The Grand Princess looked at the beautiful woman before her and sighed helplessly, "You, you, Pingning, you're good at everything, except for this. You've been cautious your entire life, sigh...
We are cousins, yet you insist on such formalities. Moreover, as a Princess Consort, your rank is not much different from mine, so why do you need to bow to me?"
This woman was Princess Pingning, the principal consort of Prince Ning, the only prince of a different surname in the capital.
Her status was indeed quite high.
Yet, she appeared overly respectful in front of the Grand Princess.
Even when the Grand Princess voiced her opinion, she merely smiled, not changing her demeanor towards the Grand Princess.
She only looked curiously at Su Xiaoqi, whom the Grand Princess had brought with her.
"This is Xiaoqi. Fortunately, Xiaoqi was with me at Gan Quan Temple last time, otherwise that treacherous maid with ill intentions would have succeeded," the Grand Princess said, her face filled with anger when speaking of wet nurse Gui.
Although wet nurse Gui had already been dealt with, she still couldn't fully let go of the incident.
"She is quite clever," Princess Ning praised, glancing at Su Xiaoqi.
Su Xiaoqi felt an inexplicable wariness looking at her flawless smile.
For some reason, she felt that Princess Ning's perfect smile seemed a bit too deliberate.
It was like wearing a mask, beautiful, but insincere.
Su Xiaoqi didn't know if she was the only one who felt this way, but Princess Ning appeared very natural. Because of the Grand Princess, she was also very kind to Su Xiaoqi.
She even patted the young girl beside her, suggesting she play with Su Xiaoqi.
However, the young girl looked at Su Xiaoqi's clothing and attire. When the Grand Princess introduced her, she only mentioned that Su Xiaoqi had saved her only son and only briefly mentioned her husband as a recent scholar heading to the capital for the imperial examinations.
Princess Fu'an, who had been immersed in the world of fame and fortune for a long time, felt that Su Xiaoqi's status was too low and did not particularly wish to associate with her.
She even forcibly pulled away Princess Hui'an, who was about to stay with Su Xiaoqi.
"Sister Xiaoqi..." Princess Hui'an looked at Su Xiaoqi with some anxiety. She was naturally timid and somewhat socially anxious.
She felt at ease with Su Xiaoqi because Su Xiaoqi exuded a reassuring aura.
But in front of Princess Fu'an, she felt psychologically tense and instinctively wanted to refuse.
However, she had never refused her before and didn't know how to refuse, so she looked at Su Xiaoqi for help.
"Hey, why are you looking at her? She's just an unknown nobody," Princess Fu'an's personality was completely different from her mother's.
She was flamboyant and sharp-tongued. Regardless of whether Princess Hui'an wanted to leave, after separating from Princess Ning and the Grand Princess, she left Su Xiaoqi behind and forcibly dragged Princess Hui'an away, heading to find her circle of close friends.
Su Xiaoqi didn't mind her indifference, but she was a little worried about Princess Hui'an. She had found her to be gentle and polite in the carriage earlier, quite likable.
Why was she so timid and cowardly in front of Princess Fu'an?
Despite her worry, Princess Fu'an was right. Given her status, she couldn't interfere in their affairs.
She could only put the matter aside for now, as she didn't want to socialize with these princesses.
Everyone was human, yet they had to be divided into ranks. Every time they met, they had to bow and curtsy. She was utterly annoyed by this.
Now that she didn't have to approach them, she took Zhang Yu and Guo'er and quietly found a secluded pavilion to gaze absentmindedly at the camellias in front of her.
She was from the south and used to follow her grandfather into the mountains to collect herbs. Every spring, she would see camellias blooming all over the mountains.
By sticking a hollow grass stem into the white camellia stamen and sucking hard, one could draw out sweet nectar.
Su Xiaoqi was lost in thought, and without realizing it, her lips curved into a smile.
Unbeknownst to her, a tall and a short person stood behind her, watching her for a long time.
"Brother Chen..." Bao Ge'er had just started when the young man beside him covered his mouth.
He looked at him with confusion, then at Sister Xiaoqi, who was sitting on the railing, staring intently at the camellias.
"Brother Chen..." Bao Ge'er called out again, unwilling.
This time, it finally alerted Su Xiaoqi.
She looked up and saw Bao Ge'er and the young man behind him.
"Sister Xiaoqi..." Bao Ge'er saw her, left the tall man behind him, and ran over eagerly.
Su Xiaoqi half-crouched to hug the rushing Bao Ge'er. She looked up at the man and said in surprise, "Zhao Ye..."
No, he had returned to his home; he shouldn't be called that anymore.
"Sister Xiaoqi, do you know my Brother Chen?" Bao Ge'er tugged at Su Xiaoqi, his face full of curiosity.
Su Xiaoqi nodded, then asked the young man, "By the way, what's your name now?"
"Liang Jingchen."
Liang was the imperial surname, and Su Xiaoqi understood.
It seemed Zhao Ye's status was as noble as she had guessed.
No wonder she had always felt a subtle noble aura about him.
Now he was dressed in brocade, wearing a jade crown, a jade belt, his features were upright, his profile was sculpted, and his high nose bridge lent him a proud air.
"Hey, Zhao Ye, your throat, you can talk now." Su Xiaoqi withdrew her gaze from his handsome face and looked at his mouth with surprise.
Zhao Ye, no, he should be called Liang Jingchen now.
He nodded, "Mmm, thanks to you."
For over ten years, ever since he could remember, he had been unable to speak.
At first, like everyone else, they thought his throat had problems or he was ill.
Only Xiaoqi told him that there was nothing wrong with his throat or voice, nor any external injuries. The problem was psychological.
As long as he could break through his mental barriers, speaking would not be difficult.
That was why he could speak now.
Su Xiaoqi lowered her head and smiled faintly, genuinely happy for him.
At this moment, Liang Jingchen was overwhelmed with excitement. His heart trembled; he had countless things he wanted to say to Su Xiaoqi but didn't know where to start.
Su Xiaoqi, having seen Liang Jingchen (formerly Zhao Ye) at the city gates, was somewhat prepared for his situation.
Therefore, upon meeting again, she was only slightly surprised.
Unlike Liang Jingchen, who expected to see her much later, she suddenly appeared before him.
Looking at Su Xiaoqi, who was wearing a lake-blue robe embroidered with dark orchids, he temporarily suppressed his excitement and felt a little flustered.
He dared not look up at her, yet he couldn't help himself.
Ultimately, he couldn't control his eyes and secretly glanced at her.
Although they had only been apart for two months, he felt she had changed significantly.
Her beauty had grown, her skin was as white as congealed fat, and seemed to burst with a touch.
Her apricot eyes were smiling, like whirlpools in the sea, captivating him. Her lips were slightly pursed, both charming and cute.
She stood there gracefully, and without doing anything, she was enough to break down all his defenses.
After so long, he thought of her incessantly.
When his situation was most difficult and he was about to give up, he thought of her, thinking that no matter what, he had to persevere for her sake.
"Zhao Ye... no, Liang... Liang Jingchen?" Su Xiaoqi saw him staring at her blankly and, fearing drawing attention and gossip, quickly called out to him softly.
However, she was accustomed to calling him Zhao Ye, and given his current name, it was not appropriate for her to address him so casually, causing her face to turn red.
"You can call me Achen," Liang Jingchen said, feeling an unspeakable excitement hearing his new and old names from Su Xiaoqi's mouth.
He felt that as long as she called him, he would agree to any name.
However, he couldn't bear to see her troubled over a mere name, so he gave her a convenient address.
Su Xiaoqi didn't mind.
She believed that Liang Jingchen was not the kind of person who would abandon their friendship just because his status had changed.
Furthermore, in modern times, friends calling each other by name was a normal occurrence; it was just a title.
At least she couldn't bring herself to call Liang Jingchen "Young Master" or "Sir."
They were friends, and they had once shared meals as family.
She regarded him as she did Xiao Yi and the others, unlike He Qiulei and the others, who were destined to be mere collaborators, requiring the appropriate courtesy and distance.
But with Liang Jingchen, it was different.
"Achen, you..." Su Xiaoqi saw Liang Jingchen's gaze towards her was not quite right, assuming it was due to the long separation and his overwhelming excitement, she didn't think of anything else.
After all, in her heart, he was still the determined and resolute youth she knew as Zhao Ye.