C20. The Past.

Chapter 20: Past

Xi Che's eyes dimmed slightly, and he pursed his lips as if trying to restrain something.

Suddenly, he recalled Ji Li's expression when she first saw him in a black robe, and the slight hint of strangeness in her pause.

After almost two months in the general's mansion, he was no longer clueless about everything.

Thinking about the information he had gathered in recent days, a wave of complicated emotions surged in his chest, making him uncomfortable.

Ji Li had a lot of history with that person.

Upon learning about it for the first time, he surprisingly felt a twinge of envy.

Every time he recalled it, other emotions inevitably arose uncontrollably.

That person was a prince, currently showing his prowess and enjoying success.

And he knew he couldn't compare.

But what he was more concerned about was another matter.

That person...at least had the opportunity to do those things openly and aboveboard.

Sending messages, sending various items and gifts...

His eyes flickered, his heart churned, and an unnamed jealousy ignited within him.

A jealousy tinged with malicious intent.

Those dark and unspeakable thoughts.

In the next moment, he sensed Ji Li's gaze on him and quickly regained his composure.

At the moment, he didn't have that privilege.

He slightly stifled his smile and said, "These colors are quite eye-catching, completely different from the black style, and indeed, they look good." There was a hint of implication in his words.

He kept telling himself repeatedly: maintaining this relationship was good enough.

But when he mentioned the words "completely different", he emphasized his tone.

Glancing at the person beside him, he casually tucked the nearby fabric into his arms.

It was the same colors Ji Li had just pointed out.

Unaware, she thought Xi Che had finally come around, "You should wear brighter colors more often." Praising him, she added, "Your features are delicate and can carry it well."

Lightly touching various fabrics, she casually asked, "Are you still comfortable with your studies these days?"

Since their first meeting, she had felt pity for his frail appearance.

Being half a year older, over time, she couldn't help but show some caring and protective feelings towards him, like an older sister.

Being an only child, she longed for siblings like many others.

Occasionally, she would imagine scenarios where she had a brother or sister.

So whenever she asked about serious matters, she unintentionally revealed a sisterly tone, "If there's anything you're not used to, just tell me."

"No." He thought of the effort and kindness Xu Zexu had shown him and added, "Cousin teaches me very diligently."

Ji Li paused, looking at him, "Cousin?"

This person...?

Xi Che suddenly seemed to realize something and his cheeks quickly flushed, a hint of awkwardness in his demeanor, "I, I don't know what to call him... So besides calling him 'teacher' during class, I just followed your lead in private."

Ji Li: "..."

Even if she was slow on the uptake, she faintly sensed his subtle intentions.

Being caught off guard by Xi Che's odd train of thought, she chuckled, "You're quite good at playing along."

Xi Che lowered his eyes, pretending to be clueless as he smiled.

He had expected Ji Li to say something to him, but she simply glossed over it.

He couldn't help but feel a slight stir in his heart.

Having spent these days by her side, Ji Li would occasionally instruct him on various tasks.

A nameless tacit understanding seemed to have developed between them.

Forgetting the earlier conversation, he buried it in his heart.

As the weather turned colder and the shop closed, he found himself with more time to spend by her side.

Faced with the scrutiny, whether overt or subtle, he couldn't help but feel greed for more.

Yet, his reason firmly held him back.

In the tug-of-war, thoughts that shouldn't belong to him would inevitably arise.

He was always able to endure.

But...when Ji Li tentatively invited him to go see the Lantern Festival.

He couldn't resist, and for a moment, his mind went blank.

"The Lantern Festival is a traditional festival here, usually in November, when the nights grow longer after it gets cold." She thought to herself that it was the first time he was experiencing this, and she explained earnestly, "So people would make elaborate lanterns to dispel the darkness, it's also a beautiful wish." She said it with a bit more emphasis.

She spoke for a while, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the person beside her was somewhat distracted, so she reached out and gave him a tug, "Are you listening?"

Her gaze fell on the young man dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, the door slightly ajar, with a shimmering halo of light reflecting on him, casting a faint glow.

His bright red lips quirked up slightly, and upon hearing Ji Li's question, he instinctively replied, "I'm listening."

She didn't believe him, chuckling lightly as she asked, "Then what did I just say?"

Xi Che: "You said you wanted to take me to see the Lantern Festival."

Ji Li: "..."

She looked up at him and suddenly had a mischievous idea, "I was just giving you some information. When did I say I wanted to take you there?"

Xi Che fell silent again.

Whenever he felt wronged, he would adopt a puppy-like expression, with teary eyes gazing straight at her.

His eyes were naturally beautiful, and when they drifted, lifting his eyelids to look, it inexplicably made people look away, unable to meet his gaze.

Ji Li was no different at this moment.

She paused for a few breaths and said, "You...didn't say anything wrong."

*

As the stars sank and the moon set, time flowed like rain.

After selecting the fabric, she temporarily put the matter aside and systematically continued with her usual tasks.

However, when the clothes were finished, this person found another reason to seek her out.

Seeing the uninvited visitor, Ji Li pinched her brow with a headache and asked, "What is it this time?"

Xi Che felt fine and confidently found his usual seat, "Can I not come if there's nothing wrong?" he asked with a hint of self-pity.

"It's just that you're busy with your studies every day and come over early in the morning to practice martial arts with me, where do you find the energy to come over here as well?"

The young man looked serious, and something he said seemed to hit a nerve, as he said firmly, "I have plenty of energy."

Ji Li glanced at him and curled her lips, "I can see that."

The day before yesterday he didn't understand the skills, yesterday he came to have lunch, and today...

The fair-faced young man blushed, and between his brows, there seemed to be a hint of distress as he sat there in silence.

He seemed to blend well with the current atmosphere.

She looked at Xi Che in his new attire, guessing why he had come.

The young man wore a white outer robe, the new fabric she had pointed out to him that day.

It was embroidered with bamboo shadows and flying birds, which suited him well.

Over the long robe, he wore a moss-green jacket, highlighting his extremely fair skin, as if a thin layer of lead powder had been applied, but there was no trace of femininity.

Sitting up straight, he inexplicably evoked images of snow-covered cold pines, handsome yet aloof.

However, for Ji Li, she remembered the somewhat naive side he had at Ronghua Temple, a bit shyly asking her if he looked good.

Now, he had changed his tune and was relying on this facade.

Probably waiting for her to ask.

Deciding to play along, she mimicked the posture of the person beside her, poured herself a cup of tea with ease.

With each movement, a scent of sandalwood lingered in the air.

The blue tea paired with the elegant sandalwood scent, warming the heart.

Not far outside, birds chirped twice, leaving the bare branches and fluttering away.

After a while, Xi Che couldn't hold back and asked her, "Have you... not noticed any difference in me today compared to yesterday?" Despite his casual tone, there was a clear hint of concern in his words.

Ji Li couldn't tell if it was intentional or not.

Having spent a long time together, Ji Li had a rough idea of his ways.

Feeling that he truly resembled a younger brother in his innocence, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

After a few attempts, she reluctantly said, "How would I know if you've changed?" Before he could respond, she added, "I'm not very perceptive. If you don't want to tell me, then forget it..."

She rarely acted so contrived, and this sudden twist of mischief made her feel slightly uncomfortable.

As she spoke, her voice gradually faded, almost disappearing.

Concluding the conversation, Ji Li lifted her head and saw Xi Che staring at her intently, displaying a faint gleam in his eyes, with a color she couldn't quite decipher.

Intriguing.