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

For several days in a row, Xi Lingxian played happily.

Today they ride horses, tomorrow they stroll in the garden and admire the flowers, and they also invite Shen Qingdai and Ji Ruchuan to fly kites and have a picnic and barbecue on the mountain.

She galloped on horseback in the suburbs, the wind whistling past her ears. Her body felt light and her mind was at ease. She was no longer the sickly, resentful woman from her previous life who could barely walk.

She didn't inquire about the Wang family's affairs again, and Wang Jue never visited the Xi residence again.

Xi Lingxian felt somewhat relieved.

Such a proud man, rejected twice, should have been furious and wanted nothing more than to never see her again.

On the evening the conference ended, she wandered around all day but didn't feel tired at all.

He refused Zhou Shuhuai's offer of escort and rode back to the city with the guards from the Xi family.

……

Almost immediately after Xi Lingxian returned to the mansion, Chang'an, Wang Jue's personal attendant, arrived on orders.

He held a slender sandalwood box in both hands and respectfully handed it to the gatekeeper, saying that it was made by his young master in his spare time and invited Miss Xi to appreciate it.

The gatekeeper took it and ran all the way to the inner courtyard. The guards of Qiluan Pavilion took it, looked it over from all sides, and only after confirming that there were no hidden weapons or the like that used for assassination, did they take it inside and hand it to Xi Lingxian.

"Miss, Young Master Wang sent this over, saying it's a painting he made for you to enjoy." Tao Zhi's tone carried a hint of curiosity. "This Young Master Wang can paint?"

Xi Lingxian was reading by the window when she heard this and her eyelids twitched.

Why would he send a painting out of the blue? What trick is he playing? Is he showing off his talent?

She stared at the sandalwood box and remained silent for a moment.

The box is finely crafted, with copper-wrapped edges and faint cloud patterns engraved on it, making it clear at a glance that it is no ordinary object.

She opened it, and inside lay a layer of plain white silk, on which lay a scroll of painting, tied with a dark-colored ribbon.

Untie the ribbon and slowly unfold the painting.

The picture shows a cat.

A calico raccoon squatted under a clump of chrysanthemums, its body slightly hunched, its tail lazily curled at its feet, its eyes half-open and half-closed, as if it were dozing off, or as if it were staring at something.

The cat's fur is painted in great detail, with yellow and white fur, a diamond-shaped black spot on its forehead, and white paws, as if it were stepping on snow. It is so lifelike that even the curve of its whiskers carries a touch of lazy arrogance, as if it might stretch, flick its tail, and jump out of the painting at any moment.

Xi Lingxian's fingers tightened suddenly.

She recognized the cat.

In the winter of her second year of marriage to the Wang family, she went to a hot spring resort outside the city to relax. On the way, she heard a faint meowing sound by the roadside. She asked the driver to get out and check, and found a kitten. It snuggled into her arms, and she adopted it, naming it "Afu".

Just to bring good luck, it was so thin back then, and she hoped it could survive.

Afu later grew to be very healthy and shiny, and loved to squat by her feet to bask in the sun. In winter, he would snuggle into her arms to keep warm.

She died later, and I don't know what happened to Afu.

These things have not happened in this lifetime.

However, Afu appeared in Wang Jue's portrait.

Xi Lingxian stared at the cat in the painting, with its diamond-shaped black spot on its forehead, four snow-white paws, and its lazy yet arrogant appearance.

Every detail is correct; it perfectly resembles Afu.

How could he know what Afu looks like? Afu was the cat she raised in her past life, and it hasn't appeared in this life yet, so how could he draw it?

unless--

Her breathing became rapid.

Was he drawing this cat to test her?

Xi Lingxian took a deep breath, suppressing the surging, turbulent waves.

He put the scroll back into the sandalwood box and handed it to Taozhi, saying, "Keep it safe."

Peach branch hugged the box and retreated.

Xi Lingxian sat by the window, her heart churning with turbulent emotions.

Does Wang Jue remember his past life? How much does he actually know? What does he want to do?

……

Langya Prince's Mansion, West Study

Wang Jue sat behind his desk, his gaze fixed on the hazy horizon outside the window.

Chang'an walked in from outside. "Young master, send the painting over."

"What did she say?"

"I heard that Miss Xi didn't say anything, she just told her maid to put it away."

Wang Jue tapped the teacup lightly with his fingers, then tapped it again.

"I understand," he said softly. "You may leave."

Chang'an responded and withdrew.

The study fell silent, with only the sound of the wind outside the window and the occasional chirping of birds in the distance.

Wang Jue put down his teacup, stood up, and walked to the window.

The old locust tree outside the window has lost most of its leaves, its bare branches stretching towards the gray sky, as if grasping at something elusive.

She didn't ask, showed no surprise, and showed no curiosity; she simply said, "Put it away."

This means she recognized the cat.

Judging by the dates, she should have returned around the Dragon Boat Festival, which would reasonably explain her dramatic change in personality after that.

And her coldness and aloofness these past few days...

She's angry.

This was the only explanation Wang Jue could think of.

In the last days of her previous life, they had two arguments.

At that time, the struggle between Wang and the emperor and the Yu family had reached a fever pitch and was a life-or-death stage, yet she would often send people to invite him for trivial matters.

She's clingy and spoiled, and she gets jealous and argues with him over a complete stranger, as if she'll never grow up.

Wang Jue frowned, feeling a bit of a headache.

……

Xi Lingxian put that painting away and kept it on a high shelf.

She couldn't be bothered to think about Wang Jue's intentions; she had learned her lesson well enough in her past life, and she remembered it well.

I really don't want to have anything to do with him anymore.

For several days in a row, Zhou Shuhuai was always among her entourage when she went out.

Rumors spread like wildfire throughout Jiankang City.

Because of the Crown Prince's affair, she was already considered a sure thing for the future matriarch of the Wang family. So, how could she suddenly be traveling with another young master? Where would that leave the Wang family's reputation?

Despite his busy schedule, Xi Jian also came to ask, "Fanfan, tell your father the truth, have you taken a liking to that boy surnamed Zhou?"

Xi Lingxian shook her head, "My daughter hasn't thought that much about it. Right now, she just sees him as a friend like Ji Ruchuan."

"Currently? Does that mean there are endless possibilities in the future?"

She remained silent; who can predict the future?

Xi Jian's voice was deep, "Fanfan, there are some things I didn't want to say so early, but since you've started associating with him, it's necessary to remind you."

"The glory days of the Zhou family of Yixing are all history. The Zhou family has long since fallen into ruin and is now just an empty shell. Zhou Shuhuai is a member of a collateral branch of the Zhou family. He doesn't even have a proper official position, and his residence in the capital is in a remote and desolate place."

"Father, please just say what you want to say."

"Alright." Xi Jian's expression was serious. "To be honest, I don't dislike Zhou Shuhuai, but given his family background, if you want me to agree to this marriage, you'd have to let him marry into the family."

"Marrying into the family?"

"That's right, marrying into the family."

"Our Xi family has no reason to support or even subsidize marriages."