"It's nothing," Xue Zi Ning withdrew her gaze. In that fleeting moment, she thought she had seen a figure.
Shen Yun Xiu followed Xue Zi Ning's gaze outward, but saw nothing.
The rain had fallen all day and showed no signs of stopping.
The Yan Mansion's groom found it strange. Why would his young master suddenly want to turn back, and at the risk of being drenched in the rain, fly over someone else's wall? Not only did he end up soaked, but he also seemed very angry.
Ever since his young master had suffered a serious illness a month ago, his temperament had become eccentric, and he had changed considerably. Moreover, his appearance was as if he had undergone a complete transformation.
Now, it had been more than an incense stick's time since they entered the carriage, yet he hadn't said to leave or to stop. The groom was somewhat at a loss.
He nervously asked, "Does the young master want to go?"
After a long while, a deep voice, humming through his nose, finally came from the carriage, "Mmm..."
The groom quickly urged the horses and drove away.
Upon arriving at the Yan Mansion, the groom lifted the curtain and saw the young master sitting in the carriage, his face exceptionally cold, making one involuntarily shiver.
"Young... young master has arrived!"
The groom quickly stepped aside. The man in black slowly walked out, his tall figure appearing and disappearing in the rain.
Yan Jin Chao alighted from the carriage, and servants from the mansion were already waiting with umbrellas.
"Young master, Miss Jiang is requesting an audience!" the servant said cautiously.
Yan Jin Chao had intended to refuse, but for some reason, he recalled a scene he had seen earlier: beneath the loose robe, there were glimpses of slender, white legs. His gaze flashed with a hint of coldness.
"Take Miss Jiang to the study to wait," he said indifferently.
When Jiang Yu Li heard the Yan Mansion servant say she was to be taken to the study, she felt somewhat dazed.
She could hardly believe it. Ever since she had met Yan Jin Chao and seen his face, she had been unable to control her inner admiration.
But after being rejected repeatedly, she had become accustomed to it. Including today, she felt it would be the same.
Rejecting her was what she considered normal. Yet today, she was truly too fortunate. Young Master Yan had actually invited her to wait in the study. Could this be the legendary saying, "Sincerity can move mountains"?
"Xiao Huan, am I dreaming?" Jiang Yu Li still couldn't believe it was real, fearing that when she woke up, she would be rejected.
Xiao Huan was also somewhat taken aback. After experiencing repeated rejections, she had grown accustomed to her lady being turned away from the Yan Mansion. She thought today would be the same, but who would have thought that Young Master Yan had taken the wrong medicine today, agreeing to see her?
"My lady, you are not dreaming. I am here too?" Xiao Huan comforted her.
"But I can hardly believe it!" Jiang Yu Li said excitedly.
Xiao Huan said, "My lady, it must be your sincerity that has moved Young Master Yan."
"The young master has arrived!" a servant from the Yan Mansion announced from outside the door.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yu Li quickly pulled Xiao Huan and said, "Xiao Huan, does my makeup look alright?"
Xiao Huan smiled and said, "My lady, rest assured, there are no problems at all. It's perfect."
Footsteps sounded at the door. Jiang Yu Li turned and looked towards the entrance. A man in white walked in.
Beneath his refined and handsome face, his eyes shone like stars. His every move exuded unparalleled elegance and noble bearing, captivating Jiang Yu Li at first sight.
"Miss Jiang, do you need something from me?" Yan Jin Chao asked indifferently.
Jiang Yu Li was gently nudged by Xiao Huan beside her, and only then did she snap back to reality, her expression shy. "Young Master Yan, tomorrow is the Prince's birthday. I wanted to... invite Young Master Yan to the banquet."
"I will attend," Yan Jin Chao replied indifferently, his expression filled with distance.
But at this moment, Jiang Yu Li was lost in her own fabricated dream and couldn't wake up.
"My lady..." Xiao Huan reminded her again.
Jiang Yu Li came back to her senses and asked, "Young Master Yan will definitely attend the banquet tomorrow?"
Yan Jin Chao looked at Jiang Yu Li's shyness and inexplicably felt she was not as appealing as that Miss Feng.
His tone became much colder. "From now on, for such matters, Miss Jiang can simply have a servant inform us, and you don't need to personally deliver the message."
Jiang Yu Li faltered. She subconsciously raised her eyes to look at Yan Jin Chao, seeing his clear and cold gaze and his equally frigid expression.
She trembled. This look was no different from what she had seen before, conveying indifference, distance, and an unbridgeable gap.
For some inexplicable reason, she took a step back, yet she was still unwilling. "If Young Master Yan doesn't wish to see me, why did you agree to let me in?"
Yan Jin Chao raised his eyes. His gaze was as clear and cold as ever. "If I have given Miss Jiang the wrong impression, I apologize, but there will not be a next time. Escort her out."
Jiang Yu Li trembled, bit her lower lip, and looked up at Yan Jin Chao. "Does Young Master Yan truly dislike women as the rumors say? Or is it..."
"Miss Jiang, be cautious with your words!" Yan Jin Chao said coldly.
Jiang Yu Li didn't know how she had gotten out. The rain poured down on her, and she felt a chill to her bones.
Seeing this, Xiao Huan quickly stepped forward. "My lady, why are you getting rained on? You'll fall ill."
Saying this, she placed the umbrella she had opened over Jiang Yu Li's head.
Jiang Yu Li pushed away the umbrella Xiao Huan held over her head and said dejectedly, "What if I get sick? What if I don't? He won't care either way. So, what does it matter if I fall ill?"
"My lady, what's wrong? Why are you talking such nonsense?" Xiao Huan asked urgently.
Jiang Yu Li quickened her steps, exposing herself completely to the rain, and smiled sadly. "This is not nonsense. These are my true feelings. Everything I've done is simply for him to notice me. But today, I've realized that I am truly a complete joke."
"My lady, how can you talk about yourself like that? Who would dare to mock you? His Highness would be the first to disagree," Xiao Huan said.
Jiang Yu Li shook her head. "Xiao Huan, you don't understand. You don't understand..."
"My lady, please come back. Don't stand in the rain."
"Xiao Huan, let me soak for a while. Perhaps after soaking in the rain, I will regain some clarity and know that Yan Jin Chao is someone whose heart I can never obtain."
"My lady, if you truly desire someone, why not tell His Highness? His Highness will surely grant your wish." Xiao Huan suggested.
"Is that meaningful?" Jiang Yu Li asked Xiao Huan.
Xiao Huan was stunned. "My lady, you..."
"What I want is for him to do it willingly, to have only me in his heart."
Xiao Huan heard this and said, "My lady, I don't understand what you're saying."
Jiang Yu Li just smiled, letting the rain wash over her.
That evening, upon returning to the Beijiang Royal Mansion, Jiang Yu Li fell seriously ill. The Beijiang King was furious and beat all the maids around Jiang Yu Li.
Upon hearing Xiao Huan recount how Jiang Yu Li had gotten rained on after meeting Yan Jin Chao, the Beijiang King's expression turned completely cold.