Glory

"No need, I'm not that particular. I can manage however," Ye Yaming said.

It wasn't that she was overly conventional—she simply saw no need to challenge societal norms. If her behavior became known among the noblewomen in the capital, they would surely gossip behind her back. She didn't mind being the subject of gossip, but she disliked the thought of them disparaging her background and Ye Jia's upbringing.

She stopped arguing with Lu Guanyi about when to go to the capital. Seeing how energetic he looked, he could probably endure several more days of travel without issue.

She changed the subject: "Have you been to your residence? I've redecorated the main chamber. I had your original belongings moved to the east wing."

"Not yet, I came directly here."

"Then you should check whether the arrangements in the main chamber and the east wing suit your taste," Ye Yaming said. "Since we won't be living here for at least three months, if anything isn't to your liking, just say so. I can have it adjusted during this time."

"No need for changes. As long as you like it, it's fine," Lu Guanyi replied.

Ye Yaming remained noncommittal.

He said he didn't mind because he hadn't seen it yet. Once he did, he might not feel the same way.

Ye Chongming glanced at Lu Guanyi with concern.

He hadn't visited the residence himself, but Old Mrs. Ye, Yin Shi, and Qi Furen had gone together once. Upon returning, his wife had murmured to him that Ye Yaming had decorated the main chamber rather peculiarly—unlike typical bedroom arrangements.

In his wife's view, the setup was actually quite nice and convenient. However, though Qi Furen hadn't shown it outwardly or said anything, she seemed somewhat displeased.

His wife had also mentioned this to Ming'er, who neither commented nor explained anything to Qi Furen, letting the matter drop.

Now, Ye Chongming worried that Lu Guanyi might be unhappy after seeing it. It would be unfortunate if the young couple had a disagreement over bedroom decor before even marrying.

Ye Chongming intended to invite Lu Guanyi to stay for a meal, but since Lu Guanyi had traveled far and was dusty from the journey, he declined and prepared to return to his own place.

"By the way, that residence still lacks a plaque. Could you inscribe a name? I'll have it made into a board and hung up, so it's not without a proper title," Ye Yaming reminded him before he left.

"What would you like to name it?" Lu Guanyi asked.

Ye Yaming shook her head. "You're the master of the house—it should be your decision."

"Alright."

After Lu Guanyi departed, Ye Chongming asked, "What if he doesn't like the bedroom setup at your place?"

Ye Yaming pursed her lips. "He originally said I could do as I pleased and that he'd go along with it. If he doesn't like it after I've arranged everything, then I'll be displeased too. But I won't argue with him. If he wants to change it, he can have it redone."

However, if he actually changed it, she wouldn't stay in the main chamber upon returning to Lin'an from the capital. Instead, she would occupy the bedroom she had reserved for herself in the west wing. She would also keep some distance from him.

Having witnessed so many people and events across lifetimes and experienced life and death, she held certain matters very lightly. The type of room or how she lived didn't truly matter to her. What she sought was respect.

As the wife of the prefect, Qi Furen had been notified by the city guards upon Lu Guanyi's arrival. By the time he returned to his residence, a page from the Qi household was already waiting for him.

"Madam invites the young master to dine," the page said.

"Very well, I'll go after freshening up."When Lao Songtou and his family saw Lu Guanyi arriving, they were all overjoyed and quickly welcomed him inside.

"Hurry, go heat water for the young master to bathe," Lao Songtou instructed Granny Li.

Granny Li had originally wanted to see Lu Guanyi's reaction upon noticing the furnishings in the main house, but hearing her husband's order, she reluctantly went to the kitchen.

As Lu Guanyi walked further in, he looked around and noticed that the plants in the residence were much the same as before. He asked, "Did Miss Ye have someone tidy up this residence?"

"Yes, it's been tidied. But the main task was moving furniture to furnish the main house and the main rooms of the other residences. The garden was only given a simple cleanup," Lao Songtou replied.

Recalling how Ye Yaming had designed her carriage to be exceptionally comfortable and convenient when she traveled to Huizhou, Lu Guanyi couldn't help but grow curious about the house they would live in together in the future.

He went straight to the backyard, opened the hall, and noticed that the furniture had been replaced. The style was simple and elegant, exactly to his taste, but the layout remained the same, with nothing particularly eye-catching.

After a brief glance, he headed directly to the bedroom.

As soon as he entered, the set of sofa caught his attention, but he quickly looked away. Though the chairs were arranged as one long and two short pieces around a tea table in a somewhat unusual configuration, the sofa's design bore similarities to a soft couch. Ye Yaming had always been full of unconventional ideas, so it wasn't surprising she would arrange things this way.

The long table held no particular interest either, so without lingering, he walked toward the screen.

When he saw the bedroom's arrangement, he stopped at the screen and stood there for a long time, unmoving. His mind was filled with images of Ye Yaming.

He still remembered how she had been when they first met.

Others, perhaps because of his status or appearance, would act either insecure, ingratiating, or fearful around him. There were also those women outside the door, hoping to climb the social ladder, their eyes unable to conceal their ambition and so-called "admiration." But she had none of that.

All she had was serenity.

She treated him merely as a person, no different from anyone else. Even after they became partners, the serenity in her eyes remained unchanged. Later, when they traveled to Huizhou together, it was still the same—at most, her eyes held a bit more warmth for someone familiar and respected.

Later, he witnessed her kindness toward the dirty little beggars on the streets—not a condescending pity, but genuine compassion and mercy. He saw her sincerely thank servants for their help, observed her respect and regard for honorable competitors, and also witnessed her formidable methods when dealing with evildoers.

Only then did he realize that her demeanor was not indifference but equality. She judged people by their character, not their status. Whether it was a street urchin or a high-ranking noble, they all seemed the same in her eyes. She never bowed and scraped, nor did she look down on others. In her eyes, all beings were equal.

Outwardly, she appeared delicate, but her always upright posture and her poised attitude toward everyone stood in stark contrast to her appearance. Pride was etched into her bones—no one could make her bend.

Though she employed sharp tactics against those with ill intentions, she always acted with integrity and honor.Qi Ji said she was too formidable and expressed fear of her. But Lu Guanyi knew that her methods were always directed against evil. As for ordinary people, even if they made some mistakes, as long as they did not harm others, she would choose to treat them with kindness and tolerance.

This innate pride and attitude of equality for all were also reflected in the arrangement of the bedroom today. It seemed to silently tell him that what she wanted was equality and respect.

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