After the wrong flirtation, I became the villain's favorite

At dawn, the rain stopped, but morning mist rose.

The red water color cast by the sheep-horn lantern above the gate of Liufengyuan gradually faded away.

Xie Xuan stood at the door, stamping his feet to keep warm. It was still a little cold in the early spring morning. He asked the maid guarding the door, "Why did you get up so early, young master?"

The old woman said perfunctorily: "You are the only one who is sleepy. I, an old woman, woke up early."

When the master gets up, the servants have to wait on him before him. Xie Xuan is young and it is the time for him to sleep in. Fortunately, Xie Yunji did not blame him.

Looking at the young man practicing sword by the Qing Lake, Xie Xuan told himself in his heart that he must not get up late again.

After returning, Xie Yunji did not report to the court, but stayed at home unemployed. Although unemployed, his daily routine was surprisingly regular. He would get up before dawn to practice sword.

After everyone stood up, he had finished his practice. After taking a bath and changing his clothes, he went to the Yushan room to look through the court newspapers of the past two years.

Before daybreak, Xie Xuan lit the candle.

Xie Yunji's hand stopped on the "Fengwuzhi of Xiya Kingdom".

When he opened it, he saw the random thoughts he had written on the blank spaces of the book when he traveled to the Kingdom of Xiye. Next to his words, there was another line of delicate small characters.

It is an understanding and questioning of his random thoughts.

A smile appeared on the pale young man's lips, even he didn't notice it.

He once lent this book to Song Nihuan to relieve her boredom.

Now, Xiye Kingdom no longer exists, and she is no longer here.

Only those lines of beautiful, heart-piercing words remained, nailed to his heart, causing a sharp pain.

When it was bright, he rubbed his shoulders, stood in front of the window and opened it, and the water vapor from Qinghu Lake hit his face.

Facing the water, Xie Yunji saw the woman on the other side.

It was too far away to make out her face clearly, but the dress she was wearing was not the same as the maids in Xie's mansion.

Her figure does not resemble that of her father's concubine, but that of a slim young girl.

Xie Yunji called Xie Xuan over, "Who's there?"

Seeing Xie Yunji unhappy, Xie Xuan replied in panic: "I guess, I guess it's Zheng, the one who was originally betrothed to my cousin."

Xie Yunji knew about Xie Yunjie's engagement with the daughter of Zheng Daxueshi, which was a pity.

Xie Yunjie bought this girl from the Music Bureau and brought her into the Xie Mansion, which made him feel very emotional.

If he had treated Song Nihuan like this at that time, it would have been better.

It would have been better if he hadn't looked down on her like that at that time.

Xie Xuan lowered his head and could not see the lines on Xie Yunji's face softening due to his guilt towards his wife.

"Why is she there?" Xie Yunji asked.

The Suyushanfang is an inner study, naturally located in the inner courtyard.

Before Xie Yunjie came, there was only Xie Yunji, the male owner in the inner courtyard, which was naturally convenient.

After Xie Yunjie arrived, he also brought in the woman he was originally engaged to. This woman had an awkward identity, being the daughter of a lowly criminal. She was arranged to live in a remote courtyard in the inner court. The servants who served her closely were probably also calculating and always lazy, not telling her that the eldest son was back.

Logically speaking, she shouldn't live in the inner courtyard anymore.

But the Xie family was kind and generous, and if they couldn't even accommodate an orphan girl, it would be a joke if it got out. Moreover, this orphan girl was supposed to be the wife of the top scholar.

So, Zheng Wan is now in such an embarrassing situation.

She also knew her situation.

At first, she was bought back by the third place winner. Although she was immersed in sadness, she had a faint hope in her heart. But so many days had passed, and she hadn't even seen Xie Yunjie.

Avoiding her, or simply not liking her? Just saving her...

Xie Yunjie's lack of attention to her affected the attitudes of the servants around him, and he saw that everyone in the mansion looked down on her more and more.

She was locked up in that courtyard, unable to sleep every night.

Afraid that he had no interest in her.

She was afraid that he would forget her after a long time.

Will the Xie family still tolerate her then? With her current status as a lowly woman, anyone can sell her out.

If she is sold to a good family, she will have a stable home. But if she is sold to a gambler or drunkard, she will die in a few years.

Thinking of this, Zheng Wan came to the edge of Qing Lake.

Although she didn't know which courtyard Xie Yunjie lived in, she knew that he would have to pass by here when he went out of the inner courtyard to go on duty.

Sure enough, a thin and tall figure came over from the plum forest not far away.

As he got closer, he saw the scholar in the blue official uniform walking slowly on the bluestone road. There was a plum blossom hanging low, so he raised his hand to push aside the branch and lowered his head.

It’s not that Zheng Wan has never seen Xie Yunjie before, but she has never felt as if time has stopped as she does now, and he is like... a person in a painting.

Xie Yunjie walked over and his vision was unobstructed, so he saw Zheng Wan.

He was a little surprised and frowned, "Miss Zheng. Why are you here?"

Even if the two of them had been engaged, it would be extremely inappropriate for them to meet here privately.

Xie Yunjie put away his displeasure and asked, "But do you have something to talk to me about?"

The woman in front of him was slender and thin, with a hunched waist, her head lowered, and her hands twisted into her sleeves.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, Xie Yunjie said again: "If you have anything to ask, you can find the servant and he will tell me."

Seeing that he was about to leave, Zheng Wan bit her lip and walked towards him, whispering softly, "You, you wait a minute."

Seeing that she was hesitant to speak, Xie Yunjie called the servant who was waiting nearby over, and found a high ground with her where they could see people coming and going.

This can avoid unnecessary speculation, after all, he and she are both unmarried man and woman.

Zheng Wan followed him, and when he stopped, Zheng Wan also kept a certain distance.

Xie Yunjie's displeasure had subsided a little. After all, she was the daughter of a university scholar, had an elegant demeanor, and was quite polite in front of men. It seemed as if he had misunderstood her. It was probably because she was left alone in the Xie Mansion after experiencing such a change, and he had never given her a clear explanation.

He looked her over and said, "What's the matter? Tell me."

"Yes." She lowered her head even lower.

Xie Yunjie frowned slightly. The two previous times they met, although they were far away, her attitude was not like this. It was a pity that such a lady had become so cautious now.

He suddenly thought, was she like this when she first came to Xie Mansion?

Thinking of this, his heart softened a little, and his tone softened, "If you have anything to say, just tell me."

Zheng Wan mustered up her courage and raised her head, begging, "Please... accept me, Hanlin!"

After that, there was an awkward silence.

Zheng Wan held back the tears that were about to burst out and continued, "I was already engaged to Hanlin, and Hanlin saved me. To thank Hanlin for his kindness, Wan'er is willing to serve Hanlin."

Xie Yunjie had long thought that saving her meant she would be his, but he still couldn't convince himself that this was the reason why he had been avoiding her for so long.

Is this finally unavoidable?

He was about to say something, but the woman suddenly raised her eyes to look at him, and his words stopped.

There was clearly resentment in those eyes.

"Does Hanlin despise me? Now that nobles and commoners can marry each other, Wan'er knows that she is no longer the same as she was yesterday. She does not ask Hanlin to fulfill the marriage contract, but only asks Hanlin... to give me a place to stay. Is that not even possible?"

"Are you a Hanlin who despises me for being a lowly person?"

In the last sentence, her voice was close to a sharp question.

Xie Yunjie curled the corners of his lips and thought, after all, she is the daughter of a grand scholar and she has not yet stepped down from that high position.

It's also my fault for being so stupid and ignoring her these days.

"I don't mean to dislike you." Xie Yunjie said, paused, and added, "It's getting late. I'm on duty today and I have to see the emperor. Let's talk about it when I come back, okay?"

The young man's voice was clear and pleasant, and there was no displeasure on his face.

In fact, Zheng Wan already regretted her impatience. In this case, she could only nod.

After Xie Yunjie left, she sat on the Taihu stone for a long time and began to cry.