Song Qingshu was left somewhat dazed after she rejected his proposal so directly and decisively. "Why?"
Zhao Min turned away, took a deep breath, and said, "There's no reason. I'm tired. I'm going back to rest first." With that, her skirts fluttered lightly, leaving behind only a faint lingering fragrance.
Song Qingshu felt utterly frustrated. He had thought his relationship with Zhao Min had already reached that point, and that this confession of love would naturally receive the response he hoped for. Instead, reality dealt him a cold, brutal blow.
He sat gloomily in the pavilion and began drinking alone. After a while, soft footsteps suddenly sounded behind him. Song Qingshu's first thought was that Zhao Min had returned, but he quickly dismissed it. Zhao Min was not the sort to soften first, and besides, the scent was different. Zhao Min carried a rose-like fragrance, while this person bore only the faintest trace of an elegant scent, like an orchid blooming alone in an empty valley.
"Sister-in-law, you're here?" Song Qingshu did not need to turn around. He knew that scent well enough to recognize who it belonged to.
Bing Xue'er came to his side with a gentle, elegant smile. "Qingshu, why are you drinking alone here?"
"You came at just the right time, Sister-in-law. Drink with me." Without waiting for her response, Song Qingshu pulled her into his arms and sat her on his lap. Her soft, jade-like body warmed his chilled heart slightly.
Bing Xue'er blushed and hurriedly struggled out of his arms, taking a seat on the nearby bench. Her eyes were full of bashful reproach and embarrassment. "You really are something else. This is the Liao Country imperial palace, with eyes and ears everywhere. If someone sees us, who knows what rumors will spread outside?"
"I'm