Initially.
Old Lady Fang gave a bitter smile.
"You're right," she said, "I truly disliked the foolish Jun Zhenzhen back then, indeed I ignored her completely."
The Ning Family thought she was a disgrace, and so did the Fang Family.
The Ning Family wished she would just die, while the Fang Family thought of sending her away to avoid annoyance.
All this was because she was worthless, all because they felt she brought nothing but shame.
"It's shameful when you think about it." Old Lady Fang sat down and chuckled self-mockingly, "What right do I have to point fingers at her now?"
Fang Chengyu shook his head.
"It's not like that," he said with a smile, "Grandmother, it's because we owed her in the past that we need to make it up to her now, we definitely need to meddle in her affairs, to make a big deal out of her matters."
Like this?
Old Lady Fang looked at him, puzzled.
"Although it's somewhat shameless and ridiculous, if it can compensate for the past debts, what does it matter if it's shameless or ridiculous?" Fang Chengyu said, smiling again, "Although we can never fully make up for the past, it's better to do something than nothing."
Compensate?
Old Lady Fang looked at him somewhat melancholically.
That Jun Zhenzhen, who was ridiculed by the whole Yangcheng, foolishly chasing after the son of the Ning Family, idiotically declaring her heart, she almost forgot about her.
How to compensate?
"It's simple, whatever she did for others in the past, let others do it for her now," Fang Chengyu said with a laugh, "Previously, she chased after others, now let others chase after her, once she was disliked by many, now let many like her."
Like this? Old Lady Fang frowned, isn't that a bit too childish?
"Childish? Children are the best," Fang Chengyu laughed, "Only children can most honestly express their joy and affection, the innocence of a child is most precious."
"So you mean, the louder the Ning Family makes it, the better, and we shouldn't care about them?" Old Lady Fang said, looking at Fang Chengyu with a somewhat strange expression.
"Of course not," Fang Chengyu said seriously, "That would be just like before, ignoring everything again."
Old Lady Fang frowned.
So today I caused trouble, and you still come to question me?
"What then? Ignoring isn't okay, but intervening isn't okay either?" she said.
"Both ignoring and intervening are okay," Fang Chengyu said, "as long as we consult her opinion, everything follows her wishes."
Follow her wishes, ask her opinion.
Old Lady Fang raised an eyebrow.
"Like what?" she said.
"Like if today she wants to meet Noble Son Ning, we should cheerfully and enthusiastically send her off," Fang Chengyu said, his eyes shining.
Old Lady Fang smiled at him.
"I understand," she nodded, looking at Fang Chengyu with a trace of compassion, "And what if she says she wants to marry Noble Son Ning?"
Fang Chengyu's smile remained.
"Then we should even more cheerfully send her off to get married," he said, his tone serious, "after I have asked her if she truly wants to marry."
.........
The study of Eldest Master Ning also became tense after he announced that he wanted to go to the Fang Family to discuss marriage.
The son in front of him did not show the joy of having his wishes fulfilled, not even a trace of excitement.
This made the excited Eldest Master Ning somewhat uncomfortable.
"I'm very happy that father can think this way," Ning Yunzhao said.
His face was smiling, but Eldest Master Ning didn't feel very happy.
"I just wanted to talk to her first, ask her what she thinks before going to my father." He continued.
Oh, in essence, it seems he was afraid of rejection, feeling awkward about it.
Eldest Master Ning smiled knowingly.
Indeed, youthful timidness – getting rejected is normally a worry others face when confronting him, but now he was experiencing this trepidation too.
This is exactly what it means to be young. Being young is wonderful; it involves being touched, scared, restless, and pensive.
"Alright then, go and visit once more," he said. "But this time, please do not delay any further."
...
Miss Jun had not expected that this meeting at Luomei Pavilion would stir such intense emotions and discussions among both families.
Nor did she regard it as an unsuccessful encounter.
Half a cup of plum wine, two plum cakes, and a tale of Luomei Pavilion's past narrated by Ning Yunzhao while Old Lady Fang, having had one too many cups, made a fool of herself with the maids.
For her, these were all pleasant things. As for the four Jinyiwei sitting nearby, she could ignore Lu Yunqi, so they were nothing to her.
Now she continued to read her master's handwritten notes with a serene expression.
The latter half of the notes, possibly reflecting her master's increasingly perturbed emotions, were written more wildly and chaotically, filled with nonsensical rambling. She had to strive to discern and contemplate the meanings, but often, she realized that they were meaningless in the end.
In those final years, her master indeed became much more silent; it turns out, external quietness stemmed from internal turmoil.
She hadn't noticed nor cared.
After six years together, they were still like strangers.
This was her mistake.
Miss Jun looked at the handwritten notes in front of her.
She failed to see the good her master did for her, failed to realize how precious the lessons he taught were, and also failed to realize that her master was not an aloof, carefree deity.
Thus, heaven allowed her rebirth to make up for these mistakes.
But how can one rectify mistakes already made, how can one mend bonds with those who are gone?
Miss Jun let out a soft sigh, held the bookmark, and turned the page of the handwritten notes.
After reading through a page jumbled with names of several medicinal ingredients, Miss Jun abandoned her attempt at deciphering the meanings. Her master certainly didn't just jot down those ingredients aimlessly, yet she couldn't figure out his original intentions.
Better to read without overthinking and flip through as he instructed.
Turning the page, Miss Jun was momentarily taken aback.
Just like life itself, one can never anticipate what comes next in her master's notes—shock, delight, or astonishment had already occurred countless times within these thick pages.
From the initial shock of reading about maps, weapons, and Array Maps and needing breaks to digest them, Miss Jun has now grown accustomed, yet this time, she was still caught off guard.
This page had no chaotic writing, only a drawing.
It was not a map, not a weapon, nor an Array Map, but a painting.
A mountain lush with greenery, appearing both distant and near, seemingly cool amidst summer's haze.
Miss Jun smiled, unable to categorize what type of person her master was, but at least, his painting skills were commendable.
His landscape painting was good, and who knows what else he could paint.
She flipped the page and was again caught off guard.
Indeed, he was a painter.
What now appeared before her was another painting, a portrait, unlike the full-body sketches in Array Maps; it was a headshot.
A girl's portrait, large eyes, round face, sweet smile, as adorable as an Afu Doll from the marketplace.
Who could this be?
*******************************************
Thanks to Xi Yue Zai, Liangcha O Zouren, ? Last Shot?, and Nanfang's Ice for gifting He's Bi, O(∩_∩)O
Have a nice weekend.