Chapter 260: Chapter 241: Awkward Encounter (1)
Wen Wan sat in the carriage holding Jinbao, traveled a distance to the marketplace, and caught a glimpse through the curtain’s gap of a fabric shop outside. She wanted to buy some lightweight fabric to make Jinbao a few sets of breathable small clothes.
What she made last year wasn’t unusable, it’s just that Jinbao’s little arms and legs have grown so quickly. This year, they’re a bit tight, clinging to his skin, which would surely make the little fellow uncomfortable.
Thinking this, she asked Uncle Lin to stop the carriage.
Song Wei wasn’t around, so Uncle Lin was a bit uneasy, "Madam, if you need anything, just instruct this old servant to take care of it."
Wen Wan smiled and said, "I need to buy fabric and have to see and choose for myself. This is not something I can instruct you to do."
Uncle Lin said, "Then I’ll drive the carriage to stop in front of the fabric shop."
Wen Wan glanced at the curious little fellow in her arms, smiled, and said nothing.
When the carriage came to a complete stop, Uncle Lin set up the footstool and came over to open the curtain for her. Wen Wan got off the carriage holding her son, about to enter the fabric shop, when she caught sight of two people coming out of the restaurant across the street.
The man was tall and strong, with a well-built figure and handsome features. His cold brows and sharp eyes matched the deep hue of his attire.
This made the woman beside him look quite petite.
The woman, Wen Wan recognized, was none other than Lin Xiaoyue, whom she had been searching for a long time.
Due to the existence of the official school for women, the Great Chu Dynasty didn’t bind young ladies in the inner chamber so strictly as not to let them step outside, but it wasn’t liberal enough for them to be publicly seen with unrelated men in restaurants.
The only exception would be a married woman.
And at present, Lin Xiaoyue was dressed as a married woman.
So who the man beside her was, was self-explanatory.
Wen Wan had suspected since Lin Xiaoyue experienced morning sickness at the Hongwen Academy, but now seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a slight surprise.
What followed was a burst of unspoken awkwardness.
Because she was looking at Lin Xiaoyue, while Lin Xiaoyue was also looking at her.
Originally, Wen Wan intended to don a maiden’s attire when going out to meet the former Eldest Princess, but considering Jinbao loved pulling hair, she opted for convenience by tying it up.
Unexpectedly, such an awkward scene unfolded.
Separated by a busy street, the two "classmates," now dressed as married women, exchanged glances.
Lin Xiaoyue was accompanied by her husband, while Wen Wan was holding her son.
Su Qing took a few steps and sensed something was amiss. He turned back to see Lin Xiaoyue staring intently across the street, feeling puzzled. He followed her gaze.
Across was a fabric shop. Outside the shop stood a carriage, and beside the carriage, a small woman in a honey-colored dress holding a baby about a year old. Even at a distance, he could tell the child was chubby and fair, very adorable.
Beyond that, there was nothing unusual.
Su Qing withdrew his gaze and looked at Lin Xiaoyue, "What are you looking at?"
Lin Xiaoyue’s eyelids fluttered, and she snapped back to attention, looking guilty like a thief, urging the man, "You go ahead. I’m going to meet a friend and will follow shortly."
After speaking, Lin Xiaoyue stepped forward toward the opposite street, only to have her wrist clutched by Su Qing.
She turned back, glaring at him, "What are you doing?"
"The friend you’re talking about, is it her across the street?"
Su Qing didn’t release her and didn’t specifically look at Wen Wan across the street as he spoke, but who he was referring to was obvious.
"It’s not an unrelated man, anyway." Lin Xiaoyue tried to pull her hand back, only to find Su Qing’s grip astonishingly strong, locked on her wrist, immovable.
Lin Xiaoyue tried shaking him off twice, failed, and became a bit angry, "Pulling and tugging on the street, are you being reasonable?"
Hearing the word "reasonable," Su Qing’s lips tightened slightly, "I’ve seen her before, back when I sent you to Hongwen Academy."
Lin Xiaoyue was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Has it been so long, and you still remember? Did you fall for her beauty at first sight?"
Su Qing ignored Lin Xiaoyue’s "unreasonable comment," there was a tone of disapproval for her visiting her past friend, he began speaking reasonably to her, "Today’s scene already made it obvious: she, like you, has been married before, only that she disguised herself to attend Hongwen Academy. Now coincidentally meeting on the street is already awkward; the fact she didn’t greet you or approach you means she didn’t intend to expose you on the spot, showing that her character is very refined. If you rashly go over now, it’s akin to exposing her and yourself. The impoliteness is secondary—how will you both face each other in the future after today?"