but stand up.

The servant Changshun was startled by the heir’s sudden movement: “Heir, what’s wrong?”

Qi Shuo stared fixedly at a certain spot, his tone flat: “Nothing.”

Last time she jumped down from the wall and twisted her ankle, and this time she jumped down from an even higher tree…

“Is the heir feeling unwell?” Seeing Qi Shuo’s poor expression, Changshun looked worried.

“Don’t nag.” Qi Shuo rebuked him, his eyes flickering slightly. “Changshun.”

“Your command, Heir.”

“I’m a bit thirsty. Go back and fetch the tea set I usually use.”

Changshun hurried off.

At the wall, Wen Hao poked her head out a little again. Seeing that no one was beside Qi Shuo, she neatly flipped over the wall and jumped down.

The ground in Prince Jing’s manor was solid, but watching the approaching young man, her heart felt somewhat hollow.

Would the heir of Prince Jing think she’d lost her mind?

On second thought, since she’d already been spotted, she might as well throw caution to the wind and ask clearly.

When the young man stopped before her, Wen Hao had recovered her composure on the surface: “Heir.”

Qi Shuo was silent for a moment, then a slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips: “If Second Miss Wen has something to say, we can go over there.”

Wen Hao followed the direction of his pointing finger. It was a flower trellis, currently with fresh wisteria greenery—indeed a convenient place for conversation.

Only the heir of Prince Jing was a bit too calm. Seeing her climb the wall to meet him, his expression remained unchanged.

She pondered his thoughts but found it difficult to fathom their depth.

The two stood beneath the flower trellis, and Qi Shuo asked with a smile: “What brings Second Miss Wen to visit today?”

Visit…

Wen Hao was momentarily speechless.

She’d never seen anyone so good at giving others a way out.

“I—” Wen Hao pressed her lips together and asked boldly: “When did the heir develop heart disease?”

Qi Shuo was slightly startled, as if he hadn’t expected her to ask this.

Having started the conversation, the rest wouldn’t be difficult.

“Today I heard that a renowned physician visited the manor. I was somewhat curious.”

Qi Shuo smiled: “I’m also somewhat curious.”

“What is the heir curious about?”

“Curious why Second Miss Wen is curious about this.”

“The heir and I have known each other since childhood. Now that I can speak, yet I hear the heir has developed heart disease, it’s… out of concerned curiosity, I suppose.” Wen Hao shamelessly offered her reason.

“So Second Miss Wen sympathizes with me.” Qi Shuo looked at her deeply.

Wen Hao steadied her nerves and said with an unchanged expression: “The heir is in the prime of life. Who wouldn’t feel it’s a pity that you have heart disease?”

“Does Second Miss Wen truly want to know?” Qi Shuo asked with a smile.

Wen Hao nodded slightly.

The young man sighed lightly: “Originally I had no such ailment. That day when Second Miss Wen suddenly fell from the wall, somehow I was frightened into developing heart disease.”

Wen Hao was dumbstruck.

It was scared out of him by her?

She suspected the heir of Prince Jing was porcelain bumping her!