“No, Sister Youran and I are fine.”
“Then who made you so sad?”
Having cried it out, Liang Qingluo was ready to confide in someone. “It was Qing Jian.”
“Oh? What did he do?”
“He didn’t do anything, but, but he…” Being rejected was too humiliating to speak of, so Liang Qingluo pouted, eyes red, “I like him, he doesn’t like me, and he even said he dislikes me.”
So that’s what happened.
It was usually men who boldly confessed their feelings to women. For a young lady to confess first, she must have summoned great courage, only to be harshly rejected. No wonder she had cried so bitterly.
“Seventh Young Master Pei, are you familiar with Qing Jian? Do you know why he dislikes me?”
He couldn’t say they were close. Qing Jian was cold and direct by nature, not fond of talking, and as a guard, he usually followed behind Eldest Brother or Shen Youran silently. Pei Huai’an hadn’t spoken with him much.
But there was one thing he remembered clearly.
That was the time Eldest Brother was poisoned. He went to Eldest Brother’s courtyard and saw Shen Youran crying miserably. Unable to help himself, he pulled her into his arms to comfort her. Qing Jian was right there. The moment he held Shen Youran, Qing Jian’s eyes were as sharp as blades.
“Seventh Young Master, that’s not very appropriate,” his gaze fierce, as if ready to snatch her away.
At the time, Pei Huai’an just thought Qing Jian was too protective of his mistress. Later, he realized Qing Jian’s true master was Eldest Brother, so why would he show such possessiveness toward Shen Youran?
Perhaps, not only was his temperament shaped by his master, but even his preferences were as well—he liked the same girl his master liked.
Of course, these were only Pei Huai’an’s guesses, though he thought he was probably right.
Perhaps even Eldest Brother and Qing Jian themselves hadn’t realized this. It wasn’t his place to tell others. He could only comfort the girl before him. “Although I’m not especially close to Qing Jian, I think he only said he dislikes you because he doesn’t want you to keep liking him. He’s straightforward by nature, so don’t take those words to heart. Just understand what he meant to do.”
“I know why he said it, but it still hurts so much. Those words really cut deep…”
Her tear-stained eyes shimmered with a fresh layer of tears.
Pei Huai’an glanced at the handkerchief she’d thrown back to him—now half-soaked. He didn’t have a spare to give her, and when he looked up, he saw her lifting her sleeve to wipe her eyes.
Well, no need for him to fuss.
Liang Qingluo cried for a while longer, then got up to leave.
Pei Huai’an saw her out of the courtyard and didn’t accompany her further.
He watched her go, then turned around and, sure enough, spotted Qing Jian.
Qing Jian stood with his arms folded against the wall, face as expressionless as ever.
“Qing Jian, it took a lot of courage for that girl to confess. Even if you don’t like her, you could have been more tactful. Why say such harsh words?”
Qing Jian’s face didn’t ripple at all. “If I didn’t say it like that, she wouldn’t give up easily.”
Pei Huai’an shook his head with a smile. “You’re really just like your master…”
Back when Meng Wanxin had staged her ‘falling into the water’ drama, she’d meant to pull him in to force him to marry her. Unexpectedly, Shen Youran had also fallen in. All three ended up in the water. Because he and Shen Youran were uncle and sister-in-law, rumors soon spread about them falling into the lake together.
At that time, gossip was rampant. To protect Shen Youran’s reputation, he proposed marrying Meng Wanxin to quash the rumors.
Eldest Brother had supported his plan readily, which at first puzzled him—since when did Eldest Brother, who never cared for gossip, go along so easily? Only later did he realize Eldest Brother had used his hand to hurt Shen Youran’s heart, hoping she would leave the Pei family and remarry elsewhere.
So when he heard from Liang Qingluo that Qing Jian had used such cruel words to reject her, he wasn’t surprised at all.
Pei Huai’an didn’t say more to Qing Jian and headed for Chunxuan Hall.
He had just finished the imperial exams a few days ago, and in three days the results would be posted. Grandmother had been nervous, unable to eat or sleep, so he visited Chunxuan Hall every day to keep her company.
Old Madam had set up a room in Chunxuan Hall as a Buddhist altar. Pei Huai’an accompanied his grandmother in worship and quiet contemplation.
Three days later, the exam results were posted at the Gongyuan.
The announcement was hung on the east wall of the south courtyard, at the fifth watch before dawn, the waning moon still hanging by the wall.
Beneath the wall was a crowd of hopeful scholars, a sea of black. Pei Huai’an arrived a little late and couldn’t get close. He scanned the list but didn’t spot his own name.
Ten years of hard study, only for this moment—if he couldn’t pass this time…
He was feeling disappointed when Xie Chuang suddenly grabbed his arm and shouted, “Brother Pei, you made it!”
Pei Huai’an looked up quickly and, following his finger, finally found his name: Twenty-first place in the third class.
Stunned, Xie Chuang’s eyes filled with tears as he clasped his arm in congratulations. “Brother Pei, your future is bright—my heartfelt congratulations!”
“Thank you.”
Some rejoiced, others grieved; those who passed were elated, those who failed were despondent.
Xie Chuang had failed. To comfort him, Pei Huai’an offered to take him for a drink at Fengle Tower.
But before that, he needed to send word of his success back to the Pei family.
His attendant was waiting at the carriage nearby. As Pei Huai’an and his companion walked just a few steps, someone suddenly threw a sack over his head and hoisted him onto their shoulder.
Xie Chuang cried out, “Brother Pei!”
At this time, there was a custom of ‘snatching a groom’ from the ranks of new scholars. Pei Huai’an knew the person meant no harm—he must have been mistaken for an impoverished scholar who’d placed in the exams.
He didn’t struggle, figuring he would just explain in a bit.
Xie Chuang also understood the custom and didn’t intervene, but followed to watch the fun. “Top scorer and wedding night—Brother Pei is in for a double blessing!”
Pei Huai’an was carried onto a carriage, where he heard the person who snatched him asking for praise. “Miss, I got you the best scholar!”
“Thank you!”
A clear, melodious voice that sounded quite familiar.
The carriage rumbled forward, and the young lady came to untie the sack.
Pei Huai’an could have taken off the sack himself, but guessing who it was, he decided not to hurry, letting her slowly peel it away…
“Young Master, don’t be afraid. I will treat you well in the future…”
The moment she pulled off the sack, a handsome, clear face appeared before her, the arch of his brow touched with a smile.
“Ah!” A shriek echoed through the carriage.
Recognizing the man she’d kidnapped, Liang Qingluo panicked and hastily pulled the sack back over his head.
“It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me!”
But it was already too late to deny it—Pei Huai’an had already seen her face. Amused, he teased her on purpose. “Miss Liang, are you dissatisfied with me?”