“These are cherries from the palace. They’re not sold on the market. Try them.”
It was Xiao Ziyue’s voice, very gentle and tactful.
This was not an act. Yu Wan had interacted with Xiao Ziyue before. The other party was indeed a gentle and docile girl.
Zhao Heng said, “Keep it for yourself.”
“There’s more at home,” Xiao Ziyue said.
“I don’t like this.” Zhao Heng continued to refuse.
It would be strange if he didn’t like it, Yu Wan thought.
Xiao Ziyue’s voice became even gentler. “Then give it to Aunt Zhao and Miss Zhao.”
“I…” Zhao Heng wanted to refuse, but Yu Wan saw Xiao Ziyue stuffed the basket into Zhao Heng’s hand.
Xiao Ziyue got into the carriage. The carriage went out from the other end of the alley, but the Directorate’s door was at this end. Zhao Heng walked back with the basket. When he passed by Yu Wan’s carriage, he subconsciously looked at the carriage. In the end, he saw Yu Wan sitting upright like a Buddha. He was immediately stunned and almost exclaimed.
“You’re so guilty. Did you do something bad?” Yu Wan said with a faint smile.
Zhao Heng’s face turned pale. He turned around and looked at the Xiao family’s carriage that had disappeared. He composed himself and said to Yu Wan, “Don’t spout nonsense. You’ll ruin their reputation for nothing.”
Yu Wan said in amusement, “Who exactly is the one who ruined their reputation? I was the one who saw it today. But what if it was someone else? Can you guarantee that they won’t tell anyone like me?”
Zhao Heng frowned. He was already very careful and did not want anyone to see him. However, he was not the one who asked Miss Xiao to come, he was also very surprised.
Yu Wan looked down at him and said, “You always like to pretend to behave graciously after obtaining advantages. In the past, it was me. Now, it’s Miss Xiao. You really don’t lack women who will go through fire and water for you.”
Zhao Heng’s expression changed. “How, how do you know she’s Miss Xiao?”
“Why do you care?” Yu Wan said.
Zhao Heng paused, his eyes cold. “You… you investigated me!”
Yu Wan really wanted to slap him. Who did he think he was? Would she investigate him? Would she still be obsessed with him?
Zhao Heng said angrily, “Yu Wan, I advise you not to touch Miss Xiao. If you have anything to say, come at me!”
“Okay, return the money to me.” Yu Wan reached out.
Zhao Heng’s face went red.
Yu Wan said coldly, “What nonsense are you talking about without money? Also, I should be the one advising you. Miss Xiao is Xiao Zhenting’s niece and Xiao Yan’s biological sister. A poor scholar like you who only knows how to rely on women to live shouldn’t have any ideas about her.”
“Ziyue is different from you.”
“Do I care?”
After Yu Wan finished speaking, she lowered the curtain and alighted from the carriage with a basket of beautiful cherries. She went to the Directorate.
Zhao Heng didn’t win against Yu Wan in the argument, so he felt stifled. He wanted to tell Yu Wan that he didn’t spend Xiao Ziyue’s money. His family’s expenses were all earned by his studies. Xiao Ziyue was a good girl. She was different from Ah Wan. She was smart, beautiful, elegant, and generous. She clearly came from a high background, but she didn’t put on airs at all.
Most importantly, she was clean.
He might have let down the former Ah Wan, but he did not let down the one in front of him. In his heart, Ah Wan was already dead.
He just wanted to tell this woman: He was not a man who was unwilling to give. It was just that she was not worth it.
He was serious about Xiao Ziyue. Of course, he also understood that he was not worthy of her status now, but he would work hard. When he became a top scholar, it would be the day he proposed to Xiao Ziyue.