Wu Zheng had visited the mountain every day despite his demanding schedule, hoping to meet Lin Xue again. Yet each visit had ended in disappointment.
The girl who had boldly instructed him to meet her at the same time and place seemed to have forgotten their arrangement entirely.
He had begun to wonder whether she had deliberately avoided him.
That afternoon, however, luck was finally on his side.
Lin Xue was sitting on the familiar rock, dangling her legs as the gentle breeze played with her hair. Sunlight rested softly on her face, and she appeared so comfortable that she seemed to have no worries in the world.
Wu Zheng stopped a short distance away.
For a moment, he simply watched her.
There was something captivating about the ease with which she occupied her surroundings. She did not seem concerned about who might be watching her or what anyone might think. She was entirely absorbed in her own little world, swinging her legs and occasionally lifting her face towards the sun.
He found himself watching her expressions, wondering what thoughts were passing through her mind.
Then Lin Xue sensed someone staring at her.
She lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
Wu Zheng had barely had time to smile before Lin Xue began examining him from head to toe.
Her gaze travelled over his robes, pausing at the fabric and the details of his clothing. She studied the quality of his sleeves, the way his garments fitted him, and the ornaments he wore.
Wu Zheng watched her with quiet curiosity.
What was she doing?
Lin Xue, meanwhile, was conducting a very serious investigation.
Does he look rich?
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
These clothes look expensive.
Then she remembered the yellow maid's warning.
Appearances can be deceiving. He might only be pretending to be wealthy.
Her eyes moved towards his sleeves again, as though the answer might be hidden somewhere in the stitching.
Wu Zheng's amusement faded into puzzlement as he noticed her increasingly suspicious expression.
A moment ago, she had looked peaceful. Now, she was staring at him as if he were a criminal she had been assigned to investigate.
Had he done something to offend her?
Unable to discover the reason for her scrutiny, he walked over and sat beside her on the rock.
Lin Xue immediately turned her face away, her brows drawing together.
Wu Zheng glanced at her, then cleared his throat.
"I have been coming here every day, but I haven't been able to find you."
Lin Xue snapped her head towards him.
"Every day?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
The question came so quickly that Wu Zheng paused.
He had expected her to explain why she had failed to appear, or perhaps offer an excuse for making him wait. Instead, she seemed genuinely offended by the idea that he had been looking for her.
He studied her face, trying to understand what had upset her.
"Because we agreed to meet here."
Lin Xue's eyes narrowed further.
"I thought we agreed that we would meet on the same day we first met."
Wu Zheng blinked.
"Oh."
He had never considered that interpretation.
For a brief moment, he remained silent before acknowledging his mistake.
"I didn't think of it that way."
Lin Xue huffed and turned away again, apparently satisfied that she had established her point.
Wu Zheng looked at her profile, then at the distance between them.
He had spent days trying to find her, rearranging his time whenever his imperial duties allowed. Now that he had finally found her, she seemed more interested in judging his clothes than in speaking to him.
A faint smile returned to his lips.
This girl was truly something else.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, a question came ringing through Lin Xue's mind.
Wait a minute!
Her eyes widened slightly as she remembered something important.
He came to meet me, and he didn't even bring me anything!
She stole another glance at the man sitting beside her.
How stingy! Very stingy. No, extremely stingy!
Her lips pressed together in disapproval.
If he isn't rich, then...
She paused, considering the possibility.
No. I don't mind being single. I can remain single for the rest of my life if I have to!
Having reached this firm conclusion, Lin Xue turned towards him. Her gaze was serious, almost solemn, as though she were about to ask him a question that would determine the fate of the kingdom.
"Are you rich?"
Wu Zheng turned to look at her.
For a moment, the confusion on his face deepened. He had expected her to ask about their fated mark, their marriage, or perhaps why he had been looking for her.
Instead, she wanted to know whether he had money.
His expression slowly changed from confusion to disbelief.
Was that why she had been examining his clothes earlier?
Wu Zheng looked at her suspicious face, then lowered his gaze to his own robes.
For the first time, he wondered whether his clothing had failed to make the right impression.
He was the Emperor of Wu. The wealth of the entire kingdom lay beneath his authority, yet here he was, sitting beside a girl who appeared to doubt whether he could afford to support a wife.
A strange silence settled between them.
Lin Xue continued staring at him, waiting for his answer.
Wu Zheng narrowed his eyes slightly.
What exactly is going on in that little head of hers?