Zhao Huanxi noticed the movement on the other side, then heard them mention Xu Guniang. Unable to resist, he stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to see those girls on that side all looking at the girl in the light green half-sleeve dress.

Somewhat surprised, he blurted out, “Are you Xu Nian’an?”

Seeing his expression, Xu Nian’an had a slight sense of unease, but at this moment, she couldn’t deny it, so she nodded reluctantly.

Seeing her admission, Zhao Huanxi was about to speak, but realizing it was inconvenient with the large flower field between them, he hurriedly walked along the furrows towards her.

“This Zhao Gongzi is truly good-looking.”

“Yes ah, we sisters all feel inferior in front of him.”

“Xu Jiejie is truly fortunate.”

Xu Nian’an usually keeps her composure, but at this moment, she couldn’t help feeling a bit embarrassed. After apologizing to everyone, she walked towards Zhao Huanxi.

Zhao Huanxi and her third younger brother, Xu Moxiu, were both sixteen years old, but he looked taller than Xu Moxiu. He swiftly approached her with his long legs and said, “Xu Nian’an, I’m Zhao Huanxi, my heart…”

Xu Nian’an was greatly surprised and panicked. She quickly took a few steps forward and covered his mouth with her hand!

Now it was Zhao Huanxi’s turn to be greatly surprised. His thick eyelashes trembled for a moment, followed by a hint of annoyance rising in his watery eyes. As he leaned back, he reached out to remove Xu Nian’an’s hand.

But Xu Nian’an was quicker and let go of his hand first. She whispered urgently, “If you don’t want the two servants who came with you to be beaten to death when they return, come with me!” With that, she grabbed his sleeve and headed towards the flower field away from the crowd.

Zhao Huanxi patiently followed her along the entire furrow, but when he saw her about to turn again, he impatiently pulled his sleeve back and stood at the edge of the field, saying, “You are just saying frightening things to cause alarm!”

危言耸听 - (idiom) to spread alarmist rumors; to exaggerate the dangers.

Xu Nian’an turned around to check and saw that they were far enough away and there was no one nearby admiring the flowers, so she stopped.

Without wasting words with Zhao Huanxi, she directly beckoned for the two servants to come over and asked, “Before leaving the residence, did Yin Furen give you any instructions?”

Seeing Zhao Huanxi’s annoyed expression, Zhiyi and Zhi’er were afraid that he would quarrel with Xu Nian’an, so they obediently said, “Da Furen’s attendant, Nanny Su, instructed us that if San Yé caused any trouble outside, returning home would mean certain death for us!”

Zhao Huanxi was taken aback and turned to look at Zhiyi and Zhi’er. They lowered their heads, too afraid to meet his gaze.

“Then, you know what your San Yé wanted to say to me just now in front of everyone?” Xu Nian’an asked again.

Zhiyi and Zhi’er looked at each other and shook their heads one after another.

Xu Nian’an looked at Zhao Huanxi with a smile and said, “He wanted to say that, his heart belongs to someone else, so he cannot marry me.”

Upon hearing this, Zhiyi and Zhi’er’s legs went weak, and they immediately knelt down with a thud. Looking up at Zhao Huanxi, they pleaded softly, “San Yé, please spare us Xiaodes lives. If these words are spread and reach the residence, Xioade really won’t have a way out!”

Zhao Huanxi hadn’t considered all this before; he just wanted to quickly explain things to Xu Nian’an and let her go to his Zufu to dissolve their engagement. Now, his two servants are crying loudly like this, he realized he had been too impulsive. After all, he had come here without informing the (people at) residence.

Feeling uneasy, he cleared his throat and said to Zhiyi and Zhi’er, “Both of you, go aside. I have something to discuss with Xu Guniang.”

Zhiyi and Zhi’er got up, first expressing their gratitude to Xu Nian’an for saving their lives, before moving aside to wait.

As Zhao Huanxi lifted his gaze, he met Xu Nian’an’s calm and clear eyes. Deep down, he felt a sense of familiarity with those eyes, but upon closer thought, he became annoyed.

Indeed, it wasn’t the eyes themselves that felt familiar, but rather the expression in those eyes! The way Xu Nian’an looked at him at this moment was exactly how his older sisters used to look at him—the gaze of an elder sister towards her younger brother, the look that says, “I know you’re being foolish, but I won’t bother arguing with you because you’re still young.”

“In front of everyone, you covered a man’s mouth with your hand and pulled his sleeve. Your behavior lacked any dignity. I don’t want to marry you!” he said angrily.

“Isn’t it because your heart belongs to someone else that you won’t marry me?” Xu Nian’an wasn’t at all upset by his rejection, and there was even a hint of bright sweetness in her eyes as she spoke. This made Zhao Huanxi seem even more like an unreasonable child.

“In short…I will not marry you under any circumstances. You should hurry and find my Zufu, tell him you don’t like me, and don’t want to marry me.” Zhao Huanxi dared not look into her eyes anymore and averted his gaze.

“But it’s clearly because you don’t like me and don’t want to marry me. Why do you have to make it seem like I don’t like you and don’t want to marry you? Isn’t this distorting the truth and deceiving One’s elders?” Xu Nian’an looked at the young man in front of her with a bit of pity in her heart, seeing his stubborn demeanor.

Despite being at the same age, her younger brother wouldn’t speak with such petulance and demeanor even when he was ten years old.

“I don’t like you. Do you like me? How can this be considered distorting the truth and deceiving One’s elders?”

“You’re not me, so how do you know I don’t like you?” Xu Nian’an tilted her head slightly, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

Zhao Huanxi was rendered speechless by Xu Nian’an’s question. Blushes spread across his cheeks visibly, and he struggled to speak, “But… you and me… isn’t this our first time…”

Seeing his foolish expression, Xu Nian’an couldn’t help but chuckle. She delicately covered her mouth with a few slender fingers, tilted her cheek slightly, and the jade earrings by her ears swayed gently, accentuating her fair and translucent skin.

The charming and graceful demeanor, coupled with the restrained smile, left Zhao Huanxi in a daze.

After the laughter, Xu Nian’an glanced around again to make sure no one was within earshot of their conversation. Then she looked at Zhao Huanxi and said, “I was just joking earlier, don’t take it to heart. I’ve heard about your relationship with the young lady from your residence. Honestly, I don’t want to come between you two. We’ve only met once when we were children, and today is just our second meeting. What feelings could there be between us? All we have is a mere marriage engagement.”

Zhao Huanxi nodded repeatedly, saying: “Exactly.”

“If my father were still alive, I would immediately ask him to plead with Guogong Yé to cancel our engagement. As long as my father spoke, I believe Guogong Yé wouldn’t insist. But unfortunately…” Xu Nian’an looked into the distance with a touch of sadness in her eyes. “My father is no longer with us.”

Zhao Huanxi sympathized with her loss of her father at a young age and remained silent for a moment before hesitantly saying, “Even though your father is no longer here, you can still plead with my Zufu. My Zufu values your father greatly, and as his daughter, you would have influence with him.”

“Do you know why Guogong Yé insists on you marrying me?” Xu Nian’an suddenly turned to look at Zhao Huanxi and asked.

“Because… my Zufu and your father were close friends?”

“One reason is that the engagement was arranged between our families while my father was still alive, and after his passing, Guogong Yé cannot go back on his word to a deceased close friend. Another reason is that Guogong Yé wants to provide support for our Xu Family. Both Guogong Yé and our family understand this. So, if I were to go to him and claim that I don’t like you as a reason to cancel the engagement, do you think Guogong Yé would believe it?”

With a sense of anxiety on his face, Zhao Huanxi found himself unable to respond.

“Furthermore, two years ago, my younger brother’s right arm was broken by some ruffians in the city. If it weren’t for Guogong Yé’s timely intervention and bringing a royal physician to treat my brother, his arm would have been permanently disabled. He’s a scholar, and with a disabled arm, his career prospects would have been ruined. He’s my only brother, so Guogong Yé holds great favor towards my Xu Family. His only request of my family is for me to fulfill the agreement he made with my father and marry you. How do you expect me to find the courage to ask him to revoke that decree?”

Zhao Huanxi’s shoulders slumped, and he lowered his gaze in silence.

After a moment of silence, Zhao Huanxi spoke as if resigned, “I can marry you, but after you enter the household, you must agree to my taking Daixue as a concubine.”

Xu Nian’an replied without hesitation, “No.”

Zhao Huanxi’s eyes flew open, his long lashes trembling, and anger burning in his perfectly shaped phoenix eyes. “Xu Nian’an, don’t ask for a foot after getting an inch! If you push me too far, I won’t marry you even if I die! Let’s see if my Zufu can really beat me to death!”

得寸进尺 - lit. win an inch, want a foot (idiom); fig. not satisfied with small gains

“Guogong Yé won’t actually beat you to death, but that Daixue girl you are talking about, might be immediately married off to someone else,” Xu Nian’an said calmly.

Zhao Huanxi stood dumbfounded for a moment, then suddenly broke down, shouting, “You all have your reasons, but what about me? Why do I have to be used like a pawn to fulfill your desires? No one cares about my feelings, not even my company is spared from your manipulations! What did I do wrong…” His voice trailed off, his eyes turning red, like pear blossoms bathed by the rain.

梨花带雨(líhuādàiyǔ) - like raindrops on a pear blossom (idiom); tear-stained face of a beauty

Xu Nian’an was taken aback by the sudden outburst of tears from someone his age. She hurriedly took out her handkerchief to wipe his tears, saying, “You, please don’t get so worked up, there are so many people watching…”

Zhao Huanxi cried out, “Let whoever wants to watch, I don’t want to live anymore, I don’t care how others see me… You go away, you and my parents and Zufu are jackals of the same lair, pretending to be good people!”

Xu Nian’an felt both angry and amused. “You can scold me if you want, but why drag the elders into it? Don’t rush to cry. I haven’t finished speaking yet. You said you’re willing to marry me but also want Daixue as a concubine. What kind of reasoning is that? Even if you’re willing, I’m not. You two are so close, what about me stuck in the middle? If you truly love her, you should strive to make her your lawful wife, to spend your lives together happily and grow old together.”

Zhao Huanxi abruptly stopped crying and looked at her with teary eyes, asking, “What do you mean by that?”

Xu Nian’an moved closer to him and whispered, “As long as you agree to my two conditions, I’m willing to pretend to be married to you for a couple of years. After two or three years, we can divorce, and we’ll go our separate ways, and have nothing to do with each other anymore.”

和离 (hé lí): A form of divorce in ancient China by mutual consent. Unlike a husband "divorcing" a wife (which carried great social stigma for the woman), a heli was framed as an amicable separation, allowing the woman more dignity and a better chance at remarriage.

Zhao Huanxi sensed something unusual in her words. He grabbed her hand, which held the handkerchief, and hastily wiped away the tears on his face. “What do you mean? Explain your words.”

Xu Nian’an was somewhat speechless when she saw him directly grabbing her hand to wipe his own tears. Wanting to quickly deal with the situation, she didn’t dwell on these trivial matters and continued to whisper to him, “Our marriage was personally arranged by your Zufu, with even your parents not daring to intervene, let alone us as the younger generation. So this marriage is inevitable, whether we like it or not.”

“I think this way: since you have someone else you love, I have no intention of ruining your lifelong happiness. So after we marry, let’s pretend to be a loving couple in public. Then, after two or three years, you can divorce me on the grounds of my infertility. You’re the only legitimate son of the First Branch of the Guogong Residence, and ensuring succession is crucial. Divorcing me would also save face for me. I believe Guogong Yé won’t object.”

“After our divorce, your remarriage would be your second marriage. It’s understandable to lower your criteria for selecting a wife in that case. If Daixue can patiently wait for you for three years, her sincerity will surely touch the elders in the mansion. Marrying for the first time against your will has already been a deviation from your heart’s desire. Your parents truly care about you and wouldn’t want to go against your wishes for a second marriage. So, wouldn’t it be much easier for you to marry her later? You think about it carefully, alright?”