Did Miss become a nun today?

"My cousin said today that even if every man in the world died, she wouldn't marry him." Pei Changyu's lips curved slightly, his smile gentle. "Then tell me, cousin, what kind of man would you be willing to marry?"

Sunlight streamed through the eaves, falling on his shoulders in a flickering pattern.

Xie Yun Chu looked up, meeting his unfathomable eyes. Gone was her former fear and caution. "Why is my cousin asking this? Are you going to play matchmaker for me?"

Pei Changyu did not answer, but just looked at her.

That gaze was so deep that it reminded her of what she had seen at Qingyun Nunnery that day.

Pei Changyu stepped forward, standing just an arm's length away from her.

The faint scent of pine wafted over him, enveloping her.

"What is your cousin afraid of?" he asked.

Xie Yun Chu greeted him, "I'm not afraid."

He lowered his eyes, his gaze sliding from her brows and eyes to her tightly pursed lips, then back again. "Then why don't you dare look at me?"

Xie Yun Chu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know how to start.

She took half a step back, her back pressed against a pillar, leaving her with nowhere to retreat.

"You saw it that day, didn't you?"

Xie Yun Chu remained silent, but her chin was pinched and her head was lifted.

"Now that you've seen it, doesn't your cousin have anything to say?" Pei Changyu still had a handsome face, but now he looked different from his cousin before.

"I don't understand what my cousin is saying."

After a long while, he suddenly shifted his gaze to the flowering trees in the distance, his voice returning to its usual gentle tone, "Never mind, if my cousin doesn't want to talk about it, I won't ask."

Xie Yun Chu felt as if she had been granted a pardon and hurriedly bowed, saying, "If there's nothing else, cousin, I'll head back now."

Before he could respond, she had already stepped aside and walked past him, her steps so fast it was as if a ghost was chasing her.

Pei Changyu did not stop him.

Only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind remained under the eaves. He looked down at his empty hands, the fingertips that had just held her chin still retaining a trace of warmth.

After a long pause, he chuckled softly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

Xie Yunchu jogged all the way back to Shifang Courtyard.

She thought she could remain unmoved no matter what happened, but Pei Changyu always managed to keep her calm.

Those eyes were clearly smiling, but she always felt that something was hidden beneath that smile, heavy and suffocating her.

That night at Qingyun Nunnery...

His clothes were disheveled, he leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly closed, his Adam's apple bobbing, and one hand slipped under his clothes...

She simply assumed she had stumbled upon a secret she shouldn't have seen, and that as long as she pretended not to know, nothing would happen.

But if we have to bring it up today, even though she is a Buddhist, she is still an unmarried young woman. The image of her in relation to Pei Changyu is too shocking.

Xie Yun Chu covered her face, a sigh escaping through her fingers.

Buddha, Buddha, your disciple needs guidance. If you were to encounter such a situation, how should you deal with it?

*

The next day, when Xie Yun Chu went to pay her respects to Cen Jing Yan, she deliberately avoided her usual route and took a long detour, just in case she ran into Pei Chang Yu again.

Cen Jingyan was having breakfast when she saw Yun Chu arrive. She smiled and waved, "Yun Chu, you've come at the right time. Have some with your aunt."

Xie Yun Chu agreed, and just as she sat down, she heard footsteps outside the door.

"Mother." Pei Changyu's voice sounded from behind.

After a night of reflection, Xie Yun Chu did not reveal any flaws, only feeling that she had run into her older cousin too many times recently.

At this time in the past, my older cousin would have already gone to work.

Pei Changyu walked in, first bowing to Cen Jingyan, then glancing indifferently at Xie Yunchu, his expression as if the conversation under the corridor yesterday had never happened.

"My cousin is here too." He nodded slightly, his manner polite yet distant.

Xie Yun Chu lowered her eyes and responded.

Cen Jingyan glanced at her son, then at her niece, sensing a somewhat awkward atmosphere, but didn't ask further, only saying, "Is Changyu not going out today?"

"I still have some official business to attend to, so I'll leave after breakfast." Pei Changyu sat down opposite him, his demeanor composed, and slowly took a sip of his porridge.

The meal was eaten quietly. Afterwards, Pei Changyu left first, and Cen Jingyan took her hand, asking, "How were the matchmaking attempts these past few days?"

"good."

"What do you mean by 'okay'? Is it good or bad? I've heard a few families mention you, and their children are very satisfied with you. They asked me to ask for your opinion."

Xie Yun Chu couldn't explain it; she hadn't yet found someone who would take money to act for her.

"We've only met once, so it's hard to say."

Upon hearing this, Cen Jingyan smiled and said, "It's alright. There's a flower-viewing banquet at the Jing'an Marquis's residence the day after tomorrow. Go and take a look, and chat with him."

Xie Yun Chu didn't want to go, but she couldn't refuse, so she had to agree first.

On the day of the banquet, Pei Changying came to find her early in the morning, saying, "I'm going with my cousin."

"Aren't you going to play with Changning?"

Pei Changying pouted, "I heard she did something wrong and was punished by her elder brother. She's been copying scriptures in the ancestral hall these past two days."

Without asking any further questions, the two took a carriage to the Marquis of Jing'an's residence.

The flower-viewing banquet was mostly attended by young people, and Xie Yun Chu did indeed spot several of the young men she had previously met.

But she wasn't in the mood for small talk; she simply greeted them and found a quiet place to sit down.

Pei Changying looked around. "Why haven't I seen Sister Zhao today?"

After returning from Qingyun Nunnery that day, Zhao Mingyue was locked up by the Zhao family. A few days ago, I heard that she had run away and gone straight to the army camp to join the army. I guess she is too busy.

"She can't come because of something."

Pei Changying said regretfully, "In the past, with Sister Zhao around, she could protect my cousin in situations like this."

Xie Yun Chu chuckled, "Go ahead and have fun if you want. I don't need anyone to protect me."

This wasn't her first time visiting the Marquis of Jing'an's residence; she knew the way.

Pei Changying didn't stand on ceremony and disappeared in a flash.

Feeling utterly bored, Lan Yue whispered in her ear, "Miss, look over there."

A large crowd had gathered in the garden, and in the center stood Pei Changfeng and Ji Lanshu.

Some people started making a fuss, and Pei Changfeng was caught in a dilemma: whether to give away the flowers or not.

In the end, it was stuck in Ji Lanshu's hair.

The laughter from the crowd grew louder. Pei Changfeng's expression wasn't too good, but the corners of his mouth still curled up as he said something.

But that smile vanished completely when he saw the person sitting not far away.

Xie Yun Chu lowered her eyes and smiled, not caring, but to avoid suspicion, she still got up and moved to another place.

The rockery in the backyard overlooks the lake. There aren't many flowers or people there, so I thought I'd sit in the pavilion for a while.

"Miss Xie." The maid behind her caught up. "A young master wishes to see you."

"Who is it?"

"Please come with me, miss."

To be honest, I don't want to go at all. Can't she just stay alone in peace and quiet for a while? She even brought Buddhist scriptures with her when she went out today.

Reluctantly, she followed the maid into the pavilion, where the people who had been waiting for her for a long time watched her with smiles.

"General Wei?"

Wei Zhao bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you, Miss."

"I spoke to you alone today to apologize for what Wei Lin did that day."

"Don't worry, I've already taught him a lesson, and he won't bother you again for the time being."

Xie Yunchu nodded. "Thank you."

Wei Zhao's gaze softened. "You don't need to be so polite with me."

After finishing their business, his tense body relaxed for once. "Miss Xie, do you still remember what we said at the teahouse last time?"

"Of course I remember."

Wei Zhao used his influence to persuade her not to immediately reject him regarding the marriage proposal, but she still hasn't figured it out.

"Well..." He paused, then took out a purse from his pocket, "This is for you."

Looking at the purse handed to her, she hesitated for a moment, then saw Wei Zhao turn his face away, "Um... it's not very well made, you, you'll have to make do with it."

That purse was even uglier than hers.

A bold idea suddenly popped into his head, and he asked in astonishment, "Did the general make this purse himself?"