"Most likely, he's jealous of my closeness with you. Other than that, what other reason could there be? Weren't you two chatting quite amicably before taking your seats?"
Xu Hengyan subtly prompted her, "When I'm with Lu Zhiheng, will you be blinded by jealousy?"
Xu Hengyan felt she was oversimplifying things. Who would fly into a rage just because their close friend made another friend? Besides, they were by the lotus pond then...
Even the closest of friends, sworn brothers, wouldn't act that intimately. Only a child would consider it ordinary.
Xu Hengyan suddenly felt a pang of guilt, unable to meet her clear, innocent eyes.
She trusted him so implicitly, depended on him so much, yet what was he doing?
Having fallen into an abyss himself, he was watching her leap into it too. Not only did he not try to pull her up, but he silently waited, waiting for her to stumble and fall beside him.
Xu Hengyan dared not let her see the pain and struggle in his eyes.
"Yes."
"..."
"It's already rare for you to return to the capital. If Lu Zhiheng occupies too much of your time, I'd definitely throw him far away."
"...Lu Zhiheng wouldn't react with jealousy upon seeing me close to you." Xu Hengyan quickly concealed his emotions.
"I haven't stopped you from interacting with Lu Zhiheng, which is already very tolerant. How could Lu Zhiheng be so ungrateful?"
"..."
"Am I not tolerant?"
"You... are tolerant."
Xie Jiang poked his furrowed brow. "Why so worried? Are you concerned about Yi Yanting's future revenge?"
Xu Hengyan looked at her eyes, so close to his, and for a moment, he didn't know if he should be more explicit.
"The Regent tends to lose control regarding your affairs. Have you considered temporarily leaving the capital?"
"I've been in the capital for so long and haven't seen him lose control. Could it be that he loses control because of you?"
Xu Hengyan remained silent.
Of course, his presence was also a factor.
Because Yi Yanting could see the difference in her treatment of him.
"Are you worried that after you return to Ninghe, Yi Yanting won't be able to find you to vent his anger and will shift his target to me?"
"I am indeed worried he might harm you." The thought of him harming her was even more unbearable.
Xie Jiang placed a cushion behind her, sitting back-to-back with Xu Hengyan, and said nonchalantly, "Then you don't need to worry about that. He's not like he hasn't fought with me before."
As she spoke, she kicked off her shoes, lifted her feet onto his lap, and adjusted herself to the most comfortable position.
Xu Hengyan looked at her feet in his lap. Through the socks, he felt something was off. He then looked up at her in shock.
"He fought with you? When? Did he injure you? Why didn't you tell me?"
Xu Hengyan anxiously grabbed her arm, wishing he could examine her thoroughly.
Xu Hengyan could never have imagined that Yi Yanting would be so hypocritical!
Xie Jiang hissed, finding his grip too tight. She pulled her arm back and leaned back again. "I wasn't injured. How could I be injured? He's the one who gets injured. He can't beat me."
Xu Hengyan asked, "You're really not injured?"
Xie Jiang raised her eyebrows confidently. "Do you think I would suffer at his hands? He's the one who ends up bruised and swollen every time."
Only then did Xu Hengyan relax, but he quickly realized, "You and the Regent are very close." It was a statement, not a question.
The fact that they often fought without any reservations indicated a very deep friendship.
Xie Jiang smiled brightly. "Not as close as us."
So they were indeed very close. Xu Hengyan couldn't help but frown. "The Regent's feelings for you..."
Since she was so close to Yi Yanting, no matter how he hinted or implied, she wouldn't think of her friend in a bad light.
Xie Jiang said, "Don't worry about me and return to Ninghe with peace of mind. If Yi Yanting looks for me to vent his anger, I'll just beat him up for you."
Xu Hengyan lifted the blanket from himself and covered her legs as well. After a moment of thought, he indirectly asked if she would be willing to leave the capital to study.
With his mind burdened by worries, the slight sense of disharmony he felt earlier upon seeing her feet was completely forgotten.
Xie Jiang looked at him without speaking.
Xu Hengyan meticulously introduced her to the situations of several renowned academies, from their geographical environment to their history and culture.
Xie Jiang crossed her arms, lifted her chin high, and looked at him askance, clearly displeased.
Xu Hengyan noticed her eye-roll but didn't mind. Her studying would be beneficial to her.
"Which academy do you like? Qinglian Academy? Or perhaps Huaiyin Academy?"
Xu Hengyan patiently analyzed the benefits of her studying abroad, both for herself and for the recently affiliated Xie clan.
However, if she were to follow his arrangements, he would also be uneasy about her being alone and would need to find someone trustworthy to look after her.
"I have a friend at Huaiyin Acad..."
Xie Jiang quickly seized on the key point. "You have friends too? How many friends do you actually have?"
Xu Hengyan chuckled in surprise. "I'm not that unpopular..."
Xie Jiang wore her displeasure on her face, in bold capital letters.
"You are different from them." Sensing her possessiveness, Xu Hengyan felt both joy and concern.
"There's only one Xie Jiang in the world like me," Xie Jiang said proudly, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "And there's only one Xu Hengyan like you."
Xu Hengyan gazed into her eyes, which were more beautiful than any star he had ever seen. They were so beautiful that they could make one forget all the mundane affairs of the world.
Xu Hengyan suddenly understood the meaning of peaceful years.
Gazing deeply into her eyes, another pair of eyes flashed in his mind.
Xu Hengyan himself was startled, not knowing why the association came to him.
It was a pair of eyes he had seen in his youth, also exceptionally beautiful.
However, with the passage of time, the memory had long since blurred.
Before he could react, Xu Hengyan had already raised his hand and gently brushed the corner of her eyes with his fingertip, as if they were smudged.
Xie Jiang looked at him with confusion.
Xu Hengyan covered it up, "There's something dirty on it..."
He withdrew his hand, concealing it in his sleeve, and gently rubbed the residual warmth on his fingertips.
"If you're not too busy at the end of the year, I suggest you personally visit the four major academies. Only by going out and seeing for yourself can you know which academy suits you best. You don't seem interested in studying right now, but perhaps experiencing it firsthand will change your mind."
Xu Hengyan felt that someone like her could find joy anywhere.
The smile in Xie Jiang's eyes vanished. She continued to gesture at him with her chin.
Xu Hengyan smiled helplessly. "Do you dislike reading that much?"
Xie Jiang asked, "Why don't you ask Xu Hengyi if he likes reading?"
Does Xu Hengyi need to be asked? Xu Hengyan frowned. "How can you compare yourself to him?"
Of Xie Jiang's two hundred and six bones, two hundred and five were rebellious, and the remaining one was always ready to rebel. "I can compare myself to whomever I want. Xu Hengyi isn't without his merits; at least he's better than you in one aspect."
Better than him?
Xu Hengyan's brow furrowed even deeper. "What merits does Xu Hengyi have?" His empty head? Or his talent for eating, drinking, and having fun?