Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan’s words, quietly watching him.

Her mind was somewhat chaotic for a moment. Pei Wenxuan’s words—she understood them, yet also somewhat didn’t understand them.

That Pei Wenxuan had liked her—this she had known long ago.

But Pei Wenxuan saying he didn’t like Qin Zhenzhen—this was somewhat beyond her expectations.

She pondered for a long while, knowing that at this moment her emotions were jumbled and it wasn’t suitable to make decisions. Too many emotions were churning in her heart, so she suppressed them all and only said, “I will consider what you said. Get in the carriage and let’s go back first.”

With that, she instructed the people beside her: “Someone come, let’s return.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. He stood beside the carriage. Li Rong lowered the curtain, closed her eyes, and began to rest.

The surrounding people all rushed back. The coachman looked at Pei Wenxuan standing motionless to the side and said somewhat hesitantly, “Prince Consort, aren’t you getting in?”

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head. He stood beside the carriage. He didn’t want to see Li Rong again.

He felt Li Rong was like a block of ice that couldn’t be warmed, a stone that couldn’t be penetrated. No matter how hard he tried, that person would never respond even a little.

He felt somewhat weary, standing in place for a long time, finally hearing Li Rong’s voice come from inside: “Still not leaving?”

Pei Wenxuan momentarily lost the strength to argue. He lifted the curtain and entered the carriage.

After entering the carriage, Li Rong sat on one side and Pei Wenxuan sat on the other. The two sat quietly, neither speaking the entire time.

Li Rong closed her eyes, calming her emotions.

After a long while, having thought through Pei Wenxuan’s words and laughed at them in her mind, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at Pei Wenxuan.

“The words you just said—I’ve thought them all through. About what happened before, I was presumptuous.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. Li Rong said slowly, “As for the matter between you and Qin Zhenzhen, I actually wasn’t clear about it. Back then I only knew that you once had feelings for her in your heart. Later you transferred your affections and liked me. You felt pained, and since you were in pain, I didn’t want such a divided affection either, so I chose to leave. I thought that after I left, you could put all your thoughts on her.”

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head, listening to Li Rong’s explanation: “Later she left early. I’ve always known that the living cannot compete with the dead. I thought that with her death, no matter what, you must feel regret. After all, you and she had feelings for many years, while we were together from start to finish for only about a year.”

Li Rong’s tone was calm, with her unique gentleness. Yet this kind of calm, gentle tone devoid of even half a trace of emotion directly pierced Pei Wenxuan’s heart.

He clearly understood in his heart that there was only one reason why a person could speak so composedly about past events—that is, she had let go of those past events.

But when he realized this person had let go, he felt an indescribable sourness well up.

Seeing him lower his head without speaking, Li Rong didn’t know what emotions he felt. She only felt that Pei Wenxuan at this moment was different from usual, so she carried a rare patience and said slowly, “You and she should have been a match made in heaven, a good match. It’s just that back then, the matter of my arranged marriage for you disrupted your situation. Otherwise, with your talent, even though she temporarily broke off the engagement with you, if you had wanted to fight for it, you could have won it back quickly. In this life, starting over, we two are now friends. You make plans for me in your heart, and I also want to treat you better, so I did a bit more.”

With that, Li Rong smiled: “Moreover, didn’t you also want to play matchmaker for Su Rongqing and me? We’re even now. Don’t be so petty.”

Pei Wenxuan didn’t speak. His chest felt stifled and panicked.

He felt he had countless things he wanted to say. Those words had accumulated for so many years, but he had never said them. Now that he had suddenly opened his mouth, it was like they were overflowing, all crowding between his lips and teeth.

Li Rong thought for a moment, then crouched down in front of him, looking up at him: “Is it that difficult?”

“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan began hoarsely, “after we were together, I never spoke privately with Qin Zhenzhen.”

Li Rong hadn’t expected Pei Wenxuan to open with this. She felt somewhat embarrassed for a moment. She had wanted to say that actually saying these things wasn’t very meaningful, but looking at Pei Wenxuan’s expression, she also felt he seemed to really want to say these things.

So she crouched in front of him without stopping him, only responding with a low sound: “Oh…”

“When she married Li Chuan, by rights I shouldn’t have interfered. But at that time she was having too difficult a time, and her brother wasn’t there, so I helped her a few times. Other than that, I didn’t do anything else.”

“Mm… I understand.”

Listening to Pei Wenxuan earnestly say these things, Li Rong somehow slowly began to feel like laughing.

But she didn’t dare provoke Pei Wenxuan, only saying, “I later had people investigate. I know everything. She was after all still my younger brother’s secondary consort. If you two had truly been illicit, would I have tolerated so much?”

“When you asked me back then if I liked her, I truly didn’t know. Later I knew, but you were always quarreling with me. Every time I wanted to make up with you,” Pei Wenxuan said, his tone becoming somewhat aggrieved, “you would speak to provoke me. Your words were too hurtful!”

“Then I’m sorry to you,” Li Rong couldn’t help it and laughed, saying, “After so many years, how can you still remember so clearly?”

“Later you liked Su Rongqing, I knew,” Pei Wenxuan raised his head. He looked at her, smiling with difficulty. “You like him, so you two should be together. The fault lies with me anyway. I deserve it.”

Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan. For a moment, she couldn’t say any comforting words. She knew Pei Wenxuan was truly upset at this moment. After all, in the previous life, he had been alone his whole life, which was indeed heartbreaking.

Seeing her at a loss, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but laugh. He raised his hand and caressed her face, saying hoarsely, “Li Rong,” he gazed at her quietly, “look—this is how I missed you for an entire lifetime.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She let him observe her. After a long while, she finally said, “Feeling better now?”

Pei Wenxuan nodded. Li Rong pushed herself up to stand. Pei Wenxuan gave her a hand. Li Rong stood up and sat back in her original position. She leaned against the seat, thought for a while, then smiled at Pei Wenxuan: “How long have you wanted to say these words?”

“Many years.” Pei Wenxuan smiled lightly.

Li Rong lowered her eyes without speaking. After a while, she said gently, “Although it came a bit late, I’m still very happy to hear these words.”

“Although it’s late,” Pei Wenxuan picked up her words, “being able to say it out loud, I’m also very happy.”

After saying this, both paused. After a moment, Li Rong laughed aloud, raising her eyes to look at Pei Wenxuan. Hearing Li Rong’s laughter, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but laugh too.

“Knowing you liked me so much back then,” Li Rong said with a smile, “though it’s a bit of a pity, I’m still happy.”

“What’s the pity?”

“If it had been a bit earlier,” Li Rong thought about it, fantasizing about what if Pei Wenxuan had said these words back then, saying somewhat uncertainly, “perhaps I wouldn’t have left at the time?”

“But if it had been earlier,” Pei Wenxuan pondered, “I wouldn’t have said these words either.”

All of a person’s thoughts, all their ability to express, all the courage they accumulate—none of that comes out of nowhere.

“That’s true.” Li Rong nodded, lightly tapping her palm with her small fan, raising her eyes to look at him. “The current Lord Pei is indeed very different.”

Pei Wenxuan saw her eyes, seemingly smiling yet not smiling, hiding secrets within. His emotions slowly calmed down. As the agitated emotions from earlier receded, he felt somewhat embarrassed.

Seeing him seemingly slowly realizing what he had just said, Li Rong couldn’t help but smile: “Lord Pei, having said so much to me just now, were you talking about the past, or do you want to discuss the future?”

If it was the past, this was just an apology.

If it was about the future, this was a confession.

Understanding Li Rong’s meaning, Pei Wenxuan instinctively said nervously, “I’m just apologizing.”

Li Rong had already guessed his answer and laughed aloud: “You got this agitated over an apology?”

“I was angered,” Pei Wenxuan sighed. “You misunderstood me too many times before. In the previous life it was like this—no matter what happened, you had to connect it to Qin Zhenzhen. This time you were still so presumptuous, kicking me out like a ball. I just don’t understand—am I provoking you or bothering you that you’re so eager to push me away?”

“I should be the one asking you that,” Li Rong immediately said. “Wasn’t it you who first tried to bring Su Rongqing and me together? On our wedding night, you talked to me about it for half the night. When I didn’t agree, you insisted on convincing me to agree. Tell me, am I being domineering or are you?”

Pei Wenxuan was momentarily rendered speechless by Li Rong’s words. After holding it in for a long time, he finally said, “But I didn’t go nonsensically talking to Su Rongqing, did I?”

“Are you feeling sorry for Qin Zhenzhen?” Li Rong blinked. “You’re this anxious because I talked to her?”

“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Can you be reasonable? When we two discuss things internally, that’s our internal conflict. When you go outside to meddle, you’re determined to send me away, and you won’t allow me to be angry?”

“But weren’t you determined to send me away?” Li Rong found it somewhat strange. Pei Wenxuan stopped short. Li Rong looked at him curiously: “Cat got your tongue?”

“It’s… it’s not the same.”

Pei Wenxuan finally spoke: “I wanted to bring you and Su Rongqing together because I thought it would be better for you. But you wanting to bring Qin Zhenzhen and me together was because you wanted to resolve His Highness the Crown Prince’s worries.”

“People always have some feelings.” Pei Wenxuan said slowly, “Although we two don’t have fate together, after so many years, if not family, we should at least be friends. If friends use each other like this, it’s somewhat upsetting.”

Li Rong listened quietly. She raised her eyes to look at him and said seriously, “I wasn’t entirely just using you. It’s just that this outcome is good for everyone.”

“Pei Wenxuan,” she looked at Pei Wenxuan with eyes full of sincerity, “I may sometimes not be considerate enough, but the fact that I keep you as a friend in my heart has no impurities. If you don’t let me down, I won’t let you down.”

Pei Wenxuan looked at Li Rong’s eyes—that pair of eyes so candid and bright.

Li Rong—clearly she lived in the deep palace, yet she had a gentleness and brightness that shouldn’t belong to the deep palace.

It was just that she always carefully hid that radiance, so the occasional moments when it showed through could fiercely breach another’s defenses.

Pei Wenxuan watched her quietly. After a long while, he smiled: “Don’t say things like that.”

“Why not?” Li Rong was somewhat puzzled.

“You’re too beautiful,” Pei Wenxuan sighed. “I’ve been single too long. When you say things like that, I’m afraid I’ll fall for you.”

Hearing this, Li Rong couldn’t help but cover half her face with her fan, laughing softly.

However, after Pei Wenxuan finished speaking, as if unwilling to see her be smug, he continued, “After all, at this point I could look at any female cat and find her fair-featured and pretty.”