bookrebus Chapter 103 He Mingning and Fan Junyu (1)
Chapter 103 He Mingning and Fan Junyu (1)
Qin Yaoyao's lips curled into a slight smile as she said coquettishly, "Hmph, thankfully this time I didn't waste the opportunity I painstakingly created for them, otherwise, I would have made that guy regret it!" He Yanxi, standing beside her, quickly reached out and pulled her back, gently soothing her, "Alright, alright, my dear lady, don't get upset. Look, the other couple has already arrived, let's just quietly watch the show!" Hearing this, Qin Yaoyao turned her head and saw that the door to the next room was slowly being pushed open.
The first thing that catches the eye is He Mingning's snow-white, ethereal robes. Her graceful figure, with each step like a lotus blossom, makes her appear as a blooming white lotus, pure, refined, and elegant. Following behind her is Fan Junyu, dressed in a light blue long robe, which further accentuates his tall and slender figure. His face is cold and stern, his sharp eyebrows and bright eyes revealing a chilling aura that makes one hesitant to approach.
Once inside, the previously spacious room seemed to shrink instantly, and an awkward atmosphere filled the air. He Mingning broke the silence first, her lips slightly parted, and she said softly, "Young Master Fan, it seems our fate is truly shallow to meet here today." Her beautiful eyes flickered, as if she had a thousand words to say but couldn't. Fan Junyu, upon hearing this, bowed slightly, his voice deep and magnetic: "Your Highness, it's a pleasure to meet you." After a brief greeting, the two found seats.
However, the atmosphere grew increasingly awkward. He Mingning held a delicate teacup, taking a small sip of tea with elegant grace; while Fan Junyu stared intently at the table, as if it were covered with dense scriptures, refusing to glance at the beauty opposite him even for a moment. Apart from the occasional soft clinking of cups, the room was completely silent. Qin Yaoyao paced anxiously back and forth in the dimly lit room, like an ant on a hot plate. She complained, "Oh dear, this Xiaoyu is such a blockhead! When he's with a girl, why doesn't he take the initiative to find something interesting to talk about? Does he expect the girl to speak first? It's driving me crazy!"
Meanwhile, He Yanxi, seeing Qin Yaoyao's anxious appearance, couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing. He smiled and comforted her, "Alright, Yaoyao, don't be so impatient. You know that Fan Junyu has always been aloof and cold, and he hasn't had any contact with any woman over the years. This is their first meeting, so it's understandable that they have nothing to say to each other for a moment."
Upon hearing this, Qin Yaoyao stopped and pouted, muttering, "That's true, but how can we get to know each other better by just sitting here like this? Even if we don't know what to talk about, it would be better to casually ask about Her Highness's health than to remain silent and unresponsive like this."
Seeing this, He Yanxi quickly reached out and took Qin Yaoyao's small hand, gently coaxing her, "Good girl, my dear Yaoyao, don't worry. They're just a little unfamiliar with each other right now and haven't fully adapted yet. I believe it won't be long before Fan Junyu takes the initiative to break the silence and finds a suitable way to talk to the princess."
Qin Yaoyao looked at He Yanxi with suspicion and pressed, "Is that really true?" He Yanxi nodded earnestly and assured her, "Of course it's true. We'll see." But no sooner had he finished speaking than a slight noise suddenly came from the previously quiet room…
After a long while, as if time itself had frozen, Fan Junyu's gaze slowly fell upon the exquisite and tempting food on the table. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and picked up a piece of crystal cake, translucent and as beautiful as jade. He then gently offered this fragrant pastry to He Mingning, saying softly, "Princess, this crystal cake tastes wonderful. Why don't you try it and see if it suits your taste?"
He Mingning was completely taken aback by Fan Junyu's sudden intimate gesture, and was slightly stunned. She instinctively put down the teacup she was holding, her movements elegant and composed, but a hint of surprise flickered in her eyes. Then, she reached out and took the crystal cake, her slender, white fingers and the delicate pink pastry creating a beautiful scene. Without hesitation, she put the crystal cake into her mouth and took a small bite. Instantly, a sweet taste spread through her mouth, making her eyes light up.
"Mmm, truly delicious!" He Mingning couldn't help but exclaim, her voice clear and melodious, like a nightingale's song. From the moment they met, He Mingning had maintained a dignified and reserved demeanor, rarely smiling. However, at this moment, because of this sweet and delicious crystal cake, she finally revealed a different expression—a genuine joy and satisfaction. This real and vivid expression made her appear more lively and spirited, a stark contrast to her previous reserved image.
Fan Junyu gazed quietly at He Mingning before him, inwardly marveling at her current charming and adorable appearance. He had always seen He Mingning as noble and aloof, with impeccable poise, seemingly unmoved by anything external. But now, a mere piece of crystal cake had revealed such an innocent and carefree side to her, a truly unexpected and delightful surprise. Looking at He Mingning's blossoming smile, Fan Junyu's perpetually unchanging lips unconsciously curved upwards into a faint smile.
He Mingning clearly noticed Fan Junyu's smile as well, and her heart skipped a beat. Before this, she had never seen Fan Junyu smile; she had always considered him a serious and rigid person. Now, seeing him smile so beautifully, she found it possessed a unique charm that was captivating. So, she stared at Fan Junyu, speechless for a moment, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the two of them and the smiles in their eyes.
Fan Junyu noticed He Mingning's intense gaze lingering on him, and a sense of confusion arose in his heart. He subconsciously raised his hand to touch his cheek and asked softly, "Princess, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Upon hearing this, He Mingning immediately snapped out of her daze, a blush creeping onto her face. She quickly looked away and whispered, "No, that's not true. Perhaps I was just a little distracted." Seeing this, Fan Junyu didn't press the matter further, and the atmosphere became subtly awkward.
Qin Yaoyao turned her head slightly, looking directly at He Yanxi, and said softly, "How did you know that Xiaoyu would speak up? I originally thought that the two of them would remain silent until lunchtime!"
He Yanxi's lips curled into a faint smile. He reached out and gently pulled Qin Yaoyao into his arms, settling her comfortably on his lap. Then, he explained softly, "It's not hard to guess, Yaoyao. Think about it, Fan Junyu served as governor for a full three years! Although he hasn't had much interaction with women in the past, with his abilities and experience, his ability to adapt to new environments and new people is naturally extraordinary. The reason he remained silent just now was simply because he was trying to adjust his mindset, attempting to transform this unfamiliar woman into someone relatively familiar."
Qin Yaoyao blinked her big, bright eyes, still looking puzzled, and asked, "But why go through all this trouble? They're already engaged, so shouldn't the princess be considered family? If that's the case, why not just treat her like family?"
He Yanxi hugged Qin Yaoyao tightly and explained softly, "How can these two be compared?" His gaze was sincere and firm, as if he wanted to convey his deepest thoughts to the woman in front of him who had captured his heart.
"Although they are engaged, they have never actually met and are like strangers to each other, with no understanding or interaction whatsoever. When we encounter a complete stranger, it is enough to treat them with courtesy. However, if the person we meet is a stranger but has some kind of relationship with us, then there are naturally more things to consider."
Qin Yaoyao continued to gaze quietly at He Yanxi, a hint of doubt flickering in her beautiful eyes, as if she hadn't fully grasped what he was saying. Seeing this, He Yanxi smiled slightly and patiently continued his explanation.
For example, as the governor, Fan Junyu would act impartially and strictly according to regulations when dealing with other officials; and when encountering ordinary people, he would treat everyone with the same composure and courtesy. Why? Because for those officials, he was merely performing his duty of inspection, needing only to handle matters with fairness and impartiality; as for the people, he only needed to ensure they received the care and assistance they deserved, and that their needs were met. After all, once he left, no one knew when they would return, so there was no need to overly concern themselves with the feelings and thoughts of others.
Qin Yaoyao blinked her big, bright eyes, her face full of doubt, and asked, "Then why not just treat them like family?" He Yanxi gently hugged Qin Yaoyao tighter and explained softly, "Treating family is indeed much easier and more natural because we've lived with them since we were little, and we know everyone's temperament and personality inside and out. Even if there are occasional disagreements, we all tolerate and understand each other. However, with a complete stranger, our instinctive reaction is to cautiously probe and gradually explore and get to know everything about the other person. Especially for an engaged couple like them, besides trying to understand each other, they also need to consider each other's families. After all, the relationship between the princess and her aunt is very close, and if it affects the harmony of others because of him, it would be a loss. Therefore, naturally, he is particularly cautious when facing this relationship."