After standing in the distance and thinking for a while, she walked into the garden. The man in white sat quietly at the stone table by the pool, looking at the red lotus in full bloom and thinking about his own things. It was the first time that Zhao Pei saw him dressed so casually. His clothes were so simple that there was no decoration, just pure white. His collar was slightly open, revealing his slender neck and the white jade collarbone. His shiny and smooth black hair was simply pinned with a mutton-fat jade hairpin, and the loose black hair on both temples was left hanging on the snow-white clothes, the black and white were particularly clear.
Perhaps because he had just recovered from a long illness, his face was a little pale, his eyes were half closed, and his thick eyelashes cast a light shadow. But he had a somewhat elegant and leisurely smile, as if he was thinking about something pleasant, and his whole body exuded such a leisurely and contented brilliance. Even though the weather was stuffy, she felt cool and refreshed all over.
That was the first time Zhao Pei saw him with such an expression. He was no longer a bird imprisoned in a golden cage, but a swan that could truly spread its wings and fly high.
She felt that he was about to spread his wings and fly towards the longed-for sky.
Zhao Pei didn't dare to disturb such a quiet and leisurely painting, but he slowly turned his head to look at her and smiled calmly. At that moment, she felt that the enchanting red lotus in the pool was eclipsed by it.
"Pei Pei." Xiao Tong called her like this. Zhao Pei thought his next question would be: Why are you here? But he said, "Come and sit down."
She understood a little, and the person who brought her to Xiao Tong gradually became clear, but she was a little skeptical. Given Xiao Tong's personality, how could he be like this? What was even more surprising was that Yao Yunshang actually compromised? In the past, Yao Yunshang had always been resistant to Zhao Pei, but this time was rare... ...
Shaking her head to get rid of those thoughts, she smiled and sat on the stone bench opposite him. Xiao Tong did not say anything, but looked at her silently. Zhao Pei seemed to have dressed up carefully before going out. She had an exquisite Hanyan Furong bun, with a ruby hairpin inserted diagonally, red like blood drops, and strands of golden tassels hanging from the back of her head to her neck. The scarlet gauze skirt had a wide neckline with intricate and varied golden lotus embroidery patterns, and the milky white lining was embroidered with dark water cloud patterns, which made her skin look even whiter than snow. Her eyebrows were still as beautiful as red lotus, spotless, stunning but not enchanting.
Zhao Pei was somewhat at a loss under his silent gaze. His drunken words half a month ago came to mind, and she felt a little flustered. She shook her body and smiled, "Brother, I heard you were sick a few days ago. Are you feeling better now?"
Xiao Tongfeng smiled and said calmly, "I'm much better now, but I just caught a cold, so don't worry."
Zhao Pei asked him cautiously: "Is it really just a cold? Nothing else?"
Xiao Tong met her worried eyes and smiled warmly: "It's just a cold, Peipei, you're worrying too much." Zhao Pei then breathed a sigh of relief, with mixed feelings.
Xiao Tong's eyes fell on her bulging belly. Her slender hands habitually wrapped around her bulging belly, making a protective gesture. Her wrists were white and clean, and she didn't even wear any jewelry for fear of bumping her belly.
With an indescribable emotion in his eyes, he couldn't help but ask, "Does Pepe want to have a boy or a girl?"
“Hmm…” Zhao Pei smiled awkwardly, “I think… it would be nice if it’s a boy. Zhen’er is clamoring for a younger brother, and Qi Fu also…” She continued speaking but suddenly stopped. She saw the man in front of her lowered his eyes, hiding the expression in his eyes, and tapped the table lightly.
She knew that whenever he had something on his mind, he would knock on the table uncontrollably like this.
Zhao Pei was speechless, biting her lip and stopped talking. The man in front of her was thinking about something, and his expression suddenly became serious. After a while, he looked up and smiled at her: "Has Pei Pei named the child?"
"Not yet..." Zhao Pei scratched his head, "I can't think of any brilliant name for now."
Xiao Tong smiled and said, "The name doesn't have to be different from others, as long as it contains the parents' wishes." Zhao Pei nodded and thought: Is this what Xiao Huan is like? Do you want your child to be happy
"Deshi..." Xiao Tong couldn't help but call him, and looked at her with a faint smile. Zhao Pei opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but no sound came out. She smiled at herself and then shook her head.
"Sometimes I wonder if I'm overthinking and taking too many things into account." Seeing that she didn't continue, Xiao Tong continued to talk to himself, "That kind of life is really tiring. I have to think about everything carefully. Every time I take a step, I have to think about whether there will be mistakes in the next ten steps. Every time I say a word, I have to think about whether there are possible mistakes in the next ten steps. It's really tiring..."
Zhao Pei looked at him, seeing the fatigue in his eyes. I remember the first time I saw him, he was tall and handsome, his eyes were clear and bright. But now... he was getting thinner and thinner. How could such a thin body bear the burden of a country
"At that time, I thought I would stay in such a high position for my whole life, for Daliang, for my father, for my mother, and for my people. Even if I have to work hard and suffer, as long as they are happy, that's enough. But later I found out... I found out that I have lost a lot, freedom, understanding, happiness and..." Xiao Tong said slowly, looking up at her for a moment, "This position is too lonely, too cruel, too ruthless. Oh, I don't know how long I can hold on." The self-deprecating smile made Zhao Pei feel bitter. She advised with a hoarse voice: "Deshi, don't say that. The people respect you very much, you can do it."
"The people of the Xiao family have the demeanor of a ruler in their blood. I think no one is inferior to me." Xiao Tong's words were too strange. Zhao Pei felt a little inexplicably panic in her chest. She hurriedly said, "No. I believe that no one can be better than you. In my heart, no one can surpass you." After saying this, she was stunned.
How could such long-term forbearance be revealed in such a moment
Xiao Tong's eyes sparkled, and a very satisfied smile appeared on his lips as he listened to her words: "Thank you." He looked at her anxious face for a long time, as if he wanted to deeply imprint that face in his heart. "Allow me to be selfish for once..." He muttered aloud, but Zhao Pei didn't hear it clearly.
Before she could ask, Xiao Tong stood up and smiled at her, brushing his robe and saying, "Pei Pei, do you think the lotus flowers in the pond are beautiful?"
Zhao Pei looked over. It was a pond, but it was no less than a lake. The vast waters were filled with lotuses, each one connected together, with its neck raised high and in full bloom. Some were half a person tall, and they stretched out in layers, with no end in sight. "Yeah." Zhao Pei responded, looking at him with some confusion. Xiao Tong's words and actions were a little strange today, and she couldn't guess what he was thinking.
Xiao Tong smiled and said, "I suddenly feel like picking some lotus flowers." As he approached the waterside, Zhao Pei could see clearly that there was a small boat under the shadow of the willow trees on the shore. Xiao Tong wanted to go up, but Zhao Pei suddenly felt a panic in her heart. She quickly stood up and walked over to persuade him, "Why go by yourself? It's just a few lotus flowers. Let the servants go."
Xiao Tong smiled and said, "It's better to go by yourself to cross the river and pick lotus flowers to experience the artistic conception."
Zhao Pei tried her best to suppress the panic in her heart. She said, "I'll go with you." Then she followed him to get on the boat. Xiao Tong just smiled and held her hand: "You are not feeling well, so don't go. Pei Pei has been out for a long time, so it's better to go back early." His hand was a little cold, but it was so strong that it hurt her. Zhao Pei was about to say something, but he let go of her hand and turned to get on the boat. Fearing that Zhao Pei would follow him, he quickly took up the oar and paddled away from the shore.
Xiao Tong smiled as if in the spring breeze, and gazed at Zhao Pei carefully, with a serious and affectionate look, but with a hint of sadness of parting. Zhao Pei looked at the indifferent smile on his face, and her uneasiness became more and more intense.
“Deshi…” she exclaimed, but he had turned around and no longer looked at her.
"Go back, I'll be back in a bit." Xiao Tong held up the oars, his back straight. The wide sleeves of the white dress fluttered, but with an lingering melancholy.
"No, I'll wait for you here." Zhao Pei said anxiously. She chased after him a few more steps until her embroidered shoes were stained with wetness, then she stopped.
"No need." His voice was very soft, drifting away in the wind, and it was unknown whether Zhao Pei could hear it. However, he stubbornly refused to turn back, staring straight at the lotus flowers blooming in the distance. All he left for her was a thin but tall figure.
The indescribable sadness and uneasiness came over her, sweeping over her body and mind. She suddenly had the illusion that she was about to leave him forever.
"I'll wait for you!" She yelled at the back, but he still didn't turn around, and didn't even say another word. He just straightened his back and rowed silently. The oar seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, and every time he rowed, it seemed as if he had used all his strength. In front of Zhao Pei's eyes, green mountains were faintly visible, layers of floating clouds, green waves were sparkling, and white cranes were dotted, but the white figure merged into a pool of lotus and disappeared.
Zhao Pei stood on the shore waiting for him. From noon to dusk, he never showed up again... (To be continued)