Resplendent – Chapter 495

Chapter 495 — Having a Spat

The rain grew heavier and heavier. Droplets formed an unbroken curtain beneath the eaves. Outside the green gauze cabinet, the drapes had been removed, and the mischievous rain sneaked in, scattering across the wooden platform.

Gu Ye rested her chin on one hand, lazily leaning on the low table of the tatami, staring absentmindedly at the pond where raindrops splashed. 

Hua Hao carried a plate of sliced fruit and placed it in front of her, noticing that the rain hitting the wooden platform had formed a fine mist over the table. She hurriedly whispered, “Miss, be careful not to get your clothes wet in the rain. Shall I move the table for you?”

“No need. A little rain will help me stay awake. You two can leave. I don’t need your service here.” Gu Ye lazily glanced at the glistening grapes in the fruit plate but couldn’t summon any appetite. Her fingers traced meaningless circles on the tabletop.

Hua Hao exchanged a troubled look with Yue Yuan. Yue Yuan couldn’t help but suggest again, “Miss, in a few days you’ll be taking the Senior Pharmacist exam. If you fall ill, it could affect your performance. If you want to enjoy the rain, you could move the table three feet inside.”

In Yue Yuan’s heart, she thought: the rain is so heavy that the sky and earth seem to merge. What’s there to admire? 

With that in mind, she glanced outside.

That glance made her eyes widen. She pointed at a tall figure in the rain and whispered in surprise, “Miss, look—could there be someone standing over there?”

Gu Ye followed the direction of her finger. Even through the thick curtain of rain, the figure was blurred and hard to make out, yet she instantly recognized that familiar silhouette. She pressed her lips together, grabbed a grape, and popped it into her mouth, chewing it fiercely as if gnawing on someone’s flesh. “There’s no one there. You must be seeing things!”

Yue Yuan craned her neck for a better look. The black figure in the rain remained completely still for a long while, and she pursed her lips. “Maybe I’m mistaken. Probably just the shadow of the rockery.”

If it were a person, who in their right mind would stand out there in the rain like that? 

Yue Yuan and Hua Hao insisted on moving the wooden table for their lady. Fortunately, the tatami was wide enough, so Gu Ye shifted slightly and continued to lazily lean on the low table, lost in thought.

Still, her gaze couldn’t help but drift toward that figure in the rain. Hah! Trying a pity act? This young lady isn’t falling for it! Besides, this rain isn’t going to kill anyone. If he wants to get wet, let him!

Ling Juechen stood on a stone at the edge of the small pond, watching the petite figure inside from a distance. Her lazy posture, casual movements, and expressionless little face… even through the thick curtain of rain he could clearly sense her unhappiness.

He could understand the girl’s feelings: she had almost been forced into a political marriage, leaving her both angry and anxious. 

She was angry that the emperor showed no regard for past bonds and worried about the safety of the entire Chu family. That was why she had considered having Yin Mei secretly administer poison. 

If the marriage candidate died suddenly, all her troubles would disappear!

Unfortunately, the girl was vindictive, sparing no one—not even the Fourth Prince. But others weren’t fools; with one of the Yan Kingdom envoys dead and another seriously ill, they would naturally suspect poison. She was still inexperienced; even her ‘evil schemes’ weren’t executed perfectly.

One plan failed, and she lacked the patience to dwell on it. She decided to take matters into her own hands—only to discover that her marriage candidate was the very person who had sworn to love and cherish her for a lifetime. 

The girl must have felt deceived. Would she think that everything he had said in the past was a lie?

Ling Juechen had followed the Chu family to their residence. Even if it weren’t raining, he could easily avoid the guards. 

From a distance, he watched over them, careful and attentive toward her. He was genuinely happy for her. In her past life, what she had longed for so desperately, she could finally attain in this one.

He watched her parents and brothers from a distance, his heart full of concern, before finally leaving. From so far away, he could see her slumped over the low table, completely dejected and lifeless. The little girl was sad, and it made him ache a little. He wanted to comfort her, to stay by her side—but he also feared that his presence might make her angrier or even more upset.

Gu Ye rested her chin on the table, rolling her eyes toward the figure in the rain. The rain poured down in torrents. 

Why was he standing there like a fool, as if enjoying some kind of water festival? Why was he appearing in her line of sight? She didn’t want to see him right now!

She was angry! Neither her pity act nor the ‘handsome man’ tactic was working! She turned her face away, resting on her hand, refusing to look outside any longer.

Ling Juechen knew she had already seen him. Her act of turning away made his chest tighten. She probably least wanted to see him right now, didn’t she?

The little girl remained lying on her hand, unmoving for quite some time. She wasn’t asleep yet, was she? When she got up, her hand would be numb. 

The wind had picked up—would the rain splash in? Lying like that, would she catch a cold?

After watching silently for a while longer, he saw she still hadn’t moved. He couldn’t stand it any longer. He lightly tapped the stone with his toes, landing on a water lily leaf in the pond, and made a few leaps, softly touching down on the wooden bridge outside Mingzhu Pavilion.

The tatami inside the alcove was probably the little girl’s favorite spot. Summer evenings there, with a gentle breeze and a view of the stars, were cool and comfortable. But since it was right over the water, the humidity was high. 

She had ordered large glass panes at Yinzhen Pavilion, saying it was for building a greenhouse. It would be better to also install glass sliding doors here. That way, she could open them when she wanted a breeze and close them when it got chilly…

“Who told you to come in? Even if you are Prince Ning of Yan, you can’t just barge into an official residence! Out! Or I’ll report you to the authorities!” Gu Ye’s voice was like a little milk tiger with no teeth—fierce in spirit but hardly intimidating.

“As long as it lets you vent, you can throw me in the royal prison!” Ling Juechen’s dark hair clung to his face, his black robes outlining lean, tight muscles. 

Despite being soaked by the rain, he didn’t look disheveled; instead, he had a touch of pitiful charm. Especially his impossibly beautiful eyes, shimmering with a pleading light, making it hard not to soften.

Gu Ye glanced at him, forcing her gaze away, repeatedly warning herself: Don’t soften, don’t soften! She turned her back, unwilling to look at him, letting out a cold snort: “Do you think I’m scared? My Second Brother is the deputy commander of the Imperial City Guards. People like you, criminals and lawbreakers, are exactly who he catches!”

“Yes, I’m a bad person! I made you sad, made you angry! It’s all my fault, all my mistakes. As long as you can calm down, I’ll do anything you ask!” Ling Juechen’s voice was soft and warm, and for a moment, the rain outside sounded like it was playing along with him.