Chapter 396 - 138: Letter_2
Loo Ying did not realize her impropriety, merely holding Yueyao’s hand and asking numerous questions. Yueyao smoothly withdrew her hand and smiled as she answered some of Loo Ying’s inquiries.
Loo Ying wanted to invite Yueyao to her courtyard for a visit but was politely declined by Yueyao. Zhuang Ruolan observed from the side with a cold eye, noting that Yueyao did not seem fond of Loo Ying. To Zhuang Ruolan, this was not surprising, as although Loo Ying was not inherently bad, she was not particularly likable.
The maid from outside came in and announced, "Young Lady, Eldest Young Master has returned."
Yueyao’s face bore a smile, while Loo Ying expressed her joy saying, "Cousin has returned!" With that, she stood up and went to the door to greet him.
Yueyao simply stood up but did not walk over. Unintentionally, Yueyao caught sight of Cai Yun’s furrowed brow and was somewhat surprised, wondering what Cai Yun’s expression meant. However, upon seeing Ma Peng enter, Yueyao felt she somewhat understood.
Ma Peng was adorned in a sapphire blue robe, with the chest beneath slightly moving with his smile. Ma Peng felt indifferent toward Loo Ying, maintaining only superficial affections. Upon seeing Yueyao, he showed a pleased smile and asked, "Cousin, when did you arrive?"
Yueyao noticed that Ma Peng seemed like a changed person, not only free from his previous awkwardness, but also significantly more handsome. The root of such a drastic change in Ma Peng was essentially two words: confidence.
Before, Ma Peng lived under the oppressive shadow of his real father, and with Ma Yue’s intelligence highlighting his own dullness, he lacked confidence. His lack of confidence rendered him taciturn, creating a vicious cycle that cast the impression of him being very awkward. But now things were different. His future looked bright, he was efficient and well-liked at the Hanlin Academy, had a talented and capable wife revered for her beauty, and was soon to be a father. one could say he had everything he ever wanted. Naturally, this made him much more open, and his transformation into a more confident man was significant to others.
Yueyao, smiling, said, "I just arrived not long ago. Cousin, the red envelope." She stretched out her hand after speaking.
Laughing, Ma Peng replied, "How could I forget your red envelope? I’ve had it prepared for you for a while now!" He reached into his sleeve and handed Yueyao a red envelope.