"Young Master, Young Master," Xue Yi looked at his young master sitting in the study, staring blankly with a serious face, and called out.
Ever since he met Xiyan, the second young master of the Yue family, Caelen had not been acting normal. Even though his expression was still emotionless, he had been spacing out far too often. And every time he did, his hand would unconsciously rest over his chest.
If he remembered correctly, the only thing there was the letter from Xiyan. There it was again.
"Young Master, it's getting late, you should rest," Xue Yi reminded him, raising his eyebrows whether Caelen heard him or not. He was really curious about the contents of that letter.
It was the only thing that seemed to change his young master's rigid and serious nature, especially after the added gloom from his disfigurement. Somehow, he seemed softer?
Softer? Hmm, just thinking of that word made Xue Yi feel like he was imagining things. How could such an aura exist on someone like his young master?
But the more he looked, the more he felt it might be true, until— "Yes, I know." Caelen abruptly stood up and silently walked toward the bedroom.
He knew something was off with himself. What he held in his chest wasn't really a letter, more like a note.
Even though it was a vague kind of invitation, he couldn't help but feel a quiet sense of anticipation. Lying on the bed, he took out the letter from under his pillow and unfolded it.
"The seventh day of the seventh month, I have something to discuss. Don't be late." Seeing those twelve words again made his heart uneasy.
Don't be late—why did it feel a bit romantic? His face warmed, and when he saw the signature "Xylira" at the bottom, the tight line of his lips lifted ever so slightly.
But every time this happened, he couldn't help but remember what General Renyu had said before. That Xylira would rather jump into a well than marry him.
That burning feeling in his heart instantly fell into an icy pit. For the first time, Caelen regretted going out drinking with General Renyu that day.
He regretted listening to what he said. Even though General Renyu had bad intentions, it still affected him, especially those words "something to discuss."
He couldn't help but wonder, was she unhappy with him? Did she want to break the engagement? Touching the obvious scar on his face, the smile that wasn't quite a smile disappeared, and his expression turned cold.
Caelen tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Hearing the restless sounds from the bedroom, Xue Yi sat outside thinking for a long time before finally understanding.
He sighed to himself. Master, your son has grown up and now has feelings. Please, bless him with happiness and joy.
Even if Xue Yi didn't really believe in this engagement. Without realizing it, the Qixi Festival was fast approaching for the Yue siblings.
On the sixth day of the seventh month, Xiyan returned home by noon and headed straight for Xylira's courtyard. "Poor Second Miss," Ah Wen sighed to Ah Wu as they sat in the pavilion.
"She's so beautiful, but because of Xiyan, she's never even been able to attend the Qixi Festival like other girls." "Hmph, you think she's pitiful? What about us?" Ah Wu clearly disagreed.
"We're stuck with a useless master. And don't forget, we have to follow her into the general's manor." Think of all the servants who died from fright in that place.
"You think you're braver than them?" Ah Wen quickly shook his head with a miserable look. "Then what do we do, Ah Wu? I don't want to die."
"Hmph. We're just servants, and to make it worse, servants to a useless master," Ah Wu said angrily, his words harsh.
"Tell me, why didn't you wait a bit longer that day? Right after she jumped into the well, you only waited a few minutes before calling for help."
"If she had died, we wouldn't have to go to that terrifying general's manor. As her personal servants, we'd be seeing the general a lot more than the others."
"But," Ah Wen understood Ah Wu's fear. The rumors about the general were getting more and more terrifying.
"But if she really had died, we would've been buried with her. Everyone in the Prime Minister's household would've died, including your father and mine."
Ah Wu didn't respond this time. His face darkened, and he sighed about his miserable fate. Xiyan had never imagined there would be such talk behind Xylira's well-jumping incident.
The way those two servants looked at her was like she was already dead. "Brother, why are you standing outside in the blazing sun? Aren't you worried about getting burned?"
Xylira's sudden voice startled both Ah Wen and Ah Wu. When they saw Xiyan, they didn't dare breathe, a chill rushing through their heads as their faces turned pale.
All they could think was, it's over. Any small hope they had that Xiyan hadn't heard them disappeared instantly when they saw his face.
"You two are something else," Xiyan said coldly. Just two words, but they froze both men in place, shaking even harder.
Ah Wen and Ah Wu dropped to their knees immediately. "Come on, Brother, come inside. They're just a couple of servants, not worth getting angry over."
Clearly, Xylira also knew what they'd been saying. She'd heard plenty of similar things lately and hadn't taken a single word to heart.
She had already given these two a chance. Since they had thrown it away, she no longer cared. Xiyan looked at Xylira standing at the doorway.
She still wore her elegant smile and looked calm and warm, without a hint of anger. But somehow, he was certain that no matter what, these two vile servants couldn't shake her.
"Do they talk like that often?" Once they were inside, Xiyan asked, almost sure of the answer. "Hehe," Xylira smiled.
"Brother, paying attention to servants like that only lowers our dignity. Isn't there a saying that evil will deal with evil?"
"You... why didn't you tell me about this?" Xiyan's cool voice carried a rare tone of tenderness. "It's just a small matter, Brother. I can handle it," Xylira gave him a bright smile.
"But tomorrow, whether we can go to the Qixi Festival or not depends on you." "You really can't wait to see Caelen, can you?" Xiyan said with a slightly sour tone.
"You haven't even married him yet, and you're already favoring him over your own brother." "Hehe," Xylira let out a cheerful laugh.
Her mischievous eyes stared knowingly at Xiyan. When he started looking uneasy, she finally toned it down a little.
"Brother, don't be jealous. In my heart, you're still the most important." "Who's jealous!" Xiyan got a bit flustered.
But he had to admit, those words made him feel very proud. Hmph, tomorrow he'd make sure to keep a close watch on Xylira and not give that scar-faced Caelen a single chance to get closer.
Edgar returned home and heard that Xiyan had been waiting for him for a long time. Without changing his expression, he calmly changed clothes, washed up, and even slowly drank a cup of tea before instructing the servants to bring Xiyan to the side hall.
"You looking for me?" Edgar's tone toward Xiyan was neither warm nor cold. With no one else around, they skipped the small talk and got straight to the point.
"Tomorrow Xylira and I are going to the Qiaoqiao Festival." Xiyan's beautiful almond-shaped eyes looked coldly at Edgar.
That tone made Edgar raise an eyebrow. He was curious how Xiyan, a cripple, had the guts to talk to him like that and even dared to request going to the Qiaoqiao Festival. Clearly a good brother, willing to be mocked just to fulfill his sister's wish.
"You were there when this was decided. You should know it was your mother who made the call." Edgar's meaning was obvious. As long as Lady Mei Lin agreed, he had no objection.
But everyone in the Prime Minister's residence knew that Lady Mei Lin disliked the Yue siblings the most. There was no way she'd agree.
As if he expected this response, Xiyan wasn't angry. "If that's the case, then I won't make it hard for you. Xylira and I are simply curious about what the Qiaoqiao Festival is like. It's my fault as her brother that I can't meet her wishes."
"But just bringing her to the entrance like any regular townsfolk to watch the event from afar should be fine." That last sentence was spoken softly, like a whisper to himself, but in Edgar's ears, it was a blatant threat.
"So you're planning that after Xylira gets married, she won't stay in the Prime Minister's house anymore?" Edgar said this calmly, like it was casual talk. But anyone could tell it was a warning.
"As long as Xylira is happy, I'm fine with anything." Xiyan stood up after saying this. "With her looks, Xylira could easily attract half the unmarried men in Kang City just by standing there. I won't bother you anymore."
"Stop." Edgar recalled the pride that flashed in Xiyan's eyes just before he turned around. His good mood vanished.
The thought of Xylira standing at the festival gate with that stunning face of hers gave him a headache. The public gossip would be unbearable, especially since the third and fourth princes would also be there.
He cursed in his heart. One wrong move, and now he was stuck. Xylira's beauty was far beyond what he had expected.
"Fine, you can go. But Xylira must wear a veil like last time. No man is allowed to see her face."
"Okay."
"If you two cause trouble, don't involve the Prime Minister's household. Even if you get bullied, don't use my name." Edgar saw how readily Xiyan agreed and felt annoyed. He added a few more conditions.
"I understand."
After Xiyan left, even the servants in the side hall held their breath. The master seemed to have lost face.
"Dongyi, make sure everything is prepared perfectly. There must be no mistakes." That night, Edgar gave this instruction.
"Yes, Master. Don't worry."
"Brother, you've worked hard." Xylira had been confident Edgar would agree. After dinner, she eagerly served tea and massaged Xiyan's shoulders and waist.
"Alright, stop fussing. I'm not tired. Come sit down."
"Heh." Xylira didn't sit. Instead, she smiled mysteriously at him. "Brother, I have a gift for you."
She turned around and took out a sky-blue long robe and a pair of grey cloth shoes from the wardrobe, placing them on the table. "Here, do you like it?"
Looking at her proud expression and the robe and shoes embroidered with delicate bamboo leaves, Xiyan felt the craftsmanship was exquisite, better than his own. He gently brushed his fingers over the fabric and suddenly thought of something nearly impossible.
He turned his head in disbelief to look at Xylira, who was full of anticipation. "What? Brother, don't you like it?" Xylira didn't understand his complicated expression.
She had asked beforehand. Sky blue was his favorite color, and the style was one he often wore.
"Xylira, you made this?"
"Yes." She nodded. "I even made a matching set for myself. Tomorrow we'll wear the same color, like a pair of siblings."
"People will see how close we are and envy us. Unlike the Jiang siblings."
Hearing his little sister's childish words, Xiyan felt overwhelmed. He wanted to scold her that sewing was a man's task, not something a young lady should do.
But when he saw her excited face, he swallowed the words. As his finger traced the shoe surface, his eyes turned red.
"I love it. Xylira, you made it yourself. How could I not like it?" His voice was a bit hoarse and low.
He blinked hard to push back the heat in his eyes. Seeing how touched he was, Xylira couldn't explain how she felt.
Her brother must have suffered so much in the past, endured so much pain that she couldn't even imagine. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"Brother, our days will only get better from now on."
"Mm." Xiyan kept his head lowered and gave this response.
While the Yue siblings were sharing a warm moment, Caelen was getting more and more anxious. He acted normal on the surface these past few days.
But as the event approached, his uneasiness grew. It felt like time was dragging endlessly.
"Young Master, how about this white outfit for tomorrow? It looks refined."
Caelen glanced at it and shook his head without emotion. What was Xue Yi thinking?
He was a general, a warrior. Why should he look refined? "Then how about the blue one? With your great figure, it'll look amazing."
He shook his head again. What kind of presence could he possibly have? Killing intent?
That would only scare people away. He thought about how Xylira fainted the last time she saw him and even considered pretending to be sick to avoid going.
The courage he had when he first saw that note had completely faded as the day approached. As Xue Yi kept showing him options, Caelen's mood worsened.
"Grey," he decided directly. Whatever. Things would work themselves out.
No matter how Xylira responded, he would just accept it. After all, she had been dragged into this because of him.
Still, even with that thought, his heart ached. He hoped for something, and at the same time, felt hurt.
By the next day, he looked even more haggard than before. When Xue Yi came in to serve him, he was so startled he almost screamed.