Su Xi-er cast a meaningful glance at Hong Li. “Follow Ruo Yuan.”
Hong Li understood and swiftly departed in the same direction as Ruo Yuan.
Wu Ling was still being pestered by Ye Qingzhu, and could only helplessly signal at Su Xi-er with his eyes to help him.
However, Su Xi-er shook her head and instead turned to walk deeper into the backyard.
Wu Ling was at his wit’s end. In the end, he pushed Ye Qingzhu away while asking her, “Tell me, what exactly do you want?”
“I don’t want anything from you. I just want to look at you and follow you. Is that so wrong?” Ye Qingzhu gazed at Wu Ling, unsure of what he was annoyed about. I have already taken a step back by not pressuring him to like me.
“Do you plan to keep following me even after I marry a wife? Ye Qingzhu, do you still plan on marrying someone?” Wu Ling involuntarily raised his voice and stared at her solemnly.
Ye Qingzhu was shocked. Big Brother Wu has never raised his voice at me. Did I force him too much? Is he determined to not even allow me to like him?
“Ye Qingzhu, don’t look at me like that. Do you understand that I only look upon you like a younger sister? I do not wish for my younger sister to harbour such feelings towards me; otherwise, we would end up like…” Wu Ling lowered his voice before he walked closer to Ye Qingzhu and continued. “The Empress Dowager has liked Prince Hao for so many years, but Prince Hao has never accepted her feelings. Don’t you understand why? I don’t want us to one day end up like Prince Hao and the Empress Dowager.”
Wu Ling felt that he had made things very clear, and turned to leave without looking at the expression on Ye Qingzhu’s face.
Ye Qingzhu stood there dumbstruck, and was at a loss of what to do. I am very clear about how tense the relationship between Prince Hao and the Empress Dowager is. At the same time, the idea that Big Brother Wu will meet someone else that he likes in the future makes me uncomfortable. I know myself well enough that I might do something reckless that would elicit his displeasure.
The more she contemplated, the more blank Ye Qingzhu’s gaze became as she realised the futility of her situation.
Eventually, another female’s voice came from behind her. “It’s also good to settle things early.”
Ye Qingzhu turned around and looked at Su Xi-er. “Perhaps it’s because I’ve followed Prince Hao for so long, but my personality has become like his, unable to let things go. Would Prince Hao feel the same if he was forced to let you go?”
“Don’t always compare yourself with Prince Hao; he is always certain that he will obtain something when he wants it. There are few others who can share such confidence. The same applies here: are you sure that you can get Wu Ling to like you?”
Faced with Su Xi-er’s question, Ye Qingzhu actually found herself unable to reply. I would’ve answered yes in a heartbeat in the past, but now I am not so sure. It feels like there’s a tense string between Big Brother Wu and I, and if I pull any harder, the string might break.
“Even without Wu Ling, you can survive on your own. Don’t force yourself into a dead end.” Su Xi-er patted Ye Qingzhu’s shoulder and softly encouraged her.
Ye Qingzhu’s body shivered. “What I can do is help Big Brother Wu with his work.”
“Help him do things, but silently. Ye Qingzhu, that’s what Prince Hao has always been doing for me. He has never told me how much he likes me, but I can tell from his actions.” Su Xi-er slowly said, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile without her realising it.
Everyone wishes for warmth. Everyone wishes to be comforted. Everyone wishes for a safe harbour. Whether someone is weak or strong makes no difference.
Ye Qingzhu felt as if she had stopped breathing. Prince Hao has always been silently supporting Su Xi-er, instead of just fighting for her without regard for anything else.
So that’s how it is; it’s my fault that Big Brother Wu feels that he has been forced to a cliff’s edge. I didn’t properly understand what Prince Hao meant when he told me that I had to fight for what I like.