Li Man'er, having rarely found an opportunity to breathe freely, took Huang Yuzhu out for a boat ride on the lake.
The autumn sky was clear and crisp, marking the best season of the year.
Huang Yuzhu, however, was somewhat dejected and lacked spirit.
"What's wrong? Did your father's concubine bully you again?"
Huang Yuzhu waved her hand. "No, she's trying too hard to appease me now, she wouldn't dare bully me." Li Man'er had become a county princess and was soon to marry the Ninth Prince, holding a noble status. With her in mind, even if the concubine wanted to cause trouble, her father wouldn't allow it.
It was rather amusing; his wife and daughter combined were not as important as an outsider.
"Then why are you sighing? Are you out of money?" In Li Man'er's eyes, anything that could be solved with money was not a problem.
"No." A hint of embarrassment flashed across Huang Yuzhu's round face. "It's my mother. Matchmakers have started visiting recently, and my mother is now worrying about my marriage."
"Oh!" Li Man'er smiled. "So you're eager to get married."
A blush quickly appeared on Huang Yuzhu's face. "What are you saying! Not at all!"
"When a man grows up, he marries; when a woman grows up, she marries. What are you shy about? You're not young anymore, it's time to start looking." Goodness gracious, at seventeen or eighteen, she was already considered an old maid. In this era, many married at fifteen or sixteen.
Huang Yuzhu lowered her head, her voice a mere whisper, "I, I don't want to marry those stinky men."
Huh?
Li Man'er sensed something amiss and immediately asked, "What, have you met them and none caught your eye?"
"I, I don't want to marry," Huang Yuzhu said. "Father is very respectful of Mother now and lets her decide on marriage matters. My mother says our family isn't a prominent one, so the groom's family should be of comparable status."
A mismatched union is not a good one. Huang's mother had a firm grasp on this.
"My mother said my cousin passed the imperial examination last year. He's young and has a promising future. If I marry him, with my aunt and uncle looking after me, I surely won't suffer."
This was a marriage within the family, but Li Man'er strongly disagreed.
Cousins marrying often led to problems with their offspring.
"What do you think?"
Huang Yuzhu disliked her cousin. "He was intelligent from childhood; everyone called him a child prodigy. But from a young age, I felt he looked down on people. Before this, he never spoke kindly to me. I fear he looks down on me, so let's forget it!"
Li Man'er understood at once. She suspected her cousin might have initially looked down on Huang Yuzhu as well. But upon learning of Huang Yuzhu's connection to her, and with the intention of currying favor with Qi Yihan, he had started thinking of proposing marriage.
"What did your mother say?"
"My mother naturally thinks he's perfect in every way." Huang Yuzhu said, "I don't like him." As she said this, her eyes actually reddened.
In Li Man'er's mind, Huang Yuzhu had always been a carefree, lively, and happy girl, a little foodie. But at this moment, Li Man'er saw a faint trace of sorrow in her.
"Do you have someone you like?"
Uh!
Huang Yuzhu looked up, startled by Li Man'er's question. "No, no." She guiltily shifted her gaze, acting as if she had something to hide.
Li Man'er then said, "If you like someone, just say it. Feelings are not something to be taken lightly; it's a matter of a lifetime. You'll regret it in the future."
Huang Yuzhu was extremely conflicted, twisting her hands together until they were almost like twisted dough.
"Compared to regretting it for a lifetime, I think it's better to be brave. Even if it doesn't work out, at least you tried, and you won't have any regrets."
"But... but I don't even know his name."
Huh?
"What's going on?"
Huang Yuzhu then confided her secret to Li Man'er.
In June, Huang Yuzhu had accompanied her mother to their country estate to escape the summer heat. The afternoon was sweltering, and she couldn't sleep, so she took her maid to wander in the mountains.
The weather in June could change in an instant. The sky had been clear just moments before, but suddenly a heavy rain began to fall. The mistress and maid hurriedly ran to a pavilion for shelter, only to encounter the person who made Huang Yuzhu fall in love at first sight.
"So it was a chance encounter? What did he look like? Where was he from? Was he a scholar or..."
"Oh, how would I know?" Huang Yuzhu's face turned bright red. "It was just a single meeting."
Li Man'er exclaimed, "What a shame! Why didn't you go up and ask him then?"
Huang Yuzhu was so embarrassed she wanted to die, shrinking herself like a quail. "How could I dare?"
The person who could make this little girl fall in love, and at first sight, must have a good appearance. He was probably also a courteous gentleman, certainly better than Huang Yuzhu's cousin.
"What a pity. At least if you knew his name, I could help you inquire about him."
As they were talking, the boat docked. The two got off and decided to take a walk along the shore.
The autumn sky was clear and the scenery pleasant. Li Man'er also took the rare opportunity to relax.
"Speaking of which, with less than three months left until your wedding, everything should be in order, right?"
"My maternal grandfather's side has many things to prepare, and I can't stop them. Everything is ready here in the capital; you could say we have everything."
Huang Yuzhu couldn't help but feel a little envious. It wasn't that she envied Li Man'er's large dowry or her marriage to a husband who was second only to the emperor. She envied that Li Man'er and Qi Yihan were in love; nothing was more precious than that.
As she was thinking, she suddenly saw a familiar figure walking in front of them.
Huang Yuzhu felt a surge of anxiety. Upon closer inspection, she seemed to see the person she had met in the pavilion seeking shelter that day. She tugged at Li Man'er's sleeve and whispered, "I think I saw him."
Li Man'er's eyes lit up. "Where?"
Huang Yuzhu pointed ahead. "The one in the dark blue robe." It was the same attire he wore in the mountains.
As they spoke, the man had already entered a restaurant by the lake.
Opportunity knocks, and Li Man'er immediately pulled Huang Yuzhu along. "No matter what, we can't let him get away this time. Sister will surely help you achieve your wish."
Huang Yuzhu was both shy and expectant, following Li Man'er into the restaurant.
The waiter greeted them warmly. "Do the two young ladies prefer a table in the main hall or a private room on the second floor?"
"Upstairs," Li Man'er had already quickly scanned the area. She hadn't seen the young man in the dark blue robe on the first floor.
"Certainly, private room on the second floor." The waiter led the four of them upstairs and chose a window seat for them. "You can see the lake view from here. What would the two young ladies like to have?"
Huang Yuzhu didn't speak because she noticed the man was sitting not far from them, making her unsure of where to put her hands and feet from shyness.
Li Man'er was more straightforward. "A pot of fruit wine suitable for young ladies, two cold dishes, and two hot dishes. Recommend your signature items."
"Right away." The waiter flicked his towel and sang the dish names as he went downstairs.