Chapter 008: Token of Affection

Chapter 008: Token of Affection

Fu Jiaze looked at the brocade pouch in his hand. The embroidery featured the motif of "Plucking the Osmanthus in the Moon Palace," symbolizing success and prosperity, with the auspicious Eight Treasures pattern of Buddhism subtly woven into it.

A bright future and a long life.

It sounded almost unbelievable, but Lin Yingxue had indeed embroidered this pouch with those thoughts in mind.

Fu Jiaze thought that perhaps he had accepted the pouch out of surprise due to Lin Yingxue's peculiar blessing.

Now, as he held the pouch, he regretted accepting it.

Discarding it would be improper, but Lin Yingxue had left too quickly, leaving no chance for him to return it.

"Mr. Fu."

A voice suddenly came from behind him, causing Fu Jiaze to flinch and hastily clench the pouch before turning around.

He found that the one calling him was a servant from another courtyard, there to inform him that the poetry gathering was about to begin.

Fu Jiaze nodded, straightened his clothes, and followed the servant.

With his hand behind his back, he caressed the pattern on the pouch. If Lin Yingxue hadn't left so quickly, would he have really refused to accept it? Perhaps she would have shed tears.

Thinking of her tears, Fu Jiaze couldn't help but recall how Lin Yingxue looked when she cried, her fair face with reddened eyes, tears welling up in her clear, black-and-white eyes, sliding down as she tilted her head.

He decided to keep the pouch.

The pouch was even thoughtfully adorned with a netted cord, its colors matching his attire perfectly.

Fu Jiaze firmly tied the pouch to his waist, securing it even more tightly than his jade pendant.

/

Lin Yingxue's gift was an unexpected surprise. She was always quick-witted and had noticed Fu Jiaze's hesitation after accepting the pouch, fearing it might be returned, so she left quickly.

When she returned to the hall, the ladies who had ignored her earlier now looked at her strangely, and someone laughed, saying, "Lord Xie, did you make a mistake? You were looking for Miss Lin the Second. Look who’s here?"

Hearing the man's joyful voice, "Miss Lin the Second," Lin Yingxue instinctively took a few steps back, only to be stopped by Feiyuan.

Startled, she realized that leaving would only fuel rumors; it was better to speak with Xie Jingzhi in front of everyone.

"Thank you," Lin Yingxue whispered to Feiyuan, then turned to look at Xie Jingzhi.

Xie Jingzhi stepped forward, bypassing Lin Baozhen, and walked directly toward Lin Yingxue.

Lin Baozhen huffed. She had already decided to marry Xie Yuan and become Xie Jingzhi's stepmother, but hearing him call out to her still stirred something within her. Seeing Xie Jingzhi happily greet his younger sister, she felt angry and humiliated, directing her ire at both Xie Jingzhi and Lin Yingxue.

Lin Yingxue performed a bow, "Greetings, Lord Xie. May I ask why you are seeking my elder sister? I have never had any dealings with you, so surely you must be looking for her."

Xie Jingzhi, seeing Lin Yingxue, focused solely on her. Hearing her words, he remembered the letter in his pocket, "Indeed, someone asked me to deliver a letter to Miss Lin the Elder. I..."

Lin Yingxue opened her small fan, covering most of her face, revealing only her eyes.

Her long lashes lifted, revealing a cold and icy gaze.

"Please give the letter to my sister. This is only our second meeting, so we have nothing to discuss."

As she spoke, she gently fanned herself.

This was the "fan language" she had learned from Ye Zi, a subtle way of communicating among the ladies of the capital. Some things were better left unsaid, conveyed through the movements of the fan.

Her slender fingers holding the jade fan, she gracefully fanned herself, partially concealing her beautiful face. This gesture evoked sympathy, but Xie Jingzhi felt a chill, recognizing her "fan language" as a firm rejection.

Wondering if Lin Yingxue, who rarely attended flower banquets, might not understand the meaning of fan language, he said, "Are you feeling hot, Miss Lin? The weather today isn’t great; it might rain soon."

Feiyuan, eager to show off, stepped forward and said, "Lord Xie, the weather today is cool and pleasant. My lady is using 'fan language.'"

Looking outside, the weather was indeed refreshing, having just rained two days ago, making the use of a fan unnecessary.

Someone chuckled, and laughter spread throughout the room.

Who was Xie Jingzhi? The only son of Wei Wuhou, though not officially titled as heir, everyone considered him the heir of the marquisate. Like Feiyuan, they addressed him as "Lord Xie."

With his excellent background, handsome appearance, and ambitious nature, he was the epitome of a noble gentleman in the eyes of the ladies of the capital.

To see such a distinguished young man rebuffed by a concubine-born lady and her maid was amusing to many.

Embarrassed by the laughter, Xie Jingzhi pursed his lips, looking at Lin Yingxue, who seemed to be admiring flowers, her side profile facing him, her fan still conveying a refusal to converse.

Lin Baozhen, witnessing this scene, felt conflicted. At times, she thought Xie Jingzhi deserved it, but other times, she felt sorry for him.

After all, she had once liked him and wanted to defend him.

Besides, he was going to be her stepson.

Thinking of the word "stepson," she felt a different kind of emotion and said, "Second Sister, your maid is truly loyal to you. Just now, at the entrance of the courtyard, she claimed to be my maid, loyal to me. How quickly she changed her loyalty to you, teaching you 'fan language' and standing up for you. You’re quite skilled, Second Sister."

Lin Yingxue could ignore Xie Jingzhi but needed to respond to her elder sister. She closed her fan and tapped it against her palm.

"Perhaps this maid has some affinity with me. Sister mentioned giving me her contract, please don’t forget."

Lin Baozhen glared fiercely at Feiyuan, causing her face to pale and tears to fall.

Feiyuan, being a young servant girl, feared Lin Baozhen, who still held her contract.

Lin Yingxue stepped forward, "Sister? That contract..."

Lin Baozhen shifted her attention back to her younger sister, speaking sarcastically, "Second Sister hasn’t had much good fortune. Use this maid if you wish. I’ll give you her contract later."

Lin Baozhen took the initiative to speak to Xie Jingzhi, "Lord Xie, you mentioned earlier that you had something to discuss with me. Why don't we go ahead and talk?"

Xie Jingzhi's impression of Lin Baozhen had been average, but her words immediately relieved him, making him feel as if a gentle breeze had brushed over his heart, stirring unfamiliar emotions. "Yes, I do have something to discuss with Miss Lin."

/

Lin Baozhen and Xie Jingzhi moved aside, and Xie Jingzhi handed her a letter before bowing respectfully. "Thank you, Miss Lin, for helping me out just now."

Lin Baozhen did not rush to read the letter; she admired this side of Xie Jingzhi, his graceful demeanor and distinguished presence. "Lord Xie, do you truly like my sister so much?"

Xie Jingzhi blushed, knowing he shouldn't be discussing this with Lin Baozhen, but remembering her help, he whispered, "Sometimes feelings cannot be controlled. Before meeting your younger sister, I didn't know what my heart desired, but now I finally understand."

"Even after she embarrassed you just now, you still feel the same way?"

How could Xie Jingzhi not care? He felt some resentment, but thinking of Lin Yingxue's captivating eyes, he said, "There were many people around, and someone was trying to make a spectacle. I think your younger sister might have been embarrassed. I... don't blame her."

Lin Baozhen took a deep breath and forced a bitter smile. "Do you know about my sister's background?"

Xie Jingzhi seemed puzzled, speaking uncertainly, "Isn't she just your younger sister, the second miss of the Lin family?"

"Calling her the second miss is giving her face," Lin Baozhen said bluntly. "She claims to be a concubine-born daughter, but in reality, she is even worse. She is the daughter of an outside mistress. That Wen Hui was originally my father's mistress, but because she had a daughter, she became his concubine. Lin Yingxue, the second miss, is actually... unworthy!"

Xie Jingzhi never expected Lin Yingxue to have such a background. The fact that she was a concubine-born daughter already made him worry about his family's disapproval, and now Lin Baozhen's words made him realize that the Weiwu Marquis Mansion would never agree to him marrying an illegitimate daughter.

People called him Lord Xie or Young Master, but Xie Jingzhi knew his position was not secure.

If his grandmother and father strongly opposed the marriage, he couldn't defy them.

But how unwilling he was.

Lin Yingxue's beauty was like the poetry he had read, radiant as the moon, reminding him of moonlight filtering through the wutong trees, mist flowing like a starry river.

That exquisite beauty, he wanted to keep it all to himself.

Seeing Xie Jingzhi's expression, Lin Baozhen smiled in satisfaction, just like her father Lin Yi.

Before having her premonition dream, Lin Baozhen's understanding of romantic relationships was hazy, but now she clearly saw that this seemingly refined and elegant Xie Jingzhi harbored desires for Lin Yingxue, similar to how her father Lin Yi felt about Wen Hui.

Her father had deceived Wen Hui into becoming his concubine, and now Xie Jingzhi could do the same to Lin Yingxue, who refused to be a concubine.

"Lord Xie, although my sister can't be your main wife, she can be a concubine. I can help you."

Xie Jingzhi was surprised by her words, wondering, "Why...?"

He swallowed the rest of his question. He couldn't say that Lin Baozhen had once wanted to marry him herself and now suggested her younger sister become his concubine.

Although... Xie Jingzhi had to admit, Lin Baozhen's suggestion was tempting.

"Do you know why Lord Marquis asked you to give me this letter?" Lin Baozhen asked instead of answering. "Do you know what it says?"

Xie Jingzhi shook his head.

Lin Baozhen opened the letter, revealing a familiar heavy bracelet, which belonged to the old lady and was made of fine imperial green jade.

After a quick glance at the contents, which expressed his desire to marry and meet again, Lin Baozhen slowly put the bracelet on her wrist. "Does it look good?"

The slender wrist of the young girl was accentuated by the emerald green, making her skin appear even fairer. When worn by the grandmother, the bracelet exuded elegance, but on the young girl, it brought vitality.

Xie Jingzhi nodded involuntarily.

Lin Baozhen smiled, a smile that seemed oddly unsettling to Xie Jingzhi.

"This bracelet was given to me by your father. It is a token of our engagement."