Wen Hui watched the palace maids scatter in all directions, a silent smirk touching her lips.
At the same time, the hand that had tightly clasped Xie Jinglan’s waist was forced open by a pair of large hands.
In that moment, even though Wen Hui knew Xie Jinglan had only touched her to escape her embrace, her heart couldn't help but tremble.
Similarly, as his slender fingers left her skin, a sense of loss she had never experienced before washed over her.
"What you just said, I can pretend I didn't hear it." Clearly, Xie Jinglan had no desire to waste any more time.
But Wen Hui once again bypassed him, blocking his path. "We grew up together. Is our bond truly less than that of a woman you met halfway?"
Xie Jinglan remained silent, offering no reply.
It wasn't that he didn't know how to answer; it was simply that there was no need to.
"I know I hurt you by insisting on leaving back then, but I thought you would wait for me no matter what. I also know you felt wronged and angry, but that’s no reason for you to oppose Noble Consort Xi!" Wen Hui understood perfectly that if she wanted to recapture the man before her, she had to make him feel that she was completely on his side.
She shared a childhood innocence with him, something no one could replace.
And who was this Ji Zizhao?
Xie Jinglan lowered his gaze slightly, his dark eyes falling upon Wen Hui. He seemed to look at her, yet also seemed to look past everything, his thin lips curving into a semblance of a smile. "I don't recall when your relationship with Noble Consort Xi became so amicable."
When Wen Hui entered the palace that year, it coincided with Noble Consort Xi giving birth to the Fifth Prince.
The Emperor was originally going to bestow a name upon the Fifth Prince. However, the court was then immersed in the grim news of Wen Hui's father's tragic death. To show his importance to Wen Hui's father, the Emperor not only spent his days with Wen Hui but personally granted her a noble title. The Fifth Prince's name was delayed for a full month before the Imperial Household Department selected several names for Noble Consort Xi to choose from.
This was precisely why Noble Consort Xi harbored such animosity towards Wen Hui.
"That was all in the past. People always look forward, don't they? It was precisely because I feared Noble Consort Xi's methods in the past that I rushed back when she sent word that you were about to oppose her with a woman of common birth," Wen Hui explained earnestly.
"Perhaps Princess Wen Hui has forgotten that I was fostered under the Empress Dowager, not Noble Consort Xi." Xie Jinglan's lips still curved into a faint arc, but the smile was as cold as ice.
"You yourself said you were fostered. The Empress Dowager favors you now because you still have value. Whether it's you or the Seventh Prince vying for the throne, it's all a means for her to stabilize her power. But have you ever considered what happens if you lose? Do you think Noble Consort Xi will let you off once the situation is settled?"
"Since you are so certain I will lose, it would be best for you to stay away from me now."
Wen Hui was speechless.
She had laid her cards out so clearly, why couldn't he understand?
Seeing Xie Jinglan about to leave again, Wen Hui suddenly removed the hairpin from her head and threw it at him.
The hairpin landed at Xie Jinglan's feet, but he showed no intention of stopping, not even glancing at it. He merely dropped a sentence, "Your thing dropped."
Wen Hui stared at Xie Jinglan's retreating back in disbelief, her lips bitten so hard they were red with anger.
She remembered her days in the palace back then; Xie Jinglan had never treated her like this. At that time, he would find various excuses to stay by her side. It was precisely with his companionship that she gradually integrated into the imperial palace. But as she met more people, Xie Jinglan began to seem somewhat superfluous.
Especially when Wen Hui learned that Xie Jinglan was in love with her, she felt nothing but revulsion.
At that time, Xie Jinglan was merely a prince without a birth mother. In a place like the imperial palace, what future could he have without the support of his mother?
But Wen Hui was afraid. She feared that one day Xie Jinglan would truly confess his affection for her to the Emperor, and even more, she feared the Emperor would betroth her to Xie Jinglan as the Fourth Prince's consort. After all, from the Emperor's perspective, even if she was the orphan of a loyal general, she was ultimately no match for his own son.
So Wen Hui left, and she left with decisive finality.
Wen Hui still remembered that day, just before her carriage pulled out of the palace gate, Xie Jinglan had blocked its path. He was still as timid and hesitant as ever, and without even being able to speak clearly, he had pressed a hairpin into her hand.
At that time, Wen Hui was desperate to break free from this endless entanglement, yet she also feared that if she ever returned to the palace, she would have no support. Thus, she didn't hesitate to lie to Xie Jinglan, telling him that if she ever changed her mind, she would return the hairpin to him.
What had Xie Jinglan said then?
Ah, he had said "yes" with expectant and humble eyes.
For years, Wen Hui had kept the hairpin with her, wanting to leave herself an escape route. She had never considered returning it to Xie Jinglan, and even less did she expect that when she finally did return it, he would be so dismissive!
This unprecedented sense of loss and unwillingness made tears stream down Wen Hui's face uncontrollably.
Why had the man who was once so obedient to her become so unfamiliar now?
Was it truly because of Ji Zizhao?
But even so, he shouldn't have treated her this way, as if she were a stranger!
Could it be...
A wild and audacious thought suddenly flashed through Wen Hui's mind.
But soon, she laughed at herself self-mockingly.
Just then, Xie Jinglan reappeared not far away. But as Wen Hui happily stepped out of the courtyard, she discovered that Ji Zizhao was now by Xie Jinglan's side.
Wen Hui, filled with hatred and anger, clenched the handkerchief in her hand and turned to leave.
Ji Zizhao had actually seen Wen Hui. But thinking that Wen Hui didn't seem to like her much, and she herself didn't particularly like Wen Hui, she decided to simply ignore her.
Xie Jinglan glanced in the direction of Ji Zizhao's gaze, then withdrew it. "I merely escorted Wen Hui to the door. There was some entanglement, but it didn't take too much time."
Ji Zizhao turned to look at the tall man beside her, unable to suppress a chuckle.
Xie Jinglan raised an eyebrow. "What are you laughing at?"
Ji Zizhao shook her head. "I just didn't expect you, one day, to explain such trivial matters."
Xie Jinglan blinked. If she hadn't mentioned it, even he hadn't realized how deliberately he had explained. However, seeing her playful demeanor, he felt reassured. If she were truly upset, she wouldn't be wearing such a bright smile.
"If I really cared, you would be beaming right now."
"You heard?"
Ji Zizhao nodded with a smile. Earlier, in the Empress Dowager's palace, she had overheard palace maids whispering that the Fourth Prince and Princess Wen Hui were embracing, and even that they were rekindling their old romance.
Ji Zizhao naturally didn't believe Xie Jinglan would do such a thing.
Therefore, the only possibility was that Wen Hui had acted intentionally.
Since she knew it was intentional, why bother caring?