Chapter 20: Tempted (I)
Chapter 20: Tempted (I)
After a while, Cheng Yuanjing came out. When everyone saw that Cheng Yujin was not following him, they asked, “Where is eldest miss Cheng?”
“She is inside, practicing her writing.” Cheng Yuanjing said lightly, “She is still young, and shouldn’t neglect her study.”
This sentence sounded a bit strange. Lin Qingyuan said with a smile: “Jingxing, your change is too great. After the palace exam that year, how many people secretly inquiring about your marriage? Yet you only said it was troublesome, and refused all. Since when you become this patient, even have the mood to supervise your niece’s study?”
Many scholars’ ideas were to get jinshi, become an official, join the cabinet, and look after grandchildren after retiring. That was ideal, fulfilling life. That’s why, teaching the younger generation was an old age’s hobby. Cheng Yuanjing was only nineteen. It was way too early for him to start worrying about his junior’s study progress.
Cheng Yuanjing momentarily paused, and then evaded lightly: “She has a temperament, if I don’t look at her, no one will.”
Lin Qingyuan and others naturally thought that only Cheng Yuanjing could control the eldest young miss. If he didn’t care, no one else could control her. But to Huo Changyuan, Cheng Yuanjing was saying that except him, no one bothered to care about Cheng Yujin.
Huo Changyuan suddenly had strange emotions. When he and Cheng Yujin got engaged, he heard a lot about Cheng Yujin’s situation. He knew that she had been adopted as soon as she was born. Although there was a noble Junzhu mother, Qingfu didn’t care about her and only loved the child born from her stomach. Ruan-shi had a real feeling for Cheng Yujin, but her affection for Cheng Yumo was much deeper.
As for old Madam Cheng, she only cared about power and benefit, and was very snobbish. She would dote on whomever granddaughter who was useful and biased towards the one who would benefit the family. Born in this environment, Cheng Yujin actually had a very difficult time.
But she still grew up smoothly, and she grew up to be the model of her peers, showing her tenacity. It was Cheng Yujin’s wetnurse who told Huo Changyuan all of these things. She wanted to let this future male master knew how her miss didn’t have it easy. However, Huo Changyuan canceled the engagement in just two months, and became one of those who hurt Cheng Yujin.
Huo Changyuan initially resented Cheng Yujin for deceiving him, but at this moment, when he looked at another man who protected Cheng Yujin and cared for her, he felt some dull pain in his heart. As if a treasure he once had in his palm, but he did not cherish it, and now belonged to others.
Xu Zhixian sat for a while. He had come to the inner courtyard to find his maternal grandmother and cousins. The last time he visited, he didn’t talk to Cheng Yujin before he left. Xu Zhixian felt uneasy after returning home, and always wanted to have a good chat with Cheng Yujin. Now that Cheng Yuanjing and his guests were talking, he didn’t understand much and felt it boring. Xu Zhixian wanted to go inside and chat with his elder sister Jin. He stood up and took two steps. Cheng Yuanjing, who was talking to Lin Qingyuan, glanced: “What are you doing?”
Xu Zhixian was taken aback, and subconsciously stood up straight, answering respectfully: “Go to elder sister Jin.”
This kind of proper posture, he only used it when getting scolded by elders.
Cheng Yuanjing’s expression didn’t change, and simply said, “She is busy, you shouldn’t disturb her.”
Xu Zhixian rubbed his fingers, feeling tangled. He and the people here were different. He stayed in the inner courtyard all year along and knew that womenfolks had much spare time. After all, they didn’t need to study for the imperial exam. Even if Cheng Yuanjing forbade him to disturb Cheng Yujin’s study, he didn’t take it seriously. Unwilling to give up, Xu Zhixian struggled and said: “But elder sister is alone inside, and no one speaks with her. I am afraid she will be bored.”
“She is not bored.” Cheng Yuanjing glanced at Xu Zhixian. Then, as if he had just casually remembered, added: “During the banquet in the front yard earlier, old Marchioness sent someone to tell you to go to Shou’an Hall after the banquet. Time is no longer early. It’s not good for you to let the elder wait too long.”
Xu Zhixian believed Cheng Yuanjing’s words and hurried to Shou’an Hall. Soon, his figure no longer could be seen. Cheng Yuanjing withdrew his gaze insipidly, but immediately met Huo Changyuan’s eyes.
Huo Changyuan was looking at him thoughtfully. Cheng Yuanjing did not avoid his gaze and calmly put on some coercion. Huo Changyuan quickly was unable to stand it and turned his eyes away.
After that, Huo Changyuan didn’t see Cheng Yujin again. He clearly knew that she was in the room not far away, but there was Cheng Yuanjing blocked midway. It was such a queer feeling. Lin Qingyuan and Zou Cheng said goodbye one after another. Huo Changyuan couldn’t sit down idly anymore and followed them up. Huo Changyuan secretly had an expectation. To see off guests was a proper manner. With Cheng Yujin’s strictness towards etiquette and her unwillingness to put herself even in the slightest unfavorable light, she would definitely come to see them off. However, he was wrong. Even until Cheng Yuanjing sent them to the gate, the door and windows to the study were still tightly closed.
Cheng Yuanjing noticed Huo Changyuan’s movements, and his gaze darkened, silently watched the other man. After everyone had left, he stood outside for a moment before slowly walking back into the main building.
In the study, Cheng Yujin was indeed busy. She practiced for a long time to copy the character following Cheng Yuanjing’s handwriting example. Suddenly, inspiration struck in. She quickly asked Du Ruo to go back to her courtyard and brought her embroidery basket over. Now, Cheng Yujin sat on the bench, which was piled with embroidery fabrics, moving the needle with a high focus.
When Cheng Yuanjing came in, Cheng Yujin was still threading stitch after stitch. Cheng Yuanjing watched those fair-skinned hands flipping up and down, her fingers were incredibly flexible, as if moving with a strange rhythm. Cheng Yujin noticed that Cheng Yuanjing was standing not far away, and casually asked: “All the guests have gone?”
“Mm.” The next moment, Cheng Yuanjing was stunned. What did he do, answering this kind of question? They were originally his guests, why did Cheng Yujin so familiarly ask like a hostess?
Cheng Yujin did not notice that the conversation they had just now was like a pair of old husband and wife. She put the last few stitches, skilfully hid the thread end, and put down the embroidery frame with great relief, saying, “I was embroidering the crucial part just now, and couldn’t go out to send away guests. Brother Lin did not blame me for being rude, right? ”
She already called him brother Lin? Cheng Yuanjing refused to answer. He picked up the fabric that Cheng Yujin had just embroidered, looked back and forth for a while, and very naturally changed the subject: “These characters are the ones you had most difficulty with, but the embroidery result is pretty good. The rest should be easier, right?”
“Yes.” Cheng Yujin nodded, “Since the hardest part has been done, the rest is naturally a breeze. It will be finished in just a few days.”
Cheng Yuanjing caressed the calligraphed writing embroidered on the fabric. He didn’t care much about worldly objects, but beautiful things naturally roused people’s fondness. And in this case, Cheng Yujin’s embroidery work made him extremely pleased.
“Your progress is much faster than planned. There is still time, no need to hurry.”
“I understand.” Cheng Yujin rubbed her wrist and raised her head to smile brightly at Cheng Yuanjing, “Thank you for ninth uncle’s kindness.”
Kindness? Who was being kind to her? Cheng Yuanjing put down the embroidery and sat coldly on the opposite side.
T/N:
Tsundere prince lol.