Chapter 950: The Final Attempt

Many things in China focus not on appearances but on the underlying spirit, or "charm." For instance, many ink paintings are not realistic, but with just a glance, you can feel whether they capture the essence or not. This is the "charm" that Chen Xi referred to, leaving Zhen Mi silent for a long time. Eventually, she managed a faint, somewhat melancholic smile, "It's rare for Lord Chen to talk about the past. I wonder, do I have the right to be a listener?"

"It's nothing, just something I couldn't attain," Chen Xi replied calmly, showing little interest in discussing the past.

"What is there that you, Lord Chen, cannot obtain? Even the world is now within your grasp," Zhen Mi said, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"That's why I say, 'things have changed,'" Chen Xi responded, seemingly unaffected by Zhen Mi's sarcasm. "As for the world..."

As Chen Xi spoke, a phoenix tree leaf fell from the tree in the courtyard. He reached out and caught it. "Don’t you find it tiresome? I’m not suited for it. From the beginning, I wasn't trained to be a ruler, nor am I interested in being one. After all, as someone from an aristocratic family, you understand well that the training for a family head or a ruler is quite brutal."

"Yes," Zhen Mi nodded slowly. The training to become a leader in an aristocratic family was indeed ruthless, to the point that it eventually made one realize the true meaning of cold-heartedness.

"This phoenix tree leaf reminds me of a story—'The Tale of the Phoenix Leaf and the Brothers.' Lord Xuande's oath binds him to the people, which is why I never worry about him breaking his word. His promises will likely echo through history, just like everything he's done. The same applies to me," Chen Xi said while spinning the leaf between his fingers.

Chen Xi’s seemingly random words left Zhen Mi momentarily stunned. By this time, Xin Xianying, who had been nearby, had already quietly left, leaving the space to Chen Xi and Zhen Mi.

"And may I ask, Lord Chen," Zhen Mi bowed slightly, "did you make a promise to anyone?"

"No, I never said it, even till the end," Chen Xi said with a sense of nostalgia. "On the contrary, I made a promise to Lord Xuande."

Zhen Mi, being very perceptive, quickly understood the deeper meaning behind Chen Xi's words. Although the mention of "charm" left her feeling somewhat sorrowful, compared to the later parts of the conversation, it didn't trouble her as much.

"And what promises did you make to Lady Fan and Lady Lan?" Zhen Mi asked quietly, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"The fingers may differ in length, but the heart balances them all equally, and for a long time," Chen Xi replied calmly. He had said all that he needed to say, and Zhen Mi had understood what she needed to. As for how things would proceed, there was nothing more for him to say.

"Oh, I understand now," Zhen Mi said, a hint of disappointment in her voice. There was no more opportunity left. As she reached out to adjust Chen Xi's robe, she murmured, "What a pity... If only I had been born five years earlier."

"Fate decides marriage," Chen Xi said calmly as he looked at Zhen Mi. Thankfully, despite seeing some disappointment and resignation in her eyes, there was no trace of despair.

"Shall we still go pick out furniture?" Zhen Mi asked, collecting herself. Though she now understood the reality, she knew this conclusion was a good one for both her and Chen Xi.

"Neither of us is deeply entangled, and both of us are rational," Chen Xi said with a sigh, seeing how Zhen Mi had calmed down, her emotions now as still as a serene spring.

"Then let's go. I'll still visit often in the future. At least, I won’t have to feel awkward around Lady Fan and Lady Lan anymore. It's truly a shame. I knew you wouldn't lie to me, but I still listened," Zhen Mi said with a bitter smile. "Everything my mother taught me turned out to be useless. Let’s go. I should probably just head home and sleep."

"...," Chen Xi remained silent. He had already said everything he could, and since Zhen Mi didn't wish to vent her frustrations, all Chen Xi could do was quietly listen. Perhaps it was better to leave things as they were.

"I'm fine," Zhen Mi said, seeing that Chen Xi remained quiet. She understood that he was worried about her and tried to reassure him.

"I’ll escort you home," Chen Xi said, patting her head. Handing Zhen Mi over to the Zhang family would resolve everything.

"I’m not going back!" Zhen Mi said firmly, looking Chen Xi in the eye.

"You don’t have to do this," Chen Xi hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"You’ll be living here for a few years. The house in Fenggao was arranged by Lady Fan, so let me handle this one. At the very least, while you live here, this place will still carry traces of me," Zhen Mi said, her voice soft but filled with determination.

"Alright..." Chen Xi finally agreed, hearing the determination in her voice. He wasn't right for Zhen Mi. If there had been no previous engagements, or if they had met earlier, things might have turned out differently. But now, things were fine the way they were. There was no need to drag her into his complicated life.

"Please forgive me for this last act of stubbornness," Zhen Mi murmured almost inaudibly as she turned away.

Chen Xi didn't want to pull Zhen Mi into his tangled life. It wasn’t that Chen Xi couldn’t handle having multiple wives, but he understood that spreading his heart too thin would leave it empty, eventually losing even the ability to love. It was best to leave it as it was.

In the days that followed, Zhen Mi busied herself with furnishing Chen Xi's new residence. She grew increasingly familiar with the Chen family servants, who were all prepared for the possibility of her becoming the lady of the house at any moment.

As Chen Xi watched the increasing number of furnishings and the constant flow of servants, the house began to feel more lively. He had to admit that Zhen Mi had a much better eye for furniture than Fan Jian. Whether it was aesthetics or arrangement, Zhen Mi’s choices were vastly superior.

However, there were only so many pieces of furniture and decorations to add. Even though Zhen Mi deliberately slowed the process, within just over ten days, the last decorative piece had been placed in its ideal spot.

For some reason, after placing that final item, the melancholy that had lingered in Zhen Mi’s heart suddenly lifted. Looking around at all the furniture and decorations she had personally chosen and arranged, she felt a sense of fulfillment. This home now bore so many traces of her.

"Zichuan, can you keep it like this for me?" Zhen Mi asked, looking up at Chen Xi. "Can you leave the arrangement as it is?"

"I can," Chen Xi nodded slowly as he looked around. The house now felt perfectly harmonious and pleasing to the eye. Even the sense of discord he had felt in his residence in Fenggao had disappeared. Zhen Mi had truly done an exceptional job.

"Could you give me the other gold token you have? It’ll be harder to enter your home in the future, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to visit often," Zhen Mi said with a hint of nostalgia as she glanced around the room.

Silently, Chen Xi removed his final gold token and handed it to Zhen Mi.

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