Liu Yizhu and Li Mingwei had a bit of an unpleasant dispute, but they had to maintain a smiling facade in public. After the banquet ended, they bid farewell to Ya Yin and returned to the carriage, and Liu Yizhu's expression immediately fell.
Li Mingwei squeezed next to Ah Xiu and whispered, "I just saw them dancing, they seemed to be having a great time, didn't they?"
Ah Xiu shook her head. She was standing behind Li Mingwei, so she could only see the back of her head and couldn't tell if she was really happy. But Ah Xiu herself was having a great time watching the dance.
She excitedly said, "Miss, that lead dancer was truly amazing! It's a pity you didn't get to see it. What could you have been discussing with Murong Yu for so long? What a waste of money!"
Liu Yizhu also wanted to ask this question, silently staring at Li Mingwei.
"What could I possibly have to discuss with him?" Li Mingwei gave Ah Xiu a meaningful glance. "It's about that matter."
Ah Xiu understood in an instant, nodding and disdainfully saying, "He has no shame, still daring to bring it up. He just wants to take advantage of us. We shouldn't even bother with him."
"There's no way I would bother with him."
"Of course, our Miss is no longer so naive."
Li Mingwei slowly turned her head and glared at Ah Xiu. "What do you mean by that?"
"No, no, I misspoke." Ah Xiu hurriedly waved her hands. "I meant that Miss, you've become more sensible now."
"Is there a difference?"
Ah Xiu sheepishly said, "Is there a difference?"
Li Mingwei gave Ah Xiu a hard punch, then sat back down next to Liu Yizhu, clinging to his arm with a disgruntled expression, glaring at Ah Xiu. She was truly the most lowly of all the young ladies!
Ah Xiu was at a loss, but knowing she was in the wrong, she pulled the carriage curtain and hid outside.
Seeing that Liu Yizhu was still silent, Li Mingwei nudged him. "Husband~"
Liu Yizhu ignored her.
Li Mingwei let go of his arm and said glumly, "Can't you be like this? I'm only in the Capital City for a few days, and you're getting angry more often than in previous years."
Back when she was in the Capital City before, her days were dull, so she had to find some entertainment from time to time.
"I was just looking, I didn't do anything."
"Then what do you want to do?"
Li Mingwei shook her head. "Nothing, before, Ya Yin let me pick whomever I wanted, but I didn't take anyone."
Liu Yizhu furrowed his brow. He, with his still somewhat naive nature after only being in the Capital City for a year, did not understand their behavior.
"They, you all..."
He didn't know how to ask, but he felt it was a bit strange. The Princess didn't like them, so why did she keep them in the manor? How could she just casually give them away to others?
"Ya Yin doesn't have that big of a heart. She doesn't really like that many people, she just thinks they dance well and wants to keep them around."
As for the rest, she didn't really care, as long as they could continue dancing.
Li Mingwei sighed. "The only one Ya Yin truly cares about in this world is perhaps just one person."
That was a dance teacher from her father's manor. Li Mingwei didn't know how they came together, she only heard that the man was later executed for seducing the Princess.
Perhaps to help her forget that dance teacher quickly, her father sent her from the estate to the Capital City, entrusting her to the Empress Dowager for upbringing.
Somehow, after entering the palace, she gained the favor of the previous Emperor. After the Empress Dowager passed away, the Emperor, knowing she didn't want to return, granted her the Princess Manor and allowed her to remain unmarried in the Capital City.
Then she began collecting various dance teachers, keeping them in the manor. If someone had a request for her, they would specially find a skilled dancer to send to her. But she didn't take in just anyone, only those who caught her eye.
They were all a form of contempt and insult towards her father. Yet the previous Emperor tolerated her, so her father could only accept having such a daughter.
Li Mingwei became acquainted with her because she once wanted to send a dancer to the Shuhua Academy, perhaps hoping the young man would agree to become her dancer in exchange.
"This..." Liu Yizhu's face showed some difficulty in expressing himself. "Your grandfather probably wouldn't agree, right?"
"Isn't he your grandfather too?"
Before Liu Yizhu could respond, Li Mingwei muttered to herself, "Oh right, I just called you 'husband', but you didn't respond, looks like you don't want to be with me anymore. Then your grandfather is naturally no longer mine either."
"I..."
"It's okay." Li Mingwei moved a bit further away from him. "Just say it, I'm not the first to be divorced. As for the child, what should we do? Shall we each take one? I'll just go back and change her surname, that way I don't have to have any more."
"You!"
"No!" Li Mingwei shook her head on her own, contradicting her previous words. "You should go ask Sister Yuerong first, see if she minds you having a child. If she minds, I'll take both of them away. After all, you two are still young, you can have more children."
"Li Mingwei!"
"What?"
Liu Yizhu tightly gripped her wrist, gritting his teeth as he said, "Do you know what you're saying?"
"What did I say?"
Seeing her innocent eyes, Liu Yizhu let go of her hand and turned his back to her. "Forget it, you're infuriating me!"
"Why are you getting angry? Sister Chunhua said before that widows have a lot of troubles, I don't want to be a widow." Li Mingwei lightly kicked him. "Husband~"
Liu Yizhu turned back, reluctantly responding.
"Don't you dare not answer me next time."
"You!" Liu Yizhu pulled her into his embrace, tightening his hold a bit. "Don't you ever say those things to me again."
"Say what?"
"Don't play dumb!" Liu Yizhu had long since seen through her. "Your heart is as clear as a mirror."
"Okay, I know." Li Mingwei gently stroked his slightly angry face. "I'm sorry, let's make up, okay? I promise I won't talk nonsense anymore, just calm down."
"So, are you still going to see the dancer?"
"No more, no more, never again."
"And you still have so much to say with your ex-husband?"
"No more, I've said everything today."
Seeing her attitude was still somewhat sincere, Liu Yizhu reluctantly forgave her. "You'd better keep your word."
"Don't worry." Li Mingwei obediently nodded, then glanced at him. "Aren't you going to ask me who Yuerong is?"
"I know, she's surnamed Lin, right?" Liu Yizhu pinched her little face. "Don't listen to their nonsense, I've only seen her at the poetry gathering a couple of times."
"Only twice and you still remember her?"
"My memory is good, has nothing to do with whether it's her or not." Liu Yizhu raised an eyebrow. "I not only remember her, I also remember your mother. What you said is completely different, I'm even a bit doubtful if you're really surnamed Li."
Li Mingwei chuckled. "Coincidentally, my mother also remembers you."
Liu Yizhu paused. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"You'll know when you go see her."
