Page 670

Xun Qingqing put down her hand and turned her head toward Cai Xia, "What do you know?

Today is the Double Seventh Festival, how could the streets not be teeming with young couples flaunting their affection?

A single dog like me going out will definitely be stuffed to death by their show of affection. "

Cai Xia listened with a bewildered face, "Miss, the more you talk, the less I understand. As a lady from a noble family, how can you compare yourself to a dog? Even as a maid, I wouldn’t eat what a dog eats, so how could you?"

Xun Qingqing: "..." Next time, she would have to make Cai Xia read romance novels together with her; otherwise, even chatting would be laborious.

"Miss, let’s go out for a stroll. We can also go and pray to the seventh sister for a good marriage match," Cai Xia suggested eagerly.

In the end, Xun Qingqing relented. She didn’t want to be forced to endure the sight of lovey-dovey couples, but Cai Xia was willing.

She stood up, pulled out her handkerchief, and adjusted the tassels at her temples. "Fine, then. This miss will take you out for a walk."

Seeing that the miss was willing to go out, Cai Xia happily followed.

Xun Qingqing went out with her personal maid, just in time to be seen by the general’s wife.

The general’s wife was always worried about her daughter and knew that she wasn’t as lively as before, mostly because of her face.

She was overjoyed to see her daughter leaving the Duke Residence to pay respects to the seventh sister.

"Changfeng, follow them, and don’t let anyone bully Qingqing."

"Mother, rest assured. I will definitely not let anyone bully sister," Xun Changfeng said.

After speaking, he turned and followed them.

To ensure his sister enjoyed herself to the fullest, he just followed from a distance, making sure she was not bullied.

On the Double Seventh Festival, the streets were several times busier than usual.

Young men and women who usually stayed indoors also went out to pray to the seventh sister.

Xun Qingqing looked at the lively streets, which marked her first Double Seventh Festival since leaving the palace. Before entering the palace, it was always her brothers who took her out to have fun.

In the blink of an eye, several years had passed.

Xun Qingqing felt melancholic about how fast time had flown; she was almost twenty years old.

"Yo, isn’t that Qingqing? Are you also here to pray to the seventh sister?"

Xun Qingqing heard a familiar female voice and turned around to see a woman in rose-colored clothes, standing less than two meters away. The woman wore delicately applied makeup and a luxurious pearl hairpin.

And this woman was Cao Yanran, the legitimate daughter of Duke Cao, a year younger than herself, who liked to compare herself with others in everything.

It was exactly what Xun Qingqing couldn’t stand, so every time she saw Cao Yanran competing with others, she would retort with a few words.

Cao Yanran was not easy to bully either. Each time, adorned with gold and silver, she would make a show of her wealth.

In every tea party gathering, it was inevitable that the daughters of wealthy families would flaunt their hair ornaments and clothes.

Since leaving the palace, Xun Qingqing had only seen Cao Yanran once, at a gathering organized by a group of young noblewomen, in her honour.

At first, she thought they truly missed her. It was only after attending that she realized their ulterior motive was simply to see how heartbroken she was after being expelled from the palace.

Unfortunately for them, she was very happy and showed no sign of disappointment.

Cao Yanran did not come out alone; by her side stood a man, none other than Du Zhiheng, the scholar whom she had previously rejected.

Xun Qingqing had heard that the top scholar and Duke Cao’s legitimate daughter Cao Yanran were soon to be engaged, and seeing them today confirmed the rumors were not unfounded.

When Du Zhiheng saw Xun Qingqing, the one who had refused him, he had already heard about her disfigurement. Now seeing her wearing a veil, it was clear her face must have been badly damaged, yet he still found it somewhat unbelievable.

This was probably karma taking its turn. Would Xun Qingqing regret rejecting him?

Du Zhiheng stepped forward to greet her, "Miss Xun."

Xun Qingqing, directly ignoring Cao Yanran’s deliberately chummy address, smiled and said, "How could I miss out on the bustle of the Double Seventh Festival today?"

She then glanced at Du Zhiheng, "The top scholar has come as well."

Du Zhiheng looked down at Cao Yanran. Although not as stunning as Xun Qingqing used to be, she was still beautiful. Moreover, when compared to the disfigured Xun Qingqing, she was even more attractive.

"I am accompanying Yanran," he said.

Cao Yanran lifted her gaze to Du Zhiheng, her eyes brimming with bashfulness.

Xun Qingqing rolled her eyes. She had just stepped out and hadn’t even started having fun yet, but she was already being force-fed a dose of affection.

Cao Yanran turned her attention back to Xun Qingqing and glanced at the veil over her cheek, knowing all too well what that meant—a face too ugly to be seen.

Previously in terms of beauty, Xun Qingqing had only a slight edge over her.

Now, Xun Qingqing was simply not in her league.

A victorious gleam shone in Cao Yanran’s eyes: "That’s right, Qingqing loves bustling events the most. With the Double Seventh Festival being so lively, you surely wouldn’t miss it, but..." Cao Yanran looked around as if in surprise and added, "How come Qingqing is out alone?"