Pei Yuxuan?
Xie Ruyu met her cousin’s gaze and nodded slightly.
"Why not? I’ve come across them twice..." She said, her smile fading a bit, lowering her voice, "There are rumors in the Capital City saying the Commandery Princess decided to divorce because of the elder cousin."
"!!!" Xie Wanqing was dumbfounded and suddenly stood up: "Absurd!"
Her first reaction was disbelief.
But soon, she thought of her brother, who is over twenty and still unmarried. The fiancée he had agreed upon before, after she broke off the engagement, never once did he nod to any marriage proposal.
... There’s really a possibility he has someone in his heart.
Xie Wanqing’s heart gradually chilled.
Before her eyes was the Little Princess back then, looking disheartened, nodding casually under her parents’ orders.
Then it was her elegant and graceful brother, resembling a refined young man.
On the day of the Commandery Princess’s selection, she had warned him, if you don’t like her, then never like her.
"What do you think he’s thinking?"
At night, Xie Wanqing, unable to comprehend, asked her bedmate, another man, "Back then, the Commandery Princess was interested in him, but he refused her. Now..."
It’s not possible that her brother doesn’t like lively young girls and instead likes women who have been married for years, right?
Lu Ziyuan, upon hearing this for the first time, was also somewhat surprised, "Is this true?"
"Of course, I had someone investigate, and it’s very likely. My mother is worried sick."
The eldest son unwilling to marry, revealing signs of romantic interest.
The result was such an awkward choice.
A divorced woman isn’t the issue; the main thing is it’s the Pei Family.
Her daughter’s ex-husband’s family.
Although both families divorced, they didn’t become adversarial; it was due to imperial decree issues.
But over the years, for various reasons, they indeed haven’t interacted.
Now, her eldest son is interested in a girl from the Pei Family. Even if the Xie family agreed to this marriage... the Pei Family may not be willing to permit it.
Just thinking about it gave Xie Wanqing a headache, "What do you call this situation?"
"You’re pregnant, don’t worry about these things,"
Lu Ziyuan tightened his arms, holding her in his embrace, and after thinking, said, "Even the wisest person makes mistakes in judgment sometimes. Perhaps your brother himself hasn’t figured out what he truly wants, so he missed out."
What does he want?
Years ago, Xie Wanqing had asked her brother.
What did Xie YanYu say back then?
He said he only wanted to serve the country, help the crumbling house rise again, and didn’t want to get entangled in affairs of the heart.
He even admitted he liked the Little Princess.
However, he believed that liking wasn’t deep, and felt the Little Princess was too lively, not stable enough, consumed by affairs of the heart, hoping he’d reciprocate equally.
The emotional demands placed on him by the Little Princess felt like pressure.
He believed his focus should only be on serving his country and issues of the heart were insignificant.
The two getting married would only result in resentment.
Since that’s the case, it’s better not to start anything from the beginning.
He wanted to find a gentle and virtuous wife, not someone he needed to like too much, as long as she handled household affairs well, allowing him to devote himself fully to his official duties without other concerns.
And the Little Princess could then seek another perfect match.
Indeed, he was actually doing just that.
But when did he change his mind?
Xie Wanqing didn’t understand her brother, but it didn’t stop her heartache.
This is her brother, and she naturally sides with family over reason.
Thinking of her wonderful brother, the girl he has held in his heart for years is now a woman who’s been married.
And because of this, he’s unwilling to marry, feeling god knows how sad beneath it all.
She was heartbroken.
Even if this choice was knowingly made by him.