Chapter 62: One Must Accept a Lost Bet and Not Renege

Chapter 62: Chapter 62: One Must Accept a Lost Bet and Not Renege

A chill ran down Cui Lingyao’s spine.

She was struck by the profound realization that the man before her was not the man he used to be.

She swallowed and said cautiously, "A bet’s a bet. I will answer one of your questions as promised and won’t go back on my word. But you can’t ask it in front of everyone, nor can I leave alone with you under so many watchful eyes."

Xie Jinbai considered her choice of words, his brow relaxing slightly.

"Fine."

He had never intended to make things difficult for her.

Since she had her concerns, it was only natural for him to be understanding.

During the rest of the Fighting Beast performance, the two of them left each other in peace.

No one mentioned the bet again.

Soon, another match concluded, and it was time for the luncheon.

The guests proceeded to an elegant hall for the meal.

Though the current social climate was relatively open, the banquet was still segregated by gender.

Cui Lingyao followed her two cousins to the women’s section, finally escaping that persistent gaze.

The banquet was filled with familiar noblewomen, who soon cast aside their dignified airs and began toasting and drinking merrily.

Cui Lingyao had two cups with them and, feeling the wine go to her head, picked up some shredded duck to line her stomach. Just then, she saw the daughter of Vice Minister Wang across the table give her a teasing smile.

"Since when did Miss Pei become so familiar with Prince Yu? He seems to treat you quite differently from others."

As soon as she spoke, the few other women at the table looked over, their eyes filled with curiosity.

Cui Lingyao was taken aback. "This is only the second time I’ve ever met him. We didn’t even exchange a single word the first time."

Of course, no one believed her.

Miss Wang covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled. "Everyone knows Prince Yu is an important man with many obligations. He rarely has time for these sorts of banquets. For him to come to a ’celebratory’ feast like this... his mind must not have been on the wine."

"Exactly," another chimed in with a knowing grin. "And the way Prince Yu was looking at you earlier... Tsk, tsk. There was nothing innocent about that gaze."

Being teased like this, Cui Lingyao was struggling to maintain her composure.

Then, Miss Wang added, "But since Miss Pei is already engaged to your cousin, I’m sure Prince Yu will keep his distance to avoid any impropriety."

"But that reminds me..." She turned to Shen Hanyue and asked with a smile, "How is it we’ve never heard that your elder brother and your cousin were engaged?"

Shen Hanyue smiled too, but her smile was cold. "Why must I report every detail of my family’s affairs to you? If you’re so curious about everything, why don’t you go ask Prince Yu why he was so forward with my cousin in front of everyone?"

"Exactly!" Shen Hanyun’s expression turned cold as well, and she scoffed. "It was Prince Yu whose words and actions were out of line, yet all you know how to do is crowd around my cousin and interrogate her. Do you think our Shen Family is an easy target?"

Whatever happened within the family, behind closed doors, was their own business.

Once they stepped outside, they had to present a united front.

The principle of ’shared glory and ruin’ was never just an empty phrase.

As long as Pei Shuyao lived in the Duke Mansion, she represented their family whenever she attended a banquet with them.

They would never allow anyone to bully her.

Moreover, their brother had just personally confirmed his engagement to her.

How could Shen Hanyue possibly allow her future sister-in-law to be subjected to such veiled barbs and pointed ridicule from the crowd?

Much less could she let others drag her name through the mud.

Her sudden change in demeanor put Miss Wang in an awkward position.

The atmosphere at the table froze.

Soon, a few of the other noblewomen reacted, smiling as they tried to smooth things over.

"You know how Yu Xia is, she just has that kind of personality. We’re all sisters here. How about this? Let Yu Xia offer Miss Pei a drink as an apology, and we’ll drop the matter."

Shen Hanyue snorted coldly and said nothing.

She was the eldest legitimate daughter of the Heir of the Duke Mansion. In terms of status, she was the most noble person at the table and didn’t need to defer to anyone.

Besides, she was in the right.

Pressured by the others, Miss Wang forced a smile. She raised her cup to Cui Lingyao and said, "Sister Pei, please don’t be offended. I meant no harm, my words were just a bit rash. I’ll drink this cup as a penalty, by way of apology."

With that, she raised her arm and drained the cup in one go.

Among noblewomen, minor unpleasantries arising from verbal spats could be resolved with an apology drink, so long as there was no deep-seated hatred involved.

Cui Lingyao gave a faint nod and said nothing more.

The awkward atmosphere at the table did not last long.

As soon as Miss Wang finished her penalty drink, a quick-witted guest immediately livened things up by suggesting a round of drinking games.

And just like that, the incident was over.

Everyone drank to their heart’s content.

By the time they left the table, Cui Lingyao was feeling a bit tipsy.

A group of the young women suggested going to see the Glazed Flower House, but she shook her head and politely declined. "I’m going to take a walk over by the Nine Bends Pavilion."

A stage had been set up at the Nine Bends Pavilion for song and dance performances.

She had arranged to meet Shen Tingyu there after the luncheon.

Shen Hanyun went with her friends to the Glazed Flower House, while Shen Hanyue, after a moment’s hesitation, decided to accompany Cui Lingyao to the Nine Bends Pavilion.

The two cousins walked side by side on the bluestone path, stopping every so often to chat with guests they knew.

After running into three different groups of people, Shen Hanyue glanced at a nearby pavilion. "Let’s rest for a bit."

Cui Lingyao had no objection.

She hadn’t brought Zhiqiu with her today, so only Shen Hanyue’s personal maid, Banyue, followed behind them, carrying a teapot and tea set.

They each drank a cup of cool tea, feeling refreshed.

Shen Hanyue put down her teacup and got straight to the point. "It’s just us here. Yaoyao, tell me the truth. What exactly is the relationship between you and Prince Yu?"

"..." Cui Lingyao paused for a moment before speaking frankly. "Today is the second time I’ve seen him in my entire life. The first time was at the Tea Garden. We just saw each other in passing; we didn’t even say a word."

She had only been in the Capital City for three years.

Given the vast difference in their statuses, the only chance she had of meeting Xie Jinbai was by attending banquets.

But Xie Jinbai wasn’t one for lively gatherings. For the past three years, he had been mired in grief over his wife’s death, rarely even staying in the Capital City. When he did return, he was in no mood to attend banquets.

Even Shen Hanyue, a young lady of the Duke Mansion, hadn’t seen him at any banquets in years.

So, it was perfectly normal that Cui Lingyao had only seen him twice.

Shen Hanyue was starting to believe her.

But when she recalled Xie Jinbai’s earlier words and actions, her doubts returned.

She hesitated for a moment, then pursed her lips. "Is the engagement between you and my elder brother real?"

"..." Cui Lingyao nodded lightly. Just as she was about to say something, she looked up and saw a familiar figure in the distance.

He was walking quickly and in a moment had strode right up to them.

It was Li Yong.

Xie Jinbai’s personal attendant.

He clasped his hands in a salute to Cui Lingyao. "Greetings, Miss Pei. My master wishes to know if you have time to honor your wager now."

His gaze was fixed straight ahead, completely ignoring Shen Hanyue beside her.

’Like master, like man,’ she thought. ’They only see the people they choose to see.’

Cui Lingyao was just about to meet up with Shen Tingyu, so she was on the verge of refusing.

Li Yong clasped his hands again, speaking before she could. "My master says that a young lady must honor her bets. You must accept your loss and not go back on your word. Otherwise, if he has to come and collect the debt himself, he’ll be forced to add interest."

"..." Cui Lingyao fell silent for a moment before asking, "Where is he?"

Li Yong glanced at Shen Hanyue. Unwilling to reveal the location, he simply said, "If you would please follow me."