"Hmm?" Lin Yan didn't understand her meaning, but seeing her glance at the noble ladies over there, Lin Yan understood.
"Perhaps it's because my fiancé is too likable."
Because he was likable, her existence as his fiancée must have been an eyesore to others.
"You're quite amusing. I am Xu Ling, granddaughter of Grand Secretary Xu," she introduced herself with a smile.
"I am the cousin from the Marquis of Huaiyin's estate, Lin Yan of the Lin family," Lin Yan said, offering a smile.
"You should smile more. You're quite likable when you do," Xu Ling said, gazing at Lin Yan's smile as if in a daze, which made Lin Yan smile even wider.
"You are also very likable," Lin Yan said, not as a form of comfort, but because she genuinely found the young lady before her very likable.
"Of course, I know I'm likable. But you are entirely different from what I imagined," Xu Ling said, not elaborating on what she had imagined Lin Yan to be like.
But Lin Yan understood her unspoken thoughts.
What should a cousin, who had become an orphan, be like? Especially when her reputation was that of being in poor health.
A frail orphan with a highly enviable betrothal. She would either be self-pitying and live in sorrow, clinging to this last straw like a dodder,
or she would be neurotic, believing everyone was after her fiancé, clinging tightly to the Marquis's estate and living her life as a joke.
Moreover, the Marquis's wife's actions were no secret in the capital.
She had expected to see a sickly, downtrodden girl.
But Lin Yan was nothing like she had imagined. However, if Lin Yan had been as she imagined, Xu Ling would not have approached her.
Xu Ling herself didn't particularly like such occasions. Although everyone appeared to be in harmony, there were distinct factions, vying for attention and engaging in intricate schemes.
While she did have some good confidantes, they were daughters of her father's peers, many of whom had been sent away.
Her grandfather had only recently become a Grand Secretary, attracting many people who sought to curry favor with her. Xu Ling found them all too insincere and wasn't keen on socializing with them.
Xu Ling's family did not have a strict distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. The family rule was that a man could only take a concubine if he had no sons by the age of forty, so she didn't understand why the divisions between legitimate and illegitimate children caused so much trouble.
There was the faction of legitimate daughters and the faction of illegitimate daughters, as if one couldn't exist without being assigned to a faction. Xu Ling found this very annoying. Fortunately, her grandfather's achievements allowed her to remain unaligned without anyone daring to object.
"Everyone has their own way of living. Since things are as they are, I must find a way to live more at ease," Lin Yan said, gesturing for Gu Yu to pour Xu Ling some tea.
"You're quite good at enjoying yourself. I'll have someone bring a food box next time," Xu Ling said, drinking the tea Lin Yan had brought. It was fragrant and very much to her liking.
"That might not be feasible. I don't attract much attention, and everyone knows I'm in poor health. If you were to bring one, the host might think you're dissatisfied with the food provided. The cook preparing the food would likely face repercussions."
"I was just saying. Come, I'll introduce you to some people," Xu Ling said, about to pull Lin Yan away.
Being pulled away, Lin Yan could only signal Gu Yu with her eyes to put away the things.
The ladies Xu Ling introduced Lin Yan to were all from scholarly families. They were all sympathetic to Lin Yan's predicament, though they didn't overtly show it.
However, they were cautious when interacting with Lin Yan. Seeing that Lin Yan truly didn't mind, their interactions became much more relaxed.
Among them, Xu Ling's family held the highest official position, while the most talented was Cao Ying, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel.
Although the daughters of scholarly families were expected to be demure, Xu Ling's cheerful and forthright nature made her quite lively among these gentle ladies.
"Ah Ling is usually this straightforward. I hope Miss Lin isn't offended," Cao Ying said apologetically to Lin Yan.
They had just been discussing Miss Lin, and unexpectedly, Ah Ling had run off to strike up a conversation with her and had even eaten her snacks and tea.
"Miss Cao worries too much. Miss Xu's cheerful and direct manner is very enviable." Who wouldn't want to live such a carefree life?
"Yes, she's heartless and lives very happily," Cao Ying said, her words true, but her gaze towards Xu Ling was filled with tenderness.
"Miss Xu must be very loved by her elders to be so carefree," Lin Yan sighed. Only under the doting care of parents and elders could such a disposition be cultivated.
Cao Ying didn't pick up on Lin Yan's words. After all, Lin Yan's parents were gone, and to continue the topic would be to rub salt in her wounds.
"What are you skilled at, Miss Lin? Would you like to participate? Although our poetry won't be published, it's fine for sharing among friends," Cao Ying invited.
Lin Yan's father had many poems and essays circulated in his time. Even the annual Plum Blossom Appreciation Gathering had included several of his poems.
Lin Yan, raised by him, should be quite accomplished.
"I'm not skilled at writing poetry. My father said my prose was too pedantic. However, I'm decent at playing the zither. I'll play for everyone later to liven things up."
Seeing that Lin Yan showed no sign of sadness when mentioning her father, Cao Ying realized she had moved past her grief and felt more at ease speaking with her.
"What are you talking about?" Xu Ling strode over. "The poetry gathering is about to begin. Let's go watch the excitement together!"
Xu Ling didn't particularly enjoy writing poetry, but her appreciation for it was quite high. Ever since she started attending various banquets, she had treated some people's poems as a form of entertainment.
However, she knew that such behavior could be offensive, so she only made such remarks in her mind.
"Miss Lin, please," Cao Ying said, gesturing slightly to the side.
"Miss Cao, please," Lin Yan also made way.
"Oh, you two are so troublesome. Why all the fuss? Let's all go, let's all go!" Xu Ling pulled both of them along.
She didn't forget the other young ladies nearby, calling out to them to join as well.
The fathers of these young ladies did not hold high official positions, but their fathers were classmates or peers with Xu Ling's and Cao Ying's fathers, so they had always played together.
By the time Lin Yan and her group arrived at the open space in the center, many young ladies had already gathered. Looking out, it was as if spring had arrived with the profusion of peach and willow colors.
Lin Yan observed the young ladies carefully and noticed that they were clearly divided into two factions: the dependents of civil officials and the dependents of military officials stood on opposite sides, clearly demarcated.
There was also a less obvious boundary between legitimate and illegitimate daughters, which could be discerned with close observation.
Lin Yan stood on this side, completely in a different faction from the Marquis's wife. The noble families on the Marquis's wife's side were dressed opulently. Even the illegitimate daughters were adorned with gold and silver.
In contrast, the dependents of civil officials on Lin Yan's side were dressed more plainly. This plainness was relative to the ostentation of the noble families.
Gold and silver on their persons served only as embellishments. Their hair ornaments were primarily jade, and their clothing did not feature gold or silver threads.
In comparison, they appeared somewhat subdued, but upon closer inspection, the tailoring and embroidery revealed subtle craftsmanship.
Lin Yan's style of dress matched that of this group, and by standing here, she blended in completely. Consequently, she appeared somewhat out of place within the Marquis's estate.