Who else could you love besides me

Chapter 29

"yes."

She left her address with Nalan and the others yesterday, but she didn't expect Fu Jin to come looking for her this morning.

Xi Ri looked at Long Ming and hesitated for a moment.

Long Ming smiled and said, "Do you want me to come along?" But despite saying that, he made no intention of getting up.

"No need!" That's exactly why I don't want you to go! Xi Ri turned and left.

Upon arriving at the front hall, I saw Fu Jin dressed in a rather strange outfit with a short collar, but he looked very energetic.

Seeing her come out, he rushed forward somewhat impatiently and grabbed her sleeve, saying urgently, "Yu-di, you're finally out! You left in such a hurry yesterday that I forgot to tell you that we have a match today, and we're already late!"

"A competition?" Upon hearing that it was a competition, Xi Ri's first instinct was not to want to go.

"It's a football match. Come on, Minglu sent me to pick you up!" he said as he pulled her out the door.

Minglu? Xi Ri was slightly taken aback, looking puzzled. Fu Jin explained as they walked, "Minglu is very sorry about what happened yesterday, but he never apologizes to others. He asked me to pick you up today, which is naturally to express his apology. Yu Di, don't mind what happened yesterday. Minglu must have misunderstood. Although I don't know much about this matter, Minglu was indeed a bit abnormal yesterday, unlike his usual self."

As they were talking, they arrived at the gate, where two horses were waiting. He was clearly in a hurry. Fu Jin mounted his horse and turned back to say, "Let's go, they're already waiting at the east gate!"

He hesitated for a moment, but Fu Jin urged him several times, saying, "Brother Yu, what are you hesitating about! Are you still bothered by what happened yesterday?"

“No,” Xi Ri said.

"Then hurry up and go. If you don't go, Minglu will definitely think you're still blaming him. He's a bit arrogant. If you don't go this time..."

He mounted his horse the other day.

Fu Jin smiled and spurred his horse forward. They rode towards the east gate.

Cuju was not very popular at this time, especially in the palace, where it was not favored by the young masters. But for some reason, Minglu and his friends liked Cuju.

Finally, they arrived at the competition venue. Inside, the players were already lined up in two rows, with a kudzu ball in the middle and Minglu leading the first row. There were many spectators outside the stadium, all shouting and cheering.

Fu Jin and she dismounted, and Fu Jin handed the reins to the servants who came towards them. Fu Jin hurriedly rushed into the arena, turning back to Xi Ri as he ran, saying, "Brother Yu, cheer for us from the sidelines! If we win, you'll get a share too."

Xi Ri really wanted to refuse this offer, as the things they gambled on were often beyond her comprehension and capacity to bear. However, she couldn't refuse Fu Jin's kindness, so she just smiled.

Minglu saw her from afar, nodded to her, and she returned the greeting.

After the scramble for the ball, the football game officially began. It was my first time watching someone play football, and I wasn't very interested at first, but gradually, I became attracted by Minglu's figure on the field.

The rattan ball seemed to come alive in his feet, striking with thunderous force and moving with lightning speed, its movements graceful and elegant. Even she, who had never had a good impression of Minglu, watched his every move with almost greedy eyes.

Unexpectedly, he also had a moment that attracted her attention.

Then, a flag waved in the middle of the field, signaling the end of the match, and another round of cheers erupted from the sidelines. Seeing the four of them walking towards her, chatting and laughing, it seemed they had won.

Before she could even approach, a group of women had already blocked her way, surrounding her and offering tea and water, fragrant handkerchiefs, their laughter and praise almost incessant. Xi Ri chuckled to herself: Could this be why they like Cuju (ancient Chinese football)?

Fu Jin was overjoyed and almost forgot himself and started to embrace the women on the spot. Nalan was surrounded by several women and smiled contentedly. Xi En didn't mind the favor from the beauties. Only Ming Lu looked directly at her, pushed away the women surrounding her, and walked straight towards her.

After yesterday, Minglu had no reason to doubt that she was a woman, let alone that she was Tian Xiri. She should be able to face his gaze more calmly, but for some reason, she still felt a little scared when she saw his deep, direct gaze.

He was surrounded by many women, chattering amongst themselves... He casually waved his hand, and although the women were unwilling, they seemed quite wary and left hesitantly, but their eyes still lingered on him, as if they would immediately run back to his side at the slightest glance from him.

Xi Ri watched this scene calmly until she felt his gaze, then she looked up and met his eyes.

××××××××

Xiaolong has more screen time in this chapter, and Minglu's role will also start to increase. I haven't written about Suoge yet, but it'll be soon! ^_^

The accumulated obsessions in the main text (the path to enlightenment)

The moment their eyes met, Xi Ri slightly looked away, while Ming Lu was also momentarily lost in thought...

×××××××××

The man before me looks remarkably like Tian Xiri. Could it be that everything is a mistake? Was it really him playing the piano that day? Was it actually Li Yu standing before me, not Tian Xiri…?

I remember that autumn, he accompanied his mother to the Dafosi Temple on the mountain to burn incense and pray for blessings. After his mother prayed, she went to listen to the abbot, Master Fuyuan, talk about Zen. When he was bored, he strolled to the back mountain of the temple and looked around and saw a desolate and dark yellow landscape.

Autumn leaves fall in abundance, carrying a faint sense of melancholy as they fade into the distance.

For many years, since his father's death, the heavy burden of the family—from the age of thirteen—has rested on his shoulders. Their fates are intertwined; one's glory is their glory, the other's ruin. Forced to transform from an arrogant young prince into the ruthless Prince Ming in the officialdom, he has changed, sometimes becoming unrecognizable to himself. Now, it seems that nothing but fame, fortune, and power matters to him… because he carries the fate of his entire family on his shoulders.

Even with his noble lineage and illustrious surname, he lived constantly amidst an invisible and cruel web of danger. To outsiders, he appeared glamorous and dazzling, but only he knew the price he had to pay to maintain that brilliance and radiance. And he seemed to have long since grown accustomed to it. However, the scene before him suddenly filled him with weariness. Autumn, indeed, was a melancholic season; he was unexpectedly overcome with a sense of despondency at this moment.

Just then, a melodious zither tune drifted in. All around was silent, save for the sound of the wind, which carried the ethereal music. It seemed like celestial music floating in the air, the clear and melodious notes possessing a Buddhist-like tranquility and detachment, instantly erasing his weariness and boredom. His body relaxed, a cool mountain breeze caressing his face, giving him a vague sense of redemption. The music lingered, and gradually, a spark of light ignited within him, slowly illuminating the darkness in his heart.

Several loud bells rang out, and the zither music suddenly stopped. He abruptly opened his relaxed and closed eyes. The desolation that had greeted him had faded away. He listened carefully, but the zither music was gone. He stood quietly for a while, but the zither music still did not return. His heart seemed no longer satisfied with just listening from afar. He suddenly wanted to know who was playing the zither.

He summoned his servants to inquire who had been playing the zither in the temple.

A short while later, a servant returned and reported to him that it was a very beautiful pilgrim, but he couldn't find out who it was.

When Minglu wanted to meet this person in person, he heard that the person had already gone down the mountain and left.

The Buddhists say that those without affinity cannot meet, and perhaps he and she truly were not destined to be together. He didn't insist on searching for her at the time. Later, by chance, a servant told him that he had encountered the person who had played the zither at the mountain temple that day on the street, and it was confirmed to be Tian Xiri, the second young lady of the Tian family.

Tian Xiri... From that moment on, he began to notice her.

Tian Xiri is the Empress Dowager's favorite niece. She is not only beautiful, but also intelligent, virtuous, and well-educated. Although she was born out of wedlock, she is very favored. Because of her beauty, she is the most beautiful woman in the capital and is known as the most beautiful woman in the capital.

There are many stories about her.

I've heard that a young nobleman once went so far as to bribe the servants of the Tian family during Tian Xiri's birthday celebration just to catch a glimpse of her. Legend has it that after seeing her, this young man fell hopelessly in love, losing his appetite and becoming completely deranged. (Aside: He did become mentally impaired, but not from lovesickness. I'll write about that another time to make you laugh.)