Chapter Twenty-Four: Still Unable to Forget

Xue Qiu called Xue Fanzhi out from the chaos of Xue Yang’s room.

“Princess Zhaoyang is still waiting for you. Go keep her company!”

No matter who stood before her at this moment, Xue Fanzhi would never show any hint of schadenfreude. Still, she truly hadn’t expected Xue Qiu to be so open-minded.

She paused for a moment, then shook her head and replied, “The family head is injured and specifically asked for his granddaughter to attend him. If I leave now, he’ll be angry, and it would make me appear unfilial.”

Xue Qiu waved his hand dismissively, “Don’t believe him. He just doesn’t want you to meet the princess. Do you see any sign of illness? He’s feigning it!”

But this time was different—Xue Fanzhi could sense it. Xue Yang did seem genuinely injured.

Seeing her hesitation, Xue Qiu added, “Even if he truly needs someone to care for him, it shouldn’t have to be a girl like you. I am here as your grandfather; it’s I who am inviting you to go. Just consider it as helping me—no one would dare gossip!”

If not for Xue Qiu’s request, Xue Fanzhi truly wouldn’t have left at this moment—the accusation of being unfilial was not so easily borne. If things went awry, she could become the target of public scorn, with no place for herself in Jiankang.

Of course, with the elder second granduncle taking responsibility, there would be no problem at all. Xue Fanzhi agreed respectfully and went in search of Minglan.

Currently, Minglan was staying in the guest rooms of the second branch.

Other than Xue Qiu, there was no master in the second branch; the only person in charge was a steward named Xue Jianghe.

Although Xue Fanzhi had just arrived in Jiankang, she had lived in this courtyard for three years in her previous life. Thus, she needed no guide and moved about with ease.

Still, she did not wish to be too conspicuous, lest she attract suspicion. She asked Xue Jianghe to assign her a little maid, then sent him off to his own affairs.

As a girl, Xue Fanzhi had little to say to Xue Jianghe, and he was only too happy to let her move about on her own; after a brief, perfunctory refusal, he gladly went his way.

Xue Fanzhi had the maid lead her to Minglan.

She had thought Minglan would be resting in the guest room, but when she found her, the scene was quite unexpected.

It was in the martial training yard of the second branch.

Minglan, dressed in a red practice robe, wielded a whip that flickered like a tongue of fire, sparring with Xiao Yi.

Minglan moved as lightly as a swallow, circling nimbly behind Xiao Yi. With a swift crack, the tip of her whip lashed toward the back of his neck. Though Xiao Yi was tall and strong, he wore only light clothing. If struck, that handsome neck would surely be injured.

“Be careful!” Xue Fanzhi called out instinctively.

No sooner had the words left her lips than Xiao Yi’s sword tangled with Minglan’s whip. With one hand behind his back, he lifted his sword with effortless ease, as if using no strength at all. Yet Minglan was sent flying over his shoulder, landing squarely on her backside before him.

Opposite Xiao Yi, that meant she landed right in front of Xue Fanzhi.

Minglan let out a yelp as she hit the ground.

Xue Fanzhi was speechless.

She really had been overthinking things.

Minglan dusted herself off and got to her feet, shooting Xue Fanzhi a look of annoyance. “Did you just warn Xiao Yi? Did you? He’s the top martial artist of the royal family, and yet you tried to warn him? Were you afraid I’d hurt him?”

Xue Fanzhi glanced up at Xiao Yi. He was looking at her too, his expression mild and curious, as detached as ever. But Xue Fanzhi couldn’t shake the feeling that when Minglan asked if she was afraid of hurting him, Xiao Yi’s lips had curved in a faint, almost challenging smile.

She dared not look again and hurriedly waved her hands at Minglan. “I didn’t—I didn’t say anything. I just arrived!”

Fortunately, her voice had been very soft.

Minglan’s brow arched in a doubtful frown. “Truly? My ears are keen. You really didn’t warn him?”

Xue Fanzhi would never admit it, especially with Xiao Yi present.

But she was not skilled at lying, and afraid she’d give herself away, so she gritted her teeth and shook her head. “No, really, I didn’t. If you don’t believe me, ask…”

She realized she didn’t know whom Minglan could ask—what if someone else had overheard?

But Minglan didn’t wait for her to finish. She turned and asked, “Xiao Yi, did she warn you?”

Xiao Yi glanced at Xue Fanzhi, his eyes flickering with a hint of provocation, as if he might say yes at any moment.

Xue Fanzhi’s heart pounded wildly. Would someone as composed and indifferent as Xiao Yi really tease her so?

Had he truly heard her?

Would he start imagining things?

If she hadn’t misread him, she must not let him speak recklessly!

“You—”

“Didn’t hear a thing,” Xiao Yi answered, his tone flat, even before Xue Fanzhi could issue her warning. “Didn’t hear a thing.”

He then turned to wipe his sweat, no longer looking their way, as if their conversation had never concerned him. The provocation Xue Fanzhi thought she had seen felt like nothing more than a dream.

Had she really imagined it?

Her eldest brother was there too, watching from the other side of the weapons rack, far enough away that he certainly hadn’t heard anything.

With everyone denying it, Minglan finally grinned at Xue Fanzhi. “I thought you were captivated by Xiao Yi’s looks and would put love before friendship!”

Xue Fanzhi forced a guilty, awkward smile. “I wasn’t!”

At this time, Daoist teachings were in vogue, while Confucian ideas had fallen out of favor; the boundaries between men and women were not so strictly observed. Minglan was clearly only joking, but her eldest brother could not take it so lightly.

Remembering what Xue Fanzhi had said yesterday, he reminded Minglan, “Little Eight is already betrothed.”

Minglan understood, pausing to look at Xiao Yi before asking, “To whom?”

Xue Fanzhi grew even more flustered. She dared not look at Xiao Yi, yet was curious to see his reaction. Forcing a smile, she replied, “To my third granduncle’s wife’s cousin. He’ll arrive in Jiankang in two days!”

As she finished, she felt a prickling at her back and turned, only to see Xiao Yi drinking water with his back to her. Since he was facing away, how could she have sensed anything?

Xue Fanzhi sighed inwardly. She was clearly overthinking things. She had been reborn, but Xiao Yi had not. Her feelings for him were complicated, but it was unlikely he harbored any deep affection for her.

In the end, she was only being sentimental.

Xue Qiu was nowhere to be seen, and his pageboy Wuren called everyone to rest and have tea.

Xiao Yi and Xue Jingren went ahead. Minglan pulled Xue Fanzhi aside and asked, “Your maid was just fussing about, telling me to leave. What was that about?”

In this, Xue Yang was right—she had indeed set things up.

Xue Fanzhi wasn’t foolish, just unguarded with family. If she had thought more carefully, she would have realized that Xue Yang would never have let her meet Minglan. So, when she went to greet Xue Yang, she’d instructed Hongxiao to tell Minglan that if she didn’t come, Minglan should say she would leave the Xue residence. With her second granduncle at home, he would certainly step in.

Still, Xue Fanzhi had only wanted her second granduncle to speak up for her; she hadn’t expected Xue Yang to break his leg by misfortune. That, at least, had nothing to do with her.

She didn’t hide her recent predicament from Minglan, recounting all that had happened.

Minglan gave a helpless smile and patted Xue Fanzhi’s shoulder. “How about this: spar with me, and all those unpleasant things will be forgotten!”

“Me, spar with you? I don’t know any martial arts!” Xue Fanzhi protested, her usual quiet self, looking dazed and soft as a rice dumpling—truly endearing.

Minglan thought to herself, all the better!