Transmigrated as the Short-Lived White Moonlight, I Ended Up Happily Ever After With the Female Lead - Chapter 54

“What are you looking at?” Song Yi felt Ji Yan’an’s gaze and asked her, confused. But as soon as her eyes turned towards Ji Yan’an, Ji Yan’an looked away.

“What? You won’t even let people look at you now? I’m looking because you’re beautiful!” Ji Yan’an spoke with an air of righteous indignation, though she was clearly in the wrong. Song Yi chuckled lightly and let Ji Yan’an look as she pleased, asking no further questions.

There weren’t many flowers and plants along the small path in the Ji Residence, but the area was spacious, featuring several rock gardens and a lake. The lake was not frozen, and the fish were swimming happily. As soon as Ji Yan’an saw the lake, she felt a pang of fear. She could never forget the tragic sight of waking up in the water.

Song Yi noticed Ji Yan’an’s fear and subtly positioned herself on the outer side, letting Ji Yan’an walk closer to the inner path.

Ji Yan’an smiled faintly, putting aside her fear, and walked obediently. On their way back, they happened to pass the embroidery room, and a maid came out, running straight into the two of them.

“Greetings to the two young ladies. I was just about to look for you, so this is convenient.” The maid looked familiar. Ji Yan’an recalled for a long time before exclaiming in astonishment, “Jing’er!!?”

At her cry, Song Yi also looked closely. This person was indeed Ji Tong’an’s former personal maid. Le Yan also rushed over and, seeing her young lady standing with Jing’er, finally let out a sigh of relief: “Phew… So Jing’er has already found you, Miss. Then let’s go.”

This exchange left Ji Yan’an confused… Go where?

Song Yi reacted faster than Ji Yan’an. She immediately stopped Le Yan and Jing’er and stepped forward to ask, “Go where?”

Le Yan blinked, looked at Jing’er, and then at Ji Yan’an. She realized she hadn’t explained things clearly, so she smiled and clarified: “The embroidery room recently received some new finished clothes and fabrics. The Old Madam thought you two would be entering the palace tomorrow, so she instructed Jing’er and me to accompany the young ladies today to pick out some new outfits.”

With that explanation, Ji Yan’an understood. It seemed picking out new clothes before entering the palace had become a tradition in the Ji Residence.

Le Yan and Jing’er walked ahead, with Ji Yan’an and Song Yi following. They stepped into the small pavilion of the embroidery room. The windows of the embroidery pavilion were all wide open, and the beautiful silk threads inside swayed with the wind. From a distance, they looked like beautiful pearl curtains. Why hadn’t Ji Yan’an noticed this wonderful place before?

Although the windows of the pavilion were open, a stove fire was burning inside, so it wasn’t very cold upon entering, except for the occasional subtle breeze.

As soon as Ji Yan’an entered the embroidery room, she was stunned by the magnificent and exquisite sight. The silk threads were hung high, and many excellent quality fabrics were also among them.

Looking out the window, the silk threads and fabrics seemed to add color to the sky, forming a rainbow-like spectacle. Ji Yan’an almost forgot why she was there, wandering dazed among the silk threads and fabrics. Song Yi didn’t follow but stood in place, watching Ji Yan’an linger in the world of silk threads.

Then, she lowered her head and gave a slight smile.

“Miss… quickly come and look at the clothes!” Le Yan was worried sick, constantly following Ji Yan’an and nagging, wishing she had more hands to grab all the clothes for Ji Yan’an to choose from.

Ji Yan’an finally came back to her senses after wandering for a long time. She scratched her head sheepishly. Several maids stood in a rotating line in front of Ji Yan’an, each holding an outfit, seemingly waiting for her to choose. But Ji Yan’an looked at Song Yi standing next to her and felt she needed her help to pick one…

“Song Yi, quickly come and help me see which one is beautiful!” Ji Yan’an’s smile was as brilliant as the stars. Song Yi, as if prompted by a ghost, walked over to Ji Yan’an’s side, yet her eyes couldn’t move away from Ji Yan’an’s face.

“Why are you looking at me! Look at the clothes!” Ji Yan’an’s faces flushed. She couldn’t stand Song Yi’s phoenix eyes; the more she looked, the more she felt she was going to fall in.

“What? You won’t let people look at you now? I’m looking because you’re beautiful.” Song Yi returned Ji Yan’an’s exact words from earlier, with a light laugh, sounding like a tease.

Ji Yan’an was greatly embarrassed and used looking at the clothes as an excuse to change the subject. Le Yan and Jing’er, unaware of the situation, stood stunned, not knowing what to say.

The maids holding the clothes changed wave after wave, but none caught Ji Yan’an’s eye. Even the ones Song Yi said were decent, Ji Yan’an always found a reason to say no.

Seeing that Ji Yan’an had gone through all the finished clothes and was still not satisfied, she complained with a distressed face. Song Yi had already chosen a purple ‘Moon Brocade Skirt’ embroidered with blue continuous stitching. The Moon Brocade Skirt was originally a colorful garment, but the one in Song Yi’s hands was simple and elegant. Only the water-blue and a very close shade of purple made it so captivating, moving like moonlight, and its elegance and freshness made Song Yi’s skin appear even fairer.

“Beautiful!” Ji Yan’an looked closely with envious eyes for a while. She wasn’t suited to wear this kind of Moon Brocade Skirt because of her height.

Jing’er saw that Ji Yan’an couldn’t pick anything, so she quietly took out a sea-green ‘Song Style Embroidered Blouse and Skirt’ from the bottom of a chest. A long-tassel, three-color braided floral sachet was lightly hanging from the waist of the garment, and its fragrance was quite strong.

“Miss, this blouse and skirt are a bit thin, so I didn’t bring it out for you to choose. Do you like this one now? It would be excellent paired with a cloak.” Jing’er’s overly eager manner made Ji Yan’an slightly uncomfortable, but the blouse and skirt were indeed very beautiful. Ji Yan’an took it, held it up against herself in front of the bronze mirror, and liked it more the more she looked.

“What scent is in this sachet?” Ji Yan’an felt that although the scent was not as refreshing as Chang Wan’s sachet, it wasn’t unpleasant, just a little odd.

It was only a casual question, but Jing’er stammered that she had forgotten, and if Ji Yan’an didn’t like it, she could add some plum blossoms to neutralize the smell.

Ji Yan’an nodded. Thinking of the red plums still blooming in the Plum Garden, her eyes lit up. She grabbed Song Yi and walked out. The clothes were left for Le Yan to take back; she only held the sachet in her hand.

“Where are we going?” Song Yi was pulled off balance and asked Ji Yan’an.

Ji Yan’an smiled like a child, shaking the sachet in her hand: “I’m going to put a few little plum blossoms in the sachet too, and give it to you. That way, you’ll be my friend forever, the kind that can never leave!”

Song Yi smiled wryly and shook her head, following her for the second time to the Plum Garden.

The Plum Garden was in a secluded area, with little sunlight. The quiet lake had no ripples, and the lifeless scene made it hard to believe that Ji Yan’an had once fallen in here.

“Since you fell in here, the Prime Minister ordered everyone not to go near the Plum Garden. Even the sweeping maids are few, so it naturally looks lifeless,” Song Yi was surprised to be dragged to the Plum Garden, but she understood why after a moment.

Looking at the deep red, alluring plum blossoms, Ji Yan’an felt a little regretful. It was a pity that no one came to look after such a large area of plum blossoms because of one incident.

While picking the red plums and putting them into the sachet, Ji Yan’an secretly vowed: “I must go and reason with Father! How can he abandon such a large patch of plum blossoms!”

Song Yi felt a surge of warmth in her heart watching Ji Yan’an stubbornly pick the plums despite not being tall enough. She walked over and picked the higher plum blossoms for her, placing them in the sachet.

“The plum blossom scent is a bit faint. Can it really neutralize such a strong fragrance?” Ji Yan’an was still worried about this. Looking at the chunks of original incense and the beautiful red plums mixed together in the sachet, she was still a little hopeful.

Song Yi nodded, brought the sachet close to Ji Yan’an’s nose, and upon smelling it closely, a hint of plum blossom freshness indeed emanated. The charm of nature might just be that profound.

Ji Yan’an tied the opening of the sachet tightly, examined the pattern, and then handed it to Song Yi: “You must accept it. Now you have the scent I created for you on your person.”

Song Yi did not decline. She accepted the sachet and hung it on her waist. Ji Yan’an’s mouth curled up wildly. She kept looking at the sachet, feeling incredibly happy. Even the headache of entering the palace tomorrow was thrown to the back of her mind. Who cares about Liu Wanwan? Song Yi was the most important right now.

Ji Yan’an and Song Yi chattered all the way back to their rooms, pulling Song Yi into conversations about life and ideals, even suggesting they go to a temple together.

However, all the talking stopped when Ji Yan’an paused at the door of the woodshed.

“Why did we end up here?” Ji Yan’an looked at Song Yi in confusion. She had been so engrossed in chatting and talking about ideals that Song Yi had brought her here.

“Don’t you want to see your dear sister?” Song Yi hadn’t even spoken when Ji Tong’an appeared standing at the woodshed door. Just as she was about to come out, she was blocked by the guards at the entrance.

“So, Sister, even in this state, you’re still not resigned?” Ji Yan’an sneered repeatedly, automatically ignoring the bloodstains on Ji Tong’an, unwilling to feel any pity for someone like her.

“Elder Sister, what are you doing here again?” Ji Tong’an’s eyes turned to Ji Yan’an, full of sarcasm. She no longer hid her disgust for Ji Yan’an, exposing her dark side completely.

Song Yi frowned and stepped forward, gently shielding Ji Yan’an behind her, worried that Ji Tong’an might go crazy again and stab Ji Yan’an with a hairpin hidden in her sleeve.

Ji Yan’an was warmed by Song Yi’s action, feeling a sense of security, but Ji Tong’an was not as insane as they thought, being chillingly calm: “I want to talk to you two. If you are willing to trust me, come inside the woodshed.”

With that, Ji Tong’an turned and walked in, showing no trace of attachment to the outside world.

Ji Yan’an and Song Yi exchanged glances. This clearly looked like a trap designed to lure both Ji Yan’an and Song Yi inside to have a confrontation, yet Ji Yan’an somehow felt that she should trust Ji Tong’an just this once.

This was neither saintly compassion nor foolish naiveté.

Ji Yan’an just felt that looking at her demeanor, she wouldn’t be able to stir up any trouble anymore.

As for Song Yi, the purpose of bringing Ji Yan’an to the woodshed was not actually Ji Tong’an, but because the woodshed was close to the library in the outer court of the Ji Residence…