"Brother Lu detoured specifically to check on me when he heard about my accident on his way back to the capital," Xu Hengyan said to her with utmost naturalness.
Xie Jiang glanced at Lu Zhiheng curiously, "Are you good friends with Lord Lu?"
Xu Hengyan replied, "Yes."
Xie Jiang very calmly walked past the two of them, sat down in the spot Xu Hengyan had just vacated, and even took a sip of the tea Xu Hengyan had been drinking.
As Xie Jiang casually picked up the cup, Xu Hengyan had intended to remind her, but seeing that she had already drunk from it, he said nothing.
When they were in the mountains before, they had not only shared water from the same bamboo tube but also eaten a piece of meat together.
Once certain ingrained notions were broken, it turned out they weren't so difficult to accept.
Lu Zhiheng's facial control failed, his eyes somewhat uncontrollable.
Xie Jiang put down the teacup and, seeing both of them looking at her, seemed to remember something. She stood up, "You two have something to discuss, right? You continue, I'll be going back."
Xu Hengyan said, "Wait a moment."
"What is it?" Xie Jiang turned back to look at him.
Xu Hengyan pointed to her collar, "You're going back like this? Button up your clothes first."
Xie Jiang looked down. She had already put on her clothes.
Xu Hengyan silently reminded her that two buttons were still undone.
Xie Jiang couldn't be bothered. What was the need to be so covered up? It wasn't cold in this weather.
Xu Hengyan: This isn't about whether it's cold or not, this is...
Xie Jiang had already strode out.
Xu Hengyan shook his head helplessly. With no one to attend to her, she was unwilling to even lift a finger.
Turning around, he found Lu Zhiheng staring at him with an inexplicable expression.
Xu Hengyan asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Lu Zhiheng said, "You and this young master Xie seem very close?"
Xu Hengyan nodded and sat down, without any evasion, "We are very good friends."
Lu Zhiheng also returned to his seat opposite him, "I heard that you were originally in Ninghe that day, having just dealt with the bandits attacking Ninghe. As soon as you heard that young master Xie was in trouble, you rushed to Nanlong Slope. The reason you were shot and fell from the suspension bridge was also because you were going to save young master Xie?"
Seeing that Lu Zhiheng's words carried a hint of disapproval, Xu Hengyan's brow furrowed slightly, "Little Xie was also ambushed while rushing back to Ninghe to help me."
"Even so, didn't you consider that with Lu Xuan's archery skills, what if you couldn't avoid the vital points? Or what if the situation at the bottom of the river was complex, making it impossible for you to escape?"
Although no one had told Lu Zhiheng the situation at the time, based on his understanding of Xu Hengyan, it wasn't difficult to deduce.
Xu Hengyan was willing to gamble his own life for someone! This was completely unlike him, yet he had done it.
Xu Hengyan said, "The facts prove my judgment was correct." Including her.
If she had been a little more selfish at that moment, he might have truly lost his life.
Lu Zhiheng: "That was your good luck."
Xu Hengyan: "You don't understand."
Lu Zhiheng truly didn't understand, "Not many people have been accepted by you over the years, and this young master Xie, no matter how you look at it, doesn't seem like your kind of person."
"Little Xie is indeed different from us. She acts more on impulse and lives more freely and at ease than we do..."
As he spoke, he realized that Lu Zhiheng's gaze towards him was becoming increasingly strange and inexplicable.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xu Hengyan was somewhat confused.
"Do you know that when you talk about young master Xie, even your tone changes? And there's a rare smile in your eyes."
Lu Zhiheng sighed, "We've known each other for many years, and this is the first time I've seen you like this."
Xu Hengyan was stunned by his words.
~
Xie Jiang leisurely made her way towards the residence on the back street.
The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the rain had just stopped.
The streets were wet, and one wrong step could lead to stepping into a puddle, covering the shoes with mud and water.
As soon as Xie Jiang entered the gate, she encountered Aunt Gu and the maids Yueyue and Yan'er, who were carrying washing supplies and were about to go to the rear yamen to attend to someone.
"Young master is up so early? You slept so late last night, I thought you'd sleep in a bit longer."
Aunt Gu followed Xie Jiang back, "Young Lord Ruan and the other two just arrived. They are all waiting in your courtyard right now."
"Here to freeload meals again?"
"It looks like it."
Ruan Zijin and the other two had just arrived. Upon asking, they learned that Xie Jiang had not returned home last night and had actually stayed at Xu Hengyan's place.
Ruan Zijin watched blankly as Aunt Gu and the maids carried the washing supplies out of the courtyard. He felt quite unwell, and at the same time, he recalled the rumors that had been quietly circulating in the capital.
"Your second brother is about to get married, and he still..."
Xu Hengyi, seeing his flustered appearance, immediately understood what he was referring to.
"Second Ruan, don't talk nonsense. Do you think everyone is like you? My second brother and Xie Jiang are above board. Don't smear them!"
Xu Hengyi had always guarded against Ruan Zijin like a thief. Although Xie Jiang was a bit of a scoundrel, she was his meal ticket. He couldn't just stand by and watch Ruan Zijin drag Xie Jiang into trouble.
"Are you sure?"
Ruan Zijin wasn't necessarily believing those rumors, but for someone like young master Xie, who was peerless, there were certainly many wolves eyeing her covetously.
Moreover, those rumors were quite detailed.
"Of course, I'm sure!"
Xu Hengyan rolled his eyes. Second Ruan was clearly mentally ill!
In the eyes of ordinary people, at most, it was that there was no platonic friendship between men and women; in the eyes of people like Second Ruan, there was no platonic friendship between men and men either!
Ruan Zijin wished that Xu Hengyi could be more decisive.
Xie Jiang walked into the courtyard at this moment.
Before Ruan Zijin could breathe a sigh of relief, he was startled by Xie Jiang's disheveled appearance.
Could Third Xu really be sure?!
Xu Hengyi wouldn't think of anything messy. It was normal for clothes to be unbuttoned and a bit messy. "Xie Jiang, why did you stay at my second brother's place?"
Xie Jiang walked directly into the room, "I stayed because I wanted to." Did she need a reason?
Aunt Gu led Yueyue and Yan'er inside to attend to her.
Xu Hengyi and the other two still waited in the courtyard.
Ruan Zijin stared at the closed door with a worried expression, "Does young master Xie often stay overnight at Lord Xu's place?"
Living so close, wasn't it a bit too convenient?
"This is my first time in Ninghe, how would I know? But even if she often stayed overnight, what's wrong with that? Xie Jiang always lived in Shi'an Courtyard when she was in the capital."
Xu Hengyi glanced at Ruan Zijin with disgust, "Second Ruan, can you put away your dirty thoughts?"
His second brother was a noble and upright gentleman, as pure as jade and with lofty integrity. How could he possibly like men like Ruan Zijin!
Ruan Zijin, that scoundrel, was simply insulting his second brother!
"Who are you calling dirty!" He had pure intentions!
Young master Xie actually lived in Shi'an Courtyard when she was at the Duke of Wei's mansion!
Why did young master Xie stay in Xu Hengyan's courtyard when she went to the Duke of Wei's mansion to treat Madam Xu?
Xia Zeshi quickly interrupted them, "Alright, stop arguing. If you annoy young master Xie, he'll really throw you both out."
Hearing this, Xu Hengyi glanced at the closed door and silently lowered his sleeves. He couldn't let this scoundrel Ruan Er affect his breakfast.