CHAPTER 34: CHAPTER 34: I’M NOT GOING

Lin Qingqing cried to Xiao Fengxing about how she had originally gained the Empress’s favor, but unexpectedly, Fu Mingzhu and Fu Shinian suddenly appeared.

"I understand that they want to compete for favor. Who doesn’t want to be appreciated by the Empress?" Lin Qingqing cried with grievance, "But how could they deliberately make the Empress dislike me just to win favor?"

The Empress’s behavior was so obvious, how could she not notice?

The way those ladies looked at her, it was as if they were watching a joke.

"Isn’t it better for all of us to have favor with the Empress?" Lin Qingqing was extremely aggrieved, "How could they... how could they bully people like this?"

Lin Qingqing said with grievance, "The Lin family is lowly. I’ve long struggled to support Xiao Lang, which made you have to compromise yourself by getting engaged to Fu Mingzhu."

"That’s why I thought if I could gain the Empress’s favor, I could help you later." Lin Qingqing said sadly, "But now it won’t work out."

"Fu Mingzhu gained the Empress’s favor, so she will definitely be more useful to Xiao Lang in the future." Lin Qingqing’s tears fell despondently.

Xiao Fengxing compassionately held Lin Qingqing in his arms, "Qingqing, I know your true intentions, and that’s enough."

"It’s Fu Mingzhu who is clueless, you don’t need to stoop to her level." Xiao Fengxing said, "With her temperament, even if she temporarily gains the Empress’s favor, once the Empress sees her often enough, her true nature will be revealed, and she will no longer be liked."

Lin Qingqing sighed, "I truly wish she could continuously gain the Empress’s favor, so she could help you. I don’t mind these things as long as you can be helped."

"Qingqing, you look at the bigger picture, unlike Fu Mingzhu." Xiao Fengxing increasingly felt that Lin Qingqing was considerate and understanding.

Fu Mingzhu appeared insignificant compared to Lin Qingqing.

After being comforted by Xiao Fengxing, Lin Qingqing finally felt a bit better.

After she left, Aunt Liu came over and asked Xiao Fengxing, "How long has it been since you last sought out Fu Mingzhu?"

Xiao Fengxing paused, indeed, it had been many days since he last saw Fu Mingzhu.

After the unpleasantness on the day of the hunt with Fu Mingzhu, he hadn’t seen her since.

Xiao Fengxing couldn’t help but frown. Why hadn’t Fu Mingzhu come to appease him for so many days?

In the past, whenever she upset him, she couldn’t help but come to apologize the next day, admitting her fault and promising to listen to him and pleading for him not to be angry.

During the three-day hunt, he had expected Fu Mingzhu to apologize and coax him for forgiveness by the second day.

Unexpectedly, Fu Mingzhu never sought him out throughout the hunt.

However, he was busy trying to regain the Second Prince’s impression of him at the time, so he didn’t pay attention.

After returning, he actually forgot about this matter.

Strangely enough, how could he forget about such an important thing?

Despite not valuing Fu Mingzhu, her obvious abnormality shouldn’t have been overlooked.

"I know you don’t like her, but to prevent complications in your engagement, you still need to appease her from time to time." Aunt Liu reminded, "Besides, hasn’t it been a long time since she sent you anything?"

"It’s not just you, I haven’t received any bird’s nest tonic from her for quite some time either," Aunt Liu complained.

Ever since the old Marquis passed, the Marquis’s estate was under the decisions of Xiao Chengyu and the Old Madam Xiao.

Aunt Liu’s quality of life in the estate plummeted.

She no longer ate high-grade bird’s nest; now, she only had a fixed monthly allowance, hardly any extra money to buy bird’s nest.

The Old Madam Xiao indeed had quite a supply, but she wouldn’t share it.

Aunt Liu maintained her previous extravagant lifestyle, thanks entirely to Fu Mingzhu occasionally sending supplements and fine fabrics.

It struck Aunt Liu that her bird’s nest was about to run out without any new supplies.

The clothes she wore were those from before.

Only then did Aunt Liu discover that Fu Mingzhu hadn’t visited the Marquis’s estate for a while.

"I don’t care how you treat her after marriage, whether you take the Cheng Family’s assets and abandon her, that’s fine." Aunt Liu reminded, "But now you must appease her."

Aunt Liu greedily said, "Even now, before marriage, you should drain her of her silver."

"I understand." Xiao Fengxing was indeed puzzled why Fu Mingzhu hadn’t come to see him for so long.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, Xiao Fengxing sent a message to Fu Mingzhu, inviting her to the Lantern Festival together.

Xiao Fengxing subtly hinted that rooms at the Taste Building during the Mid-Autumn Festival, especially those offering views of the moon, were difficult to reserve, hoping she could book one in advance.

The Taste Building’s newly launched osmanthus wine for Mid-Autumn was said to be different this year.

"Sister." Upon entering and seeing Fu Mingzhu’s uncomfortable expression, Fu Shinian asked, "Sister, what’s wrong?"

"Xiao Fengxing sent me a letter." Fu Mingzhu handed the letter directly to Fu Shinian.

Fu Shinian hesitantly took the letter, "Show me? Can I look?"

"Why not? There’s nothing in it that’s not fit to be seen." Fu Mingzhu said.

Since that’s the case, she wouldn’t stand on ceremony.

After reading, Fu Shinian said, "Sister, is this how Xiao Fengxing usually writes to you?"

"What?" Fu Mingzhu didn’t quite understand at first.

"During the hunt, he did wrong, yet there’s no apology evident, as if nothing happened." Fu Shinian said, "All his words subtly hint at you booking a room and getting osmanthus wine..."

"Since he invited you, why does he do nothing and expects you to do it all?" Fu Shinian asked puzzledly, "Judging by how skillfully he writes, hasn’t it always been like this?"

"As expected, you feel the same." Fu Mingzhu murmured, "Reading his words, something feels off."

"I hadn’t noticed before, but now it suddenly seems wrong." Fu Mingzhu said, "Thinking of his old letters, never did he show concern for me, always complaining about his shortages, about how his aunt was ill-treated at the estate."

"Upon hearing him, of course, I hurried to buy what he lacked and sent it." Fu Mingzhu remarked curiously, "Why hadn’t I realized anything was wrong before?"

Fu Shinian thought, previously, Fu Mingzhu was so fond of Xiao Fengxing, naturally hard to notice.

Now whether it’s due to increased fortune, Fu Mingzhu seemed less enthusiastic about Xiao Fengxing, also realizing how he used her before.

After setting the letter down, Fu Shinian asked Fu Mingzhu, "Sister, will you go to the Lantern Festival with Xiao Fengxing?"

"I won’t go." Fu Mingzhu said, "I’m... I’m afraid that if I see him, I’ll change my mind out of softness."

"Though Mother wants Father to thoroughly investigate to see if he truly sides with the Second Prince, you and I know, having Father investigated into the Second Prince is too risky. Moreover, Xiao Fengxing’s reaction, it’s clear, even without investigating, he’s certainly pledged to the Second Prince."

"Rather than going with him, I’d rather go with you and brother." Fu Mingzhu pulled Fu Shinian, "Won’t it be fun, just the three of us?"