Qu Fulan never intended to avoid Xiao Shiqing for her entire life.
She was rely taking a path she wished to take, one starkly different from the original storyline.
She did not want any mishaps during this period, so she tried her best to avoid eting him.
Once she was free, she would no longer evade.
Today’s event was a success. Once today is over, with all her impressive achievents tallied, that astounding figure will allow her to negotiate anything.
But she hadn’t expected to run into Xiao Shiqing at this critical juncture.
Today was quite overwhelming with nurous viewers, and to avoid being recognized by familiar faces as in the past, she mostly acted backstage or observed the situation from concealed locations.
When going out, she also wore a veil.
Just now, she was instructing her people; wearing the veil was stifling, so she took it off montarily. Just as she was about to put it back on, her hand was grabbed.
This place was clearly not within the area where guests could freely move. Even the restrooms were on the other side, so no one should be coming here.
Not to ntion it was more than thirty zhang away from the free activity area, over a hundred ters, so how did he spot her behind the bushes?
Eagle eye?
However, none of this mattered at the mont.
The imdiate situation needed to be addressed first.
"Jirou, you..."
The man’s voice was low and slightly hoarse; he had just started speaking but didn’t know how to continue.
He was never one for words, and he never thought about what he should say upon seeing her.
Qu Fulan tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t. How could she, a frail woman recovering from illness, resist soone trained in martial arts?
"Prince Xiao, n and won shouldn’t touch each other. Please let go, alright?" Qu Fulan calmly reminded him.
Only then did Xiao Shiqing realize his rudeness and quickly released her hand, "I—I was too excited and forgot my manners."
With her hand free, Qu Fulan glanced around to ensure no one else was nearby before breathing a sigh of relief and looking back at Xiao Shiqing.
The excitent on his face was blatant. Despite his towering figure, he still acted shy like a young boy in front of his childhood friend.
He appeared pure and clean, making it no wonder the original character liked him.
In ancient tis, won had few chances to go out, let alone encounter n. eting soone decent who also fancied them, it was rare not to fall.
Undeniably, Xiao Shiqing’s feelings for the original character were genuine.
Yet, his later heartlessness was also real.
Even soone like Qu Fulan, who ca from the modern world, knew marriages and love without parental support are hard to last long in the long term, let alone in ancient tis?
"Jirou, I’ve heard about what’s happened with the Li Family. I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been living now? Are you well?" Xiao Shiqing inquired with concern. As he spoke, he scrutinized her carefully, noticing her dignified attire, which suggested she was living better than he had imagined.
"I am doing well; thank you, Prince, for your concern." Qu Fulan replied verbally but was rapidly contemplating whether to reveal the truth that she was currently rely a maid.
But if she told him, with Xiao Shiqing’s temperant, he would undoubtedly intervene, ruining her plans.
However, if she didn’t tell him, and Xiao Shiqing investigated on his own, things might beco even less manageable.
It’s troubleso both to say and not to say.
After so deliberation, Qu Fulan said, "Prince Xiao, there are many things I am not convenient to explain right now. After five days, I’ll answer your questions. How about that?"
"Why? Is there sothing amiss with where you’re staying? You can tell , and I’ll fix the trouble for you." Xiao Shiqing urged.
"There’s nothing amiss, and no trouble either. You can see from my current appearance that I’m doing well. It’s just that there are many inconveniences at the mont. Please understand."
Xiao Shiqing indeed felt worried, but seeing her speaking with such assurance and appearing unhard, he had to suppress his concern, "How should I find you then?"
"Five days later, I’ll be waiting for you at Hongfu Building," Qu Fulan said.
Tonight, she would talk with Heir Pei, and five days later, she would settle things with Xiao Shiqing.
However, Qu Fulan didn’t expect that after Xiao Shiqing returned, due to Mrs. Xiao urging him to be betrothed to Ji Nishang, he refused.
Naturally, Mrs. Xiao said that the person he was looking for might have already died, and waiting longer was pointless.
Xiao Shiqing then said she was not dead. He had seen her and would bring her ho in a few days.
This caused chaos. Mrs. Xiao exclaid that Li Jirou was just a maid in the Pei Mansion now and had no right to enter the Xiao Family.
Only then did Xiao Shiqing realize Li Jirou was a maid at the Pei Mansion, understanding her previous "inconvenience" statent ant real inconvenience.
But none of these were what bothered him most; what did was that his mother had long been aware of her existence but kept it from him?
The ever-dutiful Heir Xiao rarely quarreled with his mother, but this ti he did, only to leave ho thereafter.
On the sa night, Qu Fulan never saw Heir Pei. Inquiring among Shi Yi and others, they only said Heir Pei was occupied.
Qu Fulan asked when he might return, but this ti Shi Yi and the others were unsure.
This situation lasted for two days.
On the third morning, Heir Pei did return, and Qu Fulan naturally seized the opportunity.
As it happened, Heir Pei also had sothing to say to her.
At this ti, they were seated in the pavilion. Heir Pei in his python robe appeared as usual yet seed different in so indescribable way, which she couldn’t imdiately pinpoint.
But once he spoke, she knew what it was.
He said, "Xiao Shiqing has requested a duel with His Majesty during the autumn hunt. If he wins, he wishes for a favor, that favor." He paused, then added, "To grant him a certain condition, any condition."
"Do you know what that condition is?" He asked with a smile, not waiting for her reply but directly telling her, "On the way out of the palace, he ntioned you to ."
Qu Fulan lowered her gaze, gripping the teacup slightly tighter.
Given Xiao Shiqing’s nature, once he agreed to sothing, he wouldn’t easily change unless sothing went wrong.
The error was that he learned from so source that she was a maid in the Pei Mansion, thinking she was trapped there with many constraints, prompting this series of actions.
As for who those "so people" might be, Qu Fulan had her suspicions. So far, only a few knew her identity, and since the Jin Family didn’t co on the day of the play, that left only the Xiao Family.
The scenario Qu Fulan had always avoided suddenly appeared in front of her in this manner. One would think she would feel helpless, panicked, or angry.
But she didn’t.
There’s a saying that when things turn dire enough, the heart actually stabilizes.
So she looked at Heir Pei and asked, "So, what do you an, Heir Pei?"
Heir Pei didn’t directly answer her question but instead talked about another matter.
"There’s sothing I’ve never told you." Pei Ji’an rarely diverted his eyes, avoiding hers, "Not long after you beca my maid, Xiao Shiqing openly admitted at a palace banquet that his fiancée was his childhood friend, Li Jirou."
Qu Fulan: "..."
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