If you were cold and aloof in your past life, why are you crying in this one?

During the meal, Han Min repeatedly brought up Xi Lingxian. Xi Jian saw through his thoughts and felt extremely troubled about his daughter's marriage.

Han Min and Xi Wen are both good.

But I always felt something was missing.

He looked at Wang Jue; everything about him was good, but his daughter was determined not to accept him, and there was nothing he could do.

The next day, Han Min came again, accompanied by Zou Shi from the Han family and her cousin Han Xiang.

"In the blink of an eye, Lingxian has grown up so much." Madam Zou's gaze slid from the crimson begonia hairpin in Xi Lingxian's hair to the dark patterned brocade on her sleeve. "I remember when your mother was alive, she also liked to dress like this the most."

"Min'er told me that she recognized you at a glance, but I didn't believe her. But seeing you today, I can see that you do look familiar. We are indeed related by blood."

In Xi Lingxian's few memories of her maternal uncle's family, Zou was eloquent and overly assertive, while her uncle was gentle and easy to talk to.

"The Xi family is becoming increasingly famous and prominent these days, and we've all benefited greatly from their rise in status; I heard your eldest brother has been promoted to General of the Cavalry?"

"You'an is almost twenty now, has he been engaged or betrothed yet?"

"As the eldest son, my elder brother's marriage is naturally a matter of great concern, and Father has his own plans."

"Your father, a grown man, can't possibly think things through in every way." Madam Zou moved closer to her and lowered her voice. "Lingxian, there's no mistress in your household right now, so you should help manage things. Putting aside other matters, if your elder brother were engaged and had a wife, wouldn't someone be in charge of the household affairs?"

"What Madam Zou said is true, but no one can force my elder brother to change his temperament; he is determined to establish his career before starting a family."

Zou's eyes darted around, and she said, "Oh my, Min'er brought you some nice things today: flower cakes, honey, and silk flowers, all of which you like. She was busy preparing them as soon as she got home yesterday. Only you could make her go to such lengths."

As soon as Madam Zou finished speaking, a series of calm and steady footsteps came from outside the flower hall; Xi Lingxian subconsciously turned her head, and Madam Zou's family followed suit.

The winter sun slanted down from the eaves, enveloping the approaching figure in a thin halo. Wang Jue wore a moon-white robe, his eyebrows like distant mountains, and his demeanor was calm and serene.

He walked straight up to Xi Lingxian. "Are there guests at home? Are you managing?"

"..."

Xi Lingxian felt there was a lot of ambiguity in his words; it sounded as if he had become the host.

Zou's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air, his gaze fixed on me, as if a hunter had suddenly stumbled upon a rare white deer in the deep mountains and forests.

"Lingxian." Madam Zou's voice rose instantly, "This must be the young master of the Langya Wang clan, right?"

Xi Lingxian nodded without commenting.

Wang Jue was never disrespectful to his elders, always bowing respectfully in his full clothes.

Zou's smile deepened as she pulled Xi Lingxian's hand and dragged her to a corner.

"Lingxian, does this young master Wang have any wives or concubines?"

Xi Lingxian lowered her eyes to look at her wrist, which was being gripped by Zou Shi, and said calmly, "No."

Zou's eyes suddenly lit up almost blindingly. She took a deep breath. "Lingxian, do your aunt a favor."

"Please speak, Aunt."

"Ask him for your aunt," said Madam Zou, pointing at Wang Jue, "and see if he's interested in meeting your eldest cousin. You know, while she may not be as beautiful as you, she's still a rare beauty." With that said, what was there to misunderstand?

Xi Lingxian gently pulled her wrist away. "I can talk to them, but if they don't agree, Auntie can't blame me."

Mrs. Zou was overjoyed. "Don't worry about that. Your aunt isn't that unreasonable."

Without thinking twice, Xi Lingxian stepped forward and walked up to Wang Jue.

When I looked up and my gaze fell on her, a soft light seemed to overflow in my eyes.

Xi Lingxian stopped three steps away from him, her expression calm to the point of being indifferent.

"Young Master Wang, my aunt asked me to help you forget something."

"My uncle has a younger cousin who is gentle and beautiful. I wonder if she would be of interest to you, Mr. Wang? Would you be interested in meeting her?" She stated this plainly, as if she were recounting a task that had nothing to do with her.

Wang Jue's face suddenly froze.

Ms. Zou was so anxious she wanted to rush in.

Wang Jue was completely unaware. He simply looked at Xi Lingxian, his gaze gradually shifting from gentleness to disbelief, and then slowly turning into a thin layer of pain.

"What did you say?" His voice was so low it sounded like it was being squeezed out from deep in his throat.

Xi Lingxian repeated herself, her tone still calm: "My aunt wants to marry my cousin to you, and she asked me to ask for your opinion."

Wang Jue's jaw tightened.

He looked at the woman in front of him, at the face he couldn't shake off no matter how much he tried to deceive himself.

She stood in front of him, no more than three steps away, so close that he could touch the hem of her clothes with just a reach.

But she asked him, in a detached tone, if he wanted to marry another woman.

She was very close to him, but Wang Jue felt as if there were thousands of miles between them.

The thought was like a poisoned knife, precisely piercing his chest, slowly, bit by bit, stirring within him.

He found it hard to accept, and for a moment even doubted whether this was Xi Lingxian who had lost her memory due to being controlled by a love potion. What if it were the Xi Lingxian who remembered everything?

She would do that again?

He ran over to him with an air of nonchalance, excitedly pushing other women at him.

Wang Jue's heart sank little by little, sinking into a bottomless abyss.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and the pain in his eyes was almost overflowing.

He tried to say something, but his voice seemed to be choked by something, and after a long while he could only manage to squeeze out, "You... want me to marry someone else?"

"It's not that I'm asking you to marry him," Xi Lingxian corrected, her tone still calm. "It's my aunt who wants to know your opinion. If you're willing, go and propose; if not, I'll refuse on your behalf."

Her tone was so ordinary, as if she were talking about something completely mundane.

Wang Jue closed his eyes.

He felt something inside his chest shattering, breaking into pieces.

"You don't mind?"

Xi Lingxian seemed to find the question a bit strange. She tilted her head slightly, thought for a moment, and then answered seriously, "This is a major life event for you. As long as you like each other, what do I have to mind?"

What's there to mind?

Wang Jue felt as if something was stabbing her heart, causing a sharp, throbbing pain.

As his last glimmer of hope shattered, he forced a smile that was almost self-mocking.

"Okay," he said, his voice so soft it was almost carried away by the wind, "very good."

He turned away, leaving her with a slightly stiff back view.

Xi Lingxian stood behind him for a moment and glanced at his back.

She withdrew her gaze and returned to the flower hall.

Mrs. Zou was sweating profusely with anxiety and grabbed her arm, asking anxiously, "What happened? What did he say?"

"He said 'Very good,'" Xi Lingxian said calmly.

"What does this mean? Does it mean you agree or disagree?"

Xi Lingxian thought for a moment and replied seriously, "I guess it's because I think my cousin is very nice."

Ms. Zou: "..."