Sang Wan’s body stiffened slightly, her heart as if sharply pricked and suddenly contracted. Although it wasn’t akin to having a basin of cold water poured over her head, it nonetheless sobered her back to reality in an instant.
Indeed, with this place being so beautiful, he must have brought his cousin here often, right?
Without thinking, Shi Fengju glanced at Sang Wan, and seeing her eyes cast down, her demeanor serene yet tinged with a hint of somberness, as if atrace of sadness was evident in her calm and light-hearted expression, He couldn’t help but feel a pang of gloom in his heart, forcing a smile as he said, "Miss Gu is tied up with something, she won’t be coming here again!"
Cui Ling, not privy to any insider knowledge, was naturally straightforward. Hearing this, she looked regretful and sighed softly, "That’s such a pity!"
Sang Wan’s face subtly changed, feeling a sense of tightness in her chest.
Aunt Cui’s face also changed, and she glared at Cui Ling before scolding her, "What’s with all the chatter, girl! Focus on properly accompanying the young master and mistress instead of bringing up irrelevant things!" Then, turning to Sang Wan with an eager smile, she said, "Mistress, not only do we have pomegranates in the garden, but also grapes, jujubes, oranges, and many other fruits. Please, take your time to stroll around and try them. The soil and water here are excellent, making the fruits especially sweet!"
"Is that so? Then I really must have a good taste!" Sang Wan smiled and beckoned to Cui Ling, who had been chastised and was sulking with her head down, "Cui Ling, come here, waiting for you to lead the way!"
"Yes, Mistress!" Cui Ling glanced at her mother, seeing no sign of displeasure, and happily led Sang Wan ahead.
Shi Fengju followed behind them with a wry smile.
Behind the manor stretched a continuous area of hilly land, covering about three hundred acres, all of which were planted with fruit trees: patches of loquats, peach trees, pomegranates, and a small area close to the manor, about four or five acres, that contained a couple of trees of each variety, such as bayberries, apricots, plums, pears, cherries, persimmons, jujubes, papayas, grapes, et cetera; indeed, fruits with fragrant scents for all seasons.
"Mistress, the pomegranates are over there! Watch your step!" Cui Ling pointed northwards and smiled, "Look, that cluster of fiery red hanging from the branches, that’s them! If you come here next spring, you’ll see it’s the perfect time when the peach blossoms are in full bloom—all of this, incredibly picturesque! And when the loquats ripen in May, they’re a bright golden color and so beautiful! The loquats here are particularly sweet!"
"Really? It must be nice living here!" Sang Wan couldn’t help but smile.
"Yes! I really love it here!" Cui Ling nodded and smiled, "It’s so nice and beautiful here! Mom and dad say it’s all thanks to the young master’s grace! The young master is our family’s greatest benefactor!"
Cui Ling said this while smiling towards Shi Fengju.
Shi Fengju then quickly caught up and said with a smile, "You sweet-talker, you! Slow down a bit, how can Mistress keep up with you?"
Cui Ling glanced at the soft satin-embroidered shoes on Sang Wan’s feet, feeling somewhat embarrassed, and hastily said with a laugh, "It’s all my fault for not being more considerate. Mistress, are you all right? Perhaps you should sit and rest for a while!" Looking about, she saw a large rock not far away, bent down to blow dust off of it, and laid her handkerchief on it, "Mistress, please come and have a seat!"
Sang Wan didn’t want to go, but the soles of her embroidered shoes were too soft, not meant for walking in the mountains, and her feet were somewhat aching, so she walked over to the rock. Shi Fengju gently held her arm, "Take it slow!"
Sang Wan instinctively struggled lightly, a minor effort that didn’t bother him much, and he simply let her be.
Sitting down to rest, Shi Fengju said to Cui Ling, "Since Mistress’s shoes are not suited for walking, let’s not go over there. You go pick a few good ones and bring them here, and we shall head back for lunch soon! Miss Wan, we’ll come back next day after changing into more fitting shoes!"
"Yes, young master!" Cui Ling nodded happily, enjoying this kind of task. She immediately ran off with a promise.
"Does your foot hurt a lot? Is it serious?" Shi Fengju asked with concern.
Sang Wan glanced at him, her dark, watery eyes conveying a complexity of emotions, and her heart stirred with a mix of feelings. She hadn’t expected him to notice. Though the shoes on her feet were unsuitable for walking here, she believed she could endure this slight discomfort without showing it. Yet, he had perceived it.
"It’s nothing! A rest will do," Sang Wan shook her head and smiled faintly before getting up and saying, "Since we are here, I do want to go have a look. I’ll just walk slower!"
"We’ll take it slow then, and don’t push yourself if you feel uncomfortable," Shi Fengju smiled and accompanied her, pointing things out to her along the way.