The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 6

Ning Fu wasn’t quite sure what Zong Si meant by that.

She also felt that his question was a bit out of the blue.

“After I’ve picked the fruit for you, how does the fourth Miss Ning plan to repay me?” Zong Si looked directly at her with a cold tone.

The warning in that one sentence was obvious.

Ning Fu had been with him on the bed countless times. How could she not know what he meant?

He thought she was trying to get close to him under the pretense of gratitude.

Ning Fu was almost amused by his anger. The Prince of Xuan’s residence was not made of gold, and most people in the household were cunning. Who could take even a little advantage? He thought everyone wanted to get into the Prince of Xuan’s residence?

She pretended not to understand his hidden meaning and said politely, “If you pick the fruit for me, I will repay you with a gift of calligraphy or a painting. Second Young Master is not here, so can the Crown Prince’s son help me out?”

If she had known it was him who was riding alongside her, she would never have opened her mouth. But since she had already spoken, it was better to just go with it.

“Someone will bring it to you later,” Zong Si said calmly, in a distant but still gentlemanly manner. If she had any ulterior motives, she should have understood his warning. His purpose had been achieved.

It was “you all” instead of “you,” which showed how cautious he was, having been admired by countless women.

But she was no longer one of them.

“Then I thank the Crown Prince’s son,” Ning Fu said and lowered the curtain.

A moment later, someone brought a full basket of washed fruits, but Ning Fu no longer felt like eating them.

Zong Ning woke up half an hour later. She saw that the person outside the window had changed to Zong Si and said happily, “Third Brother, Miss Xie looks so beautiful in her riding clothes. Oh, by the way, can you take these wild fruits to her?”

Giving the fruit was an excuse, but creating an opportunity for them to meet was the real reason.

Zong Si looked at the basket of fruits that hadn’t been touched and said, “Is the fourth Miss Ning not eating them?”

“I suddenly lost my appetite. Crown Prince’s son, please take them to Miss Xie and the others,” Ning Fu said with a polite smile, her heart sinking. She had just said she wanted to eat the fruits, but now she hadn’t touched them, making it look like she was lying. But she was truly wronged.

Zong Si left and did not reappear, otherwise the rest of the journey would have been a painful one for her.

“Third Brother met Miss Xie and forgot about me, his sister,” Zong Ning grumbled, though her tone held no blame.

Ning Fu also realized why Zong Si hadn’t come back. He was probably off with his lady love.

She lowered her eyes and said nothing.

.

At the foot of the Ji-Lin Mountain, the carriages stopped, and the guards began to set up camp.

“Fourth Miss Ning,” Ning Fu had just gotten out of the carriage when she heard someone call out to her.

Ning Fu looked up and saw Lu Xingzhi dismounting his horse and walking towards her.

Although he was only 18 years old, Ning Fu could see a mature aura about him. He was proper and handsome.

When a mature woman looked at a man, she didn’t just look at his appearance. Ning Fu felt that he was probably the “dependable and hard-working” type. Having been married, she knew how important a harmonious relationship was in the bedroom. A couple could be without affection, but they could not be without a healthy married life.

“Second Young Master Lu,” Ning Fu said with a smile and bowed slightly.

“I picked some wild fruits. I hope the fourth Miss Ning likes them,” Lu Xingzhi said, handing her a cloth bag and looking at her. “If you don’t want to eat them, you don’t have to force yourself.”

Ning Fu actually didn’t want to eat them anymore, but she couldn’t bear to refuse him. When a man was handsome, a woman would be especially compassionate. She smiled and said, “Thank you, Second Young Master Lu. I was just craving some fruit.”

She reached out and took the heavy bag.

“Did Second Young Master Lu give a bag to every young lady?” Ning Fu asked.

Lu Xingzhi shook his head and said, “I really liked the sandalwood paper the fourth Miss gave me that day, so I’ve come to thank you specifically.” The implication was that he had brought the fruits along and had not given them to any other young ladies.

As it was improper for a man and a woman to be alone for too long, Lu Xingzhi left quickly.

Ning Fu began to ponder. He had only given her the fruit, so even if he didn’t say he liked her, he definitely had some good feelings for her.

The Lu family was not complicated, and Lu Xingzhi’s character was also good. He was handsome, and if he was also a faithful man, he might be a good choice.

A woman who had been married became much more realistic when considering a man. Family background and character came first. As for love, that could be nurtured. As long as a man was good and family-oriented, a woman would eventually fall for him.

As Ning Fu was thinking, she glanced up and saw Zong Si not far away. He was on his horse, staring at the cloth bag of wild fruits in her hand for a moment. He then looked up at her again and rode away.

This seemed to confirm that her intentions were not pure.

Ning Fu’s face flushed and then turned pale. In the end, she could only pretend she hadn’t seen him. In the future, she and he would be strangers. How he saw her was of no concern to her.

There was still a long time before the evening banquet, and the young ladies did not want to be too conspicuous, so they stayed in their tents and chatted.

“I wonder which young master was looking at Miss Xie with a silly expression,” said Miss Rong, Rong Min.

“Is there any man in the whole capital who isn’t fond of Miss Xie? So many young masters want to talk to her, both openly and secretly,” Zong Ning said in agreement.

Someone asked curiously, “Could it be that your brother is also fond of Miss Xie?”

Zong Ning smiled and looked at Xie Ru-Yi, “My mother once asked my third brother what he thought of Miss Xie, and my brother said that the Duke of Qing’s daughter is highly educated, well-mannered, and admirable.”

Everyone was a little envious, but they also knew that a woman with such great talent and a top-notch family like Xie Ru-Yi deserved the best.

“Sister Ning, don’t tease me anymore. The Crown Prince’s son is as noble as jade, and he will surely be matched with a good woman. The marriage is still up to our parents to decide,” Xie Ru-Yi said. But the slight blush on her ears showed a hint of a young lady’s shyness.

“Then what about the second young master? What kind of person is he?” someone else asked.

Zong Ning pouted and said, “My second brother only knows how to use his sword and stick. If anyone bullies me, he’ll go find them with his sword. He’s just a reckless man. His future wife will have a hard time.”

Everyone laughed, but there were many people who secretly liked Zong Duo. A young master who hadn’t been enlightened had a different kind of charm in his awkwardness.

Ning Fu thought of her own brother. Her third brother was also very good, but he had been away at the border for so long that people seemed to have forgotten about him.

She missed her brother a little. The last time she had seen him in her previous life was when she saw his cold body.

It had only been a short time ago that he had smiled as he sent her off to be married: “If Zong Si bullies you, I’ll come and beat him up. If you don’t want to stay at the Prince of Xuan’s residence one day, I’ll take you home.”

Ning Fu couldn’t help but feel a little sad.

She didn’t want her disappointment to show, so she went outside the tent and sat alone by the cold lakeside.

The autumn wind was a bit chilly, and it made Ning Fu’s mind clearer and her memories sharper.

In the last letter her brother had written to her before his death, he had only left a single sentence, telling her to take care of herself and her mother. It was clear that he had known he was in a dangerous situation.

His death was not an accident.

Those who stood to gain from her brother’s death were the first branch of the family, the Wei family, and several princes. Therefore, her brother’s death was definitely connected to these people. The first branch was part of the family, and it was understandable that they would inherit the glory he had fought for after his death… But what she feared the most was that her brother’s death was also connected to the first branch.

Ning Fu lowered her eyes. This was the situation she least wanted to see, but if it really happened… the entire Duke’s residence was not as important as her third brother.

Zong Duo had been watching her for a while from the side.

He had come to fish and had arrived earlier than Ning Fu. He had wanted to avoid her, but before he could leave, she had already sat down by the lake. He had no choice but to sit behind a rock and wait. He had thought he would wait for her to leave first, but after half an hour, she had shown no signs of leaving, and Zong Duo had to go.

“Fourth Miss Ning, there are very few guards here. You should go back as soon as possible,” Zong Duo said.

He was a righteous person, and no matter what the relationship was between the Duke of Ning’s residence and the Prince of Xuan’s residence, he couldn’t ignore a woman’s safety. He couldn’t help but speak up to remind her.

Ning Fu looked at the man in front of her. He was more rugged than the third young master of the Prince of Xuan’s residence. He was strong and powerful, and it was obvious that he had been practicing martial arts for many years.

In her previous life, Zong Duo had not spoken to her much. He was not the type to say nice things, but he was an extremely kind and warm-hearted person.

“Second Young Master,” Ning Fu said, collecting her emotions. She first looked behind him and saw that the third young master Zong was not there. She breathed a sigh of relief and got up to bow.

“Although the scenery by the lake is pleasant, it is still a deserted area. It’s best to have someone accompany you,” Zong Duo said without looking at her.

“Thank you for the reminder, Second Young Master. You are a truly good person,” Ning Fu said with a grateful smile. Her former brother-in-law was much more dependable.

The young lady’s compliment made him feel a little pleased. Zong Duo couldn’t help but frown.

He shouldn’t feel this way!

He had to be on guard and not be easily tempted!

After Ning Fu left, he could still smell the faint scent of gardenias in the air.

When he returned, his mind kept wandering back to the floral scent.

Zong Ning spoke to him several times, but he didn’t respond. She complained, “Third Brother, what’s wrong with Second Brother? Has he been possessed by a ghost today, or has some young lady captured his soul?”