Kiyomi Tsuki et son renard

Chapitre 125

Where is Xu Fanda?

"I'm afraid of frogs."

You really can't tell.

Where is my cousin?

He lost again... How unlucky is my cousin! He always loses to Long Ming.

"He lost the bet again."

"And what about your cousin?"

He looked at her, seemed to hesitate for a moment, and finally said, "I'm afraid of being forced into marriage!"

No way... Soge's weakness is actually his fear of an arranged marriage... and not... his fear of playing football with her...

"And what about you?" she continued.

"What about me?" he retorted.

"What are your weaknesses?" she asked weakly, not expecting an answer from him.

He gave her a cold, disapproving look, and she lowered her head even further, feeling guilty, but she still heard him utter a single word with difficulty: "You."

Upon hearing this, Tian Xiri secretly grinned.

Third Brother ultimately kept his promise. For her sake, he took all the blame and personally went to the Emperor to refuse the marriage. The Emperor severely reprimanded him and stripped him of his title as a prince. Because he had been tracking her whereabouts for a year, Third Brother had never accepted the fiefdom bestowed by the Emperor and had been temporarily residing in the capital. Now, he had returned to the status of a county prince, so not much had changed. In the end, the Emperor had shown leniency. Even when mentioning this matter, the Emperor sighed sadly in private, and couldn't help but feel some pity for Minglu. Perhaps the Emperor had known about their affairs all along.

These past few days, the Imperial Uncle has been drinking and chatting happily with the Prince of Zhennan every day. He is in a very good mood and has not blamed Tian Xiri. He even privately seems to approve of her ambiguous relationship with Long Ming, which makes Tian Xiri both amused and exasperated.

A year has passed, and she once again entered the palace to attend the banquet. Facing these once-familiar pavilions and towers, she felt a sense of loss and change.

When she walked in nonchalantly, facing the inquisitive gazes of the crowd, the first familiar face she encountered was none other than Suoge.

A year had passed, and he had become more mature and composed, yet he remained highly sought after. Even at banquets, he still received numerous letters from women. He casually picked up one and glanced at it, then looked up and saw him… His gaze darkened, and he seemingly casually tossed the letter aside.

She calmly and unhurriedly smiled and gave him a slight bow, saying, "Tian Xiri greets Prince Xi."

A complex look flashed across Soge's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant. He replied calmly, "Rise."

“Thank you, Prince Xie,” Tian Xiri said.

Her eyes held a smile, she nodded slightly, took a few steps back, and was about to leave when she heard her softly call out, "You..." Upon hearing this, Xi Ri stopped in her tracks.

Just then, someone behind him shouted, "Cousin, you've received so many letters? I'm so envious!"

It's Longming.

Xi Ri turned around upon hearing the sound, exchanged a smile with Long Ming, and then quietly retreated and gracefully departed.

Before leaving, I noticed by chance the signature on the letter that Suo Ge had left behind: Meng Zifan.

A year has passed, and Fourth Brother hasn't changed much, still acting as if he's fearless. Eldest Brother, however, has a woman by his side. Judging from her back, she seems to have a voluptuous figure. Suddenly, she remembers Long Ming saying that Eldest Brother likes to collect nude pictures of beautiful women, and she can't help but chuckle to herself. Second Brother is elegant and composed, chatting and laughing freely. Only Third Brother stands quietly to the side, his gaze cold and his expression indifferent. Suddenly, his eyes glance in her direction, and she tenses up abruptly. She takes a small step forward instinctively, but then stops abruptly and retreats in a daze.

Just then, they suddenly heard their second brother, Nalan, shout loudly, "You unfilial fifth sister! You don't even come forward to apologize to your brothers. You ran away from home on your own that day, causing your brothers to search for you everywhere and worry about you. Why don't you come and be punished!"

At that moment, Tian Xiri heard his second brother's rebuke... His heart swelled with warmth, tears welled up in his eyes, but his lips curved upwards as he called out loudly, "Big brother, second brother, third brother, fourth brother!"

Her shouts were so loud that she disregarded the presence of numerous princes, ministers, young masters, and young ladies in the back garden. Instantly, all eyes were drawn to her, and everyone looked surprised upon seeing her.

Ignoring everything else, she knelt down in the direction of her brothers, choking back tears, and said, "Fifth Sister is back! Fifth Sister knows she was wrong!" She could no longer hold back her tears.

Before she could even get up, she was pulled into a tight embrace. The warmth of his neck made her slightly startled, and she heard her fourth brother's excited words: "Fifth Sister, you're finally back, you're finally back. Fourth Brother, I miss you..."

Held so warmly in his fourth brother's arms, Xi Ri's limbs stiffened and her face turned red. Fortunately, before her fourth brother could finish speaking, her second brother pulled her away and tossed her back to him.

At this moment, Xi'en said, "It's good that Fifth Sister is back. Come and meet your sister-in-law. She's been saying she wants to meet you. Now I can finally stop being tormented by her nagging day and night!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

The second brother chimed in with a laugh, "Fifth sister, your eldest brother told me to tell you secretly, no matter how good your sister-in-law is to you, never teach her the art of disguise, otherwise if she manages to disguise herself and run away one day, your eldest brother will be in big trouble."

His voice was loud enough for everyone present to hear; he certainly wasn't trying to tell anyone secretly.

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter again.

Xi Ri smiled and looked at her third brother, whose eyes flashed with tenderness.

At the banquet, behind the beaded curtain, Xi Ri sat with a group of beautiful young women she had never seen before. They were perhaps just reaching marriageable age, whispering and occasionally giggling, as fresh and lovely as budding flowers. Each held an exquisite silk fan, their expressions like those of young girls in the throes of first love. Some occasionally stole a shy glance out the curtain, a fleeting look of curiosity and longing.

After several rounds of drinks, the Emperor's slightly drunken voice could be faintly heard in the main hall: "Suoge, you are not young anymore, and you have not married yet. I am worried about you. How about I bestow Meng Aiqing's daughter, Meng Zifan, upon you?"

The main hall was completely silent.

The same applies to the side hall.

Tian Xiri looked up in surprise and saw all the women in the side hall simultaneously staring at a woman in purple sitting at the same table as her. The woman in purple looked slightly nervous, her silk fan lightly covering her lips, as if afraid she might cry out. Although she tried her best to control herself, her eyes couldn't hide the faint expectation.

Suddenly, I remembered that I had inadvertently seen the letter that Soge had discarded...

Tian Xiri's lips curled up uncontrollably, and she almost burst out laughing. In a daze, she seemed to see her former self.

(over)