Chapter Sixty-Eight: It’s Better If He Doesn’t Come

The rear mountain of Pu Yue Temple was covered in blooming peach blossoms, just at the perfect time for viewing. Shen Nanyuan had postponed outings due to the cold weather, and as a result, Meng Chuyue had not seen Xiao Yan for quite some time. Thus, Shen Nanyuan went to the Prime Minister's residence to invite Meng Chuyue, wishing to enjoy the peach blossoms together.

Shen Sinian had little interest in flower viewing, so he did not join them. The number of unwanted companions was reduced, which pleased Shen Nanyuan immensely. She happily boarded the carriage with Xiao Yan and Qing Ruo, heading toward Pu Yue Temple.

Yet, the atmosphere between Xiao Yan and Meng Chuyue was somewhat awkward. The two hardly interacted, not even glancing at each other, let alone exchanging looks. Shen Nanyuan found this perplexing. It had only been a brief period of separation during the winter—how had they become so estranged so quickly? Had they really not met in secret during her absence?

In the original novel, they had indeed met clandestinely many times, unbeknownst to anyone. Meng Chuyue, especially, had nearly worn out the walls of the Duke’s residence with her frequent visits.

Meng Chuyue sat with her eyes lowered, appearing somewhat despondent.

Shen Nanyuan discreetly observed the expressions of the two and began to speak, trying to ease the tension.

“Chuyue, are you feeling unwell? You look a bit pale.”

Meng Chuyue paused, shaking her head hurriedly. “No, not at all. I’m just a little tired from suddenly going out after so long indoors.”

Shen Nanyuan glanced at Xiao Yan from the corner of her eye. He sat quietly, eyes lowered, never so much as looking at Meng Chuyue.

At least he reacted a bit—this is your heroine after all! She said she was tired; with so many people around, you could at least show some concern.

Without her, he’d surely fail to win a wife.

Worried, Shen Nanyuan poured a cup of tea and placed it before Meng Chuyue.

“There’s still some distance to Pu Yue Temple. Rest for a while. I’ll call you when we arrive.”

“All right.” Meng Chuyue pursed her lips, glanced at Nanyuan, and asked, “Yuanyuan, is Brother Shen on duty today?”

“My brother?” Shen Nanyuan shook her head. “No, he isn’t on duty today.”

She asked in surprise, “Why are you suddenly asking about my brother? Do you need something from him? I can pass on a message for you later.”

Meng Chuyue waved her hand quickly. “No, nothing urgent. It’s just been a while since I saw Brother Shen. He used to accompany you whenever you went out, but today he’s not here, so I was curious.”

“I see.”

Shen Nanyuan pouted. “It’s better that he didn’t come.”

“We’re just girls; it’s not always proper for him to tag along. He used to follow me out of concern, especially since the Second Prince’s matter had only recently passed.”

“I understand,” Meng Chuyue replied, her gaze lowering, a hint of dejection on her carefully made-up face.

Since she fell into the water, she had been frail and prone to illness. In the cold of winter, the Prime Minister did not allow her to go out, fearing she might fall ill again.

She hadn’t seen Shen Sinian for days, and her heart was uneasy. She had hoped to see him today, but he did not come, leaving her even more disappointed.

Sometimes, she truly envied Shen Nanyuan, who could see him whenever she wished.

The carriage was stuffy, so Meng Chuyue gently lifted the curtain. A gust of cold wind swept in through the gap, chilling Shen Nanyuan and making her shiver.

Xiao Yan frowned and finally spoke to Meng Chuyue for the first time that day.

“Miss Meng, it's cold outside. Please put the curtain down, lest you catch a chill.”

That’s more like it.

Shen Nanyuan nodded approvingly.

Xiao Yan did care for Meng Chuyue, having overheard her discomfort and worried the cold wind might harm her.

Meng Chuyue responded softly, finally raising her eyes to glance at Xiao Yan, a layer of anxiety settling in her gaze.

Though the Prime Minister rarely spoke to her about court affairs, this matter was special. Since she was close to Shen Nanyuan, she was likely to encounter Xiao Yan. The Prime Minister had cautioned her, not explicitly, but enough for Meng Chuyue to grasp that the man before her was no ordinary person.

She actually had another purpose for coming: she wanted to warn Shen Nanyuan to be wary in her dealings with Xiao Yan.

Yet Xiao Yan was always at Shen Nanyuan’s side, and she could find no opportunity to speak privately.

Meng Chuyue lowered her gaze again, lips pressed together.

Lately, Pu Yue Temple had been teeming with visitors coming to admire the flowers. Along the way, they saw many carriages passing by—either heading to the temple or returning from it.

There was a narrow path that bypassed Pu Yue Temple and led straight to the rear mountain, but it was steep. The carriage could not ascend, so they had to walk.

For some reason, the sunny morning turned suddenly gloomy upon their arrival at the temple, as if rain were imminent. The oppressive darkness unsettled them.

A recent light rain had left the mountain paths slippery. Shen Nanyuan walked with great caution, fearful of repeating her tumble during the royal hunt.

That fall had nearly knocked her senseless, making her all the more wary now.

Xiao Yan followed closely behind, vigilant and protective, his body tense.

After much effort, they reached the spot for viewing the blossoms, only to find that the petals had already been battered down by the rain.

The trees were sparsely adorned, and though some petals remained, the spectacle was far less than expected. Yet, visitors continued to arrive in droves, undeterred by the scene before them.

Shen Nanyuan felt a bit disappointed. “Really? Even in this state, so many people come.”

“Peach blossoms only bloom in this season,” Meng Chuyue replied with a smile. “If you don’t come now, you won’t even see what’s left. Besides, it's still beautiful. Leaving now would make the climb pointless.”

Shen Nanyuan nodded, gazing for a while before remarking, “There should be plenty of peaches later.”

Qing Ruo: “?”

Everyone else is here for the flowers, and you’re already thinking about the fruit?

Oddly enough, Xiao Yan nodded in agreement. “Indeed.”

Qing Ruo: “...”

These two are something else.

Most of the visitors were scholars, and after some time admiring the blossoms, they began composing poetry. Shen Nanyuan had little interest in such things. She walked to a higher spot and looked out over the peach grove below. From above, the vast sea of pink was still a striking and beautiful sight.