Zhao Shuning had just entered the grand gate of the banquet hall when Ye Feng stepped forward to greet her. Noticing that there was no one behind her but that she held a flute in her hand, he didn't ask any questions.
"The banquet is almost over. Go back to your room and rest first. I'll come to find you later," he said.
Zhao Shuning nodded. "I'm sorry, Grandpa. I scared you during your birthday banquet."
"Silly girl, what are you talking about? If it weren't for you taking charge this time, I wouldn't have been able to collect so many nice gifts. Right?" Ye Feng's words managed to draw a faint smile from Zhao Shuning.
When Ye Qingluan saw Zhao Shuning return, she rushed over immediately. "Where is he?"
Just as Zhao Shuning was about to answer, Ye Feng said seriously, "Leave your son - in - law's matters alone. By the way, you take this naughty girl back to her room first. She must be exhausted today."
"Understood, Father," Ye Qingluan replied.
Ye Qingluan led Zhao Shuning back to the room. As soon as the door closed, she helped her take a bath and freshen up. While Zhao Shuning was taking a bath, a messenger came from outside.
"Miss, a young lady wants to see you. She said she's your friend and was worried that you might catch a cold, so she brought you a cloak."
Zhao Shuning was soaking in the hot water. The steam from the water obscured her vision. She simply said, "Tell her I don't need it. There's a cloak in the room."
"Yes, Miss," the messenger replied.
Zhao Shuning knew that the one who brought the cloak must be Luo Qiu. But her mind was in a complete mess. She didn't know how to face Luo Qiu, or what to say if she did meet her.
"Why don't you see her? Do you know who she is?" Ye Qingluan asked.
Zhao Shuning said, "Just a friend."
Seeing that her daughter didn't want to say more, Ye Qingluan didn't press further. "By the way, your grandpa will come later. It's his birthday banquet today, and you were scared. When he comes, just make some small talk and send him away."
Zhao Shuning forced herself to cheer up. "I'm fine, Mother."
About an hour later, it was already late at night. Another messenger came. "Miss, the elder is here. He's waiting for you in the front hall."
Zhao Shuning put on her clothes and simply tied up her hair. Ye Qingluan wanted her to wear more, but she said she was in good health and didn't need it.
To get to the front hall from the room, one had to walk along a long path. As Zhao Shuning walked on it, she couldn't help but let out a sigh. Just then, a gust of wind blew, and she instinctively hugged her arms and shivered.
"You child," Ye Qingluan was about to take off her own cloak when she noticed a figure behind her daughter. Judging from the figure, it was a young lady, and her build was similar to her daughter's. The figure held a bright red cloak in her hand. Ye Qingluan, being knowledgeable, could tell at a glance that the red cloak was an excellent piece of warm - keeping clothing. It wasn't really necessary at this time of the year, and it must have taken a great deal of effort and time to hunt a fox of such a high - quality pelt.
Zhao Shuning was also stunned by the sudden appearance of this person. Ye Qingluan asked, "Yiner, who is this?"
The young lady wore a veil. Zhao Shuning said, "Mother, you go to the front hall first. I'll come right away."
"Okay," Ye Qingluan replied. As she passed by the two, she took a few extra glances at the veiled young lady, but the young lady had her head down, so Ye Qingluan couldn't see her face clearly.
After Ye Qingluan walked away, the young lady said, "Sister, are you still mad at me? Mad at me for not standing up immediately during the banquet."
Zhao Shuning shook her head. "It's getting late, and it's cold at night. Why haven't you gone back yet?"
"I won't be able to sleep soundly if I don't see you, sister."
Zhao Shuning finally softened her heart. She took one of Luo Qiu's hands. Luo Qiu's hand was extremely cold, which meant she must have really been standing in the yard for over an hour.
"What if I never came out?" Zhao Shuning asked.
Luo Qiu gave a relieved smile. In fact, when Zhao Shuning took her hand, she felt that it was all worth it, no matter how long she had to wait.
"Sister will surely get up tomorrow. As long as I wait here, I'll definitely see you. I'm lucky today. I only had to wait for an hour, and sister came out."
Zhao Shuning said, "Let's talk as we walk."
"Okay," the young lady nodded immediately and put the cloak on Zhao Shuning.
"Did you wait for me here because you had something to tell me?" Zhao Shuning thought that if Luo Qiu explained everything that happened in the past and whether she had deceived her at this moment, she could forgive her.
But Luo Qiu was silent for a while and then simply said, "I noticed that sister seemed a bit unhappy tonight. Are you disappointed in me?"
"Why would I be disappointed in you?" Zhao Shuning asked.
"I didn't stand in front of you to protect you. I clearly said that no matter what happened in the future, as long as sister needed me, I would surely stand in front of you."
"Xiao Qiu, you don't need to be so nervous. I saw it too when Qin Sheng showed up tonight. You wanted to stand up, but Lord Moyan stopped you."
"Sister, you actually knew. But why...?" Why was her attitude still so cold afterwards?
"I'm just a bit tired, so I didn't talk to you much. You go back and rest first. When we have time tomorrow, we can talk properly."
"Then you're not mad at me, right, Qiu'er?"
Zhao Shuning shook her head. Luo Qiu finally let out a sigh of relief. She stopped, and Zhao Shuning also stopped. Looking at Zhao Shuning, she said, "Sister, do you know? Before I met you, I always followed the rules. I thought that since I was born into this world and into the Ruoqiang Marquis Mansion, I must shoulder my mission. So, I never cared about being bullied or looked down upon by others.
"I thought that as long as I still had my mother and as long as she was good to me, I could face everything." But today, when she passed by her mother, her mother didn't recognize her.
"Actually, in the end, I'm not even her biological daughter. So, it's understandable that she didn't recognize me just now. I thought I would care a lot about my mother's thoughts, but I don't. Because just now, all my thoughts were on sister."
Luo Qiu rambled on a lot. Zhao Shuning was a bit confused. "What exactly do you want to say?"
Luo Qiu gave a charming smile. Her eyes squinted slightly with the smile, looking extremely charming. She said, "I just want to tell sister that from the moment I met you, you've replaced everything in my life and become the most important person in my life."
Zhao Shuning opened her mouth but couldn't say a word for a long time.
"Miss, the elder asks you to hurry up."
"Okay, sister, go quickly. See you tomorrow."
Tomorrow? See each other again?