Since Ren Yaoqi and Ren Shimin had not returned, Ren Yaohua and Ren Yaoying had no choice but to share the same carriage.
Once inside, Ren Yaohua treated Ren Yaoying as if she were invisible, and Ren Yaoying, not wanting to invite trouble, sat to one side and sipped tea by herself.
Although the first month had just passed and the past few days had been sunny, the weather remained bitterly cold. A charcoal stove burned inside the carriage, and even though high-quality silver charcoal was used, the airtight space eventually grew stuffy.
Ren Yaoying occasionally lifted the curtain slightly to let in some fresh air and catch a glimpse of the scenery outside. Ren Yaohua also found the carriage somewhat stifling, so she paid no mind to her actions.
When the carriage entered Zhengyang Street, the busiest thoroughfare in Yunyang City, several other carriages happened to emerge from the back alley of a restaurant, blocking the way. The driver pulled over to let them pass.
Peering outside, Ren Yaoying exclaimed softly, "Oh, so this is Fumanlou! Third Sister, don’t you love their pine nut lily pastries? Why don’t we have someone buy some to take back?"
Ren Yaohua was about to refuse the gesture, but Ren Yaoying smiled and said, "Last time we mentioned Fumanlou’s pastries, Grandmother also praised them. I thought I’d buy some to show my filial piety. What do you think, Third Sister?"
Ren Yaohua frowned. If she objected, Ren Yaoying would likely complain to Old Madam Ren about her lack of filial respect. With a cold laugh, Ren Yaohua instructed her maid Xiangqin, "Go down and buy two boxes of pastries for Ninth Miss."
Xiangqin pursed her lips, lifted the carriage curtain, and stepped out.
Just then, a hesitant male voice sounded from outside the carriage, "Hmm? Aren’t you... Excuse me, is this the carriage of the Ren Family’s young ladies?"
Ren Yaohua found the voice familiar but couldn’t quite place it. Ren Yaoying, however, covered her mouth and whispered in surprise, "It sounds like Young Master Zhou."
With Ren Yaoying’s reminder, Ren Yaohua remembered—it was Zhou Wen, the young master of the Zhou family, whom they had met during their visit to the hot spring villa.
Before Ren Yaohua could respond, Ren Yaoying called out softly to the outside, "Is that Young Master Zhou outside?"
Zhou Wen was delighted to hear Ren Yaoying’s voice and quickly replied, "Yes, it’s me. So it’s Ninth Miss Ren in the carriage? No wonder the maid who just stepped down looked familiar." Zhou Wen had an excellent memory, even recalling Xiangqin after just one meeting.
Ren Yaoying spoke to him through the curtain, "Third Sister and I are on our way back to the villa and happened to pass by here. My grandmother and Third Sister both enjoy Fumanlou’s pastries, so I sent my maid to buy some."
Zhou Wen said, "I see. No wonder it’s such a coincidence today. My mother and sister also like the pastries here, and I was planning to buy some on my way. By the way, my sister hasn’t seen you in a long time and often mentions you. She’s in the carriage ahead—would you like to meet her?"
Ren Yaohua frowned. "It’s getting late. Let’s—"
Ren Yaoying cut her off, "Although it’s late, it’s true we haven’t seen Miss Zhou in a long time. Of course we should meet her." With that, Ren Yaoying smiled at Ren Yaohua.Zhou Wen outside had already heard Ren Yaoying's words and instructed his attendant, "Go inform the young lady and have her come meet the two young misses of the Ren Family."
Given the situation, Ren Yaohua could no longer order the carriage to leave.
Zhou Rong was indeed nearby and soon arrived, exclaiming with delight from outside, "Is Sister Yaoying in the carriage?"
Ren Yaoying lifted the carriage curtain, supported by her maid as she stepped out, and happily took Zhou Rong's hand. "Sister Rong, it's been so long. How have you been lately?"
From the moment Ren Yaoying emerged from the carriage, Zhou Wen's gaze remained fixed on her, utterly captivated. Ren Yaoying glanced at Zhou Wen, her cheeks slightly flushed, and stepped forward with a gentle curtsy. "Greetings, Young Master Zhou."
Her soft, melodious voice sent a tingling sensation through Zhou Wen's heart, and his gaze grew even more unwilling to stray from her.
At this moment, Ren Yaohua also descended from the carriage and exchanged polite greetings with the Zhou siblings.
Zhou Rong disliked Ren Yaohua and, after the formalities, ignored her, speaking only for herself. "There's a teahouse not far ahead that only serves female guests, and it even has a female storyteller. I've long wanted to visit but never had the chance. Today is perfect—Sister Yaoying, why don’t you come with me? It’s been so long since we last met; we can share some private words."
Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Wen smoothly arranged, "I’ll have someone go to the teahouse to make arrangements for you."
Ren Yaohua spoke up to stop him. "That won’t be necessary. We came to Yunyang City with our family elders, and it would be improper to linger outside without their permission."
Zhou Rong grew displeased. "It’s only just after the Lantern Festival. According to Yanbei customs, women are allowed to go out with their sisters during this season."
Compared to the capital, Yanbei imposed slightly fewer restrictions on women. For example, during festivals like the Lantern Festival, Qixi Festival, Zhongyuan Festival, and Chongyang Festival, women were permitted to go out in groups, usually accompanied by their brothers for protection.
As it was not long after the Lantern Festival, the festive atmosphere of the New Year had yet to fully dissipate, and there were indeed some women on Zhengyang Street, which was why Zhou Rong spoke this way.
Ren Yaohua glanced at her coolly. "Miss Zhou is aware, isn’t she, that the Lantern Festival has already passed?"
Seeing his sister’s indignant expression and fearing a conflict, Zhou Wen quickly intervened with a smile. "Third Miss Ren makes a valid point. How about this? Isn’t Third Miss Ren fond of Fumanlou’s pastries? I’ll go pick some freshly baked ones for you. I’ve also heard that Fumanlou recently introduced a few new varieties—I’ll buy some for you to take back. Why don’t you wait in the carriage and take this opportunity to catch up?"
One does not strike a smiling face. Zhou Wen’s courteous and considerate demeanor made it difficult for Ren Yaohua to outright reject him, so she softened her tone. "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Zhou, but I’ve already sent my maid to buy some. There’s no need to trouble you."
Zhou Wen laughed heartily. "No trouble at all. Buying pastries is something I’m quite skilled at." With that, he winked at the fuming Zhou Rong and the smiling Ren Yaoying, then turned and headed straight for Fumanlou.Buying pastries was hardly a task for a young master of the Zhou family. He had done so merely to give Ren Yaoying and Zhou Rong a chance to catch up and chat. Since his intentions were good, Ren Yaohua couldn’t bring herself to be angry.
Ren Yaohua politely asked them, “Would you like to wait in my carriage?”
Zhou Rong, holding Ren Yaoying’s hand, coldly refused, “No need, I have my own carriage! Sister Yaoying, come to mine!”
Ren Yaohua didn’t press the matter. She nodded and prepared to board her carriage.
Just then, several elegantly dressed young men emerged from a restaurant across the street. Ren Yaoying glanced over and, as if seeing something terrifying, paled and hid behind Zhou Rong.
Zhou Rong followed Ren Yaoying’s gaze and gasped in fright.
Whispers broke out around them, all directed at one of the young men who had just left the restaurant.
The young man stood tall and was impeccably dressed. From behind, anyone would have thought him a handsome youth. Unfortunately, his face was horrifying. One side was pale, with delicate features faintly visible, while the other bore severe burn scars, as if the skin had melted and wrinkled, revealing the flesh beneath. The eye on the injured side was a dull, lifeless gray-white, like the boiled eye of a fish.
Seeing the scars on the young man’s face, Ren Yaoying couldn’t help but recall the scars on her own mother’s face, which was why she paled and dared not look a second time.
But it wasn’t just Ren Yaoying. Anyone who saw the young man’s face avoided looking again. Even the other young men accompanying him were reluctant to let their gaze linger on his face, their eyes wandering even when speaking to him.
Yet the young man seemed utterly unaware of how terrifying his face was. Instead of trying to hide it, he would smile at those who showed disgust or fear, a smile that often left them half-dead with fright.
He seemed to have heard Zhou Rong’s gasp and turned to look in their direction. Then, he curled the corner of his mouth into a smile, causing Zhou Rong to pull Ren Yaoying back a step. He laughed heartily, as if he had witnessed something amusing.
Ren Yaohua, who had been about to board her carriage, was drawn by the commotion and turned to look at the young man, just as his teasing gaze swept over her.
Ren Yaohua was also startled by the young man’s face, but she was not the type of timid woman prone to overreacting. Her gaze merely paused briefly before shifting away. Without even breaking her stride, she lifted the carriage curtain and boarded, as if she had seen nothing out of the ordinary.
The young man stared blankly at the lowered carriage curtain, then a flicker of interest flashed in his eyes.
A young man walking beside him coughed softly and whispered, “Brother Zeng, don’t mind them. They’re just…”
Zeng Kui placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, his tone intimate yet curious. “Just what? They’re just frightened by the scars on my face?”The young man glanced at the hand on his shoulder, appearing somewhat uncomfortable as he shifted his shoulder slightly. However, his manners were decent enough that he resisted the urge to shake it off. "Ahem, Brother Zeng, if you're bothered by their stares, I could find you a mask to wear next time we go out? There's a jade shop in Yunyang City with a very skilled craftsman. I could have a white jade mask custom-made for you—it would... it would suit your temperament perfectly."
Making up for yesterday's update~.
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