Fragrant willow catkins

"I'm weak! You've never seen me beat ten people by myself! I'm weak?! I was just giving in to Mo Xi, okay? How could she bully me with her little tricks? I just miscalculated this time and didn't expect the lake water to be so cold, otherwise she would have been in trouble." Ning Xu couldn't bear to hear him say that she was weak, she was obviously a thousand times stronger than Mo Xi.

Seeing Ningxu so excited, the Third Master laughed out loud. As he laughed, he seemed to think of something and his eyes looked a little lonely.

"You... said before that I look like a man named Li Jinze. What's your relationship with him?" The Third Master looked away, not daring to look at Ningxu's expression.

He was indeed busy, but he rushed out immediately after hearing that Ningxu fell into the water. It was difficult to enter Prince Mo's mansion, so the people he sent to protect Ningxu could only protect her safety outside the mansion, and what happened in the mansion could only be heard from the servants who returned home after get off work.

He could feel that he had some feelings for this girl who came from nowhere, but she obviously had someone she liked, so what was he like now? Unrequited love?

Third Master: I don’t want to!

Ningxu was looking at the bracelet happily, but she didn't expect the Third Master to ask this question. Li Jinze...it seemed like she hadn't dreamed of him for a long time...

"He was my former teacher, but he was murdered by a villain and has passed away."

Third Master: "Then you..."

Ningxu: "I like him very much."

Ningxu spoke very decisively, which surprised the Third Master.

The room was very quiet. The Third Master looked very lonely. One could tell from his expression that he regretted asking that question. Ningxu's answer made him very unhappy.

San Ye: I am nothing...

Ningxu saw that the air was almost frozen, and looked at the Third Master in confusion. Wasn't he the one who brought up this topic? Why was he ignoring her? Could it be that...

He wouldn't fall in love with me, would he?

Ningxu: "You... like me?"

The Third Master was shocked. "What nonsense are you talking about! No! Absolutely not!"

"Tsk." Ningxu crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the Third Master with interest, "Why are you blushing?"

She tricked the Third Master once but not the second time. The Third Master looked calm and sat up straight. "I'm not blushing. You must be confused because of the fever. You...you keep talking. I'm listening."

Ningxu glanced at him and said, "That's all. I'm the only one who likes him, but he doesn't like me. I didn't even confess my feelings to him, but he died to protect me at the age of thirty."

When the Third Master heard that they were not in love, he felt a little better, "Thirty?"

Ningxu: "Well, I know there's no future for him and me, he's dead..." Ningxu looked at the Third Master intently, examining his face carefully, "You really... should look a lot like him when he was young."

The Third Master asked her calmly, "Do you really like this face?"

Ningxu nodded vigorously.

The Third Master was secretly delighted again, humph, I can still compare with the dead people, just based on my face, I am better than others!

Ningxu seemed to see the arrogance in the Third Master's heart, "I was talking about this face. I didn't say I like you. What are you so proud of?"

"But this face is mine. I knew you liked me, and you were shy."

Ningxu: “Huh?”

The Third Master can't listen to anything else now. He is completely immersed in his own world. This face is now his top-secret weapon.

After being happy for a while, San Ye finally remembered that Li Jinze also died at the age of 30? Thinking of this, San Ye couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. He looked at Ning Xu deeply, wondering whether he should tell her the secret in his heart.

"What's wrong?" Ning Xu noticed his abnormality.

"It's okay!" The Third Master pulled himself together, "Wait until you're better and I'll take you out to play?"

"Really? Where? When?"

Third Master: "Really? I'll decide the location. I'll send someone to tell you when you're ready." He couldn't wait for Ningxu to come to him. He had to take the initiative. What if someone like Li Jinze appeared in the future and seduced her away?

Ningxu: “Okay!”

Third Master: "Okay, go to sleep, I'll keep watch for you."

In the evening, Ningxu fell asleep quickly with someone by her side. She had a fever several times at night, and it was always Master San who changed her wet towel and wiped her hands.

The next day, Ningxu suddenly sat up from the bed. Did the Third Master come last night? Or was it a dream?

Ningxu wanted to rub her eyes, but found that she couldn't lift her right hand. Looking down, she saw Third Master holding her hand and sleeping on the edge of the bed.

Sensing movement in the room, the Third Master slowly opened his eyes. "Awake? Are you feeling better?"

Ningxu: "You really stayed with me all night?"

San Ye: "Nonsense, I worked so hard because I wanted you to get better soon." San Ye let go of Ning Xu's hand, stood up and stretched his numb feet. "Since you're awake, I have to go too. It's not good if others find out."

Ningxu stared at the Third Master blankly. She was so dazed last night that she thought she was dreaming. "Oh... OK, be careful."

"Don't worry." The Third Master touched Ningxu's head, walked to the door and opened it like a thief. Seeing that there was no one around, he disappeared in a flash.

Ningxu laughed out loud when she saw his action, and then thought carefully about what happened last night. The Third Master came to give her medicine in the middle of the night, and gave her a bracelet to keep her safe. He also asked her about Li Jinze and asked her if she liked him...

Ningxu: He wouldn’t really like me, would he?

But...she still has to go back...

After taking the medicine brought by the Third Master, Ningxu recovered in a few days and returned to the Second Madam's courtyard to take care of Mo Tang. Mo Tang sympathized with his sister who had just recovered from a serious illness, so he mostly played in the house and didn't let Ningxu move much.

In addition, because Mo Tang did that kind of thing because of Mo Xi, and he could only cry in front of Mo Xi, and couldn't say a word, Mo Tang realized the importance of culture, and was pestering the second wife to send him to school. So Mo Tang has been much quieter recently, and has the patience to write and draw at the desk.

Days passed one by one, and that afternoon, Zhu'er came to Ningxu's room happily. Since she moved out last time, she never moved back, so the two of them now lived in a single room.

Zhu'er jumped onto Ningxu's bed and said, "Sister, great news!"

Ningxu: “What?” Ningxu suddenly became interested and sat up.

Zhu Er: "On the sixth day of May, the Emperor will choose a concubine!"

"Ah?..." "What good news is this? We can't join in the royal selection of concubines."

"But, but, the Second Madam is planning to send the Fifth Miss to the palace! If she leaves, we won't be bullied anymore!"

Ning Xu was immediately deflated when she heard the news about Mo Xi. "How can this be considered good news? Think about it, if Mo Xi enters the palace and becomes a queen or imperial concubine, she will be able to walk around like a tyrant, and our hard times will begin."

Zhu Er: "But, after entering the palace, you cannot leave without the permission of the emperor or the empress dowager. And the second wife also said that the emperor did not want to choose a concubine. The emperor wanted to be a couple for life like the late emperor and the empress dowager, but he could not resist the advice of the ministers and had to let them choose a concubine."