Wang Qingyao took out a handkerchief at the right time and handed it to him, "I made this for you. You can use it to wipe yourself."
Xiao Yun was surprised. He took it and looked at it, his expression becoming rather hard to describe.
To be honest, if it weren't for the character "Yun" embroidered in the corner, the handkerchief would have looked no different from a scrap of cloth.
Xiao Yun twitched the corner of his mouth, wanting to laugh.
He tucked the handkerchief into his chest and asked with a smile, "Didn't you say you couldn't embroider?"
"Can't I learn if I don't know how?" Wang Qingyao fidgeted a little. "I specifically learned for you. If it's not embroidered well, don't dislike it."
"Thank you for your trouble!" Xiao Yun reached out and ruffled her hair twice. "Even though it looks like a dog gnawed on it, I've received your kind intentions. No one has ever learned something specifically for me!"
"Hey!"
Xiao Yun laughed heartily. Wang Qingyao pretended to hit him. As he ran away, he waved at Wang Qingyao, "Come chase me! Come chase me!"
Wang Qingyao was stunned. Was this a game of "chase me"?
She was an auntie with a psychological age of nearly thirty, and she was a bit hesitant.
But who was the boss to like?
The boss's interests were paramount!
Wang Qingyao gritted her teeth and, on impulse, grabbed a wild flower and chased after him.
The scene of the two of them chasing each other, laughing and playing, was all captured in the eyes of Tian Yu and Wang Qinglin not far away.
Tian Yu felt a dull ache in his heart.
This was the Wang Qingyao he had never seen before, radiant and sunny, with a dignified smile, clearly gentle and content within.
He closed his eyes and recalled every moment he had spent with her.
Only then did he realize that he seemed to have never spent time alone with her.
All his impressions of her came from others, especially from Wang Qinglin's accounts.
Had he missed something?
On the other side, Wang Qinglin, who was talking with her cousins, was also closely watching Xiao Yun and Wang Qingyao, making her seem a little absent-minded.
Bai Junzhu, the eldest daughter of the Bai family's main branch, glanced in the direction Wang Qinglin was frequently looking and asked curiously, "Who is that?"
Wang Qingzhen cast a strange glance at her, "Don't you recognize her? That's Wang Qingyao."
"What?" Bai Junzhu was surprised. How could this radiant, even somewhat flamboyant woman be Wang Qingyao? In her impression, Wang Qingyao was eccentric, rarely seen, and when she did meet people, she was shy and kept her head down, lacking the demeanor of a noble lady.
"It is indeed her," Wang Qinglin said with a very cold tone, a hint of displeasure seemingly hidden within.
The Bai family's young ladies were a bit bewildered. Although Wang Qingyao and Wang Qinglin were both legitimate daughters of the Wang family, they had no interaction with each other on a daily basis, let alone any animosity. Had something happened that they didn't know about?
"That man... is Prince Ding'an?" the second daughter of the Bai family asked, sizing up Xiao Yun from a distance.
"Isn't he?" Wang Qingzhen said with pride, her features lighting up. "Second Sister has even been to the palace to see the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager likes her very much and has bestowed many treasures upon her!"
Wang Qingzhen deliberately showed off, her voice loud. As she spoke, the young ladies who were somewhat familiar with her gathered around. Her vanity was greatly satisfied.
Wang Qinglin glared at her with displeasure, but unfortunately, Wang Qingzhen was immersed in the joy of being the center of attention and did not notice Wang Qinglin's dissatisfaction at all. She gesticulated wildly, recounting to the gathered crowd how approachable Prince Ding'an was, how wealthy he was, and, most importantly, how good he was to Wang Qingyao.
Bai Junzhu said disdainfully, "What's there to brag about? Although Prince Ding'an is a prince, he won't live past twenty-five. For us women, the most important thing is to marry a man who can grow old with us. Otherwise, what use is all the wealth and status?"
Several young ladies nodded in agreement. Wang Qingzhu, however, turned pale, and tears involuntarily welled up in her eyes.
Bai Junzhu usually had a good relationship with Wang Qingzhen, and such direct criticism was unprecedented. Wang Qingzhen was furious but couldn't think of a retort for a moment, so she could only glare at her.
Bai Junzhu added, "And I recall that Wang Qingyao was originally engaged to the Tian family. How did she suddenly get betrothed to Prince Ding'an?"
This topic was too sensitive, and Wang Qingzhen dared not answer. She glanced at Wang Qinglin from the corner of her eye.
Wang Qinglin sighed theatrically, "Second Sister has been without parents since childhood. Grandmother and Mother doted on her and always indulged her, even in matters of marriage."
This statement implied that Wang Qingyao herself had broken off the engagement and married Prince Ding'an, and that it had nothing to do with anyone else in the Wang family.
Tian Yu was a renowned young talent in the capital, naturally with many supporters, and Bai Junzhu was one of his fans. Upon hearing this, she suspected, "Young Master Tian is handsome and talented, having achieved the top scholar. Although he is not of royal blood like Prince Ding'an, he is still an excellent candidate for a husband. Wang Qingyao, with her reputation as a jinx, why is she so picky?"
As a fan of Tian Yu, Bai Junzhu had always disliked Wang Qingyao. If she hadn't been bound by the engagement arranged since childhood, how could Young Master Tian have taken a liking to a girl like Wang Qingyao? She had prayed day and night for their marriage to fall through. Now that it had, and Tian Yu had become the one who was dumped, she felt a sense of righteous indignation.
How dare Wang Qingyao? What right did she have?
"Who says not?" Wang Qinglin said. "Grandmother and Mother also advised Second Sister, but alas, she..."
Bai Junzhu sneered repeatedly, "What a vain Wang Second Miss!"
Compared to Prince Ding'an, Tian Yu only lost out in terms of status. But this disadvantage was completely offset by the advantage that he, although his lifespan was unknown, was at least not short-lived. Wang Qingyao abandoning him for Prince Ding'an could only be described as vanity.
The second daughter of the Bai family frowned slightly, "Would the Tian family be willing to let this go?"
Whether one wanted to marry or not was one thing, but whether one could marry was another. Being jilted without cause was a matter of face. But there was no news of enmity between the Wang and Tian families. On this very day, Tian Yu was still out with the Wang family's daughters.
Wang Qinglin said, "Second Sister was stubborn, and the Wang family is not a disloyal one. Fortunately, the Wang family has more than just Second Sister, so I stepped in. As the eldest daughter of the Wang family's main branch, it is my duty to share the burden with my elders."
Wang Qinglin's words were full of righteousness and grace, showing great demeanor. Everyone looked at her with admiration and approval.
Bai Junzhu exclaimed inwardly, showing a look of envy. She also wished she could help her elders in the Wang family.
The third daughter of the Bai family immediately followed with flattery, "Young Master Tian is considered to have found fortune in misfortune."
In terms of status, Wang Qinglin was the legitimate daughter of a third-rank official, with both parents alive. In terms of appearance, she was dignified and beautiful, while Wang Qingyao was merely pretty. In terms of talent, she was a talented young woman in their circle, while Wang Qingyao, it was rumored, could barely recognize a few characters.
Wasn't this indeed finding fortune in misfortune?
Wang Qinglin revealed a humble yet proud smile, "Don't say that, Second Sister is also excellent."
Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
Hadn't the family instructed them to say that the engagement had always been with Wang Qinglin from the beginning, and it was just a misunderstanding?
What did Wang Qinglin mean by saying this?
Despite their confusion, Wang Qingzhen and Wang Qingzhu dared not refute a single word. The long-accumulated authority of the main branch of the first family made them blindly follow without principle.