Chapter 60 Saying Farewell Once Again
All at once, Chu Xi saw a young gentleman with a face as flawless as jade, looking as though he had stepped right out of a painting, standing before her.
In that fleeting moment, her eyes filled with astonishment. Frozen in place, she stood in a daze, completely transfixed.
"What, don't you recognize me?" Qi Huan asked with a gentle smile playing at the corners of his lips and a soft tone in his voice.
Hearing that familiar voice, Chu Xi fixed her gaze on him for a long moment, the doubt in her eyes gradually giving way to delightful surprise.
Then, she said with joyful disbelief, "Qi Huan." Her voice carried a trace of irrepressible emotion.
She looked him up and down, taking in his male attire. He stood tall and straight, a light blue brocade robe fluttering gently in the breeze. His dark hair was secured by a white jade hairpin, and his fair, jade-like face radiated a handsome and dashing aura between his brows. It was hard to imagine that this person was truly Qi Huan.
"Did they wrong you at the Court of Judicial Review?" Qi Huan asked, his brows slightly furrowed and his gaze brimming with concern.
Chu Xi shook her head gently. "Not really. Lord Hu did not make things difficult for me." Though her days at the Court of Judicial Review had been spent in that rather oppressive environment, fortunately, Lord Hu was an upright man and had not subjected her to any hardship.
Hearing this, Qi Huan let out a sigh of relief and nodded slightly. "That's good." His eyes were filled with reassurance as the heavy stone finally lifted from his heart, allowing him to relax considerably.
Chu Xi raised her head, her gaze carrying deep gratitude as she asked, "Was it you who implored the Empress Dowager to save me?"
Qi Huan looked into her eyes, which were as clear as a tranquil lake, and smiled faintly. "This time, I was finally able to protect you." There was a hint of helplessness woven into those words.
"Thank you, Qi Huan. I never would have thought that when I was in my darkest hour, you would step forward to rescue me." Touched and overcome with immense emotion, Chu Xi felt her eyes grow red.
Qi Huan replied, "I should be the one thanking you. Had you not left the Prime Minister's Estate and spread the word outside to clear my name and redress my grievances, I doubt I would have today."
Chu Xi smiled faintly. "So you guessed it was me."
Qi Huan nodded. "Yes. There was no need to guess; it could only be you."
Chu Xi spoke softly, "You and I share a bond, to think we would truly meet again after parting ways at the Prime Minister's Estate, only to do so before the gates of the Court of Judicial Review." Her voice dimmed along with the light in her eyes.
Qi Huan said with a touch of guilt, "Chu Xi, I am sorry. I have no choice but to send you back to the General's Estate."
Upon hearing this, Chu Xi immediately shook her head. "It doesn't matter. To me, it is all the same wherever I go now. At the very least, returning to the General's Estate allows me to wait for Zixiao's triumphant return." That remained the sole hope in her heart.
"Then get into the carriage. It is windy outside, and your constitution is weak." Qi Huan personally lifted the curtain for her.
Chu Xi gathered her padded robe and climbed into the carriage.
Qi Huan watched her, his slender eyes concealing emotions that no one else could read.
He said softly, "I cannot escort you back. Be careful on the way."
Chu Xi looked at him, nodded, and smiled. "I understand. In a few days, you will be holding your grand wedding. Perhaps everything can start anew, and life will get better."
With a silent, faint smile, Qi Huan lowered his hand. The curtain fell immediately, blocking his view like a door, separating him from Chu Xi.
The carriage slowly moved away, gathering speed until it vanished from Qi Huan's sight.
Sitting inside the carriage with her head bowed, Chu Xi found that the joy Qi Huan had just brought her had now transformed into the uncertainty and apprehension of stepping back into the General's Estate once again.