One’s brows drew together and his lips parted in preparation to give voice to an objection. However, when he met with Xiao Bojian’s icy gaze, he lowered his head and kept his thoughts to himself.
It was just past 1pm, so most of the servants in the Jing’an Estate’s inner court had already gone to rest or slack about. On their way to the inner court, they didn’t bump into anyone at all.
After walking for a moment, Xiao Bojian pulled out a crude map from his sleeve. He looked down at it and checked his bearings before moving directly towards Songtao Court.
One followed behind Xiao Bojian closely while watching his surroundings with caution.
Chu Lian had finally managed to sneak in a half-day break at that waterside pavilion. She was lying in the pavilion having a nice afternoon nap right now. When a light breeze passed by, it brought along the mild fragrance of the chrysanthemums around them.
When Xiyan saw that her master had fallen asleep, she gently placed a thin woven blanket over Chu Lian before carefully retreating to the zither room nearby. She sat herself at a table and worked on some embroidery as she guarded Chu Lian.
Xiao Bojian entered Songtao Court through a small path in the garden and walked slowly while holding up the corner of his robe.
It was already autumn, so the most of the flowers in the courtyard were withering, painting a yellow and bleak scene. Xiao Bojian’s gaze swept over the arrangements of the courtyard as if memorising them. In his mind, he was already thinking of building an even larger and even more exquisite estate for Chu Lian to live in, once she finally became his.
As wild thoughts ran in his head, a flash of colour at the corner of his vision caught his attention. His leisurely expression changed as his pupils contracted. He turned his head unconsciously and focused his gaze on that small splash of colour.
Not far away in the pavilion by the waterside, a girl wearing a simple light green dress laid sleeping on a wooden lounge chair. One arm was nested underneath her head, while the other was in the midst of slipping off the armrests. Her wide sleeves had slid down to her elbows, revealing her forearms; her tender, white skin shone starkly against the dark coloured wooden armrests. Her slender little fingers were slightly opened and her small fingernails were unpainted, giving off a natural and cute impression.
Xiao Bojian stood still, frozen to the spot, his gaze landing greedily on that woman’s slim body.
One looked at his master’s expression and pressed his lips together. Despite his desire to speak, he suppressed his inner thoughts once again.
Xiao Bojian’s hands clenched into fists under his wide sleeves. After a short moment, he gave his orders in a low voice. “One, take care of that handmaid over there.”
When he followed Xiao Bojian’s line of sight, One noticed the handmaid working on some embroidery in the open zither room nearby. He cupped his fists in acknowledgement to his master before leaping into the air and disappearing from sight.
In just a few minutes, Xiyan’s body collapsed as she fainted. One then moved Xiyan to lie against one of the wooden supports in the zither room.
When Xiao Bojian saw that One had finished his task, he strode towards the pavilion.
Despite his calm outer appearance, his heart was beating like a drum.
With every step he took that brought him closer to Chu Lian, his heart seemed to quicken a beat. When he entered the pavilion, he stopped by that sandalwood chair and looked upon the girl he had been thinking of day and night. His heartbeat paused for an instant, before pulsing ever faster, almost leaping out of his chest.
He tilted his head downwards and took in the entirety of Chu Lian’s appearance in his eyes.
She was sound asleep, her hair scattered over the back of that lounge chair. Some loose strands were dancing along with the passing autumn breeze, inadvertently plucking at the strings of his heart.