Just as the two were talking, a figure appeared silently behind them and looked at them quietly.
"Kite girl?"
Xu Lan quickly noticed the cold figure in green standing not far behind Lin Jiangnian. He was stunned for a moment, blinked, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.
After not seeing her for half a year, Zhiyuan's temperament has become more cool and a little more feminine, and she has lost a lot of her previous ethereal feeling of being out of touch with the world.
This made Xu Lan look a little more envious.
Even when she was still in the Lin Palace, she knew that this cold maidservant beside Lin Jiangnian was very beautiful and had a good temperament. Her only shortcoming was that she was a little too cold, seeming a little unkind and lacking in femininity.
But after not seeing her for half a year, Zhiyuan is still as cool and elegant as ever, but she has become more spiritual. Her youthfulness has faded, and her slightly rosy face is even more attractive.
Even Xu Lan couldn't help but marvel at it.
Seems more beautiful?
"Kite?"
Lin Jiangnian turned around and realized that Zhiyuan had appeared out of nowhere, standing behind them, quietly watching them. After casually looking at the two of them, his eyes finally stopped at Xu Lan and he slowly said, "Miss Xu, long time no see."
"Long time no see!"
After a brief moment of daze, Xu Lan put away the surprise in her eyes and said with a smile: "So Miss Zhiyuan has also come to the capital?!"
Zhiyuan nodded slightly and was about to say something when Lin Jiangnian stood up and walked over to her and asked softly, "Why are you here?"
Zhiyuan glanced at him, her eyes seemed to have deep meaning.
"Can't come?"
"sure."
Lin Jiangnian naturally noticed the strange look in Zhiyuan's eyes, and felt a little amused. He looked at Zhiyuan's slightly tense face and said, "By the way, didn't you say that my aunt wanted to see her?"
Zhiyuan shook her head slightly: "Aunt is not at home."
Lin Jiangnian was slightly stunned: "Where did she go?"
I haven’t heard that my aunt went out today?
Zhiyuan glanced at him again and said softly, "Auntie is out...something happened."
Lin Jiangnian nodded without asking any further questions.
Xu Lan, who was standing by, saw the master and servant, and the smile on her face froze slightly.
Something is wrong!
There's something wrong with this master and servant.
Xu Lan looked at Lin Jiangnian, then at Zhiyuan, and suspicion quickly appeared in his eyes.
She clearly remembered that Lin Jiangnian and Zhi Yuan had a very bad relationship. When they were in the Lin Wang Mansion, their relationship was as hostile as fire and water. Especially this guy, at that time in the Lin Wang Mansion, what he feared most was exposing his identity in front of Zhi Yuan.
But right now...
Xu Lan looked at the master and servant who were enjoying themselves so well and getting along so harmoniously, and her eyes were a little confused.
The relationship between the two seems to be pretty good?
Why does it even look like there's an illusion of doting?
Xu Lan didn't know if it was her illusion, but she vaguely sensed that Lin Jiangnian looked at Zhiyuan with a hint of doting...
Damn it!
What’s going on?!
Xu Lan looked confused. What on earth had happened in the past six months?
Is there something that Lin Jiangnian is hiding from her on his journey to Beijing?
Is there any melon that she hasn’t eaten?
While in a daze, Xu Lan quickly heard the conversation between the two.
"Huh? Aunt Xiang is also in Beijing?!"
Xu Lan's eyes suddenly lit up, Aunt Xiang?
Isn’t that the aunt of Prince Lin?
A few years ago, that aunt had stayed at the Lin Wang Mansion for a while. It seemed that was the time when Zhiyuan entered the Lin Wang Mansion?
She had a good relationship with Aunt Xiang at that time. Aunt Xiang was gentle and treated her very well. She often told her some interesting stories about the Jiangnan water town and the world.
Later, when Aunt Xiang left Linzhou, she was sad for a long time.
Zhiyuan's eyes fell on her, and after a pause, he spoke softly, "My aunt is not at home today. She should be back later... She just mentioned a few days ago that she wanted to see you."
"Really? Aunt Xiang still recognizes me?!"
Xu Lan was very happy. She clenched her fists secretly and said happily, "That's great. It's been a long time since I saw Aunt Xiang..."
But soon, Xu Lan remembered something: "When will Aunt Xiang come back... I, I may not be able to stay for long..."
She sneaked out today. It was not easy for her to come to Jiang Mansion to see Lin Jiangnian. She couldn't stay here for long and had to go home quickly before dark.
"What? Are you in a hurry to go back?" Lin Jiangnian asked.
Xu Lan sighed deeply, feeling a little aggrieved. "Yeah, my second brother doesn't let me go out casually, so I sneaked out today..."
At this point, Xu Lan hesitated, feeling a little aggrieved, and glared at Lin Jiangnian.
Lin Jiangnian and Zhiyuan understood what he meant. They looked at each other and said nothing.
"It's okay. I can't see you today, but there will be a chance next time."
Lin Jiangnian waved his hand.
At this moment, Zhiyuan, who was standing by, looked at Xu Lan and suddenly said, "Miss Xu, your makeup is a little smudged. Do you want to touch it up again?"
"ah?"
Hearing that her makeup was smudged, Xu Lan suddenly became nervous and looked around for a bronze mirror. Zhiyuan had already stepped forward and whispered, "Go to the back room, I'll help you."
"Oh, oh okay..."
Xu Lan was confused and was taken away from the living room by Zhiyuan.
Two young maids were standing under the eaves not far away.
"Xiao Zhu, you are in the capital too?"
"Yes, I am here with my prince. Are you here too?"
"I came here with my young lady."
"Miss Xu is here too?"
"Yes, he is with your Highness."
Under the eaves, two young girls gathered together, chattering about something.
When at the Prince Lin's Mansion, Xu Lan came there every few days, and her maid Xiaolu followed her. Over time, they naturally became familiar with Xiaozhu.
"By the way, Xiaozhu, let me ask you something..."
Xiaolu seemed to have thought of something and whispered something into Xiaozhu's ear.
The next second, Xiao Zhu blushed, and her tone was a little flustered and shy: "Sister Xiaolu, why, why are you asking this?"
"Ask!"
Xiaolu looked at Xiaozhu seriously, "Did you? Did your Highness have any…"
Xiao Zhu blushed, lowered her head, and stammered, "I, I don't know..."
Seeing this, Xiaolu sighed, "Forget it, you probably don't know either. Your prince is handsome, and I think there are many people who admire him. Alas, poor young lady..."
Xiao Zhu was slightly startled when she heard this and blinked: "Ms. Xu?"
Before, Xiao Zhu was completely clueless about these matters between men and women. However, on the way to Beijing, under Lin Jiangnian's tireless teaching, working day and night, and receiving the brutal enlightenment-like indoctrination at any time and place, Xiao Zhu gradually began to understand these matters.
She seemed to have thought of something and couldn't help but ask, "Sister Xiaolu, could it be that your young lady... likes my prince?"
Xiaolu glanced at Xiaozhu in surprise: "You know that too?"
Xiao Zhu shook her head, then nodded: "My prince is so handsome, it's normal for Miss Xu to like him."
Xiaolu was too weak to complain, but had to admit it, sighing: "Who said it wasn't true... Even you, Xiaozhu, know this, but my lady is still stubborn."
"Hard talk?"
Xiao Zhu seemed to understand: "What do you mean?"
"that is……"
Xiaolu was about to say something, but when she saw Xiaozhu's innocent face, she immediately waved her hand and said, "Forget it, forget it. I can't say any more. My mistress will beat me to death if I say any more."
At this point, Xiaolu seemed to think of something. She stared at Xiaozhu's delicate face, which was as soft as jade, and suddenly leaned in closer and said with a smile, "Xiaozhu, you accompanied your prince all the way to the capital. Did your prince treat you well..."
The blush on Xiaozhu's face had just faded a little, but it instantly turned red and hot.
Xiaolu was just joking at first, but when she saw Xiaozhu's reaction, the smile on her face froze slightly and she blinked.
…
backyard.
In a quiet room.
In front of the dressing table, Xu Lan looked at herself in the bronze mirror quietly, motionless.
Beside her, Zhiyuan was holding an eyebrow pencil and gently drawing something on her face.
With Zhiyuan's gentle and skillful technique, soon, a delicate face was reflected in the bronze mirror.
The already fair and delicate face was given a touch of powder, making it even more stunning. Her eyebrows and eyes were curved, and compared to before, she looked less handsome and more feminine.
Xu Lan rarely wore makeup on a daily basis; her impulsive personality meant she had no interest in such things. This time, she was worried about being recognized, so she put on a little makeup to disguise herself.
At this moment, under the manipulation of Zhiyuan, a pure and innocent face of a girl appeared before his eyes.
A shy blush seemed to appear on her clean and fair cheeks.
Xu Lan looked at herself in the mirror and felt awkward and weird no matter how she looked at herself.
It’s not that it’s ugly, but it’s… a little strange.
"Sister Zhiyuan, this..."
Xu Lan felt a little uncomfortable and subconsciously raised her eyes, and saw the absolutely beautiful facial features of Zhiyuan in front of her. Her skin was as white as jade, her nose was high and straight, her mouth was small and delicate, and her temperament was gentle and elegant, which made her slightly stunned.
For some reason, I felt a sense of inferiority in my heart.
He was about to speak, but then he held it back.
Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar woman in the mirror again, she seemed to be pleasing to the eye more and more...
After this transformation, she does seem more like a woman?
Pretty good looking?
That guy seems to always mock me for not being feminine enough?
Humph, what's wrong with it?
I am originally a woman...
When his eyes fell on his chest from the bronze mirror, Xu Lan subconsciously straightened his chest, as if realizing something, but soon lost his composure again...
Not towering.
I should have been very proud of this place in the past, but for some reason I feel a little inferior.
Thinking of this, Xu Lan couldn't help but sigh softly.
"Why is Miss Xu sighing?"
In front of her, Zhiyuan stopped what he was doing and looked down at her.
"without……"
Xu Lan shook her head, then seemed to think of something, and looked up at Zhiyuan: "Sister Zhiyuan, can I ask you something?"
"Um?"
"You and that guy..."
Xu Lan couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"
She remembered what happened just now and noticed that Lin Jiangnian and Zhiyuan seemed to have a different relationship.
Zhiyuan didn't react much and said calmly, "What does Miss Xu want to ask?"
“That’s…that’s…”
Xu Lan opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to ask. He scratched his head, feeling a little distressed.
Zhiyuan looked at her calmly and said calmly, "Do you like His Highness?"
As soon as these words came out, Xu Lan's face flushed instantly. She hurriedly waved her hands in panic to deny it: "No, that's not true. How could I like him?!"
"Absolutely, absolutely impossible."
Zhiyuan stared at her face without saying anything.
For some reason, Xu Lan felt inexplicably guilty and was afraid to look into Zhiyuan's eyes. Her face turned slightly red and hot.
"I, I'm fine..."
Xu Lan stood up in a panic: "I, I'll go out first..."
After saying that, Xu Lan left and fled.
Zhiyuan stood there, staring at her leaving back without saying a word.
…
In the courtyard.
Xu Lan fled from the room and hid under the eaves, gasping for breath, his face burning hot and his expression still panicked.
Like him?
Why did Zhiyuan ask this strange question?
How could she possibly like that guy?
No, impossible!
Yes, impossible!
Comforting herself in this way, Xu Lan gradually calmed down.
How could she have such an outrageous idea?
That guy already had a fiancée, who was the eldest princess of the dynasty, and he was going to marry the princess.
I am the eldest daughter of the Xu family. It is impossible for me to marry him as a concubine, right?
Even if she agreed, her father would not agree.
Xu Lan breathed a sigh of relief thinking this, but for some reason, a sense of nervousness surged in her heart.
Especially when I remembered that the guy came to Beijing to marry the eldest princess, I felt as if something was pulling at my heart.
Very uncomfortable!
I also felt inexplicably anxious and my hands and feet were cold.
She took a few deep breaths to suppress the faint emotion. Just as she raised her head, a figure suddenly appeared, scaring her.
"You, why are you here?!"
"This prince has been here the whole time. You were so guilty that you didn't notice."
Under the eaves, Lin Jiangnian appeared in front of Xu Lan without knowing when. He looked Xu Lan up and down and couldn't help but admire: "Oh, your makeup makes you look like a woman, a bit feminine."
"That's not..."
Xu Lan subconsciously thought that Lin Jiangnian was praising her, but when she was about to speak, she quickly realized that something was wrong.
The next second, her expression changed, and she gritted her teeth and said angrily, "What do you mean I look like a woman?"
"I have always been a woman!"
Lin Jiangnian took a step back, without saying a word, just looked at her.
Xu Lan: “…”
"Does this girl really not look like a woman?"
Xu Lan glared at him in embarrassment, feeling inexplicably frustrated.
"It's not that you don't look like him, but the way you're dressed..."
"Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"There's nothing wrong with that..."
"You're talking nonsense. There's something wrong with your eyes..."
Xu Lan glared at him, lowered her head and looked at him for a few seconds, then couldn't help but say, "Isn't it okay if I just change into a skirt?"
Lin Jiangnian sighed: "Some things can't be changed by just changing clothes."
Xu Lan: “…”
"Explain your thoughts to me clearly?!"
"It's very clear, don't you understand?"
"If you have the guts, just say it!"
"I'm afraid you can't bear it."
"...Mr. Lin, I'm not done with you!"
Lin Jiangnian took a step back and looked at the anxious and defensive Miss Xu in front of him: "Are you sure you want to fight this prince?"
“That’s right!”
Xu Lan's face flushed slightly, and he was furious and gritting his teeth.
He seemed to remember something, and a smug look suddenly appeared on his face: "By the way, do you still remember our bet?"
Lin Jiangnian nodded: "It seems to be the case?"
"What do you mean by 'seem'? It just exists!"
"Now the six-month period has come, you lose!"
Xu Lan sneered and said complacently: "Be a good servant to me!"
“…”