Chapter 45: Your Highness, Just Keep Moving Forward

Li Rong listened to Pei Wenxuan’s words, silently gazing at him.

Her mind was a bit chaotic for a moment. Pei Wenxuan’s words, she understood, yet there was also some confusion. She knew that Pei Wenxuan had liked her before, that was something she had known for a long time.

But when Pei Wenxuan said he didn’t like Qin Zhenzhen, that was somewhat unexpected for her.

After thinking for a while, knowing that her emotions were in turmoil at the moment, making decisions wasn’t appropriate. There were too many emotions churning in her heart. So, she restrained herself and simply said, “I will consider what you said. Let’s go back on the carriage for now.”

She then instructed someone beside her, “Come, let’s go back.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, standing beside the carriage. Li Rong let down the curtain, closed her eyes, and began to rest.

The people around them all came back, and the coachman, looking at Pei Wenxuan standing still, hesitated, “My Lord, aren’t you going up?”

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head, standing by the carriage. He didn’t want to see Li Rong again.

He felt that Li Rong was like a piece of ice that couldn’t be warmed, a stone that couldn’t be penetrated. No matter how hard he tried, that person would never respond even a bit.

Feeling somewhat weary, he stood still for a long time. Finally, he heard Li Rong’s voice from inside, “Are you not leaving yet?”

Pei Wenxuan temporarily lost the strength to argue, lifted the curtain, and entered the carriage. After entering the carriage, Li Rong sat on one side, and Pei Wenxuan sat on the other. Both sat quietly, not saying a word.

Li Rong closed her eyes, calming her emotions.

After a long time, she finished processing Pei Wenxuan’s words, slowly opened her eyes, and looked at Pei Wenxuan.

“Regarding what you said just now, I’ve thought about it. What happened before was my presumption.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent, and Li Rong spoke slowly, “I am not actually clear about what happened between you and Qin Zhenzhen. Back then, I only knew that you had feelings for her. Later, you shifted your affections and liked me. You felt pain. Since you were in pain, I didn’t want this divided feeling. So, I chose to leave. I thought that after I left, you could completely focus your thoughts on her.”

Pei Wenxuan lowered his head, listening to Li Rong’s explanation, “Later, she left early, I always knew that the living should not compete with the dead. I thought, even if she died, you would still feel regretful. After all, you and she had many years of relationship, while we’ve been together, from the beginning to the end, it’s only been a year.”

Li Rong’s tone was calm, with her unique gentleness. However, with this calm, gentle, and emotionless tone, it directly pierced Pei Wenxuan’s heart.

He knew clearly that a person could speak so calmly about the past for only one reason: she had let go of the past.

But when he realized that this person had let go, he felt an indescribable bitterness surging up.

Seeing him silent and bowing his head, Li Rong didn’t know what emotion he was experiencing. She felt that Pei Wenxuan at this moment was different from usual. With rare patience, she slowly said, “You and she were supposed to be a perfect match, a good marriage. It’s just that the marriage arranged with me disturbed your situation back then. Otherwise, with your talent, even though she temporarily rejected your proposal, you could have quickly won her back if you wanted. In this lifetime, we can be considered friends now. Since you’ve been considering me in your heart, I also want to treat you well, so I did a bit more.”

She smiled, “Besides, you also wanted to help me and Su Rongqing get together, right? We’re even now. Don’t be so petty.”

Pei Wenxuan remained silent. His chest felt suffocated.

He felt like he had countless words to say, accumulated over many years, but he had never spoken them. Now, as he suddenly opened his mouth, it was like they all overflowed and crowded between his lips and teeth.

Li Rong thought for a moment, squatted in front of him, looking up at him, “Is it so difficult for you?”

“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan spoke with a hoarse voice, “since we’ve been together, I’ve never spoken privately with Qin Zhenzhen.”

Li Rong didn’t expect Pei Wenxuan to bring up this topic. She felt a bit awkward for a moment. She initially wanted to say that talking about these things was meaningless, but seeing Pei Wenxuan’s expression, she felt that he seemed eager to talk about it.

So she sat in front of him, not stopping him, just responding softly, “Oh…”

“He married Li Chuan. Technically, I shouldn’t interfere, but at that time, she was going through a tough time, and her older brother wasn’t around. So, I helped her a few times. I haven’t done anything else.”

“Uh… I see.”

Listening to Pei Wenxuan seriously talking about these things, Li Rong, for some reason, slowly began to feel like laughing.

But she didn’t dare to tease Pei Wenxuan, so she could only say, “I’ve checked later on, and I’m clear about everything. After all, she is still my brother’s concubine. If you two really had an affair, I could tolerate that.”

“When you asked me if I liked her at that time, I really didn’t know. Later, I found out, and you kept arguing with me. Every time I wanted to reconcile with you,” Pei Wenxuan said, sounding a bit aggrieved, “you would say hurtful things, your words are too piercing!”

“Well, I apologize for that,” Li Rong couldn’t hold back and laughed, “After so many years, how do you still remember so clearly?”

“Later, when you liked Su Rongqing, I knew,” Pei Wenxuan raised his head, looking at her, and smiled with difficulty, “you liked him, so be together. It’s my fault anyway.”

Li Rong looked at Pei Wenxuan, unable to find comforting words for a moment. She knew Pei Wenxuan was genuinely upset at this moment, especially considering his lonely life in the previous life; it was indeed bitter.

Seeing her at a loss for words, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but smile. He lifted his hand, gently touching her face, and said hoarsely, “Li Rong,” he quietly stared at her, “look, I missed you for a lifetime like this.”

Li Rong didn’t speak. She allowed him to look at her. After a long time, she finally said, “Feeling better now?”

Pei Wenxuan nodded, Li Rong propped herself up and stood up with Pei Wenxuan’s support. She sat back in her original position, leaning back, and after a moment of contemplation, she smiled at Pei Wenxuan, “How long have you wanted to say these words?”

“For many years,” Pei Wenxuan chuckled.

Li Rong lowered her gaze and remained silent. After a while, she gently said, “Although it’s a bit late, hearing these words still makes me happy.”

“Even though it’s late,” Pei Wenxuan picked up her words, “I’m still happy that we could say them.”

After saying that, they paused for a moment. After a while, Li Rong burst into laughter, lifted her eyes to look at Pei Wenxuan, and hearing Li Rong’s laughter, Pei Wenxuan couldn’t help but laugh too.

“I knew that you liked me so much back then,” Li Rong said with a smile, “Although it’s a bit regrettable, I’m still happy.”

“What’s regrettable?”

“If it had happened earlier,” Li Rong thought for a moment, fantasizing about what would have happened if Pei Wenxuan had said these words back then, and said uncertainly, “Maybe I wouldn’t have left at that time?”

“But if it had happened earlier,” Pei Wenxuan pondered, “I wouldn’t have said these words either.”

All thoughts, expressive abilities, and accumulated courage don’t come out of nowhere.

“That’s true.” Li Rong nodded, lightly tapping her hand with the small fan, and looked up at him, “The present Pei Wenxuan is indeed quite different.”

Pei Wenxuan, seeing a hint of mischief in her eyes, gradually calmed down. The excitement from before receded, and he now felt a bit awkward.

Li Rong noticed that he seemed to be slowly realizing what he had just said, and couldn’t help but laugh, “Lord Pei, after telling me so much just now, were you talking about the past or the future?”

If it was about the past, then it was just an apology.

If it was about the future, it was a confession.

Pei Wenxuan understood Li Rong’s meaning and subconsciously became nervous, “I’m just apologizing.”

Li Rong had already guessed his response and laughed, “Why are you so worked up about apologizing?”

“I got carried away,” Pei Wenxuan sighed, “You misunderstood me too many times before. In the past life, everything you connected to me involved Qin Zhenzhen. This time, you took matters into your own hands and kicked me out like a ball. I just don’t understand, if I provoked you or bothered you, why were you in such a hurry to push me out?”

“I should be asking you that,” Li Rong immediately retorted, “First, tell me, did you play matchmaker for Su Rongqing and me? On the night of my wedding, you talked to me for most of the night. If I disagreed, you insisted until I agreed. Tell me, who’s being domineering here, you or me?”

Pei Wenxuan was momentarily rendered breathless by Li Rong’s words. He struggled for a while before saying, “Well, I didn’t go around telling Su Rongqing anything!”

“Are you feeling sorry for Qin Zhenzhen?” Li Rong blinked, “Why are you so anxious when I talk to her?”

“Li Rong,” Pei Wenxuan sighed with a wry smile, “Can you please be reasonable? Our internal discussions are our internal conflicts. When you drag them outside, it seems like you’re determined to send me away. Can’t I be upset about it?”

“Then aren’t you determined to send me away?” Li Rong found it strange. Pei Wenxuan paused, and Li Rong curiously looked at him, “Cat got your tongue?”

“No… it’s different.”

Pei Wenxuan finally spoke, “I wanted to match you with Su Rongqing because I thought it would be good for you. But when you wanted to match me with Qin Zhenzhen, it was because you wanted to resolve concerns for the crown prince.”

“People always have some emotions,” Pei Wenxuan spoke slowly, “Although we don’t have any fate, after all these years, if not as relatives, at least as friends. If friends are used in such a way, it feels a bit uncomfortable.”

Li Rong listened quietly. She looked at him and said seriously, “I’m not entirely using you. It’s just that this outcome is beneficial for everyone.”

“Pai Wenxuan,” she looked into his eyes with sincerity, “I might not always consider everything, but when it comes to regarding you as a friend, there’s no ulterior motive. If you don’t let me down, I won’t let you down either.”

Pei Wenxuan looked into Li Rong’s eyes, sincere and bright.

Li Rong, living in the deep palace, possessed a gentleness and brightness that shouldn’t belong to the deep palace. However, she always carefully concealed that radiance. So, when it accidentally revealed itself, it could instantly overwhelm others like a burst of sunlight in a dark room.

Pei Wenxuan looked at her quietly for a long time, then smiled, “Don’t say such things.”

“Why not?” Li Rong was somewhat puzzled.

“You’re too beautiful,” Pei Wenxuan sighed, “I’ve been single for a long time. If you say that, I’m afraid I might fall for you.”

Upon hearing this, Li Rong couldn’t help but cover half of her face with a fan and chuckled softly.

However, after Pei Wenxuan finished speaking, as if unwilling to let her be too complacent, he continued, “After all, now when I see even a female cat, they all look charming and attractive.”

Previous

Next