The Night Before the Divorce, She Was Reborn to Before Her Marriage - Chapter 70

When Ning Fu returned to the Bamboo Courtyard with Ning He, her intention was merely to touch up her makeup.

“Fourth Sister, this magnolia hairpin in your hair is incredibly exquisite,” Ning He remarked, her eyes suddenly lighting up.

Ning Fu was stunned. She didn’t recall putting on a magnolia hairpin. Looking into the bronze mirror, she saw a glimmer of fine white jade—translucent and delicate, with a magnolia flower no larger than a thumb.

She reached up and plucked it out.

The stem of the pin was extremely slender, yet the magnolia at its head was magnificent. The craftsmanship was meticulous; each tiny petal was distinct, thin as a cicada’s wing, elegantly unfurling. A few dainty stamens stood tall, making the flower look lifelike and ethereal.

“Though it’s small, it isn’t overshadowed by the scarlet jade pin Aunt gave you. It’s perfect for everyday wear with a simple bun. Did Brother give this to you?” Ning He mused. In her mind, only Ning Zheng would go through the trouble of commissioning such a piece.

Ning Fu remained silent.

What Ning Zheng had given her wasn’t a hairpin, but a flute once used by Zhao Yi, a famous musician of the former dynasty.

Zong Si, on the other hand, had mentioned sending her a white magnolia hairpin. She simply hadn’t known when he had given it to her.

Thinking back carefully, the only time he could have pinned it on her was along the corridor. She then remembered the “servant” she had passed—he was the only one who had come close to her. When she retraced her steps, his figure was, of course, long gone.

When Zong Ning saw Ning Fu again, the emotions she had just managed to calm began to ripple once more. She unconsciously softened her tone, speaking almost submissively: “Sister Ning.”

Deep down, she felt a sense of guilt on behalf of her brother. If something truly had happened between Sister Ning and her brother, it must have been because he forced the issue. If Zong Si didn’t want something to happen, no one could possibly trouble him.

“Sister Ning, Second Consort,” Ning Fu greeted them. She saw no sign of Zong Si, confirming he hadn’t come through official channels. However, the fact that he could move so freely in and out of the Ning Duke’s Manor filled her with wariness.

“It’s been half a year since I last saw the Fourth Miss; I almost didn’t recognize you,” the Second Consort Zong said with a kind smile.

“Has the Second Consort been well lately?” Ning Fu asked politely.

“The Prince’s Manor is the same every day. Aside from being a bit dull, it’s passable,” the Second Consort replied.

“Sister Ning should come visit the Manor more often in the future,” Zong Ning added quickly.

Ning Fu gave Zong Ning a curious look; the girl was being far more enthusiastic toward her today than usual. Since they were in public, Ning Fu couldn’t return the hairpin to Zong Ning directly, so she simply exchanged a few pleasantries.

However, she soon spotted Zong Si. He was standing at the corner of the corridor, clearly having guessed she would look for him and intentionally letting himself be seen.

As Ning Fu passed him, she whispered, “Heir Apparent, follow me.”

Zong Si had been quietly observing her. Upon hearing her words, he adjusted his pace and followed unhurriedly behind her.

Had any other place been safe, she never would have brought him to the Bamboo Courtyard. When Dongzhu saw Zong Si, her expression became complicated, but she dutifully went to stand guard.

The Bamboo Courtyard was Ning Fu’s private quarters. It was filled with many of her personal belongings—delicate and charming items, much like the Jinghua Residence she had seen in her dreams.

The sight caused him to lose himself in thought for a moment.

“Please, sit,” Ning Fu said.

Zong Si sat on the edge of her bamboo couch. He could faintly smell the gardenia fragrance that habitually clung to her, and from the corner of his eye, he could see her undergarments hanging on a screen.

He stole a glance, and a few blurred, intimate memories flashed through his mind. He quickly averted his gaze and took a sip of tea. In matters of the heart and body, he was—in the end—little more than a green youth; even just remembering that day was enough to make his ears flush red.

…Seeing him like this, Ning Fu felt a bit baffled.

However, she didn’t dwell on it. She placed the white magnolia hairpin before him, her expression distant and cool, tinged with a subtle irony. “The Heir Apparent previously told me that if I didn’t want it, that would be the end of it. Why then did this hairpin appear on me today?”

“Today is your coming-of-age ceremony. Wear it. You and I have shared…” Seeing her face turn pale and cold, the words “the reality of husband and wife” died in his throat. After a pause, he said, “The rumors are unfavorable to you. It is better that you wear it.”

“Those are mere superstitions.”

Zong Si countered, “I am not a superstitious man, but today concerns you. Since I was that man, I do not wish for your life to be plagued by misfortune because of it.”

So, he simply doesn’t want to be in my debt, Ning Fu thought.

But she believed there was a more important reason: if something happened to her in the future and it was blamed on “divine retribution,” it would mean endless trouble for him. He was merely cutting off any future complications.

“Many men visit brothels before marriage, and they suffer no retribution. I shall suffer none either,” Ning Fu said, looking down. What she actually wanted to say was that since Zong Si wouldn’t be punished, she wouldn’t be either, but there was no need to offend him.

To Zong Si’s ears, this sounded like a pointed jab. He rubbed his forehead and said tonelessly, “I have had no other women. If your experience last time was poor, perhaps it was because it was my first time as well.”

Ning Fu hadn’t expected him to remember that. She hadn’t meant to insult his prowess, but she couldn’t exactly comfort him on such a topic, so she fell silent.

“Was the experience truly that bad?” He looked at her.

Ning Fu replied, “It is not an important matter.”

Her words reduced Zong Si to silence.

“You said you don’t like me at all. Is it because you already have a gentleman you fancy?” Zong Si asked suddenly after a long silence. He felt he knew exactly who it was.

In truth, as he had reflected over the past few days, he realized he wasn’t entirely indifferent to this question. He was a man of pride, used to being pursued; it was usually he who did the rejecting. When she had shown him no affection and even displayed intimacy with Lu Xingzhi, his competitive nature was stirred.

Previously, he believed he was her husband, so he could claim his feelings were rooted in duty. Now, the “dreams” Lu Xingzhi mentioned suggested he might not have been her husband at all. He could no longer hide behind the word “responsibility.”

If it were truly just duty, he should have felt relieved to learn Lu Xingzhi was her husband—not bitter that they were a pair. Of course, the sheer gap between this reality and his expectations was part of the reason. Before Ning Fu returned to the capital, he had carefully weighed his marriage options; even if he didn’t “love” her, he certainly wouldn’t have mistreated her.

He hadn’t expected her to reject him so decisively that he lost his composure.

Ning Fu hesitated, then lowered her eyes. “Whether there is or isn’t is my private business. I hope the Heir Apparent will not make things difficult for me.”

Zong Si pressed her coldly, “You refuse to say? Are you afraid I’ll target him?”

“If I didn’t know you better, I’d think you were jealous,” Ning Fu said with a smile, trying to diffuse the tension. But she knew this was just a man’s possessiveness at work. He didn’t even love Xie Ruyi; he was clearly a selfish and cold-hearted man.

Zong Si stiffened.

“I will wear the magnolia hairpin today. Can the Heir Apparent agree to stop dwelling on my rejection?” Ning Fu asked.

Zong Si was silent for a moment before giving a short “Mm.”

Ning Fu did not ask him to stay. Wanting to gauge how familiar he was with the Ning Manor’s layout, she had Dongzhu escort him out while she hurried back to the banquet.

Just as they parted, she saw Lu Xingzhi walking toward her. “Master Lu,” she greeted.

“I’ve come to give the Fourth Miss her ceremony gift,” Lu Xingzhi said.

Nearby, the man’s footsteps paused, though he did not look back.

Since people were coming and going, the two didn’t hide their interaction; it was perfectly honorable. Moreover, since Lu Xingzhi had taught her archery, he was technically her “tutor,” so their talking raised no suspicion of impropriety.

Lu Xingzhi glanced at the man in the distance. He seemed to recognize him, yet perhaps not. Turning back, he handed her a box containing a wooden hairpin. “I gave the Fourth Miss a wooden pin before. Having gained experience, I carved this one with more detail.”

The wooden pin was simple but possessed a unique beauty. Ning Fu had always liked wood carvings, and the material used was one she had never seen before—likely very valuable. This gift truly touched her heart.

She noticed several fine cuts on his hands and said with concern, “Master Lu, have you cleaned those wounds?”

“They don’t hurt,” Lu Xingzhi said, a smile entering his eyes. “This is made of Blood Sandalwood. It symbolizes wealth and peace, turning bad luck into good—a blessing for the day. Since it’s your ceremony, it isn’t proper to wear a pin from an unrelated man, so you may keep it for future use.”

“Blood Sandalwood? I heard it was extinct in Great Yan. Master Lu must have spent a great deal of effort to find this,” Ning Fu said admiringly. To obtain such wood meant Lu Xingzhi was quite capable; even the Emperor’s search parties might have come up empty.

Lu Xingzhi looked toward the man again and explained, “While investigating Grand Secretary Song in Langya, I requested this from a noble. In all of Great Yan, this was the only piece of Blood Sandalwood left.”

That “noble” had been Zong Si, though Lu Xingzhi naturally wouldn’t mention that to Ning Fu. He had previously thought about giving Zong Si a chance, but since Ning Fu didn’t like him and Zong Si hadn’t treated her well, he felt it was better they had no further connection.

“Let me take Master Lu to treat those wounds first,” Ning Fu said caringly.

In truth, when facing Lu Xingzhi versus Zong Si, her heart was clearly biased. Her concern for Lu Xingzhi was genuine, while her treatment of Zong Si was layered with falsehoods.

She might not have noticed, but Zong Si felt the difference acutely.

In the distance, the man turned and walked away without looking back.

As Dongzhu escorted Zong Si out, she didn’t dare utter a single word.

“Take good care of your mistress,” he said tonelessly before leaving.

Ning Fu found a doctor for Lu Xingzhi and then returned to the feast.

When she reached Xie Ruyi’s side, the latter gave her a polite smile. “While you were away from the capital, the ladies at the academy were in total disarray. Poor Ah Ning was worked to the bone.”

“When Sister Xie left the academy back then, I was like a headless fly myself, unsure of how to handle many things,” Ning Fu admitted, still admiring Xie Ruyi.

“How are the marriage talks between you and him progressing?” Xie Ruyi asked suddenly.

Ning Fu was stunned, her emotions turning complex. She hadn’t expected Xie Ruyi to guess.

“I don’t believe your maternal grandmother could successfully scheme against him unless he was willing,” Xie Ruyi said with a bitter smile before letting it go. “Since my engagement with him fell through and his marriage has remained undecided for so long, I felt he was waiting for someone. Combined with your grandmother’s involvement, it could only be you.”

Ning Fu shook her head.

Xie Ruyi looked surprised, then added, “I originally thought he felt some spark of sincerity for you. When he returned to the capital from Yongzhou, I ran into him at Xiangshan Temple.”

Xiangshan Temple was famous for its accurate marriage fortunes.

The two had met by chance and exchanged pleasantries. Xie Ruyi had politely asked, “Are you here to find the Abbot for the Princess Consort?”

“To calculate a marriage fortune,” Zong Si had replied.

Xie Ruyi’s feelings had been complicated then. For a man who didn’t believe in such things, he had been quite devout that day.

And when he saw that he had drawn a “Top-Tier” fortune, a genuine smile had actually touched his eyes.

At that moment, Xie Ruyi felt that he finally looked like a normal young gentleman—one who was actually looking forward to taking a wife.