Chapter 22: Siblings (2)

  Ling Yuancheng sighed and spoke first: "Ninth sister is indeed very patient!"

  She smiled faintly and said, "Since Sixth Brother had someone call me over, he must have something to say to me. Now that he's hesitating, there must be a reason for it. Besides, the scenery here is lovely, perfect for calming one's mind and appreciating the view. Why should I keep asking impatiently and annoy him?"

  Ling Yuanqing smiled slightly and said slowly after a while: "I've already sent someone to deliver that flower to Bai Li's mansion, he likes it very much. The other day when I saw him, he asked me to convey his regards to you, and also said that in the future if there are any good flowers, they can be directly sent to his mansion, and if there are any requests, just speak up!" When he said this, he seemed to have thought of something and asked: "Sister should know Bai Li's identity, right?"

  Yuandai nodded slightly, indicating that she knew. In fact, if she hadn't known Baili Yu's identity, how could she have given him the moon orchid? As this thought flashed through her mind, Yuandai couldn't help but sigh, it turned out that in this world, circumstances were still stronger than people. She used to dislike those who fawned on others for personal gain, now she was also one of them.

  Ling Yuancheng's mood at this moment was not good, but suddenly hearing Yan Dai sigh, he couldn't help but feel curious. He looked intently at Yan Dai: "Baili is a man who has always been clean and self-disciplined, it's rare for him to make a promise, why do you not only not take it as a joy, but also seem to have a hint of sadness?"

  With a faint smile, Yuandai said: "If I had a choice, I'd rather never have to use this promise!"

  When these words came out, Ling Yuancheng fell silent. Although what Far Dai said was implicit, he couldn't help but understand the underlying meaning. After a pause, he said: "My mother... she... I'll find an opportunity to advise her!" A child doesn't speak ill of his mother, and although he knew that some things Mrs. Lu did were indeed excessive, it wasn't right for him to say anything in front of Far Dai.

  Yan Dai gently shook her head, speaking in a calm tone: "Sixth Brother's favor towards me, I will remember it in my heart. As for other things, I dare not ask, and Sixth Brother need not force himself to do so!" She had always disliked owing people too much, but Ling Yuanqing had never asked anything of her, yet had often shown her favors. In comparison, she was more willing to accept a relationship like the one between Ba Li Yi, which was almost like an exchange.

  Ling Yuancheng heard this and didn't show any surprise on his face, after a while he said: "Ninth sister's words are somewhat too presumptuous!"

  Yuandai wanted to say something, but the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back down. Whether or not they were destined to be together was only suitable to keep in her heart; if she said it out loud, it would seem like she had a lot of complaints. Not wanting to continue discussing this topic any further, Yuandai lightly changed the subject: "Sixth Brother seems to be in a bad mood?" From the moment she saw Ling Yuancheng sitting alone in the pavilion with a despondent expression, Yuandai actually knew that something must have happened on his trip outside, but she had never been one to meddle in other people's business, so she hadn't asked about it. It wasn't until now, when she intentionally wanted to shift the topic away from herself, that she asked this question.

  Her question made Ling Yuancheng's face suddenly turn gloomy, and after a while, he sighed and said: "Sister, do you know the poem 'Cai Ge'?"

  "Pick caltrops?" Far Dai's voice was soft and melodious as she repeated, seeing Ling Yu Qing nodding, she slowly recited: "He who picks caltrops, one day without seeing, is like three months! He who picks wormwood, one day without seeing, is like three autumns! He who picks mugwort, one day without seeing, is like three years!"

  She already knew what had been troubling Ling Yuancheng without needing to think much about it, and she smiled silently.

  Since it's already been said, Ling Yuancheng also stopped hiding and sighed: "She said that if she were to marry, she would marry a man who treats her like this. She even asked me if I could do the same."

  Yan Dai raised an eyebrow: "Can Sixth Brother really do it?" In fact, just by looking at Ling Yuanqing's expression, she already knew he couldn't.

  Ling Yuancheng couldn't help but look at her with a mixture of sadness and inquiry, asking: "A day without seeing each other feels like three autumns apart; in your opinion, sister, does such deep affection really exist in this world?"

  Yan Dai didn't expect him to ask this, and after a moment of contemplation, she finally replied truthfully: "The world is full of sentimental fools, but this regret has nothing to do with the wind or the moon. Sixth Brother, just because you can't do it doesn't mean others can't!"

  After a moment of silence, Ling Yuancheng suddenly asked: "Can Ninth Sister do it?"

  Yuan Dai shook her head and said calmly: "It can't be, should it?"

  She thought she had already answered like that, and Ling Yuancheng wouldn't ask any more questions. Unexpectedly, Ling Yuancheng immediately asked: "Will her sister also have the same requirements as her?"

  Yan Dai was actually fed up with this question, but in front of Ling Yuanqing, she couldn't help but answer. She furrowed her brow for a moment before saying lightly, "What one cannot do oneself, why ask others? Does Sixth Brother think so too?" But she had already grown tired of hiding her impatience.

  Ling Yuancheng gazed at her deeply, then suddenly smiled and said: "So Nine Sister also has times when she's impatient!"

  Yan Dai had already been seen through by him, so she simply spoke directly: "Was it Eldest Sister Shao who rejected Sixth Brother?"

  Ling Yuancheng was shocked, and his face also felt a bit awkward: "You even saw this?" He asked himself that he had never revealed any thoughts about Xiao Chengyan in front of Yuan Dai, but unexpectedly, this ninth sister was so sharp-minded.

  Seeing him like this, Yu Dai couldn't help but find it amusing. She let out a snort of laughter and said: "If you want to keep something from others, you must first not do it yourself. And since Sixth Brother didn't deliberately hide anything, I was able to figure it out - isn't that just normal?"

  Ling Yuancheng couldn't help but smile wryly. This morning, he had rushed out of the door in a hurry, responding to Xiao Chengye's invitation. Who would have thought that after arriving at the Xiao residence and having three rounds of drinks, Xiao Chengye would intentionally or unintentionally start reciting poetry? Considering their friendship, it wasn't suitable for him to directly point out what was going on, but Ling Yuancheng wasn't a fool either. As soon as he heard this, he knew why Xiao Chengye had made this move.

  At the Xiao family home, he tried his best to control himself, but in his heart, he felt stifled. After drinking several cups of wine, he used it as an excuse to leave and returned to his residence with a heavy heart. Upon returning, the more he thought about it, the more he felt like there was a fire burning in his chest, churning and unable to settle down. He wanted to find someone to pour out his emotions to. However, after thinking it over repeatedly, he realized that although the Ling family was large, it was surprisingly difficult to find someone suitable to confide in. Only after much deliberation did he finally think of Yan Dai.

  "If I had known you'd already figured it out, I wouldn't have asked Wen Lu to invite you!" Ling Yuanqing said with a hint of complaint.

  Suddenly hearing this sentence, Yuandai couldn't help but laugh: "So Six Brother had me called over because he thought I shouldn't know about this?"

  Ling Yuanqing gave her a sideways glance: "What did you think?" For a moment, there was a hint of childishness in his tone.

  Yan Dai couldn't help but laugh: "This is all my fault, I actually let Sixth Brother down!"

  As she spoke, her tone was devoid of any apology, only a barely concealed playful sentiment. Ling Yuancheng sighed and shook his head, laughing and scolding: "I never thought you'd have a moment like this!"

  He asked Wen Lu to come over, for two reasons. Firstly, it was because of the relationship with Bai Li Yi, and secondly, he indeed wanted to find someone to talk to, even if it was just casual conversation, or slightly relieving his current mood, that would be good too.

  The two of them laughed for a moment, and Ling Yuancheng finally stopped smiling and said: "Now it seems that I've found the right person!"

  At least after talking to Yuandai, he felt much more comfortable in his heart. In fact, thinking carefully, Lingyu Qing found that Xiang Chengyan's words were not wrong at all. The reason why he deliberately wanted to marry Xiang Chengyan was not only because of her talent and beauty, but also because of family reasons. Maybe the reason why Xiang Chengyan had no response to him before and today refused him through Xiang Chengyan's mouth was also due to this reason. Lingyu Qing thought about it, and his heart suddenly calmed down.

  Yan Dai smiled lightly and said, "Sixth brother, you're being too serious! Some things, if you don't figure them out for yourself, no matter how much others say, it's all just empty words." She paused suddenly, then continued, "Besides, I didn't even say anything!"

  Ling Yuancheng wouldn't argue with her about this matter. After a hearty laugh, he said: "There's something I don't know if I should say or not."

  Yan Dai couldn't help but furrow her brow: "Sixth Brother, if you want to say something, why bother beating around the bush? Just speak directly!"

  Ling Yuancheng had interacted with her several times and vaguely sensed some of her temperament, knowing that she actually didn't like hypocrisy and also didn't love hiding or covering up. At this moment, he didn't hesitate and straightforwardly said: "Today I was drinking with Xiang Yan at the Xiao Manor, and in our conversation, I casually mentioned you, but I felt Xiang Yan's tone was cold and seemed to have some prejudice against you! However, I couldn't understand why he would be like that?" Xiang Yan and Yuan Dai had only met twice, and they also didn't have any opportunity to talk alone. He really couldn't understand why Xiang Yan would be like that.

  She raised an eyebrow slightly and said calmly, "Or perhaps you think I'm intentionally trying to curry favor with the Xiao family and the imperial court?"

  Her words were spoken in a very calm tone, with no ups and downs, but when heard by Ling Yuancheng, it was quite the opposite. His sword-like eyebrows rose slightly, and he said displeased: "Attached? My Ling family going to attach ourselves to the Xiao family, isn't that a joke?! As for saying Ba Li... if he thinks my Ling family is attached to Ba Li, then isn't he the same?! He's just related to Ba Li by blood, but it's nothing more than laughing at others' misfortunes!"

  Although he and Xiao Chengye were good friends, when it came to the Ling and Xiao families, he couldn't help but get angry.

  Yan Dai saw him suddenly get angry, but couldn't help but smile, and said: "Sixth brother is the eldest son of the Ling family, how can I compare to him? This matter actually has nothing to do with him, nor is it important to me, why must Sixth brother take it to heart?"

  Ling Yuancheng initially thought it was strange, but didn't think much of it. After being pointed out by Yuandai, his first reaction was to feel a surge of anger. Now that he has heard Yuandai's words again, he has calmed down and thought about it carefully, and has come to understand. However, although he has understood, he still feels annoyed in his heart, and angrily says: "This little brat, using the mind of a petty person to measure the belly of a gentleman, is indeed infuriating!"

  She saw the anger in his expression, but it was genuine concern for her that warmed her heart. She didn't say much, instead teasing him with a playful tone: "Sixth brother, are you angry on my behalf or trying to pick a fight?"

  Ling Yuancheng was taken aback, but didn't expect her to say that. After a moment's pause, he could only shake his head in frustration, and the anger in his heart dissipated somewhat. After all, it was just because of a temporary feeling that he had argued with Xiao Chengye about this matter, and he wasn't entirely in the right either. Moreover, there was also the fact that Xiao Chengyan had just politely declined him. If things didn't go well, others might think he was taking advantage of the situation to vent his frustrations.

  She glanced at his face and knew he had figured it out, then smiled faintly again, raised her hand to point at the fake mountain on the right side of the small pavilion: "I like a line of poetry very much, I wonder if Sixth Brother knows which one?"

  She changed the subject too quickly, leaving Ling Yuancheng bewildered and could only nod blankly.

  She gazed afar with distant eyes for a long time before slowly saying, "I see the green mountains are enchanting, I reckon the green mountains find me equally enchanting!"

  Ling Yuancheng was stunned, and for a long time, he didn't say a word. Far Dai's words, when put here, were obviously sarcastic, directly saying that others looked down on me, but little did they know that I also couldn't be bothered to give him another glance.