Chapter 263 - The News of Re-trial
Linfeng stood before her, his eyes attentively watching her, captivated.
Her big smile was so entrancing, but aside from joyful, it also seemed to be relieved.
He did not know why but his heart squeezed a bit.
Why did his Young Miss occasionally show that smile with relief on her face? As if there was something she dared not hope to get, but was thankfully able to get, thus she was relieved and happy. It gave off that impression. It was captivating yet heart wrenching.
"Zhi'er?" Linfeng touched the corner of her eyes, and his fingertips were dampened by unshed tears.
'Why is it this expression again, Zhi'er?'
He wants her to be happier, so happy that she would smile lovingly and happily, without those thoughts he could not fathom.
Perhaps, it was because of their current situation? Was it the fact that the difference in their status makes them unfit to be together and pushes them apart, thus to her, every stolen moment, every bit of happiness, gave her so much happiness and relief?
Linfeng closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were back to their usual calmness, but his resolve still shone through. "Zhi'er, don't worry, although I cannot tell you all of my plans right now, I assure you, I will give you answers soon."
He would overcome these obstacles and finally stand by her side without any shackles holding him back, a man worthy of her love.
Xiong Zhi smilingly held the hand that was on her face and pressed her face against it, her gentle eyes staring straight at Linfeng. "I will wait."
Linfeng hid all his thoughts, kept his realizations deep in his heart to never forget them, and focused all his attention back at Xiong Zhi.
This coquettish Young Miss, so gentle and spoiled, was truly scratching at his heart. Zhi'er really had ways to turn him into jelly, softening his entire persona only in her presence.
As the two silently enjoyed each other's warmth and affection, Linfeng finally heard distant footsteps coming to their direction.
His entire aura immediately transformed, from soothing autumn wind to freezing winter gale. His gentle eyes flickered and became cold and composed. He looked at Xiong Zhi in reluctance, disappointed that their short rendezvous was interrupted by the incoming attendant.
He sighed dejectedly and took a step back.
"Young Miss, I need to go," Linfeng said. The words he said were likely heard by the butler coming their way. Butlers were trained to have sharp senses, so the person might have felt their presence here and came to this direction.
The light in Xiong Zhi's eyes dimmed before she reluctantly nodded. Suddenly, she remembered something she had been meaning to ask.
"The seniors' trip." That was all she said, looking at him with her face back to their usual calmness.
Of course, she had no idea that she appeared to look pitiful and aggrieved in Linfeng's eyes. Her pleading' eyes made it hard to refuse any request from her.
Linfeng nodded gently, as if acquiescing to her 'request'. His eyes flickered to the side for a moment, then he gave her one last deep look before he walked away and disappeared into the other hallway.
Xiong Zhi remained standing in the corner, her eyes lowering, hidden behind her long lashes.
After five seconds, a butler appeared in the corner.
"Young Miss Zhi? The maids had already prepared your dinner."
"..."
Xiong Zhi glanced faintly at the hallway where Linfeng had disappeared into, then she turned to the butler who interrupted their already short moment together.
The hair on the back of the butler's neck rose at the cold look that Young Miss directed at him.
"T-this way, p-please..." The poor butler turned around while gesturing his hand respectfully, at the same time went as far as possible from the Young Miss who was letting out a freezing low temperature.
******
The next day, the news of the re-trial swept throughout the Zhou mansion and the Xiong family.
Several letters were sent to the Zhou's secondary branches as well as to the secondary branches of the Xiong family.
Xiong Gaiyu had just arrived in their mansion when her father, Xiong Cai, dragged her to the living room.
"Gaiyu! That butler made an appeal! There's a chance that this engagement would not fall through!" Xiong Cai excitedly displayed the letter that Zhou Min had sent to their house.
Xiong Gaiyu read the letter. It was about the one chance pardon that happened yesterday. The trial apparently resulted to a tie, thus, all head masters and head butlers in the secondary branches of both families needed to cast their vote in the re-trial.
This event was set to happen six weeks later.
Xiong Gaiyu was speechless and dumbfounded that the young butler would go to such lengths to reject the engagement.
However, it was all futile.
After a moment, she indifferently put down the letter onto the center table, stood up, and walked towards the stairs, ignoring her father who was still mumbling on how they still had a chance to look for a man with good status and a lot of connections as her marriage partner.
Her father finally noticed her when she was already up on the stairs.
"Gaiyu! Where are you going! You need to come with me and convince the other Xiong's and Zhou's to vote for the pardon!"
After all, if the butler was not pardoned in the end, what if that low rank aide decided to follow through with the engagement to avoid banishment? Then what of his, Xiong Cai's, ambitions?
The tall and slender figure of the girl halted in her steps. Her back seemed melancholic. She turned her head and looked down to his father.
"Father, have you forgotten who you will be up against in this re-trial? That butler does not stand a chance. Don't waste your energy," she said without any expression and continued walking to her room.
She would be better off busying herself with the tasks that Xiao Mei had assigned to her than worry about her engagement. If she was not allowed to choose her husband with her free will, then she could at least choose to focus on her career, and find meaning in her life through it.
She could not expect anything from her blood family. She could not control her own marriage.
Her career was all she had.
******
At the same time, Xiong De received the letter. After his butler read it out, he ordered for this matter to be kept under wraps. He had to make sure that the Zhou attendants in his house would not gossip about it, to avoid letting his daughter, who was still shutting herself in her room, know any of it.
However, it was still too late.
A loud yell outside his room made Xiong De jolt in suprise.
"Dad! Open up!" Xiong Wuyue who had not took a step out of her room barged into his office. Xiong De instantly hid away the letter.
"My dear, I am glad you finally decided to come out," Xiong De welcomed his daughter with a smile.
"Dad, is it true? Linfeng would marry Gaiyu?" Xiong Wuyue asked in horror, her face pale and aggrieved.
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