Chapter 206: Throwing Away Dignity

Chapter 206: Throwing Away Dignity

Concubine Du returned to Xiaohe Courtyard.

In the evening, Cheng Yunshuo came back to the estate and first went to Lu Lingyun’s courtyard.

"Concubine Du has returned," said Lu Lingyun.

Upon learning that Du Ruo had come back, Cheng Yunshuo didn’t show much reaction and merely responded indifferently.

Honestly, he hadn’t paid much attention when Du Ruo left for her family’s home.

He assumed she just wanted some time away.

He didn’t even feel that Du Ruo had been angry with him.

He hadn’t given much thought to the incident with the snuff bottle, a small but meaningful gift.

In his view, Du Ruo had been in the wrong, and for her to get mad at him was her being irrational.

For her to spend a few days at her family’s home to clear her mind and then return was, in his eyes, perfectly fine.

He remained completely indifferent.

Observing Cheng Yunshuo’s attitude and tone, Lu Lingyun silently sent a sigh for Du Ruo in her heart.

Truth be told, she felt that Du Ruo was much better than Xing Dairong.

She could sense that Du Ruo’s love for Cheng Yunshuo was pure, and sometimes she would think from his perspective, not wanting to put him in a difficult position. She was willing to change and would resolve her feelings on her own after a disagreement.

For example, when she realized there was an issue with the snuff bottle, she had immediately come back to explain, fearing that Cheng Yunshuo might be implicated.

And now, after being upset for a while, she had returned on her own.

She was more sensible than Xing Dairong.

But alas, she wasn’t Xing Dairong.

While Cheng Yunshuo treated her differently from others, it wasn’t enough to make a significant difference.

Cheng Yunshuo didn’t love her.

After having dinner in Lu Lingyun’s courtyard and exchanging a few words about matters in the palace, Cheng Yunshuo went back to rest.

Just a few steps out of Lu Lingyun’s courtyard, he heard a voice filled with greed, anger, obsession, love, hatred, and desire.

"Master."

Cheng Yunshuo turned around and saw a figure standing in front of Xiaohe Courtyard under the dim light of a small lantern.

Concubine Du stood there quietly, her eyes shimmering under the light as they were locked on Cheng Yunshuo.

Her gaze, brimming with longing and complex emotions, seemed to stretch across time itself.

Cheng Yunshuo: "..."

Under the weight of Du Ruo’s intense, multifaceted gaze, his eyes flickered slightly. "You’re back."

"Well, since you didn’t come to fetch me, I came back on my own."

Cheng Yunshuo: "......I've been really busy lately."

"I knew it! It must be because you've been so busy, Teacher, that you didn't come to pick me up!" Du Ruo's eyes instantly lit up, all her resentment and hidden grievances concealed, leaving only joy. She skipped over to Cheng Yunshuo, half-pouting in a playful way, "Teacher, you have no idea how much I missed you at home."

She had already accepted this explanation and believed that Cheng Yunshuo had simply been too busy to pay her any attention.

There were no other reasons in her mind.

People often convince themselves of what they want to believe, ignoring anything else.

Cheng Yunshuo: "......"

Seeing Du Ruo's sweet and tender expression, he couldn't help but soften his heart and asked, "Have you been well at your aunt's these past few days?"

This question was exactly what she wanted to hear.

She knew her Teacher loved her, that he cared about her, and would ask about her well-being upon meeting her again.

Her heart filled with love, and she lowered her eyes, pouting playfully, "Not really."

"What's wrong? Did your aunt and her family treat you poorly?"

"Because I missed seeing you, Teacher," Du Ruo raised her head, her eyes like fire, looking at Cheng Yunshuo.

Cheng Yunshuo: "...... It's getting late. Let's go inside and talk."

"Yes," Du Ruo responded softly and joyfully.

The next day, Du Ruo was back to wandering around the backyard.

Qiu Ling and Ling Long were sitting together under a pavilion, embroidering clothes. From a distance, they spotted the energetic Du Ruo.

"She's back?" Qiu Ling noticed Du Ruo leading her maid around, with a beaming smile and joyful expression.

"Yes, she came back last night," Ling Long said.

Ling Long was still living in Yaoguang Pavilion and served Cheng Yunshuo every night. When Cheng Yunshuo didn't return last night, she was the first to know that Du Ruo had come back to the estate.

"Did the Crown Prince go to fetch her?"

"No, she came back on her own."

"That's surprising," Qiu Ling couldn't help but remark, "I thought she'd be angry for a long time and need to be coaxed back!"

At that moment, a crisp voice rang out.

"You're both here."

Du Ruo's voice came from beside the ornamental lake.

She had seen Qiu Ling and Ling Long.

Hearing her voice, Qiu Ling and Ling Long both lowered their heads, not having heard what she said, focusing on their embroidery.

"Alright, don't pretend you didn't see me," Du Ruo looked at them, having already approached them.

Qiu Ling raised her head upon hearing this, "Oh, Concubine Du, we've been up late embroidering for days, and our eyes are all blurry from it, so we didn't notice you."

"Yes," Ling Long simply didn't lift her head, focusing on her needlework.

Seeing their attitude, Du Ruo didn’t act as haughty as she used to, and instead of arguing or trying to one-up them, she asked calmly.

She looked at the flowers and birds they were embroidering and said, "Can I join you in embroidery?"

At these words, both Qiu Ling and Ling Long looked up in surprise.

"I haven't properly learned these skills before, and now I'd like to embroider something. Can you teach me?" said Du Ruo honestly.

She had lost her mother at a young age, and whenever her aunt tried to teach her, she would run away and couldn’t sit still. Later, when Lu Lingyun took her in and attempted to teach her, she refused as well.

Because of this, she felt too embarrassed to approach Lu Lingyun in her courtyard and ask for lessons.

Seeing that both Qiu Ling and Ling Long were embroidering, she swallowed her pride and came to them for lessons.

"You want to learn?"

"Yes, I want to make some clothes for the Crown Prince," Du Ruo admitted.

Qiu Ling and Ling Long exchanged glances.

"Sit down, we'll teach you."

After all, there wasn’t much rivalry between them anymore. Qiu Ling had long given up on Cheng Yunshuo and was living a content and peaceful life. Ling Long still held some status in the Marquis's Mansion, but she didn’t love Cheng Yunshuo either.

So as long as Du Ruo didn’t provoke her or cause trouble, she didn’t feel much hostility toward her.

Du Ruo just wanted to learn embroidery; she wasn’t that petty.

With their permission, Du Ruo happily sat with them. Qiu Ling gave her a piece of fabric and taught her to make a simple pouch.

A gentle summer breeze rustled the lotus leaves, and the cicadas chirped loudly, but the backyard remained peaceful.

Lu Lingyun, in her own courtyard, had taken a nap with the children and woke up to listen to the servants reporting if anything new had happened in the mansion.

Upon hearing that Du Ruo was learning embroidery with Qiu Ling and Ling Long in the backyard, Lu Lingyun was briefly taken aback, but she simply smiled and didn’t inquire further.

At that moment, Shuang Hong brought a letter.

"Young mistress, a newly delivered package from Jiangnan."

"Who sent it?"

"Young Miss Wang."

Wang Qiluo?!

Lu Lingyun’s interest was immediately piqued, and she quickly opened the letter.