Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Confession
Qu Fulan never intended to avoid Xiao Shiqing for her entire life.
She was merely taking a path she wished to take, one starkly different from the original storyline.
She did not want any mishaps during this period, so she tried her best to avoid meeting him.
Once she was free, she would no longer evade.
Today’s event was a success. Once today is over, with all her impressive achievements tallied, that astounding figure will allow her to negotiate anything.
But she hadn’t expected to run into Xiao Shiqing at this critical juncture.
Today was quite overwhelming with numerous viewers, and to avoid being recognized by familiar faces as in the past, she mostly acted backstage or observed the situation from concealed locations.
When going out, she also wore a veil.
Just now, she was instructing her people; wearing the veil was stifling, so she took it off momentarily. Just as she was about to put it back on, her hand was grabbed.
This place was clearly not within the area where guests could freely move. Even the restrooms were on the other side, so no one should be coming here.
Not to mention it was more than thirty zhang away from the free activity area, over a hundred meters, so how did he spot her behind the bushes?
Eagle eye?
However, none of this mattered at the moment.
The immediate situation needed to be addressed first.
"Jirou, you..."
The man’s voice was low and slightly hoarse; he had just started speaking but didn’t know how to continue.
He was never one for words, and he never thought about what he should say upon seeing her.
Qu Fulan tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t. How could she, a frail woman recovering from illness, resist someone trained in martial arts?
"Prince Xiao, men and women shouldn’t touch each other. Please let go, alright?" Qu Fulan calmly reminded him.
Only then did Xiao Shiqing realize his rudeness and quickly released her hand, "I—I was too excited and forgot my manners."
With her hand free, Qu Fulan glanced around to ensure no one else was nearby before breathing a sigh of relief and looking back at Xiao Shiqing.
The excitement on his face was blatant. Despite his towering figure, he still acted shy like a young boy in front of his childhood friend.
He appeared pure and clean, making it no wonder the original character liked him.
In ancient times, women had few chances to go out, let alone encounter men. Meeting someone decent who also fancied them, it was rare not to fall.
Undeniably, Xiao Shiqing’s feelings for the original character were genuine.
Yet, his later heartlessness was also real.
Even someone like Qu Fulan, who came from the modern world, knew marriages and love without parental support are hard to last long in the long term, let alone in ancient times?
"Jirou, I’ve heard about what’s happened with the Li Family. I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been living now? Are you well?" Xiao Shiqing inquired with concern. As he spoke, he scrutinized her carefully, noticing her dignified attire, which suggested she was living better than he had imagined.
"I am doing well; thank you, Prince, for your concern." Qu Fulan replied verbally but was rapidly contemplating whether to reveal the truth that she was currently merely a maid.
But if she told him, with Xiao Shiqing’s temperament, he would undoubtedly intervene, ruining her plans.
However, if she didn’t tell him, and Xiao Shiqing investigated on his own, things might become even less manageable.
It’s troublesome both to say and not to say.
After some deliberation, Qu Fulan said, "Prince Xiao, there are many things I am not convenient to explain right now. After five days, I’ll answer your questions. How about that?"
"Why? Is there something amiss with where you’re staying? You can tell me, and I’ll fix the trouble for you." Xiao Shiqing urged.
"There’s nothing amiss, and no trouble either. You can see from my current appearance that I’m doing well. It’s just that there are many inconveniences at the moment. Please understand."
Xiao Shiqing indeed felt worried, but seeing her speaking with such assurance and appearing unharmed, he had to suppress his concern, "How should I find you then?"
"Five days later, I’ll be waiting for you at Hongfu Building," Qu Fulan said.
Tonight, she would talk with Heir Pei, and five days later, she would settle things with Xiao Shiqing.
However, Qu Fulan didn’t expect that after Xiao Shiqing returned, due to Mrs. Xiao urging him to be betrothed to Ji Nishang, he refused.
Naturally, Mrs. Xiao said that the person he was looking for might have already died, and waiting longer was pointless.
Xiao Shiqing then said she was not dead. He had seen her and would bring her home in a few days.
This caused chaos. Mrs. Xiao exclaimed that Li Jirou was just a maid in the Pei Mansion now and had no right to enter the Xiao Family.
Only then did Xiao Shiqing realize Li Jirou was a maid at the Pei Mansion, understanding her previous "inconvenience" statement meant real inconvenience.
But none of these were what bothered him most; what did was that his mother had long been aware of her existence but kept it from him?
The ever-dutiful Heir Xiao rarely quarreled with his mother, but this time he did, only to leave home thereafter.
On the same night, Qu Fulan never saw Heir Pei. Inquiring among Shi Yi and others, they only said Heir Pei was occupied.
Qu Fulan asked when he might return, but this time Shi Yi and the others were unsure.
This situation lasted for two days.
On the third morning, Heir Pei did return, and Qu Fulan naturally seized the opportunity.
As it happened, Heir Pei also had something to say to her.
At this time, they were seated in the pavilion. Heir Pei in his python robe appeared as usual yet seemed different in some indescribable way, which she couldn’t immediately pinpoint.
But once he spoke, she knew what it was.
He said, "Xiao Shiqing has requested a duel with His Majesty during the autumn hunt. If he wins, he wishes for a favor, that favor." He paused, then added, "To grant him a certain condition, any condition."
"Do you know what that condition is?" He asked with a smile, not waiting for her reply but directly telling her, "On the way out of the palace, he mentioned you to me."
Qu Fulan lowered her gaze, gripping the teacup slightly tighter.
Given Xiao Shiqing’s nature, once he agreed to something, he wouldn’t easily change unless something went wrong.
The error was that he learned from some source that she was a maid in the Pei Mansion, thinking she was trapped there with many constraints, prompting this series of actions.
As for who those "some people" might be, Qu Fulan had her suspicions. So far, only a few knew her identity, and since the Jin Family didn’t come on the day of the play, that left only the Xiao Family.
The scenario Qu Fulan had always avoided suddenly appeared in front of her in this manner. One would think she would feel helpless, panicked, or angry.
But she didn’t.
There’s a saying that when things turn dire enough, the heart actually stabilizes.
So she looked at Heir Pei and asked, "So, what do you mean, Heir Pei?"
Heir Pei didn’t directly answer her question but instead talked about another matter.
"There’s something I’ve never told you." Pei Ji’an rarely diverted his eyes, avoiding hers, "Not long after you became my maid, Xiao Shiqing openly admitted at a palace banquet that his fiancée was his childhood friend, Li Jirou."
Qu Fulan: "..."