Chapter 1571: Gift (17)
Yang Ruxin frowned slightly, cursing "shit" in her mind. Why did this guy show up? However, she couldn’t display her feelings outwardly, so she hurriedly pulled up her signature smile: "This girl greets..."
"Xinxin, congratulations on coming of age!" Qi Jingyun quickly composed himself, stepped forward, and presented an ornate box, simultaneously blocking Yang Ruxin’s attempt to bow in greeting.
This clearly suggested he wanted to keep his identity concealed.
"Thank you, Third Master." Yang Ruxin straightened herself instantly. Though unwilling, she had no choice but to accept the gift, handing it off casually to Du Man beside her.
The villagers were well aware that Yang Ruxin knew many esteemed figures, so the arrival of one more guest didn’t surprise them. They quickly resumed eating and drinking. Yet, a few people in the courtyard recognized Qi Jingyun—such as Fang Dehua and Wei Bingyi.
Fang Dehua didn’t think much of it. Having met both the Emperor and the Crown Prince, a mere Third Prince wasn’t a big deal to him. Moreover, he understood his alignment with the Crown Prince, meaning he naturally saw the Third Prince as an adversary. As a result, he didn’t greet Qi Jingyun overly warmly.
Wei Bingyi, on the other hand, felt different. The entire purpose of his visit today was to build a good relationship with Yang Ruxin. He already knew she was connected to the Eighth Prince, but recognizing that she was evidently acquainted with the Third Prince as well was a revelation. Clearly, he had come to the right event—Yang Ruxin was a woman who could maneuver easily between opposing factions. Truly remarkable.
Yang Ruxin didn’t concern herself with other people’s thoughts. After her initial shock, she composed herself. Since he had shown up of his own accord, she couldn’t simply chase him away. She quickly instructed someone to prepare a seat for him. No matter how much she disliked him, she couldn’t afford to appear discourteous.
"Not going to open my... your gift to have a look?" Qi Jingyun remained where he stood, fixing his gaze on Yang Ruxin as he spoke.
"Uh..." Yang Ruxin wanted to swear aloud, but her smile grew ever more radiant. "Third Master’s gift must be extraordinarily valuable. I’m afraid it might astonish everyone here..."
Qi Jingyun’s eyes flickered momentarily as he stared at Yang Ruxin, then suddenly broke into a smile. He didn’t press her further and simply turned to take his seat.
Yang Ruxin twitched the corner of her mouth. This guy really had issues.