Looking forward to the spring breeze

Chapter 36

Xu Wei shook his head helplessly. "I'm afraid this matter won't be so easy." Seeing You Tong looking at him with a puzzled expression, he explained, "As you know, most young ladies from powerful families in the capital are raised in seclusion, rarely venturing out of their homes. Even when they do go out, they are always surrounded by servants. Although that young lady has maids serving her, her behavior doesn't seem like that of someone from a wealthy family. I'm worried that my mother might not agree."

You Tong said, "Mother has always doted on Second Uncle. If she is truly the one Second Uncle likes, I don't think she will make things too difficult for him." She said this, but in her heart she began to think. In fact, her family background was not a good match for the Xu family. Madam Xu was able to accept her, probably because of Cui Shi's influence.

"Never mind," Xu Wei said helplessly, "We can't get involved in this matter. Anyway, I promised my second brother that I would help him find out where that girl is starting tomorrow. If we can find her, then he can handle the rest himself. If we can't find her, then none of this matters."

You Tong knew he was right. Regardless of whether Madam Xu agreed or not, the most important thing now was to find that young lady. If they couldn't find her, or if the girl had already been promised to someone else, wouldn't all their efforts be in vain? "Plum Blossom—" You Tong frowned slightly, as if she vaguely remembered something, but when she really tried to recall it, she couldn't remember it at all.

Seeing her frowning and looking troubled, Xu Wei felt a little sorry for her and quickly said, "You've seen it? If you can't remember, then forget it. There are so many carriages coming and going on this street, it's not surprising that you occasionally catch a glimpse of it, how could you possibly remember?"

You Tong shook her head, then tapped her forehead in frustration, saying, "What's wrong with me? My memory is getting worse and worse lately. I can't remember where I've seen something before."

The capital city is so vast that it's incredibly difficult to investigate based solely on a single plum blossom clue. They searched for three days straight, but still found nothing. Xu Cong didn't say anything, but a hint of disappointment lingered on his face. Xu Wei was also helpless, unsure how to comfort him, only saying that Madam Xu couldn't arrange a marriage for him anytime soon, and that he shouldn't worry.

As for Wenyan, the marriage with the Sun family was finally set for February 18th, and furniture making has already begun. Due to the shortage of precious wood in the capital, rosewood and black ebony are unavailable. The Second Madam had people search all over the capital, but they only managed to find some scattered pieces of wood, far from enough to make a complete set.

The second wife had no choice but to ask around to find people in the south, but with the wedding date fast approaching, she was feeling a bit rushed. Thinking that Xu Wei had a wide network of connections, she asked You Tong to mention to Xu Wei whether he knew anyone in the south who could buy the best timber.

It was hard to say about Xu Wei, but You Tong did think of someone: the Gao family of Qiantang. She vaguely remembered that the Gao family had considerable business along the southern coast, especially with frequent dealings with Silla and Burma, so buying some timber shouldn't be difficult. The problem was, her identity was sensitive. Although she now knew what she should and shouldn't know, everyone tacitly agreed not to bring it up openly. Even if she were completely unconcerned, she couldn't just brazenly go to Gao Heng.

After thinking for a while, instead of replying to the Second Madam, You Tong wrote a letter to Qing Dai and had it delivered to the Gao family's villa outside the city. The next day, the messenger returned with a reply, saying that the Gao family's concubine had arrived in the capital and was now staying at the Gao residence in Zhuye Hutong in the west of the city. You Tong then sent someone with a visiting card to invite Qing Dai to visit.

The next morning, Qingdai arrived early, bringing her baby who was only a few months old. She held the child and bowed to Youtong. Youtong, however, would not accept her bow and quickly helped her up, saying, "There's no need for such formalities between us. Look, you're carrying a child; don't frighten him." As she spoke, she couldn't help but curiously examine the baby in Qingdai's arms.

The baby was only seven or eight months old, and he was very handsome, with big eyes, black hair, and snow-white skin. He wasn't shy at all. Perhaps because he had never seen Youtong before, the baby stared at her with wide eyes. When he saw that Youtong was looking at him, he smiled and his eyes crinkled, making him so cute that you couldn't help but want to kiss him.

The moment You Tong saw him, her heart softened, and she couldn't help but reach out and touch his soft little face. The delicate and smooth touch on her fingertips felt like a feather gently caressing her heart. "Has he been named yet?" You Tong asked, her eyes shining with tenderness.

Qingdai smiled as she watched her son, Chao Youtong, babble away, her face full of satisfaction. She replied softly, "At home, everyone calls him Xiaobao, but he doesn't have a proper name yet. My father-in-law and husband have argued about Xiaobao's name countless times, and they still haven't decided on one."

You Tong found it hard to believe that Gao Heng, who was always gentle and refined like a gentleman, would argue with his father. She couldn't help but laugh out loud and shook her head, saying, "You really can't judge a book by its cover. When people outside see Gao Gongzi's appearance, who would think that he would also argue with someone with a red face?"

Qingdai smiled and said, "My husband isn't very noisy, but he's very slow and methodical in reasoning with people, and he talks on and on, which makes my father-in-law so angry that he can't help but scold people." Speaking of these things at home, Qingdai's face became more cheerful, and it was clear that she was doing quite well in the Gao family.

Seeing this, Youtong breathed a sigh of relief. Bai Ling's death had always been a thorn in her side. Although Xu Wei often comforted her, and although she knew that Shen San was the real murderer of Bai Ling, she still felt uneasy, and sometimes even got stuck in a rut, wondering what she had done wrong to cause such an ending. Fortunately, there was Qingdai…

You Tong held and played with Xiao Bao for a while, and then chatted with Qing Dai for a bit before telling her about the Second Madam's need to buy timber. After that, she added, "I just remembered that the Gao family seems to have always had business dealings with the south, so I asked you to come and ask. I should have gone to the mansion myself, but I was afraid of running into Young Master Gao."

Qingdai quickly replied, "Miss, you flatter me. If you need anything, just send someone to let me know. I will do anything to help. Although I don't manage business matters much, I have vaguely heard my husband mention that there seem to be some good materials stored in Qiantang. I will talk to my husband about it when we get back. With the help of the Cui and Xu families, my husband will definitely not refuse."

You Tong was happy to see that she had agreed. Although she didn't have a good impression of the Second Madam, she cared a lot about Wen Yan. She was happy that Wen Yan had married so well.

Qingdai stayed in the mansion for half a day, and only took her leave after lunch. Before leaving, she awkwardly pulled Youtong aside, bit her lip, and whispered, "Miss, Yazhu told my husband about my visits with you at the villa. He seems to have guessed your identity."

It wasn't surprising that Gao Heng could guess You Tong's identity; on the contrary, she breathed a sigh of relief. Rumors about her identity had been circulating in the capital for some time, and although few believed them, it wouldn't have been easy to hide it from Gao Heng if people knew she and Qing Dai were close friends.

“Since he knows—” You Tong shook her head and smiled, “then I don’t need to worry so much. Next time I’ll just go to his residence to visit my little nephew.” Since Gao Heng already knew her identity but hadn’t said anything, he must be a tight-lipped person. In that case, she didn’t need to have so many concerns anymore.

She escorted Qingdai all the way to the door, and only after the mother, child, and maid had all boarded the carriage did she turn back to the house. Just as she turned, she suddenly remembered something, and abruptly turned back to chase after them, but she was too late; the carriage was already far away.

Seeing that her expression was off, Hongyun quickly asked, "Young Madam, is something wrong? Should I go and bring them back?"

You Tong shook her head blankly, thought for a while, and then instructed, "As soon as the young master returns, tell him to come and find me immediately."

When Xu Wei returned to the mansion and rushed to the room to see You Tong, he found her sitting by the window, chin in hand, lost in thought. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her face showed a look of confusion.

"What's wrong? Hongyun said you're acting strange, it scared me so much my legs went weak," Xu Wei said dramatically.

When Youtong heard his voice, she slowly turned her head, touched her chin, and whispered, "Qingdai came today."

"Is that your maid? How come she's come to the capital too?" Xu Wei had seen her in person in Qiantang before, and had often heard her name from You Tong afterward, so he was not unfamiliar with her.

“Yes,” You Tong nodded, “She married into the Gao family of Qiantang as a concubine and gave birth to a son last year. He’s already teething.” As soon as she mentioned Xiao Bao, a smile involuntarily appeared on her face, and she couldn’t help but describe Xiao Bao’s appearance to Xu Wei. Xu Wei knew her worries and was afraid that she would be upset again, but he didn’t know how to comfort her. He just chuckled softly, “We will have one in the future too.”

You Tong's face was still somewhat gloomy. She forced a laugh twice, then suddenly remembered something and quickly said, "I almost forgot to tell you the most important thing. Qing Dai came over today, and when I saw her off at the manor, I actually saw that plum blossom mark on her carriage."

Upon hearing this, Xu Wei was both surprised and delighted, and said, "So, that young lady must be a daughter of the Gao family."

You Tong sighed and shook her head, saying, "It's hard to say. If I were you, I wouldn't be so happy. I don't know how many unmarried young ladies the Gao family has, but the one most likely to be married seems to already be engaged." Of the Gao family's young ladies, You Tong only recognized Gao Ya Zhu; according to Xu Cong's description, she did resemble her quite a bit. It was just a pity that You Tong vaguely remembered Qing Dai mentioning at the villa that Ya Zhu was already engaged.

Xu Wei fell silent for a moment, then murmured, "Regardless of whether it's true or not, I'll send someone to inquire first." If they were indeed engaged, then Xu Cong would have no choice but to accept it. The Xu family wouldn't do something like forcing a marriage.

78. Visit

Xu Wei acted quickly, returning home the next afternoon upon receiving the news. Seeing the lack of a smile on his face, You Tong knew the outcome was probably disappointing, but she couldn't help asking. Xu Wei smiled wryly, "One bad news, one so-so news. Which do you want to hear first?"

There was no good news at all. You Tong couldn't help but worry for Xu Cong. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Why don't you tell me the bad news first?"

"I've had people inquire, and the Gao family has three unmarried daughters in the capital, two of whom are only ** years old—" In other words, Xu Cong's ideal woman is most likely Gao Yazhu, the one You Tong had met. That girl is lively and lovely, with a good temperament, it's just a pity—

Seeing the sympathy on You Tong's face, Xu Wei added, "Another piece of news that is neither good nor bad is that although Miss Gao was engaged, her fiancé fell seriously ill before the new year and died."

"This—" You Tong didn't know whether to be happy for Xu Cong or to feel sorry for Ya Zhu. She looked at Xu Wei with a strange expression and finally understood why he had such a complicated look on his face when he entered the room.

"Miss Gao was originally scheduled to marry this February, but with her fiancé's death, the marriage is naturally off." Xu Wei stopped there, but You Tong understood. Although Ya Zhu wasn't a widow, the reputation of being a jinx would remain, making it difficult for her to find a good family in the future. Although Xu Cong was interested in her, the Gao family wasn't of high social standing; they had only produced a few scholars, with most of the rest being merchants. How could they compare to the now-powerful Xu family? Moreover, Ya Zhu carried the burden of being a jinx. Getting past Madam Xu would be a difficult task.

"Have you told your second uncle about this?" You Tong thought for a moment and decided it was better to clarify things with Xu Cong first, since he was the one getting married. No one could be sure whether his feelings for Ya Zhu were strong enough to make him defy his mother for her.

Xu Wei shook his head and said, "I just got back, and my second brother is still at the yamen. It's not appropriate for me to make a special trip for such a small matter. We can discuss it after he gets back."

That evening, Xu Cong rushed over upon receiving the news. Xu Wei told him the whole story, and seeing the excitement on his face, he quickly stopped him and said solemnly, "You don't need to answer me for now. Go back to your room and think it over carefully. This is a major life event for you, and your sister-in-law and I can't help you with it. You also can't ignore your mother's thoughts."

Seeing his serious expression, Xu Cong's heart sank as well. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I understand. I'll tell you tomorrow, brother." With that, he frowned, bowed to Xu Wei, and returned to his room, deep in thought. After he had gone some distance, Xu Wei went back to his room and said to You Tong, "I think he's made up his mind. We're going to have a lot of work to do." Getting Madam Xu to give in would probably take You Tong a lot of effort.

You Tong chuckled, covering her mouth as she said, "Like brother, like brother. I learned all this from you." Every man in the Xu family was a devoted lover. Xu Wei aside, even Master Xu was the same. If he hadn't been so devoted to Madam Xu, he wouldn't have fallen out with the Xu family over taking a concubine, and ultimately fled to the capital with his family. The Xu brothers all followed their father's example, upright and faithful. Sometimes, when You Tong looked back, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking that although fate loved to play tricks on people, it had never been unkind to her.

Early the next morning, Xu Cong waited outside the courtyard for Xu Wei to get up. After the two brothers talked for a while, Xu Wei reluctantly went back into the house, took off his outer robe, and lay back on the bed. He whispered to You Tong, "He's lost his mind."

You Tong had expected this, so she wasn't too surprised. She smiled and said, "Then I'll go and send an invitation to Qingdai to come over to the mansion. I'll also ask her to bring Yazhu out for a walk to relax."

After breakfast, You Tong changed her clothes and went to the Gao family. Ever since the incident, Xu Wei had been very concerned about her safety. Every time she went out, she was escorted by more than a dozen servants. When she arrived at the Gao family's gate in a grand procession, the gatekeeper was completely taken aback. When he heard that the person requesting an audience was the concubine of the mansion, the guard was stunned for a long time.

Although Qingdai was a concubine who was brought into the mansion through proper channels, she was always well-behaved and kept a low profile in the Gao family. Even when she visited the Xu family last time, she mentioned to the people in the mansion that she had a close relationship with the young mistress of Xu. Therefore, Youtong's sudden visit at this time left everyone in the Gao mansion completely bewildered.

Since the old lady of the Gao family was in Qiantang, and Gao Heng had already guessed her identity, You Tong had no more worries about her trip and presented her visiting card openly. The person who came out to greet her from the mansion was the third wife of the Gao family, who was also Gao Heng's aunt. She was a shrewd middle-aged woman with a smiling face and eager eyes.

After exchanging pleasantries with Youtong for a while, Qingdai hurriedly came out from the inner courtyard to greet her. Upon entering the house, she didn't rush to greet Youtong, but instead respectfully called out "Third Madam," before nodding and smiling at Youtong. The Third Madam said, half-jokingly and half-complainingly, "I must say you're quite inconsiderate. Why didn't you tell us beforehand that Young Madam Xu was coming today? It's so rude of the household that we weren't prepared at all."

Qingdai quickly apologized, saying, "It's all my fault."

You Tong quickly spoke up, "No wonder, Qing Dai. It's because I came in such a hurry. I should have sent my visiting card earlier. But I was in a rush today. When I passed by, I suddenly remembered that the Gao residence was nearby. I hadn't seen Ya Zhu for a while, so I came in to see her."

The Third Madam was unaware of Youtong's acquaintance with Qingdai and the others at the villa. Seeing that she even recognized Yazhu, she was even more hesitant, wondering how Qingdai and the others had gotten to know such powerful and influential people as the Xu family.

"What are you all standing there for? Go and call the young lady and the others over!" The Third Madam, seeing the maid still standing there dumbfounded, snapped at her impatiently. Turning to Youtong, she put on a smiling face and said politely, "Yazhu, this child, ever since the Liu family—"

"Third Aunt—" The Third Madam had just opened her mouth when Qingdai suddenly interrupted her, smiling lightly, "When I came over just now, I saw the Fifth Young Master looking for you everywhere."

The Third Madam's eyes flickered, and she glanced thoughtfully at Qingdai. Seeing that Qingdai was standing ramrod straight, looking at her without any fear, the Third Madam's heart stirred, and she couldn't help but steal a glance at Youtong. Youtong remained expressionless, nodding at her with a smile.

The Third Madam, being so shrewd, could easily see through the commotion. She knew that Youtong probably had something to say to Qingdai in private. Although she was slightly reluctant, she didn't want to stand there and get in the way. So she smiled at the two of them and said tactfully, "That little rascal is the most mischievous, yet he can't be separated from me for even a moment. So I'll leave this place to you, Qingdai. You must take good care of Madam Xu and don't neglect her."

Qingdai smiled and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Third Aunt, I'll take care of it."

After seeing off the Third Madam, Qingdai dismissed all the servants and closed the door. Then she came over to greet Youtong and said with a smile, "Why didn't you let me know you were coming? I thought I had misheard when I heard you were coming."

Because getting past Madam Xu was a difficult hurdle, Youtong wasn't in a hurry to tell Qingdai about Xu Cong's interest in Yazhu. She just smiled and said, "I just missed Xiaobao. I saw him the day before yesterday and really liked him. I haven't seen him for a day and I even miss him a little. So, I just stopped by to see him when I was passing through the alley."

When her son was mentioned, Qingdai's face softened into a gentle smile, and she said softly, "Miss, your timing is a bit off. Xiaobao was tired from playing and went to bed by himself. Should I have the maid wake him up?"

You Tong quickly said, "No need, no need. This is the time when children are most prone to sleepiness. How can we force him to wake up? He'll definitely cry and fuss. Besides, the Xu residence isn't far. I can visit him next time." Then, seemingly casually, she added, "By the way, I heard that Ya Zhu—"

"Alas—" Qingdai's face darkened, and she slowly shook her head, sighing, "It's her bad luck. She thought she had found a good family, but she never expected such a disaster. It's bad enough that the marriage fell through, but she's also being called a jinx. She's quite resolute, she doesn't cry or make a fuss, but the more she does that, the more heartbroken we feel. This child—" As she spoke, her eyes began to redden.

“This isn’t a solution,” You Tong said softly. “If she keeps keeping quiet like this, I’m afraid she’ll develop some health problems. You should try to persuade her more often, take her out for walks, and help her relax. Hmm, or how about we go to my residence? The Xu residence is quiet, the servants are very well-behaved, and most importantly, we get along well. It would be good to have someone to talk to.”

Qingdai quickly said, "It's rare for you to care about her so much, Miss. Yazhu will definitely be grateful when she finds out. You don't know, ever since that family had that incident, Yazhu has been really upset—even the servants in the mansion are gossiping. How can she not be sad?"

As they were speaking, a maid knocked softly on the door and whispered, "Aunt Qing, the eldest young lady is here."

Qingdai quickly stood up and said, "Quickly invite her in." As she spoke, she strode forward to open the door.

"Look who's here," Qingdai said with a smile, pulling Yazhu into the house by the hand.

"I've already heard about it," Ya Zhu said with a forced smile, and whispered, "They say it's the young mistress of the Xu family. I thought about it all the way here before I remembered who she is." As she spoke, she walked up to You Tong, curtsied to her, and said in a low voice, "The young mistress of the Xu family is getting more and more beautiful."

You Tong noticed that although Ya Zhu was smiling, she looked much more haggard than the last time she saw her. Her once slightly chubby round face had become thin and pale, and her complexion had lost its former rosy hue, leaving only an unhealthy pallor. A pang of sympathy welled up in her heart, but fearing that Ya Zhu might misunderstand, she forced a smile and said, "Didn't we agree that you would come to the capital to find me? I've been waiting, but I haven't seen you come. Never mind, tomorrow you and Qing Dai will come to my residence for a while and keep me company."

Ya Zhu opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to refuse, but Qing Dai interrupted her, saying, "It's rare for Young Madam Xu to extend such a kind invitation, so why don't you accept?"

"Can--"

"Then it's settled." You Tong stepped forward and took her hand, saying eagerly, "I'll be waiting for you at the manor tomorrow, you absolutely must come." Without giving her a chance to object, she hurriedly bid farewell to the two of them.

After she left, Qingdai vaguely felt that something was not quite right, as if Youtong's visit to the mansion was specifically for Yazhu.

79. Requesting to Fight

While You Tong was still worrying about Xu Cong's marriage, a major event occurred in the court: unrest broke out again on the northwestern frontier. The Mongol army captured three cities in seven days, and the frontier was in dire straits, causing panic in the capital. Upon receiving the news, Xu Wei immediately went to request permission to lead the troops the next day, while You Tong remained at home, restless and uneasy.

Although they knew he couldn't stay idle at home and would eventually return to the battlefield, they couldn't help but harbor a sliver of hope that he could stay in the capital. Now, seeing him about to be sent to the battlefield, they felt both reluctant and worried. Not only You Tong, but the entire Xu family also fell silent, and laughter was absent from the mansion for a while.

Around noon, Xu Wei returned home looking exhausted. He collapsed onto the bed without a word, his face expressionless, as if he were angry with someone. Seeing his pale face, You Tong, unsure what was wrong, quickly dismissed the maids and tiptoed to the bedside. She sat down against the edge of the bed, gently touched his forehead, and softly asked, "What happened?"

Xu Wei angrily buried his head in the blanket and remained silent for a long time. Seeing this, You Tong didn't want to force him, so she took off her shoes, lay down next to him, hugged his waist, and buried her head in the blanket as well.

After a while, Xu Wei stirred. You Tong quickly looked up and saw that he had finally poked his head out. He still had a stern face and muttered in a low voice, "I was late. Shen San beat me to it."

You Tong was taken aback at first, then realized what was happening and exclaimed in surprise, "Shen San also went to volunteer for battle?"

Xu Wei said angrily, "That's right! Why did he even bother to join in? He's never actually been on the battlefield. He's only been in two bandit-suppression campaigns, and he thinks he's some kind of great general. The people on the frontier are fierce and the climate is harsh. He doesn't even have any experience in leading troops. How can he be fit for such a great responsibility!" He never liked to speak ill of people behind their backs, but he was clearly furious at the moment and actually started making up stories about Shen San. After saying that, he felt a little uneasy, sighed angrily, and said nothing more.

You Tong, however, asked in bewilderment, "Such a big matter, in principle, Master shouldn't be so hasty."

Xu Wei said with his eyes closed, "The eldest son of the Shen family acted as guarantor. He was very considerate of his younger brother, knowing that he wouldn't have a chance to go to war, so he made sure that Shen San took the lead. However, the Northwest is not the South Frontier, and his experience and connections are of no use. If Shen San goes to the Northwest, he will suffer a lot." As he finished speaking, he couldn't help but grit his teeth in anger, but the annoyance on his face had lessened considerably.

You Tong patted his back and whispered to comfort him, "The eldest young master is a prudent person. Since he has vouched for him, he must have prepared a foolproof plan. With the people he arranged, Shen San shouldn't cause any trouble. It's just that you'll probably have to rest for a while longer." Although she knew it wasn't very kind of her to say that, she was at least relieved to know that he didn't have to go on the expedition.

Xu Wei was only upset because he couldn't figure it out for a moment. After being comforted by You Tong's gentle words, his displeasure had long since vanished. Now he felt a little embarrassed and thought it was petty of him to get angry over such a small matter. After chuckling twice, he shamelessly got up and went to talk to Master Xu as if nothing had happened.

When Xu Cong returned in the evening, he was initially worried, but when he saw Xu Wei chatting and laughing with everyone as usual, he breathed a sigh of relief. However, he couldn't help but secretly ask You Tong for a while, and only after confirming that Xu Wei was not abnormal did he feel at ease.

On the third day, Shen San was appointed General Who Conquers the West and led 80,000 troops to the frontier. Xu Wei secretly sent a letter to him, informing him of everything happening in the Northwest. Whether Shen San would read it carefully is unknown. Before his departure, the young emperor personally performed a road-crossing ceremony, and all the officials saw him off. Xu Wei claimed to be ill and spent the day at home playing chess with You Tong.

Life went on as usual. While Xu Cong was on leave, You Tong invited Ya Zhu and Qing Dai into the mansion. Madam Xu was unaware of the intricacies of the situation. Although the Gao family were merchants, she was very friendly and courteous because they were guests personally invited by You Tong. She even chatted intimately with Ya Zhu for quite a while.

Although Qingdai had doubts about Youtong inviting her and Yazhu to the mansion, the two families were of vastly different social standing, so she dared not think about it at all.

Ya Zhu had been cooped up at home for many days, and finally going out for a while cheered her up a bit, her smile no longer forced. After lunch, You Tong took her to sit in the garden in the backyard. Hearing from Qing Dai that Ya Zhu was good at playing the zither, You Tong quickly asked her maid to go back to the house and bring out her treasured guqin.

Ya Zhu was initially a little embarrassed and declined for a while, but seeing that she couldn't refuse, she finally accepted the zither, sat up straight, thought for a moment, and played a piece called "Spring's Passing". You Tong had studied with Cui Shi for a few years when she was young, and although her zither skills weren't the best, she could still tell the difference. As soon as she heard the music, she knew that Ya Zhu had indeed put in a lot of effort in her zither playing, and she couldn't help but nod repeatedly.

After the piece was finished, You Tong couldn't help but praise it repeatedly. Then she said, "Although I am just an ordinary person, I can still hear the sadness in Ya Zhu's zither music. In this life, ten out of ten things are not as we wish. It is futile to worry about these things all day long. It is better to let go of them and live happily. That is the only way to be true to yourself."

Upon hearing this, Ya Zhu looked up at her abruptly, only to realize that You Tong already knew about her situation. Today, You Tong had gone to great lengths to invite her to his residence for a short visit, probably with the intention of comforting her. Ya Zhu felt both touched and aggrieved, and her eyes stung, causing tears to fall in a steady stream.

Since the incident, Ya Zhu had been holding back her tears, keeping everything bottled up inside. This prolonged silence inevitably led to her becoming somewhat depressed. Her sudden outburst now, however, was a release of all the pent-up frustration. Seeing this, Qing Dai quickly rushed forward to embrace her, gently patting her back and softly comforting her…

After Ya Zhu finished crying and wiped away her tears, she saw You Tong looking at her with concern. Feeling quite embarrassed, she awkwardly rubbed her eyes and murmured, "I...I was rude."